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<dc:title>119 HR 9613 IH: Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2026-07-09</dc:date>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 9613</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20260709">July 9, 2026</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="H001086">Mrs. Harshbarger</sponsor> (for herself and <cosponsor name-id="G000601">Mr. Goldman of Texas</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HIF00">Committee on Energy and Commerce</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To update the role of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in the licensing and oversight of nuclear reactor facilities, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body id="HBD46FC5B68964ABFB35EDF6AFDC9B75B" style="OLC"> 
<section id="HB055F50C1E734513B93B51CAE7A6016F" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act</short-title></quote>. </text></section> <section id="H588BFB100A6344978028996216FEAAFD"><enum>2.</enum><header>Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards</header> <subsection id="HEDE7AAF9CF364E7CA66C1AED2FDB284D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 29 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2039">42 U.S.C. 2039</external-xref>) is amended—</text> 
<paragraph id="HD245F59175BF46C0BBF071A267813253"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>There is</quote> and inserting the following: </text> <quoted-block style="OLC" id="H421A5B18DE254489A715820AED59707D" display-inline="no-display-inline"> <subsection id="H69421A1C8BF64CC5AF72848B5AAF667E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">There is</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H577760F53B7D417D8967724BBD2E57E1">
                    <enum>(2)</enum>
 <text>by inserting <quote>(referred to in this section as the <quote>Committee</quote>).</quote> after <quote>Reactor Safeguards</quote>;</text>
                </paragraph> 
<paragraph id="HD027F3F6B978488BABFCA5D7CB4E4E15"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>consisting of</quote> and all that follows; and </text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HBCC70F646CFD49D0BA609BECCF478D93"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> 
<quoted-block style="OLC" id="H6CEBB4E850BE40D1994BD6D946A2BB3C" display-inline="no-display-inline"> 
<subsection id="H8D20C7CE05A745B9BA2509B2ABCFB4A5" commented="no"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Membership</header><text>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.</text></subsection> <subsection id="HCCFC39186E67481FBEFEDA6658D161E1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Terms</header> <paragraph id="H2C2418E0A7D54FB79F6A7AB32B0C56F9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>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.</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="HD963FF17F4CC44D1983C1EF4BD2FA833"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>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.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6F39CE0861864FD1BD4142305AF68983" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>This subsection shall apply with respect to members appointed after the date of enactment of the <short-title>Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act</short-title>. </text></paragraph></subsection> 
<subsection id="H06AB9D17AD7B48828D76AED932086B58"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Committee actions</header><text>The Committee shall take the following actions:</text> <paragraph id="H40483BB4B197466AB2A09BDFE3EB9BB4"> <enum>(1)</enum> <text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Review applications and submit reports in accordance with section 182 b.</text>
                            </paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H5CF85B13C9E74FE6A40C4DAF56275C10" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Advise the Commission, as specifically requested by the Commission, with respect to—</text> <subparagraph id="HE20A660D24514239A7B2768DC92EAA8F" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the hazards of proposed or existing reactor facilities; and</text></subparagraph> 
<subparagraph id="H6DD591200AB44866BBCEF8D21CEDE6B3" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the adequacy of proposed reactor safety standards.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA54453EA400449AF9ADE2DC617EFD5EB"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Perform such other duties as the Commission may specifically request.</text></paragraph></subsection> 
<subsection id="H88331036CECD4C70A3E0A210A823356D"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Focus of Committee</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">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—</text> <paragraph id="HBA9C85C349154FF2A4238F0C4AB934AA"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">directly relate to reactor design;</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H0733C4F4A73A42489FCA355AE436D265" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>are safety significant;</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE4264AA9156247EEBAA2DA4DCC799C73" commented="no"><enum>(3)</enum><text>are novel; and</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H7EC116933A674F7785E27B1DA9196115" commented="no"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">have not been previously acted on by the Committee.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H85B7AE5B358748BB891F4AF5FAFFCCA1" commented="no"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Policies for efficient and timely action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">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.</text> </subsection> 
<subsection id="H5CA3C85E50384314801ABCF73AAADCEC"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Proposals from the Committee</header> 
<paragraph id="H59836EE3F55D4C28ABE7D179403C0DAE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Committee may propose to the Commission that the Committee take an action pursuant to subsection (d).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HE2EFBA4F96DE49B9B8D43AFF64DC13ED" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Commission request required</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">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).</text></paragraph> </subsection> 
<subsection id="HEF87F48D4AF24BDBBFA7E7E54F2412D1"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Chairperson</header><text>The Commission shall designate 1 member of the Committee as the Chairperson of the Committee.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H69E1785D67D04B46A4379AD1E232BEAB"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Per diem</header><text>The members of the Committee shall receive—</text> 
<paragraph id="HB4FAA633D6A9413EB6F73B1A2677BBC6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a per diem compensation for each day spent in meetings, conferences, or other work of the Committee; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H902964CE30C84EEC998711ED3EB0D2C4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>compensation for necessary traveling or other expenses while engaged in the work of the Committee.</text></paragraph></subsection> 
<subsection id="HFEDC1707186344D69501A6C9B3E4C04C"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Applicability</header><text>Section 163 shall apply to the Committee.</text> </subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HEF4A54F6A26745189E32AD0386307915"><enum>(b)</enum><header>License application review</header><text>Section 182 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2232">42 U.S.C. 2232(b)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text> 
<quoted-block id="HDAFA7231B0E349D7A259D9B0A958B64A" style="OLC"> 
<subsection id="H407E371928D848C5A7164E9BD2BC4D44"><enum>b.</enum><header>Review by Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards</header><text>The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards established under section 29 shall—</text> <paragraph id="H32A224A293A745D1A67C019F34074D20" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text>if the Commission specifically requests, review—</text> 
<subparagraph id="H375A88309A37441D8C44EBE47469BFEA" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an application for a license under section 103 or subsection a., b., or c. of section 104; and</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="H3ACD347FF4C0404D970563FB77C9E95D" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an application for an amendment to a license issued under section 103 or subsection a., b., or c. of section 104; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H3886C16BD6D84DBB978E2DE5F4344572"><enum>(2)</enum><text>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.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection id="HDF698B6001194FC9AD21EDF2CD5D0751"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendments</header> <paragraph id="H8DCA81237CB045649058F0A11043B2EE" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Advisory Committees</header><text>Section 163 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2203">42 U.S.C. 2203</external-xref>) is amended—</text> 
<subparagraph id="HDB0444BD94A94D9E86A937C846042409" commented="no"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>members of the General Advisory committee established pursuant to section 26 and the</quote>; and </text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HFF2EBC5A9A594DC5B9FE48CEE55F807C" commented="no"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>sections 281, 283, or 284</quote> and inserting <quote>sections 203, 205, or 207</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="HC187211BD345470DB4796F5032AFAF88"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Temporary operating license</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 192 a. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2242">42 U.S.C. 2242(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <subparagraph id="HEF23E5C90B144E2086371EC59FDDEB95"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Safeguards required by section 182 b.;</quote> and inserting <quote>Safeguards submitted under section 182 b. (if applicable);</quote>; and</text></subparagraph> 
<subparagraph id="HE69C828831CD4F77AE2E992211722FAA"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>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</quote> and inserting <quote>, 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)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection> </section> </legis-body></bill>

