§ 5841. Establishment and transfers

§ 5841. Establishment and transfers

(a) Composition; Chairman; Acting Chairman; quorum; official spokesman; seal; functions of Chairman and Commission

(1) There is established an independent regulatory commission to be known as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which shall be composed of five members, each of whom shall be a citizen of the United States. The President shall designate one member of the Commission as Chairman thereof to serve as such during the pleasure of the President. The Chairman may from time to time designate any other member of the Commission as Acting Chairman to act in the place and stead of the Chairman during his absence. The Chairman (or the Acting Chairman in the absence of the Chairman) shall preside at all meetings of the Commission and a quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of at least three members present. Each member of the Commission, including the Chairman, shall have equal responsibility and authority in all decisions and actions of the Commission, shall have full access to all information relating to the performance of his duties or responsibilities, and shall have one vote. Action of the Commission shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. The Chairman (or Acting Chairman in the absence of the Chairman) shall be the official spokesman of the Commission in its relations with the Congress, Government agencies, persons, or the public, and, on behalf of the Commission, shall see to the faithful execution of the policies and decisions of the Commission, and shall report thereon to the Commission from time to time or as the Commission may direct. The Commission shall have an official seal which shall be judicially noticed.

(2) The Chairman of the Commission shall be the principal executive officer of the Commission, and he shall exercise all of the executive and administrative functions of the Commission, including functions of the Commission with respect to (a) the appointment and supervision of personnel employed under the Commission (other than personnel employed regularly and full time in the immediate offices of commissioners other than the Chairman, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter), (b) the distribution of business among such personnel and among administrative units of the Commission, and (c) the use and expenditure of funds.

(3) In carrying out any of his functions under the provisions of this section the Chairman shall be governed by general policies of the Commission and by such regulatory decisions, findings, and determinations as the Commission may by law be authorized to make.

(4) The appointment by the Chairman of the heads of major administrative units under the Commission shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.

(5) There are hereby reserved to the Commission its functions with respect to revising budget estimates and with respect to determining upon the distribution of appropriated funds according to major programs and purposes.

(b) Appointment of members

(1) Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) Appointments of members pursuant to this subsection shall be made in such a manner that not more than three members of the Commission shall be members of the same political party.

(c) Term of office Each member shall serve for a term of five years, each such term to commence on July 1, except that of the five members first appointed to the Commission, one shall serve for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years, to be designated by the President at the time of appointment; and except that any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed, shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. For the purpose of determining the expiration date of the terms of office of the five members first appointed to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, each such term shall be deemed to have begun July 1, 1975.

(d) Submission of appointments to Senate Such initial appointments shall be submitted to the Senate within sixty days of October 11, 1974. Any individual who is serving as a member of the Atomic Energy Commission on October 11, 1974, and who may be appointed by the President to the Commission, shall be appointed for a term designated by the President, but which term shall terminate not later than the end of his present term as a member of the Atomic Energy Commission, without regard to the requirements of subsection (b)(2) of this section. Any subsequent appointment of such individuals shall be subject to the provisions of this section.

(e) Removal of members; prohibition against engagement in business or other employment Any member of the Commission may be removed by the President for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. No member of the Commission shall engage in any business, vocation, or employment other than that of serving as a member of the Commission.

(f) Transfer of licensing and regulatory functions of Atomic Energy Commission There are hereby transferred to the Commission all the licensing and related regulatory functions of the Atomic Energy Commission, the Chairman and members of the Commission, the General Counsel, and other officers and components of the Commission—which functions officers, components, and personnel are excepted from the transfer to the Administrator by section 5814(c) of this title.

(g) Additional transfers In addition to other functions and personnel transferred to the Commission, there are also transferred to the Commission—

(1) the functions of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board;

(2) such personnel as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget determines are necessary for exercising responsibilities under section 5845 of this title, relating to, research, for the purpose of confirmatory assessment relating to licensing and other regulation under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], and of this chapter.

(Pub. L. 93–438, title II, § 201, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1242; Pub. L. 94–79, title II, §§ 201–203, Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 413, 414; Pub. L. 95–209, § 2, Dec. 13, 1977, 91 Stat. 1482; Pub. L. 99–386, title I, § 109, Aug. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 822.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2) and (g)(2), was in the original “the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974”, and “this Act”, respectively, meaning Pub. L. 93–438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, which enacted this chapter, amended sections 5313 to 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealed sections 2031 and 2032 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 5801 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (g), is act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 919, which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§ 2011 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 99–386 struck out subsec. (h) which related to quarterly reports on compliance with equal employment requirements for grades GS–11 or above.

1977—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–209 added subsec. (h).

1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–79, § 201, designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added pars. (2) to (5).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–79, §§ 202, 203, provided for appointment for remainder of term where vacancy occurs prior to expiration of term of predecessor appointee and designated July 1, 1975, as commencement date of initial appointees for purpose of determining expiration date of terms of office.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

Energy Research and Development Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by sections 7151(a) and 7293 of this title.

Transportation of Plutonium by Aircraft Through United States Air Space

Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(d) [title III, § 300], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329–121, and Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5062, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–251, provided that: “(a) In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no form of plutonium may be transported by aircraft through the air space of the United States from a foreign nation to a foreign nation unless the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has certified to Congress that the container in which such plutonium is transported is safe, as determined in accordance with subsection (b), the second undesignated paragraph under section 201 of Public Law 94–79 (89 Stat. 413; 42 U.S.C. 5841 note), and all other applicable laws. “(b) Responsibilities of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.—“(1) Determination of safety.—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall determine whether the container referred to in subsection (a) is safe for use in the transportation of plutonium by aircraft and transmit to Congress a certification for the purposes of such subsection in the case of each container determined to be safe. “(2) Testing.—In order to make a determination with respect to a container under paragraph (1), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall—“(A) require an actual drop test from maximum cruising altitude of a full-scale sample of such container loaded with test materials; and “(B) require an actual crash test of a cargo aircraft fully loaded with full-scale samples of such container loaded with test material unless the Commission determines, after consultation with an independent scientific review panel, that the stresses on the container produced by other tests used in developing the container exceed the stresses which would occur during a worst case plutonium air shipment accident. “(3) Limitation.—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission may not certify under this section that a container is safe for use in the transportation of plutonium by aircraft if the container ruptured or released its contents during testing conducted in accordance with paragraph (2). “(4) Evaluation.—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall evaluate the container certification required by title II of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5841 et seq.) and subsection (a) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and all other applicable law. “(c) Content of Certification.—A certification referred to in subsection (a) with respect to a container shall include—“(1) the determination of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as to the safety of such container; “(2) a statement that the requirements of subsection (b)(2) were satisfied in the testing of such container; and “(3) a statement that the container did not rupture or release its contents into the environment during testing. “(d) Design of Testing Procedures.—The tests required by subsection (b) shall be designed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to replicate actual worst case transportation conditions to the maximum extent practicable. In designing such tests, the Commission shall provide for public notice of the proposed test procedures, provide a reasonable opportunity for public comment on such procedures, and consider such comments, if any. “(e) Testing Results: Reports and Public Disclosure.—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of each test conducted under this section and shall make such results available to the public. “(f) Alternative Routes and Means of Transportation.—With respect to any shipments of plutonium from a foreign nation to a foreign nation which are subject to United States consent rights contained in an Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation, the President is authorized to make every effort to pursue and conclude arrangements for alternative routes and means of transportation, including sea shipment. All such arrangements shall be subject to stringent physical security conditions, and other conditions designed to protect the public health and safety, and provisions of this section, and all other applicable laws. “(g) Inapplicability to Medical Devices.—Subsections (a) through (e) shall not apply with respect to plutonium in any form contained in a medical device designed for individual human application. “(h) Inapplicability to Military Uses.—Subsections (a) through (e) shall not apply to plutonium in the form of nuclear weapons nor to other shipments of plutonium determined by the Department of Energy to be directly connected with the United States national security or defense programs. “(i) Inapplicability to Previously Certified Containers.—This section shall not apply to any containers for the shipment of plutonium previously certified as safe by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Public Law 94–79 (89 Stat. 413; 42 U.S.C. 5841 note). “(j) Payment of Costs.—All costs incurred by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission associated with the testing program required by this section, and administrative costs related thereto, shall be reimbursed to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by any foreign country receiving plutonium shipped through United States airspace in containers specified by the Commission.”

Resident Inspector Program; Implementation and Acceleration of Assignment of Personnel; Study of Existing and Alternate Programs for Improving Quality Assurance and Control; Pilot Programs To Review and Evaluate Alternative Programs; Scope of Pilot Program; Report to Congress; Contents