Federal

A bill to require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict.

Source: Congress.gov · 606 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill requires two federal officials to write a report about the dangers that nuclear reactors and power plants pose in areas where armed conflicts might happen. The report must look at existing reactors and ones planned for the next 10 years in specific regions around the world.

Who It Affects

The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator for Nuclear Security must produce the report. Congress receives and reviews the report. Potentially affected populations include civilians living near nuclear reactors in conflict-prone areas, as well as U.S. allies and partners.

Key Provisions

• The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator for Nuclear Security must jointly submit a report to Congress within 120 days of when this bill becomes law, assessing the dangers posed by nuclear reactors and power plants in conflict zones. (Sec. 1(a)) • The report must evaluate dangers to U.S. national security, to the interests of U.S. allies and partners, and to the safety and security of civilian populations from nuclear reactors and plants in regions that experienced armed conflict in the 25 years before the bill's enactment or that are contested or likely to experience armed conflict during the reactor's lifespan. (Sec. 1(a)(1)(A) and (B)) • The report must examine dangers from nuclear facilities in areas that might be involved in hypothetical conflicts: Russian Federation attacks on Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Lithuania or Poland; conflicts between India and Pakistan; conflicts over Taiwan; or North Korean attacks on South Korea. (Sec. 1(a)(1)(C)) • The report must identify steps the United States or its allies and partners can take to prevent, prepare for and reduce risks posed by nuclear reactors and plants in places that may experience armed conflict. (Sec. 1(a)(2)) • The report must be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex (a separate section containing secret information). (Sec. 1(b))

What Changes

If this bill becomes law, Congress will receive a detailed report assessing nuclear reactor dangers in specific conflict-prone regions and potential actions to address these dangers. The report must be completed within 120 days of the bill's enactment.

Important Definitions

The bill defines "appropriate committees of Congress" as the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Foreign Relations, and Committee on Environment and Public Works, plus the House Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Committee on Energy and Commerce. (Sec. 1(c))

Effective Date

Not specified in bill text. However, the report must be submitted no later than 120 days after the date this bill becomes law.

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 571 To require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 28, 2023 Mr. MARKEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. REPORT ON DANGERS POSED BY NUCLEAR RE- 3 ACTORS IN AREAS THAT MIGHT EXPERIENCE 4 ARMED CONFLICT. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 6 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 7 and the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall jointly 8 submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 9 assessing the following: 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S571.IS S571 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 571 IS (1) The dangers posed to the national security 1 of the United States, to the interests of allies and 2 partners of the United States, and to the safety and 3 security of civilian populations, by nuclear reactors 4 and nuclear power plants in existence as of such 5 date of enactment or scheduled to be completed dur- 6 ing the 10-year period beginning on such date of en- 7 actment and located in the following areas: 8 (A) Regions that have experienced armed 9 conflict in the 25 years preceding such date of 10 enactment. 11 (B) Areas that are contested or likely to 12 experience armed conflict during the life span 13 of those reactors and plants. 14 (C) Areas that would be involved in any of 15 the following hypothetical conflicts: 16 (i) An attack by the Russian Federa- 17 tion on the eastern European countries of 18 Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Lithuania, or Po- 19 land. 20 (ii) A conflict between India and Paki- 21 stan. 22 (iii) A conflict over Taiwan. 23 (iv) An attack by North Korea on 24 South Korea. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S571.IS S571 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 571 IS (2) Steps the United States or allies and part- 1 ners of the United States can take to prevent, pre- 2 pare for, and mitigate the risks to the national secu- 3 rity of the United States, to the interests of allies 4 and partners of the United States, and to the safety 5 and security of civilian populations, posed by nuclear 6 reactors and power plants in places that may experi- 7 ence armed conflict. 8 (b) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by sub- 9 section (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may 10 include a classified annex. 11 (c) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE- 12 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit- 13 tees of Congress’’ means— 14 (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 15 Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee 16 on Environment and Public Works of the Senate; 17 and 18 (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 19 Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee 20 on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep- 21 resentatives. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S571.IS S571 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.