I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6265 

To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to update the mission statement 

of the Commission to ensure licensing and regulation is efficient and 

is in alignment with the policies stated in the Atomic Energy Act of 

1954, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2023 

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

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to update the 

mission statement of the Commission to ensure licensing 

and regulation is efficient and is in alignment with the 

policies stated in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 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 ‘‘NRC Mission Align5 ment Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE GENERAL WELFARE AND LICENS2 ING EFFICIENCY. 

3 (a) MISSION OF THE COMMISSION.— 

4 (1) UPDATE.—Not later than 90 days after the 

5 date of enactment of this Act, the Nuclear Regu6 latory Commission shall, while remaining consistent 

7 with the policies of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 

8 (including to provide reasonable assurance of ade9 quate protection of the public health and safety, to 

10 promote the common defense and security, and to 

11 protect the environment), update the mission state12 ment of the Commission to include that licensing 

13 and regulation of nuclear energy activities be con14 ducted in a manner that is efficient and does not 

15 unnecessarily limit— 

16 (A) the potential of nuclear energy to im17 prove the general welfare; and 

18 (B) the benefits of nuclear energy tech19 nology to society. 

20 (2) REPORT.—Upon completion of the updates 

21 to the mission statement required under paragraph 

22 (1), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall sub23 mit to Congress a report that describes— 

24 (A) the updated mission statement; and 

25 (B) the guidance that the Nuclear Regu26 latory Commission will provide to staff of the 


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•HR 6265 IH

1 Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure ef2 fective performance of such mission. 

3 (b) OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION.— 

4 Section 203 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 

5 (42 U.S.C. 5843) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘(a) There’’ 

7 and inserting the following: 

8 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT; APPOINTMENT OF DIREC9 TOR.—There’’; 

10 (2) in subsection (b)— 

11 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph 

12 (1)— 

13 (i) by striking ‘‘(b) Subject’’ and in14 serting the following: 

15 ‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS OF DIRECTOR.—Subject’’; and 

16 (ii) by striking ‘‘delegate including:’’ 

17 and inserting ‘‘delegate, including the fol18 lowing:’’; and 

19 (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘for the 

20 discharge of the’’ and inserting ‘‘to fulfill the li21 censing and regulatory oversight’’; 

22 (3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘(c) Nothing’’ 

23 and inserting the following: 

24 ‘‘(d) RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFE OPERATION OF FA25 CILITIES.—Nothing’’; and 


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•HR 6265 IH

1 (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol2 lowing: 

3 ‘‘(c) LICENSING PROCESS.—In carrying out the prin4 cipal licensing and regulation functions under subsection 

5 (b)(1), the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation shall— 

6 ‘‘(1) establish techniques and guidance for eval7 uating applications for licenses for nuclear reactors 

8 to support efficient, timely, and predictable reviews 

9 of applications for such licenses to enable the safe 

10 and secure use of nuclear reactors; 

11 ‘‘(2) maintain the techniques and guidance es12 tablished under paragraph (1) by periodically assess13 ing and, if necessary, modifying such techniques and 

14 guidance; and 

15 ‘‘(3) obtain approval from the Commission if es16 tablishment or modification of the techniques and 

17 guidance established under paragraph (1) or (2) in18 volves policy formulation.’’. 

Æ 


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