§16279b — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must run a program to work with other countries on research, development, demonstration, and commercial use of nuclear technology. The work must support diplomacy, nonproliferation, climate goals, and international economic goals, and keep nuclear activities safe, secure, and peaceful. The program will use research agreements, coordinated plans, and multilateral groups (including the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation, the Generation IV Forum, the IAEA, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, and similar efforts). It will help countries that are building civil nuclear programs, especially those increasing cooperation with the Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of China. The program will also push for U.S. nuclear energy companies’ reactors, fuel, equipment, services, and technology to be used abroad through bilateral or multilateral deals, by naming U.S. companies to carry out deals when needed, and by allowing competition-law waivers if the Secretary, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Commerce agree. The Secretary must run the program with the Secretary of State’s agreement and coordinate with other federal agencies. The program should fund workshops and expert exchanges with industry, stakeholders, and foreign governments on topics like training, financing, safety, security, safeguards, liability, advanced fuels, operations, and multinational options for disposing of spent nuclear fuel. Funding authorized is up to $15,500,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030. Terms: “United States nuclear energy companies” means the companies defined in the International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025; “spent nuclear fuel” has the meaning given in the law.

Title 42, §16279b

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall carry out a program—

(1)to collaborate in international efforts with respect to research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of nuclear technology that supports diplomatic, nonproliferation, climate, and international economic objectives for the safe, secure, and peaceful use of such technology;

(2)to develop collaboration initiatives with respect to such efforts with a variety of countries through—

(A)research and development agreements;

(B)the development of coordinated action plans; and

(C)new or existing multilateral cooperation commitments including—

(i)the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation;

(ii)the Generation IV International Forum;

(iii)the International Atomic Energy Agency;

(iv)the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency; and

(v)any other international collaborative effort with respect to advanced nuclear reactor operations and safety;

(3)to support, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, the safe, secure, and peaceful use of civil nuclear technology in countries developing nuclear energy programs, with a focus on countries that have increased civil nuclear cooperation with the Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of China; and

(4)to promote the fullest utilization of the reactors, fuel, equipment, services, and technology of United States nuclear energy companies (as defined in subsection (b) of the International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025 [42 U.S.C. 16283]) in civil nuclear energy programs outside the United States through—

(A)bilateral and multilateral arrangements developed and executed with the concurrence of the Secretary of State that contain commitments for the utilization of the reactors, fuel, equipment, services, and technology of United States nuclear energy companies (as defined in that subsection);

(B)the designation of 1 or more United States nuclear energy companies (as defined in that subsection) to implement an arrangement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that the designation is necessary and appropriate to achieve the objectives of this section; and

(C)the waiver of any provision of law relating to competition with respect to any activity related to an arrangement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Commerce, determines that a waiver is necessary and appropriate to achieve the objectives of this section.

(b)The program under subsection (a) shall be supported in consultation with the Secretary of State and implemented by the Secretary—

(1)to facilitate, to the maximum extent practicable, workshops and expert-based exchanges to engage industry, stakeholders, and foreign governments with respect to international civil nuclear issues, such as—

(A)training;

(B)financing;

(C)safety;

(D)security;

(E)safeguards;

(F)liability;

(G)advanced fuels;

(H)operations; and

(I)options for multinational cooperation with respect to the disposal of spent nuclear fuel (as defined in section 10101 of this title); and

(2)in coordination with any Federal agency that the President determines to be appropriate.

(c)Of funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary to carry out activities related to international civil nuclear energy cooperation, there is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 up to $15,500,000 to carry out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is section 8366 of Pub. L. 119–60, which is classified to section 16283 of this title.

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8366(g)(1), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8366(g)(2)(A)(i), struck out “financing,” after “supports diplomatic,”. Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8366(g)(2)(B)(i), struck out “preparations for” before “research and development”. Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8366(g)(2)(A)(ii), (B)(ii), (C), added pars. (3) and (4). Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 119–60, § 8366(g)(3), added subsecs. (b) and (c).

§16279b International nuclear energy cooperation