I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 35 

To increase the understanding of the health effects of low doses of ionizing 

radiation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2015 

Mr. HULTGREN (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. POSEY, Mr. BUCSHON, and Mr. CRAMER) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 

and Technology 

A BILL 

To increase the understanding of the health effects of low 

doses of ionizing radiation. 

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 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LOW DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Department 

8 of Energy Office of Science shall carry out a research pro9 gram on low dose radiation. The purpose of the program 


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•HR 35 IH

1 is to enhance the scientific understanding of and reduce 

2 uncertainties associated with the effects of exposure to low 

3 dose radiation in order to inform improved risk manage4 ment methods. 

5 (b) STUDY.—Not later than 60 days after the date 

6 of enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an 

7 agreement with the National Academies to conduct a 

8 study assessing the current status and development of a 

9 long-term strategy for low dose radiation research. Such 

10 study shall be completed not later than 18 months after 

11 the date of enactment of this Act. The study shall be con12 ducted in coordination with Federal agencies that perform 

13 ionizing radiation effects research and shall leverage the 

14 most current studies in this field. Such study shall— 

15 (1) identify current scientific challenges for un16 derstanding the long-term effects of ionizing radi17 ation; 

18 (2) assess the status of current low dose radi19 ation research in the United States and internation20 ally; 

21 (3) formulate overall scientific goals for the fu22 ture of low-dose radiation research in the United 

23 States; 

24 (4) recommend a long-term strategic and 

25 prioritized research agenda to address scientific reVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:18 Jan 07, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H35.IH H35

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1 search goals for overcoming the identified scientific 

2 challenges in coordination with other research ef3 forts; 

4 (5) define the essential components of a re5 search program that would address this research 

6 agenda within the universities and the National Lab7 oratories; and 

8 (6) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such 

9 a program. 

10 (c) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after 

11 the completion of the study performed under subsection 

12 (b) the Secretary of Energy shall deliver to the Committee 

13 on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep14 resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

15 Resources of the Senate a 5-year research plan that re16 sponds to the study’s findings and recommendations and 

17 identifies and prioritizes research needs. 

18 (d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘low dose 

19 radiation’’ means a radiation dose of less than 100 

20 millisieverts. 

21 (e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 

22 shall be construed to subject any research carried out by 

23 the Director under the research program under this Act 

24 to any limitations described in section 977(e) of the En25 ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)). 


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1 (f) FUNDING.—No additional funds are authorized to 

2 be appropriated under this section. This Act shall be car3 ried out using funds otherwise appropriated by law. 

Æ 


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