US Codex
Bill
Notes

S. 452 — what changed

Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023

From Introduced in Senate to Reported in Senate. 2 added between Introduced in Senate and Reported in Senate.

Sec. 4 Amendments to the USEC Privatization Act

added
(a)
added Prohibition on imports— Section 3112A of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h–10a) is amended by adding at the end the following:

added “(d) Prohibition on imports of low-enriched uranium

added “(1) Prohibition—Beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the following may not be imported into the United States:

added “(A) Unirradiated low-enriched uranium that is produced in the Russian Federation or by a Russian entity.

added “(B) Unirradiated low-enriched uranium that is determined to have been exchanged with, swapped for, or otherwise obtained in lieu of unirradiated low-enriched uranium described in subparagraph (A) in a manner designed to circumvent the restrictions under this section.

added “(2) Waiver

added “(A) In general—Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, may waive the application of paragraph (1) to authorize the importation of low-enriched uranium described in that paragraph if the Secretary of Energy determines that—

added “(i) no alternative viable source of low-enriched uranium is available to sustain the continued operation of a nuclear reactor or a United States nuclear energy company; or

added “(ii) importation of low-enriched uranium described in paragraph (1) is in the national interest.

added “(B) Limitation on amounts of imports of low-enriched uranium

added “(i) In general—The importation into the United States of low-enriched uranium described in paragraph (1), including low-enriched uranium obtained under contracts for separative work units, whether or not such low-enriched uranium is derived from highly enriched uranium of weapons origin, may not exceed—

added “(I) in calendar year 2023, 578,877 kilograms;

added “(II) in calendar year 2024, 476,536 kilograms;

added “(III) in calendar year 2025, 470,376 kilograms;

added “(IV) in calendar year 2026, 464,183 kilograms; and

added “(V) in calendar year 2027, 459,083 kilograms.

added “(ii) Administration—The Secretary of Commerce shall—

added “(I) administer the import limitations described in clause (i) in accordance with the provisions of the Suspension Agreement, including the provisions described in subsection (c)(2)(B)(i);

added “(II) be responsible for enforcing the import limitations described in clause (i); and

added “(III) enforce the import limitations described in clause (i) in a manner that imposes a minimal burden on the commercial nuclear industry.

added “(C) Termination—Any waiver issued under subparagraph (A) shall terminate not later than January 1, 2028.

added “(D) Notification to Congress

added “(i) In general—Upon issuing a waiver under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the committees specified in clause (ii) a notification that a waiver has been issued, which shall include identification of the recipient of the waiver.

added “(ii) Committees specified—The committees specified in this clause are—

added “(I) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Finance of the Senate; and

added “(II) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.

added “(3) Applicability—This subsection does not apply to imports—

added “(A) by or under contract to the Department of Energy for national security or nonproliferation purposes; or

added “(B) of non-uranium isotopes.

added “(4) Termination—The provisions of this subsection shall terminate on December 31, 2040.

added “(5) Russian entity defined—In this subsection, the term Russian entity means an entity organized under the laws of or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of the Russian Federation.”

(b)
added Conforming amendments—
(1)
added In general— Section 3112A(c) of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h–10a(c)) is amended—
(A)
added in paragraph (2)—
(i)
added in subparagraph (A)—
(I)
added in clause (viii), by inserting “and” after the semicolon at the end;
(II)
added in clause (ix), by striking the semicolon and inserting a period; and
(III)
added by striking clauses (x) through (xxvii); and
(ii)
added in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking “paragraph (10)” and inserting “paragraph (9)”;
(B)
added in paragraph (3), by striking “United States” and all that follows through “for processing” and inserting “United States for processing”;
(C)
added by striking paragraph (5);
(D)
added by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (12) as paragraphs (5) through (11), respectively;
(E)
added in paragraph (5), as redesignated by subparagraph (D), by striking “In addition to the adjustment under paragraph (5)(A), the” and inserting “The”;
(F)
added in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking “paragraph (10)” and inserting “paragraph (9)”;
(G)
added in paragraph (8), as so redesignated, by striking “December 31, 2040” and inserting “the date described in subsection (d)(1)”; and
(H)
added in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (9), as so redesignated, by striking “paragraphs (2)(C) and (8)” and inserting “paragraphs (2)(C) and (7)”.
(2)
added Effective date— The amendment to section 3112A(c)(2)(A)(x) of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h–10a(c)(2)(A)(x)) made by paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 5 Supply chain infrastructure and workforce capacity building

added
(a)
added Supply chain infrastructure— Section 10781(b)(1) of Public Law 117–167 (commonly known as the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022”) (42 U.S.C. 19351(b)(1)) is amended by striking “and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors” and inserting “demonstration, and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and associated supply chain infrastructure”.
(b)
added Workforce capacity building— Section 954(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16274(b)) is amended—
(1)
added in the subsection heading, by striking “Graduate”;
(2)
added by striking “graduate” each place it appears;
(3)
added in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting “community colleges, trade schools, registered apprenticeship programs, pre-apprenticeship programs,” after “universities,”;
(4)
added in paragraph (3), by striking “2021 through 2025” and inserting “2023 through 2027”;
(5)
added by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(6)
added by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

added “(3) Focus areas—In carrying out the subprogram under this subsection, the Secretary may implement traineeships in focus areas that, in the determination of the Secretary, are necessary to support the nuclear energy sector in the United States, including—

added “(A) research and development;

added “(B) construction and operation;

added “(C) associated supply chains; and

added “(D) workforce training and retraining to support transitioning workforces.”