The House Energy and Commerce Committee is set to renew its multiyear push to expand nuclear power this week, with lawmakers considering a package of bills aimed at streamlining regulations for reactor development.
The Energy Subcommittee will meet to discuss legislation that Republican leaders say builds on the ADVANCE Act, a bipartisan law enacted in 2024 that sought to accelerate deployment of advanced reactors by reforming what industry advocates described as a cumbersome Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing process.
“Burdensome regulations and a costly licensing process have made it difficult to expand the use of nuclear power,” said Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Energy Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-Ohio). “By building on the ADVANCE Act, we can deliver the reliable power needed to support America’s continued energy dominance.”
Among the measures under consideration is the “Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act,” H.R. 5549, introduced by Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.). The bill would eliminate an Atomic Energy Act requirement that the NRC hold a hearing for every reactor license application, even when no party contests it.
