Bipartisan Californians Lead Fusion Energy Sciences Funding Efforts, Cosponsors Sought -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin - Volume 10, Bulletin 7 -- March 20, 2003

Last week, bills were introduced in the House and Senate to strengthen the U.S. domestic fusion program, to authorize U.S. participation in the ITER project and to require the Department of Energy to report to Congress on addressing fusion materials and technology issues.

On March 13, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (San Jose) and Randy "Duke" Cunningham (San Diego), joined by 27 other Members from both parties, introduced the "Fueling the U.S.A. Through Unlimited Reliable Energy (FUTURE) Act of 2003", designated H.R. 1282. On March 12, Senators Diane Feinstein and Larry Craig (ID) introduced the "Fusion Energy Development Act of 2003" (S.600). The text of each bill or similar language may be included in omnibus energy legislation that is moving in Congress.

The House bill authorizes the Secretary of Energy to cooperate in the international magnetic fusion burning plasma experiment, or alternatively to develop a plan for a domestic burning plasma experiment, for the purpose of accelerating the scientific understanding and development of fusion as a long term energy source. In findings, the bill notes that the U.S. fusion research community "has developed a strong consensus that the first option for United States involvement in a burning plasma experiment should be through the international project known as 'ITER', and, that should the ITER project fail to go forward, then the construction of a domestic burning plasma experiment known as the Fusion Ignition Research Experiment or 'FIRE' should be pursued aggressively." The would make it the policy of the nation "to develop the scientific, engineering, and commercial infrastructure necessary to ensure that the United States is competitive with other nations in providing fusion energy for its own needs and the needs of other nations, including, by demonstrating electric power or hydrogen production for the United States energy grid utilizing fusion energy at the earliest date possible."

The House bill would require the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan within six months for accomplishing these goals, and would authorize $272 million from FY2004 through FY2008 for ITER (or FIRE) participation, as well as $1.8 billion over the same five-year period for the Fusion Energy Sciences Program. The Senate bill includes similar language.

California is a perennial winner of a large share of federal expenditures on fusion energy sciences as well as for the inertial confinement fusion program.

Offices of California Members wishing to co-sponsor H.R. 1282 should contact either Rep. Lofgren's or Rep. Cunningham's office.

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