[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1700 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1700

  To require the President to issue guidance on Federal response to a 
                     large-scale nuclear disaster.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 24, 2013

   Mr. Engel (for himself, Mrs. Lowey, and Mr. Payne) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the President to issue guidance on Federal response to a 
                     large-scale nuclear disaster.

    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 Disaster Preparedness Act''.

SEC. 2. GUIDANCE FOR RESPONSE TO A NUCLEAR DISASTER.

    (a) Issuance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the President, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Energy, the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, shall issue guidance on Federal response 
to nuclear disasters described in subsection (b).
    (b) Nuclear Disasters Described.--The guidance issued pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall be with respect to any nuclear disaster that--
            (1) may be caused by a natural catastrophe, an accident, or 
        a terrorist or other attack;
            (2) occurs initially at a nuclear power plant; and
            (3) disperses radiation off the reactor site and into the 
        surrounding area.
    (c) Guidance.--The guidance issued pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) designate the single Federal agency that is responsible 
        for coordinating the Federal Government's efforts in response 
        to a nuclear disaster (in this Act referred to as the 
        ``Coordinating Agency''), including making a formal declaration 
        that a nuclear disaster exists;
            (2) identify the circumstances under which a formal 
        declaration described in paragraph (1) will occur;
            (3) designate the single Federal agency that, in response 
        to a nuclear disaster, is responsible for recommending to the 
        Coordinating Agency--
                    (A) the evacuation of the area within a 10-mile 
                radius from the nuclear power plant; or
                    (B) the evacuation of the area within a larger 
                radius from the nuclear power plant, but not more than 
                a radius of 50 miles;
            (4) identify the circumstances under which a recommendation 
        described in paragraph (3) will be made;
            (5) designate the single Federal agency that is responsible 
        for developing plans for an evacuation described in 
        subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (3), educating the public 
        regarding such an evacuation, and conducting such an evacuation 
        when directed to do so by the Coordinating Agency;
            (6) designate the single Federal agency that is responsible 
        for recommending to the Coordinating Agency that evacuees may 
        return following a nuclear disaster;
            (7) identify the circumstances under which a recommendation 
        described in paragraph (6) will be made;
            (8) identify what cleanup standards will apply for a 
        nuclear disaster;
            (9) designate the single Federal agency that is responsible 
        for conducting cleanup of a nuclear disaster when directed to 
        do so by the Coordinating Agency; and
            (10) identify any other roles and responsibilities of any 
        Federal agency involved in the response effort to a nuclear 
        disaster.
                                 <all>