U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) has introduced significant legislation aimed at cementing President Donald Trump’s “America First” energy agenda, specifically focusing on the revitalization of domestic nuclear energy production.
The bill, H.R. 3667, titled “The Strengthening American Nuclear Energy (SANE) Act,” seeks to codify four executive orders issued by President Trump on May 23, 2025, which were designed to bolster the nation’s nuclear capabilities.
The SANE Act, the 15th piece of legislation introduced by Congressman Donalds in the 119th Congress, directly translates the intent of the following executive orders into law:
Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security: This order aims to accelerate the approval and adoption of specialized nuclear reactors for defense and AI installations, ensure fuel stock availability from the Department of Energy, and establish a special envoy position and strategy for nuclear technology export. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf noted at the time of the order’s signing that it would “grow American industry on the back of foreign purchasers.”
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Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: This executive order targets the perceived overregulation that has, according to Scharf, stifled the nuclear industry’s growth. He highlighted that only two new commercial reactors have come online since 1978, compared to 133 before that year. The goal is to streamline regulatory processes with the aim of quadrupling nuclear power production within the next two and a half decades.
Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy: This order seeks to revise the regulatory process for nuclear reactor testing to accelerate the development of highly-modernized reactors, while preserving safety concerns. It also establishes a pilot program with the ambitious target of three new experimental reactors by July 4, 2026.
Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base: The final executive order focuses on strengthening the domestic nuclear industrial base, including addressing fuel feedstock issues. It invokes the Defense Production Act to foster collaboration with private industry for fuel supplies and includes provisions for developing the nuclear energy sector workforce.
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Donalds emphasized the mandate received from the American people in the November election, stating, “Now more than ever, it’s up to Congress to hold up our end of the bargain. Energy security is national security and it’s imperative that our nation re-asserts our dominance in the nuclear space.”
The executive orders, now proposed for codification, received strong endorsements at their signing. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum hailed the day as a “huge day for the nuclear industry,” asserting that it would “turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth underscored the national security implications, stating, “Energy security is national security. If we don’t have reliable energy for our basing, for our troops… we’re vulnerable.”
He also highlighted the critical role of nuclear energy in powering artificial intelligence capabilities essential for national defense.
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