Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Jim Risch (R-ID) today applauded the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of their bipartisan International Nuclear Energy Act, legislation to promote engagement with ally and partner nations to develop a civil nuclear export strategy and offset China and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development. 

“American energy security and independence is crucial to our national security, and our bipartisan International Nuclear Energy Act will help the United States remain a global superpower while strengthening our global partnerships. I’m pleased the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed this important legislation out of committee today, and I am dedicated to supporting the development of our civil nuclear exports while ensuring American energy is affordable, reliable, clean, and secure,” said Chairman Manchin.

“We are at a critical point in the fight for energy security. Whether the goal is to reduce energy dependence on Russia or support clean energy innovation, more and more countries are looking towards nuclear energy for their future energy security,” said Risch. “Exporting new and advanced nuclear technologies like small modular and micro-reactors helps our partners meet their energy needs and is a strategic imperative in great power competition with Russia and China. This bill promotes U.S. interagency coordination and prioritization of civil nuclear exports, and provides new tools for U.S. agencies to fund civil nuclear projects in partner countries.”

The International Nuclear Energy Act would:

• Support the establishment of an office to coordinate civil nuclear exports strategy; establish financing relationships; promote regulatory harmonization; enhance safeguards and security; promote standardization of licensing framework; and create a nuclear exports working group.
• Create programs to facilitate international nuclear energy cooperation to develop financing relationships, training, education, market analysis, safety, security, safeguards, and nuclear governance required for a civil nuclear program.
• Require a cabinet-level biennial summit focused on nuclear safety, security and safeguards, and to enhance cooperative relationships between private industry and government.
• Establish a Strategic Infrastructure Fund Working Group to determine how to best structure a Fund to finance projects critical to national security.