Ranking Member Capito Opening Statement at Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nomination Hearing

Click here or the image above to watch Ranking Member Capito's opening remarks from the committee hearing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Matthew Marzano to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Below is the opening statement of Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank everyone for being here today on the solemn day of 9/11.

"I appreciate the Chairman's tribute, but also his final words that 'we will never forget' how we felt, and how we feel about the events of 9/11. So, I want to thank the Chairman for reminding us of those sober days and those dark days for our nation and for so many families who still hurt every single day for the loss of their loved ones. So thank you for that, Mr. Chairman.

"I want to thank Mr. Marzano for coming today. I met his dad and his wife, so thank you all for being here with him, and to present your policy views and answer some questions as the nominee for the NRC.

"As Chairman Carper noted, you first joined the EPW Committee in 2022, following your selection as an American Nuclear Society Glenn Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow.

"ANS has a long history of supporting congressional fellowships since 2000, and this Committee has repeatedly benefitted from that expertise, and most recently with Mr. Marzano.

"Your decision to then select the EPW Committee for your fellowship was fortunate, as this Committee actively addresses important nuclear energy issues.

"Following the conclusion of your fellowship, after six months working on energy policy for the Idaho National Laboratory, you rejoined Chairman Carper's staff last year as a lab detailee.

"In EPW hearings during your time detailed in the Committee, we have discussed the need and importance of being able to build energy projects all across this country.

"During those hearings you have likely heard me detail how I believe the Biden-Harris Administration's climate agenda, and particularly the so-called 'Inflation Reduction Act,' is putting America on a path that is harming our American competitiveness and consumers.

"We have continuously seen a regulatory strategy intended to suffocate our fossil-fuel energy, shut down all of our coal plants, and make it impossible to build new natural gas generation.

"So, this regulatory assault on the power sector will result in major reliability challenges and increase imposed costs on American families and businesses.

"The negative effects on energy prices, from restricting the supply of reliable energy, will be compounded by the growing demand that will result if the 'electrify everything' proposals are put into place.

"I think this is the wrong approach, and it's part of why we are here today.

"America desperately needs more reliable, affordable energy sources to power our manufacturing sector, to meet increased demand from data centers and AI and other things, and to keep the lights on for our constituents 24/7, 365 days a year.

"We should provide that power by preserving our existing conventional energy generation, and deploying new innovative technologies such as advanced nuclear reactors.

"Nuclear energy can and should continue to be a part of America's energy portfolio.

"Global events in particular have drawn a sharp focus on the need for U.S. energy leadership. Russia is creating geostrategic dependencies through contracts between their state-backed nuclear enterprise and emerging economies, and China has announced plans to increase its nuclear power capacity by 118 gigawatts, a 204% increase relative to current levels.

"This planned increase would edge out the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy policy.

"To meet these challenges, I led the bipartisan efforts the Chairman talked about, with Chairman Carper and Senator Whitehouse, to get the 'Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act,' the 'ADVANCE Act,' signed into law. We were both there for the signature.

"The ADVANCE Act will help streamline the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's licensing process to be faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

"The law is intended, as you are well aware from your work during bicameral discussions on its path to enactment, to ensure the NRC will enable the safe use of nuclear energy, not be an obstacle.

"Implemented properly, as Congress intended through bipartisan negotiations, the ADVANCE Act will position the United States as the world leader in nuclear energy for decades to come, and that is absolutely essential.

"This will require the Commission to make policy decisions, provide leadership to the agency's staff, resolve licensing issues, and to modernize the staff culture to reflect today's energy outlook.

"To successfully implement the law, the Commission must also manage and allocate its resources, both money and personnel, to the highest priority licensing and oversight regulatory activities.

"Each Commissioner weighs in on the budget formulation process, so I would like to understand what actionable steps you would pursue, if confirmed, to ensure licensees and applicants are getting the maximum value for the fees paid to the NRC.

"I am sure that you, Mr. Marzano, recognizes the importance of that principle, having worked for a licensee that paid millions of dollars to the NRC every year.

"During your time working at a nuclear power plant as a licensed reactor operator, you gained important experience following the NRC's nuclear safety regulations.

"This is a different role than establishing those regulations.

"So, I look forward to learning more about your experience and how he will evaluate and vote on critical policy matters if confirmed.

"And I thank you Chairman Carper for bringing this forward."

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