To direct the Secretary of Energy to fund projects to restore and modernize National Laboratories, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill provides major funding for upgrading America's National Laboratories, which conduct critical energy and science research. It authorizes $25 billion over five years (2026-2030) to fix aging facilities, upgrade infrastructure, and modernize research capabilities at these federal labs.
Who Benefits and How
- National Laboratories (e.g., Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, Sandia): Receive substantial funding for deferred maintenance, new facilities, and infrastructure upgrades.
- Department of Energy Offices (Office of Science, Nuclear Energy, etc.): Gain resources and authority to implement modernization projects.
- Construction and Engineering Contractors: Benefit from billions in contracts for facility construction, upgrades, and maintenance.
- Research Scientists and Staff: Gain access to modernized facilities and equipment.
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Federal Taxpayers: Responsible for the $25 billion authorization over 5 years.
- No specific industry or group faces new regulations or restrictions under this bill - it is primarily a funding authorization.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes $5 billion per year for fiscal years 2026-2030 for National Laboratory restoration and modernization
- Requires at least one-third of funds to be managed by the Office of Science
- Requires Secretary of Energy to submit annual project lists to Congress
- Amends Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require a comprehensive facilities and infrastructure strategy
- Mandates a 10-year plan with cost estimates and prioritization criteria
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Directs the Secretary of Energy to fund projects to restore and modernize the nation's National Laboratories, authorizing $5 billion annually for fiscal years 2026-2030 to address deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure needs.
Who Benefits
- National Laboratories
- Department of Energy
- Construction and Engineering Contractors
Who Bears Costs
- Federal Taxpayers
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Science & Technology, Federal Research, Infrastructure
Primary Purpose
Directs the Secretary of Energy to fund projects to restore and modernize the nation's National Laboratories, authorizing $5 billion annually for fiscal years 2026-2030 to address deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure needs.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Provide significant federal investment in National Laboratory infrastructure to maintain U.S. leadership in science and energy research by addressing years of deferred maintenance and enabling modernization."
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Foster (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Thanedar, and Mr. …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Science
Office of Science faces effects in multiple directions
National Laboratories, Scientific User Facilities
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)
Means the Secretary of Energy
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology