President’s adviser who had coronavirus returns to work
President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, who tested positive for the coronavirus, returned to work Tuesday after recovering from a mild case of COVID-19, the White House said.
Robert O’brien has resumed his meetings with the president, National Security
Council spokesman John Ullyot said.
“He has been cleared by doctors after two negative tests for the virus, and has been asymptomatic for over a week,” Ullyot said, adding that O’brien’s return to the West Wing was consistent with advice from the White House medical unit and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “During his quarantine at home, Ambassador O’brien worked his normal duties. “
WASHINGTON — Concern over a resumption of explosive nuclear testing prompted Nevada’s two senators to vote Tuesday against confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominee for the second-highest post at the Department of Energy.
Despite their opposition, Undersecretary Mark Menezes easily was confirmed on a 79-16 vote to be deputy secretary of the department. He will have oversight over nuclear issues and the administration’s plans to store nuclear waste.
Menezes assured Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-nev., during a committee hearing this year that the administration had reversed course on permanent storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
He also assured the senator that no future shipments of weapons-grade plutonium would be shipped from South Carolina to the Nevada National Security Site, located just north of Las Vegas.
Still, Cortez Masto and Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-nev., became concerned after a published report quoted former and current administration officials about discussions to resume explosive nuclear testing, which would likely be conducted at the security site, according to a Senate aide to Rosen.
“Reports are suggesting that this administration is prepared to jeopardize the health and safety of Nevadans, undercut our nation’s nuclear non-proliferation goals and further weaken strategic partnerships with our global allies just to flex its muscles on the global stage,” Cortez Masto said in a statement.
The last explosive nuclear tests at the Nevada facility were conducted in 1992, although smaller, or subcritical, testing continues at the
Nevada site, which is run by the Department of Energy.
Under questioning by Cortez Masto during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Menezes said “the president has been very clear” on his plans for nuclear waste disposal.
“The administration will not be pursuing Yucca Mountain as a solution for nuclear waste, and I am fully supportive of the president’s decision and applaud him for taking action when so many have failed to do so,” Menezes told the senator.
Instead of funding for licensing of Yucca Mountain, the budget includes money to study interim-storage at private facilities in various states, which would take congressional approval to implement.
Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@ reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.