Most of the Director-General's message, however, focused on positive signs: the strong pace of progress in construction and manufacturing, the repeated validation through external review and audit that ITER is "well managed to the best industry standards," and the overall Member contributions that have led to ITER recently crossing the 50 percent mark in "total construction work scope through First Plasma."
Bigot's statements about progress were well aligned with the praise for the project that was given by many of the Congressional representatives present. Chairman Smith specifically thanked the ITER Director-General for "his leadership of this complex and challenging international research project." Also of note was the commendation from Republican Representative Frank Lucas—the only Congressional leader present who had physically visited the ITER worksite, in October 2015. Representative Lucas called the progress of the intervening years "impressive," and was among the most outspoken Committee members on the need for the United States. to meet its commitments and take full advantage of its status as an ITER Member.
In addition to Director-General Bigot, Congressional leaders heard from: James W. Van Dam, acting Associate Director of Fusion Energy Sciences in the Department of Energy's Office of Science; Mickey Wade, Director of Advanced Fusion Systems in the Magnetic Fusion Energy Division of General Atomics; and Mark Herrmann, Director of the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Each member of the panel spoke supportively of ITER. At the conclusion of his statement, Wade gave the Committee two recommendations: that the US should make a firm commitment to fully fund ITER; and that the US should move now to establish a comprehensive strategic plan that seeks to capitalize on ITER's success.
During his short time in Washington, Director-General Bigot also held meetings with the Undersecretary for Science at the Department of Energy, Paul Dabbar; with representatives of four bureaus of the State Department; and with a number of officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, including those involved with the Nuclear Energy Policy Review—a review that, among other topics, is examining US participation in ITER.
The ITER Director-General says that he left those meetings with concern (as long as a final decision is not taken) but also with hope. "It is clear that the status of US contributions is becoming urgent for ITER," he said. "But it is also clear that US officials are giving the situation their full attention. They are keenly aware of the important role ITER plays as an essential part of the US fusion program. I continue to feel optimistic that we will see a positive decision in the near future."
The two-hour long hearing, "The Future of U.S. Fusion Energy Research," can be viewed here, together with the written version of opening statements made by Committee Chairman Lamar Smith and Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber.