Nuclear Energy

Senate Hearing Moves NRC Towards Nuclear Reform, Airs Its Concern for Industry

Zoe Schlanger | August 2, 2011, 4:15PM

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is not as fundamentally split as it previously appeared on the issue of post-Fukushima U.S. nuclear regulation, as a Tuesday Senate hearing showed. By the end of the hearing, the majority of the 5-person commission sounded reasonably ready to vote on at least a few of the recommended safety measures within 90 days.

It is, however, not doing much to dissuade rising murmurs and recent reports that the commission is too close to its industry, as it became evident that the primary roadblock to voting on the recommended safety measures was a concern for the lack of stakeholder input.

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Topics: Barbara Boxer, Bernie Sanders, NRC, Nuclear Energy

Defense Contractors

Pentagon Paid Billions To Defense Contractors Who Defrauded Clients

Ryan J. Reilly | February 3, 2011, 8:46AM

Over a three year period, the Defense Department spent hundreds of billions of dollars on defense contractors who paid millions in civil fines to resolve fraud cases -- and even spent $682 million on 30 contractors who were convicted in criminal fraud cases.

That's according to a report prepared by the Pentagon thanks to a provision in their spending bill by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that requires them to prepare a report on the fraud committed by contractors. The latest report covers fiscal years 2007 through 2009, and says that the government paid $270 billion to 91 various contractors who were involved in civil fraud cases that resulted in judgments of more than $1 million.

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Topics: Bernie Sanders, Defense Contractors, Defense Department, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman