Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) is taking over as the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, replacing retired Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). Like his predecessor, Udall is expected to be a supporter of the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, and the former Colorado House representative brings a unique background that includes familiarity with the Rocky Flats cleanup program and a long stint as the chairman of the House Science Committee. His knowledge of worker safety and health regulations through Rocky Flats could play a significant role as Congress debates reforming the NNSA. Reform efforts initiated by the House last year sought to eliminate oversight of the NNSA by DOE’s Office of Health, Safety and Security, adopt Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards for non-nuclear work, and shift to more performance-based oversight rather than transactional oversight, moves which were vehemently opposed by unions representing weapons complex workers.
The subcommittee also added five new members: Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Angus King (I-Maine), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah). Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) remains the subcommittee’s ranking member. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) is returning to head up the committee’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, while Fischer will serve as the ranking member of that panel.
Jobs