Summary

Authorizes the Department of Energy and NASA to run joint, cross‑cutting research and development programs that advance their mission priorities and to make competitive awards to external partners. It requires interagency coordination by memorandum or agreement, names priority technical areas (for example propulsion, quantum information, modeling and simulation, and earth sciences), allows reimbursable and non‑reimbursable agreements, mandates merit review for awards, and requires a report to Congressional committees within two years; all activities must follow applicable research‑security laws.

Key Points

• Authorizes DOE and NASA to run joint R&D programs and make competitive awards aligned with their mission priorities.
• Requires interagency coordination by MOU or similar agreement to define roles and collaboration terms.
• Specifies technical focus areas including propulsion, quantum information science, modeling & simulation, and earth sciences.
• Permits both reimbursable and non‑reimbursable interagency agreements to fund and manage collaborations.
• Mandates merit‑review procedures for selecting awardees and distributing competitive funding.
• Requires all activities to comply with applicable research security laws and protections.
• Directs a report to Congressional committees within two years describing activities, awards, coordination, and security compliance.
• Does not appropriate funds; implementation depends on agency budgets and appropriations processes.

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