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“DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2018” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1095-H1097 on Feb. 13, 2018.
The Department oversees energy policies and is involved in how the US handles nuclear programs. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department's misguided energy regulations have caused large losses to consumers for decades.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2018
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4376) to direct the Secretary of Energy to carry out certain upgrades to research equipment and the construction of a research user facility, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4376
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED LIGHT SOURCE UPGRADE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall provide for the upgrade to the Advanced Light Source described in the publication approved by the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee on June 9, 2016, titled ``Report on Facility Upgrades'', including the development of a multi-bend achromat lattice to produce a high flux of coherent x-rays within the soft x-ray energy region.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Flux.--The term ``flux'' means the rate of flow of photons.
(2) Soft x-ray.--The term ``soft x-ray'' means a photon with energy in the range from 50 to 2,000 electron volts.
(c) Start of Operations.--The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the start of full operations of the upgrade under this section occurs before December 31, 2026.
(d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Science to carry out to completion the upgrade under this section--
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018;
(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2019;
(3) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(4) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
(5) $52,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
(6) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and
(7) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
SEC. 3. LINAC COHERENT LIGHT SOURCE II HIGH ENERGY UPGRADE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall provide for the upgrade to the Linac Coherent Light Source II facility described in the publication approved by the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee on June 9, 2016, titled ``Report on Facility Upgrades'', including the development of experimental capabilities for high energy x-rays to reveal fundamental scientific discoveries. The Secretary shall ensure the upgrade under this section enables the production and use of high energy, ultra-short pulse x-rays delivered at a high repetition rate.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) High energy x-ray.--The term a ``high energy x-ray'' means a photon with an energy at or exceeding 12 kiloelectron volts.
(2) High repetition rate.--The term ``high repetition rate'' means the delivery of x-ray pulses up to one million pulses per second.
(3) Ultra-short pulse x-rays.--The term ``ultra-short pulse x-rays'' means x-ray bursts capable of durations of less than one hundred femtoseconds.
(c) Start of Operations.--The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the start of full operations of the upgrade under this section occurs before December 31, 2025.
(d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Science to carry out to completion the upgrade under this section--
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2018;
(2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2019;
(3) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(4) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
(5) $54,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
(6) $31,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.
SEC. 4. FACILITY FOR RARE ISOTOPE BEAMS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall provide for a Facility for Rare Isotope Beams to advance the understanding of rare nuclear isotopes and the evolution of the cosmos.
(b) Facility Capabilities.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that the user facility will provide, at a minimum, the following:
(1) A rare isotope beam facility capable of 400 kW of beam power.
(2) Scientific instruments, which may include a gamma-ray energy tracking array, a particle spectrometer with high rigidity, and a beta-decay detection system.
(c) Start of Operations.--The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the start of full operations of the facility under this section occurs before June 30, 2022, with early operation in 2018.
(d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Science to carry out to completion the construction of the facility under this section--
(1) $101,200,000 for fiscal year 2018;
(2) $86,000,000 for fiscal year 2019;
(3) $64,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(4) $36,300,000 for fiscal year 2021;
(5) $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
(6) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and
(7) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
SEC. 5. SPENDING LIMITATION.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for such purpose.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4376, the bill now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2018. H.R. 4376 will support the research infrastructure needed to conduct leading basic energy science and nuclear physics research initiatives here in the U.S. by authorizing upgrades in construction of major user facilities at the Department of Energy, DOE, national labs and universities.
The Advanced Light Source, ALS, at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a specialized particle accelerator that generates bright beams of X-ray light for scientific research. The proposed upgrade to this facility will ensure that DOE can maintain ALS' status as a world-
class X-ray facility and allow scientists to study the structure and behavior of materials at extremely small scales.
The Linac Coherent Light Source, LCLS, is the world's first hard X-
ray, free-electron laser. The upgrade to this facility located at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University will provide a major jump in imaging capability and will enable researchers to perform groundbreaking experiments in chemistry, in materials, in biology, and in energy.
The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University is a one-of-a-kind linear accelerator facility that will allow researchers to study rare isotopes and their properties. This facility will support research that expands our understanding of atomic structures and could facilitate discoveries in medicine and even in physics.
H.R. 4376 reaffirms the Federal Government's key role in basic science research.
My home State of Texas has long been a world leader in advanced science and technology, and it is home to millions of entrepreneurs eager to take advantage of the best research facilities in the world.
These user facility upgrades will give the private sector the tools they need to develop breakthrough technologies in medicine, manufacturing, and energy. Investing in this research infrastructure will also help train the next generation of researchers in chemistry, physics, and materials science.
Here in Congress, it is our responsibility to take the long-term view and be patient, making smart investments that can lead to the next big discovery. This bill funds the research infrastructure necessary to make those very discoveries possible.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Lamar Smith, Representative Dan Lipinski, Energy Vice Chairman Steve Knight, and Representative Randy Hultgren for joining me as original cosponsors of this very important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2018.
Mr. Speaker, the legislation includes authorizations of important upgrades to the world-class Department of Energy user facilities at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
These upgrades will enable academic and industrial users to examine and develop advanced materials and chemical processes for a wide range of applications, from advanced batteries to high-temperature superconductors to next generations pharmaceuticals.
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This bill also directs DOE to build a new cutting-edge facility that was competitively selected to be sited at Michigan State University. This facility will enable researchers to advance our fundamental understanding of the nature of rare nuclear isotopes, with impacts in fields ranging from nuclear astrophysics to medicine.
Our laboratories are the crown jewels of American innovation, and the user-driven science facilities at those labs and at our universities are the foundation on which our leadership in science is built.
I am very pleased to support this bipartisan effort to expand our research capabilities at DOE, and I hope this is an area in which we can continue to work together.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), who is the very honorable chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. We are going to lose Chairman Smith, and we ought to start researching now to replace him.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas, the Energy Subcommittee chairman, for those nice comments and for yielding me time on this bill.
H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act, is an important piece of legislation introduced by Congressman Steve Knight from California.
The Department of Energy is the leading sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, and DOE national labs host over 30,000 researchers each year. To maintain America's global leadership in scientific discovery, we must ensure our user facilities are the best in the world.
This bill is also cosponsored by Representative Dan Lipinski, Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber, and Representative Randy Hultgren, and it authorizes funding from within the DOE Office of Science's existing budget to complete construction of three science infrastructure projects.
The bill provides for upgrades to the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and to the Linac Coherent Light Source at the National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University.
The Knight bill also authorizes and directs the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University through the DOE nuclear physics program.
All together, the enhanced capabilities made possible by this bill provide significant breakthroughs in discovery science and maintain America's high-tech leadership.
I thank the Energy Subcommittee chairman and the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight) for their initiatives in developing and managing this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. It is my distinct honor now to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight).
Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4376, the Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2018.
This legislation authorizes important upgrades to DOE light sources that support the research infrastructure needed to conduct leading initiatives in chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, and manufacturing. In addition, this bill authorizes a unique user facility that will allow researchers to study rare isotopes and their properties. These upgrades at DOE's best-in-the-world user facilities will facilitate discovery science and bring the best and brightest scientists in the world to the U.S.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Smith and the Energy Subcommittee for introducing this important legislation.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4376 authorizes critical investments in research infrastructure at our national labs and universities and will ensure the next big discoveries in physical sciences, manufacturing, medicine, and energy can happen right here in these United States.
I want to thank, again, the sponsors of this bill and also thank the researchers and stakeholders that provided feedback as we developed this legislation. I certainly want to thank Congressman Knight from California.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this commonsense, bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4376, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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