[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.

                          ____________________