Sponsors (4)
The bill provides sustained, predictable funding to modernize DOE national lab infrastructure and computing—improving research capability and safety—but increases federal spending, concentrates funds toward the Office of Science, and adds administrative and appropriation-related risks for contractors and local economies.
Scientists and researchers will get improved, modern lab facilities and computing capacity through an annual $5 billion authorization (FY2024–FY2030), enabling world-class experiments and high-performance computing.
Scientists and researchers at DOE national labs will see deferred maintenance addressed, reducing safety and reliability risks at research sites.
State and local governments and research managers will gain multi-year funding predictability and greater planning transparency via required annual project lists and a 10-year plan, improving prioritization and congressional oversight.
Taxpayers face higher federal spending pressure because the bill authorizes $5 billion per year, which could crowd out other priorities if fully appropriated.
Local governments, contractors, and researchers could face delays and economic uncertainty if actual appropriations fall short of the $5 billion authorization, slowing listed projects and hurting lab-dependent local economies.
State governments and other DOE program stakeholders may see reduced flexibility because directing at least one-third of funds to the Office of Science could limit resources available for Environmental Management, Nuclear Energy, or other urgent infrastructure needs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DOE to fund and implement restoration, deferred maintenance, and modernization at National Laboratories and expands/strengthens the Department’s infrastructure strategy, authorizing $5B/year for FY2026–FY2030.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Energy to fund projects to restore and modernize National Laboratories, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 17, 2025 by Bill Foster · Last progress July 17, 2025
Requires the Department of Energy to fund, plan, and report on restoration, deferred maintenance, and modernization projects at DOE National Laboratories and authorizes $5 billion per year for FY2026–FY2030 for those projects. Expands and strengthens the Department’s facilities-and-infrastructure strategy to cover additional DOE offices and programs, requires the strategy be implemented (not only developed), and requires detailed project priority lists and a 10-year plan with funding estimates.