Until this year, Pyongyang has denied U.S.accusations it possessed a covert HEU, or highly enriched uranium program, in violation of previous agreements.

VOA: standard.2009.09.06

If enacted in its current form, Section 621 of this year's Energy bill , by contrast, would allow foreign companies to receive U.S. HEU for use in medical isotope production without having to move toward a low-enriched uranium (LEU) target, even if it is technically feasible for them to do so.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Kyl and Schumer move to monitor uranium exports

Government of the Russian Federation assets directly related to the implementation of the HEU Agreements currently may be subject to attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process, thereby jeopardizing the full implementation of the HEU Agreements to the detriment of U.S. foreign policy.

WHITEHOUSE: Executive Order--Russian Highly Enriched Uranium

Current law is aimed at phasing out U.S. exports of highly enriched uranium (HEU) precisely to reduce the risk of the material being stolen or diverted by proliferating states for nuclear weapons production.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Kyl and Schumer move to monitor uranium exports