I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4675 

To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide for a low-dose radiation 

basic research program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2017 

Mr. MARSHALL (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. SMITH of Texas, and Mr. 

WEBER of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide for 

a low-dose radiation basic research program. 

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 ‘‘Low-Dose Radiation 

5 Research Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle G of title IX of the En8 ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16311 et seq.) is 

9 amended by inserting after section 977 the following new 

10 section: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 977A. LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 

3 basic research program on low-dose radiation to— 

4 ‘‘(1) enhance the scientific understanding of, 

5 and reduce uncertainties associated with, the effects 

6 of exposure to low-dose radiation; and 

7 ‘‘(2) inform improved risk-assessment and risk8 management methods with respect to such radiation. 

9 ‘‘(b) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—In carrying out the 

10 program required under subsection (a), the Secretary 

11 shall— 

12 ‘‘(1) formulate scientific goals for low-dose radi13 ation basic research in the United States; 

14 ‘‘(2) identify ongoing scientific challenges for 

15 understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radi16 ation on biological systems; 

17 ‘‘(3) develop a long-term strategic and 

18 prioritized basic research agenda to address such 

19 scientific challenges in coordination with other re20 search efforts; 

21 ‘‘(4) leverage the collective body of knowledge 

22 from existing low-dose radiation research; and 

23 ‘‘(5) engage with other Federal agencies, re24 search communities, and potential users of informa25 tion produced under this section, including instituVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:26 Dec 19, 2017 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4675.IH H4675

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1 tions concerning radiation research, medical physics, 

2 radiology, health physics, and emergency response. 

3 ‘‘(c) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program, 

4 the Secretary, in coordination with the Physical Science 

5 Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology 

6 Council, shall— 

7 ‘‘(1) support the directives under section 106 of 

8 the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 

9 (42 U.S.C. 6601 note); 

10 ‘‘(2) ensure that the Office of Science of the 

11 Department of Energy consults with the National 

12 Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 

13 Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection 

14 Agency, the Department of Defense, the Nuclear 

15 Regulatory Commission, and the Department of 

16 Homeland Security; 

17 ‘‘(3) advise and assist the National Science and 

18 Technology Council on policies and initiatives in ra19 diation biology, including enhancing scientific knowl20 edge of the effects of low-dose radiation on biological 

21 systems to improve radiation risk-assessment and 

22 risk-management methods; and 

23 ‘‘(4) identify opportunities to stimulate inter24 national cooperation relating to low-dose radiation 


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1 and leverage research and knowledge from sources 

2 outside of the United States. 

3 ‘‘(d) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 180 days 

4 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

5 transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech6 nology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 

7 on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 4-year 

8 research plan that identifies and prioritizes basic research 

9 needs relating to low-dose radiation. In developing such 

10 plan, the Secretary shall incorporate the components de11 scribed in subsection (b). 

12 ‘‘(e) DEFINITION OF LOW-DOSE RADIATION.—In 

13 this section, the term ‘low-dose radiation’ means a radi14 ation dose of less than 100 millisieverts. 

15 ‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec16 tion shall be construed to subject any research carried out 

17 by the Secretary for the program under this section to 

18 any limitations described in 977(e) of the Energy Policy 

19 Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)). 

20 ‘‘(g) FUNDING.—For purposes of carrying out this 

21 section, the Secretary is authorized to make available from 

22 funds provided to the Biological and Environmental Re23 search Program— 

24 ‘‘(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 

25 ‘‘(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; 


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1 ‘‘(3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and 

2 ‘‘(4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2021.’’. 

3 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con4 tents for subtitle G of title IX of the Energy Policy Act 

5 of 2005 is amended by inserting after the item relating 

6 to section 977 the following: 

‘‘977A. Low-dose radiation research program.’’. 

Æ 


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