Spencer Abraham (left) watches President George Bush shake hands with Gov. Tom Ridge after signing two executive orders. Photo: Eric Draper
The French State-owned company has built close relationships with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) over the years. Former U.S. Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham is the Chairman of the Board of the U.S. branch of AREVA and uses his address book to promote the merits of this State-owned firm.
Spencer Abraham was the head of the Republican Party in Michigan before becoming U.S. Senator for Michigan from 1995 to 2001. When he lost his re-election bid, President George W. Bush named him Energy Secretary. He served from January 2001 to February 2005. One year after he left, Abraham became Chairman of the Board of AREVA Inc. – the U.S. branch of AREVA Group, the French nuclear power giant.
Secretary Abraham’s responses to questions from Célia Sampol, DCBureau.org
On July 15 2010, the World Affairs Council organized a film screening and discussion titled, Nuclear Tipping Point, at the University of California, Washington Center. As Daryl Kimball, the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association (ACA) put it yesterday, “it is a nasty world out there.” To many, this spurs the desire to acquire more belligerent weapons for deterrence- the usual “just-in-case” reason that many states and nations give for having nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and warheads. In a refreshing twist to that reasoning, Kimball offered a perspective that resonated in some in the audience, “it is already a nasty world out there, what will it be with nuclear weapons?”
