42 U.S.C. § 5821: Annual authorization Acts

Summary

All money given to the Energy Research and Development Administration or its head must be approved each year under the annual authorization laws. Money for "Operating expenses" can pay to build or buy research facilities or big equipment away from Administration sites and can pay grants so organizations can build research facilities, but it cannot buy land. The United States normally must hold title to those facilities and equipment unless the Administrator decides another owner is better, tells the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and waits 30 calendar days (not counting long recesses of more than three days). No funds may buy a facility costing more than $5,000,000 or equipment costing more than $2,000,000 unless those committees already approved it or the Administrator reports details to the appropriate House and Senate committees and waits 30 calendar days. Up to 1 percent of yearly "Operating expenses" can be used to build or change labs at Administration sites, including buying land, if the Administrator says it is needed now; projects over $50,000 require a 30-calendar-day report to the appropriate committees. Money may not be used for a program for more than the amount the authorization Act allows or for programs not shown to Congress unless the Administrator gives the committees 30 calendar days’ notice. Reprogramming cannot cut total funds for coal, petroleum and natural gas, oil shale, solar, geothermal, nuclear energy (non-weapons), environment and safety, and conservation by more than 10 percent of the total for those categories. Appropriations may be merged with like-purpose funds from other acts (but not plant and capital equipment into operating expenses), may be made available until spent if the appropriation says so, and may be transferred to other agencies and merged there when the appropriation allows. The Administrator may do design work and start urgent projects included in a proposed authorization bill, and certain receipts may be kept for operating expenses and remain available until spent, with specified exceptions and with uranium enrichment revenues usable to offset enrichment costs when so specified.

Title 42, §5821

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(a)General requirements; applicability to appropriations

All appropriations made to the Energy Research and Development Administration or the Administrator shall, except as otherwise provided by law, be subject to annual authorization in accordance with section 2017 of this title, section 5915 of this title, and section 5875 of this title. The provisions of this section shall apply with respect to appropriations made pursuant to the Act providing such authorization (hereinafter in this section referred to as “annual authorization Acts”).

(b)Requirements and limitations respecting funds appropriated for operating expenses

(1)Funds appropriated pursuant to an annual authorization Act for “Operating expenses” may be used for—

(A)the construction or acquisition of any facilities, or major items of equipment, which may be required at locations other than installations of the Administration, for the performance of research, development, and demonstration activities, and

(B)grants to any organization for purchase or construction of research facilities.

No such funds shall be used under this subsection for the acquisition of land. Fee title to all such facilities and items of equipment shall be vested in the United States, unless the Administrator or his designee determines in writing that the research, development, and demonstration authorized by such Act would best be implemented by permitting fee title or any other property interest to be vested in an entity other than the United States; but before approving the vesting of such title or interest in such entity, the Administrator shall (i) transmit such determination, together with all pertinent data, to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and (ii) wait a period of thirty calendar days (not including any day in which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain), unless prior to the expiration of such period each such committee has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action.

(2)No funds shall be used under paragraph (1) for any facility or major item of equipment, including collateral equipment, if the estimated cost to the Federal Government exceeds $5,000,000 in the case of such a facility or $2,000,000 in the case of such an item of equipment, unless such facility or item has been previously authorized by the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, or the Administrator—

(A)transmit to the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on such facility or item showing its nature, purpose, and estimated cost, and

(B)waits a period of thirty calendar days (not including any day in which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain), unless prior to the expiration of such period each such committee has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action.

(c)Additional requirements and limitations respecting funds appropriated for operating expenses

(1)Not to exceed 1 per centum of all funds appropriated pursuant to any annual authorization Act for “Operating expenses” may be used by the Administrator to construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other facilities, including the acquisition of land, at any location under the control of the Administrator, if the Administrator determines that (A) such action would be necessary because of changes in the national programs authorized to be funded by such Act or because of new scientific or engineering developments, and (B) deferral of such action until the enactment of the next authorization Act would be inconsistent with the policies established by Congress for the Administration.

(2)No funds may be obligated for expenditure or expended under paragraph (1) for activities described in such paragraph unless—

(A)a period of thirty calendar days (not including any day in which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain) has passed after the Administrator has transmitted to the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate a written report containing a full and complete statement concerning (i) the nature of the construction, expansion, or modification involved, (ii) the cost thereof, including the cost of any real estate action pertaining thereto, and (iii) the reason why such construction, expansion, or modification is necessary and in the national interest, or

(B)each such committee before the expiration of such period has transmitted to the Administrator a written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action;

except that this paragraph shall not apply to any project the estimated total cost of which does not exceed $50,000.

(d)Requirements respecting amounts appropriated in annual appropriation Act for use in programs in excess of amount actually authorized for use in program not presented to, or requested of Congress; reduction in aggregate amount available for categories of coal, etc., from sums appropriated

(1)Except as otherwise provided in the authorization Act involved—

(A)no amount appropriated pursuant to any annual authorization Act may be used for any program in excess of the amount actually authorized for that particular program by such Act, and

(B)no amount appropriated pursuant to any annual authorization Act may be used for any program which has not been presented to, or requested of the Congress,

unless (i) a period of thirty calendar days (not including any day in which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain) has passed after the receipt by the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate of notice given by the Administrator containing a full and complete statement of the action proposed to be taken and the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of such proposed action, or (ii) each such committee before the expiration of such period has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action.

(2)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or the authorization Act involved, the aggregate amount available for use within the categories of coal, petroleum and natural gas, oil shale, solar, geothermal, nuclear energy (non-weapons), environment and safety, and conservation from sums appropriated pursuant to an annual authorization Act may not, as a result of reprograming, be decreased by more than 10 per centum of the total of the sums appropriated pursuant to such Act for those categories.

(e)Requirements and limitations respecting merger of amounts appropriated for operating expenses or for plant and capital equipment

Subject to the applicable requirements and limitations of this section and the authorization Act involved, when so specified in an appropriation Act, amounts appropriated pursuant to any annual authorization Act for “Operating expenses” or for “Plant and capital equipment” may be merged with any other amounts appropriated for like purposes pursuant to any other Act authorizing appropriations for the Administration: Provided, That no such amounts appropriated for “Plant and capital equipment” may be merged with amounts appropriated for “Operating expenses”.

(f)Availability until expended of amounts appropriated for operating expenses or for plant and capital equipment

When so specified in an appropriation Act, amounts appropriated pursuant to any annual authorization Act for “Operating expenses” or for “Plant and capital equipment” may remain available until expended.

(g)Performance of construction design services by Administrator (h) Retention and use for operating expenses, and availability until expended, of moneys received by Administration; exceptions

The Administrator is authorized to perform construction design services for any administration construction project whenever (1) such construction project has been included in a proposed authorization bill transmitted to the Congress by the Administration, and (2) the Administration determines that the project is of such urgency in order to meet the needs of national defense or protection of life and property or health and safety that construction of the project should be initiated promptly upon enactment of legislation appropriating funds for its construction.

(i)Requirements respecting transfers of sums appropriated for operating expenses to other Government agencies; merger of transferred sums

When so specified in an appropriation Act, transfers of sums from the “Operating expenses” appropriation made pursuant to an annual authorization Act may be made to other agencies of the Government for the performance of the work for which the appropriation is made, and in such cases the sums so transferred may be merged with the appropriations to which they are transferred.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Atomic Energy Community Act of 1955, referred to in subsec. (h)(1), is act Aug. 4, 1955, ch. 543, 69 Stat. 472, which is classified principally to chapter 24 (§ 2301 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2301 of this title and Tables. The Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act, as amended, referred to in subsec. (h)(1), is act

June 7, 1939, ch. 190, as revised generally by Pub. L. 96–41, § 2,

July 30, 1979, 93 Stat. 319, which is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 98 et seq.) of chapter 5 of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 98 of Title 50 and Tables. Act of

May 16, 1910, as amended, referred to in subsec. (h)(1), is act

May 16, 1910, ch. 240, 36 Stat. 369, which enacted section 1, 3, and 5 to 7 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Codification In subsec. (h), “section 3302(b) of title 31” substituted for “section 3617 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 484)” on authority of Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in subsec. (g) of this section were contained in the following appropriation authorization acts, formerly classified to section 2017a–1 of this title. Pub. L. 95–39, title III, § 304,

June 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 189. Pub. L. 94–187, title III, § 301, Dec. 31, 1975, 89 Stat. 1073. Pub. L. 93–276, title I, § 103,

May 10, 1974, 88 Stat. 118. Pub. L. 93–60, § 103,

July 6, 1973, 87 Stat. 144. Pub. L. 92–314, title I, § 103,

June 16, 1972, 86 Stat. 225. Pub. L. 92–84, title I, § 103, Aug. 11, 1971, 85 Stat. 306. Pub. L. 91–273, § 103,

June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 300. Pub. L. 91–44, § 103,

July 11, 1969, 83 Stat. 47. Pub. L. 90–289, § 103, Apr. 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 97. Pub. L. 90–56, § 103,

July 26, 1967, 81 Stat. 125. Pub. L. 89–428, § 103,

May 21, 1966, 80 Stat. 163. Pub. L. 89–32, § 103,

June 2, 1965, 79 Stat. 122. Pub. L. 88–332, § 104,

June 30, 1964, 78 Stat. 229.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Science, Space, and Technology” for “Committee on Science and Technology”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Nonapplicability of Title II of Pub. L. 95–238 to Any Authorization or Appropriation for Military Application of Nuclear Energy, Etc.; Definitions Pub. L. 95–238, title II, § 209, Feb. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 76, provided that: “(a) Nothing in this title [enacting this section and section 5556a and 5919 of this title, amending section 2391, 2394, 5905, 5906, and 5914 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 7256 of this title and section 2429 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse] shall apply with respect to any authorization or appropriation for any military application of nuclear energy, for research and development in support of the Armed Forces, or for the common defense and security of the United States. “(b)(1) The term ‘military application’ means any activity authorized or permitted by chapter 9 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (Public Law 83–703, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 2121, 2122). “(2) The term ‘research and development’ as used in this section, is defined by section 11 x., of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (Public Law 83–703, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 2014). “(3) The term ‘common defense and security’ means the common defense and security of the United States as used in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (Public Law 83–703, as amended) [section 2011 et seq. of this title].”

§5821 Annual Authorization Acts