Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§2259 Information and assistance to Congressional committees

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 23— - DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROL OF ATOMIC ENERGY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XVI— - JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY › § 2259

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Energy Secretary and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must keep the Senate and House committees that oversee them fully and currently informed about their work. The Departments of Defense and State must do the same for national security matters involving nuclear technology. Any federal agency must give those nuclear-energy committees information about its nuclear activities when asked. Those committees may use other agencies' services, information, facilities, and personnel, but using personnel requires reimbursement and prior written consent from the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration or the House Committee on House Oversight.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §2259

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

(a)The Secretary of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall keep the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives which, under the rules of the Senate and the House, have jurisdiction over the functions of the Secretary or the Commission, fully and currently informed with respect to the activities of the Secretary and the Commission.
(b)The Department of Defense and Department of State shall keep the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives which, under the rules of the Senate and the House, have jurisdiction over national security considerations of nuclear energy, fully and currently informed with respect to such matters within the Department of Defense and Department of State relating to national security considerations of nuclear technology which are within the jurisdiction of such committees.
(c)Any Government agency shall furnish any information requested by the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives which, under the rules of the Senate and the House, have jurisdiction over the development, utilization, or application of nuclear energy, with respect to the activities or responsibilities of such agency in the field of nuclear energy which are within the jurisdiction of such committees.
(d)The committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives which, under the rules of the Senate and the House, have jurisdiction over the development, utilization, or application of nuclear energy, are authorized to utilize the services, information, facilities, and personnel of any Government agency which has activities or responsibilities in the field of nuclear energy which are within the jurisdiction of such committees: Provided, however, That any utilization of personnel by such committees shall be on a reimbursable basis and shall require, with respect to committees of the Senate, the prior written consent of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and with respect to committees of the House of Representatives, the prior written consent of the Committee on House Oversight.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted “House Oversight” for “House Administration”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain functions from Nuclear Regulatory Commission to Chairman thereof, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1980, 45 F.R. 40561, 94 Stat. 3585, set out as a note under section 5841 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 2259

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73