
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC9301]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
             CHAPTER 101--MAGNETIC FUSION ENERGY ENGINEERING
 
Sec. 9301. Congressional findings and declaration of policy

    (a) The Congress hereby finds that--
        (1) the United States must formulate an energy policy designed 
    to meet an impending worldwide shortage of many exhaustible, 
    conventional energy resources in the next few decades;
        (2) the energy policy of the United States must be designed to 
    ensure that energy technologies using essentially inexhaustible 
    resources are commercially available at a time prior to serious 
    depletion of conventional resources;
        (3) fusion energy is one of the few known energy sources which 
    are essentially inexhaustible, and thus constitutes a long-term 
    energy option;
        (4) major progress in all aspects of magnetic fusion energy 
    technology during the past decade instills confidence that power 
    production from fusion energy systems is achievable;
        (5) the United States must aggressively pursue research and 
    development programs in magnetic fusion designed to foster advanced 
    concepts and advanced technology and to develop efficient, reliable 
    components and subsystems;
        (6) to ensure the timely commercialization of magnetic fusion 
    energy systems, the United States must demonstrate at an early date 
    the engineering feasibility of magnetic fusion energy systems;
        (7) progress in magnetic fusion energy systems is currently 
    limited by the funds made available rather than technical barriers;
        (8) it is a proper role for the Federal Government to accelerate 
    research, development, and demonstration programs in magnetic fusion 
    energy technologies; and
        (9) acceleration of the current magnetic fusion program will 
    require a doubling within seven years of the present funding level 
    without consideration of inflation and a 25 per centum increase in 
    funding each of fiscal years 1982 and 1983.

    (b) It is therefore declared to be the policy of the United States 
and the purpose of this chapter to accelerate the national effort in 
research, development, and demonstration activities related to magnetic 
fusion energy systems. Further, it is declared to be the policy of the 
United States and the purpose of this chapter that the objectives of 
such program shall be--
        (1) to promote an orderly transition from the current research 
    and development program through commercial development;
        (2) to establish a national goal of demonstrating the 
    engineering feasibility of magnetic fusion by the early 1990's;
        (3) to achieve at the earliest practicable time, but not later 
    than the year 1990, operation of a magnetic fusion engineering 
    device based on the best available confinement concept;
        (4) to establish as a national goal the operation of a magnetic 
    fusion demonstration plant at the turn of the twenty-first century;
        (5) to foster cooperation in magnetic fusion research and 
    development among government, universities, industry, and national 
    laboratories;
        (6) to promote the broad participation of domestic industry in 
    the national magnetic fusion program;
        (7) to continue international cooperation in magnetic fusion 
    research for the benefit of all nations;
        (8) to promote greater public understanding of magnetic fusion; 
    and
        (9) to maintain the United States as the world leader in 
    magnetic fusion.

(Pub. L. 96-386, Sec. 2, Oct. 7, 1980, 94 Stat. 1539.)


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 96-386 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this 
chapter] may be cited as the `Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act of 
1980'.''
