▶ 0:14:54>> good morning. I'm going to go ahead and call us to order. There is the presence of a quorum, right, so we can begin statements? For information for members of the committee, the ranking member and I will deliver statements and then have sufficient attendance and then I will stop so we can vote. We will vote on resolutions on clock. Following that vote, we will proceed.
▶ 0:15:21After the roll call votes, members who wish to be speak may do so. Thank you for attending. Today's business meeting on the nominations of david wright and usha-maria turner to be epa assistant for the office of international trouble affairs. I will support both of the nominees this morning. As our nation's independent nuclear safety regulator, the nrc is important to our future.
▶ 0:15:48Congress directed the nrc to be more efficient, and we expect the nrc to accelerate this work. Through chairman david wright's leadership, the nrc has taken positive steps. They updated the mission statement, reduce the time frame to approve nuclear licenses, and is addressing regulatory challenges with reactor designs.
▶ 0:16:13I will work to hold him accountable to expedite efforts while maintaining their focus on nuclear safety. In response to questions for the record, I submitted them jointly with ranking member whitehouse. He is committed to committing the nrc's independent authority to oversee the civilian use of nuclear material. I appreciate that commitment and will support his nomination. I also vote for usha-maria turner to leave the epa's office of international trouble affairs .
▶ 0:16:43Her experience and environmental regulatory affairs makes are well prepared to represent the epa around the world and with travel partners. I urge my colleagues to support the nominations and encourage them to support 32 gsa resolutions that authorize important repair and alteration projects across the country. With that, I will turn it over to ranking member whitehouse.
▶ 0:17:03Ranking Member Whitehouse: Thank you, madam chair. This demonstration has turned from protecting public health and the environment to protecting the pockets and interests of possible flea old companies. Ms. turner comes from a fossil fuel company, which backed a deal at mar-a-lago between major oil and gas companies, now dictated in the misdirection of epa. The fossil fuel industry and its minions are behaving particularly disgracefully.
▶ 0:17:34Ranking Member Whitehouse: Until that changes, I will vote no and urge my colleagues to do the same. As to Mr. david wright, at no point during the nrc's 50 year history has there been greater need for leadership there than today. I stand by my statement during his nomination hearing, Mr. wright is qualified to serve on the commission. He came before our committee not just as a nominee but the present leader of the commission. I hope to see chairman wright rise to the occasion.
▶ 0:18:03Ranking Member Whitehouse: The circumstances right now at the nrc continued to deteriorate. I cannot presently support his renomination. Let me say why because I'm inclined to vote for him and facilitate his confirmation. Licensing the next generation of nuclear reaction from capable staff who understand and execute the mission, the chairman needs to understand this, and senior agency leaders prioritize characteristics like strong
▶ 0:18:34Ranking Member Whitehouse: Expertise, a commitment to safety and the ability to inspire and motivate. I look for individuals who look to demonstrate understanding of the nuclear regular to rayfield. If these are the staff being forced out of the agency, this is the toll from that agency already. In the hearing, I am for the chair to address the up quickly. Up people, continues.
▶ 0:18:57Ranking Member Whitehouse: Even since the nomination hearing, I asked the chairman to uphold nrc independence and he nodded he would do. What is happening right now ask me concerned he simply will not execute on his statements. In response to my questions for the record, the german acknowledged there was a doggy staffer at the agency. This individual sits in an office that reports directly to the chairman.
▶ 0:19:24Ranking Member Whitehouse: However, the staff is, and I quote stick ufr -- I quote the qfr from Mr. wright, the staffer on details from the department of energy and as such does not have an nrc supervisor. How does that work? Particularly if what we are seeing is a department of energy hostile takeover of the nuclear regulatory commission to expand its scope?
▶ 0:19:49Ranking Member Whitehouse: The chairman defines supervising is "holding the stuff accountable for execution of the direction provided by the chairman and those delegated authorities by chairman by law of the chairman, so who supervises the staff are holds them to account? Is this staffer about the chairman? If there was any doubt before, let's make this clear, there are rogue actors within the agency and its independence is in jeopardy. I do not say this lightly.
▶ 0:20:18Ranking Member Whitehouse: I have long supported nuclear technology even before many fellow democrats. I have worked on a bipartisan basis, including with many of you on the committee to grow the nuclear share of our energy. The future of nuclear energy requires a credible, independent regulator. The efficiency, yes, it is important, but safety is paramount. Just one lapse would put our country at risk, unravel years of bipartisan progress and send nuclear power backward.
▶ 0:20:48Ranking Member Whitehouse: Under the trump administration, that unraveling is happening. We must head this off now as a committee before it is too late. Let's work together, as we have before, to ensure they deliver on their mission, prescribed to it by congress and ushers in a long-sought nuclear renaissance. If we can turn the tide, sure back up the nrc's independence, I would be very glad to reconsider my present position on Mr. wright's renomination.
▶ 0:21:18Ranking Member Whitehouse: I would like to get to yes, but the behavior we see at the nrc presently makes that impossible. Thank you, chairman.
▶ 0:21:24Chair Capito: Thank you, senator whitehouse. We had several conversations on this.
▶ 0:21:29Ranking Member Whitehouse: And I appreciate your keen interest.
▶ 0:21:32Chair Capito: Thank you. We still need all of our attendance here on the republican side, so we will go ahead. We have agreed to consider the committee resolutions before week vote. I moved to consider 32 committee resolutions to improve from the general services administration as their second. All those in favor, say aye, all those opposed, no.
▶ 0:21:58Chair Capito: In the opinion of the chair, the ayes habit and thes resolutions are approved. We will have to hold for a few minutes while I checks minutes while I check ranking
▶ 0:22:13Member Whitehouse: It reminds me of it -- few minutes while I check.
▶ 0:22:17Ranking Member Whitehouse: It reminds me when senator ted kennedy was needed for a vote, and he called to say, we need you on this vote. Where are you? He said, be right there, I'm at the airport. What he did not tell them was he was at the boston airport. [laughter] moral of the story, never believe a senator regarding their whereabouts. [laughter]
▶ 0:22:43Chair Capito: That is a good one.
▶ 0:22:54Chair Capito: We have established senator lindsey graham has got the big 70 today. [laughter] >> [indiscernible] [laughter]
▶ 0:23:09Chair Capito: So that makes your sign -- what are you? A leo? >> [indiscernible]
▶ 0:23:17Chair Capito: There you are. [laughter]
▶ 0:24:33Chair Capito: I know senator wicker has a big market today and committee, so we will try to scoot along here for you. Now I'm hearing that they are close. Is that another one? [laughter] they are at the D.C. airport.
▶ 0:26:27Chair Capito: All right, we have full attendance here and I can call look presidential nomination 55 -- 46 usha-maria turner of oklahoma to be assistant administrator of the epa. I hope to approve and report the nomination favorably, is there a second? We will call roll.
▶ 0:26:53Chair Capito: [colleen role -- [calling roll] [calling roll]
▶ 0:27:45Chair Capito: >> thenays are nine, the ayes are 10.
▶ 0:27:58Chair Capito: Steve has retired, who has been doing a roll call, and we have carly here, taking on that role, so to every doing that. Finally, I call up nomination 345-20, david wright of south carolina timmy carolina ti, I hope to move and approve, is there a second? Call the roll.
▶ 0:28:28Chair Capito: >> [calling roll] [calling roll]
▶ 0:29:14Chair Capito: Report the nays and ayes. Thank you for everyone's patience in coming. If you had been here at the click of the gavel, you would know.
▶ 0:29:32Ranking Member Whitehouse: Show up on time, and we will show you how. [laughter]
▶ 0:29:39Ranking Member Whitehouse: Glad to talk about it. There is too much mischief going on. There is too much damage to the internal integrity. It looks like a hostile takeover by the department of energy, and it is not working. It is too important. I put up a graphic that shows the number of staff who have already been shoved out the door. These are very senior career people who know their stuff.
▶ 0:30:10Ranking Member Whitehouse: Between brain drain in the loss of independence and the attempt to infiltrate people who clearly don't know what they are talking about, it all looks bad right now. That needs to turn around and they're working with the chairman to see if we can resolve that. I think we all believe on this committee on a bipartisan basis and the independent and nuclear regulatory commission can move projects forward rapidly.
▶ 0:30:33Chair Capito: Thank you, does anybody wish to speak? With that, the business meeting is adjourned. Thank you very much.