Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9613 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9613

 To update the role of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in
  the licensing and oversight of nuclear reactor facilities, and for
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2026

Mrs. Harshbarger (for herself and Mr. Goldman of Texas) introduced the
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To update the role of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in
  the licensing and oversight of nuclear reactor facilities, and for
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform
Act''.

SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS.

    (a) In General.--Section 29 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2039) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``There is'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Establishment.--There is'';
            (2) by inserting ``(referred to in this section as the
        `Committee').'' after ``Reactor Safeguards'';
            (3) by striking ``consisting of'' and all that follows; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Membership.--The Committee shall consist of a maximum of 15
members, to be appointed by the Commission, who shall represent a
diverse background of technical expertise relevant to the mission of
the Commission.
    ``(c) Terms.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
        Commission may appoint a member of the Committee for not more
        than 2 terms of 4 years each.
            ``(2) Exception.--The Commission may appoint a member of
        the Committee for more than 2 terms if the Commission
        determines that there is a compelling need for the member's
        continued service.
            ``(3) Applicability.--This subsection shall apply with
        respect to members appointed after the date of enactment of the
        Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act.
    ``(d) Committee Actions.--The Committee shall take the following
actions:
            ``(1) Review applications and submit reports in accordance
        with section 182 b.
            ``(2) Advise the Commission, as specifically requested by
        the Commission, with respect to--
                    ``(A) the hazards of proposed or existing reactor
                facilities; and
                    ``(B) the adequacy of proposed reactor safety
                standards.
            ``(3) Perform such other duties as the Commission may
        specifically request.
    ``(e) Focus of Committee.--In taking an action pursuant to
paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (d), the Committee shall, to
the extent practicable, focus on issues that--
            ``(1) directly relate to reactor design;
            ``(2) are safety significant;
            ``(3) are novel; and
            ``(4) have not been previously acted on by the Committee.
    ``(f) Policies for Efficient and Timely Action.--The Commission
shall maintain and, if necessary, modify policies to ensure efficient
and timely action by the Committee, including efficient and timely
coordination between the Committee and staff of the Commission.
    ``(g) Proposals From the Committee.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Committee may propose to the
        Commission that the Committee take an action pursuant to
        subsection (d).
            ``(2) Commission request required.--The Committee may not
        take an action proposed under paragraph (1) unless the
        Commission specifically requests the Committee take the action
        pursuant to subsection (d).
    ``(h) Chairperson.--The Commission shall designate 1 member of the
Committee as the Chairperson of the Committee.
    ``(i) Per Diem.--The members of the Committee shall receive--
            ``(1) a per diem compensation for each day spent in
        meetings, conferences, or other work of the Committee; and
            ``(2) compensation for necessary traveling or other
        expenses while engaged in the work of the Committee.
    ``(j) Applicability.--Section 163 shall apply to the Committee.''.
    (b) License Application Review.--Section 182 b. of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2232(b)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``b. Review by Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.--The
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards established under section 29
shall--
            ``(1) if the Commission specifically requests, review--
                    ``(A) an application for a license under section
                103 or subsection a., b., or c. of section 104; and
                    ``(B) an application for an amendment to a license
                issued under section 103 or subsection a., b., or c. of
                section 104; and
            ``(2) submit to the Commission a report with respect to a
        review carried out under paragraph (1), which shall be made
        part of the record of the applicable application and available
        to the public, except to the extent that security
        classification prevents disclosure.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Advisory committees.--Section 163 of the Atomic Energy
        Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2203) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``members of the General Advisory
                committee established pursuant to section 26 and the'';
                and
                    (B) by striking ``sections 281, 283, or 284'' and
                inserting ``sections 203, 205, or 207''.
            (2) Temporary operating license.--Section 192 a. of the
        Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2242(a)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``Safeguards required by section
                182 b.;'' and inserting ``Safeguards submitted under
                section 182 b. (if applicable);''; and
                    (B) by striking ``and the Nuclear Regulatory
                Commission staff's first supplement to the report
                prepared in response to the report of the Advisory
                Committee on Reactor Safeguards for the facility'' and
                inserting ``, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                staff's first supplement to the report prepared in
                response to the report of the Advisory Committee on
                Reactor Safeguards for the facility (if applicable)''.
                                 <all>