---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 6337"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "6337"
heading: "Critical technology partnerships and cooperative research and development centers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/6337"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part VI — Elements of Department of Defense and Other Matters"
  - "Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense"
  - "Chapter 608 — Administrative Matters"
  - "Subchapter II — Research and Development"
---

# §6337. Critical technology partnerships and cooperative research and development centers

- (a) **Partnerships.—** For the purpose of facilitating the transfer of technology, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Energy shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that research on and development of dual-use critical technology carried out through atomic energy defense activities is conducted through cooperative research and development agreements, or other arrangements, that involve laboratories of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Energy and other entities.
- (b) **Cooperative Research and Development Centers.—**
  - (1) Subject to the availability of appropriations provided for such purpose, the [Administrator](/usc/10/2700.md?p=3) shall establish a cooperative research and development center described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) at each [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) laboratory.
  - (2) A cooperative research and development center described in this paragraph is a center to foster collaborative scientific research, technology development, and the appropriate transfer of research and technology to users in addition to the [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) laboratories.
  - (3) In establishing a cooperative research and development center under this subsection, the [Administrator](/usc/10/2700.md?p=3)—
    - (A) shall enter into cooperative research and development agreements with governmental, public, academic, or private entities; and
    - (B) may enter into a contract with respect to constructing, purchasing, managing, or leasing buildings or other [facilities](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2).
- (c) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “dual-use critical technology” means a technology—
    - (A) that is critical to atomic energy defense activities, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Energy;
    - (B) that has [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) applications and nonmilitary applications; and
    - (C) that is a defense critical technology (as defined in [section 4801](/usc/10/4801.md)).
  - (2) The term “cooperative research and development agreement” has the meaning given that term by section 12(d) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ([15 U.S.C. 3710a(d)](/usc/15/3710a.md?p=d)).
  - (3) The term “other entities” means—
    - (A) firms, or a consortium of firms, that are eligible to participate in a partnership or other arrangement with a laboratory of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Energy, as determined in accordance with applicable law and regulations; or
    - (B) firms, or a consortium of firms, described in [subparagraph (A)](#c-3-A) in combination with one or more of the following:
      - (i) Institutions of higher education in the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
      - (ii) [Departments](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) and [agencies](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) of the Federal Government other than the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Energy.
      - (iii) [Agencies](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) of [State](/usc/10/4951.md?p=4) governments.
      - (iv) Any other [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) or entities that may be eligible and appropriate, as determined in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
  - (4) The term “atomic energy defense activities” does not include activities covered by Executive Order No. 12344, dated February 1, 1982, pertaining to the Naval nuclear propulsion [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(a), (d)(2)(B), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1450, 1462.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Executive Order No. 12344, referred to in subsec. (c)(4), is set out as a note under section 6102 of this title.

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2794 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).

### Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(d)(2)(B), realigned margins.