With time expiring soon on this congressional session, a longtime federal manager is still awaiting Senate confirmation to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.
The nomination of William “Ike” White to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) was unanimously endorsed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in September. The full Senate has yet to vote on White, who served as acting head of the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management for five years.
In May, President Joe Biden announced plans to nominate White, a career fed who has held management jobs with the nuclear cleanup office, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the DNFSB.
The November elections bringing a Republican sweep of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives and increased uncertainty over the confirmation of Biden nominees including White. Congress has a crowded agenda this month, including the need to pass another stopgap funding bill by Dec. 20 to avert a government shutdown.
Nevertheless, Democrats were working toward confirmation votes this week on Biden nominees to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.
DNFSB was set up by congress to provide outside safety analysis and advice to DOE on its nuclear facilities. A small agency with a little more than 100 people, DNFSB lacks regulatory power to order DOE to do anything, but DOE must publicly respond to the board’s recommendations.
Set up as a five-member panel, DNFSB now has three active members, although the term for one of them, Chair Joyce Connery, expired in October. Connery, however, is temporarily staying on to prevent the board from losing a quorum.
A DNFSB spokesperson would not comment on the likelihood or timing of a Senate vote. “However, we remain engaged with the White House and Senate leadership on the importance of receiving a vote to ensure a full component of board members,” the spokesperson said in an email.