Senate Democrats on the Environment and Public Works Committee successfully pushed the re-nomination of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Jeffrey Baran out of committee yesterday, despite protests from Republican members. The vote passed 10-8 along party lines, with all Republicans voting by proxy in what appears to be a protest against Chair Barbara Boxer’s (D-Calif.) decision to hold a vote without a hearing. Ranking Member David Vitter (R.-La.) last month criticized Baran’s lack of experience and called for a hearing to better scrutinize the nomination, but Boxer felt that the hearing from earlier this year was sufficient.
President Barrack Obama nominated Baran to serve the remaining years left on departing NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane’s tenure, which would expire in June 2018. Baran initially was confirmed to serve out the remainder of former Commissioner William Magwood’s term, which expires next June, but if approved, this would add an additional three years to the tenure of the former aide to Rep. Henry Waxman (D- Calif.). The nomination now moves to the Senate floor, but a vote time has not been scheduled, although it is widely expected that a vote will occur before the end of the congressional session.
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