McMahon Act

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The McMahon Act is a landmark 1946 U.S. law that established civilian control over nuclear energy and restricted the sharing of atomic information, laying the foundation for American nuclear policy during the early Cold War.

Aliases (1)

Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal law
atomic energy legislation
nuclear energy law
appliesTo nuclear materials production information
nuclear reactor technology information
nuclear weapons design information
chamberOfOrigin United States Senate
classificationSystem formerly restricted data
restricted data
codifiedIn Public Law 79-585
country United States of America
createdAgency United States Atomic Energy Commission
dateEnacted 1946-08-01
effect limited nuclear cooperation with Canada
limited nuclear cooperation with the United Kingdom
era early Cold War
established civilian control of nuclear energy in the United States
governs development of nuclear weapons in the United States
peacetime use of atomic energy in the United States
historicalSignificance foundation of early U.S. nuclear policy
shifted control of atomic energy from the military to civilians
introducedConcept restricted data (U.S. nuclear information classification)
jurisdiction federal government of the United States
legislativeBody United States Congress
locationOfSigning Washington, D.C.
namedAfter Brien McMahon
objective ensure national security in the control of atomic energy
promote civilian oversight of nuclear technology
officialName Atomic Energy Act of 1946
policyArea defense policy
nuclear nonproliferation
science and technology policy
relatedTo Atomic Energy Act of 1954
Manhattan Project
U.S.–UK nuclear relations
United States Atomic Energy Commission
replaced wartime military control of atomic energy in the United States
restricted dissemination of restricted data
sharing of atomic information with foreign countries
signedBy Harry S. Truman
sponsor Brien McMahon
subjectMatter atomic weapons
control of atomic information
national security
nuclear energy
supersededBy Atomic Energy Act of 1954
yearEnacted 1946

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Public Law 79-585
alsoKnownAs
Public Law 79-585 ("McMahon Act amendments")
amendedBy
Atomic Energy Act of 1946
shortName

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