Director: Eugene Dacus
Associate Director for Congressional Affairs: David Decker
Senior Congressional/External Affairs Officer:
The Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA) is a Commission Staff Office, which reports directly to the Office of the Chairman. In that capacity, OCA is responsible for ensuring that the NRC meets its statutory responsibility to keep the appropriate Congressional oversight committees fully and currently informed about the NRC's activities. For additional detail, see the following topics on this page:
Functional Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of OCA is to provide advice and assistance to the Chairman, the Commission, and NRC staff on Congressional matters; NRC relations with Congress; and views of Congress toward NRC policies, plans, and activities. OCA also maintains ongoing communication with Congressional committees and members of Congress on matters of interest to the NRC. In addition, as the primary point-of-contact for all communications with Congress, OCA reviews and concurs on all outgoing correspondence to members of Congress. The OCA staff also coordinates internal NRC activities with Congress (such as briefings and notifications); plans and develops the NRC's legislative program to implement Commission policy objectives; and monitors legislative proposals, bills, and hearings.
Within the OCA organizational structure, the NRC Protocol Office extends hospitality to Members of Congress, distinguished visitors, and other dignitaries. In that way, the office serves as liaison between dignitaries and the Commission with respect to official visits and events.
Finally, OCA includes the NRC's Federal and External Affairs program. Through that program, OCA serves as an initial point-of-contact for Commission interactions with other Federal agencies and external organizations, including those that represent public interest groups, non-governmental organizations, and the nuclear industry. For Federal intergovernmental and external matters concerning the Commission, please contact oca_web@nrc.gov.
Organizational Structure and Staffing
The following table summarizes OCA's organizational structure and staffing responsibilities.
Contact |
Title/Responsibilities |
Eugene Dacus |
Director |
David Decker |
Associate Director for Congressional Affairs
Primary contact for budget/appropriations and legislative proposals. |
Kimberly Sargent |
Director of Protocol
The NRC Protocol Office resides in OCA. The Protocol Office extends diplomacy to Members of Congress, distinguished visitors, and other dignitaries. The office leads and coordinates best protocol practices and serves as liaison between dignitaries and the Commission with respect to official functions, visits and events. |
Jenny Weil |
Senior Congressional Affairs Officer
Senate affairs liaison (Oversight Committees/Commission confirmation hearings) and external affairs. Primary contact for decommissioning, materials issues, transportation, nuclear medicine, fuel cycle facilities, uranium enrichment, uranium recovery, reprocessing, Agreement States, Price-Anderson Act, and Yucca Mountain. |
Angel Moreno |
Senior Congressional Affairs Officer
House affairs liaison (Oversight Committees hearings). Primary contact for reactor licensing, operating issues, inspection programs, research and test reactors, proposed interim consolidated storage facility applications, , Moly-99, ablation mining technology for uranium, and Region IV reactor issues. |
Lynnea Wilkins |
Congressional Affairs Officer
Primary contact for nuclear security issues, cyber and physical security, emergency preparedness, international issues, knowledge management, safety culture, and Region II reactor issues. |
Carolyn Wolf |
Congressional Affairs Officer
Primary contact for new, small modular, and advanced reactor licensing, new nuclear and fusion energy technologies, agency contracts and grants, human capital issues, environmental justice, Congressional News You Can Use, and Region III issues. |
Mitchell Hoskins |
Congressional Affairs Officer
Assistant House affairs liaison and primary contact for subsequent license renewals, greater-than-Class C waste, low-level waste issues, extravasations, medical training and experience requirements, and Region I issues. |
Vacant |
Protocol Specialist
Assists the Director of Protocol with preparations for events, meetings, ceremonies, and visits of dignitaries hosted by the Commission. |
Jeannette Quesenberry |
Congressional Affairs Specialist
Primary responsibility for monitoring relevant stakeholder interest in nuclear energy and congressional hearing preparation. |
Vacant |
Administrative Assistant
Primary assistant to the Director, provides staff support, office management, hearings coordination and project planning. |
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, July 12, 2023