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Nuclear Regulatory Commission
CommissionsFor-cause removal
At a glance
Type
Independent regulatory commissions
Removal of leadership
Removable only for cause
Appointed by
Members appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate
Structure
5-member commission · led by the Chairman
Term
5-year term · staggered · party-balanced
Funding
Annual appropriations
Independence
Independent
Statute (42 U.S.C. 5841(e)) permits presidential removal only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. In June 2025 President Trump removed Commissioner Christopher Hanson without stating cause; Hanson called the removal contrary to law and longstanding precedent but did not sue, leaving the protection's enforceability untested for the NRC. The for-cause text remains on the books, but its constitutional force is contested following the Supreme Court's May 2025 stay in Trump v. Wilcox favoring at-will removal of independent multi-member commissioners.
What it does
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and oversees commercial nuclear power plants and other civilian uses of nuclear materials in the United States. It sets and enforces safety and security rules for reactors, fuel, and medical, industrial, and waste radioactive materials, and can issue licenses, fines, and shutdown orders to the companies and institutions it regulates.
EnergySafetyEnvironmentSecurityScience
How it fits
Created by Congress under the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-438; 42 U.S.C. 5841), it acts within the authority that statute grants. Its actions are subject to judicial review and to congressional oversight and funding.
Recent actions
Sunshine Act Meetings
Information Collection: Information Collections Contained in the Sunset Rule
Tennessee Valley Authority; Clinch River Nuclear Unit 1; Construction Permit and Record of Decision
Exemptions From Materials Licensing
Exemptions From Materials Licensing
State of Indiana: Discontinuance of Certain Commission Regulatory Authority Within the State, Notice of Agreement Between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of Indiana
Sunshine Act Meetings
SMR, LLC; Palisades SMR, LLC; Pioneer Units 1 and 2; Phased Construction Permit Application-Limited Work Authorization