HR 2988 United States House · 118th Congress

DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act

HR 2988 requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and NASA to formally coordinate their research and development efforts through memoranda of understanding. The bill directs them to collaborate on specific areas like nuclear propulsion systems, quantum computing, environmental science, and data analytics, while ensuring competitive awards follow merit-based processes. It mandates that DOE and NASA share data and infrastructure where practical, and report to Congress within two years on their coordination progress and achievements. This legislation primarily affects DOE and NASA, facilitating joint projects without creating new funding but streamlining existing agency collaboration.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2023

Committee Review

Dec 2023

House Passage

Dec 2023

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Apr 27, 2023 Last action Dec 5, 2023

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 3 edits · Dec 4, 2023

MINOR

The Engrossed version adds two new substantive policy elements: space-based solar power technology is added as a focus area for DOE-NASA collaboration, and the required biennial report must now address potential applications of clean energy technologies such as marine energy. A minor citation cleanup was also made in the research security provision. The remaining changes are formatting only (whitespace and blank lines).

SCOPE

A new focus area (G) was added to section 2(c)(1): ground- and space-based technology necessary for the transmission to the Earth's surface of solar energy collected in space. This explicitly brings space-based solar power into the scope of DOE-NASA collaborative R&D.

REQUIREMENT

Section 2(f)(4) was expanded from simply requiring a report on 'areas of future mutually beneficial activities' to also include 'potential applications of clean energy technologies, such as marine energy,' broadening the reporting obligation to cover clean energy applications beyond traditional space and energy research.

TECHNICAL

Section 2(g) had a minor citation correction: the parenthetical reference was changed from '(enacted as division B of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)' to '(enacted as division B Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)', removing the explicit name of the CHIPS Act.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Dec 5, 2023

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

upper

Dec 4, 2023

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6092-6093)

lower

Dec 4, 2023

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6092-6093)

lower

Dec 4, 2023

Introduced

Mr. Lucas moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Sep 1, 2023

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 118-174.

lower

Jun 15, 2023

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Jun 15, 2023

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 0.

lower

Apr 27, 2023

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

lower

Apr 27, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors