[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4416-S4417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4796. Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Mr. Brown) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 4685 proposed by Mr. 
Shelby (for himself and Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2578, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, 
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 80, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:

                           General Provisions

       Sec. 301. (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of 
     Congress that--
       (1) conducting deep space exploration requires radioisotope 
     power systems, such as thermoelectric and Stirling generators 
     and converters;
       (2) establishing continuity in the production of the 
     material needed to power such radioisotope power systems is 
     paramount to the success of future deep space missions; and
       (3) Federal agencies supporting the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration through the production of the 
     material described in paragraph (2) should do so in a cost 
     effective manner so as not to impose excessive reimbursement 
     requirements on the Administration.
       (b) Analysis of Requirements and Risks.--The Director of 
     the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the 
     Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration, in consultation with the heads of other 
     Federal agencies, shall conduct an analysis of--
       (1) the requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration for radioisotope power system material that is 
     needed to carry out planned, high priority robotic missions 
     in the solar system and other surface exploration activities 
     beyond low-Earth orbit; and
       (2) the risks to missions of the Administration in meeting 
     those requirements, or any additional requirements, due to a 
     lack of adequate radioisotope power system material.
       (c) Contents of Analysis.--The analysis conducted under 
     subsection (b) shall--
       (1) detail the current projected mission requirements and 
     associated timeframes for radioisotope power systems and 
     radioisotope power system material;
       (2) explain the assumptions used to determine the 
     requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration for the material, including--
       (A) the planned use of advanced thermal conversion 
     technology, such as advanced thermocouples and Stirling 
     generators and converters; and
       (B) the risks and implications of, and contingencies for, 
     any delays or unanticipated technical challenges affecting or 
     related to the mission plans of the Administration for the 
     anticipated use of advanced thermal conversion technology;
       (3) assess the risk to the programs of the Administration 
     of any potential delays in achieving the schedule and 
     milestones for planned domestic production of radioisotope 
     power system material;
       (4) outline a process for meeting any additional 
     Administration requirements for the material;
       (5) estimate the incremental costs required to increase the 
     amount of material produced each year, if such an increase is 
     needed to support additional Administration requirements for 
     the material;
       (6) detail how the Administration and other Federal 
     agencies will manage, operate, and fund production facilities 
     and the design

[[Page S4417]]

     and development of all radioisotope power systems used by the 
     Administration and other Federal agencies as necessary;
       (7) specify the steps the Administrator will take, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Energy, to preserve the 
     infrastructure and workforce necessary for production of 
     radioisotope power systems and ensure that Administration 
     reimbursements to the Department of Energy associated with 
     such preservation are equitable and justified;
       (8) identify the steps the Administrator will take to 
     preserve taxpayer investment to date in Advanced Stirling 
     Convertor technology; and
       (9) detail how the Administrator has implemented or 
     rejected the recommendations of the National Research Council 
     in the 2009 report titled ``Radioisotope Power Systems: An 
     Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space 
     Exploration''.
       (d) Transmittal.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration shall transmit the 
     results of the analysis conducted under subsection (b) to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
     the House of Representatives.
                                 ______