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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release May 26, 1998

EXECUTIVE ORDER


ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ENRICHMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to further the national security and other interests of the United States with regard to uranium enrichment and related businesses after the privatization of the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC), it is ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. There is hereby established an Enrichment Oversight Committee (EOC).

Sec. 2. Objectives. The EOC shall monitor and coordinate United States Government efforts with respect to the privatized USEC and any successor entities involved in uranium enrichment and related businesses in furtherance of the following objectives:

(a) The full implementation of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993 ("HEU Agreement"), and related contracts and agreements by the USEC as executive agent or by any other executive agents;

(b) The application of statutory, regulatory, and contractual restrictions on foreign ownership, control, or influence in the USEC, any successor entities, and any other executive agents;

(c) The development and implementation of United States Government policy regarding uranium enrichment and related technologies, processes, and data; and

(d) The collection and dissemination of information relevant to any of the foregoing on an ongoing basis, including from the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sec. 3. Organization. (a) The EOC shall be Chaired by a senior official from the National Security Council (NSC). The Chair shall coordinate the carrying out of the purposes and policy objectives of this order. The EOC shall meet as often as appropriate, but at least quarterly, and shall submit reports to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs semiannually, or more frequently as appropriate. The EOC shall prepare annually the report for the President's transmittal to the Congress pursuant to section 3112 of the USEC Privatization Act, Public Law 104-134, title III, 3112(b)(10), 110 Stat. 1321-344, 1321-346 (1996).

(b) The EOC shall consist of representatives from the Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Commerce, Energy, and the Office of Management and Budget, the NSC, the National Economic Council, the Council of Economic Advisers, and the Intelligence Community. The EOC shall formulate internal guidelines for its operations, including guidelines for convening meetings.

(c) The EOC shall coordinate sharing of information and provide direction, while operational responsibilities resulting from the EOC's oversight activities will rest with EOC member agencies.

(d) At the request of the EOC, appropriate agencies, including the Department of Energy, shall provide day-to-day support for the EOC.

Sec. 4. HEU Agreement Oversight. The EOC shall form an HEU Agreement Oversight Subcommittee (the "Subcommittee") in order to continue coordination of the implementation of the HEU Agreement and related contracts and agreements, monitor actions taken by the executive agent, and make recommendations regarding steps designed to facilitate full implementation of the HEU Agreement, including changes with respect to the executive agent. The Subcommittee shall be chaired by a senior official from the NSC and shall include representatives of the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Commerce, and Energy, and the Office of Management and Budget, the National Economic Council, the Intelligence Community, and, as appropriate, the United States Trade Representative, and the Council of Economic Advisers. The Subcommittee shall meet as appropriate to review the implementation of the HEU Agreement and consider steps to facilitate full implementation of that Agreement. In particular, the Subcommittee shall:

(a) have access to all information concerning implementation of the HEU Agreement and related contracts and agreements;

(b) monitor negotiations between the executive agent or agents and Russian authorities on implementation of the HEU Agreement, including the proposals of both sides on delivery schedules and on price;

(c) monitor sales of the natural uranium component of low-enriched uranium derived from Russian HEU pursuant to applicable law;

(d) establish procedures for designating alternative executive agents to implement the HEU Agreement;

(e) coordinate policies and procedures regarding the full implementation of the HEU purchase agreement and related contracts and agreements, consistent with applicable law; and

(f) coordinate the position of the United States Government on any issues that arise in the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement with the USEC for the USEC to serve as the United States Government Executive Agent under the HEU Agreement.

Sec. 5. Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI). The EOC shall collect information and monitor issues relating to foreign ownership, control, or influence of the USEC or any successor entities. Specifically, the EOC shall:

(a) monitor the application and enforcement of the FOCI requirements of the National Industrial Security Program established by Executive Order 12829 with respect to the USEC and any successor entities (see National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, Department of Defense 2-3 (Oct. 1994));

(b) monitor and review reports and submissions relating to FOCI issues made by the USEC or any successor entity to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq . (1994), and the USEC Privatization Act, Public Law 104-134, title III, 110 Stat. 1321-335 et seq. (1996);

(c) ensure coordination with the Intelligence Community of the collection and analysis of intelligence and ensure coordination of intelligence with other information related to FOCI issues; and

(d) ensure coordination with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Sec. 6. Domestic Enrichment Services. The EOC shall collect and analyze information related to the maintenance of domestic uranium mining, enrichment, and conversion industries, provided that such activities shall be undertaken in a manner that provides appropriate protection for such information. In particular, the EOC shall:

(a) collect and review all public filings made by or with respect to the USEC or any successor entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

(b) collect information from all available sources necessary for the preparation of the annual report to the Congress required by section 3112 of the USEC Privatization Act, as noted in section 3(a) of this order, including information relating to plans by the USEC or any successor entities to expand or contract materially the enrichment of uranium-using gaseous diffusion technology;

(c) collect information relating to the development and implementation of atomic vapor laser isotope separation technology;

(d) to the extent permitted by law, and as necessary to fulfill the EOC's oversight functions, collect proprietary information from the USEC, or any successor entities, provided that the collection of such information shall be undertaken so as to minimize disruption to the normal functioning of the private corporation. For example, such information would include the USEC's financial statements prepared in accordance with standards applicable to public registrants and the executive summary of the USEC's strategic plan as shared with its Board of Directors, as well as timely information on its unit production costs, capacity utilization rates, average pricing and sales for the current year and for new contracts, employment levels, overseas activities, and research and development initiatives. Such information shall be collected on an annual basis, with quarterly updates as appropriate; and

(e) coordinate with relevant agencies in monitoring the levels of natural and enriched uranium and enrichment services imported into the United States.

Sec. 7. Coordination with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Upon notification by the NRC that it seeks the views of other agencies of the executive branch regarding determinations necessary for the issuance, reissuance, or renewal of a certificate of compliance or license to the privatized USEC, the EOC shall convey the relevant views of these other agencies of the executive branch, including whether the applicant's performance as the United States agent for the HEU Agreement is acceptable, on a schedule consistent with the NRC's need for timely action on such regulatory decisions.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

                              THE WHITE HOUSE,
                              May 26, 1998.

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