The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass a key piece of legislation to bolster the country’s nuclear energy sector.

 

The 88-2 vote sends the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk. Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opposed the measure. A White House spokesperson did not answer questions about whether Biden would sign the bill. However, national climate advisor Ali Zaidi seemingly posted on the social platform X on Tuesday in support of the legislation.

“Appreciate the bipartisan efforts on advanced nuclear,” he wrote, along with a video of a speech by Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) in favor of the bill.

The nuclear package was combined with another bill that reauthorized the U.S. Fire Administration and grant programs for firefighters. The Hill added that this combined package will also go to the president’s desk.

 

“We benefit from more tools in the toolbox as we take on the climate crisis—with the urgency the moment demands,” Zaidi added.

The measure aims to speed up the process of approving the construction of new nuclear plants as many of the country’s existing plants reach the end of their serviceable lives. In addition, it cuts the licensing fees that power companies must pay to begin projects. It also mandates the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prepare a report examining ways to simplify and expedite the environmental review process.

“Hopefully it will be history-making in terms of small modular reactors, which is the future of nuclear,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told reporters Tuesday before senators voted.

Supporters of the measure say it’s a tremendous boost for the nation’s nuclear power sector.

“It’s a facilitator of the process by which industry has to get approvals for building these projects,” Lesley Jantarasami, managing director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s energy program, told The Hill.