111 
to Congress that describes the status of milestones 
and costs in achieving the objectives of the 
exascale computing program. 
‘‘(C) EXASCALE MERIT REPORT.—At least 
18 months prior to the initiation of construction 
or installation of any exascale-class computing 
facility, the Secretary shall transmit a plan to 
the Congress detailing— 
‘‘(i) the proposed facility’s cost projec-
tions and capabilities to significantly accel-
erate the development of new energy tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(ii) technical risks and challenges that 
must be overcome to achieve successful com-
pletion and operation of the facility; and 
‘‘(iii) an independent assessment of the 
scientific and technological advances ex-
pected from such a facility relative to those 
expected from a comparable investment in 
expanded research and applications at 
terascale-class 
and 
petascale-class 
com-
puting facilities, including an evaluation of 
where investments should be made in the 
system software and algorithms to enable 
these advances.’’. 
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SEC. 504. HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Director shall carry out a re-
search program on the fundamental constituents of matter 
and energy and the nature of space and time. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Director should incorporate the findings 
and recommendations of the Particle Physics Project 
Prioritization Panel’s report entitled ‘‘Building for 
Discovery: Strategic Plan for U.S. Particle Physics in 
the Global Context’’, into the Department’s planning 
process as part of the program described in subsection 
(a); 
(2) the Director should prioritize domestically 
hosted research projects that will maintain the United 
States position as a global leader in particle physics 
and attract the world’s most talented physicists and 
foreign investment for international collaboration; 
and 
(3) the nations that lead in particle physics by 
hosting international teams dedicated to a common 
scientific goal attract the world’s best talent and in-
spire future generations of physicists and tech-
nologists. 
(c) NEUTRINO RESEARCH.—As part of the program 
described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out re-
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search activities on rare decay processes and the nature of 
the neutrino, which may include collaborations with the 
National Science Foundation or international collabora-
tions. 
(d) DARK ENERGY AND DARK MATTER RESEARCH.— 
As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Di-
rector shall carry out research activities on the nature of 
dark energy and dark matter, which may include collabora-
tions with the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion or the National Science Foundation, or international 
collaborations. 
(e) ACCELERATOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 
The Director shall carry out research and development in 
advanced accelerator concepts and technologies, including 
laser technologies, to reduce the necessary scope and cost 
for the next generation of particle accelerators. The Director 
shall ensure access to national laboratory accelerator facili-
ties, infrastructure, and technology for users and developers 
of accelerators that advance applications in energy and the 
environment, medicine, industry, national security, and 
discovery science. 
(f) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—The Director, 
as practicable and in coordination with other appropriate 
Federal agencies as necessary, shall ensure the access of 
United States researchers to the most advanced accelerator 
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facilities and research capabilities in the world, including 
the Large Hadron Collider. 
SEC. 505. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Director shall carry out a pro-
gram of research, development, and demonstration in the 
areas of biological systems science and climate and environ-
mental science to support the energy and environmental 
missions of the Department. 
(b) PRIORITY RESEARCH.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Director shall prioritize fundamental research on 
biological systems and genomics science with the greatest 
potential to enable scientific discovery. 
(c) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit a report to Congress identifying climate science-re-
lated initiatives under this section that overlap or duplicate 
initiatives of other Federal agencies and the extent of such 
overlap or duplication. 
(d) LIMITATION.—The Director shall not approve new 
climate science-related initiatives to be carried out through 
the Office of Science without making a determination that 
such work is unique and not duplicative of work by other 
Federal agencies. Not later than 3 months after receiving 
the assessment required under subsection (c), the Director 
shall cease those climate science-related initiatives identi-
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fied in the assessment as overlapping or duplicative, unless 
the Director justifies that such work is critical to achieving 
American energy security. 
(e) LOW DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Depart-
ment of Energy Office of Science shall carry out a re-
search program on low dose radiation. The purpose of 
the program is to enhance the scientific under-
standing of and reduce uncertainties associated with 
the effects of exposure to low dose radiation in order 
to inform improved risk management methods. 
(2) STUDY.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter 
into an agreement with the National Academies to 
conduct a study assessing the current status and de-
velopment of a long-term strategy for low dose radi-
ation research. Such study shall be completed not 
later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act. The study shall be conducted in coordination 
with Federal agencies that perform ionizing radiation 
effects research and shall leverage the most current 
studies in this field. Such study shall— 
(A) identify current scientific challenges for 
understanding the long-term effects of ionizing 
radiation; 
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(B) assess the status of current low dose ra-
diation research in the United States and inter-
nationally; 
(C) formulate overall scientific goals for the 
future of low-dose radiation research in the 
United States; 
(D) recommend a long-term strategic and 
prioritized research agenda to address scientific 
research goals for overcoming the identified sci-
entific challenges in coordination with other re-
search efforts; 
(E) define the essential components of a re-
search program that would address this research 
agenda within the universities and the National 
Laboratories; and 
(F) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of 
such a program. 
(3) RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 90 days 
after the completion of the study performed under 
paragraph (2) the Secretary of Energy shall deliver 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 5-year 
research plan that responds to the study’s findings 
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and recommendations and identifies and prioritizes 
research needs. 
(4) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘low dose radiation’’ means a radiation dose of less 
than 100 millisieverts. 
(5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to subject any research 
carried out by the Director under the research pro-
gram under this subsection to any limitations de-
scribed in section 977(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)). 
SEC. 506. FUSION ENERGY. 
(a) PROGRAM.—The Director shall carry out a fusion 
energy sciences research program to expand the funda-
mental understanding of plasmas and matter at very high 
temperatures and densities and to build the scientific foun-
dation necessary to enable fusion power. 
(b) FUSION MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT.—As part of the activities authorized in section 978 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16318)— 
(1) the Director, in coordination with the Assist-
ant Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the Department, 
shall carry out research and development activities to 
identify, characterize, and demonstrate materials that 
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can endure the neutron, plasma, and heat fluxes ex-
pected in a fusion power system; and 
(2) the Secretary shall— 
(A) provide an assessment of the need for a 
facility or facilities that can examine and test 
potential fusion and next generation fission ma-
terials and other enabling technologies relevant 
to the development of fusion power; and 
(B) provide an assessment of whether a sin-
gle new facility that substantially addresses 
magnetic fusion and next generation fission ma-
terials research needs is feasible, in conjunction 
with the expected capabilities of facilities oper-
ational as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) TOKAMAK RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 
(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 to optimize the tokamak approach to fusion en-
ergy. 
(2) ITER.— 
(A) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report providing an 
assessment of— 
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(i) the most recent schedule for ITER 
that has been approved by the ITER Coun-
cil; and 
(ii) progress of the ITER Council and 
the ITER Director General toward imple-
mentation of the recommendations of the 
Third Biennial International Organization 
Management Assessment Report. 
(B) FAIRNESS IN COMPETITION FOR SOLICI-
TATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ACTIVI-
TIES.—Section 33 of the Atomic Energy Act of 
1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: ‘‘For purposes of this sec-
tion, with respect to international research 
projects, the term ‘private facilities or labora-
tories’ shall refer to facilities or laboratories lo-
cated in the United States.’’. 
(C) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the United States should support 
a robust, diverse fusion program. It is further 
the sense of Congress that developing the sci-
entific basis for fusion, providing research results 
key to the success of ITER, and training the next 
generation of fusion scientists are of critical im-
portance to the United States and should in no 
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way be diminished by participation of the 
United States in the ITER project. 
(d) 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. 
(e) 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; 
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