This funding was secured in the FY24 appropriations bill which Murray helped author and negotiate; currently, Murray is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Energy

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and ranking member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to the announcement that the nuclear energy company Framatome was chosen to receive federal funding to support supply chain development for small modular reactors (SMRs). Framatome will receive $8.8 million to expand a fuel fabrication facility in Richland, Washington, by increasing the number of ceramic pellet production lines, adding approximately 200 metric tons of uranium of annual capacity. The award is funded through the FY24 annual appropriations bill, which Senator Murray helped author and negotiate.

"This funding is great news for Richland-it will help create jobs and grow the local economy across the Tri-Cities. During my visit last week, I met with the labor leaders that will make this project a reality and saw firsthand exactly where the materials we need for our clean energy future will be manufactured," said Senator Murray. "The Tri-Cities has long been a leader in nuclear energy supply chains, and I am proud to make sure that continues into the future, including by supporting funding just like this. It is simple: this project will advance our efforts to reduce emissions, protect the environment, and ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in energy technologies. The Trump administration keeps doing all they can to hurt domestic energy production, cutting billions in funding for energy projects and research, and forcing energy prices to skyrocket. While Trump lines the pockets of big oil companies, I will keep fighting to protect the kinds of investments-like this one-that we need to power a clean energy future for America and bring down utility bills."

For FY26, Senator Murray secured over $4.8 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy, including $3.1 billion in repurposed supplemental funding to support the deployment of advanced reactor technologies. Senator Murray also rejected Trump's proposal in FY26 to slash funding for the Department of Energy by $4.7 billion, cut funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs by $2.572 billion, and rescind $15.25 billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law energy programs. Senator Murray has also fought hard against Trump's effort to cancel $8 billion in energy projects in blue states. In President Trump's FY27 budget request, he proposed gutting funding for EERE programs by $1.9 billion, or 63%.

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