Nuclear Forensics Authority Realignment Act

To realign the nuclear forensics and attribution activities of the Federal Government from the Department of Homeland Security to the National Nuclear Security Administration. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Nuclear Forensics Authority Realignment Act 2. Establishment of National Nuclear Forensics Center (a) Establishment (1) In general The National Nuclear Security Administration Act ( 50 U.S.C. 2401 3222. National Nuclear Forensics Center (a) Establishment There is within the Administration a National Nuclear Forensics Center (in this section referred to as the Center (b) Mission The mission of the Center shall be to coordinate stewardship, planning, assessment, gap analysis, exercises, improvement, including operational improvements and research, development, testing, and evaluation, and integration for all Federal nuclear forensics and attribution activities to ensure an enduring national technical nuclear forensics capability to strengthen the collective response of the United States to nuclear terrorism or other nuclear attacks. . (2) Clerical amendment The table of contents at the beginning of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3221 the following new item: Sec. 3222. National Nuclear Forensics Center. . (3) Nuclear forensics expertise Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall develop and implement a plan to modify the university program of the National Nuclear Security Administration established under section 4814 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act ( 50 U.S.C. 2795 (b) Conforming Repeals (1) In general The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act ( Public Law 111–140 (2) Homeland Security Act of 2002 Title XIX of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 590 (A) In section 1923— (i) in subsection (a)— (I) by striking (a) Mission.— (II) in paragraph (9), by striking the semicolon and inserting ; and (III) by striking paragraphs (10), (11), (12), and (13); and (IV) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (10); and (ii) by striking subsection (b). (B) In section 1927(a)(1) ( 6 U.S.C. 596a(a)(1) (i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking the semicolon and inserting ; and (ii) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking ; and (iii) by striking subparagraph (C). (c) References and construction Any reference in any law, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center established within the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of the Department of Homeland Security, formerly the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, shall be deemed to be a reference to the National Nuclear Forensics Center established by section 3222 of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act, as added by subsection (a).

Summary: Nuclear Forensics Authority Realignment Act This bill reorganizes nuclear forensics and attribution activities of the federal government. Specifically, the bill transfers nuclear forensics activities currently performed by the Department of Homeland Security to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) within the Department of Energy (DOE). Nuclear forensics is the examination of nuclear and other radioactive materials to determine the origin and history of the material for purposes of law enforcement investigations or assessment of nuclear security vulnerabilities. The bill also establishes the National Nuclear Forensics Center within the NNSA. The center must coordinate stewardship, planning, assessment, and other functions for all federal nuclear forensics and attribution activities. Additionally, the NNSA must develop and implement a plan to modify its university-based research collaboration program to include the development of expertise in nuclear forensics in supporting scientific and engineering advancement in DOE defense and national security program areas.