On the recordJuly 28, 2015
The amendment carves out of the REINS Act congressional approval procedures all regulations that pertain to nuclear reactor safety standards. REINS Act supporters believe in nuclear safety. We want to guarantee that regulatory decisions that pertain to nuclear reactor safety are the best decisions that can be made, but that is precisely why I oppose the amendment. By its terms, the amendment shields from the REINS Act congressional approval procedures not only major regulations that would raise nuclear reactor safety standards, but, also, regulations that would lower them. All major regulations pertaining to nuclear reactor safety standards, whether they raise or lower standards, should fall within the REINS Act. That way, agencies with authority over nuclear reactor safety will know that Congress must approve their major regulations before they go into effect. That provides a powerful incentive for the agencies to write the best possible regulations, ones that Congress can easily approve. It is a solution that everyone should support because it makes Congress more accountable and ensures agencies will write better rules. All Americans will be safer for it. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.
