Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today in support of H.R. 4979, the Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016, which I introduced with Congressman McNerney earlier this year. We are very excited the bill received unanimous support of the full Energy and Commerce Committee.

The next generation of the nuclear industry needs to start now, with Congress ensuring that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is able to provide the certainty that the private sector needs to invest in innovative technologies. Nuclear power is currently 20 percent of our national energy portfolio, and it must remain a vital part of our energy mix. As the United States looks to the future, more energy will be needed, and nuclear power provides a reliable, clean baseload power option, currently providing approximately 63 percent of total carbon-free energy.

It is imperative that we develop the right regulatory framework so advanced nuclear technologies can be developed, licensed, and constructed here in the United States. If we miss the opportunity to establish a safe, predictable regulatory framework for these technologies, private innovators and entrepreneurs will take their investment and scientists to our competitors in the global market.

H.R. 4979 requires that NRC establish a regulatory framework for issuing licenses for advanced nuclear reactor technology and also requires that NRC submit a schedule for implementation of the framework by 2019. Safety in nuclear is the number one goal, and this regulatory framework ensures that NRC has the opportunity to develop a framework to safely regulate the future technologies of the nuclear industry.

H.R. 4979 also requires that the Department of Energy and the NRC collaborate in developing new nuclear technology. DOE and its National Laboratories provide opportunities to test new private sector nuclear technologies. This bill would direct DOE to look at options for public- private partnerships between the DOE and the private sector companies interested in investing in the future of nuclear. There is also a role for NRC in this space because these testing opportunities may allow for demonstration of technologies that NRC has not commercially licensed for over the last 40 years.

Investment in new technologies is already happening, with approximately 50 companies in this country investing over $1 billion to develop the next generation of nuclear power. That is why we introduced H.R. 4979. It is time for Congress to ensure that NRC provides a framework so that innovators and investors can prepare to apply for licensing technologies. Passing this legislation is key to ensure that the United States remains a leader in the nuclear industry, which is vital for both our electricity mix and our national security.

I want to thank all of the cosponsors of this bill, as well as Chairman Upton and Congressman McNerney and all of the staff and stakeholders for their work on this important legislation.

I urge full support from my colleagues for H.R. 4979.

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