Sen. Lee Introduces Bill to Speed Up Nuclear Testing and Turn Surplus Plutonium into Fuel
This bill was recently introduced in the Senate and is currently being reviewed by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. It is in the early stages of the lawmaking process and is considered active. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
While nuclear energy has some support from both parties, changing how the government handles plutonium is a very controversial topic that will likely face a long debate in the Senate.
The bill reorganizes nuclear programs within the Department of Energy, moving the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program to the Office of Nuclear Energy within 30 days. It also terminates the Surplus Plutonium Dilute and Dispose Program and resumes operations at HB Line at the Savannah River Site, which would shift workloads and potentially reassign staff. Federal employees at DOE, national labs, and the Savannah River Site would see changes to their day-to-day responsibilities.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Senators Mike Lee and Dave McCormick introduced the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act to accelerate advanced nuclear energy. The bill creates a Nuclear Energy Launch Pad for testing tech on federal sites and establishes a pathway to repurpose surplus plutonium as reactor fuel.
The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act (NEIDA) would codify DOE actions to speed reactor deployment. Key goals include creating a Nuclear Energy Launch Pad for private testing on federal land and finding ways to use surplus plutonium in advanced reactors to bridge the commercial gap.
The US DOE and National Reactor Innovation Center are setting up a Nuclear Energy Launch Pad to promote rapid development of advanced nuclear tech. It offers two pathways—INL and USA—enabling private industry to test reactors and fuel cycle facilities on federal land with provided resources.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2026
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