Nuclear Forensics Authority Realignment Act

Bill: 117-hr-464
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Introduced: 2021-01-25
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Department of Energy

Department of Homeland Security

Evidence and witnesses

Executive agency funding and structure

Higher education

Military procurement, research, weapons development

Nuclear weapons

Radioactive wastes and releases

Research administration and funding

Science and engineering education

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2021-01-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-01-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Nuclear Forensics Authority Realignment Act</b></p> <p>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). <i>Nuclear forensics</i> 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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 464 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 25, 2021 Mr. Foster (for himself and Mr. Fortenberry ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services , Homeland Security , and Foreign Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL 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 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 3221 the following new section: 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 ) to include the development of expertise in nuclear forensics in supporting scientific and engineering advancement in key Department of Energy defense and national security program areas. (b) Conforming Repeals (1) In general The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act ( Public Law 111–140 ) is hereby repealed. (2) Homeland Security Act of 2002 Title XIX of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 590 et seq.) is amended as follows: (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 and inserting a period; 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).