---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18651"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18651"
heading: "High intensity laser research initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18651"
units:
  - "Chapter 161 — Department of Energy Research and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — Department of Energy Office of Science Policy"
---

# §18651. High intensity laser research initiative

- (a) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) shall establish a high intensity laser research initiative consistent with the recommendations of the National Academies report entitled “Opportunities in Intense Ultrafast Lasers: Reaching for the Brightest Light” and the report from the Brightest Light Initiative workshop entitled “The Future of Intense Ultrafast Lasers in the U.S.”. The initiative should include research and development of petawatt-scale and of high average power laser technologies necessary for future facility needs in discovery science and to advance energy technologies, as well as support for a user network of academic and [National Laboratory](/usc/42/18601.md?p=3) high intensity laser facilities.
- (b) **Leverage—** The [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) shall leverage new laser technologies for more [compact](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=4), less complex, and low-cost accelerator systems needed for science applications.
- (c) **Coordination—**
  - (1) **Director—** The [Director](/usc/42/18601.md?p=2) shall coordinate the initiative established under [subsection (a)](#a) among all relevant programs within the Office of Science.
  - (2) **Under Secretary—** The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) for Science shall coordinate the initiative established under [subsection (a)](#a) with other relevant programs within the [Department](/usc/42/18601.md?p=1) and other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** Out of funds authorized to be appropriated for the Office of Science in a fiscal year, there are authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18601.md?p=4) to carry out the activities described in this section—
  - (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
  - (2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
  - (3) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
  - (4) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; and
  - (5) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–246, title III, § 313, as added Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10112(a), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1459.)