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An Act to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to provide for the phaseout of governmental indemnity as a source of funds for public remuneration in the event of a nuclear incident, and for other purposes.

Public Law 94-197 · H.R. 8631 · 94th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 31, 1975 · Energy

Sponsor: Rep. Charles Price (D-IL-23)

Cosponsors (1): Rep. Gilbert Gude

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateRecorded vote: 76 yea, 18 nay76–18
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2568, roll call #600 (76-18))

Revises, under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the method of providing for public remuneration in the event of a nuclear incident.

Revises the term "nuclear incident": (1) with respect to indemnification agreements for construction or operation of production or utilization facilities, to include any occurrence outside the United States involving source, special nuclear or byproduct material owned by and used by, or under contract with, the United States; and (2) with respect to indemnification from public liability in excess of the level of financial protection, to include any occurrence outside both the United States and any other nation arising out of the hazardous properties of certain source, special nuclear or byproduct material which is used in operating a licensed stationary facility or which moves outside the territorial United States during transit.

Revises the term "person indemnified" to include incidents occurring outside the United States in the provision for indemnification from public liability in excess of the level of financial protection.

Sets forth additional provisions with respect to those facilities required to maintain the maximum amount of financial protection available from private sources. Directs the Atomic Energy Commission in determining the maximun amount of financial protection available to include private liability insurance available under an industry retrospective rating plan providing for premium charges deferred in whole or major part until public liability from a nuclear incident exceeds or appears likely to exceed the level of the primary financial protection required.

Provides that the amount which may be charged a licensee following any nuclear incident shall not exceed the licensee's pro rata share of the aggregate public liability claims and costs arising out of the nuclear incident.

Provides that the costs of investigation will not be deducted from the $560,000,000 designated to pay claims.

Extends until August 1, 1987, the provisions governing indemnification from public liability in excess of the level of financial protector.

States that in the event of a nuclear incident involving excess damages, the Congress will review such incident and take whatever action is deemed necessary and appropriate to protect the public.

Revises the provision under which the Commission is authorized to collect fees from facilities for indemnification.

Revises the provisions which require the Commission to conduct a survey of the causes and extent of damage attributable to a nuclear incident which shall be reported to the Joint Committee, to the Congressmen of the affected districts, and to the Senators of the affected States, and, except for information which would cause serious damage to the national defense or foreign relations of the United States, shall be made available to the public.

Extends until August 1, 1987, the provision which sets forth the exemption from the financial protection requirement.

Increases from 10 to 20 years the effect of the statute of limitations as provided in the Act.

Requires the Commission to report to Congress, by August 1, 1983, on the need for continuation or modification of the provisions governing indemnification and limitation of liability.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 78 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

78 yea18 nay4 present or did not vote

Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(41)

  • Sen. Mike MansfieldD-MT
  • Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE
  • Sen. Lee MetcalfD-MT
  • Sen. John CulverD-IA
  • Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
  • Sen. Walter MondaleD-MN
  • Sen. Thomas EagletonD-MO
  • Sen. Edmund MuskieD-ME
  • Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
  • Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
  • Sen. Stuart SymingtonD-MO
  • Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
  • Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
  • Sen. Frank MossD-UT
  • Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
  • Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
  • Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
  • Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
  • Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
  • Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
  • Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
  • Sen. John PastoreD-RI
  • Sen. John GlennD-OH
  • Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
  • Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI
  • Sen. Robert MorganD-NC
  • Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
  • Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
  • Sen. Joseph MontoyaD-NM
  • Sen. Dick StoneD-FL
  • Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
  • Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
  • Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
  • Sen. Gale McGeeD-WY
  • Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
  • Sen. Russell LongD-LA
  • Sen. Herman TalmadgeD-GA
  • Sen. John StennisD-MS
  • Sen. John McClellanD-AR
  • Sen. James EastlandD-MS
  • Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA

Republicans who voted yea(36)

  • Sen. Clifford CaseR-NJ
  • Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
  • Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
  • Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
  • Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
  • Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
  • Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
  • Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
  • Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
  • Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
  • Sen. James PearsonR-KS
  • Sen. John BeallR-MD
  • Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
  • Sen. Hiram FongR-HI
  • Sen. Ted StevensR-AK
  • Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
  • Sen. William RothR-DE
  • Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM
  • Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
  • Sen. Robert TaftR-OH
  • Sen. Howard BakerR-TN
  • Sen. Robert GriffinR-MI
  • Sen. William BrockR-TN
  • Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
  • Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
  • Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
  • Sen. Roman HruskaR-NE
  • Sen. Jake GarnR-UT
  • Sen. Paul LaxaltR-NV
  • Sen. Clifford HansenR-WY
  • Sen. John TowerR-TX
  • Sen. Carl CurtisR-NE
  • Sen. James McClureR-ID
  • Sen. Paul FanninR-AZ
  • Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
  • Sen. Barry GoldwaterR-AZ
Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 600 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Joint Atomic Energy Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.

  1. Dec 31, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public law 94-197.
  3. Dec 19, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. Dec 18, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Dec 17, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
  7. Dec 16, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2568, roll call #600 (76-18).Senate roll call 600
  8. Dec 8, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #749 (329-61).House roll call 749
  9. Nov 10, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Joint Atomic Energy Committee
  10. Jul 14, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Joint Atomic Energy Committee
  11. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.