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H.R. 1351 (117th): Nuclear Prosperity and Security Act

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The text of the bill below is as of Feb 25, 2021 (Introduced). The bill was not enacted into law.

Summary of this bill

The chemical symbol for uranium is “U,” but reactions to this bill have ranged from “A” to “F.”

Context

Uranium is responsible for about 10 percent of the world’s electricity production. Proponents cite it as an effective and extremely low-emission energy source. Detractors cite its potential for radioactive fallout such as in Japan’s Fukushima incident of 2011, which can be devastating due to long lasting health and ecological effects. However, such incidents — while certainly headline-grabbing — are actually extremely rare.

The U.S. produces relatively little uranium domestically, contributing only about 9 percent of its own supply. The rest is imported, with the top five countries being Canada, …

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1351

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 25, 2021

(for himself, Ms. Cheney, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Burgess, and Mr. Walberg) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To establish a strategic uranium reserve.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Nuclear Prosperity and Security Act.

2.

Strategic uranium reserve

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Energy shall establish and operate a uranium reserve (in this section referred to as the Reserve) in accordance with this section.

(2)

Other authority

In establishing and operating the Reserve, the Secretary of Energy shall use the authority granted to the Secretary of Energy under sections 53, 63, and 161 g. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2073, 2093, and 2201(g)).

(b)

Purposes

The purposes of the Reserve are—

(1)

to ensure the availability of uranium mined in the United States in the event of a market disruption; and

(2)

to support strategic fuel cycle capabilities in the United States.

(c)

Exclusion

The Secretary shall exclude uranium that is mined in the United States by an entity that is owned or controlled by the Government of the Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of China or is incorporated in the Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of China from the reserve.

(d)

Request for information

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Energy shall publish a request for information that shall be used by the Secretary of Energy to evaluate—

(1)

how to operate and manage the Reserve;

(2)

how to acquire uranium for the Reserve, including the method of transportation and storage; and

(3)

the quantity and form of uranium to acquire for the Reserve.

(e)

Budget request

For each fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Energy shall include in the budget materials submitted in support of the budget of the President (submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code)—

(1)

a request for amounts for the acquisition, transportation, or storage of uranium in the Reserve; or

(2)

if such request is not included, an explanation for why such amounts are not requested.