HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE RELEASES CHAIR'S MARKUP OF NDAA
Earlier today, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) released the Chairman’s Markup of the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for
fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) The NDAA dictates what level of appropriations are authorized to be dispersed to DOE Defense activities, including Defense Environmental Cleanup across the DOE-EM complex, as well as The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) various programs. See authorized line items below (all amounts in thousands of dollars):
Plutonium Modernization (NNSA) - Los Alamos Plutonium Modernization – $1,555,386 (Authorized)
- $50,000 increase over 1,505,386 (FY2026 Request)
- Savannah River Plutonium Modernization –
1,205,486 (Authorized)
- No change from 1,205,386 (FY2026 Request)
Defense Environmental Cleanup - Richland - $867,521 (Authorized)
- $30,000 increase over $837,521 (FY2026
Request)
- Office of River Protection – $786,800 (Authorized)
- No change from FY2026 Request
- Idaho National Laboratory – $460,021 (Authorized)
- No change from FY2026 Request
- Oak
Ridge Reservation – $366,562 (Authorized)
- Increase of $20,000 over $346,563 (FY2026 Request)
- Savannah River Site – $1,615,388 (Authorized)
- $3,750 increase over 1,611,638 (FY 2026 Request)
- Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) – $415,424
(Authorized)
- No change from FY2026 Request
- Nevada Site – $64,835 (Authorized)
- No change from FY2026 Request
- Los Alamos National Laboratory – $278,288 (Authorized)
- No change from FY2026
Request
Total, Defense Environmental Cleanup – $7,009,750 (Authorized) - Increase of 16,012 over 6,956,000 (FY2026 Request)
Office of Legacy Management – $200,258 (Authorized) - No change from FY2026 Request
According to multiple Senate notices, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) is scheduling Subcommittee markups for the fiscal year 2026
National Defense Authorization Act for Monday, July 7 and Tuesday July, 8 with a Full Committee markup slated for Tuesday, July 8, and continuing for the rest of the week if necessary. The Strategic Forces Subcommittee, responsible for the authorization of these programs, will meet on Tuesday, July 8 at 11:00am. The markups are not yet scheduled under the SASC's calendar. The markup for the FY2026 NDAA will be able to be viewed on Congress’ website later. ECA will continue to provide updates as these markups are
scheduled, and as more developments are made on the NDAA. For more on the NDAA and Budget and appropriations process visit our website.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNS OFF ON THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL - WHAT'S IN STORE FOR NUCLEAR?
Last week, the Senate and House both passed H.R.1 – Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4. The Act will allocate a
considerable amount of funding to initiatives for nuclear, in addition to modifying energy credits related to nuclear energy, and other measures that impact nuclear. See a breakdown of these initiatives and funding lines below: Energy Credits Impacting Nuclear Energy Nuclear Tax Credits – The Act includes
provisions that would allow advanced nuclear projects to utilize the Production Tax Credit (45Y) and Investment Tax Credits (48E) once they have commenced construction: Nuclear Power Production Credit (§ 45U) - Maintains the Nuclear Power Production Tax Credit (45U) through 2031 for existing nuclear reactors. Electricity produced by existing nuclear power plants is eligible for a credit equal to 0.3¢ per
kWh or, if prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements or exceptions in constructing, repairing, or altering the facility are met, 1.5¢ per kWh with the credit being reduced as power prices rise above $25 per MWh. Beginning in 2028, taxpayers must certify that any nuclear fuel they use was not sourced from “covered nations” or covered entities—unless acquired under a binding contract in force prior to January 1, 2023. In addition, OBBBA bars SFEs from claiming § 45U for tax years
beginning after enactment and disqualifies FIEs from claiming § 45U for tax years beginning two years after enactment. The bill would also create a new bonus for “Nuclear Communities”, defined as follows: - “…for purposes of any qualified facility which is an advanced nuclear facility, a metropolitan statistical area which has (or, at any time during the period beginning after
December 31, 2009, had) 0.17 percent or greater direct employment related to the advancement of nuclear power, including employment related to—
- ‘(I) an advanced nuclear facility,
- (II) advanced nuclear power research and development,
- (III) nuclear fuel cycle research, development, or production, including mining, enrichment, manufacture, storage, disposal, or recycling of nuclear fuel, and
- (IV) the manufacturing or assembly of components used in an advanced
nuclear facility.’’
Extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Through 2028 – The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, a program to compensate people for health care and other costs caused by atmospheric nuclear testing and uranium industry employment, was revived under the Act after expiring in June 2024. The extension represented a victory for Senator Josh Hawley (MO) and Senator Ben Ray Luján (NM), who spearheaded legislation to expand and extend RECA that passed by a 69-30 Senate vote last year, only to
stall in the House reportedly due to concerns about its then-estimated $50 billion price tag. The version included in the Act would extend and expand eligibility for residents exposed to and sickened by contamination in multiple states and raises the cap on their potential compensation to $100,000. It also covers uranium mine workers and allows residents in certain communities living near nuclear waste and production sites
to be eligible for RECA compensation. The RECA is extended through Dec. 31, 2028. Nuclear Defense/Deterrence The Act will allocates $15,000,000,000 for modernization of the nuclear triad, including; National Nuclear Security Administration
(NNSA) Appropriations – Appropriations amount to additional funding totaling almost $4 billion for weapons modernization and other programs. This also includes funding for infrastructure modernization and fuel reprocessing. These amounts are in addition to annual appropriations. See a breakdown of NNSA funding below: - $200,000,000 to perform National Nuclear Security Administration Phase 1 studies
- $540,000,000 to
address deferred maintenance and repair needs of the National Nuclear Security Administration
- $1,000,000,000 to accelerate the construction of National Nuclear Security Administration facilities
- $400,000,000 to accelerate the development, procurement, and integration of the warhead for the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile
- $750,000,000 to accelerate primary capability modernization
- $750,000,000 to
accelerate secondary capability modernization
- $120,000,000 to accelerate domestic uranium enrichment centrifuge deployment for defense purposes
- $10,000,000 for evaluation of spent fuel reprocessing technology
- $115,000,000 for accelerating nuclear national security missions through artificial intelligence
NNSA appropriations require the Agency to report on how it will
use the funding allocated, which remains available to the Agency until 2029. Quarterly reports are due to Congress on the funding. Department of Defense - $125,000,000 for the Department of Defense to enable the “acceleration of development of small, portable modular nuclear reactors for military use”.
- $1,500,000,000 billion for expansion of production capacity for the
B-21 bomber aircraft
- $2,500,000,000 for risk reduction for the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program
- $2,000,000,000 for development of the nuclear armed sea-launched cruise missile
- $65,000,000 to accelerate the modernization of nuclear command, control, and communications
- $150,000,000 to accelerate the development, procurement, and integration of military nuclear weapons delivery programs
Using DOE National Lab Data for AI: - A late addition to the legislation would give the Energy Department $150,000,000 to “curate” the agency’s troves of scientific data for use in training artificial intelligence models. The measure mobilizes the Energy Department's 17 National Laboratories “to partner with industry sectors” in the U.S. on the mission. The
text did not mention which companies might be involved. To read the full bill text, click here. ECA will continue to provide updates on what these
provisions and funding items mean for nuclear communities and nuclear energy.
UPCOMING: NOMINATION HEARINGS, FY2026 E&W AND NDAA MARKUPS IN HOUSE AND SENATE
House Appropriations Schedules Markups of FY2026 E&W Appropriations The House Appropriations Committee has
scheduled its Subcommittee and Full Committee markups for the fiscal year (2026) Energy and Water Development Bill, which determines appropriations and funding for cleanup at all sites across the Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management cleanup complex, in addition to National Nuclear Security Administration programs. The Subcommittee Markup will be conducted by the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. Senate Armed Services Committee Schedules FY2026 NDAA Markups According to multiple
Senate notices, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) is scheduling Subcommittee markups for the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act for Monday, July 7 and Tuesday July, 8 with a Full Committee markup slated for
Tuesday, July 8, and continuing into the rest of that week if necessary. The NDAA dictates what level of appropriations are authorized to be dispersed to DOE Defense activities, including Defense Environmental CLeanup across the DOE-EM complex, as well as The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) various programs. The Strategic Forces Subcommittee, responsible for the authorization of these
programs, will meet on Tuesday, July 8 at 11:00am. The markups are not yet scheduled under the SASC's calendar. ECA will continue to provide updates as these markups are scheduled. Senate to Vote to End Debate on Nomination of DOE Under Secretary The Senate will convene Tuesday, July 8, to vote to end debate on Preston Griffith’s nomination to be Under Secretary of Energy (DOE) at 5:30 p.m. Senate Environment & Public Works Business Meeting The Senate E&PW Committee will meet July 9, at
8:45am to consider the nomination of David Wright, current chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to continue to be Member of the NRC, among other nominations. See the notice here.
Earlier this summer, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) completed a report on nuclear waste titled, "An Integrated Disposal Plan Could Help DOE Complete Its Cleanup Mission and Save Billions". ECA is hosting an informational webinar to learn more about the recommendations to develop DOE complex-wide analyses to assess the progress of its cleanup mission. These recommendations include; optimization models to identify optimal disposal pathways; a call to develop a complex-wide disposal plan; and the creation of a
forum for EM, cleanup sites, and disposal facility regulators to address regulatory constraints to optimal disposal approaches. GAO analyzed EM waste data, interviewed or requested information from all 15 EM sites, visited commercial nuclear waste disposal facilities, and developed a hypothetical model for optimizing transuranic waste disposal using EM data. Join ECA on July 24 at 2pm ET to learn more about the report. Speakers will include: - Facilitator: Seth Kirshenberg – Executive Director, Energy Communities Alliance
- Nathan Anderson, Director - Natural Resources and Environment, GAO
- Amanda Kolling, Assistant Director - Natural Resources and
Environment, GAO
JOIN ETEC IN THE OAK RIDGE CORRIDOR FOR THE NUCLEAR OPPORTUNITIES WORKSHOP
July 22 - 23, 2025 | Knoxville Convention Center
WHAT IS NOW? - NOW is ETEC's Nuclear Opportunities Workshop, Tennessee’s premier nuclear industry conference focused on all things nuclear: fission, fusion, isotopes, environmental management, AI in nuclear, workforce and more. Join ETEC and a variety of experts and enthusiasts in
the Oak Ridge Corridor for this growing, engaging, and informative conference.
For more information, including agenda, supporter opportunities, and travel and lodging information, click here.
AGENDA FOR THE NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP IS NOW AVAILABLE!
September 24 - 25, 2025 | Crystal Gateway Marriott | Arlington, VA Exciting news! We’ve extended the early bird registration deadline—giving you extra time to secure your spot at a discounted rate. Join us September 24-25 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott - Arlington, VA, where we’ll explore how the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is working to drive down risks while also building up new opportunities for communities and the nation.
WHO'S SPEAKING? Roger Jarrell | Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary, DOE-EM James McConnell | Acting Principal Deputy Administrator, NNSA Greg Sosson | Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Field Operations, DOE-EM Kristen Ellis | Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs, DOE-EM Brent Gerry | Mayor, City of West Richland, WA; Chair, ECA Rebecca Casper | Mayor, City of Idaho Falls, ID; Vice-Chair, ECA Jonathan “JD” Dowell | Senior Vice President, Fluor Heatherly Dukes | President, BWXT Technical
Services Group DJ Johnson | Vice President, Federal Solutions Business Enterprise, Honeywell Federal Solutions; Chair, EFCOG Mark Johnson | Principal Vice President, High Level Waste Facility, Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), Bechtel Jeff Kendall | President, AtkinsRéalis U.S. Nuclear Michael Lempke | President, Nuclear and Environmental Services,
HII Mark Whitney | President, Amentum ...and more!
Make sure to register before July 16, 2025, to receive the early bird discount rate! The cost of registration will increase after July 16. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Wednesday, September 24 8:00am National Cleanup Workshop 5:30pm Evening
Reception for all NCW Attendees Thursday, September 25 8:00am National Cleanup Workshop SPONSORSHIP NCW sponsorships offer an excellent opportunity to showcase your company, maximize networking opportunities with attendees, and host an exhibit booth during the forum. Click here to learn more! STAY
CONNECTED ECA Twitter: @ENERGYCAORG EFCOG Twitter: @EFCOG_now DOE EM Twitter: @EMcleanup #NationalCleanupWorkshop SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS The National Cleanup Workshop is hosted by the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) with the cooperation of the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management
(EM)*.
WHAT YOU'VE MISSED: GLE completes Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility license application Global Laser
Enrichment announced that it has submitted its safety analysis report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the planned Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF). This follows GLE’s December 2024 submission of the plant’s environmental report, now completing GLE’s full license application for NRC review. According to the company, the safety analysis report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the PLEF’s safety measures, operational protocols, and risk mitigation strategies, ensuring
compliance with the NRC’s regulatory standards for nuclear safety and security. Read the full story Westinghouse awarded $180M ITER contract Westinghouse Electric Company announced that it has signed a $180 million contract with the ITER Organization for the assembly of the vacuum vessel for the fusion reactor being built in southern France. Designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power, the ITER tokamak will be the world’s largest experimental fusion facility. Westinghouse will be responsible for completing the vacuum vessel, a hermetically sealed,
double-walled steel container that will house the fusion plasma. When all nine of ITER’s vacuum vessel sectors are in place, Westinghouse will start what is expected to be the most intensive stage of ITER assembly—simultaneously welding the nine sectors to form a single torus. Read the full story Westinghouse, Radiant to perform first US microreactor tests The US Department of Energy has made conditional selections for Westinghouse and Radiant
Nuclear to perform the first tests in the National Reactor Innovation Center's Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments test bed at the Idaho National Laboratory. Read the full story
GoneFission Nuclear Report - Oak Ridge Nuclear Center
of Excellence May 13, 2025 | S5 E2 Dr. Stephen Nagy discusses Japan's strategic positioning in a complex geopolitical landscape, particularly in relation to the U.S.-China rivalry. He explores Japan's economic ties with China, the challenges posed by regional security
threats, and the evolving strategies Japan is employing to navigate these issues. The conversation delves into Japan's historical pacifism, the potential for nuclear deterrence discussions, and the importance of trade agreements and technological cooperation in ensuring regional stability. https://gonefissionpodcast.com/ NPR - Entrepreneurs in Texas betting on
nuclear power to fuel AI energy demands July 1, 2025 Nuclear industry entrepreneurs in Texas say an artificial intelligence-fueled boom in energy demand will make small nuclear reactors a necessity in the near future. https://www.npr.org/2025/07/01/nx-s1-5414611/entrepreneurs-in-texas-betting-on-nuclear-power-to-fuel-ai-energy-demands NucleCast - James Dawkins: Inside Savannah River; Tritium, Pits, and the Future of U.S. Nuclear Readiness July 1, 2025 | S03 E225 In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam Lowther welcomes retired Lieutenant General Jim Dawkins, now Executive Vice President and COO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. Together, they explore the pivotal role of the Savannah River Site in America’s nuclear enterprise—from its origins in the Manhattan Project to its current missions in tritium production and plutonium pit manufacturing. https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/
Nuclear Opportunities Workshop Knoxville, TN | July 22 - 23 Learn More Here National Cleanup Workshop 2025 Arlington, VA |
September 23 - 25 Learn More Here
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