[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 53 (Monday, March 24, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1207-H1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DOE AND NASA INTERAGENCY RESEARCH COORDINATION ACT
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1368) to provide for Department of Energy and National
Aeronautics and Space Administration research and development
coordination, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H. R. 1368
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``DOE and NASA Interagency
Research Coordination Act''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy (in this section
referred to as the ``Secretary'') and the Administrator of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (in this
section referred to as the ``Administrator'') may carry out,
as practicable, cross-cutting and collaborative research and
development activities to support the advancement of
Department of Energy and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration mission requirements and priorities. The
Secretary and Administrator, in accordance with subsection
(e), may make competitive awards to carry out such
activities.
(b) Memoranda of Understanding.--The Secretary and the
Administrator shall coordinate the activities under
subsection (a) through memoranda of understanding, or other
appropriate interagency agreements.
(c) Coordination.--In carrying out the activities under
subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator may carry
out the following:
(1) Conduct collaborative research and development
activities in a variety of focus areas that may include the
following:
(A) Propulsion systems and components, including nuclear
thermal and nuclear electric propulsion, radioisotope power
systems, thermoelectric generators, advanced nuclear fuels,
and heater units.
(B) Modeling and simulation, machine learning, data
assimilation, large scale data analytics, and predictive
analysis in order to optimize algorithms for mission-related
purposes.
(C) Fundamental high energy physics, astrophysics, and
cosmology, including the nature of dark energy and dark
matter, in accordance with section 305 of the Department of
Energy Research and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18643).
(D) Fundamental earth and environmental sciences, in
accordance with section 306 of the Department of Energy
Research and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18644) and section
60501 of title 51, United States Code.
(E) Quantum information sciences, including quantum
computing and quantum network infrastructure, in accordance
with sections 403 and 404 of the National Quantum Initiative
Act (15 U.S.C. 8853 and 8854).
(F) Radiation health effects, in accordance with section
306 of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act
(42 U.S.C. 18644).
(G) Ground- and space-based technology necessary for the
transmission to the Earth's surface of solar energy collected
in space.
(H) Other areas of potential research and development
collaboration the Secretary and the Administrator determine
important to achieving agency missions and objectives.
(2) Develop methods to accommodate large voluntary data
sets on space and aeronautical information on high-
performance computing systems with variable quality and
scale.
(3) Promote collaboration and data and information sharing
between the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, the National Laboratories, and other
appropriate entities by providing the necessary access and
secure data and information transfer capabilities.
(4) Support the Administration's access to the Department's
research infrastructure and capabilities, as practicable.
(d) Agreements.--In carrying out the activities under
subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator are
authorized to--
(1) carry out reimbursable and non-reimbursable agreements
between the Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration; and
[[Page H1208]]
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as
appropriate.
(e) Merit Review Process.--The Secretary and the
Administrator shall ensure any competitive awards made to
carry out the activities under section (a) shall follow all
appropriate laws and agency policies, including the
following:
(1) Selection by merit-review-based processes.
(2) Consideration of applications from Federal agencies,
National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, non-
profit institutions, and other appropriate entities.
(f) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary and the
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, a
report detailing the following:
(1) Interagency research and development coordination
activities between the Department of Energy and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration carried out under this
section.
(2) How such coordination activities expand the technical
capabilities of the Department and the Administration.
(3) Collaborative research and development achievements.
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial activities,
including potential applications of clean energy
technologies, such as marine energy.
(5) Continuation of coordination activities between the
Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
(g) Research Security.--The activities authorized under
this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with
subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development,
Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B Public
Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on H.R. 1368, 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. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1368, the DOE and NASA
Interagency Research Coordination Act.
The Department of Energy and NASA have an extensive history of
collaboration, which has enhanced both our understanding of the
universe and our ability to explore well beyond our planet.
The Voyager spacecrafts, which were launched more than 40 years ago
and are now flying far beyond our own solar system in interstellar
space, continue to operate with DOE's groundbreaking propulsion
systems.
This DOE-NASA partnership has driven and will continue to drive
advancements in high-performance computing, keeping us at the forefront
of research and development.
Additionally, their collaborative work on nuclear energy is vital to
establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon and next-generation
in-space propulsion. However, these joint technological breakthroughs
not only aid our space endeavors, but they also can be utilized here on
Earth to increase global energy production from reliable energy
resources.
Furthermore, this partnership will help to propel satellite
development, space situational awareness, and even planetary defense
from near-Earth objects.
In short, this bill enables two of our chief scientific agencies to
do better work by tackling some of our most challenging scientific
problems together.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Begich, for
introducing this legislation. I also thank Representative Whitesides
for cosponsoring it. This bipartisan bill earned unanimous support in
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and passed in the House
last Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to once again support it on the
floor today, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the DOE and NASA Interagency
Research Coordination Act, H.R. 1368.
The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Whitesides), the vice ranking member of the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology, introduced this bill. It is another
great bipartisan bill.
These Members of Congress from the Western part of this Nation fully
understand and appreciate what it means to have coordinated interagency
activities on behalf of our competitive abilities. Enhancing this type
of collaboration between the Department of Energy and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration will have a multiplier effect on
the creative, innovative, and inspiring work of these two agencies. It
is an important tool in furthering agency missions and the Nation's
goals in science and exploration.
The Department of Energy and NASA's partnership is already
demonstrating impressive results. For example, earlier this year, NASA
and the DOE collaborated on selecting an award for continued industry
work on a space microreactor design that could provide a supply of
power for use on the Moon and beyond.
Just last week, scientists posted new data from the Department of
Energy's ground-based Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, providing
insights on the mysterious dark energy of the universe that NASA's
science satellites also study from space.
{time} 1530
We are on the tipping point of major things. We are working on and
seeing efficiency breathe its way into our government. The whole deal
here is that if we get H.R. 1368, the Department of Energy and NASA
will build on their longstanding partnership and do even more. They
will save the taxpayer money, and they will advance this Nation. They
will showcase that we are not getting in the way of where we want to go
as a country because we are trimming bureaucracy.
The act authorizes the agencies to carry out cross-cutting and
collaborative R&D activities and identifies nuclear power and
propulsion, high energy physics and astrophysics, Earth and
environmental sciences, and quantum information sciences as potential
areas for joint activity.
I only hope that the citizens of America are tuned into this debate
in this moment because this is really exciting.
The bill directs DOE and NASA to coordinate activities through MOUs,
memorandum of understanding. The legislation authorizes the use of
reimbursable and nonreimbursable agreements. Again, the effective
utilization of the taxpayer dollar of which we here in the United
States Congress are stewards of.
In addition, I will be providing direction on a merit review process
between the two agencies, reporting and compliance with research
security requirements in carrying out collaborative activities pursued
under the act. This is a practical and awe-inspiring bill to maximize
the research and development activities and capabilities and results of
our Federal agencies.
Mr. Speaker, I enthusiastically urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on
H.R. 1368.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich).
Mr. BEGICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1368, the
Department of Energy and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act.
This legislation authorizes the U.S. Department of Energy and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration to carry out research and
development activities focused on the advancement of shared DOE and
NASA mission priorities. This includes R&D in critical technology areas
like nuclear thermal propulsion systems, astrophysics, radiation health
effects, machine learning, and more.
DOE and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, have a long
and successful history of interagency collaboration with NASA. Over the
last 60 years, this relationship has evolved from radioisotope power
systems to new areas of research such as quantum information and
environmental sciences.
This interagency relationship has greatly benefited my home State of
[[Page H1209]]
Alaska. The North Slope of Alaska is home to the Department of Energy's
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement, or ARM, user facility, which gathers
data pertaining to clouds and radiation processes in cold environments
and high altitudes.
Given its strengths, NASA has partnered with this DOE facility to
conduct research in areas such as aerosols. In addition, any
atmospheric data from ARM stands to benefit the Pacific Spaceport
Complex on Kodiak Island in my home State of Alaska, which supports
commercial and government suborbital and orbital launch missions, as
well.
Additionally, H.R. 1368 requires the Secretary and the Administrator
to implement research security provisions consistent with the CHIPS and
Science Act of 2022. Given the transformational nature of these
emerging technologies and their impact on national security, this
language is necessary to protect our investments and breakthroughs from
hostile powers such as the Chinese Communist Party.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Whitesides of California, for working with
me on this important legislation and continuing the bipartisan
tradition of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1368 is a good governance and commonsense bill, and
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from the West, Mr. Begich and Mr.
Whitesides, along with Mr. Kennedy, who appear to be three freshman
Members of Congress, have come together in an important way to
introduce H.R. 1368. I continue to urge a ``yes'' vote on the DOE and
NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1368, the DOE and NASA Interagency
Research Act is a smart piece of legislation that will ensure that we
stay competitive in the global race to return humans to the Moon and
then send crewed missions on to Mars.
Without key partnerships like this, we would be unable to take the
crucial steps in energy production and propulsion technologies
necessary to extend our reach beyond Earth. I thank Representative
Begich and Representative Whitesides for their leadership in moving
this bill forward.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1368.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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