---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18631"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18631"
heading: "Crosscutting research and development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18631"
units:
  - "Chapter 161 — Department of Energy Research and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter II — Department of Energy Research Coordination"
---

# §18631. Crosscutting research and development

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall use the capabilities of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) to identify strategic opportunities for collaborative research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of innovative science and technologies.
- (b) **Existing programs; coordination of activities—** To the maximum extent practicable, the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall seek—
  - (1) to leverage existing programs of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1); and
  - (2) to consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) to promote collaboration and crosscutting approaches within programs of the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1).
- (c) **Additional actions—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) shall—
  - (1) prioritize activities that use all affordable domestic resources;
  - (2) develop a planning, evaluation, and technical assessment framework for setting objective long-term strategic goals and evaluating progress that—
    - (A) ensures integrity and [independence](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=1-B); and
    - (B) provides the flexibility to adapt to market dynamics;
  - (3) ensure that activities shall be undertaken in a manner that does not duplicate other activities within the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) or other Federal Government activities; and
  - (4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to the [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), industry, nongovernmental organizations, institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–246, title II, § 203, Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3135.)