UPCOMING SENATE HEARINGS: NRC COMMISSIONER AND EM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
With the House in recess until September 2, the spotlight is now on the Senate, with substantial pressure from the Administration to consider a flurry of nominations before the Senate recess at the end of this week.
Senate to Vote on Reappointment of David Wright, NRC Chair
The Senate will meet later today (Monday, July 28) at 5:30pm to vote on the nomination of David Wright, Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to serve another term as an NRC commissioner.
ECA had submitted a Letter of Support in favor of David Wright's nomination to the Senate Committee on Environment and Publics Works:
"The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is writing to express support for David A. Wright to continue serving as the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ... Chairman Wright has already proven to be an effective leader of the NRC, and we hope the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will move quickly to confirm him and ensure that the NRC can continue ongoing efforts to enable and facilitate advanced reactor development and deployment. ECA believes that Chairman Wright should be reconfirmed as the Chairman of the NRC for the following reasons:
Chairman Wright will provide continuity in leadership at this critical time for the NRC and nuclear development;
Chairman Wright brings significant experience in the arena of energy issues, in particular nuclear energy issues;
Chairman Wright has a proven track record as an elected official."
To read the full letter, click here.
Senate Committee to Consider EM Nominee Assistant Secretary Timothy Walsh
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will meet on Wednesday, July 30, at 9:30am, to consider multiple pending nominations, including that of Timothy J Walsh, nomine Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management.
ECA had also submitted a letter of support to the Senate Committee to voice support for Mr. Walsh's confirmation:
"ECA supports the nomination of Mr. Walsh, who would be the first political appointee in over six years to lead the EM program. ECA believes that EM should be led by a political appointee to enable the difficult decision-making that the program requires to evolve and best serve the U.S. taxpayers and the host communities. Congress and President set up the EM program to have a political leader to ensure that the leader of the program would go through the Senate confirmation process and be directly accountable to the President, the Secretary, and Congress. ... Mr. Walsh seems to have the executive experience necessary for this role, and a track record of cooperating and communicating with businesses and local governments who are the current and future hosts of our nation’s nuclear facilities. Communication and partnership with these entities is critical to the success of the EM mission, and ECA believes Mr. Walsh understands that creating relationships with local government leaders and industry to enable the advancement of that EM mission will assist to move the EM program for the short and long-term."
To read the full letter of support, click here.