Quote of the Day
"The U.S. economy expanded at a faster clip than initially forecast in the third quarter, helped by more robust consumer spending and by stronger exports. The economy grew at a 2.5% annualized pace in the quarter, revised up from the initial estimate of 2.0%, the government said in its second estimate of quarterly gross domestic product. GDP growth was 1.7% during the second quarter.”
- Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch, 11/23/2010
For Release: Friday, February 11, 2005
David Gillies: 202-225-5661
COSTELLO/CALVERT REINTRODUCE BILL TO PROVIDE EXTERNAL REGULATION OF DOE CIVILIAN LABS
Washington - U.S. Congressmen Jerry Costello (D-IL) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) have re-introduced legislation that would provide for external regulation of the Department of Energy's (DoE's) civilian laboratories. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would take over regulation of the civilian labs after a two-year transition period.
"As President Bush made plain when he introduced his budget this week, he is looking to make government more cost-effective," said Costello. "This legislation will make the labs safer and save taxpayers $41 million annually. External regulation is something the President and the Department of Energy should embrace."
"The Department must change the way it manages lab conditions in environment, safety and health," stated Congressman Calvert. "Best management practices in this area, modeled on both corporate efforts and those followed by California's Jet Propulsion Lab, provide an excellent example of the road the Department should take. The GAO has cited these practices as a model for how a Federal facility can be managed safely and smartly."
Currently, DoE is the only federal agency that self-regulates its worker and nuclear safety. There has been a long-standing concern that self-regulation has led to less reporting of violations by lab employees because they fear retaliation from superiors. External regulation should allow the labs to transfer an estimated 30% of their Environment, Safety & Health workforce positions to Science and Technology work - the central mission of these labs.
The issue of external regulation has been studied extensively for over a decade by congressional committees, the Inspector General at DoE and the Government Accountability Office, and all agree it should be implemented by the civilian labs. In addition, the lab managers have strongly endorsed external regulation.
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