Nuclear 'Lessons to be Learned' From Japan: Boehner

As the Japanese race the clock to avert a nuclear meltdown at a power plant, House Speaker John Boehner, (R-Ohio), told CNBC Monday that the US needs to assess both the Japanese situation and its own relationship with nuclear energy.

“It's clear there are lessons to be learned from what is happening in Japan,” he said. “We need to learn those lessons as we look at how we produce more energy from nuclear sources in America.”

The speaker added that lessons can come from examining the causes of the meltdown, the age of the Japanese plants, which, he said, are about 40 years old, and what improvements were made at the plants as they aged.

Following a major earthquake and tsunami last week in the island nation, in which an estimated 10,000 people were killed, the nuclear plant was destabilized.

Boehner said when at home this weekend in Ohio, which has nuclear power plants, he heard no comments about their safety from constituents. But he did say that it’s difficult not to be concerned, given the images on TV and gravity of the situation in Japan.

Boehner said it's yet to be decided whether Congress will authorize additional funding for U.S. aid to Japan, but that he "would not be surprised," if it does.

Watch Larry Kudlow's entire interview with Rep. Boehner, including his candid remarks about the Congressional battle over the federal budget and deficit reduction, today on the The Kudlow Report, 7 pm, ET.