119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 8969
This bill transfers nuclear forensics and attribution activities from the Department of Homeland Security to the National Nuclear Security Administration, a division of the Department of Energy. The legislation establishes a new National Nuclear Forensics Center within the National Nuclear Security Administration to coordinate all federal nuclear forensics work and improve the nation's ability to respond to nuclear terrorism and attacks. The bill repeals the existing Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act and removes related provisions from the Homeland Security Act of 2002 that previously governed these functions. Within one year of enactment, the administrator for Nuclear Security must develop a plan to expand the National Nuclear Security Administration's university program to include nuclear forensics expertise development. This reorganization consolidates nuclear forensics capabilities under a single federal agency focused on nuclear security rather than distributing the responsibility across multiple departments.