§6132 Long-term plan for meeting national security requirements for unencumbered uranium

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must send the congressional defense committees a plan by December 31 of every odd-numbered year through 2031. The plan must explain how the United States will have enough unencumbered uranium for national security through 2070. It must list how much unencumbered uranium (not counting depleted uranium) is already set aside for security and how much could be set aside. It must say what the security needs are through 2070, estimate current and future U.S. private production, note any shortfalls and whether blending down higher-enriched uranium would help, report on unencumbered depleted uranium and the cost to re-enrich it, describe swap and barter deals in effect, and assess when more enrichment will be needed, the options to meet that need with costs and timelines (and any policy or law changes needed), and how those options could help build domestic enrichment and cut dependence on imports from adversary countries. The plan must be unclassified but can include a classified annex. Within 180 days after the committees get the plan, the Comptroller General of the United States must brief the House and Senate Armed Services Committees with an assessment. Definitions: "Depleted" — uranium with less U-235 than natural uranium. "Unencumbered" — uranium not bound by foreign limits to peaceful use only.