Civilian Nuclear Reactor Emergency Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Civilian Nuclear Reactor Emergency Act of 1979 - Title I: Nuclear Emergencies - Establishes a Presidential Commission to be called the Nuclear Reactor Emergency Commission. Directs the Commission to develop comprehensive specifications of conditions which an existing or potential malfunction of a civilian reactor would lead to substantial short- or long-term dangers to the health of the general public, or to substantial contamination of the general environment. Stipulates that all operating licenses granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) shall include provisions for the operation of such nuclear reactors in the event of a nuclear reactor emergency as defined by the Commission. Title II: Notification of Public Authorities - Requires operators of any nuclear reactor subject to licensing by the NRC to notify the NRC of the occurrence of any nuclear reactor emergency at a nuclear reactor for which they are the operators. Title III: Emergency Operation and Supervision of Nuclear Reactors - Authorizes and directs the NRC to assume direct responsibility for the operation of a nuclear reactor in the event that the NRC is informed or determines that a nuclear reactor emergency exists. Title IV: Emergency Plans - Directs the Nuclear Reactor Emergency Commission to prepare an analysis of all nuclear accident and malfunctions which have occurred at civilian nuclear reactors. Requires the Commission, based on such analysis, to submit proposals to Congress, and prepare model emergency plans for use by State and local authorities. Title V: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the Nuclear Reactor Emergency Commission. Title VI: Expiration of Authority of the Nuclear Reactor Emergency Commission - Terminates the authority of the Nuclear Reactor Emergency Commission under this Act two years from the date of enactment of this Act. Title VII: Conforming Provisions - Stipulates that this Act supercedes all existing provisions of law.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on April 3, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 3, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
HAROLD HOLLENBECK (R-NJ) introduced it on April 3, 1979, and 13 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 7 Democrats, 6 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 3, 1979, 17327 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17327 days ago, on April 3, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers