42 U.S.C. § 5844: Office of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards

There is hereby established in the Commission an Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards under the direction of a Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, who shall be appointed by the Commission, who may report directly to the Commission as provided in section 5849 of this title , and who shall serve at the pleasure of and be removable by the Commission. Principal licensing and regulation involving all facilities and materials, licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended [ 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], associated with the processing, transport, and handling of nuclear materials, including the provision and maintenance of safeguards against threats, thefts, and sabotage of such licensed facilities, and materials. monitoring, testing, and recommending upgrading of internal accounting systems for special nuclear and other nuclear materials licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; developing, in consultation and coordination with the Administration, contingency plans for dealing with threats, thefts, and sabotage relating to special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; assessing the need for, and the feasibility of, establishing a security agency within the office for the performance of the safeguards functions, and a report with recommendations on this matter shall be prepared within one year of the effective date of this chapter and promptly transmitted to the Congress by the Commission. Recommending research to enable the Commission to more effectively perform its functions. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit in any way the functions of the Administration relating to the safeguarding of special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities within the jurisdiction of the Administration pursuant to this chapter.