An Act to authorize appropriations for Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the fiscal years 1978, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-209 · S. 1131 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 13, 1977 · Energy
Sponsor: Sen. Gary Hart (D-CO)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Harrison Schmitt
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Authorizes appropriations for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for fiscal year 1978 in the amount of $297,740,000 to carry out research and regulatory programs.
Directs the Commission to consider the recommendation of the Advisory committee on Reactor Safeguards before authorizing any regulatory research on reactor safety.
Provides for a reduction in the authorization by $2,700,000, if the license application is withdrawn or the construction of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor is not authorized.
Provides for a reduction in the authorization by $2,100,000, if the license application is withdrawn or further construction is cancelled for the fuel reprocessing plant at Barnwell, South Carolina.
Directs the Commission to report to Congress on a quarterly basis concerning the hiring and promotion procedures for employees at or above the level of GS-11.
Amends the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to direct the Commission to develop and implement a plan for the correction of unresolved safety issues relating to nuclear reactors.
Amends the Atomic Energy Act to establish a fellowship program to study reactor safety research.
Directs the Commission to promulgate standards on conflicts of interest in dealing with contractors.
Authorizes the transfer of sums from salaries and expenses to other agencies of the Government for the performance of the work for which the appropriation is made.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Dec 13, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-209.
- Dec 2, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 1, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Nov 29, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Nov 3, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Nov 1, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-788.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-788.
- Oct 31, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Oct 28, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Sep 12, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 3455.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 25, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Mar 25, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.