In this vote, the House rejected an amendment to H.R. 2419 offered by Edward Markey (D-MA) to transfer $15.5 million in spending from nuclear waste reprocessing and disposal to energy efficiency programs. H.R. 2419 was a bill to make appropriations (fund) for energy and water development for fiscal year 2006 (FY06). Progressives argued that there were several reasons to de-emphasize nuclear reprocessing. First, they stated that not engaging in reprocessing would give the U.S. "the high moral ground as we look at the North Koreans and Iranians to tell them not to do it." (Markey.) Second, they noted that reprocessing was not economical. Third, Progressives argued that reprocessing was unsafe because of the potential of leaks of radioactive material. Fourth, they stated that energy conservation would simply be a better use of the $15.5 million in question because there it would help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Republicans disagreed, stating that the funds could potentially cure the existing problem of nuclear waste disposal, which negatively affected several communities. They asserted that modern technology minimized the risks posed by reprocessing. The House defeated Progressives on this amendment by a vote of 110 to 312, with 89 Democrats crossing party lines to vote with Republicans against the amendment. Thus, the $15.5 million remained allocated for U.S. nuclear waste reprocessing, despite the fact that the U.S. government was simultaneously calling on the North Korean and Iranian governments not to reprocess nuclear waste.