Whitehouse, Murray, Heinrich Statement on Trump Firing NRC Commissioner Hanson

Washington, D.C.—After Trump fired Commissioner and former Chair Chris Hanson from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent agency created by Congress that is charged with ensuring the safe use of radioactive materials, Senator Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee; and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement.  The President can only remove Commissioners for cause—which is restricted to inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office—and the Trump Administration has provided no evidence of wrongdoing nor cited any cause in its termination of Commissioner Hanson.

“Trump’s lawlessness threatens the Commission’s ability to ensure that nuclear power plants and nuclear materials are safe and free from political interference.  In removing NRC Commissioner Hanson, Trump has overstepped his authority, jeopardizing U.S. nuclear leadership at a critical time.  It’s hard to understand this when so much nuclear reform progress has been bipartisan.”