[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 24, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H646-H657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ACT



 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  January 24, 2017 on Page H646 the following appeared: 
proceedings on this question will be postponed. ------------------
------ DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: proceedings on 
this question will be postponed. ------------------------ 
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore. 
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair will postpone further 
proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a 
recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered, or on which the 
vote incurs objectionunder clause 6 of rule XX. Record votes on 
postponed questions will be taken later. ------------------------ 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 589) to establish Department of Energy policy for 
science and energy research and development programs, and reform 
National Laboratory management and technology transfer programs, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 589

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Department 
     of Energy Research and Innovation Act''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

       TITLE I--LABORATORY MODERNIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Inclusion of early stage technology demonstration in 
              authorized technology transfer activities.
Sec. 103. Sense of Congress on accelerating energy innovation.
Sec. 104. Restoration of laboratory directed research and development 
              program.
Sec. 105. Research grants database.
Sec. 106. Technology transfer and transitions assessment.
Sec. 107. Agreements for commercializing technology pilot program.
Sec. 108. Short-term cost-share pilot program.

          TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH COORDINATION

Sec. 201. Short title.

[[Page H647]]

Sec. 202. Protection of information.
Sec. 203. Crosscutting research and development.
Sec. 204. Strategic research portfolio analysis and coordination plan.
Sec. 205. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.
Sec. 206. Energy Innovation Hubs.

        TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF SCIENCE POLICY

Sec. 301. Short title.
Sec. 302. Mission.
Sec. 303. Basic energy sciences.
Sec. 304. Advanced scientific computing research.
Sec. 305. High-energy physics.
Sec. 306. Biological and environmental research.
Sec. 307. Fusion energy.
Sec. 308. Nuclear physics.
Sec. 309. Science laboratories infrastructure program.

            TITLE IV--NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION CAPABILITIES

Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Nuclear energy innovation capabilities.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Energy.
       (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Office of Science of the Department, except as otherwise 
     indicated.
       (3) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.

       TITLE I--LABORATORY MODERNIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Laboratory Modernization 
     and Technology Transfer Act''.

     SEC. 102. INCLUSION OF EARLY STAGE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION 
                   IN AUTHORIZED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES.

       Section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16391) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
       ``(g) Early Stage Technology Demonstration.--The Secretary 
     shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to 
     use funds authorized to support technology transfer within 
     the Department to carry out early stage and precommercial 
     technology demonstration activities to remove technology 
     barriers that limit private sector interest and demonstrate 
     potential commercial applications of any research and 
     technologies arising from National Laboratory activities.''.

     SEC. 103. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ACCELERATING ENERGY 
                   INNOVATION.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) although important progress has been made in cost 
     reduction and deployment of clean energy technologies, 
     accelerating clean energy innovation will help meet critical 
     competitiveness, energy security, and environmental goals;
       (2) accelerating the pace of clean energy innovation in the 
     United States calls for--
       (A) supporting existing research and development programs 
     at the Department and the world-class National Laboratories;
       (B) exploring and developing new pathways for innovators, 
     investors, and decision-makers to leverage the resources of 
     the Department for addressing the challenges and comparative 
     strengths of geographic regions; and
       (C) recognizing the financial constraints of the 
     Department, regularly reviewing clean energy programs to 
     ensure that taxpayer investments are maximized;
       (3) the energy supply, demand, policies, markets, and 
     resource options of the United States vary by geographic 
     region;
       (4) a regional approach to innovation can bridge the gaps 
     between local talent, institutions, and industries to 
     identify opportunities and convert United States investment 
     into domestic companies; and
       (5) Congress, the Secretary, and energy industry 
     participants should advance efforts that promote 
     international, domestic, and regional cooperation on the 
     research and development of energy innovations that--
       (A) provide clean, affordable, and reliable energy for 
     everyone;
       (B) promote economic growth;
       (C) are critical for energy security; and
       (D) are sustainable without government support.

     SEC. 104. RESTORATION OF LABORATORY DIRECTED RESEARCH AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
     Secretary shall ensure that laboratory operating contractors 
     do not allocate costs of general and administrative overhead 
     to laboratory directed research and development.
       (b) Exception for National Security Laboratories.--This 
     section shall not apply to the national security laboratories 
     with respect to which section 3119 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328) 
     applies.

     SEC. 105. RESEARCH GRANTS DATABASE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and maintain 
     a public database, accessible on the website of the 
     Department, that contains a searchable listing of each 
     unclassified research and development project contract, 
     grant, cooperative agreement, task order for a federally 
     funded research and development center, or other transaction 
     administered by the Department.
       (b) Requirements.--Each listing described in subsection (a) 
     shall include, at a minimum, for each listed project, the 
     Department office carrying out the project, the project name, 
     an abstract or summary of the project, funding levels, 
     project duration, contractor or grantee name (including the 
     names of any subcontractors), and expected objectives and 
     milestones.
       (c) Relevant Literature and Patents.--The Secretary shall 
     provide information through the public database established 
     under subsection (a) on relevant literature and patents that 
     are associated with each research and development project 
     contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, or other 
     transaction, of the Department.

     SEC. 106. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRANSITIONS ASSESSMENT.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, and as often as the Secretary determines to be necessary 
     thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report that includes recommended 
     changes to the policy of the Department and legislative 
     changes to section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
     U.S.C. 16391) to improve the ability of the Department to 
     successfully transfer new energy technologies to the private 
     sector.

     SEC. 107. AGREEMENTS FOR COMMERCIALIZING TECHNOLOGY PILOT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
     Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program of 
     the Department, as announced by the Secretary on December 8, 
     2011, in accordance with this section.
       (b) Terms.--Each agreement entered into pursuant to the 
     pilot program referred to in subsection (a) shall provide to 
     the contractor of the applicable National Laboratory, to the 
     maximum extent determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, 
     increased authority to negotiate contract terms, such as 
     intellectual property rights, payment structures, performance 
     guarantees, and multiparty collaborations.
       (c) Eligibility.--
       (1) In general.--Any director of a National Laboratory may 
     enter into an agreement pursuant to the pilot program 
     referred to in subsection (a).
       (2) Agreements with non-federal entities.--To carry out 
     paragraph (1) and subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary 
     shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to 
     execute agreements with a non-Federal entity, including a 
     non-Federal entity already receiving Federal funding that 
     will be used to support activities under agreements executed 
     pursuant to paragraph (1), provided that such funding is 
     solely used to carry out the purposes of the Federal award.
       (3) Restriction.--The requirements of chapter 18 of title 
     35, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Bayh-Dole 
     Act'') shall apply if--
       (A) the agreement is a funding agreement (as that term is 
     defined in section 201 of that title); and
       (B) at least one of the parties to the funding agreement is 
     eligible to receive rights under that chapter.
       (d) Submission to Secretary.--Each affected director of a 
     National Laboratory shall submit to the Secretary, with 
     respect to each agreement entered into under this section--
       (1) a summary of information relating to the relevant 
     project;
       (2) the total estimated costs of the project;
       (3) estimated commencement and completion dates of the 
     project; and
       (4) other documentation determined to be appropriate by the 
     Secretary.
       (e) Certification.--The Secretary shall require the 
     contractor of the affected National Laboratory to certify 
     that each activity carried out under a project for which an 
     agreement is entered into under this section--
       (1) is not in direct competition with the private sector; 
     and
       (2) does not present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict 
     of interest, and avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of 
     interest, as a result of the agreement under this section.
       (f) Extension.--The pilot program referred to in subsection 
     (a) shall be extended until September 30, 2019.
       (g) Reports.--
       (1) Overall assessment.--Not later than 60 days after the 
     date described in subsection (f), the Secretary, in 
     coordination with directors of the National Laboratories, 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     report that--
       (A) assesses the overall effectiveness of the pilot program 
     referred to in subsection (a);
       (B) identifies opportunities to improve the effectiveness 
     of the pilot program;
       (C) assesses the potential for program activities to 
     interfere with the responsibilities of the National 
     Laboratories to the Department; and
       (D) provides a recommendation regarding the future of the 
     pilot program.
       (2) Transparency.--The Secretary, in coordination with 
     directors of the National Laboratories, shall submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress an annual report that 
     accounts for all incidences of, and provides a justification 
     for, non-Federal entities using funds derived from a Federal 
     contract or award to carry out agreements pursuant to this 
     section.

[[Page H648]]

  


     SEC. 108. SHORT-TERM COST-SHARE PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Except as provided in 
     paragraphs (2) and (3)'' and inserting ``Except as provided 
     in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Exemption for institutions of higher education and 
     other nonprofit institutions.--
       ``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a 
     research or development activity performed by an institution 
     of higher education or nonprofit institution (as defined in 
     section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act 
     of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)).
       ``(B) Termination date.--The exemption under subparagraph 
     (A) shall apply during the 2-year period beginning on the 
     date of enactment of this paragraph.''.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) Initial report.--As soon as practicable after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes 
     the use of cost-sharing waivers by the Department under 
     section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16352(b)) during the 2-year period ending on the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       (2) Annual reports.--Annually during the 2-year period 
     beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     report that describes the use of cost-sharing waivers by the 
     Department under section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)) during the period covered by the 
     report.

          TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH COORDINATION

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Department of Energy 
     Research Coordination Act''.

     SEC. 202. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION.

       Section 5012 of the America Competes Act (42 U.S.C. 16538) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``subsection (n)(1)'' 
     and inserting ``subsection (o)(1)'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (n) as subsection (o); and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (m) the following:
       ``(n) Protection of Information.--The following types of 
     information collected by ARPA-E from recipients of financial 
     assistance awards shall be considered commercial and 
     financial information obtained from a person and privileged 
     or confidential and not subject to disclosure under section 
     552(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code:
       ``(1) Plans for commercialization of technologies developed 
     under the award, including business plans, technology-to-
     market plans, market studies, and cost and performance 
     models.
       ``(2) Investments provided to an awardee from third parties 
     (such as venture capital firms, hedge funds, and private 
     equity firms), including amounts and the percentage of 
     ownership of the awardee provided in return for the 
     investments.
       ``(3) Additional financial support that the awardee--
       ``(A) plans to or has invested into the technology 
     developed under the award; or
       ``(B) is seeking from third parties.
       ``(4) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new products or 
     services resulting from research conducted under the 
     award.''.

     SEC. 203. CROSSCUTTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall use the capabilities 
     of the Department to identify strategic opportunities for 
     collaborative research, development, demonstration, and 
     commercial application of innovative science and 
     technologies.
       (b) Existing Programs; Coordination of Activities.--To the 
     maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall seek--
       (1) to leverage existing programs of the Department; and
       (2) to consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the 
     Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting 
     approaches within programs of the Department.
       (c) Additional Actions.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) prioritize activities that use all affordable domestic 
     resources;
       (2) develop a planning, evaluation, and technical 
     assessment framework for setting objective long-term 
     strategic goals and evaluating progress that--
       (A) ensures integrity and independence; and
       (B) provides the flexibility to adapt to market dynamics;
       (3) ensure that activities shall be undertaken in a manner 
     that does not duplicate other activities within the 
     Department or other Federal Government activities; and
       (4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to 
     the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
     institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.

     SEC. 204. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND 
                   COORDINATION PLAN.

       The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by striking 
     section 994 (42 U.S.C. 16358) and inserting the following:

     ``SEC. 994. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND 
                   COORDINATION PLAN.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall periodically review 
     all of the science and technology activities of the 
     Department in a strategic framework that takes into account--
       ``(1) the frontiers of science to which the Department can 
     contribute;
       ``(2) the national needs relevant to the statutory missions 
     of the Department; and
       ``(3) global energy dynamics.
       ``(b) Coordination Analysis and Plan.--
       ``(1) In general.--As part of the review under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall develop a plan to improve 
     coordination and collaboration in research, development, 
     demonstration, and commercial application activities across 
     organizational boundaries of the Department.
       ``(2) Plan contents.--The plan developed under paragraph 
     (1) shall describe--
       ``(A) crosscutting scientific and technical issues and 
     research questions that span more than 1 program or major 
     office of the Department;
       ``(B) ways in which the applied technology programs of the 
     Department are coordinating activities and addressing the 
     questions referred to in subparagraph (A);
       ``(C) ways in which the technical interchange within the 
     Department, particularly between the Office of Science and 
     the applied technology programs, could be enhanced, including 
     ways in which the research agendas of the Office of Science 
     and the applied programs could better interact and assist 
     each other;
       ``(D) ways in which the Secretary would ensure that the 
     overall research agenda of the Department includes, in 
     addition to fundamental, curiosity-driven research, 
     fundamental research related to topics of concern to the 
     applied programs, and applications in Departmental technology 
     programs of research results generated by fundamental, 
     curiosity-driven research;
       ``(E) critical assessments of any ongoing programs that 
     have experienced subpar performance or cost overruns of 10 
     percent or more over 1 or more years;
       ``(F) any activities that may be more effectively left to 
     the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
     institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders; and
       ``(G) detailed evaluations and proposals for innovation 
     hubs, institutes, and research centers of the Department, 
     including--
       ``(i) an affirmation that the hubs, institutes, and 
     research centers will--

       ``(I) advance the mission of the Department; and
       ``(II) prioritize research, development, and demonstration; 
     and

       ``(ii) an affirmation that any hubs, institutes, or 
     research centers that are established or renewed within the 
     Office of Science are consistent with the mission of the 
     Office of Science described in subsection (c) of section 209 
     of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 
     7139).
       ``(c) Submission to Congress.--Every 4 years, the Secretary 
     shall submit to Congress--
       ``(1) the results of the review under subsection (a); and
       ``(2) the coordination plan under subsection (b).''.

     SEC. 205. STRATEGY FOR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

       (a) Amendments.--Section 993 of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16357) is amended--
       (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
     following: ``strategy for facilities and infrastructure''; 
     and
       (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``2008'' and 
     inserting ``2018''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by striking 
     the item relating to section 993 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 993. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.''.

     SEC. 206. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Advanced energy technology.--The term ``advanced energy 
     technology'' means--
       (A) an innovative technology--
       (i) that produces energy from solar, wind, geothermal, 
     biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or other renewable energy 
     resources;
       (ii) that produces nuclear energy;
       (iii) for carbon capture and sequestration;
       (iv) that enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components, 
     and related technologies that result in significant energy 
     savings;
       (v) that generates, transmits, distributes, uses, or stores 
     energy more efficiently than conventional technologies, 
     including through Smart Grid technologies; or
       (vi) that enhances the energy independence and security of 
     the United States by enabling improved or expanded supply and 
     production of domestic energy resources, including coal, oil, 
     and natural gas;
       (B) a research, development, demonstration, or commercial 
     application activity necessary to ensure the long-term, 
     secure, and sustainable supply of an energy-critical element; 
     or
       (C) any other innovative energy technology area identified 
     by the Secretary.
       (2) Hub.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Hub'' means an Energy 
     Innovation Hub established under this section.
       (B) Inclusion.--The term ``Hub'' includes any Energy 
     Innovation Hub in existence on the date of enactment of this 
     Act.

[[Page H649]]

       (3) Qualifying entity.--The term ``qualifying entity'' 
     means--
       (A) an institution of higher education;
       (B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including a 
     federally funded research and development center of the 
     Department;
       (C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise in 
     advanced energy technology research, development, 
     demonstration, or commercial application; or
       (D) any other relevant entity the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       (b) Authorization of Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
     enhance the economic, environmental, and energy security of 
     the United States by making awards to consortia for 
     establishing and operating hubs, to be known as ``Energy 
     Innovation Hubs'', to conduct and support, at, if 
     practicable, 1 centralized location, multidisciplinary, 
     collaborative research, development, demonstration, and 
     commercial application of advanced energy technologies.
       (2) Technology development focus.--The Secretary shall 
     designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology or 
     basic research focus.
       (3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure the 
     coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the 
     activities of each Hub with the activities of--
       (A) other research entities of the Department, including 
     the National Laboratories, the Advanced Research Projects 
     Agency--Energy, and Energy Frontier Research Centers; and
       (B) industry.
       (c) Application Process.--
       (1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award for 
     the establishment and operation of a Hub under subsection 
     (b)(1), a consortium shall--
       (A) be composed of not fewer than 2 qualifying entities;
       (B) operate subject to a binding agreement, entered into by 
     each member of the consortium, that documents--
       (i) the proposed partnership agreement, including the 
     governance and management structure of the Hub;
       (ii) measures the consortium will undertake to enable cost-
     effective implementation of activities under the program 
     described in subsection (b)(1); and
       (iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions 
     from non-Federal sources; and
       (C) operate as a nonprofit organization.
       (2) Application.--
       (A) In general.--A consortium seeking to establish and 
     operate a Hub under subsection (b)(1) shall submit to the 
     Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and 
     containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
     including a detailed description of each element of the 
     consortium agreement required under paragraph (1)(B).
       (B) Requirement.--If the consortium members will not be 
     located at 1 centralized location, the application under 
     subparagraph (A) shall include a communications plan that 
     ensures close coordination and integration of Hub activities.
       (3) Selection.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall select consortia for 
     awards for the establishment and operation of Hubs through a 
     competitive selection process.
       (B) Considerations.--In selecting consortia under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider--
       (i) the information disclosed by the consortium under this 
     subsection; and
       (ii) any existing facilities a consortium will provide for 
     Hub activities.
       (d) Term.--
       (1) In general.--An award made to a Hub under this section 
     shall be for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to 
     the availability of appropriations, after which the award may 
     be renewed, subject to a rigorous merit review.
       (2) Existing hubs.--A Hub already in existence on, or 
     undergoing a renewal process on, the date of enactment of 
     this Act--
       (A) may continue to receive support during the 5-year 
     period beginning on the date of establishment of that Hub; 
     and
       (B) shall be eligible for renewal of that support at the 
     end of that 5-year period.
       (e) Hub Operations.--
       (1) In general.--Each Hub shall conduct or provide for 
     multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, 
     demonstration, and commercial application of advanced energy 
     technologies within the technology development focus 
     designated under subsection (b)(2).
       (2) Activities.--Each Hub shall--
       (A) encourage collaboration and communication among the 
     member qualifying entities of the consortium and awardees;
       (B) develop and publish proposed plans and programs on a 
     publicly accessible website;
       (C) submit an annual report to the Department summarizing 
     the activities of the Hub, including--
       (i) detailing organizational expenditures; and
       (ii) describing each project undertaken by the Hub; and
       (D) monitor project implementation and coordination.
       (3) Conflicts of interest.--Each Hub shall maintain 
     conflict of interest procedures, consistent with the conflict 
     of interest procedures of the Department.
       (4) Prohibition on construction.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B)--
       (i) no funds provided under this section may be used for 
     construction of new buildings or facilities for Hubs; and
       (ii) construction of new buildings or facilities shall not 
     be considered as part of the non-Federal share of a Hub cost-
     sharing agreement.
       (B) Test bed and renovation exception.--Nothing in this 
     paragraph prohibits the use of funds provided under this 
     section or non-Federal cost share funds for the construction 
     of a test bed or renovations to existing buildings or 
     facilities for the purposes of research if the Secretary 
     determines that the test bed or renovations are limited to a 
     scope and scale necessary for the research to be conducted.

        TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF SCIENCE POLICY

     SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Department of Energy 
     Office of Science Policy Act''.

     SEC. 302. MISSION.

       Section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 7139) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(c) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Science shall 
     be the delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and 
     major scientific tools to transform the understanding of 
     nature and to advance the energy, economic, and national 
     security of the United States.''.

     SEC. 303. BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES.

       (a) Energy Frontier Research Centers.--
       (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to 
     provide awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to 
     multi-institutional collaborations or other appropriate 
     entities to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy 
     research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
       (2) Collaborations.--A collaboration receiving an award 
     under this subsection may include multiple types of 
     institutions and private sector entities.
       (3) Selection and duration.--
       (A) In general.--A collaboration under this subsection 
     shall be selected for a period of 4 years.
       (B) Existing centers.--An Energy Frontier Research Center 
     in existence and supported by the Director on the date of 
     enactment of this Act may continue to receive support for a 
     period of 4 years beginning on the date of establishment of 
     that center.
       (C) Reapplication.--After the end of the period described 
     in subparagraph (A) or (B), as applicable, a recipient of an 
     award may reapply for selection on a competitive, merit-
     reviewed basis.
       (D) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities 
     of the Department, the Director may terminate an 
     underperforming center for cause during the performance 
     period.
       (4) No funding for construction.--No funding provided 
     pursuant to this subsection may be used for the construction 
     of new buildings or facilities.
       (b) Basic Energy Sciences User Facilities.--
       (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program for 
     the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of 
     national user facilities.
       (2) Requirements.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
     national user facilities developed, constructed, operated, or 
     maintained under paragraph (1) shall serve the needs of the 
     Department, industry, the academic community, and other 
     relevant entities to create and examine materials and 
     chemical processes for the purpose of improving the 
     competitiveness of the United States.
       (3) Included facilities.--The national user facilities 
     developed, constructed, operated, or maintained under 
     paragraph (1) shall include--
       (A) x-ray light sources;
       (B) neutron sources;
       (C) nanoscale science research centers; and
       (D) such other facilities as the Director considers 
     appropriate, consistent with section 209 of the Department of 
     Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139).
       (c) Accelerator Research and Development.--The Director 
     shall carry out research and development on advanced 
     accelerator and storage ring technologies relevant to the 
     development of basic energy sciences user facilities, in 
     consultation with the High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics 
     programs of the Office of Science.
       (d) Solar Fuels Research Initiative.--
       (1) In general.--Section 973 of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16313) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 973. SOLAR FUELS RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

       ``(a) Initiative.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a research 
     initiative, to be known as the `Solar Fuels Research 
     Initiative' (referred to in this section as the `Initiative') 
     to expand theoretical and fundamental knowledge of 
     photochemistry, electrochemistry, biochemistry, and materials 
     science useful for the practical development of experimental 
     systems to convert solar energy to chemical energy.
       ``(2) Leveraging.--In carrying out programs and activities 
     under the Initiative, the Secretary shall leverage expertise 
     and resources from--
       ``(A) the Basic Energy Sciences Program and the Biological 
     and Environmental Research Program of the Office of Science; 
     and
       ``(B) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
       ``(3) Teams.--

[[Page H650]]

       ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the Initiative, the 
     Secretary shall organize activities among multidisciplinary 
     teams to leverage, to the maximum extent practicable, 
     expertise from the National Laboratories, institutions of 
     higher education, and the private sector.
       ``(B) Goals.--The multidisciplinary teams described in 
     subparagraph (A) shall pursue aggressive, milestone-driven, 
     basic research goals.
       ``(C) Resources.--The Secretary shall provide sufficient 
     resources to the multidisciplinary teams described in 
     subparagraph (A) to achieve the goals described in 
     subparagraph (B) over a period of time to be determined by 
     the Secretary.
       ``(4) Additional activities.--The Secretary may organize 
     additional activities under this subsection through Energy 
     Frontier Research Centers, Energy Innovation Hubs, or other 
     organizational structures.
       ``(b) Artificial Photosynthesis.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out under the 
     Initiative a program to support research needed to bridge 
     scientific barriers to, and discover knowledge relevant to, 
     artificial photosynthetic systems.
       ``(2) Activities.--As part of the program described in 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences 
     shall support basic research to pursue distinct lines of 
     scientific inquiry, including--
       ``(i) photoinduced production of hydrogen and oxygen from 
     water; and
       ``(ii) the sustainable photoinduced reduction of carbon 
     dioxide to fuel products including hydrocarbons, alcohols, 
     carbon monoxide, and natural gas; and
       ``(B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy shall support translational research, 
     development, and validation of physical concepts developed 
     under the program.
       ``(3) Standard of review.--The Secretary shall review 
     activities carried out under the program described in 
     paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical 
     milestones.
       ``(4) Prohibition.--No funds allocated to the program 
     described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for 
     commercial application of energy technology.
       ``(c) Biochemistry, Replication of Natural Photosynthesis, 
     and Related Processes.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out under the 
     Initiative a program to support research needed to replicate 
     natural photosynthetic processes by use of artificial 
     photosynthetic components and materials.
       ``(2) Activities.--As part of the program described in 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences 
     shall support basic research to expand fundamental knowledge 
     to replicate natural synthesis processes, including--
       ``(i) the photoinduced reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia;
       ``(ii) the absorption of carbon dioxide from ambient air;
       ``(iii) molecular-based charge separation and storage;
       ``(iv) photoinitiated electron transfer; and
       ``(v) catalysis in biological or biomimetic systems;
       ``(B) the Associate Director of Biological and 
     Environmental Research shall support systems biology and 
     genomics approaches to understand genetic and physiological 
     pathways connected to photosynthetic mechanisms; and
       ``(C) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy shall support translational research, 
     development, and validation of physical concepts developed 
     under the program.
       ``(3) Standard of review.--The Secretary shall review 
     activities carried out under the program described in 
     paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical 
     milestones.
       ``(4) Prohibition.--No funds allocated to the program 
     described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for 
     commercial application of energy technology.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of contents for the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by striking the item 
     relating to section 973 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 973. Solar fuels research initiative.''.
       (e) Electricity Storage Research Initiative.--
       (1) In general.--Section 975 of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16315) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 975. ELECTRICITY STORAGE RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

       ``(a) Initiative.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a research 
     initiative, to be known as the `Electricity Storage Research 
     Initiative' (referred to in this section as the 
     `Initiative')--
       ``(A) to expand theoretical and fundamental knowledge to 
     control, store, and convert--
       ``(i) electrical energy to chemical energy; and
       ``(ii) chemical energy to electrical energy; and
       ``(B) to support scientific inquiry into the practical 
     understanding of chemical and physical processes that occur 
     within systems involving crystalline and amorphous solids, 
     polymers, and organic and aqueous liquids.
       ``(2) Leveraging.--In carrying out programs and activities 
     under the Initiative, the Secretary shall leverage expertise 
     and resources from--
       ``(A) the Basic Energy Sciences Program, the Advanced 
     Scientific Computing Research Program, and the Biological and 
     Environmental Research Program of the Office of Science; and
       ``(B) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
       ``(3) Teams.--
       ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the Initiative, the 
     Secretary shall organize activities among multidisciplinary 
     teams to leverage, to the maximum extent practicable, 
     expertise from the National Laboratories, institutions of 
     higher education, and the private sector.
       ``(B) Goals.--The multidisciplinary teams described in 
     subparagraph (A) shall pursue aggressive, milestone-driven, 
     basic research goals.
       ``(C) Resources.--The Secretary shall provide sufficient 
     resources to the multidisciplinary teams described in 
     subparagraph (A) to achieve the goals described in 
     subparagraph (B) over a period of time to be determined by 
     the Secretary.
       ``(4) Additional activities.--The Secretary may organize 
     additional activities under this subsection through Energy 
     Frontier Research Centers, Energy Innovation Hubs, or other 
     organizational structures.
       ``(b) Multivalent Systems.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out under the 
     Initiative a program to support research needed to bridge 
     scientific barriers to, and discover knowledge relevant to, 
     multivalent ion materials in electric energy storage systems.
       ``(2) Activities.--As part of the program described in 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences 
     shall investigate electrochemical properties and the dynamics 
     of materials, including charge transfer phenomena and mass 
     transport in materials; and
       ``(B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy shall support translational research, 
     development, and validation of physical concepts developed 
     under the program.
       ``(3) Standard of review.--The Secretary shall review 
     activities carried out under the program described in 
     paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical 
     milestones.
       ``(4) Prohibition.--No funds allocated to the program 
     described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for 
     commercial application of energy technology.
       ``(c) Electrochemistry Modeling and Simulation.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out under the 
     Initiative a program to support research to model and 
     simulate organic electrolytes, including the static and 
     dynamic electrochemical behavior and phenomena of organic 
     electrolytes at the molecular and atomic level in monovalent 
     and multivalent systems.
       ``(2) Activities.--As part of the program described in 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, 
     in coordination with the Associate Director of Advanced 
     Scientific Computing Research, shall support the development 
     of high performance computational tools through a joint 
     development process to maximize the effectiveness of current 
     and projected high performance computing systems; and
       ``(B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy shall support translational research, 
     development, and validation of physical concepts developed 
     under the program.
       ``(3) Standard of review.--The Secretary shall review 
     activities carried out under the program described in 
     paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical 
     milestones.
       ``(4) Prohibition.--No funds allocated to the program 
     described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for 
     commercial application of energy technology.
       ``(d) Mesoscale Electrochemistry.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out under the 
     Initiative a program to support research needed to reveal 
     electrochemistry in confined mesoscale spaces, including 
     scientific discoveries relevant to--
       ``(A) bio-electrochemistry and electrochemical energy 
     conversion and storage in confined spaces; and
       ``(B) the dynamics of the phenomena described in 
     subparagraph (A).
       ``(2) Activities.--As part of the program described in 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences 
     and the Associate Director of Biological and Environmental 
     Research shall investigate phenomena of mesoscale 
     electrochemical confinement for the purpose of replicating 
     and controlling new electrochemical behavior; and
       ``(B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy shall support translational research, 
     development, and validation of physical concepts developed 
     under the program.
       ``(3) Standard of review.--The Secretary shall review 
     activities carried out under the program described in 
     paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical 
     milestones.
       ``(4) Prohibition.--No funds allocated to the program 
     described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for 
     commercial application of energy technology.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of contents for the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by striking the item 
     relating to section 975 and inserting the following:


[[Page H651]]


``Sec. 975. Electricity storage research initiative.''.

     SEC. 304. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING RESEARCH.

       (a) American Super Computing Leadership.--
       (1) Renaming of act.--
       (A) In general.--Section 1 of the Department of Energy 
     High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5501 
     note; Public Law 108-423) is amended by striking ``Department 
     of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004'' and 
     inserting ``American Super Computing Leadership Act of 
     2017''.
       (B) Conforming amendment.--Section 976(a)(1) of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16316(1)) is amended by 
     striking ``Department of Energy High-End Computing 
     Revitalization Act of 2004'' and inserting ``American Super 
     Computing Leadership Act of 2017''.
       (2) Definitions.--Section 2 of the American Super Computing 
     Leadership Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 5541) is amended--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (5) as 
     paragraphs (3) through (6), respectively;
       (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) Department.--The term `Department' means the 
     Department of Energy.
       ``(2) Exascale computing.--The term `exascale computing' 
     means computing through the use of a computing machine that 
     performs near or above 10 to the 18th power operations per 
     second.''; and
       (C) in paragraph (6) (as redesignated by subparagraph (A)), 
     by striking ``, acting through the Director of the Office of 
     Science of the Department of Energy''.
       (3) Department of energy high-end computing research and 
     development program.--Section 3 of the American Super 
     Computing Leadership Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 5542) is 
     amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``program'' and 
     inserting ``coordinated program across the Department'';
       (B) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``, which may'' and 
     all that follows through ``architectures''; and
       (C) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
       ``(d) Exascale Computing Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a research 
     program (referred to in this subsection as the `Program') for 
     exascale computing, including the development of 2 or more 
     exascale computing machine architectures, to promote the 
     missions of the Department.
       ``(2) Execution.--
       ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(i) establish 2 or more National Laboratory partnerships 
     with industry partners and institutions of higher education 
     for the research and development of 2 or more exascale 
     computing architectures across all applicable organizations 
     of the Department;
       ``(ii) conduct mission-related codesign activities in 
     developing the exascale computing architectures under clause 
     (i);
       ``(iii) develop such advancements in hardware and software 
     technology as are required to fully realize the potential of 
     an exascale production system in addressing Department target 
     applications and solving scientific problems involving 
     predictive modeling and simulation and large scale data 
     analytics and management;
       ``(iv) explore the use of exascale computing technologies 
     to advance a broad range of science and engineering; and
       ``(v) provide, as appropriate, on a competitive, merit-
     reviewed basis, access for researchers in industries in the 
     United States, institutions of higher education, National 
     Laboratories, and other Federal agencies to the exascale 
     computing systems developed pursuant to clause (i).
       ``(B) Selection of partners.--The Secretary shall select 
     the partnerships with the computing facilities of the 
     Department under subparagraph (A) through a competitive, 
     peer-review process.
       ``(3) Codesign and application development.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(i) carry out the Program through an integration of 
     applications, computer science, applied mathematics, and 
     computer hardware architecture using the partnerships 
     established pursuant to paragraph (2) to ensure that, to the 
     maximum extent practicable, 2 or more exascale computing 
     machine architectures are capable of solving Department 
     target applications and broader scientific problems, 
     including predictive modeling and simulation and large scale 
     data analytics and management; and
       ``(ii) conduct outreach programs to increase the readiness 
     for the use of such platforms by domestic industries, 
     including manufacturers.
       ``(B) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
     report describing--
       ``(i) how the integration under subparagraph (A) is 
     furthering application science data and computational 
     workloads across application interests, including national 
     security, material science, physical science, cybersecurity, 
     biological science, the Materials Genome and BRAIN 
     Initiatives of the President, advanced manufacturing, and the 
     national electric grid; and
       ``(ii) the roles and responsibilities of National 
     Laboratories and industry, including the definition of the 
     roles and responsibilities within the Department to ensure an 
     integrated program across the Department.
       ``(4) Project review.--
       ``(A) In general.--The exascale architectures developed 
     pursuant to partnerships established pursuant to paragraph 
     (2) shall be reviewed through a project review process.
       ``(B) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report on--
       ``(i) the results of the review conducted under 
     subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) the coordination and management of the Program to 
     ensure an integrated research program across the Department.
       ``(5) Annual reports.--At the time of the budget submission 
     of the Department for each fiscal year, the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the members of the partnerships established 
     pursuant to paragraph (2), shall submit to Congress a report 
     that describes funding for the Program as a whole by 
     functional element of the Department and critical 
     milestones.''.
       (b) High-performance Computing and Networking Research.--
     The Director shall support research in high-performance 
     computing and networking relevant to energy applications, 
     including modeling, simulation, and advanced data analytics 
     for basic and applied energy research programs carried out by 
     the Secretary.
       (c) Applied Mathematics and Software Development for High-
     end Computing Systems.--The Director shall carry out 
     activities to develop, test, and support--
       (1) mathematics, models, and algorithms for complex systems 
     and programming environments; and
       (2) tools, languages, and operating systems for high-end 
     computing systems (as defined in section 2 of the American 
     Super Computing Leadership Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 5541)).

     SEC. 305. HIGH-ENERGY PHYSICS.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Director should incorporate the findings and 
     recommendations of the report of the Particle Physics Project 
     Prioritization Panel entitled ``Building for Discovery: 
     Strategic Plan for U.S. Particle Physics in the Global 
     Context'' into the planning process of the Department; and
       (2) the nations that lead in particle physics by hosting 
     international teams dedicated to a common scientific goal 
     attract the world's best talent and inspire future 
     generations of physicists and technologists.
       (b) International Collaboration.--The Director, as 
     practicable and in coordination with other appropriate 
     Federal agencies as necessary, shall ensure the access of 
     United States researchers to the most advanced accelerator 
     facilities and research capabilities in the world, including 
     the Large Hadron Collider.
       (c) Neutrino Research.--The Director shall carry out 
     research activities on rare decay processes and the nature of 
     the neutrino, which may include collaborations with the 
     National Science Foundation or international collaborations.
       (d) Dark Energy and Dark Matter Research.--The Director 
     shall carry out research activities on the nature of dark 
     energy and dark matter, which may include collaborations with 
     the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the 
     National Science Foundation; or international collaborations.

     SEC. 306. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.

       (a) Biological Systems.--The Director shall carry out 
     research and development activities in fundamental, 
     structural, computational, and systems biology to increase 
     systems-level understanding of the complex biological 
     systems, which may include activities--
       (1) to accelerate breakthroughs and new knowledge that 
     would enable the cost-effective, sustainable production of--
       (A) biomass-based liquid transportation fuels;
       (B) bioenergy; and
       (C) biobased materials;
       (2) to improve understanding of the global carbon cycle, 
     including processes for removing carbon dioxide from the 
     atmosphere, through photosynthesis and other biological 
     processes, for sequestration and storage; and
       (3) to understand the biological mechanisms used to 
     transform, immobilize, or remove contaminants from subsurface 
     environments.
       (b) Limitation for Research Funds.--The Director shall not 
     approve new climate science-related initiatives without 
     making a determination that such work is well-coordinated 
     with any relevant work carried out by other Federal agencies.
       (c) Low-dose Radiation Research Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a research 
     program on low-dose radiation.
       (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to enhance the 
     scientific understanding of, and reduce uncertainties 
     associated with, the effects of exposure to low-dose 
     radiation to inform improved risk-management methods.

     SEC. 307. FUSION ENERGY.

       (a) Fusion Materials Research and Development.--As part of 
     the activities authorized in section 978 of the Energy Policy 
     Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16318)--
       (1) the Director, in coordination with the Assistant 
     Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the Department, shall carry 
     out research and

[[Page H652]]

     development activities to identify, characterize, and 
     demonstrate materials that can endure the neutron, plasma, 
     and heat fluxes expected in a fusion power system; and
       (2) the Director shall provide an assessment of--
       (A) the need for 1 or more facilities that can examine and 
     test potential fusion and next generation fission materials 
     and other enabling technologies relevant to the development 
     of fusion power; and
       (B) whether a single new facility that substantially 
     addresses magnetic fusion and next generation fission 
     materials research needs is feasible, in conjunction with the 
     expected capabilities of facilities operational as of the 
     date of enactment of this Act.
       (b) Tokamak Research and Development.--The Director shall 
     support research and development activities and facility 
     operations to optimize the tokamak approach to fusion energy.
       (c) Inertial Fusion Energy Research and Development.--The 
     Director shall support research and development activities 
     for inertial fusion for energy applications.
       (d) Alternative and Enabling Concepts.--The Director shall 
     support research and development activities and facility 
     operations at institutions of higher education, National 
     Laboratories, and private facilities in the United States for 
     a portfolio of alternative and enabling fusion energy 
     concepts that may provide solutions to significant challenges 
     to the establishment of a commercial magnetic fusion power 
     plant, prioritized based on the ability of the United States 
     to play a leadership role in the international fusion 
     research community.
       (e) Coordination With ARPA-E.--The Director shall 
     coordinate with the Director of the Advanced Research 
     Projects Agency-Energy (referred to in this subsection as 
     ``ARPA-E'') to--
       (1) assess the potential for any fusion energy project 
     supported by ARPA-E to represent a promising approach to a 
     commercially viable fusion power plant;
       (2) determine whether the results of any fusion energy 
     project supported by ARPA-E merit the support of follow-on 
     research activities carried out by the Office of Science; and
       (3) avoid the unintentional duplication of activities.
       (f) Fairness in Competition for Solicitations for 
     International Project Activities.--Section 33 of the Atomic 
     Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended by inserting 
     before the first sentence the following: ``In this section, 
     with respect to international research projects, the term 
     `private facilities or laboratories' means facilities or 
     laboratories located in the United States.''.
       (g) Identification of Priorities.--
       (1) Report.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on the fusion energy research and development 
     activities that the Department proposes to carry out over the 
     10-year period following the date of the report under not 
     fewer than 3 realistic budget scenarios, including a scenario 
     based on 3-percent annual growth in the non-ITER portion of 
     the budget for fusion energy research and development 
     activities.
       (B) Inclusions.--The report required under subparagraph (A) 
     shall--
       (i) identify specific areas of fusion energy research and 
     enabling technology development in which the United States 
     can and should establish or solidify a lead in the global 
     fusion energy development effort;
       (ii) identify priorities for initiation of facility 
     construction and facility decommissioning under each of the 3 
     budget scenarios described in subparagraph (A); and
       (iii) assess the ability of the fusion workforce of the 
     United States to carry out the activities identified under 
     clauses (i) and (ii), including the adequacy of programs at 
     institutions of higher education in the United States to 
     train the leaders and workers of the next generation of 
     fusion energy researchers.
       (2) Process.--In order to develop the report required under 
     paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall leverage best practices 
     and lessons learned from the process used to develop the most 
     recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization 
     Panel of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel.
       (3) Requirement.--No member of the Fusion Energy Sciences 
     Advisory Committee shall be excluded from participating in 
     developing or voting on final approval of the report required 
     under paragraph (1)(A).

     SEC. 308. NUCLEAR PHYSICS.

       (a) Isotope Development and Production for Research 
     Applications.--The Director--
       (1) may carry out a program for the production of isotopes, 
     including the development of techniques to produce isotopes, 
     that the Secretary determines are needed for research, 
     medical, industrial, or related purposes; and
       (2) shall ensure that isotope production activities carried 
     out under the program under this paragraph do not compete 
     with private industry unless the Director determines that 
     critical national interests require the involvement of the 
     Federal Government.
       (b) Renaming of the Rare Isotope Accelerator.--Section 981 
     of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16321) is 
     amended--
       (1) in the section heading, by striking ``RARE ISOTOPE 
     ACCELERATOR'' and inserting ``FACILITY FOR RARE ISOTOPE 
     BEAMS''; and
       (2) by striking ``Rare Isotope Accelerator'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``Facility for Rare Isotope Beams''.

     SEC. 309. SCIENCE LABORATORIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Director shall carry out a program to 
     improve the safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of 
     infrastructure at laboratories of the Office of Science.
       (b) Inclusions.--The program under subsection (a) shall 
     include projects--
       (1) to renovate or replace space that does not meet 
     research needs;
       (2) to replace facilities that are no longer cost effective 
     to renovate or operate;
       (3) to modernize utility systems to prevent failures and 
     ensure efficiency;
       (4) to remove excess facilities to allow safe and efficient 
     operations; and
       (5) to construct modern facilities to conduct advanced 
     research in controlled environmental conditions.

            TITLE IV--NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION CAPABILITIES

     SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Nuclear Energy Innovation 
     Capabilities Act''.

     SEC. 402. NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION CAPABILITIES.

       (a) Nuclear Energy.--Section 951 of the Energy Policy Act 
     of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 951. NUCLEAR ENERGY.

       ``(a) Mission.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out programs 
     of civilian nuclear research, development, demonstration, and 
     commercial application, including activities under this 
     subtitle.
       ``(2) Considerations.--The programs carried out under 
     paragraph (1) shall take into consideration the following 
     objectives:
       ``(A) Providing research infrastructure to promote 
     scientific progress and enable users from academia, the 
     National Laboratories, and the private sector to make 
     scientific discoveries relevant for nuclear, chemical, and 
     materials science engineering.
       ``(B) Maintaining nuclear energy research and development 
     programs at the National Laboratories and institutions of 
     higher education, including infrastructure at the National 
     Laboratories and institutions of higher education.
       ``(C) Providing the technical means to reduce the 
     likelihood of nuclear proliferation.
       ``(D) Increasing confidence margins for public safety of 
     nuclear energy systems.
       ``(E) Reducing the environmental impact of activities 
     relating to nuclear energy.
       ``(F) Supporting technology transfer from the National 
     Laboratories to the private sector.
       ``(G) Enabling the private sector to partner with the 
     National Laboratories to demonstrate novel reactor concepts 
     for the purpose of resolving technical uncertainty associated 
     with the objectives described in subparagraphs (A) through 
     (F).
       ``(b) Definitions.--In this subtitle:
       ``(1) Advanced nuclear reactor.--The term `advanced nuclear 
     reactor' means--
       ``(A) a nuclear fission reactor with significant 
     improvements over the most recent generation of nuclear 
     fission reactors, which may include--
       ``(i) inherent safety features;
       ``(ii) lower waste yields;
       ``(iii) greater fuel utilization;
       ``(iv) superior reliability;
       ``(v) resistance to proliferation;
       ``(vi) increased thermal efficiency; and
       ``(vii) the ability to integrate into electric and 
     nonelectric applications; or
       ``(B) a nuclear fusion reactor.
       ``(2) Commission.--The term `Commission' means the Nuclear 
     Regulatory Commission.
       ``(3) Fast neutron.--The term `fast neutron' means a 
     neutron with kinetic energy above 100 kiloelectron volts.
       ``(4) National laboratory.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     the term `National Laboratory' has the meaning given the term 
     in section 2.
       ``(B) Limitation.--With respect to the Lawrence Livermore 
     National Laboratory, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and 
     the Sandia National Laboratories, the term `National 
     Laboratory' means only the civilian activities of the 
     laboratory.
       ``(5) Neutron flux.--The term `neutron flux' means the 
     intensity of neutron radiation measured as a rate of flow of 
     neutrons applied over an area.
       ``(6) Neutron source.--The term `neutron source' means a 
     research machine that provides neutron irradiation services 
     for--
       ``(A) research on materials sciences and nuclear physics; 
     and
       ``(B) testing of advanced materials, nuclear fuels, and 
     other related components for reactor systems.''.
       (b) Nuclear Energy Research Programs.--
       (1) In general.--Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 
     2005 (42 U.S.C. 16272) is amended--
       (A) by striking subsection (c); and
       (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
     (c) and (d), respectively.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 641(b)(1) of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16021(b)(1)) is amended by 
     striking ``section 942(d)'' and inserting ``section 952(c)''.
       (c) Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative.--Section 953(a) of the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16273(a)) is amended by 
     striking ``, acting through the Director of the Office of 
     Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology,''.

[[Page H653]]

       (d) University Nuclear Science and Engineering Support.--
     Section 954(d)(4) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16274(d)(4)) is amended by striking ``as part of a taking 
     into consideration effort that emphasizes'' and inserting 
     ``that emphasize''.
       (e) Department of Energy Civilian Nuclear Infrastructure 
     and Facilities.--Section 955 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
     (42 U.S.C. 16275) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsections (c) and (d); and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Versatile Neutron Source.--
       ``(1) Mission need.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than December 31, 2017, the 
     Secretary shall determine the mission need for a versatile 
     reactor-based fast neutron source, which shall operate as a 
     national user facility.
       ``(B) Consultations required.--In carrying out subparagraph 
     (A), the Secretary shall consult with the private sector, 
     institutions of higher education, the National Laboratories, 
     and relevant Federal agencies to ensure that the user 
     facility described in subparagraph (A) will meet the research 
     needs of the largest practicable majority of prospective 
     users.
       ``(2) Establishment.--As soon as practicable after 
     determining the mission need under paragraph (1)(A), the 
     Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a detailed plan for the establishment of the user 
     facility.
       ``(3) Facility requirements.--
       ``(A) Capabilities.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
     user facility will provide, at a minimum, the following 
     capabilities:
       ``(i) Fast neutron spectrum irradiation capability.
       ``(ii) Capacity for upgrades to accommodate new or expanded 
     research needs.
       ``(B) Considerations.--In carrying out the plan submitted 
     under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consider the 
     following:
       ``(i) Capabilities that support experimental high-
     temperature testing.
       ``(ii) Providing a source of fast neutrons at a neutron 
     flux, higher than that at which current research facilities 
     operate, sufficient to enable research for an optimal base of 
     prospective users.
       ``(iii) Maximizing irradiation flexibility and irradiation 
     volume to accommodate as many concurrent users as possible.
       ``(iv) Capabilities for irradiation with neutrons of a 
     lower energy spectrum.
       ``(v) Multiple loops for fuels and materials testing in 
     different coolants.
       ``(vi) Additional pre-irradiation and post-irradiation 
     examination capabilities.
       ``(vii) Lifetime operating costs and lifecycle costs.
       ``(4) Deadline for establishment.--The Secretary shall, to 
     the maximum extent practicable, complete construction of, and 
     approve the start of operations for, the user facility by not 
     later than December 31, 2025.
       ``(5) Reporting.--The Secretary shall include in the annual 
     budget request of the Department an explanation for any delay 
     in the progress of the Department in completing the user 
     facility by the deadline described in paragraph (4).
       ``(6) Coordination.--The Secretary shall leverage the best 
     practices for management, construction, and operation of 
     national user facilities from the Office of Science.''.
       (f) Security of Nuclear Facilities.--Section 956 of the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16276) is amended by 
     striking ``, acting through the Director of the Office of 
     Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology,''.
       (g) High-performance Computation and Supportive Research.--
     Section 957 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16277) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 957. HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTATION AND SUPPORTIVE 
                   RESEARCH.

       ``(a) Modeling and Simulation.--The Secretary shall carry 
     out a program to enhance the capabilities of the United 
     States to develop new reactor technologies through high-
     performance computation modeling and simulation techniques.
       ``(b) Coordination.--In carrying out the program under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with relevant 
     Federal agencies as described by the National Strategic 
     Computing Initiative established by Executive Order 13702 (80 
     Fed. Reg. 46177 (July 29, 2015)), while taking into account 
     the following objectives:
       ``(1) Using expertise from the private sector, institutions 
     of higher education, and the National Laboratories to develop 
     computational software and capabilities that prospective 
     users may access to accelerate research and development of 
     advanced nuclear reactor systems and reactor systems for 
     space exploration.
       ``(2) Developing computational tools to simulate and 
     predict nuclear phenomena that may be validated through 
     physical experimentation.
       ``(3) Increasing the utility of the research infrastructure 
     of the Department by coordinating with the Advanced 
     Scientific Computing Research program within the Office of 
     Science.
       ``(4) Leveraging experience from the Energy Innovation Hub 
     for Modeling and Simulation.
       ``(5) Ensuring that new experimental and computational 
     tools are accessible to relevant research communities, 
     including private sector entities engaged in nuclear energy 
     technology development.
       ``(c) Supportive Research Activities.--The Secretary shall 
     consider support for additional research activities to 
     maximize the utility of the research facilities of the 
     Department, including physical processes--
       ``(1) to simulate degradation of materials and behavior of 
     fuel forms; and
       ``(2) for validation of computational tools.''.
       (h) Enabling Nuclear Energy Innovation.--Subtitle E of 
     title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et 
     seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 958. ENABLING NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION.

       ``(a) National Reactor Innovation Center.--
       ``(1) In general.--There is authorized a program to enable 
     the testing and demonstration of reactor concepts to be 
     proposed and funded by the private sector.
       ``(2) Participation.--Nothing in this section shall prevent 
     a private sector entity that has received Federal grants from 
     participating in this program.
       ``(b) Technical Expertise.--In carrying out the program 
     under subsection (a), the Secretary shall leverage the 
     technical expertise of relevant Federal agencies and the 
     National Laboratories in order to minimize the time required 
     to enable construction and operation of privately funded 
     experimental reactors at National Laboratories or other 
     Department-owned sites.
       ``(c) Objectives.--The reactors described in subsection (b) 
     shall operate to meet the following objectives:
       ``(1) Enabling physical validation of advanced nuclear 
     reactor concepts.
       ``(2) Resolving technical uncertainty and increasing 
     practical knowledge relevant to safety, resilience, security, 
     and functionality of advanced nuclear reactor concepts.
       ``(3) General research and development to improve nascent 
     technologies.
       ``(d) Sharing Technical Expertise.--In carrying out the 
     program under subsection (a), the Secretary may enter into a 
     memorandum of understanding with the Chairman of the 
     Commission in order to share technical expertise and 
     knowledge through--
       ``(1) enabling the testing and demonstration of advanced 
     nuclear reactor concepts to be proposed and funded by the 
     private sector;
       ``(2) operating a database to store and share data and 
     knowledge relevant to nuclear science and engineering between 
     Federal agencies and the private sector;
       ``(3) developing and testing electric and nonelectric 
     integration and energy conversion systems relevant to 
     advanced nuclear reactors;
       ``(4) leveraging expertise from the Commission with respect 
     to safety analysis; and
       ``(5) enabling technical staff of the Commission to 
     actively observe and learn about technologies developed under 
     the program.
       ``(e) Agency Coordination.--The Chairman of the Commission 
     and the Secretary shall enter into a memorandum of 
     understanding regarding the following:
       ``(1) Ensuring that--
       ``(A) the Department has sufficient technical expertise to 
     support the timely research, development, demonstration, and 
     commercial application by the civilian nuclear industry of 
     safe and innovative advanced nuclear reactor technology; and
       ``(B) the Commission has sufficient technical expertise to 
     support the evaluation of applications for licenses, permits, 
     and design certifications and other requests for regulatory 
     approval for advanced nuclear reactors.
       ``(2) The use of computers and software codes to calculate 
     the behavior and performance of advanced nuclear reactors 
     based on mathematical models of the physical behavior of 
     advanced nuclear reactors.
       ``(3) Ensuring that--
       ``(A) the Department maintains and develops the facilities 
     necessary to enable the timely research, development, 
     demonstration, and commercial application by the civilian 
     nuclear industry of safe and innovative reactor technology; 
     and
       ``(B) the Commission has access to the facilities described 
     in subparagraph (A), as needed.
       ``(f) Reporting Requirements.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities 
     Act of 2017, the Secretary, in consultation with the National 
     Laboratories, relevant Federal agencies, and other 
     stakeholders, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a report assessing the capabilities of the 
     Department to authorize, host, and oversee privately funded 
     experimental advanced nuclear reactors as described in 
     subsection (b).
       ``(2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
     shall address--
       ``(A) the safety review and oversight capabilities of the 
     Department, including options to leverage expertise from the 
     Commission and the National Laboratories;
       ``(B) options to regulate privately proposed and funded 
     experimental reactors hosted by the Department;
       ``(C) potential sites capable of hosting privately funded 
     experimental advanced nuclear reactors;
       ``(D) the efficacy of the available contractual mechanisms 
     of the Department to partner with the private sector and 
     Federal agencies, including cooperative research and 
     development agreements, strategic partnership projects, and 
     agreements for commercializing technology;
       ``(E) the liability of the Federal Government with respect 
     to the disposal of low-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear 
     fuel, or high-level radioactive waste (as those

[[Page H654]]

     terms are defined in section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy 
     Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101));
       ``(F) the impact on the aggregate inventory in the United 
     States of low-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or 
     high-level radioactive waste (as those terms are defined in 
     section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 
     10101));
       ``(G) potential cost structures relating to physical 
     security, decommissioning, liability, and other long-term 
     project costs; and
       ``(H) other challenges or considerations identified by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(3) Updates.--Once every 2 years, the Secretary shall 
     update relevant provisions of the report submitted under 
     paragraph (1) and submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress the update.
       ``(g) Savings Clauses.--
       ``(1) Licensing requirement.--Nothing in this section 
     authorizes the Secretary or any person to construct or 
     operate a nuclear reactor for the purpose of demonstrating 
     the suitability for commercial application of the nuclear 
     reactor unless licensed by the Commission in accordance with 
     section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 
     U.S.C. 5842).
       ``(2) Financial protection.--Any activity carried out under 
     this section that involves the risk of public liability shall 
     be subject to the financial protection or indemnification 
     requirements of section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 
     (42 U.S.C. 2210) (commonly known as the `Price-Anderson 
     Act').''.
       (i) Budget Plan.--Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) (as amended by 
     subsection (h)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 959. BUDGET PLAN.

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act 
     of 2017, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 
     on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives 2 alternative 10-year budget plans for 
     civilian nuclear energy research and development by the 
     Secretary, as described in subsections (b) through (d).
       ``(b) Budget Plan Alternative 1.--One of the budget plans 
     submitted under subsection (a) shall assume constant annual 
     funding for 10 years at the appropriated level for the 
     civilian nuclear energy research and development of the 
     Department for fiscal year 2016.
       ``(c) Budget Plan Alternative 2.--One of the budget plans 
     submitted under subsection (a) shall be an unconstrained 
     budget.
       ``(d) Inclusions.--Each alternative budget plan submitted 
     under subsection (a) shall include--
       ``(1) a prioritized list of the programs, projects, and 
     activities of the Department to best support the development 
     of advanced nuclear reactor technologies;
       ``(2) realistic budget requirements for the Department to 
     implement sections 955(c), 957, and 958; and
       ``(3) the justification of the Department for continuing or 
     terminating existing civilian nuclear energy research and 
     development programs.''.
       (j) Conforming Amendments.--The table of contents for the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by striking the item 
     relating to section 957 and inserting the following:

``957. High-performance computation and supportive research.
``958. Enabling nuclear energy innovation.
``959. Budget plan.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 589, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 589, Department of Energy Research and Innovation 
Act, is the product of over 3 years of work by the Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee to advance basic research and set clear science 
priorities for the Department of Energy.
  I thank my colleagues on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee 
who cosponsored this legislation, particularly Ranking Member Eddie 
Bernice Johnson.
  The Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act prioritizes 
basic research and science at the DOE national labs. This legislation 
also requires DOE to coordinate research across the Department and 
provides private industry with more access to the national labs so they 
can develop next generation technology.
  Title I of H.R. 589 enables DOE to partner with the private sector 
and cuts red tape and bureaucracy in the DOE technology transfer 
process. The innovative early stage research performed at the labs can 
have great value to the private sector.
  Because of a communication gap between the labs and the private 
sector, ideas and technology created in the national labs are often 
slow to reach the market. And Federal Government bureaucracy further 
discourages the private sector from using the unique state-of-the-art 
facilities at the national labs.
  I thank the gentleman from Illinois, Representative Randy Hultgren, 
and the gentleman from Colorado, Representative Ed Perlmutter, for 
their initiative on this issue and for sponsoring similar legislation 
in the last Congress to advance these important reforms for our 
national labs.

                              {time}  1545

  Title II of the legislation requires the DOE to better manage and 
coordinate research efforts at the Department of Energy. This title 
also requires the DOE to provide a regular strategic analysis of 
science and technology activities within the Department. This will help 
identify key areas for collaboration across science and applied 
research programs. This review allows the Secretary to pinpoint 
programs that cost too much and that could be better accomplished by 
the private sector.
  Title III of the bill provides statutory direction and priorities for 
the basic research programs within the DOE's Office of Science. This 
includes research and basic energy sciences, biological and 
environmental research, high performance computing, nuclear physics, 
high energy physics, and fusion energy. These basic research programs 
are the core mission of the Department and lead to scientific discovery 
that can provide benefits across the economy. This title specifically 
authorizes basic research programs in solar fuels, electricity storage, 
exascale computing, and low-dose radiation.
  In the last Congress, the House separately passed Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee legislation to authorize these four key basic 
research programs. I again thank Representative Hultgren, as well as 
the gentlemen from California--Representative Steve Knight and 
Representative Eric Swalwell--and the gentleman from Illinois, 
Representative Dan Lipinski, for sponsoring legislation authorizing 
these programs in the last Congress.
  Finally, title IV of the legislation is the Nuclear Energy Innovation 
Capabilities Act. I thank my Texas colleagues, Representative Randy 
Weber and committee Ranking Member Johnson, for advancing this 
bipartisan, bicameral legislation both in this Congress and in the 
last.
  This title authorizes nuclear R&D activities at the DOE and harnesses 
and combines the strengths of the national labs, universities, and the 
private sector in a joint innovation initiative. Advanced nuclear 
reactor technology provides a great opportunity to make reliable, 
emission-free electricity available throughout the industrialized and 
developing world. The nuclear energy innovation language also provides 
a clear timeline for the DOE to complete a research reactor user 
facility within 10 years. This research reactor will enable proprietary 
and academic research to develop supercomputing models and also design 
next generation nuclear energy technology.
  In summary, H.R. 589 represents a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to 
modernize and increase the productivity of the DOE national lab system, 
streamline DOE research programs, prioritize basic scientific research, 
and enable the development of next generation nuclear technology.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank the chairman and the ranking member, Eddie Bernice Johnson, 
for bringing this bill to the floor today. It has been a long time in 
coming.
  I rise in support of H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and 
Innovation Act. This bill would authorize important research and 
development at the Department of Energy to push the frontiers of 
science and find new ways to innovate and power our economy.

[[Page H655]]

  This bill would authorize comprehensive policy guidance for the DOE's 
Office of Science for the first time in its history. The Office of 
Science manages a portfolio, including research in supercomputing, 
materials science, nuclear physics, advanced biofuels, fusion energy, 
climate modeling, high energy physics, and a number of other areas 
across the spectrum of fundamental and applied research.
  Additionally, the Office of Science is home to world-class user 
facilities used by private industry to collaborate with our national 
laboratories and provide our scientists with access to tools and 
resources to test the most pressing research questions in a variety of 
fields. The neutron sources, particle accelerators, and light sources, 
among many other Office of Science user facilities, are home to some of 
the most important scientific work conducted in America and represent 
some of the best partnerships our labs have with private industry. 
These activities and capabilities have never been given the proper 
statutory authority by this Congress, so this bill represents a 
landmark bipartisan effort.
  H.R. 589 also includes the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities 
Act, which I cosponsored again this year. By providing the tools and 
resources to nuclear scientists and engineers, this bill lays the 
groundwork for a future where reliable, clean nuclear energy is a major 
source of our electricity generation. This research could lead to 
advanced and safer nuclear reactors with the potential to use less 
nuclear fuel and produce far less waste.
  H.R. 589 is not only bipartisan, but, as the chairman said, it 
represents a bicameral agreement that was reached last year during 
conference negotiations with the Senate on the comprehensive energy 
package. Given the urgent challenge of climate change and the growing 
competition around the world in many of these key research areas, we 
must keep working together with the Senate to get this bill signed into 
law this year.
  I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for working 
together to get this bipartisan legislation before us today, and I urge 
all of my colleagues to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Perlmutter for his 
comments and again thank him for his work on this legislation.
  I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight), who 
is the vice chairman of the Energy Subcommittee of the Science, Space, 
and Technology Committee.
  Mr. KNIGHT. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their 
leadership on this.

  Madam Speaker, H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and 
Innovation Act, sets congressional priorities for basic science 
research and nuclear energy R&D.
  This legislation also includes text from my bill from the last 
Congress, H.R. 5638, the Solar Fuels Innovation Act. This language 
directs the Department of Energy to establish a basic research 
initiative in solar fuels. The solar fuel process, also known as 
artificial photosynthesis, harnesses energy from sunlight to create a 
range of storable chemical fuels, overcoming the biggest obstacle to 
maximizing the benefits of renewable technologies.
  Researchers up and down the coast of California are undertaking this 
research from universities in southern California to the Berkeley lab 
in the Bay area. The research authorized in this legislation could 
solve this key scientific challenge and open the door for American 
entrepreneurs to develop the next generation of solar technology and 
train the next generation of researchers in chemistry, physics, and 
materials science.
  H.R. 589 reaffirms the Federal Government's key role in research and 
development. My home State of California has long been a world leader 
in advanced science and high tech and is home to millions of 
entrepreneurs who are eager to engage and take advantage of the latest 
breakthroughs. Today we hear a lot of enthusiasm for clean energy, but 
the focus is on today's technology, not on fundamentally new approaches 
to energy technology that we make possible through early-stage 
research. In Congress, it is our responsibility to take the long-term 
view and be patient and make smart investments in basic research that 
can lead to the next big discovery. H.R. 589 establishes those long-
term priorities.
  This bill makes other important adjustments to the flexibility and 
utilization of DOE assets to give the U.S.' private sector a stronger 
edge, from the national laboratory partnerships with research groups to 
allowing the nuclear energy businesses to do their early-stage work on 
DOE sites, giving a huge boost to an industry that is about to take 
off.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this very bipartisan, very 
supported piece of legislation.
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank Mr. Knight and especially my cosponsor, Mr. Hultgren, for the 
work that they have done on this bill generally, but particularly on 
title I of the bill, the Laboratory Modernization and Technology 
Transfer Act.
  As Mr. Knight said, on this committee, we find places where there is 
common ground and where there is an ability to advance the interests of 
the United States of America. Sometimes we argue, sometimes we debate, 
sometimes we don't agree, but often we do. I appreciate their work as 
well as the chairman's work on a number of subjects that face us. I was 
proud to work with my friend Mr. Hultgren of Illinois to introduce this 
bill, the Modernization and Technology Transfer Act, in the last 
Congress.
  Title I provides important tools to accelerate the commercialization 
of new technologies that are developed at our national labs. It extends 
the Agreement for Commercializing Technology pilot program while 
expanding the range of companies that are eligible to participate. We 
also allow labs to use their technology transfer funds as an incubator 
investment for projects that are developed in-house which demonstrate 
potential commercial opportunities.
  Additionally, the bill encourages the further collaboration between 
university researchers and our national labs by creating a pilot 
program to reduce the financial burdens on our universities. I hope 
this pilot program unleashes the talent at our universities, like the 
Colorado School of Mines, the University of Colorado, and Colorado 
State University, to discover the next successful technology.
  Madam Speaker, one may remember I represent Golden, Colorado, and the 
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL is the premier energy 
efficiency and renewable energy lab in the world, and title I of this 
bill provides labs like NREL more tools to bring life-changing 
innovations to consumers by partnering with private industry.
  When revolutionary research is harnessed by our entrepreneurs and 
business leaders, startups with one or two employees can grow into 
companies that can create hundreds of quality jobs. I am proud to 
support this legislation, and I am proud to have worked with Mr. 
Hultgren in giving scientists and researchers in both the public and 
private sectors the tools and the freedom they need to unlock a new 
wave of innovation.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren), an active member of the Science, Space, 
and Technology Committee.
  Mr. HULTGREN. Madam Speaker, I want to give a sincere thank-you to 
our distinguished chairman, Mr. Smith--the chairman of the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology--for his work in this Congress and in 
past Congresses in bringing this bipartisan package of legislation to 
the floor.
  I also thank my good friend and colleague Congressman Perlmutter from 
Colorado, who has been just an active joint member in moving this 
forward. I am so grateful for his efforts and his work.
  Madam Speaker, the DOE Research and Innovation Act contains a number 
of bipartisan provisions that put in place clear research and 
development priorities so that Americans can maintain their leadership 
position on the world stage and continue attracting the best and the 
brightest to the only place they can do their work.
  While I have the pleasure of representing Fermilab, our Nation's only 
dedicated high energy physics laboratory, I have also had the 
opportunity

[[Page H656]]

to visit with and to meet researchers from across the Nation who rely 
on our national laboratory system to do their work. More than 30,000 
researchers a year visit the DOE user facilities, such as the Advanced 
Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, just outside my district. 
These facilities are normally operating 24/7, with researchers blocking 
off time--sometimes just minutes--to use equipment that no one 
university or business could build and maintain on its own. This is why 
our national labs are truly the crown jewel in our research ecosystem.

  The DOE Research and Innovation Act includes key provisions from my 
prior legislation of improving technology transfer and helping get 
research from the ``valley of death'' to a point at which the private 
sector can pick it up and run with it. This legislation also frees up 
the labs to be more nimble and work more easily with outside entities, 
such as with nonprofits and universities.
  Another provision in this legislation should, hopefully, be a key 
priority for the incoming administration. Right now, China not only has 
the fastest computer in the world, but the two fastest computers in the 
world. Legislation which this body previously passed and is included in 
this bill would call on the DOE to carry out a program to build an 
exascale computer, which is close to the speed of the human brain. The 
United States' computing capabilities have a wide-ranging use and 
applications, and the DOE has led the way in developing this 
technology.
  One of the primary missions at the DOE is the maintenance of our 
current nuclear stockpile. This is largely carried out through complex 
simulations which require these increasingly powerful machines, but the 
crosscutting benefits of this research may have the greatest impact.
  When the NIH began its work on sequencing the human genome, it was 
only a moonshot mission that many thought was not yet feasible. 
Computing facilities at the DOE basically proved the concept and 
allowed this work to be completed. In the era of precision medicine and 
with the recent passage of the 21st Century Cures, our computing 
facilities must be tapped to realize the benefits of targeted 
treatments and cures.
  Among other research priorities, this legislation also calls on the 
DOE to resume its low dose radiation research program. This is 
something I supported in the last Congress, working off recommendations 
from the scientific community to fill the gaps in our knowledge of the 
human health impacts from low dose radiation.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this important bill. I thank 
the chairman and the ranking member for their bipartisan work to begin 
this Congress by passing pro-growth, pro-science legislation.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, so I am going 
to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH OF Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Weber), who is the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee 
of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
  Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 589, the 
Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act.
  H.R. 589 provides policy direction to the Department of Energy on 
basic science research, nuclear energy R&D, research coordination and 
priorities, as well as important additional reforms to streamline 
national labs management.
  I want to particularly highlight title IV, which is the Nuclear 
Energy Innovation Capabilities Act. I introduced the same legislation 
in the 114th and 115th Congress, and it does a lot of good things. It 
lays out a clear timeline and parameters for DOE to complete a research 
reactor, which is a crucial part for us.
  Right now, we are behind, Mr. Speaker. The Russians are outpacing us 
on the next design of nuclear reactors. That is simply unacceptable.
  We need a versatile neutron source, and title IV of this will produce 
a situation where we will have the ability for the national labs to 
partner with private industry and be able to do that so that they don't 
get built overseas, which is totally unacceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee has spent a 
long time developing this. There is lots of bipartisan buy-in, I might 
add, and I appreciate that.
  So it is time, Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, for us to get this bill 
passed and make sure that we remain on the cutting edge. It helps us 
with economics, and it helps us actually with nuclear proliferation as 
far as that goes.
  So I encourage all of my colleagues to join in supporting H.R. 589.
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bill. It is the product of a lot of hard work over the last 3 years. It 
helps our laboratories and our private industry stay at the forefront 
of science. I thank Chairman Smith of Texas for bringing this bill to 
the floor.
  I urge passage of this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 589 provides basic research direction and good 
government reforms to ongoing DOE programs. This legislation 
establishes congressional priorities for the Department, and I look 
forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to quickly send 
this bill to the President's desk.
  I thank the members of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee 
who provided valuable input into this legislation. This includes the 
cosponsors of the bill, Ranking Member Johnson, and Representatives 
Randy Weber, Steve Knight, Randy Hultgren, Frank Lucas, Dan Lipinski, 
Dana Rohrabacher, Elizabeth Esty, Brian Babin, Marc Veasey, Barbara 
Comstock, Ed Perlmutter, Mo Brooks, Paul Tonko, Jim Banks, Eric 
Swalwell, Andy Biggs, Zoe Lofgren, Neal Dunn, and Clay Higgins, 
Republicans and Democrats alike.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 589.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
support H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act, 
which I am very pleased to co-sponsor.
  This bill comprises a significant set of provisions that resulted 
from constructive negotiations with our Majority and with the Senate as 
part of the energy conference last year. I am also proud to note that 
many of these provisions were actually first proposed in the version of 
the American Competes Reauthorization Act that was sponsored by every 
Democratic Member of the Committee in the last Congress.
  The bill includes what would be the first comprehensive authorization 
of the DOE Office of Science, which is the largest supporter of 
physical sciences research in the country. This is a nearly $6 billion 
office that manages 10 of our national laboratories, often called the 
crown jewels of our national research infrastructure. Yet thus far, 
unlike NSF, NASA, and nearly every other major scientific research 
agency stewarded by the federal government, the Office of Science has 
not received the statutory guidance and support that its capabilities 
and mission warrant. So passing this portion of the bill into law alone 
would be a big step in the right direction.
  The bill also includes a number of important technology transfer 
provisions that previously passed the House as part of a bipartisan 
bill that I and many of my colleagues on the Committee co-sponsored. In 
addition, it would provide the first authorization of the promising 
Innovation Hub model for energy research, and it would enable greater 
private sector engagement with ARPA-E. Finally, this bill includes an 
updated and improved version of the Nuclear Energy Innovation 
Capabilities Act, which I was happy to co-sponsor with my friend Mr. 
Weber in the last Congress.
  I would like to thank Chairman Smith and his staff for working 
closely with us and our Senate counterparts to move beyond what began 
as, frankly, a rather contentious process to find common ground on a 
wide range of areas that will be critical to ensuring our nation's 
competitiveness and our clean energy future.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Womack). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 589, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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