Strong bipartisan support expressed

 

A particular topic of discussion was the ongoing shortfalls in the US budget contributions to ITER. Chairman Weber noted that the 2019 budget of $75 million proposed by the US Administration is "well below the amount needed to keep the project on track." His counterpart at the hearing, Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren, added her concern, listing by name the other ITER Members and declaring, "We cannot afford to lose our seat at this table."

 

These sentiments were echoed by the Chairman of the Full Committee, Republican Representative Lamar Smith, who also chose to attend the hearing. "Reducing annual funding will only delay ITER instruments being built here in the United States," he stated, "and cause construction delays that increase overall project cost."

 

ITER Director-General Bernard Bigot's testimony also emphasized the budgetary risks facing the project. "A shortfall in the contribution of any single member, if it impacts the delivery of components or the capacity of ITER to meet the assembly and installation schedule, will have a cascading effect in delays, costs, and the disruption of fusion research for every other member."

 

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."