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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9200 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9200
To require an evaluation of the nuclear supply chain of the United
States to further reduce regulatory barriers and associated costs for
nuclear supply chain manufacturers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 30, 2024
Mr. Donalds (for himself, Mr. Nehls, and Mr. Williams of New York)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require an evaluation of the nuclear supply chain of the United
States to further reduce regulatory barriers and associated costs for
nuclear supply chain manufacturers, 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 ``Atomic Supply Chain Solutions Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States remains an esteemed global leader in
the area of nuclear safety.
(2) The strength of the nuclear supply chain of the United
States is directly tied to the growth of the nuclear energy
sector.
SEC. 3. NUCLEAR SUPPLY CHAIN EVALUATION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall develop and submit
to the appropriate congressional committees an evaluation of the
nuclear supply chain of the United States.
(b) Contents.--
(1) Building up at the right time.--The evaluation
developed and submitted under subsection (a) shall include a
general description of--
(A) past efforts within the nuclear supply chain of
the United States to meet increased demand;
(B) the importance of proactively bolstering the
nuclear supply chain of the United States in order to
meet future demand for nuclear energy; and
(C) lessons learned from the construction of Vogtle
3 and 4 in Georgia, including an analysis of how the
nuclear supply chain of the United States operated
during such construction and any improvements that
could be made to assist with future nuclear
construction projects, including workforce and supply
chain considerations.
(2) Component regulatory challenges.--The evaluation
developed and submitted under subsection (a) shall include--
(A) an analysis of whether the requirement for an
N-stamp is appropriate and necessary, as determined
through the use of probabilistic methodology or other
similar methods, for certain nuclear components and
materials (selected by the Secretary of Energy) that
currently require an N-stamp;
(B) a general analysis of the costs associated with
regulatory requirements relating to--
(i) safety-related nuclear components and
materials that receive appropriate ASME
certification;
(ii) safety-related nuclear components and
materials that do not receive appropriate ASME
certification but instead receive acceptance by
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission through
commercial grade dedication; and
(iii) nonsafety-related nuclear components
and materials that do not have to obtain a
relevant quality assurance requirement;
(C) identification of potential ways to streamline
the acquisition and maintenance of N-stamps and other
similar certifications for entities that already have
obtained such N-stamps or other similar certifications;
and
(D) an analysis of N-stamps being effective for a
total of a period of 3 years, whether such period could
be increased, and what impact such an increase would
have on safety and the cost associated with obtaining
an N-stamp.
(3) Advanced manufacturing and innovative technologies.--
(A) In general.--The evaluation developed and
submitted under subsection (a) may include an analysis
of potential uses and benefits that advanced
manufacturing and innovative technologies, such as 3D
printing, advanced modeling and simulation, augmented
reality training, artificial intelligence, robotics,
and drones, can provide to the nuclear supply chain of
the United States, if the Secretary determines such
analysis to be pertinent.
(B) Inclusions.--The analysis under subparagraph
(A) may include a general description of--
(i) the current status of innovative
technologies described in such subparagraph
with respect to the use of such technologies
within the nuclear supply chain of the United
States;
(ii) potential uses for such technologies
within the nuclear supply chain of the United
States, including use for--
(I) reducing cybersecurity
vulnerabilities;
(II) maximizing the efficiency and
effectiveness of transporting nuclear
components and materials;
(III) examining the technology
readiness of individual components,
including structural and thermal
analysis;
(IV) predicting maintenance
schedules and subsequent costs;
(V) training nuclear supply chain
workforce participants;
(VI) identifying counterfeit
nuclear components and materials; and
(VII) any other use that may be
relevant;
(iii) economic considerations associated
with such technologies; and
(iv) potential challenges associated with
such technologies, including potential
regulatory challenges with respect to the use
of such technologies within the nuclear supply
chain of the United States.
(4) Allied cooperation.--The evaluation developed and
submitted under subsection (a) shall include a general
description of--
(A) the relationship between the United States and
Canada with respect to nuclear components and
materials, including recommendations on bolstering
nuclear-related collaboration with Canada to extend
North American civil nuclear energy leadership around
the world; and
(B) whether certain nuclear components and
materials that are manufactured in the United States,
as selected by the Secretary of Energy, are cost
competitive with similar nuclear components and
materials that are manufactured internationally.
(5) Advanced nuclear demand.--The evaluation developed and
submitted under subsection (a) shall include a description of
how advanced nuclear technology, including the anticipated
increased demand for advanced nuclear technology, will impact
the existing nuclear supply chain of the United States, and
recommendations for increasing the resiliency of the nuclear
supply chain of the United States to prepare for such increased
demand.
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON HALEU.
It is the policy of the United States to prioritize establishing a
robust, diversified domestic high-assay, low enriched uranium (HALEU)
market that will ultimately strengthen the energy independence and
national security of the United States while reducing procurement and
national security risks associated with HALEU, especially with the
anticipated increased demand for advanced nuclear technology.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
the Senate.
(2) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial
intelligence'' has the meaning given such term in section 5002
of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020
(15 U.S.C. 9401).
(3) ASME.--The term ``ASME'' means the American Society for
Mechanical Engineers.
(4) N-stamp.--The term ``N-stamp'' means the ASME Nuclear
Certification.
(5) Nuclear components and materials.--The term ``nuclear
components and materials'' includes--
(A) reactor pressure vessels;
(B) thermocouples;
(C) heat exchangers;
(D) pumps;
(E) sensors;
(F) piping;
(G) castings;
(H) structural steel;
(I) concrete;
(J) cabling;
(K) nuclear grade graphite;
(L) helium;
(M) sodium;
(N) molten salts;
(O) beryllium; and
(P) any other component or material determined
appropriate by the Secretary of Energy.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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