Padilla, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Establish a Federal Office of Fusion

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced bipartisan legislation to formally establish the Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy (DOE). House Fusion Energy Caucus co-chairs Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.-23), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

With energy costs soaring across the nation, the office would advance fusion energy and accelerate research, development, demonstration, deployment, and market adoption of fusion technologies. In partnership with the private sector, this office would also advance near-term and long-term fusion energy science and technology to meet the growing energy, environmental, and economic demands of the United States.

Last month, DOE released their reorganization plans which included an "Office of Fusion." This bipartisan bill would complement these plans, codify the office, and urge DOE to move forward with their plans to ensure that the United States can continue leading the way on fusion energy and eventually reach commercialization.

Fusion has been described as the "energy of the future" with the potential to harness the power of the sun to manufacture near limitless energy for American homes, technology, and the economy. It has the potential to be a nearly limitless and sustainable source electricity that can help meet the demand of tomorrow.

"A clean energy future powered by fusion has the potential to bring nearly unlimited, dependable, and carbon-free electricity across our country, slashing energy costs for millions of Americans," said Senator Padilla. "California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is leading the industry with repeatable fusion ignition breakthroughs, and Republicans and Democrats agree that now is the time to support further progress to cement the United States' energy dominance and establish fusion's market viability. Establishing the Office of Fusion is a bipartisan priority to support advancements in fusion technology to lower Americans' electric bills and meet the evolving energy needs of our nation."

"As energy demand continues to skyrocket, the United States must implement innovative solutions quickly to maintain reliability and safeguard national security," said Senator Cornyn. "By establishing the Office of Fusion within the Department of Energy, this legislation would accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge fusion energy as an abundant and reliable power source to help meet surging demand and bolster grid stability."

"Establishing an Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy is a critical step toward unlocking one of the most promising clean energy solutions," said Representative Beyer. "Fusion research and development is advancing toward commercialization, and we need a coordinated federal effort dedicated to getting fusion energy on the grid as quickly as possible. An established Office of Fusion would provide the focused leadership and technical expertise necessary, in coordination with the private sector, to accelerate decades of scientific progress, give the United States the momentum it needs to lead the world in fusion energy development and deployment, and finally supply fusion power to the grid."

"Fusion energy represents one of the most promising breakthroughs of our time, with the potential to deliver abundant, reliable, carbon-free power while strengthening America's economic and national security," said Representative Obernolte. "By reestablishing the Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy, this bill accelerates commercialization through public-private partnerships, positions our workforce and supply chains to compete and win against adversaries like China, and ensures the United States remains the global leader in fusion technology. Congress must provide clear direction and a coordinated federal strategy to move fusion from the lab to the grid, and this legislation does exactly that."

"Fusion energy holds enormous promise to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable power while strengthening America's competitiveness and security," said Representative Trahan. "Formally establishing an Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy will give this rapidly advancing field the focus and coordination it needs to move from breakthrough science to real-world deployment. With world-class fusion companies and researchers here in Massachusetts and across the country, this bipartisan legislation helps ensure the United States leads the way in bringing fusion from the lab to the grid."

Last year, Padilla and Cornyn's Fusion Energy Act was signed into law as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act. The law streamlines the creation of clear federal regulations to support the development of commercial fusion facilities by codifying the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's regulatory authority over commercial fusion energy systems.

In December 2022, California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a global leader in fusion technology, became the first lab to achieve fusion ignition - meaning more energy was released than was needed for the reaction. Ignition has been achieved at least seven times since then. This success proves the viability of fusion energy and the leadership of the United States in the face of heavy investment by China.

"The restoration of the Office of Fusion, first by the Trump Administration, and now Congress, is the newest powerful signal that fusion is rapidly evolving from its scientific origins to a commercial endeavor that will power the global economy for generations," said Bob Mumgaard, CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems. "I applaud the sponsors of the bill for the vision and leadership in helping to ensure the Department of Energy's fusion efforts are organized and, ultimately, funded around driving commercial deployment and scaling of fusion power."

"A dedicated office of fusion at the Department of Energy was a priority for the FIA from the beginning. We thank Senators Padilla and Cornyn for their leadership on the introduction of this bipartisan legislation and look forward to supporting its passage. This bill will codify the DOE's plan to create an office of fusion. The prioritization of fusion through a dedicated office will advance the path to commercial deployment," said Andrew Holland, CEO, Fusion Industry Association.

In 2023, Padilla welcomed DOE's announcement of $42 million for a program to establish three hubs to advance inertial fusion energy, including $16 million for a hub led by DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. Additionally, Padilla and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) pushed President Biden to support the inclusion of over $1 billion in FY24 funding for the Fusion Energy Sciences program within DOE's Office of Science, consistent with the amount authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act.

A one-pager on the bill is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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