MARKEY SET TO JOIN SENATE EPW COMMITTEE

Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) will join the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, taking the seat vacated by former Senator and current Ambassador to China Max Baucus (D- Mont.). Markey has long been a vocal critic of nuclear power, an oversight area included in the EPW’s jurisdiction, and has pushed for legislation for faster removal of spent nuclear fuel and more robust investigations into aging reactors. EPW Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) welcomed the addition to her committee yesterday. “Senator Markey will be a great addition to the Environment and Public Works Committee because of his proven effectiveness as a legislator,” Boxer said in a release.  “He has shown great leadership on the issues that the EPW Committee is working on right now, including addressing climate change, investing in critical transportation and water infrastructure, and ensuring that our nuclear facilities are safe and secure.  I welcome Senator Markey to this Committee and look forward to working with him on these critical issues.” Markey also serves as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Commerce, and Small Business Committees.