[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5987. Mr. BUDD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1094. ESTABLISHMENT OF FOUNDATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR 
                   RESPONSIBLE USE OF SMALL MODULAR REACTOR 
                   TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--There is established within the Department 
     of State a Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of 
     Small Modular Reactor Technology program (hereafter in this 
     section referred to as the ``FIRST program'').
       (b) Program Functions.--The Under Secretary for Arms 
     Control and International Security, or the designee of the 
     Under Secretary, shall manage the FIRST program, which 
     shall--
       (1) promote responsible deployment of civil nuclear energy 
     internationally that benefits United States economic and 
     national security interests;
       (2) advocate, through relevant bilateral and multilateral 
     diplomatic engagements and forums, for civil nuclear energy 
     projects, technology, and products sourced or exported from 
     United States businesses;
       (3) engage in diplomacy with partner governments on 
     prioritizing the highest safety, security, and 
     nonproliferation standards as requirements for civil nuclear 
     reactor deployment decisions, including with regard to small 
     modular reactor infrastructure, technology, and products;
       (4) provide consultation to partner countries regarding 
     best practices in the field of licensing, legal, and 
     regulatory frameworks for the importation or adoption of 
     United States nuclear reactor infrastructure, technology, or 
     products;
       (5) provide early-stage commercial project development 
     support, including feasibility and engineering studies, that 
     are critical to launching United States commercial civil 
     nuclear projects abroad and ensure fair market access for 
     United States businesses relative to state-backed 
     competitors; and
       (6) cooperate with partner countries in the areas of 
     training programs, technical resource sharing, and potential 
     coordination of codes and standards to support the 
     facilitation of small modular reactor fleet deployment.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Arms 
     Control and International Security, or the designee of such 
     Under Secretary, shall provide to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report that includes--
       (A) details on the implementation of the FIRST program;
       (B) a description of FIRST program diplomatic outreach and 
     activities, including bilateral and multilateral engagements 
     that promote activities described in subsection (b);
       (C) the list of current contributing partners of the FIRST 
     program;
       (D) details relating to potential or ongoing cooperation 
     with contributing partners of the FIRST program related to 
     program activities described in subsection (b);
       (E) a description of engagements and activities conducted 
     by the Department of State to promote and expand the FIRST 
     program to additional potential contributing partners;
       (F) a description of FIRST program-related engagements with 
     United States businesses in the civil nuclear sector; and
       (G) a description of funds expended on FIRST program-
     related activities, including programming that uses funds 
     from Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining, and Related 
     Programs and related funding sources within the Department.
       (2) Form.--The report required by this subsection shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified 
     annex submitted separately from the unclassified portion.
       (d) Briefing.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and on a triannual basis 
     thereafter, the Under Secretary for Arms Control and 
     International Security, or the designee of the Under 
     Secretary, shall provide to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a briefing that includes the information required 
     in subsection (c).
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of the 
     Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
       (2) United states business.--The term ``United States 
     business'' has the meaning given such term in section 2304 of 
     the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4724).
       (f) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on June 8, 2034.
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