Nuclear Energy: Overview of Congressional Issues

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Identifier

R42853

Version

44

Product type

Reports

Status

Active

Published

Aug 5, 2026

Source updated

Aug 12, 2026, 1:08 pm UTC

Authors: Mark Holt

Source topics: Energy Policy

Politically.com intentionally does not reproduce the report summary or full text. Use the official Congress.gov links above to read the product in its source context.

Structured Congress.gov references

Related federal bills

• HR 6544To advance the benefits of nuclear energy by enabling efficient, timely, and predictable licensing, regulation, and deployment of nuclear energy technologies, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 5750To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Agriculture to collaborate to determine the feasibility of creating the Green Nuclear Fertilizer Program, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 5718To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a Nuclear Fuel Security Program, expand the American Assured Fuel Supply Program, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 452A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a Nuclear Fuel Security Program, expand the American Assured Fuel Supply Program, and submit a report on a civil nuclear credit program, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 442A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former Presidential appointees from acting on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and Chinese military companies.
  118th Congress
• S 2226An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 5706To direct the Architect of the Capitol, using existing funding, to study the feasibility of retrofitting the Capitol Power Plant to incorporate an advanced nuclear reactor.
  118th Congress
• SRES 321A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate relating to nuclear power and the commitment of the Senate to embracing and promoting nuclear power as a clean baseload energy source necessary to achieve a reliable, secure, and diversified electric grid.
  118th Congress
• HR 4678To direct the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish procedures for the deployment of microreactors at airports, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 4677To provide additional Federal flexibility to enhance the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technology, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 4674To establish a competitive grant program to fund feasibility studies for advanced nuclear reactors, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 1928A bill to modify the prohibition on financing in the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 3553To establish the Office of Nuclear, Economic, Environmental, and National Security of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, accelerate the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors, ban the import of Russian nuclear material, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 3487To expand an advanced nuclear technologies Federal financial assistance program to provide assistance to support licensing and construction of advanced nuclear reactors and associated supply chain infrastructure, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 3486To exert American nuclear leadership by establishing global relationships and facilitating civil nuclear trade strategies with embarking nuclear nations, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 2488To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make advanced nuclear facilities eligible for the qualifying advanced energy project credit.
  118th Congress
• S 826A bill to facilitate the development of a whole-of-government strategy for nuclear cooperation and nuclear exports.
  118th Congress
• HR 2938To facilitate the development of a whole-of-government strategy for nuclear cooperation and nuclear exports.
  118th Congress
• HR 1009To require the President develop a national strategy for utilizing microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 1007To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to assist small businesses that seek to engage in the research, development, and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors by delaying onerous licensing fees, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 995To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on the global status of the civilian nuclear energy industry, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 806To require the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the United States Executive Director at the World Bank and other international financial institutions to support assistance for nuclear energy, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 1042To prohibit the importation into the United States of unirradiated low-enriched uranium that is produced in the Russian Federation, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 2670To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 763A bill to prohibit the importation into the United States of unirradiated low-enriched uranium that is produced in the Russian Federation or by a Russian entity, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 8674To establish milestone-based development and demonstration projects relating to nuclear fuel, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 1012To amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to prioritize the acceptance of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel from certain civilian nuclear power reactors, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 466To require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 101A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9786To establish a new organization to manage nuclear waste, provide a consent-based process for siting nuclear waste facilities, ensure adequate funding for managing nuclear waste, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 7172To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to promulgate regulations prohibiting the issuance of certain certificates and licenses without a finding that a certain system or facility can safely operate with spent nuclear fuel for a period of at least 100 years, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 5115To assign a resident inspector to certain commercial nuclear power plants to conduct inspections of decommissioning activities and spent nuclear fuel transfer activities.
  118th Congress
• HR 3862To amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to prioritize the acceptance of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel from certain civilian nuclear power reactors, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 1051To require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 404A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 9199To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to limit the type of applications reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and to exclude reviews by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's annual assessment and collection of fees and charges.
  118th Congress
• HR 9198To require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to utilize a risk-informed, performance-based licensing approach to the maximum extent practicable for the purpose of expediting the nuclear licensing process, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 4288A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6464To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6346To update oversight and inspection practices of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6268To enable timely licensing reviews for nuclear reactor facilities at brownfield sites and retired fossil fuel sites, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6265To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to update the mission statement of the Commission to ensure licensing and regulation is efficient and is in alignment with the policies stated in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6252To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report and conduct a rulemaking on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactor applications, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6236To streamline nuclear technology regulatory permitting and licensing, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 4676To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to further utilize a risk-informed and performance-based approach to licensing, to amend the hearing requirements for certain licenses under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 4530To establish an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 4528To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to address the insufficient compensation and recruitment of employees and other personnel of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 2962To exempt certain Federal hydrogen programs from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 1112A bill to amend the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to clarify whistleblower rights and protections, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 2962A bill to repeal tax incentives relating to electric vehicles, and to establish a tax credit to promote automobile manufacturing in the United States.
  118th Congress
• HR 1006To require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to distribute an optional and anonymous survey to certain Commission employees to ultimately find solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commission, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 475To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign person endangering the integrity or safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
  119th Congress
• HR 3246To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign person endangering the integrity or safety of the Zaporzhzhia nuclear power plant.
  118th Congress
• S 571A bill to require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict.
  118th Congress
• HR 1888To direct the United States to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and convert nuclear weapons industry resources and personnel to purposes relating to addressing the climate crisis, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• SRES 101A resolution affirming the threats to world stability from a nuclear weapons-capable Islamic Republic of Iran.
  119th Congress
• HRES 105Affirming the threats to world stability from a nuclear weapons-capable Islamic Republic of Iran.
  119th Congress
• HRES 139Calling on the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) to initiate the snapback of sanctions on Iran under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015).
  119th Congress
• HR 6057To limit the United States from rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
  118th Congress
• SRES 429A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nuclear security role.
  118th Congress
• HRES 641Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nuclear security role.
  118th Congress
• S 1390A bill to repeal the sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 3033To repeal the sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 472A bill to declare that any agreement reached by the President relating to the nuclear program of Iran is deemed a treaty that is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 1474To provide for advocation of support for nuclear energy, and establish a nuclear energy assistance trust fund, at the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international financial institutions, as appropriate, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 8997Making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 4927Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025
  118th Congress
• HR 1350To provide for Department of Energy and National Science Foundation research and development coordination, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 1111A bill to enhance United States civil nuclear leadership, support the licensing of advanced nuclear technologies, strengthen the domestic nuclear energy fuel cycle and supply chain, and improve the regulation of nuclear energy, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 10323To modify the prohibition on financing in the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 10321To amend the definition of "production facility" in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to exclude an equipment or device capable of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in a manner that does not separate plutonium from other transuranic elements, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 5421A bill to provide enhanced provisions for advanced nuclear energy projects receiving loan guarantees through the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 5157A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to study new technologies and opportunities for recycling spent nuclear fuel, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 9202To direct the Secretary of Energy to promote and facilitate the commercialization of domestic spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.
  118th Congress
• HR 9201To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the re-equipping, expansion, or establishment of certain facilities relating to the production or reprocessing of critical minerals, including uranium and spent nuclear fuel, to include uranium as an applicable critical mineral for purposes of the advanced manufacturing production credit, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 9200To require an evaluation of the nuclear supply chain of the United States to further reduce regulatory barriers and associated costs for nuclear supply chain manufacturers, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 8129To direct the Secretary of Energy to carry out an initiative to encourage States to enhance the dissemination of nuclear information at certain schools, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 4151A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to clarify existing requirements relating to fusion machines, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6526To facilitate the efficient licensing and deployment of advanced civilian nuclear technologies.
  118th Congress
• HR 6326To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to reduce regulatory costs for advanced nuclear reactor application reviews, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6303To assess and improve the competitiveness of United States nuclear commerce, to expedite Department of Energy review of certain nuclear technology exports, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• HR 6253To authorize the Secretary of Energy to make awards to cover regulatory costs relating to licensing certain first-of-a-kind advanced nuclear reactors.
  118th Congress
• HRES 124Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should support the expansion of domestic nuclear energy and advanced nuclear technology as a viable source of power in order to promote United States nuclear energy leadership and global energy independence.
  118th Congress
• SRES 117A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin.
  118th Congress
• HRES 243Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin.
  118th Congress
• HCONRES 26Expressing the sense of Congress relating to nuclear power being a necessary clean baseload energy source to achieve a reliable, secure, and green electric grid.
  118th Congress
• S 256A bill to terminate certain waivers of sanctions with respect to Iran issued in connection with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and for other purposes.
  118th Congress
• S 3814A bill to provide enhanced provisions for advanced nuclear energy projects receiving loan guarantees through the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 6805To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expand the scope of the advanced reactor demonstration program to test and develop fourth-generation nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and micro-reactors, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 3016A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to study new technologies and opportunities for recycling spent nuclear fuel.
  119th Congress
• S 1071A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 4553Making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 3293A bill making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 6938Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 4228A bill to amend the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to exclude certain financing from the default rate of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, to permit market-competitive compensation for certain employees of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 2389A bill to require the Secretary of the Army to carry out a pilot program to provide resilient energy to critical infrastructure of installations of the Army through the use of advanced nuclear reactors, to authorize multi-year contracts for such reactors, and to include nuclear energy and technology as a covered technology category for the Office of Strategic Capital of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 3978To amend the definition of "production facility" in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to exclude an equipment or device capable of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in a manner that does not separate plutonium from other transuranic elements, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 2082A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to modify the definition of "production facility" to exclude an equipment or device capable of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in a manner that does not separate plutonium from other transuranic elements.
  119th Congress
• HR 3667To codify certain Executive orders relating to nuclear energy.
  119th Congress
• S 4267A bill to codify certain Executive orders relating to nuclear energy.
  119th Congress
• S 1801A bill to facilitate the development of a whole-of-government strategy for nuclear cooperation and nuclear exports, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 3626To facilitate the development of a whole-of-government strategy for nuclear cooperation and nuclear exports.
  119th Congress
• HR 6665To prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from issuing certain licenses for the storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 3441A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for consultation with State, Tribal, and local governments, the consideration of State, Tribal, and local concerns, and the approval of post-shutdown decommissioning activities reports by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  119th Congress
• HR 6613To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for consultation with State, Tribal, and local governments, the consideration of State, Tribal, and local concerns, and the approval of post-shutdown decommissioning activities reports by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  119th Congress
• HR 4809To assign a resident inspector to certain commercial nuclear power plants to conduct inspections of decommissioning activities and spent nuclear fuel transfer activities.
  119th Congress
• HR 8482To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify certain investment credit rules with respect to nuclear facilities.
  119th Congress
• HR 7796To assist communities affected by stranded nuclear waste, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 5803To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to require certain reporting by power reactor licensees that use decommissioning trust funds, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 4529A bill to require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow the use of commercial-grade steel and concrete in non-safety-related structures at nuclear power plants, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 8812To require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow the use of commercial-grade steel and concrete in non-safety-related structures at nuclear power plants, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 4495A bill to require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict.
  119th Congress
• S 4284A bill to encourage the development and deployment of nuclear energy, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 1757A bill to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 5549To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 4136To establish an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 2161A bill to establish an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HRES 1210Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nuclear security role.
  119th Congress
• HR 9613To update the role of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in the licensing and oversight of nuclear reactor facilities, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9197To require the Secretary of Energy to study new technologies and opportunities for recycling spent nuclear fuel.
  119th Congress
• HR 9193To advance NASA's use of nuclear propulsion and power systems for deep space exploration, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9084To increase transparency relating to the Department of Energy's authorizations of certain nuclear facilities.
  119th Congress
• HR 9022Making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 8852To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Director of the National Institutes of Health to design and implement a program to study the health effects of nuclear radiation on women, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9612To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to update the licensing procedures for uranium enrichment facilities to enable the timely, safe deployment of such facilities, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9614To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide compensation authority for certain career appointees, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• HR 9658To amend the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act to make certain improvements relating to mandatory Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress
• S 4243A bill to require a joint resolution of approval for the entry into effect of a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, and for other purposes.
  119th Congress