42 U.S.C. § 2259: Information and assistance…

Summary

The Secretary of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must keep the congressional committees that oversee their work fully and up to date about what they are doing. The Departments of Defense and State must do the same for matters that involve national security and nuclear technology. Any federal agency must give those committees any information they ask for about the agency’s nuclear energy work that falls under the committees’ authority. Those committees may use the services, information, facilities, and staff of any agency that works on nuclear energy. If they use staff, they must pay the agency back and get written permission first: Senate committees need permission from the Committee on Rules and Administration, and House committees need permission from the Committee on House Oversight.

Title 42, §2259

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

(a)Secretary of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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)Department of Defense and Department of State

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)Government agencies

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)Utilization of services, facilities, and personnel of Government agencies; reimbursement; prior written consent

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.

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.

§2259 Information and Assistance to Congressional Committees