[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 7, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H82-H83]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2015

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 35) to increase the understanding of the health effects 
of low doses of ionizing radiation.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 35

       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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) each 
will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H83]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 35, the bill 
now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 35, the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2015, 
will increase our understanding of low-dose radiation. This research is 
critical for physicians and decisionmakers to more accurately assess 
potential health risks in this area.
  I want to thank my friend, Mr. Hultgren, for introducing this 
legislation along with Mr. Lipinski of Illinois. A virtually identical 
bill passed the House by a voice vote this past November in the 
previous Congress.
  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 of radiation safety relies on an outmoded assumption 
that because high doses of radiation are harmful, it necessarily 
follows that much lower radiation doses are also harmful.
  This assumption is not based on a reliable scientific foundation, 
prevents patients from making informed decisions about diagnostic 
exams, and can lead to overly restrictive regulations.
  The Department of Energy's Low Dose Radiation Research Program within 
the Office of Science focuses on the health effects of ionizing 
radiation and helps to resolve 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 de-emphasis. H.R. 35 
ensures the continuance and enhancement of this important research 
program.
  This legislation also directs the National Academies to formulate a 
long-term strategy to resolve uncertainties surrounding whether and to 
what extent low-dose radiation may pose health risks to humans. The 
bill stipulates that the academies must consider the most up-to-date 
studies in this field of research.

                              {time}  1400

  Finally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to develop a 5-
year research plan that responds to the Academies' recommendations. I 
again thank the gentlemen from Illinois, Representatives Hultgren and 
Lipinski, for their leadership on this issue. I also want to commend 
Congressmen Sensenbrenner, Posey, Bucshon, and Cramer for joining me in 
cosponsoring this legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 35, the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 
2015. I would like to begin by thanking my colleagues from Illinois, 
Mr. Hultgren and Mr. Lipinski, for introducing this bipartisan 
legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
  H.R. 35 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 cleanup activities, or even 
terrorism events like dirty bombs. This program builds on the 
Department of Energy's unique biological research expertise and 
capabilities, which led to the establishment of the successful Human 
Genome Project that paved the way for important breakthroughs in modern 
medicine.
  This bill 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. A similar bill 
passed the House late last Congress with overwhelming support, and it 
is my hope that this will again pass and move to the Senate for their 
consideration.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren), the lead sponsor of this bill, and also a 
distinguished member of the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology.
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for H.R. 35, 
the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act, and I want to thank the 
distinguished chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology, Chairman Smith, for helping me to bring this legislation to 
the floor.
  While it may sound scary, we come in contact with small amounts of 
radiation every day from the cosmic background which many Americans are 
probably unaware of. Of course, radiation has been a useful tool which 
has led to innovation for medical imaging, like x rays and treatments. 
Numerous processes used by manufacturers in my home State of Illinois, 
for instance, include low-dose radiation to carry out precise and 
accurate measurements. But it is time that the regulatory structure 
surrounding exposure to low-dose radiation relies on sound science.
  Currently, the assumption is that because high doses of radiation are 
harmful to human health, lower doses must be, too. This is similar to 
saying that jumping down one step in a flight of stairs is harmful to 
your health because we already know that it is harmful to jump down an 
entire flight of stairs at one time.
  While there is little doubt that there is a threshold above which 
humans should avoid exposure to radiation, this legislation will ensure 
that the Department of Energy's Office of Science prioritizes the 
research necessary to understand what that level actually is. My bill 
directs the agency to work with the National Academies to formulate a 
long-term research plan to do this work.
  As I continue to represent my constituents of the 14th Congressional 
District of Illinois, I will always champion the things we are doing 
right in Illinois. Our State has a long history of innovation in this 
space. For many years we have led the Nation in nuclear power 
generation, and the work we continue to do in our national labs is 
pushing the boundaries in our frontiers of knowledge.
  Fermilab, in my district, helped establish neutron therapy as a 
viable radiation treatment for many difficult-to-treat cancers. 
Harnessing the continued benefits of radiation requires that we clarify 
what the potential harms are. That is why I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Ms. BONAMICI. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no other individuals who 
wish to comment on this bill, so we are prepared to close when my 
friend is prepared to close as well.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. 
Smith, and the ranking member, Ms. Johnson, and the sponsors of this 
bill, Mr. Hultgren and Mr. Lipinski.
  The bill before us today represents a true bipartisan effort and will 
help protect the health of our constituents. Passage of this bill is a 
positive way to start this new Congress, and I urge its adoption.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Oregon 
(Ms. Bonamici) for her comments, and I yield back the balance of my 
time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Holding). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 35.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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