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 term. That term is set to expire June 30, 2026.
Tennessee Valley Authority board nominee Lee Beaman’s committee vote was postponed.
Last week during the nomination hearing, Weaver pledged to prioritize nuclear safety and maintain NRC’s independence. He also promised to abide by the ADVANCE Act and executive order 14300, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission”, which are designed to expedite nuclear regulatory decisions.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) voted in favor of Weaver’s nomination but had reservations.
During the meeting, Whitehouse said he received two sets of responses for his questions to Weaver for the record. Whitehouse said one set of responses was from Weaver but a second set of responses came from the White House.
“In all of my time on the Senate, I’ve never seen that happen before,” Whitehouse said. “Where the nominee puts in responses to the QFR [questions for the record] and then in hours they’re rewritten and refiled and [based on] our information they are rewritten and refiled by the White House.”
“It is not a great example of the case you’re trying to make that you’re prepared to be independent as an NRC commissioner,” Whitehouse added.
Nevertheless, Whitehouse voted in favor for Weaver based on his qualifications and responses from his nomination hearing.
Weaver was nominated by President Donald Trump in November.