美國參眾兩院日前針對7900億美元的「經濟復甦與再投資計畫」達成折衷方案的協議，最終版本將在眾議院和參議院舉行投票決定。
總統歐巴馬於2月11日晚間一項官方聲明中指出：「我要謝謝民主和共和兩黨的議員攜手合作，來達成這得來不易的折衷方案。」
外界除了關注減稅與支出上的財務平衡問題，許多環境團體覺得寬慰的是，原本參議院版本中一項新核反應爐的經費，在最終版本中已刪除。
在此之前，243個環境、消費、宗教團體及小型企業送出一封給參議員的聯名信，表達他們「對參議院撥款委員會在經濟振興法案中，提供高達500億美元的貸款擔保新建核反應爐與淨煤電廠，感到十分失望和憤怒。」
美國核能研究所（The Nuclear Energy Institute）則認為，「創新技術貸款擔保計畫」（Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program）將會提供貸款擔保給避免或減少及儲存空氣污染、溫室效應氣體及利用新的或是顯著改善的技術等各能源計畫。該研究所稱符合這些計畫的包括再生能源系統、高級石化能源技術，氫燃料電池、高級核能設備、能源效率計畫、傳輸技術、混合或柴油車，以及碳捕捉或儲存技術。
The Senate-House conference committee has reconciled the chambers' different versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, coming up with a $790 billion economic stimulus package. The final version will go to a vote in the House and Senate later this week.
"I want to thank the Democrats and Republicans in Congress who came together around a hard-fought compromise that will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs and get our economy back on track," President Barack Obama said in an official statement Wednesday night.
While other interests are concerned with issues such as the balance between tax cuts and spending, many environmental groups are relieved that a provision in the Senate's version that could have been used to fund new nuclear reactors has been cut from the final text.
Last week, 243 environmental, consumer, and religious organizations and small businesses sent a joint letter to senators expressing their "dismay and anger over the inclusion by the Senate Appropriations Committee of a provision in the economic stimulus bill to provide up to $50 billion in additional taxpayer loan guarantees that could be used for construction of new nuclear reactors and 'clean coal' plants."
The Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry association, points out that the Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program would have provided loan guarantees for all energy projects that avoid, reduce or store air pollutants or greenhouse gases and employ new or significantly improved technologies. Among the projects eligible for this funding would have been renewable energy systems, advanced fossil energy technology, hydrogen fuel cells, advanced nuclear energy facilities, energy efficiency programs, transmission technologies, hybrid or diesel vehicles and carbon capture or storage technology, the NEI stated.
