Public Law 79-585

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Public Law 79-585 is the formal designation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, the landmark U.S. law that established civilian control over nuclear energy and atomic weapons development after World War II.


Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Atomic Energy Act of 1946
United States federal statute
aimedAt controlling dissemination of atomic information
establishing civilian control over nuclear energy
alsoKnownAs McMahon Act
amendedBy McMahon Act
surface form: McMahon Act amendments
codifiedIn Title 42 of the United States Code
containsProvisionOn classification of restricted data
licensing of nuclear facilities
patents related to atomic energy
security clearances
country United States of America
effect created framework for peacetime development of nuclear energy
ended exclusive military control of atomic energy in the United States
enactedBy 79th United States Congress
enactmentDate 1946-08-01
established United States Atomic Energy Commission
hasShortTitle Atomic Energy Act of 1946
hasTitle Atomic Energy Act of 1946
historicalContext post–World War II nuclear policy
jurisdiction United States government
surface form: United States federal government
language English
legalStatus partially superseded
legislativeChamber United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
namedAfter Brien McMahon
policyArea defense policy
energy policy
science and technology policy
publicLawNumber 79-585
regulates development of atomic energy
production of fissionable material
use of atomic energy for civilian purposes
use of atomic energy for military purposes
replacedBy Atomic Energy Act of 1954
restricts sharing of nuclear information with foreign nations
signedBy President Harry S. Truman
surface form: Harry S. Truman
signingDate 1946-08-01
statutesAtLargeCitation 60 Stat. 755
subject atomic energy
civilian control of nuclear energy
national security
nuclear weapons
timePeriod early Cold War
transferredControlFrom United States Army
transferredControlTo United States Atomic Energy Commission

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

McMahon Act codifiedIn Public Law 79-585
Atomic Energy Act of 1946 publicLawNumber Public Law 79-585