LABORATORY-DIRECTED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRO-GRAMS

SEC. 3132. LABORATORY-DIRECTED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRO-GRAMS (a) Authority.— Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories that are funded out of funds available to the Department of Energy for national security programs are authorized to carry out laboratory-directed research and development. (b) Regulations.— The Secretary of Energy shall prescribe regulations for the conduct of laboratory-directed research and development at such laboratories. (c) Funding.— Of the funds provided by the Department of Energy to such laboratories for national security activities, the Secretary shall provide a specific amount, not to exceed 6 percent of such funds, to be used by such laboratories for laboratory-directed research and development. (d) Definition.— For purposes of this section, the term “laboratory-directed research and development” means research and development work of a creative and innovative nature which, under the regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (b), is selected by the director of a laboratory for the purpose of maintaining the vitality of the laboratory in defense-related scientific disciplines.