I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1001

To authorize appropriations for the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test

Reactors Program of the Department of Energy.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 18, 1993

Mr. SCHUMER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Science, Space and Technology

A BILL

To authorize appropriations for the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors Program of the Department

of Energy.

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 ‘‘Bomb-Grade Uranium

5 Export Substitution Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds the following:

8 (1) Highly enriched (or ‘‘bomb-grade’’) uranium

9 exported to civilian nuclear research reactors can be
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1 used to make nuclear weapons, if diverted for such

2 purposes or intercepted by terrorists.

3 (2) Since 1978, it has been the stated policy of

4 the United States to reduce exports of highly en5 riched uranium to the maximum extent possible in

6 order to reduce the risk that highly enriched ura7 nium exported to civilian nuclear research reactors

8 will be used to make nuclear weapons.

9 (3) The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C.

10 2151 et seq.), as amended by section 903 of the En11 ergy Policy Act of 1992 (P.L. 102–486; 106 Stat.

12 2776), authorizes the export of highly enriched ura13 nium only if—

14 (A) there is no alternative (or ‘‘low-en15 riched uranium’’) nuclear reactor fuel or target

16 that can be used in the reactor;

17 (B) the proposed recipient of the highly

18 enriched uranium provides assurances that,

19 whenever an alternative nuclear reactor fuel or

20 target can be used in the reactor, the recipient

21 will use such fuel or target; and

22 (C) the United States Government is ac23 tively developing an alternative nuclear reactor

24 fuel or target that can be used in the reactor.
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1 (4) In 1990, the United States terminated the

2 fuel development portion of the Reduced Enrichment

3 Research and Test Reactors Program of the Depart4 ment of Energy.

5 (5) Several overseas reactors cannot use the al6 ternative nuclear reactor fuels that have already

7 been developed.

8 (6) If the fuel development portion of the Re9 duced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors Pro10 gram of the Department of Energy is not restarted,

11 the United States will be required under the Atomic

12 Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) to

13 withhold exports of highly enriched uranium even to

14 reactors that cannot use any of the alternative fuels

15 that so far have been developed.

16 (7) If the Reduced Enrichment Research and

17 Test Reactors Program of the Department of En18 ergy is adequately funded, it would likely be able to

19 develop, within approximately five years, low-en20 riched uranium fuels and targets capable of being

21 used by all reactors that now depend on United

22 States exports of highly enriched uranium.

23 (8) It would be preferable to phase out remain24 ing exports of highly enriched uranium as alternative

25 nuclear reactor fuels are developed.
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1 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

2 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec3 retary of Energy for the Reduced Enrichment Research

4 and Test Reactors Program for fuel development and tech5 nical assistance not more than $6,000,000 for each of fis6 cal years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, of which

7 not more than $3,000,000 for any such fiscal year may

8 be used for technical assistance.

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