User: I would like to know the main function of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the United States.  Can you tell me about it?
Assistant: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent government agency established in 1974 to regulate commercial nuclear energy and nuclear weapons in the United States. It has five commissioners, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for regulating the safety of nuclear power plants and the transport, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials. The NRC regulates every aspect of the engineering design and operation of commercial nuclear reactors, including their licensing, periodic safety inspections, monitoring and any necessary corrective actions. The agency also approves the construction and operation of high-level waste repositories and governs non-federal nuclear waste management activities through its Waste Confidence Rule. Regarding nuclear power plants, the NRC also evaluates proposed changes to reactor design and operation, administers reactor safety research programs, and licenses radioactive materials that are released into the environment.