S.Amdt. 743

SA 743. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title XXXI, insert the
following:

SEC. ___. PROGRAM FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED
NAVAL NUCLEAR FUEL SYSTEM BASED ON LOW-ENRICHED
URANIUM.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator for Nuclear
Security shall establish a program to assess the viability of
using low-enriched uranium in naval nuclear propulsion
reactors, including such reactors located on aircraft
carriers and submarines, that meet the requirements of the
Navy.
(b) Activities.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Administrator shall carry out activities
to develop an advanced naval nuclear fuel system based on
low-enriched uranium, including activities relating to--
(1) down-blending of high-enriched uranium into low-
enriched uranium;
(2) manufacturing of candidate advanced low-enriched
uranium fuels;
(3) irradiation tests and post-irradiation examination of
these fuels;
(4) modification or procurement of equipment and
infrastructure relating to such activities; and
(5) designing naval propulsion reactors that incorporate
candidate advanced low enriched uranium fuels.
(c) Submission of Plan.--Not later than 120 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a plan
outlining the activities the Administrator will carry out
under the program established under subsection (a), including
the funding requirements associated with developing a low-
enriched uranium fuel.
(d) Report on Performance Impact of Low-enriched Uranium
Reactor Core Size.--Not later than December 15, 2023, the
Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Navy, shall prepare and submit to the congressional defense
committees a report assessing the feasibility and performance
impact of a Virginia-Class replacement nuclear powered attack
submarine that retains the anticipated hull diameter and
power plant design, but leaves sufficient space for a low-
enriched uranium-fueled reactor with a life of the ship core,
possibly with an increased module length. The report shall
assess the impact on vessel performance of the increased core
size over the range of potential low-enriched uranium fuel
packing densities discussed in the November 2016 JASON report
JSR-16-Task-013, and compare this with the performance impact
of recent adjustments of vessel lengths such as that from the
Virginia Payload Module.
(e) Funding.--
(1) Increase.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the
funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be
appropriated by this title for the National Nuclear Security
Administration, as specified in the corresponding funding
table in division D, for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation,
Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D, Nuclear Fuels
Development is hereby increased by $20,000,000 for the
purpose of LEU Research and Development for Naval Pressurized
Water Reactors.
(2) Offset.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the
funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be
appropriated by this title for the National Nuclear Security
Administration, as specified in the corresponding funding
table in division D, for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation is
hereby reduced--
(A) by $10,000,000 for the amount for nuclear smuggling
detection and deterrence; and
(B) by $10,000,000 for the amount for nuclear detonation
detection.
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