Hearings to examine The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget.

Well, it's nine fifty nine, so let's go ahead and start if it's okay. Um, welcome and welcome to everybody. Before we begin, uh, I would like to note that this is the committee's first day back in our new hearing room after the re renovations that took nearly a year to complete. The renovation has added technology, functionality to the room, which I believe will help the committee make us look better, and the new furnishings look great. I wanna thank all the staff of the Architect of the Capitol, the Senate Recording Studio, and the contractors who worked on the project and did an excellent job. I also wanna give special thanks to uh Lisa Hobbs and Kelly Zimmer, who oversaw the project for the Architect of the Capitol, Alicia Butler, our committee's Chief Clerk, and Carly McQuitty of my staff for their dedication to this project. So I think um I was in my blue phase when Carly asked me what colors I liked and I think we did a good job. Carly I like I'm still in my blue phase so um that's good. So with that I will turn to my opening statement. So again good morning and thank you for joining us today as we hear from the members of the Nu uh Nuclear Regulatory Commission. on the NRC's proposed budget for Fiscal Year twenty twenty seven. This is the first time that the committee is hearing from uh Chairman Nii and Commissioner Weaver, uh as they were confirmed last year with bipartisan support. Since being designated Chairman on January the eighth, Chairman Nii has been actively overseeing the implementation of the Advance Act, executive order fourteen thirty three hundred, while also making sure licenses are efficiently uh reviewed and approved. Because of Chairman Wright's tenure as Chairman throughout twenty twenty five, the NRC was well positioned to accelerate its work under Chairman Nee. Commissioner Wright, thank you for your steady hand last year, we really appreciate it. A particular note, Chairman Wright or Commissioner Wright worked with Commissioner Crow to update the NRC's mission statement to align with today's reality that we need to preserve and rapidly expand nuclear capacity. Thank you both for that. That goal will be achieved by the NRC enabling the safe and secure use of radioactive material and nuclear energy. This updated mission statement is paying dividends as the commission the NRC staff and the industry undergoes a rapid change. This rapid change is partially driven by the bipartisan efforts of this committee to get the NRC to do its work smarter, faster, and cheaper, and to do so without compromising the agency's foundational goal of ensuring nuclear safety. I have previously expressed caution, particularly with the likelihood of unintended consequences, about the potential impacts of creating regulatory uncertainty if the NRC does not accomplish its task deliberately. So far, the Commission's work is encouraging, But the most consequ consequential work, I do believe, still remains in front of us. The Commission's twenty twenty-seven budget reflects the agency's recent successes, accounts for high-priority ongoing work, and forecasts exp expected workload. One success was when the committee re- re-baselined its primary reactor oversight inspection programs earlier this year, which will yield savings both for staffing and for funding. I've previously supported this long-running effort to re-examine the reactor oversight process, So I'm pleased to see the commission ambitiously move forward with this initiative. The commission has also approved an agency reorganization that aligns the NRC staff with current and projected work, consolidates unnecessary administrative staffing, and eliminates levels of bureaucracy. The NRC is in the midst of a wholesale review and revision of its regulations. This broad effort requires more near-term resources for rule rulemaking, but it should result in long-term budget savings. Most importantly, the NRC is projecting an increase of licensing work, the purpose for which the agency exists. That licensing work will be completed faster and with fewer staff due to the efficiencies that were directed by this Congress in the Advance Act. Those licensing efficiencies are already evident. The NRC recently completed the fastest ever subsequent license renewal for a reactor nearly cutting in half the time and cost of what was normal at the agency two years ago. The multitude of these changes heightened the importance of the Commission's strategic planning, its role in developing and executing the agency's budget, and in modeling the leadership traits that are needed to sustain the changing culture we're seeing at the NRC. I want to thank the Commission for both the efficiency for which you are working, and the thoughtfulness for which you are fulfilling your responsibilities. For example, at the recommendation of Commissioner Marzano, The commission directed the staff to develop a change management plan to ensure that the new organizational structure is clearly communicated and deliberately undertaken. This will help make the commission's actions successful and durable. I would also like to commend Chairman Nii, the entire commission, and the NRC staff for working in a bipartisan way with this committee to keep us informed about their work. As we discuss the NRC's budget proposal today, I will explore how the positive steps will be translated into an enduring framework that can deliver what Congress, the administration, industry, and the public expect from our nation's nuclear safety regulator. As states across the country, in including my state of West Virginia, consider nuclear power's potential to to meet the growing energy demand, I expect the NRC will prove through its actions that it will not be an obstacle uh to reliable clean electricity generation. And I now recognize Ranking Member Whitehouse for his opening statement.

First, let me um join the chair in thanking the uh AOC, and by that I mean architect of the capital, um and the construction team for our hearing room uh upgrade. It is nice to be back in our own hearing room again. And let me also congratulate the chair on her thumping primary victory yesterday even though that was not in much doubt it's always nice to have them behind you

thank you certainly it's a

so uh congratulations to you madam chair uh welcome to all the commissioners who are here um twenty twenty six has already been a busy year for you nrc issued its first commercial construction permit in nearly a decade and first commercial non-light water reactor permit in over forty years for terrapowers advanced reactor months ahead of schedule. It issued its first new fuel fabrication licenses in over fifty years to try so X to produce high assay, low enriched uranium for America's future advanced reactor fleet. It completed its fastest ever license renewal approval in under twelve months for the H P Robinson plant in South Carolina. It finalized the part fifty-three risk informed technology inclusive reactor licensing pathway. to accommodate diverse advanced reactor technologies and proposed regulatory frameworks for micro-reactors and fusion machines, as directed by Congress. The NRC is showing that it can get the job done. These accomplishments are the result of our actions in Congress, of prepared and engaged project applicants, and of the commission itself, including its seasoned expert staff. The narrative that NRC is the problem is now the domain of unqualified developers seeking shortcuts. These developers look to the Department of Energy to either take over or supplant our nation's safety regulator. As Terra Power's CEO said, The regulator was a concern four, five plus years ago, but we started seeing progress beginning that far back. The NRC is no longer the big concern." Terra Power's press release, which I will enter into the record, makes clear that capable applicants can navigate the licensing process at NRC smoothly. Working with NRC will bring this nation where it needs to go. Unfortunately, threats to NRC's success and to success of the nuclear industry still loom. First, NRC's independence. Public trust in nuclear safety requires an independent regulator. From doggy infiltration to haphazard executive orders to the firing without cause of a commissioner, the Trump administration has reached unprecedented political tentacles into the NRC. Luckily, the worst of this turbulence has subsided, as evidenced by the full commission seated before us today, whose combined experience and expertise will allow the NRC to function at its best. But White House and Department of Energy operatives lurk at NRC with a subset of these nuclear neophytes forming a shadowy steering committee. some kind of covert commission within a commission reporting to whom we don't know, but shaping priorities at the agency. Meanwhile, DOE itself forges ahead, hastily approving reactors with the explicit goal of fast-tracking them for future NRC licensing, as stated in DOE's own documents. Decades ago, Congress put a fire wall between nuclear regulation and nuclear promotion. And it did so for a reason. To protect the safe operation of our reactor fleet. These moves threaten that bulwark of nuclear safety. All this while the proposed budget for NRC's inspector general is cut by nearly a quarter, begging the question whether any mischief at the agency will be caught before it's too late. Second, NRC's transparency and deliberative process. The agency is churning through over two dozen rules in a wholesale revision of its regulations. Instead of robust stakeholder consultation, NRC rules move darkly through OIRA, where the White House, political players, and other agencies can quietly influence NRC's previously independent rules. Even commissioners' votes on rulemakings which once were crucial windows into NRC's evaluative process, are no longer even public. Even if no hidden mischief occurs, the lack of transparency reduces confidence and trust. Third and finally, NRC's workforce. Attrition at NRC remains at alarming highs, while the agency is taking on more work than ever. These staffing losses are unsustainable, and will undermine the nuclear renaissance this administration claims it wants to bring to fruition. Chair Capito and I, along with many of our colleagues, have spent years passing NRC reforms to effectively deliver on the promise of nuclear energy. Those reforms have coincided with the regulatory renaissance terror power described. The results are clear. We see before us a commission guided by a strong group of capable leaders. At all costs, we must not let creeping political influence compromise the NRC as it ushers in a new day for nuclear energy in America. Thank you, Chairman.

Uh, I wanna thank the ranking member, and uh, we will now turn to our witnesses. Our first witness is the Chairman of the NRC, uh, Ho Nii. Ch- Chairman Nii was confirmed by the Senate in November of last year, and designated Chairman by President Trump. in January. Welcome, uh, Chairman Nii, and you are recognized for five minutes to deliver your opening statement.

Thank you and good morning. Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whitehouse, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission appreciates the bipartisan leadership of this committee through the Advance Act which is guiding the NRC's modernization to accelerate the deployment of new nuclear, and expand existing capacity. I want to recognize and appreciate my fellow commissioners, together, our expertise and perspectives are shaping the future of nuclear safety regulation in America during one of the most consequential moments in the history of NRC. The NRC's safety mission remains our top priority. And Congress also mandated that the NRC's mission enable the safe use of nuclear technologies through predictable and efficient regulation. In the regulatory context, enabling is aligning our regulations with actual risks, adapting to new technologies, and adding flexibility where safety is maintained. Enabling is how the NRC fulfills its safety commitment and delivers public benefit. America urgently needs more energy. Due to artificial intelligence, data centers, and industrial growth, nuclear is seen as essential to our nation's energy security. The question now is execution, whether America can build at scale, on schedule, and at lower cost. And that is where the NRC matters. Regulatory uncertainty is capital risk, and capital will go elsewhere if risk is too high. As America's nuclear safety regulator, our role is clear. Our safety decisions must be credible, predictable, and timely. Accordingly, the NRC is making reforms driven by Congress and the President. Throughout this period of change, the NRC is coordinating with federal partners, including the Department of Energy. In doing so, the NRC is making its safety decisions consistent with its mission, and independent from the Department of Energy. As the NRC implements the Advance Act and Executive Order fourteen three hundred, we are focusing on what is most important to safety, by eliminating unnecessary conservatism and adding uh um and and applying risk-informed performance-based uh approaches consistently. We are making major changes to how we oversee and license nuclear facilities. We are rebalancing our oversight programs to reflect the high level of safety and security performance across the industry. And we are developing new licensing frameworks that are predictable, efficient, and designed for deployment. Over the past year, the NRC has been delivering results. We finalized part fifty-three, ahead of schedule. We issued a construction permit for a nine light-water advanced reactor, ahead of schedule. We approved a restart pathway for a permanently shut-down reactor. We renewed the operating licenses for fifteen operating reactors. We issued a license for a triso fuel fabrication facility, ahead of schedule. We launched a regulatory framework for fusion. And we prepared nineteen executive order fourteen three hundred draft rulemakings. These results demonstrate that a strong safety focus and timely regulatory decisions go hand in hand. The NRC will not be an impediment to nuclear energy innovation in America. To meet this moment, I'm focusing the agency on three priorities. First,

Right.

core mission delivery with safety, efficiency, and speed. Second, leadership and operational excellence in how we do our business. third, sustaining our performance through a culture of continuous improvement. Our success in this moment depends on our people. While the agency has experienced above average attrition over the last year, we continue to deliver on our mission because we are working smarter, not harder, and with the help of the Advance Act. We are increasing our efforts to recruit, retain, and develop our people. Our success in this moment, delivering our mission also requires realistic planning, disciplined budget execution, and alignment with strategic goals. The NRC's fiscal year twenty-seven budget request reflects those principles and the resources needed to accelerate deployment while ensuring safety and security of America's existing nuclear facilities. Going forward, the American public can expect credible, predictable, and timely safety decisions from the NRC. Thank you. I look forward to your questions.

Thank you very much. Uh, our next witness is Commissioner David Wright. Uh, Commissioner Wright was confirmed to a third term on the NRC in Ja- in July of twenty twenty six and served as the chair from January twenty five through January of this year. Commissioner, welcome and you are recognized for two minutes for your opening statement.

Thank you. Good morning, uh, Chairman Capito, ranking member of White House and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I wanna thank chairman nee and my fellow commissioners for their collegiality as we enable nuclear technology here and abroad. The NRC sits at the center of the nation's nuclear energy landscape. Since being confirmed to the commission in twenty eighteen, I have worked to transform the NRC into a more agile and modern regulator. In twenty nineteen, Congress provided clear direction in NEMA to provide a path for licensing reactors in a technology-neutral manner that was efficient and streamlined, while maintaining safety as our North Star. The NRC took this directive and got to work. The part fifty-three rule making is the culmination of that work, and I'm happy to say that we accomplished this nine months ahead of schedule. This rule represents one of the most significant updates to our regulatory approach in decades, providing a flexible foundation for advanced reactor technologies. While this accomplishment is huge, the American people demanded more. And in July of twenty-four, Congress passed and the President signed the Advance Act. The first thing the NRC did was to update its mission statement. The Commission led this initiative and in January of twenty-five published the NRC's new mission statement that provides clear direction to the staff that the NRC is here to enable the safe use and deployment of nuclear technologies for the betterment of society. In the years since, We have seen a sea change in the culture of the staff, and they are leaning in on the mission and providing results, all while keeping safety at the heart of every decision. This culture change is more evident in the revisions to our regulations directed by President Trump's EO fourteen three hundred. At the heart of all of these accomplishments are the dedicated people that work at the NRC. Every day they deliver results for the country. As I've said many times before, the NRC is the best place and has the best people and the federal government. I stand by that statement today and thank the staff for all that they do. The NRC is delivering meaningful results through a modernized mission, a skilled workforce, and an unwavering focus on protecting public health and safety. Thank you for your support and for your comments, Chairman Capito, and I look forward to questions.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh, next we will hear from uh Commissioner Bradley Crowell. Uh, Commissioner Crowell was confirmed to serve as a member of the NRC in twenty twenty-two. and has over twenty years of experience in energy and environmental policy, including as a staffer for our own ranking member, ranking member White House. So welcome, uh, Commissioner, and you're recognized for two minutes.

Thank you, Chairman Capito, ranking member White House and members of the committee. Uh, thank you for inviting me and my fellow commissioners to appear before you today, to discuss the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's fiscal year twenty twenty seven budget request. Uh, today

Could you pull the microphone more towards you, yeah.

Yep.

today today we find ourselves uh at a pivotal juncture that will determine the future of commercial nuclear power not just in the united states but around the world upon joining the commission uh in twenty twenty two i was excited to get to work and help lead an ongoing transformation at the nrc commensurate with my growing confidence in our country's ability to position the us as the world's leader for the next generation of nuclear energy technologies but most importantly to do so while maintaining the united states hard-earned world-class reputation for nuclear safety and security i'm proud to have helped facilitate many accomplishments and milestones achieved by the agency staff in just the last few years. chairman nee highlighted many of the nrc's most recent successes and i share his optimism that we are building a framework to accelerate further achievements. however success is far from guaranteed. looking ahead, my confidence in our nuclear future is buoyed by congress building and sustaining bipartisan support for nuclear power to meet our nation's energy needs. and in doing so giving the nrc the policy direction and resources needed to modernize its approach to responsible nuclear regulation and oversight, without sacrificing safety. Recent positive change underway at the nrc can be traced directly to the agency's recent update of its mission statement to establish a more enabling culture, without losing focus on safety and security. By effectively establishing an an enabling mindset among agency staff, we've already seen notable improvements in both the efficiency and clarity of agency licensing and oversight activities. I hope this agency culture change will persevere despite recent upheavals amongst nrc staff just in the past sixteen months we have lost five hundred and ten employees including many senior executives and subject matter experts while adding only fifty-nine new staff over the past year the agency has been almost exclusively focused on implementing the current administration's executive order fourteen three hundred ordering the reform of the nuclear regulatory commission this eo doubles down on much of the agency's ongoing work in related reform efforts however the breadth and scope of this executive order combined with the extraordinary short timelines for implementation risks undermining the very goals set by the eo itself maintaining the public's trust in our government's ability to safely and securely regulate nuclear power generation means that getting it right should be more important than moving fast the need to enhance regulatory efficiencies without impacting safety is why my paramount concern as a commissioner today is the current and future nrc workforce but the agency is being directed to do more with less despite a growing workload and aggressive new time frames for agency licensing and oversight activities this is an unsustainable dynamic. uh i'm equally concerned about the agency's continued focus in in in a in fy twenty seven to execute on the nrc's full mission including the oversight of our nation's current fleet of nuclear power and fuel cycle facilities for lasting success the nrc must double down on efforts to restore build and maintain public trust whereas the surest way to undermine the public's confidence in nuclear safety and in the nrc's role in protecting public health is to decrease transparency. I am confident in the current crop of NRC commissioners that we can work collaboratively and collegially uh to achieve these objectives, and I look forward to discussing that with you today. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next witness is Commissioner Matthew Marzano. C- Commissioner Marzano was confirmed by the Senate to serve as a member of the NRC in twenty twenty four, previously having been detailed by the Idaho National Laboratory to support the EPW. committee for then uh chairman carper welcome mr mozzano and you are recognized for two minutes

thank you chairman capito uh ranking member white house members of the environment

mmm

and public works committee i appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today the nrc is undergoing one of the most significant periods of reform in the agency's half century history staff at all levels are working diligently to implement the direction provided by congress through the advance act as well as recent executive orders intended to modernize and accelerate the safe deployment of nuclear technologies. The staff's dedication to this effort is demonstrated to through the sheer volume of activity is nothing short of remarkable. The progress we have made over the past year gives me confidence that we can respond successfully to the task before us. At the same time, I must offer a note of caution. As a former nuclear operator, much of my focus in the role centered on understanding human performance and identifying precursor behaviors and conditions that lead to human error. In the context of the reforms underway, I believe that we may be at risk of allowing scheduled pressure to drive outcomes. In my experience, when organizations are pushed to move faster through complex and interconnected tasks, the potential for error increases significantly. For our purposes, the risk is not simply delay, it is poor outcomes, reduced transparency, and ultimately a loss of public confidence. this challenge before us is not whether the nr c can exceed can succeed in this effort but rather ensuring that speed does not come at the expense of the agency's core values and principles i firmly believe we can accomplish the ambitious goals before us if three things happen first the agency must be have a well resourced and robust workforce expanded responsibilities require sufficient staffing training and technical expertise to execute them effectively second we must maintain meaningful stakeholder involvement and adequate public uh public comment opportunities durable regulatory progress depends on transparency and public trust and third we must preserve strong morale and organizational organizational culture at the nr c one that empowers employees to raise concerns apply sound technical judgment and remain committed to the agency's public safety mission if we get these things right i believe that we can successfully accomplish all that is before us while maintaining the confidence of congress industry and the american public thank you and i look forward to your questions

thank you very much and our final witness we will hear for commissioner douglas weaver commissioner weaver was sworn into his current position in december of twenty twenty five and his nomination to serve a full five year term is currently pending for a vote on the senate floor commissioner weaver welcome back to the committee

Good morning, Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whitehouse, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today, with my colleagues, to discuss the NRC's efforts to enable the safe and secure use of nuclear technologies for the benefit of our nation. On December third, last year I appeared before this committee as a nominee to become a member of the commission. I testified on that day that if confirmed, I would work with the current members of the commission to effectively implement both the advance act, and executive order one four three hundred, in a manner that maintains public trust and meets the needs of the nation. As I approach five months on the commission, I can say that the NRC is delivering on those commitments and will continue to do so, as we implement our new organizational model, new regulations, and more risk-informed programs. NRC stands ready to meet the country's needs today, and will be even better positioned to do so tomorrow. i would describe the work we are doing as transformational the full scope of the changes will become apparent as the commission deliberates on and issues the full suite of proposed rules in the coming months these regulatory changes in conjunction with the cultural and organizational alignment in progress will result in an nrc that is both safety focused and a true enabler of nuclear technology that's the vision i am committed to advancing that vision through my votes my engagement with staff and stakeholders, and my work with and my work with the colleagues on the commission. I appreciate the committee's oversight and I look forward to your questions. Thank you, Jimmy.

Thank you all very much, and I will kick us off with the questions. Um, let's just talk uh first with Chairman Nii about the the proposed budget, which is nearly eighty million dollars lower than the enacted budget of fiscal year twenty twenty six. The proposal realizes much of the savings that Congress envisioned will be put together, the Advance Act, which directed the agency to be more efficient in its licensing and oversight program, and in doing so, lowering those regulatory costs paid by industry. Will you please, uh, Chairman Nii, um, briefly summarize and quantify key cost savings that are included in this budget that would have been uh as a result of the Advance Act.

Thank you, Chairman Capito.

Mm-hmm.

Yes.

i i can do that and i do wanna echo one thing that i think is instrumental to the savings that i'll uh describe momentarily is the uh committee's efforts to include enabling in the nrc's mission that in my view is one of the most substantial aspects of how we're able to uh achieve these uh licensing and oversight program efficiency so as you mentioned there are significant reductions through the provisions in the advance act that we're building into how we do business uh in licensing alone we've reduced costs by approximately six million dollars and thirty full-time equivalents and in the oversight program we have reduced costs uh around nine million dollars and uh forty full-time equivalents there are other reductions that we have uh implemented as well in the corporate support area again another area of focus through the advance act so taken together with the advance act alone the the focus on disciplined milestones and achieving efficiencies with that enabling mindset has enabled us to really deliver this value back to the country again so we can really execute our work at the best efficiency possible and the one thing i would really add to that bringing in to my my private sector experience to the agency and having a disciplined leadership model companies that execute well on their objectives really look to streamline and simplify or eliminate the work that doesn't contribute to the desired outcome and that's one thing that we're doing at the nr c we really wanna do less with less Cuz we found that over the years there are things that we have been doing that really do not materially contribute to mission outcomes. And those are the things that the Executive Director for Operations and his senior leadership team are really seeking to look for more and more as we execute our work so that we're focusing on what is absolutely most important for safety, and nothing more or nothing less than that.

OK, thank you. Well, the next question uh I have is related to s- uh several of you addressed this in your um opening statements and that's appropriate staffing levels. But many of you noted a lot of folks had left the agency. Um and so we're seeing a dramatically different NRC. So I wanna start with uh uh Commissioner Crowell on this one. Um the proposed budget for NRC appears to include a notable reduction of staff, yet the licensing and regulatory work that the uh agency is accomplishing is sufficient as significant and a hedge up head of schedule. what is your assessment, and you alluded to this in your statement, um, in the needs, the staffing needs in the budget, and how does that align with future workload?

So, thank you for the question, Senator. My concern in this regard is that these accelerated timelines and efficiencies that we've been able to achieve, um, will be vulnerable to a dynamic in FY twenty-seven and beyond, where we have an increased workload that, uh, that will uh require us to review multiple applications at the same time right now we're able to meet some of these aggressive goals because we're pretty much in a one at a time uh framework when that becomes uh multiple applications for different technologies um that's going to be more challenging i'm also concerned about having the right knowledge skillsets to appropriately review uh some of the advanced reactor technologies that we expect to come before the commission

mmm commissioner weaver what what would be your perspective on that on what is how the commission intends to address these human capital challenges as it faces the updates and continues to do the licensing and uh regulatory work.

Yep. Thank you for the question, Chairman.

Mm-hmm.

In in addition to the efficiencies that the Chairman mentioned, I think there's a we're not simply doing the same old way of doing our work and ho- and and trying to do it faster with fewer people. We're fundamentally changing the way we do licensing. we're using risk informed performance based regulations and approaches and what that means is we focus on what matters the most and we spend our time on what really impacts safety in that way we can be more efficient use less resources and still have good safety outcomes um it's true we need to hire um at this point and i happened to check our website we have i think fifteen or more postings and we're looking to hire approximately uh eighty people primarily from outside the agency we also have i believe thirty um interns or or uh yeah interns coming this summer so we are hiring to fill the critical needs right now.

mmm alright uh uh senator whitehouse

thanks thanks chairman uh chairman let's talk for a minute about public voting Um, my understanding is that generally, commissions have a public vote when they, before they submit a proposed regulation to OIRA, it then goes into, at OIRA, a notoriously non-transparent process, irrespective of the administration, and then ultimately comes back out, and there's another public vote on final adoption of the rule. Um, you are not, doing that right now. Correct?

Uh, it's uh, ranking member Whitehouse, yeah, well, we are sending our rules to the OIRA process, which is a government-run

But not after a public vote. And there's not a public vote when they're returned for approval by the commission.

That's correct. The the commissioners, each individual commissioners' public uh votes are considered part of the deliber deliberative process and per the government-wide Protocols.

OK, well that's first of all that's pretty unique way of looking at a public act of an appointed Commissioner. So, I don't wanna credit that as being legally sound at all. But, more to the point, when Congress asks questions, um, the deliberative process just doesn't pertain. We have constitutional oversight. So, what I'm gonna ask is that you provide this committee a list of all the votes that have been taken by the NRC since that executive order with a vote roll as to who voted how on which vote. That'd be question A. Question B, on a going forward basis, could you update the, uh, committee on those vote tallies as they proceed? I think it's important that the committee with oversight over your voting know what the hell happened in your voting. Fair enough?

Yes, sir.

Thank you. Um, next let's talk about the um, this sort of mysterious steering committee that we've read about. Um, I understand that it has three members. I understand that only one of its members is even on your organizational chart. And I understand that, um, the steering committee itself does not exist on your organizational chart. Could you provide the committee an updated version of your organizational chart, that includes where this steering committee resides within your organization, and to whom it reports?

Ye- uh, s- Senator, yes. and i i would like to clarify some things about this steering committee this is a a committee that is looking at uh the overall project management of the executive order fourteen three hundred rule makings it's it is not unlike other projects that the nrc's has where they have established a steering committee to oversee the work it's not something that's put on the major organizational uh diagram because it's a temporary uh management structure and i'd like to clarify just the membership of the committee as well there are two uh members of the committee that are nrc employees that is the executive director for operations and there is also our general counsel who are is on the steering committee and then there is one uh person who is on detail to the nrc in my interactions and with the executive director for operations and understanding how the steering committee functions it's really to provide the management oversight of the staff's work developing these rules they're not uh writing the rules themselves they're coordinating the overall proj project as well as the um you know desired uh objectives of the rule making

well what given the importance of the rule making process right now that's you know this isn't like you're just handing off some minor project to a ad-hoc committee to run it while the project gets done this is central to the executive order central to the uh operation of the nuclear regulatory commission and central to the well-being of the future of the nuclear fleet. So the idea is that this gets handed off to a steering committee that we don't know who it even reports to. Do you have a person, does the, does the commission have a person present in the room when the steering committee meets?

N- no, they do not. And uh, Senator, as I mentioned previously, this is really project leadership and, you know, making sure that things are directionally correct. And there's, into relationships between the various rule making so this committee is able to plot that.

yeah i hear you saying that but the that begs the really big question which is according to whom. the question is who do they report to. i mean within the nrc. are they reporting up to you. are they reporting to the secretary of energy. are they reporting to somebody in the white house. what. i i get that that's their task. but somebody is adjudicating whether that task is being done. or not and if it's not the commission which i would think it should be then who the heck is it it just seems like it's a really really weird organizational anomaly and in the context of the um what i consider to be infiltration efforts of the nrc by the department of energy then um i think it raises real concerns about whether there is a shadow commission within the commission that is making decisions that you're not even made aware of uh at the behest of and subject to the review of somebody who may not even be within the nr c i think that needs to be dispelled as a concern and i hope you'll work with us to dispel it and my time has expired

uh if uh if i may ranking member of white house i assure you that there is no shadow

but

commission we each individual member of the commission we own our votes and decisions and we may positions that are different than what is recommended by the steering committee in the ultimate package that comes to the commission so i assure you there is no shadow commission operating at the nrc i feel one hundred percent accountable to congress as well as you know the president who appointed me in this role to insure that all decisions we make and all rules that we promulgate will protect the american people

yeah i guess i just

say it's not your decisions that worry me it's the steering committee's decisions and who they're made for the benefit of and to whom they report And I think that needs to be clarified.

I understand.

Uh, Senator Curtis.

Thank you. Um, Chairman Nii, congratulations. Uh, Mayor Wright. Thank you for your your service and for your leadership during that period of time. Some of you will remember from previous hearings that we both share that title in common. Uh, Senator Whitehouse. All those lists of accomplishments that you mentioned I would attribute to uh him having been a mayor. uh, s- the Senate of Mayor, we would be in good shape. Uh, Utah, as many of you know, is known as the " beehive state". Uh, that's a reminder that working together produces outcomes, better outcomes. State, local leaders, and, and industry partners often recognize the potential in their communities, long before a federal agency thousands of miles away. That's why I believe federal policy works best when it empowers states and communities instead of imposing a one-size- fits all solution across the country. We also need to acknowledge reality that comes up repeatedly in these hearings. Our permitting and regulatory processes are too slow, too duplicative, and too unpredictable. We should recognize the tremendous opportunity in front of us. America has the talent, resources, innovation, capacity to lead the world in next-generation energy development and advanced technologies. But leadership requires a government that can move at the pace of innovation. So let me start uh Chairman Nii with a a question about uh rule making and as you consider new rules, are you looking at anything for making uranium recovery? Uh is there a plan for that? And if so, maybe a timeline please.

Yes uh Senator, the the NRC's efforts for these rule makings started under the executive order will cover the entire life cycle of of nuclear from the front-end to the back-end. It's important that we really look at our uh regulatory frameworks to make sure that we can enable the entire uh circle of life in in nuclear as you already know the america is uh too dependent on foreign uranium and enrichment and we need to fix that

yeah

and what we are doing with all of these rules is that when the commercial interests align with the capital resources workforce and supply chain to bring new facilities all around the uh fuel cycle to the nrc we will have a predictable and credible licensing framework to support that.

Thank you. Utah has a request to allow conversion uh to be added to Utah's agreement in the state status. I hope the NRC is still on track uh by to give them an answer by this summer. Can you comment on that?

I I I believe we are on track, but I will verify that

Yeah, super important.

after the hearing.

Thank you. Um With that, Utah is actively exploring nuclear as a dependable source of of clean base load power. I think uh it's been clear Utah wants to be a leader in this. How is the NRC engaging states to provide clarity around the path forward for deploying that nuclear?

S so, Senator, we we always stay ready to engage with uh our state partners through any NRC licensing activities. Uh I I would share uh personally I've been invited to to several states to speak about some of the reforms at uh happening at the NRC related to some of the new requirements I I'll be in in by the end of this month uh attending an event in in your home state, Senator, to to do the same. So we stand ready to engage. to ensure that there's full uh transparency and awareness about the nr c s licensing processes.

Good. Uh Commissioner Wright, yeah please.

Yeah if I could add to that um uh Mayor, I mean I mean Senator, thank you, um

Mayor works just fine, thank you.

I I actually um met with the Governor's team as well as the President of the Senate in Utah and the uh majority or speaker I guess of the House uh to discuss these things several months ago um I've also met personally with uh with Governor Cox and actually appeared in a video with him, uh, on the nuclear issues and the nuclear stuff that's going on in Utah. So we are a resource for the states. That um uh I I think it's important and we will assist them as appropriate to do exactly what uh Chairman Nee was talking about to answer their questions, help them better understand the process and um all of it consistent with our mission.

Excellent, good. Can um uh Chairman or any of you really comment really to the American taxpayers? You're looking at these uh changes these um the things that they're uh upcoming how can the american taxpayer be assured that that we're on track that we're we're spending the money well and uh what is your message to my constituents back home

uh the the message to your constituents is is judge us by our actions uh we are making our uh licensing performance more transparent on our website there are dashboards that show how we are using resources uh for licensing so there is increased transparency again i've set priorities for this agency to operate in a more disciplined and efficient manner so uh my message would be nrc is enabling the safe use of nuclear technologies in america and i hope that your your your people in your state will will be able to judge that and and confirm that through our actions and results

uh uh ranking member white house i'm gonna i'm gonna paraphrase uh something you said in remarks and i'll get it wrong so i'll apologize but you kinda classified a couple of different applicants to those who are on their game they know what they're doing uh and when they do so they interact well with nrc uh others are not so i i would introduce a third class i think of uh utah municipal power authority and um uamps two uh municipal uh organizations in the state of utah who i would say kind of fall in a third category who really just don't have the resources uh to navigate the way uh uh you know some of these larger organizations do and so just a quick question about uh what you're doing to insure applicants uh who don't have a wealth of resources know how to navigate this as well, who are good actors and who we want to be players in this in this space.