Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Potassium iodide long has been shown to have prevented
radiation-induced thyroid diseases with negligible side
effects.
(2) The American Thyroid Association and a broad array of
other experts on radiation protection and thyroid cancers have
consistently recommended making potassium iodide available for
use in the case of a radiological catastrophe. The experience
of the Chernobyl accident in 1985 and its aftermath have
confirmed the safety and efficacy of potassium iodide in
preventing radiation-induced thyroid cancers.
(3) Despite the clear and compelling evidence that
potassium iodide is a safe, effective, and inexpensive means of
preventing radiation-induced thyroid cancers, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and its staff have, through their
inaction, delayed the stockpiling and distribution of this
substance for the last 22 years.
(4) The safety and efficacy of potassium iodide was
formally established as a matter of Federal policy when, on
December 15, 1978, the Food and Drug Administration concluded
that potassium iodide is a safe and effective means by which to
block uptake of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland in a
radiological catastrophe, and approved its over-the-counter
sale.
(5) In November 1979, after the Three Mile Island accident
revealed shortages in availability of potassium iodide and the
Presidents Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island
criticized the Federal Government's failure to stockpile it,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission first declared that it would
require potassium iodide stockpiling ''a necessary part of an
acceptable State emergency response plan'' in the event of a
future nuclear accident. Despite this statement, the Commission
failed to take prompt action to make potassium iodide
available.
(6) On September 27, 1982, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission staff recommended that the Commission approve a
policy endorsing use of potassium iodide as a ''useful
protective action''. However, on October 15, 1982, the
Commission staff reversed itself, noting that the Federal
Emergency Management Agency had dropped plans to stockpile a
large quantity of potassium iodide and stating that the staff
now planned to prepare a new paper that would recommend against
stockpiling and distribution of potassium iodide on cost-
benefit grounds.
(7) On November 22, 1982, public briefing of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, the staff inexplicably argued against
stockpiling of potassium iodide on cost-benefit grounds,
suggesting that even though potassium iodide is inexpensive, it
would be even cheaper in the long run to treat radiation-
induced thyroid cancers than to prevent them.
(8) On July 24, 1985, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
issued a national policy on potassium iodide which reversed the
Commission's previous support for stockpiling and distribution.
Referring to the Commission staff's ''cost-benefit analysis'',
it rejected the notion of distributing potassium iodide as
''not worthwhile''.
(9) On June 16, 1989, a Nuclear Energy Commission employee
filed a Differing Professional Opinion challenging the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's potassium iodide policy.
(10) On March 29, 1994, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
staff recommended to the Commission that stockpiling potassium
iodide in the vicinity of nuclear power plants ''appears
prudent'' and urged a new policy of purchasing potassium iodide
and encouraging the States to establish stockpiles. However, a
deadlocked 2-2 vote by the Commission prevented adoption of the
proposed new policy.
(11) On September 9, 1995, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission
employee filed, as a private citizen, a petition for rulemaking
asking the Commission to require that potassium iodide be
included in State emergency plans.
(12) On June 16, 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
staff proposed a draft policy statement to the Commission which
would make potassium iodide available at Federal expense to
those States who request it, while also stating that there is
''no new information'' warranting a change in existing policy--
despite the experience from the Chernobyl accident regarding
the effectiveness of potassium iodide in preventing thyroid
cancers.
(13) On March 31, 1998, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
staff recommended to the Commission that it deny the petition
for rulemaking filed by one of its employees in a private
capacity, on the basis of spurious arguments about the
purported side effects of potassium iodide and the potential
for liability relating to such purported side effects.
(14) On April 9, 1998, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency wrote the Commission to point out ''misleading''
characterizations being made about its position on potassium iodide by
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff and a nuclear industry trade
association.
(15) On July 1, 1998, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
announced that it had voted 3-1 to reject the recommendation by
the staff and grant the petition for rulemaking and to require
States to consider potassium iodide, along with evacuation and
sheltering, in emergency planning for nuclear power plant
accidents. Despite this action, no rulemaking was immediately
forthcoming.
(16) In January 2001, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
finally revised a portion of its emergency response regulations
to require that consideration be given to including potassium
iodide as a protective measure for the general public to
supplement sheltering and evacuation in the event of a severe
nuclear power plant accident. In doing so, the Commission found
that potassium iodide is ''a reasonable, prudent, and
inexpensive supplement to evacuation and sheltering for
specific local conditions''.
(17) On October 16, 2001, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
stated that while it had decided to fund the initial purchases
of potassium iodide as a supplemental measure, it had not
formulated a concrete plan for its distribution, preferring
instead to leave it to the States to decide whether to make
potassium iodide available to its citizens.
(18) The events of September 11, 2001, have underscored the
need to undertake immediate measures to protect the public
against other possible terrorist attacks, including terrorist
attacks against nuclear power plants. Such preparations must
include the immediate establishment of a uniform national
policy to be established with respect to the stockpiling and
distribution of potassium iodide, rather than deferring to the
States on the question of whether it should be stockpiled. In
order to establish such a uniform national policy, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and all other applicable Federal agencies
must remove all further obstacles to the immediate stockpiling
and distribution of potassium iodide on a national basis.

SEC. 2. RULEMAKING.

(a) Amendment.--Chapter 19 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2015 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 241 the
following new section:
''Sec. 242. Potassium Iodide.--Not later than 6 months after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Commission shall--
''(1) ensure that stockpiles of potassium iodide tablets
sufficient to provide adequate protection to the population
have been established in individual homes and at public
facilities such as schools and hospitals within 50 miles of a
nuclear power plant;
''(2) ensure that stockpiles of potassium iodide tablets
sufficient to provide adequate protection to the population
have been established at public facilities such as schools and
hospitals within the area between 50 and 200 miles of a nuclear
power plant;
''(3) establish a plan to provide for the utilization of
the stockpiles described in paragraphs (1) and (2) by
individuals located within 200 miles of a nuclear power plant
in the event of a release of radionuclides, other than a
release of amounts having no significant public health
consequences; and
''(4) transmit to the Congress a report--
''(A) on whether stockpiles have been established
as required by paragraphs (1) and (2); and
''(B) on the utilization plan required under
paragraph (3).''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents of chapter
19 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 241 the following new item:

''Sec. 242. Potassium iodide.''.
A:
Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to instruct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure establishment, in individual homes and at public facilities within 50 miles of nuclear power plants, of stockpiles of potassium iodide tablets sufficient to provide adequate protection to the affected population.