Doe and Nasa Interagency Research Coordination Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act, H.R. 1368.

The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Whitesides), the vice ranking member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, introduced this bill. It is another great bipartisan bill.

These Members of Congress from the Western part of this Nation fully understand and appreciate what it means to have coordinated interagency activities on behalf of our competitive abilities. Enhancing this type of collaboration between the Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will have a multiplier effect on the creative, innovative, and inspiring work of these two agencies. It is an important tool in furthering agency missions and the Nation's goals in science and exploration.

The Department of Energy and NASA's partnership is already demonstrating impressive results. For example, earlier this year, NASA and the DOE collaborated on selecting an award for continued industry work on a space microreactor design that could provide a supply of power for use on the Moon and beyond.

Just last week, scientists posted new data from the Department of Energy's ground-based Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, providing insights on the mysterious dark energy of the universe that NASA's science satellites also study from space.

We are on the tipping point of major things. We are working on and seeing efficiency breathe its way into our government. The whole deal here is that if we get H.R. 1368, the Department of Energy and NASA will build on their longstanding partnership and do even more. They will save the taxpayer money, and they will advance this Nation. They will showcase that we are not getting in the way of where we want to go as a country because we are trimming bureaucracy.

The act authorizes the agencies to carry out cross-cutting and collaborative R&D activities and identifies nuclear power and propulsion, high energy physics and astrophysics, Earth and environmental sciences, and quantum information sciences as potential areas for joint activity.

I only hope that the citizens of America are tuned into this debate in this moment because this is really exciting.

The bill directs DOE and NASA to coordinate activities through MOUs, memorandum of understanding. The legislation authorizes the use of reimbursable and nonreimbursable agreements. Again, the effective utilization of the taxpayer dollar of which we here in the United States Congress are stewards of.

In addition, I will be providing direction on a merit review process between the two agencies, reporting and compliance with research security requirements in carrying out collaborative activities pursued under the act. This is a practical and awe-inspiring bill to maximize the research and development activities and capabilities and results of our Federal agencies.

Mr. Speaker, I enthusiastically urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1368.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from the West, Mr. Begich and Mr. Whitesides, along with Mr. Kennedy, who appear to be three freshman Members of Congress, have come together in an important way to introduce H.R. 1368. I continue to urge a ``yes'' vote on the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act.

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