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“From Transformative Science to Technological Breakthroughs: DOEs National Laboratories”

House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Energy Subcommittee

February 12, 2025 (recording linked here)

HEARING INFORMATION

Witnesses and Written Testimony (linked):

• Dr. John Wagner: Director, Idaho National Laboratory

• Dr. Thom Mason: Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory

• Dr. Paul Kearns: Director, Argonne National Laboratory

• Dr. Kimberly Budil: Director, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

HEARING HIGHLIGHTS

IN THEIR WORDS

SUMMARY OF OPENING STATEMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE

• Vice Chairman Weber opened the hearing by highlighting the role of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Laboratories in advancing scientific discoveries and developing innovative technologies. He emphasized the National Labs' contributions to fields such as computer science, high-energy physics, fusion energy, and material science, citing their achievements, including sequencing the first human genome and mapping the universe. He underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in energy advancements, such as hydraulic fracturing and nuclear fuel development, which have bolstered U.S. energy independence. He also expressed concerns about funding shortfalls for the DOE's Office of Science, criticizing the Biden administration for prioritizing new demonstration programs over basic research, and called for full funding of foundational science programs to maintain U.S. technological leadership.

• Ranking Member Ross thanked Chairman Weber for convening the hearing and acknowledged the National Labs’ role in maintaining U.S. scientific leadership and energy innovation. She noted the emergence of clean energy technologies, such as modular nuclear reactors, fusion energy, and advanced energy storage, which have the potential to reshape the economy and improve grid resilience. She emphasized the need for improved infrastructure to withstand climate-related disasters, citing the increasing severity of hurricanes in her home state of North Carolina. Ross also criticized the federal funding freeze on bipartisan infrastructure law programs, stating that it hindered the labs’ ability to strengthen the national grid and partner with the private sector on critical projects.

• Ranking Member Lofgren expressed gratitude to the witnesses for attending despite a snowstorm and praised the DOE’s oversight of the National Labs in advancing clean energy and scientific discovery. She voiced strong concerns over the current administration’s freeze on congressionally appropriated funds, arguing that it undermined vital research initiatives and violated congressional authority. She also raised alarms about the DOE granting unauthorized access to classified data to individuals associated with Elon Musk’s "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), highlighting potential conflicts of interest and security risks. Despite these concerns, she affirmed the committee’s tradition of bipartisan support for the National Labs and applauded Chairman Weber’s call to fully fund the Chips and Science Act at its authorized levels.

SUMMARY OF WITNESS STATEMENT

• Dr. Wagner expressed his honor in testifying and highlighted his role as the director of Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the nation's center for nuclear energy research and development. He emphasized the National Labs' critical role in solving the nation's energy and security challenges, reflecting on his own career path that began with internships at Oak Ridge and Los Alamos National Laboratories. He stressed the importance of mastering new technologies such as AI, exascale computing, quantum computing, and nuclear innovation to maintain U.S. global leadership. He also highlighted INL’s contributions to nuclear power advancements, including reactor fleet maintenance and partnerships with private-sector companies to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation nuclear technologies.

• Dr. Mason outlined the significant contributions of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to U.S. security, economic competitiveness, and energy leadership over the past 80 years. He discussed the evolving global security landscape, emphasizing the importance of nuclear energy for energy security and the need for continued investment in nuclear technologies. He also stressed the growing importance of artificial intelligence in national security and scientific advancement, warning that U.S. leadership in AI was being challenged by foreign competitors. He called for a national AI initiative, increased investments in research infrastructure, and stronger public-private partnerships to ensure U.S. leadership in critical technologies.

• Dr. Kearns testified on the Department of Energy's National Laboratories' role in driving large-scale scientific innovation and economic security. He highlighted Argonne National Laboratory’s contributions, including the Advanced Photon Source upgrade and the deployment of Aurora, one of the world’s fastest exascale supercomputers. He emphasized the role of the National Labs in advancing artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and microelectronics, warning that adversaries like China were heavily investing in these fields. He stressed the importance of reinvesting in laboratory infrastructure and strengthening partnerships with industry and academia to maintain U.S. technological leadership.

• Dr. Budil reflected on her long career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and emphasized the lab’s role in advancing national security and global stability. She discussed the need to modernize the nuclear deterrent through advanced materials and manufacturing technologies, citing LLNL’s proposed Viper complex as a center for these innovations. She also highlighted the success of the National Ignition Facility in achieving fusion ignition in 2022, describing it as a historic milestone with implications for energy security and nuclear deterrence. She underscored the importance of sustained investment in AI, supercomputing, and infrastructure to ensure continued scientific and technological breakthroughs.

SUMMARY OF Q and A

• Vice Chairman Weber asked if any of the witness’s labs were affected by the president’s funding freeze executive order. Dr. Wagner stated that Idaho National Laboratory (INL) had not yet been impacted by the executive order pausing funding under the IRA and IIJA. Dr. Mason noted that Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) had identified $200,000 in funding that could be affected, along with additional potential future funding. Dr. Kearns reported more severe impacts at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), with $37 million in research activities suspended or on hold, affecting approximately 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Dr. Budil stated that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) had one affected project under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $7 million grid resiliency initiative with unallocated funds as of January 28.

  The Vice Chairman asked about the DOE's failure to provide at least three metric tons of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) by the mandated deadline of September 30, 2024. Dr. Mason stated that LANL had a partnership with Kairos Power but had not received confirmation on whether their supply had been affected.

  Vice Chairman Weber then asked about the importance of HALEU to the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) and Gen IV reactors. Dr. Budil stated that LLNL had limited involvement in nuclear fission and deferred to others. Dr. Kearns emphasized that HALEU was critical for many advanced reactor designs being developed with industry partners. Dr. Mason explained that Kairos Power was using HALEU for their test reactor in Oak Ridge and had built a fabrication facility in Albuquerque to handle the material, noting that LANL’s ability to work with special nuclear material helped solve a critical early-stage development challenge. Dr. Wagner agreed with these assessments, stressing that nearly all advanced reactor concepts required HALEU, and INL was working with the DOE to make available limited stocks to private companies.

• Ranking Member Ross inquired about the halted $7 million grid resiliency project at LLNL. Dr. Budil explained that the project involved Skyfall, a cyber-physical testbed that used high-performance computing to model grid operations, test cybersecurity threats, and train a workforce on cyber resilience. She emphasized the project's importance in supporting utilities and private-sector companies in securing grid infrastructure.

  Ranking Member Ross asked about the termination of LLNL’s State Department partnership on Cooperative Threat Reduction. Dr. Budil stated that the program, which focused on nuclear forensics and capacity-building to secure interdicted nuclear materials, had been paused. The project, worth about $1 million, had uncertain prospects for resumption.

  Ranking Member Ross than asked how investing in AI infrastructure could support both the scientific enterprise and the public interest. Dr. Mason responded that AI and electricity demand were closely linked, with AI requiring constant power, creating challenges in scaling electricity production fast enough to meet growing AI needs. Dr. Budil added that AI was transforming scientific research, experiment design, and technology development, particularly in combination with advanced manufacturing.

• Rep. Fleischmann asked about the role of public-private partnerships in commercialization efforts. Dr. Wagner highlighted INL’s work with private companies on TRISO fuel fabrication and full-system reactor demonstrations, which de-risked technologies before commercial deployment. He emphasized that such advancements would not be possible without DOE laboratory support. Dr. Mason focused on AI, explaining that public-private partnerships with companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia were critical to ensuring national security applications could leverage cutting-edge AI models in classified environments. He pointed to a recent deal with Nvidia that allowed LANL to acquire a powerful AI machine, Venado, which was now supporting all three NNSA labs (Los Alamos, Livermore, and Sandia).

• Ranking Member Lofgren congratulated Dr. Budil on the National Ignition Facility’s (NIF) recent achievements in fusion energy and asked about the Starfire Hub at LLNL. Dr. Budil explained that Starfire was a multi-institutional effort focused on inertial fusion energy (IFE) technologies. It worked with private companies, such as Excymer, Focused Energy, and Pacific Fusion, to address technical challenges and support workforce development. She noted that private fusion firms relied heavily on NIF’s facilities and expertise to advance their commercial concepts.

  Ranking Member Lofgren raised concerns that China was outpacing U.S. investments in fusion infrastructure and asked what needed to be done to maintain leadership. Dr. Budil argued that ramping up existing DOE lab facilities was critical for advancing fusion energy. She emphasized the need to address material science challenges, develop tritium fuel cycle solutions, and support systems integration research, all of which depended on National Lab expertise. She warned that China had fully funded its fusion roadmap, while the U.S. still lacked funding for key facilities.

• Rep. Biggs emphasized the importance of energy resilience and cybersecurity in safeguarding the power grid and asked each lab director about their work in this area. Dr. Wagner stated that Idaho National Laboratory (INL) focused on cybersecurity for physical control systems and infrastructure security, working with Savannah River National Laboratory and the DOE’s Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) office. INL conducted vulnerability assessments and developed cybersecurity methodologies to strengthen critical infrastructure. Dr. Mason highlighted LANL’s collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on quantum encryption for the electric grid, in partnership with Chattanooga’s EPB utility, to create secure communications protocols resistant to cyberattacks. Dr. Kearns listed four key areas of cybersecurity research at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL): critical infrastructure interdependency, securing assets at the edge of the grid, securing supply chains, and assessing and mitigating extreme weather events that impact energy resilience. Dr. Budil reiterated LLNL’s focus on cyber-physical security through its Skyfall lab, which provided risk assessment, private-sector partnerships, and military-civilian infrastructure security research to ensure resilient energy systems.

• Rep. Salinas raised concerns about political interference in scientific research and security breaches at the Department of Energy (DOE), asking whether any labs had been contacted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Dr. Kearns, Dr. Budil, and Dr. Mason all confirmed that their respective labs had no contact with DOGE.

  Rep. Salinas then asked how they would respond if DOGE requested access to internal systems or proprietary data. Dr. Mason stated that labs followed DOE directives and security protocols, emphasizing that security requirements could only be waived if DOE orders were officially changed.

  Rep. Salinas also inquired whether any labs had directed university partners to modify or stop research activities due to executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Dr. Kearns, Dr. Budil, and Dr. Wagner confirmed that no research activities had been halted in response to executive orders. Dr. Budil and Dr. Wagner stated they had not received concerns from university partners regarding continued research collaborations.

• Rep. Harrigan focused on intellectual property theft and foreign influence, asking how many foreign nationals from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were employed or conducting research at the labs. Dr. Wagner reported that INL had approximately 50 PRC nationals. Dr. Mason stated that LANL had about 100 employees from "countries of risk" (China, Russia, North Korea, Iran) and was working to comply with National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) restrictions. Dr. Budil reported that LLNL had nearly 60 Chinese nationals, all of whom were under strict security measures. Dr. Kearns noted that ANL had nearly 1,000 foreign nationals, including a few hundred from China.

  Rep. Harrigan then asked whether there had been confirmed cases of espionage at the labs. Dr. Mason acknowledged that historically, Los Alamos had experienced espionage cases (e.g., Klaus Fuchs in the 1940s) but emphasized that current foreign nationals did not have access to classified research. Dr. Kearns and Dr. Budil stated that no espionage cases had been confirmed at their labs, citing strong security measures. Dr. Wagner affirmed that INL had no confirmed cases of espionage, crediting proactive security safeguards.

• Rep. Turner emphasized the importance of energy resilience and asked Dr. Kearns about Argonne National Laboratory’s (ANL) collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership, ExxonMobil, and Chevron on low-carbon energy solutions. Dr. Kearns stated that the partnership, established about a year ago, had engaged over 20 industry members and was working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to develop low-carbon options for base chemical production in the Houston area.

  Rep. Turner then asked whether ANL engaged with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Dr. Kearns confirmed that ANL had partnerships with Howard University and North Carolina A&T, among others, and was committed to providing opportunities for diverse research collaborations.

  Rep. Turner inquired about the closure of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices at the labs due to executive orders. Dr. Kearns stated that ANL closed its DEI office, eliminated the Chief Diversity Officer position, and disbanded DEI councils in compliance with DOE directives. However, ANL maintained its Argonne Leadership Institute, which focused on workforce training and professional development. Dr. Wagner noted that while INL adjusted its language and approach, no employees had been removed due to DEI-related changes. Dr. Mason said that LANL restructured its programs to comply with new DOE guidelines but ensured that commitments to a respectful, discrimination-free workplace remained intact. Dr. Budil confirmed that LLNL closed its DEI office, with staff reassigned to workforce engagement and community-building activities. She emphasized that diverse perspectives remained crucial to scientific excellence.

• Rep. Baird discussed quantum science advancements and asked Dr. Kearns whether a national quantum corridor connecting labs, universities, and military bases was feasible. Dr. Kearns supported the initiative, highlighting the success of DOE’s National Quantum Research Centers, including Q-NEXT at ANL, which focused on quantum interconnects. He noted that industry showed significant interest in quantum research, but technical challenges remained before a national corridor could be fully developed.

  Rep. Baird then asked all panelists about transitioning nuclear reactors from analog to digital controls, particularly in small modular reactors (SMRs). Dr. Wagner acknowledged that digitization introduced cybersecurity risks, but utilities and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) were actively working on pilot programs to address these concerns. Dr. Mason cited Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s High Flux Isotope Reactor, which had successfully transitioned to digital controls ahead of industry, as an example of DOE leadership in this area. Dr. Kearns stressed the importance of continued engagement and investment in smart, secure digital transitions. Dr. Budil highlighted that DOE’s experience with digital controls could help accelerate industry adoption of safer, more efficient systems.

• Rep. Friedman criticized funding freezes under the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s influence over DOE, arguing that scientific research was being undermined. He asked Dr. Budil how LLNL’s work contributed to clean energy solutions. Dr. Budil stated that LLNL focused on carbon management strategies, including cleaner fossil fuel technologies, carbon capture, and repurposing oil and gas infrastructure for sustainable energy. She emphasized fusion energy as a long-term solution, noting that LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) was the only facility in the world to achieve energy gain in a fusion experiment. She described efforts to develop the fusion energy ecosystem, address R&D gaps, and improve key technologies like advanced laser systems and tritium fuel cycles.

• Rep. Riley raised concerns about the opioid crisis, particularly fentanyl trafficking, and asked the lab directors how scientific advancements could help detect fentanyl at U.S. borders. Dr. Mason indicated that LANL had ongoing research related to fentanyl detection, but could not discuss details in an open forum and offered to follow up privately. Dr. Budil revealed that LLNL had developed a countermeasure to mitigate fentanyl’s toxic effects, particularly for first responders who might be exposed.

  Rep. Riley expressed strong support for leveraging national lab expertise to develop new detection technologies and border security measures to combat fentanyl trafficking.

• Rep. Foster highlighted that Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)’s research contributed to a Nobel Prize-winning study on G-coupled protein receptors, which provided insights into how opioids like fentanyl interact with the brain. He stated that this research had led to medical treatments designed to block opioid effects, reducing addiction potential. Rep. Foster then praised the role of national labs in curating datasets, particularly for national security, medical research, and AI applications, and asked about ANL’s contributions in this area. Dr. Kearns explained that ANL and other DOE labs had expanded efforts in data curation, particularly through the Advanced Photon Source (APS), which served over 7,000 users annually. He noted that the APS upgrade would further enhance scientific research and generate vast amounts of data, necessitating new strategies to manage and analyze it effectively. He also highlighted ANL’s leadership computing facility, Aurora, an exascale system with 60,000 GPUs, designed for modeling, simulation, data science, and AI-driven research.

• Chairman Babin questioned how much funding national labs received from the $97 billion allocated to DOE under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Dr. Wagner stated that INL received $150 million, primarily for modernizing facilities at the Materials and Fuels Complex and the Advanced Test Reactor. Dr. Mason reported that LANL received only $200,000 from these appropriations. Dr. Kearns said that ANL received $60 million, which went toward Aurora’s exascale computing system and heat recovery systems at the Advanced Photon Source. Dr. Budil noted that LLNL had a $7 million project de-obligated, meaning those funds were effectively lost.

  The Chairman then asked about the status of HALEU fuel for Abilene Christian University’s liquid salt-fueled reactor project. Dr. Wagner acknowledged that Congress had allocated $700 million in the bipartisan infrastructure law and $2.7 billion in additional funding for domestic HALEU production. However, he stated that procurement challenges remained and were being handled by DOE. Regarding the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) project, Wagner confirmed that INL was reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, down-blending it to HALEU, and working with DOE to make it available to private companies, estimating that 9.2 metric tons of HALEU would be produced by the end of the decade.

  Chairman Babin closed by addressing concerns over the funding pause under the Trump administration, countering claims that it was unprecedented by stating that the Biden administration had previously delayed funds for infrastructure and science programs due to added regulatory conditions. He also criticized the Biden administration for redirecting border wall funding and selling materials at a fraction of their cost.

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