NRC Mission Alignment Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6265 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6265

   To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to update the mission 
   statement of the Commission to ensure licensing and regulation is 
 efficient and is in alignment with the policies stated in the Atomic 
              Energy Act of 1954, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2023

  Mr. Duncan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to update the mission 
   statement of the Commission to ensure licensing and regulation is 
 efficient and is in alignment with the policies stated in the Atomic 
              Energy Act of 1954, 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 ``NRC Mission Alignment Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE GENERAL WELFARE AND LICENSING EFFICIENCY.

    (a) Mission of the Commission.--
            (1) Update.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall, 
        while remaining consistent with the policies of the Atomic 
        Energy Act of 1954 (including to provide reasonable assurance 
        of adequate protection of the public health and safety, to 
        promote the common defense and security, and to protect the 
        environment), update the mission statement of the Commission to 
        include that licensing and regulation of nuclear energy 
        activities be conducted in a manner that is efficient and does 
        not unnecessarily limit--
                    (A) the potential of nuclear energy to improve the 
                general welfare; and
                    (B) the benefits of nuclear energy technology to 
                society.
            (2) Report.--Upon completion of the updates to the mission 
        statement required under paragraph (1), the Nuclear Regulatory 
        Commission shall submit to Congress a report that describes--
                    (A) the updated mission statement; and
                    (B) the guidance that the Nuclear Regulatory 
                Commission will provide to staff of the Nuclear 
                Regulatory Commission to ensure effective performance 
                of such mission.
    (b) Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.--Section 203 of the 
Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5843) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``(a) There'' and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(a) Establishment; Appointment of Director.--There'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``(b) Subject'' and 
                        inserting the following:
    ``(b) Functions of Director.--Subject''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``delegate including:'' 
                        and inserting ``delegate, including the 
                        following:''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``for the 
                discharge of the'' and inserting ``to fulfill the 
                licensing and regulatory oversight'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``(c) Nothing'' and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(d) Responsibility for Safe Operation of Facilities.--Nothing''; 
and
            (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Licensing Process.--In carrying out the principal licensing 
and regulation functions under subsection (b)(1), the Director of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation shall--
            ``(1) establish techniques and guidance for evaluating 
        applications for licenses for nuclear reactors to support 
        efficient, timely, and predictable reviews of applications for 
        such licenses to enable the safe and secure use of nuclear 
        reactors;
            ``(2) maintain the techniques and guidance established 
        under paragraph (1) by periodically assessing and, if 
        necessary, modifying such techniques and guidance; and
            ``(3) obtain approval from the Commission if establishment 
        or modification of the techniques and guidance established 
        under paragraph (1) or (2) involves policy formulation.''.
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