DATE INTRODUCED:

9/24/26

WHAT:

The American Leadership in Fusion Act would invest in the development and commercialization of fusion energy in the United States. This bill would create a dedicated Office of Fusion within the Department of Energy (DOE), make it easier for companies to work with DOE and the national labs, and catalyze the buildout of the fusion supply chain. The bill would provide funding to support these efforts:

• $5 billion for fusion milestone-based programs:
  • $2 billion is dedicated to the existing development program.
  • $3 billion towards a new pilot plant demonstration program, with the goal of providing at least 50 MW to the grid for more than three hours.
• $4.1 billion to build research facilities:
  • $3.8 billion for large facilities testing fuel cycle, blanket and materials testing.
  • $300 million for small and mid-sized facilities.
• $800 million for R&D on waste, fuel, and materials that can survive inside a fusion power plant.
• $100 million to build a domestic supply chain for critical fusion components.

The bill also authorizes funding to support ongoing activities under this title, with specific earmarks for research and development work on inertial fusion, general plasma science and workforce development.

WHY IT MATTERS:

From Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod to Bell’s telephone to the Moon landing, America has led the world in technological innovation. Fusion, the same process that powers the sun, is the next frontier in energy, with no carbon emissions and relatively little waste. The United States is home to most of the world's private fusion companies, and several aim to deliver power to the grid in the 2030s.

Putting fusion onto the grid requires advances in materials engineering and manufacturing. The Chinese Communist Party spends an estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion a year on fusion, nearly double the roughly $800 million in annual U.S. federal funding. If China pulls ahead, America risks losing the chance to lead the world in an entirely new energy technology.

WHAT'S NEXT:

Congress has already laid the groundwork to support fusion energy. The Energy Act of 2020 created DOE's milestone-based fusion development program, and the ADVANCE Act established a clear regulatory framework for fusion machines. The American Leadership in Fusion Act builds on that work to provide federal resources that can enable private companies to demonstrate their technologies and build the fusion supply chain.

ORIGINAL SPONSOR:

H.R. 10574
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)

CO-SPONSORS:

Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Donald Beyer (D-VA), James Gallagher (R-CA), Lori Trahan (D-MA)

SUPPORT:

ClearPath Action, Fusion Industry Association, SCSP Action Program, University Fusion Association, Clean Air Task Force, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

CONGRESS.GOV LINK:

H.R. 10574

PRINTABLE SUMMARY:

Printable summary of H.R. 10574