I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8129 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to carry out an initiative to encourage 

States to enhance the dissemination of nuclear information at certain 

schools, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 26, 2024 

Mr. DONALDS (for himself, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. WILLIAMS of 

New York, and Mr. NEHLS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to carry out an initiative 

to encourage States to enhance the dissemination of nuclear information at certain schools, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Nuclear 

5 Workforce Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NUCLEAR EDUCATION INITIATIVE. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Energy 

8 shall establish and carry out an initiative to encourage 


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1 States to enhance the dissemination of nuclear science and 

2 technology information at covered schools. 

3 (b) DEGREES.—In carrying out the initiative estab4 lished under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall 

5 encourage States to work with institutions of higher edu6 cation that are covered schools, to, as appropriate, incor7 porate degrees that may be relevant in the nuclear energy 

8 industry, including degrees in environmental science, biol9 ogy, chemistry, nuclear engineering, electrical engineering, 

10 mechanical engineering, civil engineering, systems engi11 neering, radiochemistry, applied and engineering physics, 

12 materials science, and occupational safety and health. 

13 (c) TOURS AND OUTREACH.—In carrying out the ini14 tiative established under subsection (a), the Secretary of 

15 Energy shall encourage— 

16 (1) covered schools to engage with local nuclear 

17 power plants to provide students with tours of such 

18 nuclear power plants to learn about nuclear energy 

19 firsthand; and 

20 (2) relevant nuclear stakeholders to engage with 

21 covered schools about potential professional opportu22 nities within the nuclear industry, including by pro23 viding information regarding paid and unpaid in24 ternships, scholarships, apprenticeships, fellowships, 

25 and other experiential opportunities. 


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1 (d) NUCLEAR ENERGY UNIVERSITY PROGRAM.—The 

2 Secretary of Energy shall, to the extent practicable, carry 

3 out the initiative established under subsection (a) in con4 junction with the Nuclear Energy University Program of 

5 the Department of Energy. 

6 (e) CONSIDERATION.—In establishing and carrying 

7 out the initiative under subsection (a), the Secretary of 

8 Energy shall take into consideration the Institute of Nu9 clear Power Operations Uniform Curriculum Program 

10 Guide. 

11 (f) MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the initiative 

13 established under subsection (a), the Secretary of 

14 Energy shall establish and carry out a mentorship 

15 program to pair volunteers who are employed in the 

16 nuclear industry with students in covered schools, 

17 including for virtual teleconference mentorship op18 portunities. 

19 (2) PROCEDURES.—In carrying out the 

20 mentorship program established under paragraph 

21 (1), the Secretary of Energy shall establish proce22 dures to appropriately pair students with volunteers, 

23 based on career interest, geographic location, or any 

24 other consideration the Secretary determines appro25 priate. 


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1 (3) CONSIDERATION.—In carrying out the 

2 mentorship program established under paragraph 

3 (1), the Secretary of Energy shall consider any on4 going efforts to establish, or already established, 

5 mentorship programs or opportunities that may be 

6 relevant and could be utilized. 

7 (g) RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS.—In carrying 

8 out the initiative established under subsection (a), the Sec9 retary of Energy shall encourage States to work with insti10 tutions of higher education that have a research and test 

11 reactor on campus to continue to use the research and 

12 test reactor— 

13 (1) to assist in preparing students for careers 

14 in the nuclear workforce, including careers at nu15 clear power plants and in the nuclear energy supply 

16 chain; and 

17 (2) to help inform the general student body 

18 about nuclear energy. 

19 (h) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

20 (1) COVERED SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘covered 

21 school’’ means— 

22 (A) an institution of higher education or a 

23 secondary school that is located within approxi24 mately 25 miles (or such distance as the Sec25 retary of Energy determines appropriate) of— 


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1 (i) a commercially operating nuclear 

2 power plant; or 

3 (ii) the headquarters for a nuclear re4 actor developer; or 

5 (B) any other institution of higher edu6 cation or secondary school that the Secretary of 

7 Energy determines appropriate. 

8 (2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

9 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

10 meaning given the term in section 101 or 

11 102(a)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

12 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002(a)(1)(B)). 

13 (3) RESEARCH AND TEST REACTOR.—The term 

14 ‘‘research and test reactor’’ has the meaning given 

15 such term in section 3(11) of the Nuclear Energy 

16 Innovation and Modernization Act (42 U.S.C. 2215 

17 note). 

18 (4) SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec19 ondary school’’ has the meaning given such term in 

20 section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu21 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

Æ 


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