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Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§5541 Definitions

Title 15 › CHAPTER 81 — HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING › SUBCHAPTER III — DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HIGH-END COMPUTING REVITALIZATION › § 5541

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in the subchapter. Department means the Department of Energy. Exascale computing means using a machine that runs near or above 10 to the 18th power operations per second. High-end computing system means a system with performance much higher than what is commonly available for advanced scientific and engineering work. Leadership System means a high-end system among the world’s most advanced for solving scientific and engineering problems. Institution of higher education has the meaning given in section 1001(a) of title 20. Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §5541

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this subchapter:
(1)Department
The term “Department” means the Department of Energy.
(2)Exascale computing
The term “exascale computing” means computing through the use of a computing machine that performs near or above 10 to the 18th power operations per second.
(3)High-end computing system
The term “high-end computing system” means a computing system with performance that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
(4)Leadership System
The term “Leadership System” means a high-end computing system that is among the most advanced in the world in terms of performance in solving scientific and engineering problems.
(5)Institution of higher education
The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given the term in section 1001(a) of title 20.
(6)Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 108–423, Nov. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2400, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5501 of this title and Tables. Codification This section was enacted as part of the American Super Computing Leadership Act of 2017 which comprises this subchapter, and not as part of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2018—Pars. (1) to (5). Pub. L. 115–246, § 304(b)(2)(A), (B), formerly § 304(a)(2)(A), (B), as renumbered by Pub. L. 117–167, added pars. (1) and (2), redesignated former pars. (2) to (4) as (3) to (5), respectively, and struck out former par. (1) which defined “Center”. Former par. (5) redesignated (6). Par. (6). Pub. L. 115–246, § 304(b)(2)(A), (C), formerly § 304(a)(2)(A), (C), as renumbered by Pub. L. 117–167, redesignated par. (5) as (6) and struck out “, acting through the Director of the Office of Science of the Department of Energy” before period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

This subchapter known as the “American Super Computing Leadership Act of 2017”, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5501 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 5541

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110