WASHINGTON, D.C. — On April 19, 2023, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
Below is the opening statement of Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), as prepared for delivery:
“Today, we are pleased to welcome back the five members currently serving on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, to discuss President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget proposal for the commission.
“Chair Hanson, Commissioner Baran, Commissioner Wright, Commissioner Caputo, and Commissioner Crowell—thank you all for being here with us today. It’s great to see each of you again and we appreciate your willingness to come before this committee.
“In particular, it’s great to see Commissioners Caputo and Crowell, who are joining us for the first time since their confirmation last year to fill two vacancies on the commission. We know that a full complement of five commissioners allows the NRC to carry out its responsibilities to the American people effectively, and we hope that you are settling in nicely.
“We also appreciate that all five of you are able to join us today because it’s important to hear directly from each of you. Many of us on this committee want to ensure that the NRC has the resources that it needs to maintain the safety of existing nuclear facilities and for the future. This includes the work required to develop and deploy the next generation of reactors, as well as new, advanced nuclear technology and materials.
“As many of you know, I believe that safe nuclear power plays an essential role in our efforts to address the greatest challenge of our time—the climate crisis.
“America’s nuclear reactors provide one-fifth of our nation’s electricity and roughly half of all emissions-free energy in our country. It’s no secret that I believe nuclear energy is key to reaching net-zero emissions economy-wide. And, the NRC is critical to ensuring that our nuclear energy is safe and reliable.
“From my conversations with members of the commission, it’s clear that the NRC is hard at work developing a new regulatory structure for the next generation of nuclear power. This new structure is moving us closer to making advanced nuclear power a reality in this country—and doing so without jeopardizing safety.
“And, the NRC is not only on time to deliver a new framework for licensing advanced reactors but ahead of schedule when it comes to meeting its statutory requirements.
“In addition, I applaud the NRC’s recent decision on fusion regulation, which provides a path forward for the deployment of this technology. Going forward, this will help give fusion developers the regulatory certainty that they need to innovate, while also protecting safety, security and public health.
“Still, it has been difficult for the NRC to operate under the constraints that the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act requires.
“Last Congress, NRC Chair Hanson testified before our committee. During that time, he expressed concerns about the impact of budgetary caps on the agency’s ability to hire the workforce of the future and take on the challenges of licensing advanced reactor technologies.
“That is why I joined Senators Capito and Whitehouse to introduce the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy, or ADVANCE Act. Our bipartisan legislation includes provisions that would help ease these restrictive budget caps that Chair Hanson mentioned.
“The ADVANCE Act would also help ensure that the NRC has the best tools and highly-trained staff that it needs to keep up with the speed of innovation and the growing interest in nuclear energy.
“Further, if we want the U.S. nuclear industry to be successful, we need to invest in its future. That means investing in the nuclear industry’s workforce. Almost every organization needs a strong and dedicated workforce to be successful, and the NRC is no exception.
“As we advance the next generation of nuclear technologies, we must also ensure that the NRC has adequate funding to attract and retain the best and brightest talent needed to license and regulate new technologies.
“The NRC remains the global model for nuclear safety agencies. The commission’s work to maintain safe and secure nuclear power is an essential tool in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Today, we look forward to discussing how President Biden’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024 will impact the decisions that the NRC makes now, and, ultimately, the future of the agency for years to come.”
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