ML19274C658
| ML19274C658 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/01/2019 |
| From: | David Decker Office of Congressional Affairs |
| To: | |
| RAKOVAN L/NMSS/MSST | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19274C654 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML19274C658 (14) | |
Text
David Decker, Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Introduction to the Office of Congressional Affairs September 5, 2019
OCA Mission Our mission is to provide to the Chairman and members of the Commission and all NRC employees with timely and reliable information as it pertains to legislative matters affecting the NRC in the United States Congress and to advise and ensure proper protocol with regards to visits by members of the Commission and others to the Congress other agencies. It is also the goal of OCA to ensure correct and timely information is distributed to other Federal agencies and external organizations.
2
OCA reports to, and is under the direction of the Chairman 3
NRC Governing Legislation - OCA
- Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended Sec. 303. Information and Assistance to Congressional Committees
- a. The Secretary of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall keep the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives which, under the rules of the Senate and the House, have jurisdiction over the functions of the Secretary or the Commission, fully and currently informed with respect to the activities of the Secretary and the Commission.
- Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 Sec. 201. Establishment and Transfers.
The Chairman (or Acting Chairman in the absence of the Chairman) shall be the official spokesman of the Commission in its relations with the Congress.
4
Functions
- Responsible for administering the agencys Congressional Affairs Program
- Provide advice and assistance to the Chairman, the Commission, and NRC staff on all NRC relations with Congress
- Keeps NRC currently and fully informed on the views of Congress toward NRC policies, plans, and activities
- Also in the Office of Congressional Affairs:
- Protocol Office
- Federal and External Affairs Program 5
OCA Responsibilities
- Supports the Commission nomination process by acting as the nominees liaison for all relations with Congress VACANT 6
Office of Congressional Affairs Darrell Adams Acting Deputy External Affairs Director/ Eugene Dacus Director Kim Sargent Senior Congressional Director Protocol Director Affairs Officer David Decker Jenny Weil Darrell Adams Carolyn Wolf Nancy Belmore Angel D. Moreno Jeannette Brandon Casey Sr. Congressional Sr. Congressional Congressional Administrative Congressional Quesenberry Protocol Specialist Affairs Officer (RI) Affairs Officer (RII) Affairs Officer Assistant Affairs Officer Congressional (RIII) (RIV) Affairs Specialist 7
Congressional Outreach Activities
- Primary contact for all communications with Congress
- Keeps the appropriate Congressional oversight committees informed about NRC's activities
- Coordinates briefings and notifications between Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and NRC technical experts 8
OCA Responsibilities
- Monitors legislative proposals, bills, floor action, and hearings.
- Coordinates internal NRC activities and arrangements for visits, tours, notifications, presentations, briefings, and other activities with individual members of Congress or congressional committees and their staffs to inform them more fully of the role and activities of NRC and significant events.
- Transmits routine communications to Congress, including notifications of proposed rulemakings, new and revised
- Represents the Commission, as appropriate, in regulatory guides, announcements of conferences and meetings with members of regulatory actions, studies, reports, Congress and their staffs and arranges for public documents, and other items of a appearances for NRC representatives before routine nature; prepares direct congressional committees.
responses to routine congressional requests and inquiries.
9
A Day in the Life
- Coordinate Congressional Staffer Briefings
- San Onofre issues
- Storage of spent fuel
- Decommissioning of nuclear power plants
- Meet With Congressional Staffers
- Introduce ourselves so staffers know who they can call
- Gain insights into what House/Senate is thinking
- Provide Information to Congressional Staffers
- Prevent any surprises from occurring
- Weekly update on upcoming public meetings that may be of interest
- Answer Congressional Staffer Questions
- Impact of government shut-down
- Day-to-day issues at plants (SONGS,
- Advanced Reactors/Small Modular Reactors
- Agreement State program (Wyoming, Vermont) 10
Oversight Committees Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy Subcommittee on Environment House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development 11
NRC Protocol Office
- Liaison for official visits between the Commission and
- Members of Congress
- Distinguished Visitors
- Other Dignitaries
- Arranges Commission participation in all NRC activities, including:
- Regulatory Information Conference (RIC)
- Award Ceremonies
- Diversity Events
- Organizes Commission Swearing In &
Farewell Ceremonies 12
Federal and External Affairs Program
- Initial point of contact for Commission interactions with other Federal agencies and external organizations, including those which represent public interest groups, non-governmental organizations, and the nuclear industry 13
A Day in the Life Office of Protocol works with the OIP to coordinate a meeting between Marta Ziakova, Chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic and the Commission at the RIC (March 2016).
14