REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS CALL FOR RE-NOMINATION OF NRC’S SVINICKI

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Republican leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday called for the prompt re-nomination of Kristine Svinicki to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with McConnell suggesting that the appointment is being held up because of her criticism of NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko. “If Commissioner Svinicki isn’t re-nominated by June 30, the NRC will lose one of its finest members, the commission’s work will be impaired. And we will be forced to conclude that the reason is related to her honorable actions as a whistleblower—that she’s being held up in retaliation for speaking up against a rogue chairman who bullies his subordinates,” McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor. Svinicki, whose term expires at the end of June, is the first NRC commissioner up for re-nomination since the four NRC Commissioners sent a letter to the White House stating that they had “grave concerns” about Jaczko’s management. Though the White House did not intervene in the matter, the letter was followed by several Congressional hearings in which the commissioners brought forth further concerns about Jaczko, including complaints of verbal abuse.