Budget & Policy

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) has introduced legislation to expand tax incentives for domestic nuclear energy investment. The bill, Parity for Nuclear Energy Investment Act, was introduced on Dec. 4. It is co-sponsored by Reps. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.).  Like Newhouse, Fleischmann and Tenney have significant nuclear infrastructure in their districts.  The legislation […]

The House Wednesday voted 312 to 112 to pass the conferenced $900.6 billion fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize $25.96 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). That is the highest authorization limit yet for the agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons […]

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced the Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee, Douglas Weaver, in a 15 – 4 vote at Wednesday’s business meeting. Weaver will now move forward to a full Senate vote on his nomination to be an NRC commissioner. If confirmed, he will serve the remainder of former commissioner Annie Caputo’s […]

The House and Senate’s combined National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of fiscal 2026 will authorize $160 million for the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy for funding projects related to energy security. The House Wednesday voted 312 to 112 to pass the $900.6 billion NDAA package. The bill was scheduled to head to the […]

Defense Environmental Cleanup, the largest tranche of funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, could receive almost $7 billion under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2026. The final version of the NDAA was released Monday after a House and Senate Conference Committee harmonized differences between the earlier NDAA versions […]

The House Wednesday voted 312 to 112 to pass the $900.6 billion fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize $25.96 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The annual defense policy bill, which supports an $8 billion topline boost and wide-ranging acquisition reforms, now heads to […]

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced the Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee, Douglas Weaver, in a 15 – 4 vote at Wednesday’s business meeting. Weaver will now move forward to a full Senate vote on his nomination to be an NRC commissioner. If confirmed, he will serve the remainder of former commissioner Annie Caputo’s […]

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) has introduced legislation to expand tax incentives for domestic nuclear energy investment. The bill, Parity for Nuclear Energy Investment Act, was introduced on Dec. 4. It is co-sponsored by Reps. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.). The legislation seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the […]

The House and Senate’s combined National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of fiscal 2026 would authorize $160 million for the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy for funding projects related to energy security. The House-Senate Conference Committee collaborated to iron out the differences between the NDAA versions. The Conference Committee version came out Sunday and […]

Defense Environmental Cleanup, the largest tranche of funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, could receive almost $7 billion under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal 2026. The final version of the NDAA was released Monday after a House and Senate Conference Committee harmonized differences between the earlier NDAA versions […]

The Senate and House combined both versions of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into a version that would authorize $25.96 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). That is the highest authorization limit yet for the agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, and […]

Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking:  December 09: Conference: The second South Carolina Nuclear Summit starts at 9 a.m. Eastern Time at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C. 09: Public meeting: The DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) holds a public meeting on tritium waste containers at […]

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will consider the nomination of Douglas Weaver to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission during a Wednesday business meeting.  The panel is expected to vote on the Weaver NRC nomination as well as the nomination of Lee Beaman to be a member of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board of […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee Douglas Weaver told a Senate committee this week if confirmed, he will prioritize safety and preserve NRC independence. “I’m not seeking to come back to the NRC to tear down the organization that’s done so much for me,” Weaver said in response to a question from Sen. Sheldon […]

North and South Dakota Sens. John Hoeven (R) and Mike Rounds (R), respectively, said the Northrop Grumman future intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel will be under the Golden Dome project in upcoming defense bills. “The project itself, it will be a part of an Iron Dome project, or a Golden Dome Project,” Rounds told the Exchange […]

North and South Dakota Sens. John Hoeven (R) and Mike Rounds (R), respectively, said the Northrop Grumman future intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel will be under the Golden Dome project in upcoming defense bills. “The project itself, it will be a part of an Iron Dome project, or a Golden Dome Project,” Rounds told the Exchange […]

Emily Burdick, a former Congressional staffer who also held jobs at the Department of Energy during the first Donald Trump administration, has become the new chief of staff to the acting undersecretary of energy, Alex Fitzsimmons. Burdick said this past week on her LinkedIn page that she accepted the new post in October. She worked […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced its return to “normal operations” to contractors on a federal procurement website following the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. “Contractors are advised that DOE/NNSA contracting activities have resumed,” the notice said Nov. 13. “DOE/NNSA appreciates the patience and cooperation of our contractor community and […]

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee Douglas Weaver on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time in room 562 in the Senate Dirksen Office Building. Weaver will also be joined by Tennessee Valley Authority board nominee Lee Beaman. Weaver, the fifth potential commissioner for NRC, […]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on website X Congress would revisit a bipartisan bill that would sanction Russian imports, which could include uranium. “I am very pleased that with President Trump’s blessing, Congress will be moving on the overwhelmingly bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that will provide President Trump with more tools to end the bloodbath […]

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright Thursday announced reorganization of the Department of Energy with a prominent role in the organizational chart for the semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The reorganization is designed “to strengthen DOE’s ability to execute President Trump’s bold agenda to restore American energy dominance,” Wright said in a press release. “This […]

The U.S. Senate voted 66 to 32 to confirm Ho Nieh to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Wednesday afternoon. Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (Del.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), John Fetterman (Penn.), Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Jack Reed […]

More than three-dozen nuclear critics and environmental groups contend in a recent letter that President Donald Trump’s executive actions could weaken radiation protections and endanger public health. “The Trump White House has issued numerous executive orders (EO), including one directing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to revise its long-standing radiation rule, Standards for Protection Against […]

The U.S. Senate voted 66 to 32 to confirm Ho Nieh to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Wednesday afternoon. Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (Del.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), John Fetterman (Penn.), Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Jack Reed […]

The U.S. Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Ho Nieh to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after a 65 – 32 vote Tuesday night. Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (Del.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Mark […]

More than three-dozen nuclear critics and environmental groups contend in a recent letter that President Donald Trump’s executive actions could weaken radiation protections and endanger public health. “The Trump White House has issued numerous executive orders (EO), including one directing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to revise its long-standing radiation rule, Standards for Protection Against […]

Jocelyn Brown-Saracino, who spent 15 years with the Department of Energy, has been selected to head the DOE Alumni Network, Tarak Shah, former DOE chief of staff during the Joe Biden administration, announced last week on LinkedIn. “Having gotten to know Jocelyn over this search process, I am SO excited that she is going to […]

Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking:  (With the federal shutdown still in effect at press time it is advisable to double-check with sponsors to see if government-related speakers/events are still scheduled. ) November  18: CANCELLED: A meeting of DOE’s Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board set for University […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Energy’s report on a national waste management plan is coming together, DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory senior policy advisor Bradley Williams said this week at the American Nuclear Society (ANS) conference. Driven by President Donald Trump’s executive order “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base,” DOE, in conjunction with other agencies, is […]

The House voted 222-209 Wednesday to approve a stopgap spending bill that will fund the government until Jan. 30 with a loose promise from the GOP that Congress will negotiate on healthcare once the government reopens. The continuing resolution (CR), alongside a three-bill spending package, headed to President Donald Trump’s desk for him to sign […]