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. DAN-
IEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MCNERNEY, and Mr. OLVER) intro-
duced 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fusion Engineering 
Science and Fusion Energy Planning Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
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(1) Ample, affordable, and reliable energy sup-
plies are essential to a healthy and growing econ-
omy. 
(2) Energy production and use have been major 
contributors to environmental degradation, including 
global warming. 
(3) Practical fusion energy remains one of the 
very few true alternatives to fossil fuels that might 
provide a substantial percentage of United States 
and world energy requirements while at the same 
time having a minimal impact on the environment. 
(4) The United States and six other inter-
national partners that together represent over half 
of the Earth’s population are making a major com-
mitment to fusion energy research through their 
joint participation in the ITER project and other fu-
sion research activities. 
(5) Although the ITER project is an essential 
step on the path to practical fusion energy, it will 
not address key questions of fusion engineering 
science required to design and build a successful 
magnetic fusion energy demonstration facility. 
(6) In addition, although the National Ignition 
Facility will demonstrate ignition, and other inertial 
confinement fusion facilities in the United States 
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and elsewhere are demonstrating fundamental sci-
entific principles underlying inertial fusion energy, 
experiments at those facilities have not addressed 
key questions of fusion engineering science required 
to design and build successful inertial fusion energy 
demonstration facilities. 
(7) Numerous assessments of fusion energy 
science research needs, including a recent assess-
ment by the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Com-
mittee, have emphasized that substantial progress in 
fusion engineering science is essential to advancing 
the understanding of plasma behaviors and for the 
ultimate attainment of practical fusion energy. 
(8) Research in fusion engineering science 
brings with it understanding useful to many other 
areas of basic science, engineering, and technology. 
(9) Progress in both physics and fusion engi-
neering science are essential for the realization of 
practical fusion energy. 
(10) The United States’ fusion engineering 
science capabilities have fallen well behind those of 
certain other nations. 
(11) An up-to-date plan integrating physics and 
fusion engineering science research and development 
is necessary to achieve practical fusion energy and to 
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maintain United States competitiveness in fusion en-
ergy development. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITION. 
For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘fusion engi-
neering science’’ means areas of materials science and en-
abling technology that focus on— 
(1) creating, confining, and controlling fusion 
energy plasmas; and 
(2) understanding, controlling, enabling, and 
exploiting the nuclear and physical phenomena asso-
ciated with the interaction of the fusion plasma and 
its own reaction products with the surrounding ma-
terial and with the physical and energy production 
systems of a fusion energy device. 
SEC. 4. PROGRAM. 
Consistent with strengthening fusion engineering 
science research activities, including the United States 
commitment to ITER pursuant to the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005, the Secretary of Energy shall enhance the United 
States capability in fusion engineering science in order to 
ensure full United States benefit from the ITER project 
and to ensure that the United States is a leader in fusion 
engineering science and in the next steps toward develop-
ment of a fusion energy facility. 
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SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
Within one year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Energy, in response to recent study 
and planning activities undertaken by the Fusion Energy 
Sciences Advisory Committee and the Office of Fusion En-
ergy Sciences, shall develop and provide to Congress a 
comprehensive plan identifying the full range of research 
and development, including in fusion engineering science, 
and the facilities needed to achieve practical fusion energy. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
For the purpose of carrying out section 4 of this Act, 
there are authorized to be appropriated the following 
sums: 
(1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2011. 
(3) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
Æ 
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