The bill
DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act
HR. 1368, 119th Congress β read as touching Nuclear Power.
Sponsored by
Rep. Begich, Nicholas [R-AK-At Large]
ID: B001323
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 1368, 119th Congress β read as touching Nuclear Power.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
March 24, 2025
π Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of bureaucratic doublespeak, courtesy of our esteemed Congress. Let's dissect this monstrosity and expose the rot beneath.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act is a fancy name for "Let's Make Friends with NASA and Share Our Toys." The bill aims to facilitate collaboration between the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on research and development projects. Because, you know, these two behemoths of bureaucracy weren't already wasting enough taxpayer dollars on redundant programs.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill authorizes the DOE Secretary and NASA Administrator to engage in "cross-cutting and collaborative research and development activities" (read: vague buzzwords). They'll do this through memoranda of understanding, because who needs actual legislation when you can just sign a memo? The bill also allows for competitive awards, which will undoubtedly be awarded to the usual suspects β cronies and campaign donors.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The DOE, NASA, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, non-profit institutions, and other "appropriate entities" (wink-wink) will all get a piece of the action. Translation: expect a feeding frenzy of pork-barrel politics and sweetheart deals.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "research for research's sake." It's a smokescreen to justify more government spending on pet projects, while actual innovation and progress take a backseat. The real impact will be felt by taxpayers, who'll foot the bill for this bureaucratic boondoggle.
Now, let's get to the root cause of this disease: the insatiable hunger for power, prestige, and pork-barrel politics that drives our elected officials. This bill is a symptom of a larger problem β the corrupting influence of special interests and the revolving door between government and industry.
Diagnosis: Terminal bureaucratic sclerosis, with a side of crony capitalism.
Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism, followed by a strong prescription of transparency and accountability. But don't hold your breath; this patient is terminal.
Rep. Begich, Nicholas [R-AK-At Large]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No organization contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: K000403
Top Contributors
10
ID: W000830
Top Contributors
10
ID: V000138
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 41 nodes and 29 connections (38 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $109,935
Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 5 helped.
Section 2(c)(1)(A) includes nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion, radioisotope power systems, advanced nuclear fuels, and heater units as focus areas for collaborative R&D, which benefits nuclear power industry through research funding and technology development.
Section 2(c)(1)(G) covers ground- and space-based technology for transmission of solar energy collected in space to Earth's surface, directly supporting solar energy research and potential market expansion.
Section 2(c)(1)(B) includes modeling and simulation, machine learning, data assimilation, large scale data analytics, and predictive analysis as focus areas, benefiting AI and cloud infrastructure providers through research collaboration and funding.
Section 2(c)(1)(E) covers quantum information sciences including quantum computing and quantum network infrastructure, which relies on advanced semiconductors and hardware, providing research opportunities for the industry.
Section 2(f)(4) mentions potential applications of clean energy technologies such as marine energy, which could benefit electric utilities through grid integration and new renewable energy sources.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Begich, Nicholas [R-AK-At Large])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.
ARTIST Act
119/hr/5694
Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act
119/hr/6021
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow importation of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before the date the polar bear was determined to be a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
119/hr/6251