Title: Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2019
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2019
This bill requires the Department of Energy to conduct a research program on low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation to enhance the scientific understanding of the effects of exposure and to improve risk-assessment and risk-management methods.
Low-dose radiation means a dose of less than 100 millisieverts. Low-dose-rate radition means a radiation dose rate of less than 5 millisieverts per hour. (For comparison, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits an adult's annual occupational radiation dose to 50 millisieverts and dose rate to approximately .025 millisieverts per hour.)

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4733 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4733

   To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide for a low-dose 
                   radiation basic research program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 18, 2019

   Mr. Posey (for himself, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Weber of Texas, and Mr. 
    Babin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide for a low-dose 
                   radiation basic research program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle G of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16311 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
977 (42 U.S.C. 16317) the following new section:

``SEC. 977A. LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a basic research 
program on low-dose and low dose-rate radiation to--
            ``(1) enhance the scientific understanding of, and reduce 
        uncertainties associated with, the effects of exposure to low-
        dose and low dose-rate radiation; and
            ``(2) inform improved risk-assessment and risk-management 
        methods with respect to such radiation.
    ``(b) Program Components.--In carrying out the program required 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) formulate scientific goals for low-dose and low dose-
        rate radiation basic research in the United States;
            ``(2) identify ongoing scientific challenges for 
        understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation on 
        biological systems;
            ``(3) develop a long-term strategic and prioritized basic 
        research agenda to address such scientific challenges in 
        coordination with other research efforts;
            ``(4) identify and, to the extent possible, quantify, 
        potential monetary and health-related benefits to Federal 
        agencies, the general public, industry, research communities, 
        and other users of information produced by such research 
        program;
            ``(5) leverage the collective body of knowledge from 
        existing low-dose and low dose-rate radiation research; and
            ``(6) engage with other Federal agencies, research 
        communities, and potential users of information produced under 
        this section, including institutions concerning radiation 
        research, medical physics, radiology, health physics, and 
        emergency response.
    ``(c) Coordination.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary, in 
coordination with the Physical Science Subcommittee of the National 
Science and Technology Council, shall--
            ``(1) support the directives under section 106 of the 
        American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 6601 
        note);
            ``(2) ensure that the Office of Science of the Department 
        of Energy consults and coordinates with the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institutes 
        of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department 
        of Defense, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the 
        Department of Homeland Security;
            ``(3) advise and assist the National Science and Technology 
        Council on policies and initiatives in radiation biology, 
        including enhancing scientific knowledge of the effects of low-
        dose and low dose-rate radiation on biological systems to 
        improve radiation risk-assessment and risk-management methods; 
        and
            ``(4) identify opportunities to stimulate international 
        cooperation relating to low-dose and low dose-rate radiation 
        and leverage research and knowledge from sources outside of the 
        United States.
    ``(d) Research Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 4-year 
research plan that identifies and prioritizes basic research needs 
relating to low-dose and low dose-rate radiation. In developing such 
plan, the Secretary shall incorporate the components described in 
subsection (b).
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Low-dose radiation.--The term `low-dose radiation' 
        means a radiation dose of less than 100 millisieverts.
            ``(2) Low dose-rate radiation.--The term `low dose-rate 
        radiation' means a radiation dose rate of less than 5 
        millisieverts per hour.
    ``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to subject any research carried out by the Secretary for the 
program under this section to any limitations described in 977(e).
    ``(g) Funding.--For purposes of carrying out this section, the 
Secretary is authorized to make available from funds provided to the 
Biological and Environmental Research Program--
            ``(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
            ``(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            ``(3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
            ``(4) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for subtitle G of 
title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 977 the following:

``977A. Low-dose radiation research program.''.

SEC. 3. SPENDING LIMITATION.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and this Act and such 
amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for 
such purpose.
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