(a) Establishment.—There is an Interagency Council on the Strategic Capability of the National Laboratories (in this section referred to as the “Council”).

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(b) Membership.—The membership of the Council is comprised of the following:

(1) The Secretary of Defense.

(2) The Secretary of Energy.

(3) The Secretary of Homeland Security.

(4) The Director of National Intelligence.

(5) The Administrator for Nuclear Security.

(6) Such other officials as the President considers appropriate.

(c) Structure and Procedures.—The President may determine the chair, structure, staff, and procedures of the Council.

(d) Responsibilities.—The Council shall be responsible for the following matters:

(1) Identifying and considering the science, technology, and engineering capabilities of the national laboratories that could be leveraged by each participating agency to support national security missions.

(2) Reviewing and assessing the adequacy of the national security science, technology, and engineering capabilities of the national laboratories for supporting national security missions throughout the Federal Government.

(3) Establishing and overseeing means of ensuring that—

(A) capabilities identified by the Council under paragraph (1) are sustained to an appropriate level; and

(B) each participating agency provides the appropriate level of institutional support to sustain such capabilities.

(4) In accordance with acquisition rules regarding federally funded research and development centers, establishing criteria for when each participating agency should seek to use the services of the national laboratories, including the identification of appropriate mission areas and capabilities.

(5) Making recommendations to the President and Congress regarding regulatory or statutory changes needed to better support—

(A) the strategic capabilities of the national laboratories; and

(B) the use of such laboratories by each participating agency.

(6) Other actions the Council considers appropriate with respect to—

(A) the sustainment of the national laboratories; and

(B) the use of the strategic capabilities of such laboratories.

(e) Streamlined Process.—With respect to the participating agency for which a member of the Council is the head of, each member of the Council shall—

(1) establish processes to streamline the consideration and approval of procuring the services of the national laboratories on appropriate matters; and

(2) ensure that such processes are used in accordance with the criteria established under subsection (d)(4).

(f) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term “participating agency” means a department or agency of the Federal Government that is represented on the Council by a member under subsection (b).

(2) The term “national laboratories” means—

(A) each national security laboratory (as defined in section 3281(1) of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act (50 U.S.C. 2471(1))); and

(B) each national laboratory of the Department of Energy.