NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act

Bill Number

H.R. 9614

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-07-10T10:23:21Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose This legislation amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to grant the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) additional authority to set pay levels for certain senior career staff, with the goal of improving compensation flexibility for these positions.

Key Provisions

• The bill adds a new subsection allowing the NRC Chairman to set the annual basic pay for a "career appointee" at up to 110 percent of the maximum rate for Senior Executive Service positions at the NRC.
• This pay authority applies to career appointees regardless of their appointment date.
• The new pay authority does not affect the NRC’s existing performance appraisal system certification.
• The NRC must include in its annual report the total number of career appointees whose pay is set under this new authority.
• Conforming changes update related sections of the ADVANCE Act of 2024 to reflect the new pay provision.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The Atomic Energy Act previously limited compensation authority for NRC positions; this bill creates an explicit exception allowing pay above the standard Senior Executive Service cap for career appointees.
• It expands the scope of pay-setting discretion for the NRC Chairman while adding new reporting requirements.
• Updates cross-references in another recent law to ensure consistency with the expanded authority.

Potential Impacts

• On government agencies: The NRC gains greater flexibility to adjust compensation for senior career staff, potentially affecting recruitment and retention within the agency.
• On citizens: Indirect effects may include changes in agency operations or costs, though no direct impact on the public is specified.
• On international relations: No provisions address international matters.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• NRC career appointees (senior executives covered by the new pay authority).
• The NRC Chairman and agency leadership responsible for setting compensation.
• Congress, through its oversight and reporting requirements.
• The Government Accountability Office, due to updated reporting references.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The bill introduces targeted exceptions to standard federal pay rules for an independent regulatory agency without altering broader civil service statutes.
• It maintains existing limits on performance-based pay certifications while expanding base pay options.
• No constitutional issues are raised in the text; the changes focus on administrative authority within an existing regulatory framework.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]

Recent Actions

• 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
• 2026-07-09: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act — issued 2026-07-09 — PDF (4 pages)