Dianne Feinstein

Over the past 5 years, Senator Feinstein and I have worked hard with the Department to keep costs under control and to make sure hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

This is important, so thank you.

I suggest you use some of the drought $100 million to get it done.

I mean, this is a very big deal, what you do, so I for one am very, very grateful.

I know it can happen. And so that kind of changes your view of things, because it's on your watch, and if you know something can happen, you have an obligation to do something about it.

Well, what I was told, it's a no fishing zone, and so I asked, 'Why is it a no fishing zone?'

Do you have people that know what to look for? And has the Commission seen the concrete degradation at Crystal River?

What were the lessons for NRC from Fukushima?

I want to assure you, from our standpoint, we believe that pending the outcome of those evaluations and what it may show, we think the plant is safe to operate.

As part of its response to Fukushima, the NRC has asked all nuclear plants for information regarding seismic and flooding hazards.

The Government has been prevented from collecting fees since 2013.

This is a law. It is not 'may complete.' It is 'shall complete.'

You have an obligation to do something about it.

My goal is I know what can happen, and the key is to prevent it from happening.

I believe the Diablo Canyon final report is due in about a year.

It's hard to believe that it's going to happen on a major basis.

Can you confirm that the NRC will continue to inspect the site and oversee the decommissioning program to ensure safety?

Accidents do happen, and I think maintaining a robust NRC is our stop against incidents.

I want to make sure the Commission has all the resources it needs in fiscal year 2017 to complete a review of such applications.

The Blue Ribbon Commission concluded, 'That it would be prudent to pursue the development of consolidated storage capability without further delay,' and Senator Feinstein and I agree with that recommendation.

I would really hope that this year we could make some progress with respect to a nuclear waste policy.

I also want to be clear that, in my opinion, the Commission should continue licensing activities for Yucca Mountain.

The American people need NRC to be a strong, independent, and capable regulator, and the nuclear industry should be held accountable to it for the safety of all reactors, both operating and retired.

We cannot be stopped by Yucca from doing good public policy around nuclear.

Sen. Feinstein and I agree with that recommendation.