DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act

Summary#

This bill lets the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) work together on research and development. The agencies can make memoranda of understanding, run joint research projects, and make competitive awards. Focus areas listed include propulsion (including nuclear propulsion), radioisotope power, thermoelectric generators, advanced nuclear fuels, modeling and simulation, machine learning, fundamental physics and earth sciences, quantum information sciences, radiation health effects, and technology for sending solar energy from space to Earth. The agencies can share data, use DOE research facilities when practical, and enter reimbursable or non-reimbursable agreements. Any competitive awards must follow merit-review processes and applicable laws and agency policies. The bill requires a report to several congressional committees within two years describing coordination activities, technical gains, achievements, future areas of work (including possible clean energy applications such as marine energy), and plans to continue coordination. All activities must follow existing research security rules in the referenced law.

What it means for you#

• DOE and NASA may jointly fund and run research in the listed technical areas.
• Researchers at federal labs, universities, nonprofits, and other eligible entities may apply for competitive awards under merit-review rules.
• Agencies will share data and may allow NASA access to DOE facilities where practical.
• Congress will receive a report within two years describing what the agencies did and plan to do next.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on total costs or appropriations. The bill authorizes cooperative activities and competitive awards but does not specify funding amounts or new appropriations.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.