---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 5542"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "5542"
heading: "Department of Energy high-end computing research and development program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/5542"
units:
  - "Chapter 81 — High-Performance Computing"
  - "Subchapter III — Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization"
---

# §5542. Department of Energy high-end computing research and development program

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall—
  - (1) carry out a coordinated [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) across the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) of research and development (including development of software and hardware) to advance [high-end computing systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3); and
  - (2) develop and deploy [high-end computing systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3) for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
- (b) **Program—** The [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) shall—
  - (1) support both individual investigators and multidisciplinary teams of investigators;
  - (2) conduct research in multiple architectures;
  - (3) conduct research on software for [high-end computing systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3), including research on algorithms, programming environments, tools, languages, and operating systems for [high-end computing systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3), in collaboration with architecture development efforts;
  - (4) provide for sustained access by the research community in the United States to [high-end computing systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3) and to [Leadership Systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=4), including provision of technical support for users of such systems;
  - (5) support technology transfer to the private sector and others in accordance with applicable law; and
  - (6) ensure that the [high-end computing](/usc/15/5503.md?p=4) activities of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) of Energy are coordinated with relevant activities in industry and with other Federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Nuclear Security [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1), the National Security Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the National Aeronautics and Space [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1), the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
- (c) **Leadership Systems facilities—**
  - (1) **In general—** As part of the [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) carried out under this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall establish and operate 1 or more [Leadership Systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=4) facilities to—
    - (A) conduct advanced scientific and engineering research and development using [Leadership Systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=4); and
    - (B) develop potential advancements in [high-end computing system](/usc/15/5541.md?p=3) hardware and software.
  - (2) **Administration—** In carrying out this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall provide to [Leadership Systems](/usc/15/5541.md?p=4), on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, access to researchers in United States industry, institutions of higher education, national laboratories, and other Federal agencies.
- (d) **Exascale Computing Program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall conduct a research [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) (referred to in this subsection as the “[Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8)”) for [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2), including the development of two or more [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) machine architectures, to promote the missions of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Execution—**
    - (A) **In general—** In carrying out the [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8), the [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall—
      - (i) establish two or more National Laboratory partnerships with industry partners and institutions of higher education for the research and development of two or more [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) architectures across all applicable organizations of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1);
      - (ii) conduct mission-related codesign activities in developing the [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) architectures under [clause (i)](#d-2-A-i);
      - (iii) develop such advancements in hardware and software technology as are required to fully realize the potential of an exascale production system in addressing [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) target applications and solving scientific problems involving predictive modeling and simulation and large scale data analytics and management;
      - (iv) explore the use of [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) technologies to advance a broad range of science and engineering; and
      - (v) provide, as appropriate, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, access for researchers in industries in the United States, institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and other Federal agencies to the [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) systems developed pursuant to [clause (i)](#d-2-A-i).
    - (B) **Selection of partners—** The [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall select the partnerships with the computing facilities of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) under [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A) through a competitive, peer-review process.
  - (3) **Codesign and application development—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall—
      - (i) carry out the [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) through an integration of applications, computer science, applied mathematics, and computer hardware architecture using the partnerships established pursuant to [paragraph (2)](#d-2) to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, two or more [exascale computing](/usc/15/5541.md?p=2) machine architectures are capable of solving [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) target applications and broader scientific problems, including predictive modeling and simulation and large scale data analytics and management; and
      - (ii) conduct outreach [programs](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) to increase the readiness for the use of such platforms by domestic industries, including manufacturers.
    - (B) **Report—** The [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall submit to Congress a report describing—
      - (i) how the integration under [subparagraph (A)](#d-3-A) is furthering application science data and computational workloads across application interests, including national security, material science, physical science, cybersecurity, biological science, the Materials Genome and BRAIN Initiatives of the President, advanced manufacturing, and the national electric grid; and
      - (ii) the roles and responsibilities of National Laboratories and industry, including the definition of the roles and responsibilities within the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) to ensure an integrated [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) across the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1).
  - (4) **Project review—**
    - (A) **In general—** The exascale architectures developed pursuant to partnerships established pursuant to [paragraph (2)](#d-2) shall be reviewed through a project review process.
    - (B) **Report—** Not later than 90 days after September 28, 2018, the [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6) shall submit to Congress a report on—
      - (i) the results of the review conducted under [subparagraph (A)](#d-4-A); and
      - (ii) the coordination and management of the [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) to ensure an integrated research [program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) across the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1).
  - (5) **Annual reports—** At the time of the budget submission of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) for each fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/15/5541.md?p=6), in consultation with the members of the partnerships established pursuant to [paragraph (2)](#d-2), shall submit to Congress a report that describes funding for the [Program](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8) as a whole by functional element of the [Department](/usc/15/5541.md?p=1) and critical milestones.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–423, § 3, Nov. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2400; Pub. L. 115–246, title III, § 304(b)(3), formerly § 304(a)(3), Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3145, renumbered § 304(b)(3), Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10104(a)(1), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1433.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 108–423, Nov. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2400, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5501 of this title and Tables.

### Codification

This section was enacted as part of the American Super Computing Leadership Act of 2017 which comprises this subchapter, and not as part of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 which comprises this chapter.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–246, § 304(b)(3)(A), formerly § 304(a)(3)(A), as renumbered by Pub. L. 117–167, substituted “coordinated program across the Department” for “program”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–246, § 304(b)(3)(B), formerly § 304(a)(3)(B), as renumbered by Pub. L. 117–167, struck out “, which may include vector, reconfigurable logic, streaming, processor-in-memory, and multithreading architectures” before semicolon at end.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–246, § 304(b)(3)(C), formerly § 304(a)(3)(C), as renumbered by Pub. L. 117–167, added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which related to the establishment of a High-End Software Development Center.