[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 140 (Monday, November 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H8011-H8012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1515
LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2014
Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5544) to increase the understanding of the health
effects of low doses of ionizing radiation, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5544
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 2014''.
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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Broun) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5544, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise here today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5544, the
Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2014.
Humans are exposed on a daily basis to much natural background
radiation, and some get additional low-dose exposure from medical
procedures or from industrial radiation sources; yet sufficient data is
not available for experts to definitively conclude whether there are
health risks associated with low-dose radiation.
This lack of understanding prevents regulatory agencies from setting
more precise radiation dose limits, as well as it impairs authorities'
decisionmaking capabilities to address potential radiological events
and advise patients for medically-based radiation exposures, all of
which pose an unnecessary burden on society.
As a medical doctor, as a family doctor, and a true fiscal
conservative, I recognize that this major gap in understanding is
detrimental to the health and well-being of Americans and will
additionally contribute to unnecessary economic burdens if we do not
deal with it immediately.
This legislation seeks to address the limited understanding of
potential health risks associated with low-dose radiation by leveraging
the Nation's current expertise in low-dose radiation while proposing a
long-term strategy to address the current gaps of knowledge in this
area.
This legislation will be carried out using funds otherwise already
appropriated by law and ensure that the Department of Energy is
following congressional direction to focus its work on issues of long-
term importance.
Passage of this legislation will help resolve what we do not know in
the field of low-dose radiation for the betterment of medicine, for
emergency response planning, and for industrial safety, not to speak
about helping patients and Americans know what this all entails. This
will show that we do not take for granted the livelihood of our fellow
Americans.
This bill is a commonsense win, and I hope that all of my colleagues
on both sides of the aisle will join me in supporting this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss H.R. 5544, the Low-Dose Radiation
Research Act of 2014. This bill authorizes an important research
program carried out by the Department of Energy's Office of Science to
examine the health impacts of exposure to low doses of radiation, such
as doses resulting from certain medical tests, nuclear waste
[[Page H8012]]
cleanup activities, or even terrorism events like dirty bombs.
This bill builds on DOE's unique biological research expertise and
capabilities, which actually led to the establishment of the successful
Human Genome Project that paved the way toward breakthroughs in modern
medicine today.
Mr. Speaker, the bill also authorizes a National Academies study to
identify current scientific challenges in this area and to help guide
the program's long-term research agenda well into the next decade.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2014, cosponsored by every Democratic member of the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology, includes very similar language to what
we now see in H.R. 5544, so we have no objection to this bill and
support its passage.
We also look forward to working with our colleagues on the other side
of the aisle--and, of course, on the other side of the Capitol--on far
more comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the America
COMPETES Act, as is strongly recommended by many of the most respected
industry and academic leaders and organizations across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia for his
leadership and for his service in the Congress, and of course, we wish
him well as that term comes to an end.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my good friend from
Maryland (Ms. Edwards). I heard her comments, and they are very nice
comments. She and I have been friends and sometimes on the opposite
sides of issues, but she is a very dear friend and a great lady, and I
appreciate her well wishes. I thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5544, the Low-Dose Radiation
Research Act of 2014, will increase our understanding of low-dose
radiation. This research is critical for physicians and decision makers
to more accurately assess potential health risks in this area.
I thank my friend, Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee, Dr. Paul
Broun, for introducing this legislation.
Many Americans are exposed to a broad range of low doses of ionizing
radiation. These range from cosmic background radiation to medically
based procedures, which include X-rays and CT scans.
However, our current approach to radiation safety relies on an
outdated assumption that because high doses of radiation are harmful
that much lower radiation doses are also harmful.
This assumption is not based on a reliable scientific foundation and
prevents patients from making informed decisions about diagnostic exams
and can lead to overly restrictive regulations.
The Department of Energy's (DOE) Low Dose Radiation Research Program
within the Office of Science focuses on the health effects of ionizing
radiation and resolving the uncertainties in this area that currently
exist.
Unfortunately, this program has not been a priority at DOE over
recent years and has seen systematic budget cuts.
H.R. 5544 ensures the continuance of this important research program.
This legislation also directs the National Academies to formulate a
long-term strategy to resolve uncertainties of whether and to what
extent low dose radiation may pose health risks to humans. The bill
also stipulates that the Academies must consider the most up-to-date
studies in this field of research.
And finally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to develop a
five-year research plan that responds to the Academies'
recommendations.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 5544, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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