Hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee - NRC's Implementation of the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendations and other Actions to Enhance and Maintain Nuclear Safety

Hearing

Thank you, Chairman Boxer, for convening today's hearing, and I would like to thank our NRC commissioners for returning to testify in front of this committee. I would also like to thank our industry experts and stakeholders for being here today.
Before getting started I would like to bring some attention to the committee mark-up that occurred yesterday to consider several nominations, including the nomination of Commissioner Baran to fill the remainder of Chairman MacFarlane's term.

While it is true that we recently held a hearing to consider Baran's qualifications on September 11, 2014, the sole purpose of that hearing was to decide whether or not he was qualified to hold this position for the remainder of former Commissioner William Magwood's term, which will expire on July 30, 2015.

Chairman Macfarlane's term is set to expire on June 30, 2018. The difference between these two term lengths are drastic, and many questions remain concerning the qualifications of Baran who only recently visited a nuclear reactor power station for the first time after being nominated.

While I appreciate Chairman Boxer's commitment to the safety of our nuclear reactor fleet, it is clearly a misstep to move forward on Baran's nomination for a drastically longer term, without holding a full EPW nominations hearing. There is no precedent for disregarding the importance of making sure each member of the NRC is qualified for the exact position and term for which they have been nominated.

The decision to hold yesterday's EPW meeting is a clear change in committee precedent and will have long-term ramifications as we move into a new Congress.

There is no doubt that many will attempt to counter this statement, saying we can ask Commissioner Baran any questions we would like during today's oversight hearing. However, dividing our time and focus between the important oversight of the Commission and the future of the NRC's leadership undermines the purpose of this committee.

The bottom line is that no nominee, including Baran, should be given a free pass into office based solely on the merits of being handpicked by Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Ensuring our commissioners are well-qualified and that the NRC is conducting business in a fact-based and ethical manner are crucial to the health, reliability, and safety of our nuclear fleet.

It is the primary reason that our nuclear reactor fleet remains the safest in the world.

The NRC has made great strides since the departure of the previous chairman, and I fear that Senate Democrats continue to undermine that progress as they prioritize politics over facts, policy and safety.

Again, thank you very much for being here, and I look forward to hearing from you on these important issues.

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