{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-nick-begich-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-strengthen-us", "Congressman Nick Begich Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Leadership in Space and Energy Innovation", "2025-02-14", "2025", "2025-02", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Nicholas J. Begich III", "B001323", "begich.house.gov", "begich", "https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 February 14, 2025 \u2013 Congressman Nick Begich (AK-R), a member on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, introduced The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act, a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Congressman George Whitesides (CA-27), to formally strengthen collaboration between the Department of Energy (DOE) and NASA. This legislation will ensure continued U.S. leadership in space exploration and energy innovation by codifying a long-standing partnership between the two agencies into federal law.\n\n\u201cFor decades, the Department of Energy has played a pivotal role in supporting NASA\u2019s mission\u2014powering our spacecraft, developing advanced propulsion technologies, and enabling America\u2019s dominance in space,\u201d said Congressman Begich. \u201cBy formally establishing this partnership in federal statute, we can strengthen research collaboration, provide necessary congressional oversight, and ensure that the United States remains the global leader in space exploration and energy innovation.\u201d\n\nFor more than 50 years, DOE and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, have contributed to America\u2019s space program, most notably through the development of Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS), which powered the Apollo missions and more than two dozen other space expeditions. Today, the two agencies continue to work together on nuclear thermal propulsion systems and fission surface power technologies, which will be critical for future lunar and Martian exploration.\n\nDespite this long-standing collaboration, no formal law governs their partnership. The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act ensures a structured and efficient research relationship between the agencies, allowing Congress to better oversee their joint initiatives and direct resources toward breakthrough technologies.\n\n\u201cAs a former NASA Chief of Staff, I understand that the partnership between the Department of Energy and NASA is critical to advancing America's leadership in both space exploration and energy innovation,\" said Congressman George Whitesides. \"By formally codifying this collaboration, we are ensuring that the groundbreaking work between these two agencies continues to drive progress toward ambitious goals, while reinforcing our global competitive edge. This bipartisan effort highlights the importance of cross-agency coordination in solving some of the most pressing challenges of our time.\u201d\n\nThis legislation directs the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of NASA to carry out cross-cutting research and development focused on their respective mission priorities.\n\nThe bill does not authorize additional spending, ensuring that DOE and NASA operate within their existing budgets. It also requires both agencies to submit a comprehensive report to Congress within two years of enactment, detailing their collaborative efforts, research achievements, and future initiatives.\n\nThe DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and will be referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T23:42:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-nick-begich-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-strengthen-us"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1462599504739046, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}