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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§6331 Laboratory-directed Research and Development Programs

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART VI — ELEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER MATTERS › Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense › CHAPTER 608 — ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS › SUBCHAPTER II — RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › § 6331

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Government-owned, contractor-run labs that get Department of Energy money for national security work are allowed to run laboratory-directed research and development. The Secretary of Energy must write rules for how that research is carried out. From the DOE money given to a national security lab for national security activities, the Secretary of Energy must set aside between 5 percent and 7 percent for this work. Laboratory-directed research and development means creative, innovative R&D that the lab director picks, under the rules, to keep the lab strong in defense-related science.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §6331

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority.—
Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories that are funded out of funds available to the Department of Energy for national security programs are authorized to carry out laboratory-directed research and development.
(b)Regulations.—
The Secretary of Energy shall prescribe regulations for the conduct of laboratory-directed research and development at such laboratories.
(c)Funding.—
Of the funds provided by the Department of Energy to a national security laboratory for national security activities, the Secretary shall provide a specific amount, of not less than 5 percent and not more than 7 percent of such funds, to be used by the laboratory for laboratory-directed research and development.
(d)Laboratory-directed Research and Development Defined.—
For purposes of this section, the term “laboratory-directed research and development” means research and development work of a creative and innovative nature which, under the regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (b), is selected by the director of a laboratory for the purpose of maintaining the vitality of the laboratory in defense-related scientific disciplines.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6331 was renumbered section 8331 of this title. Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2791 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 6331

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110