By the way, according The Hill's latest article, the 2 House Committees want to determine whether there was an FBI investigation at the time of the 2010 vote:
Lawmakers on the two panels, the House Intelligence and Oversight and Government Reform Committees, say they first want to know whether there was an FBI investigation into Russian efforts to infiltrate the U.S. energy market, which at the time included assuming shares of the uranium company, Uranium One.
“We’re not going to jump to any conclusions at this time, but one of the things we’re concerned about is whether or not there was an FBI investigation — was there a DOJ investigation — and if so, why was Congress not informed of this matter? That will be the start of the probe,” Intel head Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) told reporters in the basement of the Capitol.
The Hill reported last week that the FBI had gathered evidence that Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm with bribes and kickbacks as part of an effort to grow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s atomic energy business inside the United States — an investigation that predated the approval of the Uranium One sale.
The lawmakers want to know whether the deal should have been approved in the first place.
The article then goes on to say:
Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) on Monday cited “very, very real concerns about why we would allow a Russian-owned company to get access to 20 percent of America’s uranium supply.”
“It’s important we find out why that deal went through.”
Well, there was the US-Russian agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation that Bush initiated in 2008, withdrew because of the George conflict, then the Obama administration resubmitted, which Congress did not block:
The U.S.-Russian Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation
The Obama administration re-submitted the U.S.-Russian agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation to Congress on May 10, 2010. The agreement, which would allow the two countries to trade nuclear materials, technology and services, was originally signed and submitted to Congress for review in May 2008. However, following the August 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia, the U.S.-Russian relationship deteriorated significantly; the Bush administration withdrew the agreement from Congress on September 8 of that year. The agreement will automatically enter into force unless both houses of Congress pass a resolution of disapproval within 90 legislative days.
Some members of Congress have expressed displeasure with the agreement, citing Russia's cooperation with Iran in the nuclear field. A resolution of disapproval has been introduced in the House, and is under consideration by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
In a letter transmitting the agreement to Congress, President Obama wrote that "the situation in Georgia need no longer be considered an obstacle to proceeding with the proposed Agreement; and...the level and scope of U.S.-Russia cooperation on Iran are sufficient to justify" the new submission.[1] Obama also welcomed joint U.S.-Russian endeavors in the nuclear sphere, such as the New START treaty. Since the resubmission of the agreement, Russia has also joined the United States in adopting a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran.
[. . .]
The proposed agreement will allow the two parties to cooperate in scientific research related to nuclear reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle, radioactive waste handling, "nuclear industry and commerce," and "shipments...of moderator material, nuclear material, technologies and equipment, as well as services in the area of the nuclear fuel cycle..."[2] Indeed, the agreement states that not only is such activity permitted, but that the governments will "facilitate commercial relations" in such fields.[3]
The U.S.-Russian Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation | NTI
That seems to me to answer Rep. King's question.
