{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-6544","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 6544","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To advance the benefits of nuclear energy by enabling efficient, timely, and predictable licensing, regulation, and deployment of nuclear energy technologies, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To advance the benefits of nuclear energy by enabling efficient, timely, and predictable licensing, regulation, and deployment of nuclear energy technologies, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-12-01","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-02-28","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h55","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act","result":"Passed","yea":365,"nay":36,"present":1,"not_voting":29,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll055.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.","date":"2024-02-29"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2024-02-28","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Atomic Energy Advancement Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill establishes various requirements to accelerate the deployment of nuclear energy technologies, such as advanced nuclear reactors."},{"k":"p","t":"Specifically, the bill sets forth requirements that direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to efficiently license and regulate nuclear energy activities. The bill also revises the NRC's hiring process to enable the NRC to respond to a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need by using direct hiring for certain positions to carry out NRC's responsibilities and activities in a timely, efficient, and effective manner."},{"k":"p","t":"It also reduces certain licensing fees charged by the NRC for advanced nuclear reactors. Further, it authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to make awards that pay for certain licensing fees."},{"k":"p","t":"Additionally, the bill directs the NRC to promulgate a final rule that implements a process to facilitate efficient and timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications."},{"k":"p","t":"The NRC must also develop and implement strategies to enable efficient and timely licensing reviews for, and to support the oversight of, nuclear facilities at brownfield sites, including sites with retired fossil fuel facilities."},{"k":"p","t":"Next, the bill sets forth requirements for expediting certain licensing decisions for new nuclear reactors that will use a previously licensed design and will be on or adjacent to a site on which a nuclear reactor already operates or previously operated."},{"k":"p","t":"It also authorizes DOE to establish a pilot program under which DOE may make certain long-term power purchase agreements for power generated by commercial nuclear reactors."},{"k":"p","t":"Finally, the bill establishes requirements concerning international nuclear energy cooperation and safety."}],"words":259},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Changes Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing, hiring and fee rules for nuclear reactors and adds Department of Energy programs, studies and reports on nuclear energy deployment and international nuclear activity.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H336E00E399F94582BA37142463F16764"},{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H04DAE73BA03D42169D922FD72F83C19A"},{"label":"Sec. 103","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-HFB372B87374F4A948207E2EFD6D9C4E9"},{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H600FFE5E5BCF496EA4732A6CDA3E412F"},{"label":"Sec. 201","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H8024810162AE43F7BC9567116EAAC94A"}]},"core_areas":["Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing procedures and mission","Fusion machine regulation","Nuclear Regulatory Commission hiring and pay authorities","Advanced nuclear reactor fees and licensing prizes","Environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications","Siting at brownfield and retired fossil fuel sites","Micro-reactors, expedited combined licenses and nuclear power purchase pilot program","International nuclear cooperation, fuel from Russia and China, and Price-Anderson Act extension"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Lets the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman, after certifying a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need, directly appoint people to specialized positions, up to 210 at any one time, plus up to 80 term-limited positions of no more than 4 years.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 103","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-HFB372B87374F4A948207E2EFD6D9C4E9"}},{"text":"Limits the professional hourly rate charged to advanced nuclear reactor applicants and preapplicants to the Nuclear Reactor Safety Program mission-direct rate and bars including mission-indirect program support and agency support costs, effective October 1, 2024.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H600FFE5E5BCF496EA4732A6CDA3E412F"}},{"text":"Requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to report within 90 days on streamlining environmental reviews of reactor applications, then to promulgate a final rule within 2 years after the report, implementing to the maximum extent practicable the measures it considered.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 121","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H2D21F24A687F464498411166433D3C0C"}},{"text":"Requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to set up an expedited combined license procedure for a new reactor based on a previously licensed design on or next to a site where a reactor operates or operated, with a final decision targeted within 25 months after docketing.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 201","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H8024810162AE43F7BC9567116EAAC94A"}},{"text":"Bars persons under Nuclear Regulatory Commission jurisdiction from possessing or owning enriched uranium fuel assemblies made by Russian or Chinese entities without a license, and bars issuing a license if the Secretaries of Energy and State jointly find a national security threat.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 202","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H00B7E831EFE9489D90E4C82B0EE3B34A"}},{"text":"Extends the Price-Anderson Act provisions from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2065 and replaces $500,000,000 with $2,000,000,000 in subsections d.(5) and e.(4) of section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 203","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H3090A5653EB44931937C5C1FA4EA36AA"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 123","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H616B150FC502411F817DF8D1D6A6C2C7"},"heading":"Advancement of nuclear regulatory oversight","effect":"Requires NRC reports on COVID-19 era actions and on oversight and inspection programs, and a Comptroller General review of NRC office and facility space and costs, including rent subsidies for other Federal agencies.","amount":null,"quote":"review office and other facility space requirements of the Commission; and"}]},{"category":"place_specific_amount","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 203","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H3090A5653EB44931937C5C1FA4EA36AA"},"heading":"American nuclear competitiveness","effect":"Among other things, raises the Price-Anderson Act liability figures from $500,000,000 to $2,000,000,000 and exempts entities controlled by OECD member countries and India from certain license prohibitions, with exclusions based on sanctions.","amount":null,"quote":"in subsection d. (5), by striking “$500,000,000” and inserting “$2,000,000,000”"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 112","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H5978313006C54E07B3F0458EB3EFB2B8"},"heading":"Advanced nuclear reactor prize","effect":"Authorizes prizes, subject to appropriations, to the first eligible entities to receive certain advanced reactor licenses, in amounts equal to fees collected from them, and waives repayment and dividend requirements for award recipients.","amount":null,"quote":"an eligible entity that received an award under this subsection shall not be required— (i) to repay that award or any part of that award; or (ii) to pay a dividend, interest, or other similar payment"}]},{"category":"unnamed_target","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 202","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh#toc-H00B7E831EFE9489D90E4C82B0EE3B34A"},"heading":"Global nuclear cooperation","effect":"Bars persons under NRC jurisdiction from possessing or owning enriched uranium fuel assemblies made by entities tied to Russia or China unless licensed, and bars issuing such licenses if the Secretaries of Energy and State find a national security threat.","amount":null,"quote":"no person subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission may possess or own covered fuel."}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-02-28","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-02","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6544/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-6544.png","v":"96344a721fd6","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 6544, 118th Congress: Atomic Energy Advancement Act. House: 365 Yea, 36 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 28 Feb 2024."}}