S. 2795: Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-04-13 · Energy · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 528.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-04-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 528. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act

Plain summary

Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (Sec.3)This bill provides for: (1) a program to develop the expertise and regulatory processes necessary to allow innovation and the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors, and (2) a revised fee recovery structure to ensure the availability of resources to meet industry needs without burdening existing licensees unfairly for inaccurate workload projections or premature existing reactor closures. (Sec.4)Definitions are provided for terms used in this bill, including "advanced nuclear reactor." (Sec.5)The bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to remove amounts appropriated for the Advanced Reactor Program from the NRC's fee recovery requirement. (Sec.6)The NRC must ensure that it has adequate funding to conduct and accelerate the licensing of advanced nuclear reactor facilities. The bill directs the NRC to ensure the collection of fees is equal to their budget authority.The NRC is authorized to collect fees through: (1)fees for services that specifically benefit a particular person or entity, and (2)annual fees to fund regulatory costs.The bill places a cap on the amount of annual fee that may be charged to an operating reactor.The NRC may waive the cap for one-year. Performance metrics and milestone schedules must be developed for activities requested by applicants and licensees to improve transparency and accountability.In addition, the NRC must implement processes to ensure accurate invoicing. (Sec.7)The NRC must establish stages within the licensing process for reactorsand implement risk-informed performance-based licensing evaluation techniques and guidance.Research and test reactor licensing must also be developed.In addition, the NRC must complete a rulemaking by the end of 2023 to establish a technology-inclusive regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors. The NRC is also directed to train staff and develop the expertise required to implement stages within the licensing process. The NRC must report to Congress on: (1) the implementation of stages in the licensing process, and (2) the use of risk-informed and performance-based techniques within the existing regulatory framework. (Sec.8)The Department of Energy shall establish a program to make cost-share grants to applicants for the purpose of funding a portion of the NRC pre-application and application review fees. (Sec.9)The NRC must report to Congress within one year regarding the safety and feasibility of extending the duration of uranium recovery licenses from 10 to 20 years.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 2795, Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (2016-06-22)

Cosponsors on this site

Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), James E. Risch (R-ID), Gary C. Peters (D-MI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s2795.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2795 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114