We have a winner!

Throughout the month of August, we sponsored a contest with a $250 reward to the person who could come up with something of great significance that Richard Burr has accomplished. The original post had more than 1300 visits, and more than a dozen entries. Four of those entries were included for review in our poll yesterday, with a clear winner emerging.

Richard Burr's most significant accomplishment in 16 years is his amendment to allow for exportation of nuclear-bomb-grade uranium.

Congratulations to Oliver Queen, who submitted the following entry:

Remember when Richard Burr weakened controls on the export of high-enriched uranium in the 2005 omnibus energy bill? You might not, since Burr's amendment to do so was actually defeated on the floor of the Senate (I was actually around for that vote). What you may not know is that Burr slipped his language back in while the bill was in conference. It's complicated, but basically the Burr Amendment allows for the exportation of uranium that's pure enough to be used in dirty bombs, all because a Canadian company (MDS Nordion) didn't want to pay the cost of making their medical radioisotopes from less dangerous low-enriched uranium.

The energy bill, including the Burr amendment, was passed by Congress on July 29, 2005, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005.

If you're in want of a Money Quote:

Enactment of the Burr amendment threatens to undermine the longstanding U.S. goal of phasing out commerce in bomb-grade uranium, thereby undermining the war on terror.

Richard Burr is good for something - making the world less safe from the spectre of nuclear war.

And congratulations to Senator Burr. After 16 years in Congress, your most significant accomplishment is to undermine the longstanding goal of phasing out commerce in bomb-grade uranium.

Heck of a job, Dick.