I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3177 

To promote the development of practical fusion energy, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 10, 2009 

Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California (for herself, Mr. INGLIS, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. 

BILBRAY, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. 

FOSTER, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. HOLT, Mr. HONDA, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MCNERNEY, and Mr. OLVER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science 

and Technology 

A BILL 

To promote the development of practical fusion energy, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fusion Engineering 

5 Science and Fusion Energy Planning Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Ample, affordable, and reliable energy sup2 plies are essential to a healthy and growing econ3 omy. 

4 (2) Energy production and use have been major 

5 contributors to environmental degradation, including 

6 global warming. 

7 (3) Practical fusion energy remains one of the 

8 very few true alternatives to fossil fuels that might 

9 provide a substantial percentage of United States 

10 and world energy requirements while at the same 

11 time having a minimal impact on the environment. 

12 (4) The United States and six other inter13 national partners that together represent over half 

14 of the Earth’s population are making a major com15 mitment to fusion energy research through their 

16 joint participation in the ITER project and other fu17 sion research activities. 

18 (5) Although the ITER project is an essential 

19 step on the path to practical fusion energy, it will 

20 not address key questions of fusion engineering 

21 science required to design and build a successful 

22 magnetic fusion energy demonstration facility. 

23 (6) In addition, although the National Ignition 

24 Facility will demonstrate ignition, and other inertial 

25 confinement fusion facilities in the United States 


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1 and elsewhere are demonstrating fundamental sci2 entific principles underlying inertial fusion energy, 

3 experiments at those facilities have not addressed 

4 key questions of fusion engineering science required 

5 to design and build successful inertial fusion energy 

6 demonstration facilities. 

7 (7) Numerous assessments of fusion energy 

8 science research needs, including a recent assess9 ment by the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Com10 mittee, have emphasized that substantial progress in 

11 fusion engineering science is essential to advancing 

12 the understanding of plasma behaviors and for the 

13 ultimate attainment of practical fusion energy. 

14 (8) Research in fusion engineering science 

15 brings with it understanding useful to many other 

16 areas of basic science, engineering, and technology. 

17 (9) Progress in both physics and fusion engi18 neering science are essential for the realization of 

19 practical fusion energy. 

20 (10) The United States’ fusion engineering 

21 science capabilities have fallen well behind those of 

22 certain other nations. 

23 (11) An up-to-date plan integrating physics and 

24 fusion engineering science research and development 

25 is necessary to achieve practical fusion energy and to 


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1 maintain United States competitiveness in fusion en2 ergy development. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 

4 For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘fusion engi5 neering science’’ means areas of materials science and en6 abling technology that focus on— 

7 (1) creating, confining, and controlling fusion 

8 energy plasmas; and 

9 (2) understanding, controlling, enabling, and 

10 exploiting the nuclear and physical phenomena asso11 ciated with the interaction of the fusion plasma and 

12 its own reaction products with the surrounding ma13 terial and with the physical and energy production 

14 systems of a fusion energy device. 

15 SEC. 4. PROGRAM. 

16 Consistent with strengthening fusion engineering 

17 science research activities, including the United States 

18 commitment to ITER pursuant to the Energy Policy Act 

19 of 2005, the Secretary of Energy shall enhance the United 

20 States capability in fusion engineering science in order to 

21 ensure full United States benefit from the ITER project 

22 and to ensure that the United States is a leader in fusion 

23 engineering science and in the next steps toward develop24 ment of a fusion energy facility. 


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1 SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 

2 Within one year after the date of enactment of this 

3 Act, the Secretary of Energy, in response to recent study 

4 and planning activities undertaken by the Fusion Energy 

5 Sciences Advisory Committee and the Office of Fusion En6 ergy Sciences, shall develop and provide to Congress a 

7 comprehensive plan identifying the full range of research 

8 and development, including in fusion engineering science, 

9 and the facilities needed to achieve practical fusion energy. 

10 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

11 For the purpose of carrying out section 4 of this Act, 

12 there are authorized to be appropriated the following 

13 sums: 

14 (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 

15 (2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 

16 (3) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 

Æ 


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