minate an underperforming center for cause during 
the performance period. 
(d) LOW DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle G of title IX of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16311 et seq.) 
is amended by inserting after section 977 the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 977A. LOW-DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
basic research program on low-dose radiation to— 
‘‘(1) enhance the scientific understanding of, and 
reduce uncertainties associated with, the effects of ex-
posure to low-dose radiation; and 
‘‘(2) inform improved risk-assessment and risk- 
management methods with respect to such radiation. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—In carrying out the 
program required under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) formulate scientific goals for low-dose radi-
ation basic research in the United States; 
‘‘(2) identify ongoing scientific challenges for un-
derstanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation 
on biological systems; 
‘‘(3) 
develop 
a 
long-term 
strategic 
and 
prioritized basic research agenda to address such sci-
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entific challenges in coordination with other research 
efforts; 
‘‘(4) leverage the collective body of knowledge 
from existing low-dose radiation research; and 
‘‘(5) engage with other Federal agencies, research 
communities, and potential users of information pro-
duced under this section, including institutions con-
cerning radiation research, medical physics, radi-
ology, health physics, and emergency response. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program, 
the Secretary, in coordination with the Physical Science 
Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology 
Council, shall— 
‘‘(1) support the directives under section 106 of 
the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 
(42 U.S.C. 6601 note); 
‘‘(2) ensure that the Office of Science of the De-
partment of Energy consults with the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the National In-
stitutes of Health, the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Department of Defense, the Nuclear Regu-
latory Commission, and the Department of Homeland 
Security; 
‘‘(3) advise and assist the National Science and 
Technology Council on policies and initiatives in ra-
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diation biology, including enhancing scientific knowl-
edge of the effects of low-dose radiation on biological 
systems to improve radiation risk-assessment and 
risk-management methods; and 
‘‘(4) identify opportunities to stimulate inter-
national cooperation relating to low-dose radiation 
and leverage research and knowledge from sources 
outside of the United States. 
‘‘(d) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall trans-
mit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 4-year research 
plan that identifies and prioritizes basic research needs re-
lating to low-dose radiation. In developing such plan, the 
Secretary shall incorporate the components described in 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(e) DEFINITION OF LOW-DOSE RADIATION.—In this 
section, the term ‘low-dose radiation’ means a radiation 
dose of less than 100 millisieverts. 
‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to subject any research carried out 
by the Secretary for the program under this section to any 
limitations described in 977(e) of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)). 
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‘‘(g) FUNDING.—From within funds authorized to be 
appropriated under section 11 of the Department of Energy 
Science and Innovation Act of 2018, for Biological and En-
vironmental Research, the Secretary make available to 
carry out this section— 
‘‘(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; and 
‘‘(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2019.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents for subtitle G of title IX of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 is amended by inserting after the item re-
lating to section 977 the following: 
‘‘977A. Low-dose radiation research program.’’. 
(e) MODELING RESEARCH.—As part of the activities 
described in subsection (a), the Director is authorized to 
carry out research to develop multiscale computational 
models that incorporate and examine interactions among 
human and earth systems. 
(f) 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. 
SEC. 8. FUSION ENERGY. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Director shall carry out a fusion 
energy sciences research program to expand the under-
standing of plasmas and matter at very high temperatures 
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and densities and build the science and engineering founda-
tion needed to develop a fusion energy source. 
(b) INERTIAL FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
program of research and technology development in inertial 
fusion for energy applications, including ion beam, laser, 
and pulsed power fusion systems. 
(c) TOKAMAK RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall support re-
search and development activities and facility oper-
ations to optimize the tokamak approach to fusion en-
ergy. 
(2) INTERNATIONAL
THERMONUCLEAR
EXPERI-
MENTAL
REACTOR
CONSTRUCTION.—Section 972 of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16312) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(7) ITER CONSTRUCTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—There is authorized 
United States participation in the construction 
and operations of the ITER project, as agreed to 
under the April 25, 2007 ‘Agreement on the Es-
tablishment of the ITER International Fusion 
Energy Organization for the Joint Implementa-
tion of the ITER Project.’. 
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‘‘(B) FACILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that the mission-oriented user 
facility will enable the study of a burning plas-
ma, and shall be built to have the following char-
acteristics in its full configuration: 
‘‘(i) A tokamak device with a plasma 
radius of 6.2 meters and a magnetic field of 
5.3 T. 
‘‘(ii) Capable of creating and sus-
taining a 15-million-Ampere plasma cur-
rent for greater than 300 seconds. 
‘‘(C) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—From within funds authorized to be ap-
propriated under section 11 of the Department of 
Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018, for 
Fusion Energy Sciences, there is authorized for 
in-kind contributions under this paragraph— 
‘‘(i) $122,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 
and 
‘‘(ii) $163,000,000 for fiscal year 2019. 
‘‘(D) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—From within funds authorized to be ap-
propriated under section 11 of the Department of 
Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018, for 
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Fusion Energy Sciences, there is authorized for 
cash contributions under this paragraph— 
‘‘(i) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 
and 
‘‘(ii) 
$50,000,000 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2019.’’. 
(d) ALTERNATIVE AND ENABLING CONCEPTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Director shall support 
research and development activities and facility oper-
ations at United States universities, national labora-
tories, and private facilities for a portfolio of alter-
native and enabling fusion energy concepts that may 
provide solutions to significant challenges to the es-
tablishment 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. Fusion energy concepts 
and activities explored under this paragraph may in-
clude— 
(A) high magnetic field approaches facili-
tated by high temperature superconductors; 
(B) advanced stellarator concepts; 
(C) non-tokamak confinement configura-
tions operating at low magnetic fields; 
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(D) magnetized target fusion energy con-
cepts; 
(E) liquid metals to address issues associ-
ated with fusion plasma interactions with the 
inner wall of the encasing device; 
(F) immersion blankets for heat manage-
ment and fuel breeding; 
(G) advanced scientific computing activi-
ties; and 
(H) other promising fusion energy concepts 
identified by the Director. 
(2) COORDINATION WITH ARPA–E.—The Under 
Secretary and the Director shall coordinate with the 
Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency– 
Energy (in this paragraph referred to as ‘‘ARPA–E’’) 
to— 
(A) assess the potential for any fusion en-
ergy project supported by ARPA–E to represent 
a promising approach to a commercially viable 
fusion power plant; 
(B) determine whether the results of any fu-
sion energy project supported by ARPA–E merit 
the support of follow-on research activities car-
ried out by the Office of Science; and 
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(C) avoid unintentional duplication of ac-
tivities. 
(e) FAIRNESS IN COMPETITION FOR SOLICITATIONS 
FOR INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ACTIVITIES.—Section 33 of 
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amend-
ed 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.’’. 
(f) IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES.— 
(1) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary 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 re-
port under not fewer than 3 realistic budget sce-
narios, including a scenario based on 3-percent 
annual growth in the non-ITER portion of the 
budget for fusion energy research and develop-
ment activities. 
(B) 
INCLUSIONS.—The 
report 
required 
under subparagraph (A) shall— 
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(i) identify specific areas of fusion en-
ergy research and enabling technology devel-
opment, including activities to advance in-
ertial and alternative fusion energy con-
cepts, 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 decommis-
sioning under each of the three budget sce-
narios 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 pro-
grams at institutions of higher education in 
the United States to train the leaders and 
workers of the next generation of fusion en-
ergy researchers. 
(2) PROCESS.—In order to develop the report re-
quired under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall le-
verage 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. 
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