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S. 5254Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Civil Nuclear Export Act of 2026

Sponsored by James E. RischSen. James E. Risch (R-ID)
Introduced August 5, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 11, 2026 at 5:52 AM UTC

The Civil Nuclear Export Act of 2026 changes the Export‑Import Bank’s rules so it can finance civil nuclear projects that are allowed under existing U.S. atomic energy agreements. It also adds civil nuclear technology and related goods to the Bank’s “Program on China and Transformational Exports,” raises the amount the Bank can attribute to that program, and adjusts how default rates are handled for those loans.

Key Provisions

  • Allows the Export‑Import Bank to finance civil nuclear facilities if the transaction is permitted under an agreement made pursuant to Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act or other applicable U.S. law.
  • Expands the China and Transformational Exports program to include civil nuclear energy technologies, materials, services, infrastructure, and related goods.
  • Raises the Bank’s lending cap for the program: excess amounts can be attributed to China‑program loans, guarantees, or insurance up to $50 billion, and the default‑rate threshold is increased from 2% to 4%.
  • Permits any China‑program loan, guarantee, or insurance to count toward the excess amount regardless of when it was issued.
  • Gives the Bank authority, with Board approval, to exclude financing that causes the program’s default rate to reach or exceed 4%.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

August 5, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 5, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

August 5, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued August 5, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5254

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 5, 2026

Mr. Risch (for himself and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

A BILL

To modify the prohibition on financing of civil nuclear energy by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Civil Nuclear Export Act of 2026.

2.

Modification of prohibition on financing of nuclear facilities

Section 2(b)(5) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635(b)(5)) is amended, in the first sentence, by inserting , except any such purchase that is otherwise permitted under an agreement made in accordance with section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2153) or any other applicable law of the United States after reprocessing facility.

3.

Expansion of Program on China and Transformational Exports

Section 2(l)(1)(B) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635(l)(1)(B)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating clause (xi) as clause (xii); and

(2)

by inserting after clause (x) the following:

(xi)

Civil nuclear energy technologies, materials, services, and related infrastructure and goods.

.

4.

Modification of lending cap

Section 6(a) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635e(a)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking applicable amount. and inserting “applicable amount, unless the aggregate amount that is in excess of the applicable amount—

(A)

is attributed by the Bank to loans, guarantees, and insurance under the Program on China and Transformational Exports pursuant to section 2(l); and

(B)

does not exceed $50,000,000,000.

;

(2)

in paragraph (3)—

(A)

in the header, by striking 2 and inserting 4; and

(B)

by striking 2 percent each place it appears and inserting 4 percent; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(5)

Authority to attribute loans, guarantees, and insurance

The Bank may attribute any loan, guarantee, or insurance issued under the Program on China and Transformational Exports pursuant to section 2(l) toward the aggregate amount that is in excess of the applicable amount described in paragraph (1) without regard to the date on which the Bank issued such loan, guarantee, or insurance.

.

5.

Modification of monitoring of default rates

Section 8(g) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635g(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(7)

Exclusion of transactions relating to the Program on China and Transformational Exports

For the purposes of this subsection, if financing provided under the Program on China and Transformational Exports pursuant to section 2(l) results in the default rate calculated under paragraph (1) equaling or exceeding 4 percent, the Bank may exclude such financing, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

.