House Passes Illinois Congressman Sorensen’s Bill to Strengthen NASA and Department of Energy
Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17), top-ranking Democrat on the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee applauded the passage of his DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act by the House of Representatives. This bipartisan bill that he introduced alongside Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) would improve collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) to advance our nation’s leadership in science and exploration.
“I was thrilled to lead the ‘DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act’ alongside my colleague and Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Congressman Williams,” said Sorensen. “NASA and the Department of Energy have enjoyed a decades-long, successful partnership that has improved our understanding of the universe. This bill seeks to build and expand upon the productive legacy of NASA and DOE by advancing their coordination on fundamental and applied science. This bill will make a real-world impact for my constituents and the rest of the country—and I was proud to see it pass the House today. When we send the first humans to Mars, they will rely on capabilities made possible by the technology we develop today.”
Eric Sorensen
“H.R. 2988, the DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act, is a crucial piece of legislation that will help reinvigorate the government’s role in promoting American technological innovation and space travel. This act authorizes the Department of Energy and NASA to enhance cooperation in critical R&D areas like nuclear propulsion systems, quantum information sciences, and high-energy physics,” said Williams. “Congress must remain committed to U.S. leadership in space and science. The passage of H.R. 2988 in the House of Representatives demonstrates our commitment to scientific exceptionalism, and I am proud to have introduced this legislation.”
The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act gives NASA and DOE the authority to work together on cross-cutting and collaborative research without prior approval from Congress. By codifying the relationship between these two entities, the bill will allow the United States to more efficiently advance discovery, research, and exploration.
