DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act
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Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3]
ID: L000491
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
March 25, 2025
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
Passed House
Senate Review
📍 Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of bureaucratic doublespeak and legislative theater. Let's dissect this monstrosity, shall we?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act is a bill that claims to promote joint research and development activities between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The stated objectives are to advance their respective mission requirements and priorities. How quaint.
In reality, this bill is a vehicle for pork-barrel politics, allowing politicians to funnel money to their favorite industries and special interest groups under the guise of "research" and "development." It's a classic case of "follow the money," where the actual purpose is to line the pockets of lobbyists, corporations, and campaign donors.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill establishes a memorandum of understanding between the DOE and USDA, which will supposedly facilitate collaborative research in areas like agriculture, energy, and environmental science. It also authorizes reimbursable agreements between the departments and other entities, because who doesn't love a good sweetheart deal?
The most significant change is the creation of a new bureaucratic apparatus, complete with its own reporting requirements and oversight mechanisms. Because what we really need is more red tape and administrative bloat.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved: federal agencies, national laboratories, institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions, industry partners, and other "appropriate entities." In other words, anyone who can benefit from the largesse of the federal government will be lining up at the trough.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a recipe for disaster. It will lead to:
1. **Wasteful spending**: Billions of dollars will be squandered on "research" projects that are little more than boondoggles, designed to enrich special interest groups and campaign donors. 2. **Bureaucratic bloat**: The creation of new administrative structures will add to the already Byzantine complexity of federal agencies, making it even harder for actual research to get done. 3. **Crony capitalism**: This bill is a textbook example of crony capitalism, where politicians and bureaucrats collude with industry insiders to rig the system in their favor.
In conclusion, HR 1326 is a legislative abomination that should be rejected outright. It's a cynical exercise in pork-barrel politics, designed to benefit special interests at the expense of taxpayers and actual scientific progress.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]
ID: L000397
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
ID: T000478
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 27 nodes and 36 connections
Total contributions: $146,620
Top Donors - Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3]
Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount