The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), has scheduled a legislative hearing for Friday, April 29, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “H.R. 4979, the Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016 and H.R.___, the Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy Policies Act."
Members will examine H.R. 4979, a bipartisan bill recently introduced by committee members Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) that would provide the regulatory framework needed for safe, advanced nuclear energy technologies. The bill would require the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to work together to provide certainty for the development of advanced nuclear technology. Additionally, the subcommittee will examine a discussion draft of H.R.___, the Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy Policies Act, a bill authored by committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). The discussion draft seeks to improve the NRC’s licensing, budgeting, and regulatory process.
“Nuclear energy plays a vital role in generating electricity across the country. Unfortunately this safe, clean source of electricity has been mired in bureaucratic red-tape, placing additional economic burdens on the industry," said Whitfield. “Compounding the problem are the budgetary and staffing issues at the NRC that have affected their rulemaking process. The two bills we will examine next week seek to provide certainty for nuclear energy through improvements in licensing, budgeting, and regulating while encouraging cooperation between the two agencies tasked with overseeing our nuclear energy portfolio."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted. Related Items
* H.R. 4979, the Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016 and H.R.___, Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy Policies Act.
