Congressional Testimony
Here's a look at documents involving congressional testimony and member statements
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NRC Member Nominee Nieh Testifies Before Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following testimony by Ho Nieh, President Trump's nominee to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, from an Oct. 8, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whitehouse and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I also thank Senator Britt for her kind introduction and support.
I would like to recognize and appreciate my wife, Kerry. For nearly 30 years, she has been a constant source of love and encouragement. I would
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following testimony by Ho Nieh, President Trump's nominee to be a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, from an Oct. 8, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whitehouse and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I also thank Senator Britt for her kind introduction and support.
I would like to recognize and appreciate my wife, Kerry. For nearly 30 years, she has been a constant source of love and encouragement. I wouldalso like to recognize our daughters, Hunter and Cameron, and my parents, Katherine and Ho Nieh Sr., for their support.
I am honored to have been nominated by President Trump to serve on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
My career in nuclear energy spans more than 32 years, including 23 years at the NRC, where I began as a resident inspector and advanced through a wide range of leadership roles. My desire to return reflects my appreciation for the NRC's safety mission and its dedicated workforce. I am grateful for the trust the NRC placed in me and the opportunities it gave me to grow as a leader.
Today, America's demand for electricity is soaring--driven by artificial intelligence, data centers and economic growth. Nuclear energy is increasingly seen as a safe and reliable solution to help meet this demand. The NRC's work is essential to our Nation's welfare and energy security through safely expanding the capacity and lifetime of America's existing reactor fleet and timely licensing of new nuclear power plants.
The NRC is at a critical crossroads. What worked well 50 years ago may not meet today's needs. The ADVANCE Act and Executive Order 14300 are roadmaps for improvements and reform. If confirmed, I will work to ensure they are effectively implemented in ways that strengthen the NRC's credibility and public trust.
The NRC is capable of change. From 2018 to 2021, I served as the Director of the NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. During that time, we improved and streamlined licensing and oversight programs using risk-informed approaches. We modernized business tools to increase accountability and efficiency. Our aim was to focus the NRC's resources on what matters most for safety.
Perhaps more importantly, we embarked on a culture change to become a more enabling and innovative regulator without compromising safety. We embraced a new vision statement for the NRC's reactor safety program, which was: "We make SAFE use of nuclear technology POSSIBLE." This statement emphasized the safety and enabling elements of the Atomic Energy Act and served as our shared sense of purpose.
As I was leaving the agency, a senior NRC scientist shared with me that he initially had reservations about this new sense of purpose, but over time he came to believe it struck the right balance between safety and innovation. What encouraged me most was when he said that after three decades with the agency, he felt more energized about the NRC's work than ever before. That shared sense of purpose and renewed energy are what I commit to building if confirmed--especially since the NRC recently updated its mission statement to include both safety and enabling.
In addition to my years at the NRC, I had the privilege of working in the international nuclear community and the electric utility industry. These experiences gave me broader perspectives on how other regulators and organizations pursue safety--perspectives I believe can help the NRC adapt to today's challenges.
If confirmed, I will be an advocate for safety and the NRC's Principles of Good Regulation-- Independence, Openness, Efficiency, Clarity and Reliability. I hope to have this opportunity to work with the current members of the Commission and the dedicated staff of the NRC.
Thank you again for this opportunity to meet with you. I look forward to your questions.
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Original text here: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/a/e/aea43286-a650-4d68-8605-0009a29331d8/52075F495135A0D788B656FD2280D66C2615F58792B25098C05FE0C6F914A569.10.08.2025-nieh-testimony.pdf
National Nuclear Security Administration Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs Nominee Beck Testifies Before Senate Armed Services Committee
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by Dave Beck, President Trump's nominee to be deputy administrator for Defense programs at the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration, from an Oct. 7, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished members of the Committee:
It is an honor to appear before you today. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation and humbled by President Trump's trust in nominating me for the role of Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by Dave Beck, President Trump's nominee to be deputy administrator for Defense programs at the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration, from an Oct. 7, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished members of the Committee:
It is an honor to appear before you today. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation and humbled by President Trump's trust in nominating me for the role of Deputy Administrator for Defense Programswithin the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). If confirmed, I look forward to working with Secretary Wright, Administrator Williams, and the entire Department in advancing NNSA's critical national security missions.
My wife, Jane, and our three children, Kara, David and Jaxson are with me today. Jane's unwavering support has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional journey, and I thank her for making this a meaningful learning experience for our children.
The NNSA's nuclear security mission is crucial to our national defense. Ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of our nuclear stockpile is a strategic imperative. This mission requires steadfast commitment to our personnel, the modernization of our production and laboratory infrastructure, and the ongoing advancement of science, engineering, and technology to address evolving threats.
The NNSA enterprise is filled with the most talented and dedicated professionals I have ever worked with--scientists, engineers, production experts, support personnel, and security professionals. Having had the privilege of working alongside many of them throughout my career, I know firsthand the caliber of this workforce. Aligning incentives of all individuals and organizations to the mission is central to achieving our shared objectives.
If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to enhance our strategic deterrence capability and strengthen the credibility and alignment of the NNSA's efforts with the Department of War and other national stakeholders. I am committed to delivering timely, mission-focused outcomes while ensuring enterprise transparency, accountability, and collaboration.
We face a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Our adversaries are acting with increasing speed and boldness, seeking to challenge our security and undermine our deterrence posture. In response, we must act with urgency and precision. Our mission cannot fail; therefore, we must lead with discipline, innovation, and an unwavering focus on results.
With over 40 years of experience in the nuclear weapons complex, I offer a broad and integrated perspective--from laboratories to production sites, and from program execution to executive leadership. During my previous tenure as NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Stockpile File: Operations and Military Applications (1999-2004), I helped guide the organization through pivotal moments, including its formation, the post-9/11 national security transition, and the launch of life extension programs for our legacy stockpile. I also spent seven years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, serving as Associate Director for Weapons and Engineering and as Principal Deputy for Weapons Programs.
I am proud of the progress made by our enterprise and optimistic about our ability to take our performance to the next level to surpass any adversary through the strength of our people, the integration of our laboratories and production sites, and a shared commitment to operational excellence.
If confirmed, I will bring to this role the same dedication and sense of purpose that have guided me throughout my career. I will lead with clarity, urgency, and accountability, ensuring that the NNSA continues to deliver on its vital mission with excellence and integrity.
Thank you once more for this opportunity to appear before the Committee. I welcome your questions and, if confirmed, I look forward to working closely with you.
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Original text here: https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/beck_opening_statement.pdf
EPA Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention Assistant Administrator Nominee Troutman Testifies Before Senate Environment Committee
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following testimony by Douglas M. Troutman, President Trump's nominee to be assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the Environmental Protection Agency, from an Oct. 8, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Good morning, Madam Chair, Ranking Member Whitehouse and distinguished members of this committee. Thank you for holding this hearing today.
My name is Douglas Troutman. Today I have the privilege of appearing before you as the President's nominee to be the Assistant
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following testimony by Douglas M. Troutman, President Trump's nominee to be assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the Environmental Protection Agency, from an Oct. 8, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Good morning, Madam Chair, Ranking Member Whitehouse and distinguished members of this committee. Thank you for holding this hearing today.
My name is Douglas Troutman. Today I have the privilege of appearing before you as the President's nominee to be the AssistantAdministrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).
I want to express my deep gratitude to President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for the confidence and trust that they have put in me. It is an honor to be nominated and here today.
I am joined today by my wife Pam and son Max and my daughter Emily is joining remotely.
My mother, Dorothy, my late father Allen and in-laws Robert and Mary, complete the proud family members among many other colleagues and friends who support me and to whom I say simply, deeply and genuinely -- thank you.
I come to you with a deep respect for public service and serving the interest of others. I follow on the path of my father who served in the military; and siblings who did the same in the Navy and the Army; and my sister as a nurse.
Coming from Pennsylvania and now residing in Maryland, I am fortunate to enjoy clean air, water and land, and also a robust economy that has showed me the power of dynamic innovations and the brilliance of new technologies.
I seek to help all Americans have these same benefits that I am fortunate to enjoy. If confirmed, I am committed to working to bring the best to all through this office to provide a clean, safe environment with an eye toward strong economic growth and social wellbeing.
My entry into public service and my professional career began as a Senate aide.
Indeed, the variety of issues I saw on Capitol Hill including chemical policy matters helped to reinforce the path I am on now.
With my background, I gained the unique vantage point to understand the power of chemical innovations and their impact on the lives of Americans.
Most of my career has been spent working on complex environmental legal frameworks and their role and importance at the federal and state levels. I have been part of broad public policy roles throughout my career and have engaged in substantive statutory and rulemaking processes and implementation.
As you this Committee knows, OCSPP leads the chemical policy work across the Agency to develop and implement broad chemical policy and programs. OCSPP is charged with the mission of protecting you, your family, and the environment from potential risks. This reduces waste, saves energy and natural resources, leaving our homes, schools and workplaces cleaner and safer.
OCSPP implements four main statutes and portions of others. It's three main offices are Pesticide Programs; Pollution Prevention and Toxics, and Program Support.
The OCSPP staff are a talented and dedicated group, and if confirmed, I would be proud to lead -- and to learn from them.
If confirmed, I hope to bring a reasoned approach to engaging chemical management matters and issues under the belief that economic prosperity and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive.
I pledge to work with the public, this Committee, and Congress in a balanced and thoughtful manner that promotes clean air, land, water and an overall environment and to leverage this Nation's innovative technologies to continue to stimulate economic growth.
I look forward to working with all of you to fulfill this mission.
Madam Chair and Ranking Member Whitehouse thank you for the invitation.
I look forward to answering your questions and working together.
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Original text here: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/1/1/112ed797-a53d-48b6-ae59-60cb964eddb8/93BBA7F61ACA0794BCBC36503F5F280A84D0D25313BDD27640533213161FDE23.10.08.2025-troutman-testimony.pdf
Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Nominee Noh Testifies Before Senate Armed Services Committee
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by John Noh, President Trump's nominee to be assistant secretary of War for Indo-Pacific security affairs, from an Oct. 7, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished Members of the Armed Services Committee:
It is a great honor to appear before you today and to be considered for the position of Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.
I am deeply grateful to President Trump for nominating me for this role. I would also like to express my
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by John Noh, President Trump's nominee to be assistant secretary of War for Indo-Pacific security affairs, from an Oct. 7, 2025, confirmation hearing:
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Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished Members of the Armed Services Committee:
It is a great honor to appear before you today and to be considered for the position of Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.
I am deeply grateful to President Trump for nominating me for this role. I would also like to express mysincere gratitude to Secretary of War Hegseth, Deputy Secretary of War Feinberg, and Undersecretary of War for Policy Colby for their leadership and support. I am fully committed to implementing the President's policy of putting Americans' interest first and achieving peace through strength.
And thank you - Members of this Committee - for your consideration. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to meet with you and your staffs over the past several weeks.
Finally, I'm very fortunate to have my wife, Isela, and our children, Jaku, John, and Nina, sitting behind me today. The love, understanding, and support I've received from them have made everything possible. I cannot thank them enough. I also want to thank my parents who are not here but have supported me throughout my life.
I joined the Army right after college. Our Country was at war, and I wanted to do my part and serve. I was fortunate enough to deploy to Afghanistan and lead Soldiers in combat. To this day, my military service fundamentally shapes how I think, including about the role for which I have been nominated. Defense policy is deeply personal to me because ultimately, it has to do with the wellbeing of our men and women in uniform who might one day be put in harm's way. For me, there is no more important mission than doing everything I can to prevent war, to deter conflict. But if they are called upon to fight, ensuring that our servicemembers can execute the mission and come back home safely.
My nomination for the position of Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs comes at a perilous moment for the Indo-Pacific. It was my time as a congressional staffer working for the House Select Committee on China that helped me understand and appreciate many of the challenges we face in the region today. I do not believe conflict is inevitable. But I also do not believe that peace can be assumed. If confirmed, I will do everything in my power to ensure we achieve peace and prevent war in the region, with the utmost urgency and focus.
Since January of this year, I have had the privilege of serving in various roles within the Indo-Pacific Security Affairs team of OSW Policy. And over those months, I was able to conduct numerous engagements with counterparts from various countries. I know that America First does not mean America alone. I value greatly the alliances and partnerships we have throughout the region.
Members of the Committee, it truly is an honor of a lifetime to be given an opportunity to earn your trust and continue serving our great Country. If confirmed, I pledge to work with closely with you and your teams through the numerous issues and challenges that the United States faces in the Indo-Pacific.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
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Original text here: https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/noh_opening_statement.pdf
A.G. Bondi Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Attorney General Pamela Bondi from an Oct. 7, 2025, hearing entitled "Oversight of the Department of Justice":
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Good morning Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin, and members of the Committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to testify in front of you here today.
When I was confirmed as the 87th Attorney General of the United States, I took office with two main goals: to end the weaponization of justice and return the Department to its core mission of fighting violent crime.
While there is more
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Attorney General Pamela Bondi from an Oct. 7, 2025, hearing entitled "Oversight of the Department of Justice":
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Good morning Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin, and members of the Committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to testify in front of you here today.
When I was confirmed as the 87th Attorney General of the United States, I took office with two main goals: to end the weaponization of justice and return the Department to its core mission of fighting violent crime.
While there is morework to do, I believe that in eight short months, we have made tremendous progress towards those ends.
Our surge of federal resources into Washington, D.C. is a perfect example of how the Department of Justice should operate. We created a strong partnership with local leadership, working hand-in-hand with the city to surge resources where they were needed most. 19 different federal law enforcement agencies came together as one team to support D.C. police. The results came quickly and proved a simple truth: when our law enforcement officers get the green light to do their jobs with the support they need, our citizens become safer. We have made over 3,800 D.C. arrests and seized over 365 illegal guns in D.C. since the beginning of our operation. Statistics show that crime in our nation's capital is down across the board.
We are replicating that tough-on-crime approach across the country. Our Department of Justice components have been doing historic work to Make America Safe Again. In addition to the FBI under the leadership of Director Kash Patel, who testified to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees last month, the hard work of our US Marshals, ATF, and DEA deserves to be touted.
Under the leadership of Director Gadyaces Serralta, our U.S. Marshals have made over 51,000 fugitive arrests since January 20th. Our Marshals have also been the tip of the spear in Washington, D.C., coordinating the joint activities of the various law enforcement groups in our nation's capital. In a case that is close to my heart, last month the Marshals arrested two young men in D.C. accused of murdering Eric Tarpinian-Yachym, a congressional intern who was shot and killed on June 30th, 2025.
Under the leadership of Administrator Terry Cole, the DEA has seized 3121 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 33.2 million counterfeit pills, 43,157 kilograms of methamphetamine, 137,278 kilograms of cocaine, and 936 kilograms of heroin since January 20th. That represents millions of potential overdoses safely removed from our streets. Our DEA agents have also performed 21,327 arrests in that same time period. The DEA has also returned remarkable results in their nationwide effort to target the Sinaloa Cartel. From just August 25th to August 29th, agents in 23 domestic field divisions and 7 international regions carried out coordinated raids that resulted in 617 arrests, 480 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and over $11 million in currency seized.
Under the leadership of Acting Director Dan Driscoll, the ATF has arrested over 4,200 suspects since January 20th. They have seized 22,837 illegal firearms in that same time period. More than 13,000 of those guns came out of trafficking cases, with over 3,300 being trafficked to cartels in Mexico. Just one month ago, our ATF agents in Houston, Austin, and McAllen arrested eight members of La Nueva Familia Michoacan Cartel in Texas.
Cartels have been prosecuted and brought to justice. Organizations including the Sinaloa Cartel, MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Los Zetas and CNJG are being shut down and sentenced. High profile leaders such as El Mayo and El Musico have been prosecuted and will serve as an example to any member of these organizations that we will find you, arrest you, and at the very least you will serve the rest of your life in Federal prison. These cartels rely on drug and human trafficking to finance its terrorism against the American people while spreading poison and crime in our communities. We are proud to support President Trump's mission of dismantling and destroying the cartels.
While we have restored the Department to its core mission of protecting the American people, this Administration has faced unprecedented judicial attacks since President Trump took office. We have been sued more than 420 times. Lower court judges have issued more than 90 temporary restraining orders against our policies - more than the prior four presidencies combined. This has been a coordinated wave of judicial overreach designed to halt an agenda that won the popular vote and all seven battleground states less than a year ago.
We have stepped into the breach to defend President Trump's Article 2 powers - not just for this president, but to protect the separation of powers for presidents to come. Our record includes 22 Supreme Court victories since January 20th. We have won court victories to protect President Trump's hiring-and-firing authority over federal personnel, defend the use of the Alien Enemies Act to address the prior administration's admission of violent, illegal-alien gang members into our communities, secure the government's right to halt the waste of taxpayer dollars on wasteful foreign aid projects, and enable ICE to conduct its law enforcement operations. The President has the right to carry out his foreign policy, control his personnel, and stop wasteful government spending. We are the mechanism that protects his right to exercise those core authorities.
While major cases involving government powers generate the most headlines, this is a massive organization of more than 110,000 employees: our other legal components are doing incredible work that deserves to be highlighted. Our Environmental and Natural Resources Division has filed complaints against multiple states to roll back unconstitutional climate superfund laws that unfairly burden domestic energy production. Our Civil Rights Division has ended discriminatory consent decrees, filed lawsuits to ensure accurate voter rolls, and taken legal action to halt the wave of anti-Semitism that has swept our country since the terrorist attacks by Hamas two years ago. Our National Security Division has protected our homeland from threats foreign and domestic - for example, arresting key leaders in the nihilistic terrorist group known as 764 and convicting the man who attempted to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022.
This is what justice looks like: law enforcement officers performing their duties with full support as the finest attorneys in the country defend the United States in court. We are returning the Department of Justice to its core function of fighting crime and keeping America safe. In doing so, we have ended the weaponization of justice that ran rampant in the prior administration - including holding prior leaders accountable for using their positions of power to willfully mislead the American people.
We look forward to continuing our work and I look forward to testifying in front of you today.
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Original text here: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/0f3f1fdd-bce4-4cc0-4d9c-b631457d12f9/2025-10-07_Testimony_Bondi.pdf
