§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, testing, and commercial use of nuclear technology that is safe, secure, peaceful, and supports diplomacy, nonproliferation, climate, and economic goals. The program must build partnerships through R&D deals, joint action plans, and multilateral groups, including the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation, the Generation IV Forum, the IAEA, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, and other advanced-reactor efforts. With the Secretary of State’s approval, the Secretary must help countries that are starting nuclear programs, especially those that have increased cooperation with the Russian Federation or the People’s Republic of China. The Secretary may require use of U.S. nuclear energy companies (as defined in the International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025), name companies to carry out agreements, and, after consulting the Attorney General and the Secretary of Commerce, waive competition rules if needed. The Secretary must run 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 spent fuel disposal, and coordinate with other federal agencies as appropriate. Up to $15,500,000 may be appropriated for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program.

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