Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73
§5801 Congressional declaration of policy and purpose
Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 73— - DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY SOURCES › § 5801
Summary
Congress requires strong action to develop and use all kinds of energy more efficiently and reliably. The goals are to meet today’s and tomorrow’s energy needs, help the national economy and trade, make the Nation more self-sufficient in energy, protect the environment, and keep people healthy and safe. Congress creates an Energy Research and Development Administration to coordinate and run federal energy research and related programs, including some work the Atomic Energy Commission handled. Licensing and regulatory duties must be kept separate from other agency functions and properly resourced. Small businesses should have a fair chance to take part in energy research and contracts, with the Administrator consulting the Small Business Administration when possible. Priorities for development should weigh power value, resource conservation, pollution reduction, and export potential; solar methods may be a priority.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §5801
The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Congress hereby declares that the general welfare and the common defense and security require effective action to develop, and increase the efficiency and reliability of use of, all energy sources to meet the needs of present and future generations, to increase the productivity of the national economy and strengthen its position in regard to international trade, to make the Nation self-sufficient in energy, to advance the goals of restoring, protecting, and enhancing environmental quality, and to assure public health and safety.
(b)The Congress finds that, to best achieve these objectives, improve Government operations, and assure the coordinated and effective development of all energy sources, it is necessary to establish an Energy Research and Development Administration to bring together and direct Federal activities relating to research and development on the various sources of energy, to increase the efficiency and reliability in the use of energy, and to carry out the performance of other functions, including but not limited to the Atomic Energy Commission’s military and production activities and its general basic research activities. In establishing an Energy Research and Development Administration to achieve these objectives, the Congress intends that all possible sources of energy be developed consistent with warranted priorities.
(c)The Congress finds that it is in the public interest that the licensing and related regulatory functions of the Atomic Energy Commission be separated from the performance of the other functions of the Commission, and that this separation be effected in an orderly manner, pursuant to this chapter, assuring adequacy of technical and other resources necessary for the performance of each.
(d)The Congress declares that it is in the public interest and the policy of Congress that small business concerns be given a reasonable opportunity to participate, insofar as is possible, fairly and equitably in grants, contracts, purchases, and other Federal activities relating to research, development, and demonstration of sources of energy efficiency, and utilization and conservation of energy. In carrying out this policy, to the extent practicable, the Administrator shall consult with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(e)Determination of priorities which are warranted should be based on such considerations as power-related values of an energy source, preservation of material resources, reduction of pollutants, export market potential (including reduction of imports), among others. On such a basis, energy sources warranting priority might include, but not be limited to, the various methods of utilizing solar energy.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, which enacted this chapter, amended sections 5313 to 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealed section 2031 and 2032 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes below. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note below and Tables.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Interim Appointments Pub. L. 93–438, title III, § 312, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1253, provided that: “(a) This Act [see
Short Title
note below] shall take effect one hundred and twenty days after the date of its enactment [Oct. 11, 1974], or on such earlier date as the President may prescribe and publish in the Federal Register [prescribed as Jan. 19, 1975, by Ex. Ord. No. 11834, formerly set out below] except that any of the officers provided for in title I of this Act [subchapter I of this chapter] may be nominated and appointed, as provided by this Act, at any time after the date of enactment of this Act. Funds available to any department or agency (or any official or component thereof), any functions of which are transferred to the Administrator and the Commission by this Act, may, with the approval of the President, be used to pay the compensation and expenses of any officer appointed pursuant to this subsection until such time as funds for that purpose are otherwise available. “(b) In the event that any officer required by this Act to be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall not have entered upon office on the
Effective Date
of this Act, the President may designate any officer, whose appointment was required to be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and who was such an officer immediately prior to the
Effective Date
of this Act, to act in such office until the office is filled as provided in this Act. While so acting, such persons shall receive compensation at the rates provided by this Act for the respective offices in which they act.”
Short Title
Pub. L. 93–438, § 1, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter, repealing section 2031 and 2032 of this title, amending sections 5313 to 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section] may be cited as the ‘Energy Reorganization Act of 1974’.” Separability Pub. L. 93–438, title III, § 311, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1253, provided that: “If any provision of this Act [See
Short Title
note above], or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.”
Transfer of Functions
Energy Research and Development Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by section 7151(a) and 7293 of this title.
Executive Documents
Executive Order No. 11834 Ex. Ord. No. 11834, eff. Jan. 15, 1975, 40 F.R. 2971, which prescribed Jan. 19, 1975, as the
Effective Date
of this chapter, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12553, Feb. 25, 1986, 51 F.R. 7237.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 5801
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73