SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘DOE and NSF Inter-
agency Research Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL SCIENCE 
FOUNDATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
COORDINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) and the Director 
of the National Science Foundation (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Director’’) shall carry out cross-cutting 
and collaborative research and development activities fo-
cused on the joint advancement of Department of Energy 
and National Science Foundation mission requirements 
and priorities. 
(b) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The Sec-
retary and the Director shall coordinate the activities 
under subsection (a) through the establishment of a 
memorandum of understanding, or other appropriate 
interagency agreement. Such memorandum or agreement, 
as the case may be, shall require the use of a competitive, 
merit-reviewed process, which considers applications from 
Federal agencies, National Laboratories, institutions of 
higher education, non-profit institutions, and other appro-
priate entities.
(c) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the activities 
under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Director 
may— 
(1) conduct collaborative research in a variety 
of focus areas, such as— 
(A) basic plasma science and engineering, 
including applications in astrophysics, materials 
science, fusion science, and accelerator science; 
(B) fundamental biological and computa-
tional science and engineering, including com-
putational neuroscience and neuromorphic com-
puting, including in collaboration with the pro-
gram authorized under section 306 of the De-
partment of Energy Research and Innovation 
Act (42 U.S.C. 18644); 
(C) modeling and simulation, machine 
learning, artificial intelligence, data assimila-
tion, large-scale data analytics, predictive anal-
ysis, and advanced computational, storage, and 
networking capabilities in order to optimize al-
gorithms for purposes related to energy and cli-
mate; 
(D) quantum information sciences, includ-
ing quantum computing and quantum network 
infrastructure, including in collaboration with
the programs authorized under sections 403 
and 404 of the National Quantum Initiative Act 
(15 U.S.C. 8853 and 8854); 
(E) energy and materials science and engi-
neering, 
including 
artificial 
photosynthesis, 
plasma, solar fuels, and fusion, including in col-
laboration with the programs authorized under 
sections 303 and 307 of the Department of En-
ergy Research and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 
18641 and 18645), and section 973 of the En-
ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16313); 
(F) advanced manufacturing technologies, 
including efficient storage systems and alter-
natives to high-temperature processing, for the 
purposes of optimizing energy consumption, in-
cluding in collaboration with the program au-
thorized under section 975 of the Department 
of Energy Research and Innovation Act (42 
U.S.C. 16315); 
(G) microelectronics, including novel chip 
architectures, memory systems, and intercon-
nects; and 
(H) advanced physics, including high en-
ergy and particle physics, accelerator research 
and development, and high performance com-
putational tools, including in collaboration with 
the programs authorized under section 303 of 
the Department of Energy Research and Inno-
vation Act (42 U.S.C. 18641); 
(2) promote collaboration, open community- 
based development, and data and information shar-
ing between Federal agencies, National Labora-
tories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit in-
stitutions, and other appropriate entities by pro-
viding the necessary access and secure data and in-
formation transfer capabilities; 
(3) support research infrastructure, including 
new facilities and equipment, as the Secretary and 
Director determine necessary; and 
(4) organize education, training, and research 
initiatives relating to STEM education and work-
force development, including— 
(A) internships, fellowships, and other re-
search or work-based learning opportunities; 
(B) educational programming for students 
at all levels, especially experiential and project- 
based learning opportunities; and 
(C) professional development opportunities 
for educators and researchers.
(d) AGREEMENTS.—In carrying out the activities 
under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Director are 
authorized to— 
(1) carry out reimbursable agreements between 
the Department of Energy, the National Science 
Foundation, and other entities in order to maximize 
the effectiveness of research and development; and 
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies, as 
appropriate. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this section, the Secretary and the 
Director shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate a report detailing the following: 
(1) Interagency coordination between each Fed-
eral agency involved in the research and development 
activities carried out under this section. 
(2) Potential opportunities to expand the tech-
nical capabilities of the Department of Energy and 
the National Science Foundation. 
(3) Collaborative research achievements. 
(4) Areas of future mutually beneficial suc-
cesses.
(5) Continuation of coordination activities be-
tween the Department of Energy and the National 
Science Foundation. 
(f) RESEARCH SECURITY.—The activities authorized 
under this section shall be applied in a manner consistent 
with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Develop-
ment, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as divi-
sion B of Public Law 117–167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.). 
Passed the House of Representatives December 4, 
2023. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2980 
AN ACT 
To provide for Department of Energy and National 
Science Foundation research and development 
coordination, and for other purposes.