[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 92 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7096-S7099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Corzine):
  S. 1130. A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan 
for a magnetic fusion burning plasma experiment for the purpose of 
accelerating the scientific understanding and development of fusion as 
a long

[[Page S7097]]

term energy source, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill of great 
significance to our energy future, the Fusion Energy Sciences Act of 
2001. I am especially pleased that my colleague from California, 
Senator Feinstein, is joining me as the primary cosponsor of this 
legislation. This bill is designed to strengthen the fusion program at 
the Department of Energy and to accelerate planning for the next major 
step in fusion energy science development.
  In recent months, the news has been dominated by energy concerns. 
Although there may be differences of opinion about the causes of our 
current energy problems and what the appropriate solutions might be, 
there is general agreement that energy forms a vital link to our 
economic prosperity and provides the means by which the conduct of our 
daily lives is made easier and more comfortable. While we grapple with 
short term remedies, we need to stay focused on long term investment in 
those endeavors which have the potential to help secure our energy 
future. I believe that fusion energy has this potential.
  Fusion is the energy source that powers the sun and the stars. At its 
most basic, it is the combining or fusion of two small atoms into a 
larger atom. When two atomic nuclei fuse, tremendous amounts of energy 
are released.
  If we can achieve this joining of atoms, and successfully contain and 
harness the energy produced, fusion will be close to an ideal energy 
source. It produces no air pollutants because the byproduct of the 
reaction is helium, it is safe and its fuel source, hydrogen, is 
practically unlimited and easily obtained.
  In the technical community, the debate over the scientific 
feasibility of fusion energy is now over. During the past decade, 
substantial amounts of fusion energy have been created in the 
laboratory setting. I am proud to note that some of this underlying 
scientific work has been conducted at the Idaho National Engineering 
and Environmental Laboratory in my State, which has been selected by 
the Department of Energy to lead efforts on fusion safety.
  Although certain scientific questions remain, the primary outstanding 
issue about fusion energy at this point is whether fusion energy can 
make the challenging step from the laboratory into a practical energy 
resource. Achieving this goal will require high quality science, 
innovative research and international collaboration, and the resources 
to make this possible. That is the goal to which this legislation is 
directed.
  According to the scientific experts, the path to practical fusion 
will involve three steps. First, there is a need to conduct a ``burning 
plasma'' experiment. Second, this effort would be further developed in 
an engineering test facility. The third step would be a demonstration 
plant. If taken in series, each of these steps would take approximately 
fifteen years, but through international collaboration, it may be 
possible to accelerate this process. In addition to these steps, 
continued investment in a strong underlying program of fusion science 
and plasma physics will still be necessary.
  Therefore, this bill instructs the Secretary of Energy to transmit to 
the Congress by July 1, 2004 a plan for a ``burning plasma'' 
experiment, which is the next necessary step towards the eventual 
realization of practical fusion energy. At a minimum, the Secretary 
must submit a plan for a domestic U.S. experiment, but may also submit 
a plan for U.S. involvement in an international burning plasma 
experiment if such involvement is cost effective and has equivalent 
scientific benefits to a domestic experiment. The bill also requires 
that within six months of the enactment, the Secretary of Energy shall 
submit a plan to Congress to ensure a strong scientific base for the 
fusion energy sciences program. Finally, for ongoing activities in the 
Department of Energy's fusion energy sciences program and for the 
purpose of preparing the plans called for, the bill authorizes 
$320,000,000 in fiscal year 2002 and $335,000,000 in fiscal year 2003.

  As we suffer through near term challenges in the energy sector and 
meeting our immediate needs, it is more crucial than ever that we 
invest in those items that hold the promise for long term solutions. 
Recent accomplishments in the laboratory demonstrate that fusion energy 
has this long term potential. The Fusion Energy Sciences Act of 2001 
will bring this promise closer to reality for future generations.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1130

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act my be cited as the ``Fusion Energy Sciences Act of 
     2001''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) economic prosperity is closely linked to an affordable 
     and ample energy supply;
       (2) environmental quality is closely linked to energy 
     productions and use;
       (3) population, worldwide economic development, energy 
     consumption, and stress on the environment are all expected 
     to increase substantially in the coming decades;
       (4) the few energy options with the potential to meet 
     economic and environmental needs for the long-term future 
     must be pursued aggressively now, as part of a balanced 
     national energy plan;
       (5) fusion energy is a long-term energy solution that is 
     expected to be environmentally benign, safe, and economical, 
     and to use a fuel source that is practically unlimited;
       (6) the National Academy of Sciences, the President's 
     Committee of Advisers on Science and Technology, and the 
     Secretary of Energy Advisory Board have each recently 
     reviewed the Fusion Energy Sciences Program and each strongly 
     supports the fundamental science and creative innovation of 
     the program, and has confirmed that progress toward the goal 
     of producing practical fusion energy has been excellent;
       (7) each of these reviews stressed the need for the Fusion 
     Energy Sciences Program to move forward to a magnetic fusion 
     burning plasma experiment, capable of producing substantial 
     fusion power output and providing key information for the 
     advancement of fusion science;
       (8) the National Academy of Sciences has also called for a 
     broadening of the Fusion Energy Sciences Program research 
     base as a means to more fully integrate the fusion science 
     community into the broader scientific community; and
       (9) the Fusion Energy Sciences Program budget is inadequate 
     to support the necessary science and innovation for the 
     present generation of experiments, and cannot accommodate the 
     cost of a burning plasma experiment constructed by the United 
     States, or even the cost of key participation by the United 
     States in an international effort.

     SEC. 3. PLAN FOR FUSION EXPERIMENT.

       (a) Plan for United States Fusion Experiment.--The 
     Secretary of Energy (in this Act referred to as `the 
     Secretary'), on the basis of full consultation with, and the 
     recommendation of, the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory 
     Committee (in this Act referred to as ``FESAC''), shall 
     develop a plan for United States construction of a magnetic 
     fusion burning plasma experiment for the purpose of 
     accelerating scientific understanding of fusion plasmas. The 
     Secretary shall request a review of the plan by the National 
     Academy of Sciences, and shall transmit the plan and the 
     review to the Congress by July 1, 2004.
       (b) Requirements of Plan.--The plan described in subsection 
     (a) shall--
       (1) address key burning plasma physics issues; and
       (2) include specific information on the scientific 
     capabilities of the proposed experiment, the relevance of 
     these capabilities to the goal of practical fusion energy, 
     and the overall design of the experiment including its 
     estimated cost and potential construction sites.
       (c) United States Participation in an International 
     Experiment.--In addition to the plan described in subsection 
     (a), the Secretary, on the basis of full consultation with, 
     and the recommendation of, FESAC, may also develop a plan for 
     United States participation in an international burning 
     plasma experiment for the same purpose, whose construction is 
     found by the Secretary to be highly likely and where United 
     States participation is cost effective relative to the cost 
     and scientific benefits of a domestic experiment described in 
     subsection (a). If the Secretary elects to develop a plan 
     under this subsection, he shall include the information 
     described in subsection (b), and an estimate of the cost of 
     United States participation in such an international 
     experiment. The Secretary shall request a review by the 
     National Academies of Sciences and Engineering of a plan 
     developed under this subsection, and shall transmit the plan 
     and the review to the Congress no later than July 1, 2004.
       (d) Authorization of Research and Development.--The 
     Secretary, through the Fusion Energy Sciences Program, may 
     conduct any research and development necessary to fully 
     develop the plans described in this section.

     SEC. 4. PLAN FOR FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES PROGRAM.

       Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary, in full

[[Page S7098]]

     consultation with FESAC, shall develop and transmit to the 
     Congress a plan for the purpose of ensuring a strong 
     scientific base for the Fusion Energy Sciences Program and to 
     enable the experiment described in section 3. Such plan shall 
     include as its objectives--
       (1) to ensure that existing fusion research facilities and 
     equipment are more fully utilized with appropriate 
     measurements and control tools;
       (2) to ensure a strengthened fusion science theory and 
     computational base;
       (3) to encourage and ensure that the selection of and 
     funding for new magnetic and inertial fusion research 
     facilities is based on scientific innovation and cost 
     effectiveness;
       (4) to improve the communication of scientific results and 
     methods between the fusion science community and the wider 
     scientific community;
       (5) to ensure that adequate support is provided to optimize 
     the design of the magnetic fusion burning plasma experiments 
     referred to in section 3; and
       (6) to ensure that inertial confinement fusion facilities 
     are utilized to the extent practicable for the purpose of 
     inertial fusion energy research and development.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
     for the development and review of the plans described in this 
     Act and for activities of the Fusion Energy Sciences Program 
     $320,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and $335,000,000 for fiscal 
     year 2003.

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleague, 
Senator Larry Craig, in introducing this legislation to accelerate the 
development of fusion energy as a practical and realistic alternative 
to fossil fuels for our nation's energy needs.
  I would also like to commend my colleague, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, 
who introduced the ``Fusion Energy Sciences Act of 2001'' on the House 
side as H.R. 1781.
  Since the beginning of the Manhattan Project, scientists have been 
trying to harness energy from fusion to produce electricity. This 
legislation will help the scientific community expedite the development 
of fusion as a viable option for our energy needs.
  To help fusion science move from the lab to the grid, this bill fast-
tracks a key experimental fusion project. This bill also authorizes 
$320 million for Fiscal Year 2002 and $335 million for Fiscal Year 2003 
to speed up fusion's current estimated 45-year implementation 
timetable.
  I have spoken frequently to my colleagues on California's current 
energy situation.
  Last week the Department of Energy predicted the State will suffer 
from around 110 hours of rolling blackouts this summer. Experts say 
$21.8 billion of economic output will be lost and over 135,000 workers 
will lose their jobs because of this summer's blackouts.
  I will continue to try to help California and the rest of the West in 
the short-term. Making rolling blackouts less frequent, lowering 
electricity costs on the wholesale market, keeping natural gas prices 
reasonable, and bringing new supplies of power online are the key 
objectives I have been working toward to bring stability to the Western 
Energy Market.
  While I work on the short-term problems in California, I join my 
colleague from Idaho on this bill to develop a key long-term solution 
to our current energy problems.
  As world populations grow, and as civilization advances, we need to 
pursue new energy sources beyond traditional fossil fuels.
  It is no secret that fossil fuels are finite and polluting. Beyond 
expanding renewable energy sources such as those from the sun and the 
wind, fusion holds a great deal of potential to expand our nation's 
energy supply.
  Fusion is a safe, almost inexhaustible energy source with major 
environmental advantages. As a co-sponsor of this legislation, I hope 
to see fusion move quickly from an experiment in the lab to a reality 
for our homes and businesses.
  We have already succeeded in using scientific advancements to harness 
energy occurring elsewhere on our planet. Solar panels collect the 
sun's rays to heat pools and power homes. Windmills transfer nature's 
gusts into electrical currents. Water running from mountaintops to the 
sea can produce significant amounts of hydroelectric power.
  And now, with fusion energy, we will be able to harness the power of 
the stars to create an almost unlimited and clean form of energy.
  Fusion energy is the result of two small hydrogen atoms combining 
into a larger atom. The energy released from this fusion of the atoms 
can be harnessed to generate electricity.
  Unlike nuclear power, which uses radioactive materials for fuel, 
fusion uses hydrogen from water. Unlike fossil fuels, which pollute the 
air when burned, the only byproduct in a hydrogen fusion reaction is 
helium, an element already plentiful in the air.
  Besides being environmentally benign, fusion is a practically 
unlimited fuel source. In fact, scientists predict that using 1 gallon 
of sea water, fusion can yield the energy produced from 300 gallons of 
gasoline. And with fusion, 50 cups of sea water can be the energy 
equivalent of 2 tons of coal.
  Fusion energy has been proven to be a practical energy endeavor, 
worthy of more investment for research and development. So just where 
do we go from here? How do we harness the power of the stars?
  A 1999 review by the Department of Energy's task force on Fusion 
Energy concluded: one, substantial scientific progress has been made in 
the science of fusion energy; two, the budget for fusion research needs 
to grow; and three, a burning plasma experiment needs to be carried 
out.
  To expedite the use of fusion to meet our energy needs, we need to 
strengthen the efforts already underway in fusion research and 
development and create new programs financed by the government.
  Scientists agree that at current funding levels, fusion is 
approximately 45 years away from entering the marketplace as a viable 
energy source.
  This timetable is based upon a three step process in which the 
scientific community can: first, carry out a burning plasma experiment; 
second, build a fusion energy test facility; and third, establish a 
fusion demonstration plant to generate electricity.
  Since practical fusion energy generation is still three stages from 
real implementation, the first thing we can do is fund the development 
of a burning plasma experiment.
  This legislation will ensure this project will happen soon, carried 
out either by the scientific community in the United States, or in 
collaboration with an international effort. The bill requires the 
Secretary of Energy to develop a plan by 2004 for a magnetic fusion 
burning plasma experiment.
  It is important to point out that this bill adds the burning plasma 
experiment in addition to, and not at the expense of, other ongoing 
projects.
  The goal of fusion energy is to create a continually burning fuel 
like a fire refueling itself. Developing a magnetic fusion plasma 
experiment will help the scientific community demonstrate how the heat 
from the fusion reaction can maintain the reaction as a self-generating 
fuel. Strong magnetic fields allow the hydrogen plasma to be heated to 
high temperatures for fusion.
  This legislation will help the scientific community overcome the key 
stumbling block to fusion development. By authorizing $320 million for 
Fiscal Year 2002 and $335 for Fiscal Year 2003 the fusion plasma 
experiment will be carried out and fusion funding that peaked in the 
1970s, but has since tapered off, will be restored.
  Let me just take a moment to mention where this funding is going, 
because it is particularly important for me to point this out.
  Annual Federal funding for fusion energy has averaged around $230 
million in the last few years. In Fiscal Year 2001, Congress 
appropriated $248.49 million for fusion research.
  This money has provided approximately 1,100 jobs in California at the 
following U.S. Fusion Program Participant locations: UC Davis, UC 
Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Cal Tech, UC San Diego, UC 
Irvine, Occidental College, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Sandia 
National Lab, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Lawrence Berkeley 
National Lab, TSI Research Inc. and General Atomics.
  Despite all of the past advancements at these facilities and others, 
the Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee has concluded that lack of 
funding is hindering the technological advance towards fusion energy 
development. And the Department of Energy's task force on Fusion Energy 
has concluded that, ``In light of the promise of fusion,'' funding 
remains ``subcritical.''
  Currently, the international community is outpacing us on the road to 
realizing the myriad benefits of this new energy resource. The Japanese 
budget for this type of research is about 1.5

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times that of the U.S., and the European budget is about 3 times 
greater.
  It is critical that we be the leader in the renewable energy 
resources sector.
  I urge my colleagues to join Senator Craig and me in supporting 
fusion energy as a clean, safe, and abundant energy source for our 
Nation's long-term energy supply.
                                 ______