CongressDaily

U.S. President George W. Bush Feb. 15 recommended that the Energy Department build a nuclear waste repository at Nevada's Yucca Mountain.  However, Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a Republican, is expected to veto Bush's recommendation by April 16.  Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, Guinn's veto will send the issue to Congress, which must decide within 90 legislative days whether to override the governor's veto on majority votes in each chamber.

The Republican-controlled House is expected to back Bush's recommendation, but Senate leaders are opposed to the repository, centering the battle over the waste site's future in that chamber.

An ongoing CongressDaily survey of senators indicates opponents face steep odds as they face a vote later this year.

In the survey, 76 senators responded, with 37 so far favoring the waste site, 15 opposed and 24 undecided.  Following are detailed results:

Republicans in Favor (29): Wayne Allard; George Allen; Robert Bennett; Conrad Burns; Thad Cochran; Susan Collins; Larry Craig; Mike Crapo; Mike DeWine; Peter Fitzgerald; Chuck Hagel; Orrin Hatch; Jesse Helms; Tim Hutchinson; James Inhofe; Richard Lugar; John McCain; Mitch McConnell; Frank Murkowski; Don Nickles; Rick Santorum; Richard Shelby; Bob Smith; Olympia Snowe; Craig Thomas; Fred Thompson; Strom Thurmond; George Voinovich; John Warner

Republicans Opposed (3): Ben Nighthorse Campbell; Pete Domenici; John Ensign

Democrats in Favor (7): John Edwards; Bob Graham; Ernest Hollings; Herb Kohl; Mary Landrieu; Zell Miller; Patty Murray

Democrats Opposed (12): Daniel Akaka; Max Baucus; Barbara Boxer; Thomas Daschle; Dianne Feinstein; Tim Johnson; Edward Kennedy; John Kerry; Barbara Mikulski; Jack Reed; Harry Reid; Paul Wellstone

Republicans Undecided (7): Sam Brownback; Lincoln Chafee; Michael Enzi; Bill Frist; Phil Gramm; Pat Roberts; Arlen Specter

Democrats Undecided (17): Joseph Biden; Jeff Bingaman; John Breaux; Robert Byrd; Max Cleland; Kent Conrad; Jon Corzine; Mark Dayton; Christopher Dodd; Richard Durbin; Daniel Inouye; Carl Levin; Joseph Lieberman; Ben Nelson; John (Jay) Rockefeller; Debbie Stabenow; Ron Wyden

Independent Sen. James Jeffords favors establishing the repository.  The remaining 24 senators did not respond.

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