[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 35 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 35

  To increase the understanding of the health effects of low doses of 
                          ionizing radiation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2015

   Mr. Hultgren (for himself, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. 
 Sensenbrenner, Mr. Posey, Mr. Bucshon, and Mr. Cramer) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
                             and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To increase the understanding of the health effects of low doses of 
                          ionizing radiation.

    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 ``Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. LOW DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Department of Energy Office of 
Science shall carry out a research program on low dose radiation. The 
purpose of the program is to enhance the scientific understanding of 
and reduce uncertainties associated with the effects of exposure to low 
dose radiation in order to inform improved risk management methods.
    (b) Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the National 
Academies to conduct a study assessing the current status and 
development of a long-term strategy for low dose radiation research. 
Such study shall be completed not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act. The study shall be conducted in coordination 
with Federal agencies that perform ionizing radiation effects research 
and shall leverage the most current studies in this field. Such study 
shall--
            (1) identify current scientific challenges for 
        understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation;
            (2) assess the status of current low dose radiation 
        research in the United States and internationally;
            (3) formulate overall scientific goals for the future of 
        low-dose radiation research in the United States;
            (4) recommend a long-term strategic and prioritized 
        research agenda to address scientific research goals for 
        overcoming the identified scientific challenges in coordination 
        with other research efforts;
            (5) define the essential components of a research program 
        that would address this research agenda within the universities 
        and the National Laboratories; and
            (6) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such a 
        program.
    (c) Research Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the completion of 
the study performed under subsection (b) the Secretary of Energy shall 
deliver to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate a 5-year research plan that responds to the study's findings 
and recommendations and identifies and prioritizes research needs.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``low dose radiation'' 
means a radiation dose of less than 100 millisieverts.
    (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to subject any research carried out by the Director under the research 
program under this Act to any limitations described in section 977(e) 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)).
    (f) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated 
under this section. This Act shall be carried out using funds otherwise 
appropriated by law.
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