# House Advances Nuclear Licensing Reforms

The U.S. House has advanced several nuclear-energy bills, including H.R. 9613 on Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards reviews, H.R. 3978 on licensing qualifying domestic spent-fuel recycling facilities, and H.R. 5549 on uncontested nuclear licensing hearings. H.R. 3978 passed the House and was placed on the Senate calendar on November 10, 2026; the bills have not been enacted. They announce no procurement funding, awards, or active solicitations, but proposed changes could affect licensing timelines and future demand for nuclear facility engineering, design, construction, and licensing support if enacted.

- Companies providing nuclear licensing, engineering, safety, and facility-construction services should assess how the proposed hearing and licensing changes could affect project schedules and service demand; the bills remain pending, so those effects are not yet in force.
- H.R. 3978 would place qualifying domestic spent-fuel recycling facilities that do not isolate plutonium under the special nuclear material framework in 10 C.F.R. Part 70 rather than the Part 50 framework. Firms serving this market may wish to evaluate the potential impact on their licensing and facility-development work.
- These are legislative developments, not current contract opportunities. Contractors should distinguish potential future market effects from funded procurements or enacted requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Policy, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 12, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. House of Representatives (House)
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
- U.S. Senate
- Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

### Key Quotes
> These six bills that were passed out of the House of Representatives will allow for efficient hearings on nuclear facility construction, update the licensing procedures for uranium enrichment facilities, and reprocess spent nuclear fuel in a manner that does not separate plutonium from other transuranic elements.
> — Marlin Stutzman, Representative

> This commonsense bill keeps independent safety review in place and concentrates it on new and significant issues instead of rehashing what's already been resolved.
> — Diana Harshbarger, U.S. Representative

> A more efficient process to facilitate new nuclear energy projects will support a reliable and safe source of energy for American homes, businesses, hospitals and more.
> — Morgan Griffith, U.S. Representative

### Sources
- [Harshbarger’s Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act Passes U.S. House | Representative Diana Harshbarger](https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/press-releases/harshbargers-nuclear-advisory-committee-reform-act-passes-us-house) - Harshbarger
- [HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASS MULTIPLE BILLS UNLEASHING NUCLEAR ENERGY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES | Representative Marlin Stutzman](https://stutzman.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-republicans-pass-multiple-bills-unleashing-nuclear-energy-across-united) - Stutzman
- [H.R.3978 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Nuclear REFUEL (Recycling Efficient Fuels Utilizing Expedited Licensing) Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119/HR/3978) - Stutzman