IB 

Union Calendar No. 416 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4675 

[Report No. 115–554] 

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 

FEBRUARY 13, 2018 

Additional sponsor: Mr. DUNN

FEBRUARY 13, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on December 18, 2017] 


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•HR 4675 RH

A BILL 

To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide for 

a low-dose radiation basic research program. 


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•HR 4675 RH

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 Re5 search Act of 2017’’. 

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

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle G of title IX of the Energy 

8 Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16311 et seq.) is amended 

9 by inserting after section 977 the following new section: 

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

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

12 basic research program on low-dose radiation to— 

13 ‘‘(1) enhance the scientific understanding of, and 

14 reduce uncertainties associated with, the effects of ex15 posure to low-dose radiation; and 

16 ‘‘(2) inform improved risk-assessment and risk17 management methods with respect to such radiation. 

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

19 program required under subsection (a), the Secretary 

20 shall— 

21 ‘‘(1) formulate scientific goals for low-dose radi22 ation basic research in the United States; 

23 ‘‘(2) identify ongoing scientific challenges for un24 derstanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation 

25 on biological systems; 


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•HR 4675 RH

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

2 prioritized basic research agenda to address such sci3 entific challenges in coordination with other research 

4 efforts; 

5 ‘‘(4) identify and, to the extent possible, quan6 tify, potential monetary and health-related benefits to 

7 Federal agencies, the general public, industry, re8 search communities, and other users of information 

9 produced by such research program; 

10 ‘‘(5) leverage the collective body of knowledge 

11 from existing low-dose radiation research; and 

12 ‘‘(6) engage with other Federal agencies, research 

13 communities, and potential users of information pro14 duced under this section, including institutions con15 cerning radiation research, medical physics, radi16 ology, health physics, and emergency response. 

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

18 the Secretary, in coordination with the Physical Science 

19 Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology 

20 Council, shall— 

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

22 the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 

23 (42 U.S.C. 6601 note); 

24 ‘‘(2) ensure that the Office of Science of the De25 partment of Energy consults with the National AeroVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Feb 14, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H4675.RH H4675

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1 nautics and Space Administration, the National In2 stitutes of Health, the Environmental Protection 

3 Agency, the Department of Defense, the Nuclear Regu4 latory Commission, and the Department of Homeland 

5 Security; 

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

7 Technology Council on policies and initiatives in ra8 diation biology, including enhancing scientific knowl9 edge of the effects of low-dose radiation on biological 

10 systems to improve radiation risk-assessment and 

11 risk-management methods; and 

12 ‘‘(4) identify opportunities to stimulate inter13 national cooperation relating to low-dose radiation 

14 and leverage research and knowledge from sources 

15 outside of the United States. 

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

17 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall trans18 mit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

19 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on En20 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 4-year research 

21 plan that identifies and prioritizes basic research needs re22 lating to low-dose radiation. In developing such plan, the 

23 Secretary shall incorporate the components described in 

24 subsection (b). 


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•HR 4675 RH

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

2 section, the term ‘low-dose radiation’ means a radiation 

3 dose of less than 100 millisieverts. 

4 ‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec5 tion shall be construed to subject any research carried out 

6 by the Secretary for the program under this section to any 

7 limitations described in 977(e) of the Energy Policy Act 

8 of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)). 

9 ‘‘(g) FUNDING.—For purposes of carrying out this sec10 tion, the Secretary is authorized to make available from 

11 funds provided to the Biological and Environmental Re12 search Program— 

13 ‘‘(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 

14 ‘‘(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; 

15 ‘‘(3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and 

16 ‘‘(4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2021.’’. 

17 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

18 for subtitle G of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

19 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

20 977 the following: 

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


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lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 416 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4675 

[Report No. 115–554] 

A BILL 

To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide 

for a low-dose radiation basic research program. 

FEBRUARY 13, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS