H.R. 5549, the Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act, cleared a committee markup on July 14, 2026.
H.R. 5549 — Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act
What it does
This bill streamlines nuclear licensing by allowing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to issue construction permits, operating licenses, and amendments without a public hearing unless someone specifically requests one. It also allows the NRC to skip the standard 30-day notice period for certain amendments if the agency determines they pose no significant safety risk, and replaces formal adjudicatory hearings with informal procedures when hearings do occur.
Quorum's transparency scan gave Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act a high transparency warning.
What happens next
H.R. 5549 cleared a committee markup. Next step: the committee votes to report it out.
Who is behind it
Filed by H. Griffith. Cosponsored by August Pfluger, Buddy Carter, Clay Fuller and Diana Harshbarger.