Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

Sponsor: Diana Harshbarger (Republican-TN)July 9, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Changes how nuclear safety experts review new reactor plans and limits their terms.

This bill would change how the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) operates. Currently, this committee must review every application for a nuclear reactor license or amendment. The bill would make those reviews optional, only happening if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission specifically asks for them. It would also set term limits for ACRS members to two 4-year terms, with some exceptions.

What Would Change

Currently, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) must review every application for a nuclear reactor license or amendment. After this bill, the ACRS would only review these applications if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission specifically asks for it. Also, ACRS members, who currently have no explicit term limits, would be limited to two 4-year terms, with some exceptions.

Key Provisions

The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards would only review nuclear license applications or changes if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission specifically asks for it.
Members of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards would serve a maximum of two 4-year terms, though the Nuclear Regulatory Commission could make exceptions for special needs.
The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards would have a maximum of 15 members, chosen by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for their diverse technical skills.
The committee would concentrate its reviews on new, safety-critical issues directly related to reactor design that haven't been reviewed before.
The committee could suggest actions, but it would need the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's specific request to carry them out.

View on Congress.gov

HR 9613 · 119th Congress · July 9, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10

Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity