Menendez Applauds Advancement of Bill Strengthening Nuclear Safety and Safeguarding Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy advanced the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC") Staff Pay Alignment Act, legislation introduced by Congressman Rob Menendez to help retain and hire qualified nuclear safety experts at the NRC.

"I am proud to introduce legislation that will help retain and hire qualified nuclear safety experts to protect our communities," said Congressman Menendez. "The Trump Administration has repeatedly attacked the independence and efficacy of our nuclear safety infrastructure - making it more critical than ever that we ensure the NRC is staffed adequately to keep our families safe. This common-sense legislation will go a long way towards doing exactly that."

Since January 2025, the NRC has lost 400 expert staff, significantly impacting the teams that handle safety. With recent changes to the agency and growth in the nuclear energy sector, it is critical to retain employees with institutional expertise and to hire new, qualified staff to protect communities and bolster nuclear safety. This bill is a key piece to ensuring the highest level of safety when it comes to new nuclear reactors.

The NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act would increase the pay of senior NRC employees by up to ten percent, building on the language in the ADVANCE Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Biden.

Congressman Menendez serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he has repeatedly fought to ensure that community safety is the highest priority when it comes to energy infrastructure.

The NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act now awaits consideration by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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