H.R. 5549

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5549 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5549

To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient 
hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 23, 2025

Mr. Griffith (for himself, Ms. Schrier, and Mr. Veasey) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide for more efficient 
hearings on nuclear facility construction applications, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings 
Act''.

SEC. 2. UPDATING HEARING PROCEDURES.

(a) Hearings and Judicial Review.--Section 189 a. of the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2239(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(A)--
(A) by striking ``In any proceeding under this 
Act'' and inserting the following:
``(i) In any proceeding under this Act''; and
(B) in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking 
``The Commission shall hold a hearing'' and all that 
follows through ``upon a determination by the 
Commission that the amendment involves no significant 
hazards consideration.'' and inserting the following:
``(ii) The Commission may, in the absence of a request for a 
hearing by any person whose interest may be affected, issue a 
construction permit, an operating license, a combined construction 
permit and operating license, an amendment to a construction permit, an 
amendment to an operating license, or an amendment to a combined 
construction permit and operating license under section 103, 104 b., 
104 c., or 185 b. for a facility or a testing facility, without a 
hearing, but upon thirty days notice and publication once in the 
Federal Register of its intent to do so. The Commission may dispense 
with such thirty days notice and publication with respect to any 
application for an amendment to a construction permit, an amendment to 
an operating license, or an amendment to a combined construction permit 
and operating license upon a determination by the Commission that the 
amendment involves no significant hazards consideration.
``(iii) The Commission shall use informal adjudicatory procedures 
for any hearing held by the Commission pursuant to this 
subparagraph.'';
(2) in paragraph (1)(B)(iv)--
(A) by inserting ``informal'' before ``hearing 
procedures''; and
(B) by striking ``, whether informal or formal 
adjudicatory,''; and
(3) in the second sentence of paragraph (2)(A), by striking 
``required hearing'' and inserting ``hearing held by the 
Commission under this section''.
(b) Construction Permits and Operating Licenses.--Section 185 b. of 
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2235(b)) is amended by 
striking ``After holding a public hearing under section 189 a. 
(1)(A),'' and inserting ``After the thirty days notice and publication 
period or holding a hearing, as applicable, under section 189 a. 
(1)(A),''.
(c) Licensing of Uranium Enrichment Facilities.--Section 193(b) of 
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2243(b)) is amended by--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``on the record''; and
(B) by inserting ``if a person whose interest may 
be affected by such construction and operation has 
requested a hearing regarding the licensing of the 
construction and operation of the facility'' after 
``and 63''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Such hearing'' and 
inserting ``If a hearing is held under paragraph (1), the 
hearing''.
(d) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
to all applications and proceedings pending before the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission on or after the date of enactment of this 
section.
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