State Dept. to Bankroll U.S. Nuclear Exports Under Nonproliferation Guise
H.R. 8648 — FORGE Act · Filed by James Baird (R-IN) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced May 4, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
The FORGE Act establishes a State Department program (FIRST) to promote U.S. small modular reactor technology and civil nuclear projects abroad through diplomatic engagement, regulatory consultation, and commercial development support. The program will advocate for U.S. nuclear businesses in international forums, help partner countries adopt U.S. reactor standards, and provide feasibility studies for U.S. commercial nuclear projects—effectively using taxpayer-funded diplomacy to boost U.S. nuclear exports. The program sunsets in 2034 and requires congressional briefings every four months.
Why we flagged it
The bill establishes a State Department program to promote U.S. small modular reactor (SMR) technology exports and civil nuclear projects abroad through diplomatic engagement, regulatory consultation, and commercial support. It is fundamentally an export-promotion and strategic-positioning mechanism dressed in nonproliferation language.
What the text implies
- The FIRST program explicitly directs State Department diplomatic resources to advocate for U.S. nuclear businesses in bilateral and multilateral forums, blurring the line between foreign policy and commercial promotion. This may subordinate nonproliferation or human-rights concerns to export competitiveness.
- The bill authorizes 'early-stage commercial project development support, including feasibility and engineering studies' funded by taxpayers, effectively subsidizing private nuclear companies' market entry in foreign markets—a form of export financing that may distort competition with state-backed competitors.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
U.S. small modular reactor (SMR) manufacturers (e.g., NuScale, X-energy, TerraPower); Nuclear engineering and consulting firms; Export-focused nuclear supply chain companies