S. 1801 — International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025

This section defines 12 terms used in the Act, including "advanced nuclear reactor" (e.g., fission reactors with inherent safety features and lower waste, fusion reactors, or radioisotope power systems); "ally or partner nation" (e.g., OECD member governments, India, or countries designated by the Secretary of State); "embarking civil nuclear nation" (i.e., countries developing or expanding civil nuclear programs, excluding China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Burma, and countries subject to sanctions or designated for repeatedly supporting international terrorism under 22 U.S.C. 2371(a) and related provisions); and "U.S. nuclear energy company" (i.e., companies organized under U.S. law and involved in the nuclear energy industry).

This section expresses the sense of Congress that the President designate, within the National Energy Dominance Council, an Office of the Assistant to the President and Director for International Nuclear Energy Export Policy—headed by an Assistant to the President who is a member of the council—to coordinate U.S. civil nuclear export policies; develop federal strategies for engagement with foreign governments on civil nuclear exports, framework agreements, and trade controls; and support foreign investment in U.S.-backed civil nuclear projects in embarking nations. The section also establishes the Nuclear Exports Working Group—composed of senior officials from federal agencies designated by the President or Secretary—to report to a White House official; coordinate not less frequently than quarterly with the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee, Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee, and other groups to track U.S. civil nuclear exports; and develop, not later than one year after enactment, a 10-year civil nuclear trade strategy with biennial targets for exporting civil nuclear technologies (including light-water and non-light-water reactors, equipment, materials, and fuel) that align with international energy demand and emissions reductions.

This section directs the President to launch an international initiative, in accordance with applicable nuclear technology export laws and regulations, to modernize civil nuclear outreach to embarking civil nuclear nations (i.e., countries developing new civil nuclear energy programs). In carrying out the initiative, the President, acting through an appropriate federal official and in coordination with specified agency officials, may seek cooperative financing relationships for exporting U.S. civil nuclear technology, components, materials, and infrastructure to such nations and shall (1) assist Department of Energy offices, other federal entities, and nongovernmental organizations in providing nuclear safety, security, and safeguards education and training to foreign governments through or independently of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); (2) assist IAEA efforts to expand its support for nuclear safety, security, and safeguards in those nations; (3) coordinate federal efforts to expand private investment outreach and public-private financing for civil nuclear technology adoption, including U.S. exports; (4) coordinate relevant federal agency activities to the maximum extent practicable; and (5) coordinate with the Export-Import Bank of the United States to facilitate civil nuclear technology exports and imports.

This section directs the President to designate a White House official to coordinate with officials described in section 3(a)(2) in developing financing relationships, as the President determines appropriate, with U.S. ally or partner nations to assist embarking civil nuclear nations in adopting civil nuclear technologies exported from the United States or such allies or partners. It defines a "United States competitiveness clause" as any U.S. competitiveness provision in a Department of Energy agreement (i.e., cooperative agreement, cooperative research and development agreement, or patent waiver); requires relevant officials to consider the impact of such clauses on those financing relationships; and directs the Secretary to facilitate waivers of such clauses as necessary.

This section directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Commerce, to conduct bilateral and multilateral meetings with not fewer than five ally or partner nations not later than two years after enactment of this Act to enhance U.S. nuclear energy cooperation on the research, development, licensing, and deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for civil nuclear energy. The meetings must focus on (1) cooperation to demonstrate and deploy advanced nuclear reactors, emphasizing U.S. nuclear energy companies, during the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment to address energy security and climate change; and (2) developing a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate agreement on such demonstration, deployment, and cooperative research facilities. It further requires the Secretaries, after initial consultation with the appropriate congressional committees, to seek financing arrangements to share costs of reactor demonstration, deployment, and research facilities with participating nations; and directs the three Secretaries to jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than one year after enactment, a report identifying potential partners for cost-sharing arrangements (including details) or agreements on reactor demonstration or research facilities.

This section revises provisions on international civil nuclear energy cooperation under section 959B of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by (1) designating existing provisions as subsection (a) ("In general"), making minor conforming edits, and adding purposes to support the safe, secure, and peaceful use of civil nuclear technology in countries developing nuclear energy programs (with a focus on those increasing civil nuclear cooperation with Russia or China, subject to State Department concurrence) and to promote utilization of U.S. nuclear energy companies' reactors, fuel, equipment, services, and technology abroad through bilateral and multilateral arrangements (with State concurrence), company designations, and waivers of competition laws (as determined necessary in consultation with the Attorney General and Secretary of Commerce); (2) adding subsection (b) ("Requirements") directing the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to facilitate workshops and expert exchanges on topics including training, financing, safety, security, safeguards, liability, advanced fuels, operations, and multinational spent nuclear fuel disposal options, in coordination with other appropriate federal agencies; and (3) adding subsection (c) authorizing $15,500,000 from funds appropriated for the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for FY2026 through FY2030.

This section establishes an international initiative, to be launched by the Secretary of State (in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and an assistant, if appointed) not later than 120 days after enactment, to provide financial assistance and facilitate technical capacity building to embarking civil nuclear nations (i.e., countries developing civil nuclear energy programs) for related activities. The section authorizes the Secretary of State to award grants of up to $5,500,000 per grant to such nations for civil nuclear program development and capacity building, limited to one grant per nation per fiscal year and five grants total per nation. It further authorizes financial assistance (in addition to grants) to such nations to contract with U.S. nuclear energy companies for senior advisors with relevant expertise to assist on activities including financing, licensing frameworks for light-water and advanced reactors, safety and safeguards, nuclear liability under the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, spent fuel management, and other program establishment needs. The section directs the Inspectors General of the Departments of State and Energy to coordinate, not later than one year after enactment, on a joint strategic oversight plan submitted to congressional committees and to conduct audits, inspections, investigations, or evaluations to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. It authorizes the Secretary of State to use $50 million of funds appropriated for the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 in FY2026 through FY2030 to carry out the initiative.

This section directs the President, in coordination with international partners and industry, to hold a biennial cabinet-level international conference on civil nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and sustainability. It is the sense of Congress that each conference serve as a forum for ally and partner nations to reinforce commitments to those areas, along with environmental safeguards and local community engagement near nuclear sites; facilitate development of joint goals and commitments (e.g., stronger international institutions, cooperative financing alternatives to Chinese and Russian models, standardized financing/project management/licensing frameworks, strategies to support civil nuclear financing by multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, lessons learned from partnerships with Russia or China, and a global civil nuclear liability regime); promote cooperation on related aspects of civil nuclear power (e.g., nuclear laws, waste management, technology transfer, human resources, and decommissioning); and include a meeting of nuclear industry leaders and relevant government agencies to discuss best practices for nuclear/radiological materials handling, cyber threats, and industry roles in safety, security, and safeguards.

This section directs the President to assess the feasibility of establishing the Advanced Reactor Coordination and Resource Center—leveraging existing activities or frameworks as appropriate—to support civil nuclear programs in embarking nations by (1) identifying qualified organizations and service providers to develop required documents, contracts, and a standardized model for use by the International Atomic Energy Agency; (2) coordinating with participating countries and the Nuclear Exports Working Group to identify funding, provide market analyses, and create project, electricity, nonelectric, and financial models; (3) identifying safety, security, safeguards, and nuclear governance requirements; (4) supporting multinational regulatory standards; (5) strengthening communications and consensus-building; and (6) addressing other export, financing, construction, and training needs, including mechanisms for funding, staffing, and locating the center. The section states that such assessment shall have the objective of establishing the center if feasible.

This section establishes the Strategic Infrastructure Fund Working Group, led by a White House official and composed of senior federal officials from agencies designated by the President, Secretary of State, or White House, to advise on creating a Strategic Infrastructure Fund for civil nuclear technologies, microprocessors, and other strategic investments. The working group, which reports to the National Security Council, must address fund design issues including asset transfers, investments, governance, and implementation; brief specified Senate and House committees (e.g., Foreign Relations/Affairs, Commerce/Energy and Commerce, Armed Services) within 180 days of enactment; and submit a report with findings and suggested legislative text within one year, including requirements for fund expenditures to be administered by the Secretary of State (or designee).

This section directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with other relevant federal agencies, to establish and maintain within the U.S.-India Strategic Security Dialogue a joint consultative mechanism with India that convenes regularly to (1) assess implementation of the 2008 U.S.-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy; (2) discuss opportunities for India to align its domestic nuclear liability rules with international norms; and (3) develop strategies for bilateral and multilateral diplomatic engagements on those opportunities. The section further requires the Secretary to submit to appropriate congressional committees a report describing the assessment under (1), within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter for five years.

This section provides a rule of construction stating that, except as expressly stated in the Act, nothing in the Act alters the interpretation or implementation of section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2153)—which requires nonproliferation assurances (e.g., safeguards, no military use) for U.S. nuclear cooperation agreements with other countries—or any other provision of law, including the requirement that such agreements be submitted to Congress for review.