The chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told lawmakers that his agency is not under attack from the Trump administration, pushing back on claims from Democrats and nuclear safety advocates that recent moves have compromised the independence of the nation’s chief nuclear energy regulator.
It was Republican Chair Ho Nieh’s first appearance on Capitol Hill since his confirmation in a bipartisan Senate vote in December. While the House Energy and Commerce hearing was officially focused on the agency’s budget, Democrats pressed Nieh and four other commissioners on whether the White House was doing lasting damage to an agency long considered the “gold standard” of nuclear safety.
“Do you believe that Trump’s attacks on the NRC’s independence and staffing cuts undermine public confidence in the NRC and the safety of nuclear energy?” Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) asked all five commissioners.
President Donald Trump has reshaped the commission, including removing a Democratic member, shifting some authority to the Department of Energy and requiring White House review of draft rules.
