[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6246866,"mediaKeyId","3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4","parentId",3214070,"title","Lawmakers press DOE on critical minerals and hydrogen hub reviews; agency promises criteria and timeline","audioSeconds",4619,"startMs",3314000,"endMs",7933000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4&start=3314&end=7933","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4/thumbnail_3314000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6246866/Lawmakers-press-DOE-on-critical-minerals-and-hydrogen-hub-reviews-agency-promises-criteria-and-timeline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246866-09a1b4814b4b3f6b5624c890c30f804a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135471&Signature=N8QFnH0OtmUoN3-02jPyvOxkXP8H6kRVvkfrC3oEWk0Jfvefaz6VrtZDQM10G~ZYN5XObKlzuYmsFd7OQbugEK6INxpx68~8g4VXsDfSVRp7APtAxWBIInwtcclA71u4Gvwv1yD5E2wbcZpwbRWFJ~gKJo8Xh9~bbvWNaojLGv4y6YUVqNyamRTHTIfoI47CUOkbfCEDj3-zV49VxNCzEMLV3dMOWgnrQNIO5KxXDchC-skNihwvdZ4jon5JldneEU0ama3f5AMzwREynwOdbGxVY1SUn5M66Ww3iaf-2wlcZ-7S3epr3dx-35eNrAo5Wq3xnb1IQ3CfxpibdAvSuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Appropriations","date","2025-05-08T05:24:05Z","article","Several members who represent districts with hydrogen hub proposals and mineral‑dependent industries pressed the Department of Energy on project reviews and supply‑chain policies at the May 7 hearing.

The matter is important for local economies and national manufacturing because hydrogen hubs and critical mineral production underpin industrial decarbonization and supply‑chain resilience for sectors such as steel, auto and semiconductors.

Representative Frank Mrvan (Indiana) described a hydrogen hub in his district (referred to in the hearing as Mach 2) and said the project would create roughly 12,000 construction jobs; he asked why feasibility work appeared paused. Secretary Chris Wright denied any categorical preference for projects by political geography and said DOE had not made final decisions. Wright described the current phase as feasibility studies for hubs: DOE and applicants assess economics, engineering, offtake agreements, co‑financing and legal issues. He said the department expected to run through pending projects and to reach decisions “in the next few months” and hoped to have outputs “before the end of this summer.”

Representative Jerry Levin and others asked specifically about a bipartisan letter regarding the Arches hub in California and requested a written response; Wright said the office was building a consistent, non‑political business and technical evaluation process and expected responses this summer.

On critical minerals, Wright said China controlled large parts of supply chains for many critical inputs and that a cross‑agency effort is underway to identify and remove permitting and processing barriers. He said the United States produces less than half of 40 of the 50 critical minerals identified for industrial use and is 100% dependent for a dozen; DOE officials told members they are coordinating with other agencies to accelerate permitting and domestic refining capacity.

Committee members asked for clearer communication to project sponsors and pledged ongoing oversight; Wright committed to improved transparency and to providing updates on hydrogen hub decisions and critical minerals permitting progress.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Hearing – U.S. Department of Energy","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives with hydrogen hub projects and mineral supply concerns asked Secretary Wright about paused feasibility reviews and how DOE will judge hub awards; Wright said DOE is evaluating engineering, market viability, offtake and co‑financing and expected decisions by summer.","taxTitle","Appropriations: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1832,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6246872,"Subcommittee urges faster permitting, grid upgrades to meet AI and data‑center energy demand",2889,1443000,4332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4&start=1443&end=4332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4/thumbnail_1443000.jpg","/articles/6246872/Subcommittee-urges-faster-permitting-grid-upgrades-to-meet-AI-and-datacenter-energy-demand","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246872-feccb754e3e9121189d9b430fe5cba73/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135471&Signature=e7fvmIq6TnIj-bR97xwIAQwXPTWKjtUY9DKpF9LEWVFX2F6Wn5WAzRa6KLBjjY1Gg~7sEe993C4uv7DXjeEbZpKsoctHW5Y1yxqaPhFadoEao5m7rhceT7vWHph8iMr0H8LaEGKDJaq7hjqSMytR9I0QbXhCo-ejkEqPo4oNI4SuIzGajQmbnGisrM4OWD00swNQv5iwkPGhgtk-yhNssSsi3DyMYF8bfCJe3p5~Bw-vPfILOsK~kqgSROQx6-abewGtbN5C7MXnJ6QLwkRclj7mGRqgAjs1tSFHOJpM2wv4XDVuGhcQvFxS3BFzpDH1QsH1OquAJ9o699iQxe6wiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Appropriations subcommittee used the May 7 hearing to press Department of Energy officials to accelerate permitting and grid improvements as demand for electricity climbs because of artificial intelligence, data centers and advanced manufacturing.

The topic is consequential because several members — including Representatives Mike Simpson, John Cloud and Michael Guest — warned that the projected electricity requirements for generative AI and industrial expansion will require rapid and reliable increases in generation and transmission capacity.

Secretary Chris Wright said AI will be “the Manhattan Project of our time” and that the United States must grow electricity production to support data centers, EVs and semiconductor manufacturing. He cited natural gas and nuclear as key near‑ and mid‑term options for firm, dispatchable power and said the department is taking administrative steps to reduce red tape within DOE programs and national labs. Wright described a National Energy Dominance Council, which convenes agencies such as EPA, Interior and Commerce to identify regulatory barriers and proposed that Congress enact permitting timelines for certain reviews, including reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) where delays are excessive.

Committee members asked for more detail on how DOE will preserve reliability and control costs while expanding capacity. Wright said the department is reviewing processes at the national labs to lower construction costs and streamline internal approvals and pledged to work with Congress on bipartisan permitting reform.

No legislative change was enacted at the hearing. Lawmakers asked DOE for continued engagement, and Wright committed to ongoing interagency coordination and to brief members on specific permitting changes and timelines.","Lawmakers told the Energy Department it must ease permitting and speed new generation to meet projected electricity needs from AI, data centers and manufacturing; Secretary Wright said DOE is pursuing regulatory streamlining and interagency coordination but asked Congress for permitting reform.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6246877,"Lawmakers press DOE on ‘frozen’ awards and massive loan commitments; Wright says reviews are ongoing",2667,2062000,4729000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4&start=2062&end=4729","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4/thumbnail_2062000.jpg","/articles/6246877/Lawmakers-press-DOE-on-frozen-awards-and-massive-loan-commitments-Wright-says-reviews-are-ongoing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246877-9f015f48b7b9583997e16b9e97973a45/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135471&Signature=hyMAl73U-bGrPYJ9nWE8xEeFbqZa0Uj~xbLfZelDnK20rUi5Fg~Asz-Dnf6nmFmKhfXli07g67C1rk7xP-V38cPaF2KacHvux36j-i6qsRqOM0Rr3SfUZtBNd24uVhDLzcvKGKrfLX44NxInkk41lZokSNSXCnbfISFhotYneVtZWvwl9S9tnjv62RJCPLIoEGwj-k8rsrm5MiBTyAYHrq68-KzCt27dMuiouzaZNfightWZdUW-vZYz09Rj~8TTj3kPuJEY1x-rcyZbye9-2C1T7uRWnk5T-1xhcAQzvZsHQnlsS~5GRNF2DZQJCGjLM6~FSB2IZ4wYc05CFzAQEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several members of the House Appropriations subcommittee asked Secretary Chris Wright on May 7 to explain why DOE had paused or recommended cancellation of awards, withheld funds and carried out unusually large loan program commitments late in the previous administration.

The exchange matters because program awards and loan commitments directly affect dozens of “shovel‑ready” projects, job creation and the deployment of energy infrastructure funded by congressional appropriations.

Representative Rosa DeLauro and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the department had failed to provide a required spend plan under the continuing resolution and alleged that tens of billions of dollars in awards remained “frozen.” DeLauro said the department had not submitted the detailed spend plan required by the continuing resolution. Wasserman Schultz said roughly $67 billion remained frozen and tied the freezes to court orders; she asked whether the secretary would immediately release funds. Secretary Wright replied the department was “in compliance with the law,” said active projects were being paid and disputed the premise that DOE had frozen funds, but he acknowledged the department was reviewing recently committed funds and contract milestones.

Wright repeatedly highlighted the loan program office’s recent activity: he told the committee the loan program office disbursed “a little over $40 billion” in its first 15 years, and then, in the 76 days between the election and inauguration, the office issued about $100 billion in loans and loan commitments. He said the department is examining those rapid commitments to ensure taxpayer funds were deployed appropriately.

Members asked for lists of projects under review and for criteria the department is using to evaluate which awards will move forward; Wright agreed to follow up and to provide briefings. He told the committee that to date the department had canceled zero projects but that it was reviewing feasibility, legal, technical and market criteria before advancing new disbursements.

No formal cancellations were recorded during the hearing; members requested timely written follow‑up and documentation about awards, cancellations under consideration and the loan program’s recent activity.","Members accused the Department of Energy of withholding tens of billions in awards and of procedural irregularities in recent loan commitments; Secretary Wright denied unlawful withholding, said active projects are being paid, and acknowledged a review of recently committed funds.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6246882,"Congress presses DOE on HALEU supply, reprocessing and spent fuel strategy",1428,1531000,2959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4&start=1531&end=2959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4/thumbnail_1531000.jpg","/articles/6246882/Congress-presses-DOE-on-HALEU-supply-reprocessing-and-spent-fuel-strategy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246882-81ef07836a7a4dcb7b14649a237b64f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135471&Signature=GM7728sRkjdK-94a1babhZnN4-X9FRdKrUPY37XYmC-lWXUKwH~UzKwpI5ks-eaGpjbdF7BdiOvo2~YGaVEabTSWAhBWJ54E6wdfBi9QruhZSKdJmdyTl3F-dx~tD9-Oy32pDGlfigacNfj4xGwGUEeAqVe5~HpRrO~A2QLDo52hIrcmUwmfz-KFlgs7s~cjuwQ7hhTXglhOYnZXzouvVttGI~wSTP9xVZC671B5xDSth9oXEd5mdRw5ljdmm7rCtE2Wt0swUIdi~51mQozFT~X75KgUTw9kuZqJa5nbIKw9MX4bjmU9-W21bLE63uBKKdsLv8rX8dpaP9ud6~pIqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Congressional members pressed Department of Energy officials on May 7 about accelerating domestic production of high‑assay low‑enriched uranium (HALEU), funding for advanced reactors and the long‑term management of spent nuclear fuel.

The exchanges matter because HALEU availability and spent fuel policy are central to next‑generation reactor demonstrations, commercial deployment timelines and the department’s nuclear strategy.

Chairman Chuck Fleischmann noted Congress provided funding in fiscal 2024—citing roughly $2.7 billion—to support HALEU and asked what the department was doing to speed domestic enrichment capacity. Secretary Chris Wright said DOE had already allocated HALEU from DOE stockpiles to five companies to support near‑term fuel needs, had issued a request for interest for domestic low‑enriched uranium production, and planned to issue a HALEU solicitation. Wright told the committee the department was evaluating how best to deploy congressional capital to reestablish U.S. enrichment capabilities for HALEU and low‑enriched uranium.

On reprocessing and the back end of the fuel cycle, members including Fleischmann and Representative Jerry Levin urged a shift from the long‑standing approach. Wright said DOE had prepared a study on reprocessing that would be released “before too long” and described spent fuel as “a resource, not a burden.” Representative Levin and other members sought a bipartisan, consent‑based approach to consolidated interim storage; Wright said he favors an opt‑in model and that the department’s nuclear team was developing integrated management plans and consent‑based siting ideas.

Members also pressed for funding stability for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and for the department to prefer base discretionary budget increases to relying on reconciliation. Wright said he supported increased resources for the NNSA but preferred them requested via the base discretionary process rather than reconciliation.

No formal committee action was taken at the hearing; members requested follow‑up briefings and committed to work with the secretary on HALEU procurement, reprocessing studies and a consent‑based spent fuel strategy.","Members asked Secretary Wright about plans to expand domestic HALEU production, advance reprocessing technologies and pursue a consent‑based approach to consolidated interim storage for spent nuclear fuel.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6246887,"House appropriators press DOE on cuts to Office of Science and national labs funding",6528,281000,6809000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4&start=281&end=6809","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3214070-a4435444151e13d95c2f83c5eb37c3f4/thumbnail_281000.jpg","/articles/6246887/House-appropriators-press-DOE-on-cuts-to-Office-of-Science-and-national-labs-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246887-d0931ef805a6b31e285cabe494b761ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135471&Signature=D0v55y93EsVXR8wgcRBGgIh43Khm1vHATo24gRYwu0dkeHsgQ7zESghJEUgYL13Bs1g2guhFMMNUqkJWsm4Ruiy6sLcOKL9tyHqnAkB-p8Xb9L-TXE-iRx-eFIU4IjQc9CFDdD3dXYoPBJEgT8Lzqp7zlYx8qOzg8CnXIFRGQ0E-UeOFMq~-y3QhZ6oGfwo6UwJB-WbTUhcQzmPYq1396K2ei8CPvOShMeFgnLM2kYqWCTocwuGL~dYuIAoX3OVqXrJjGi6~FItBI~mAHmJKnE1Sls6EKTmQYTEz7AHNOaleg~RmAr2Q1kLlbsmHCR1y~hvidAyeSDIVK4yJlWQ6Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann opened the May 7 hearing on the Department of Energy’s fiscal 2026 budget request by flagging concerns about reductions to the Office of Science and the department’s research priorities.

The hearing matters because the Office of Science supports long‑term research that underpins national labs, homeland security and advanced energy technologies; subcommittee members warned cuts could slow projects ranging from high‑performance computing to environmental cleanup.

Chairman Chuck Fleischmann and Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur both told Secretary Chris Wright they were worried about steep proposed reductions to the Office of Science and other research accounts. Fleischmann said he was “candidly, concerned to see such a significant reduction for the office of science,” and Kaptur called the administration’s proposed cuts to energy efficiency and renewables “devastating.” Secretary Wright defended the department’s priorities, saying the budget would concentrate resources on “high performance computing, AI, quantum, fusion, and critical minerals” while supporting nuclear development and modernization of the nuclear security enterprise.

Members repeatedly raised the national labs’ role. Wright told the panel he had visited several national labs in his first 100 days and pledged to visit all 17 labs within a year. Representative Mike Simpson (Idaho) and Representative Dan Newhouse (Washington) urged continued support for Idaho National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, respectively. Wright said work at the labs would remain central and that the department planned efficiencies to “do more with less.”

On cleanup funding, Representative Simpson asked whether lowering budgets at other cleanup sites would increase total cost or completion time; Wright said the proposed overall reduction in environmental management was “quite small” and that he expected efficiencies to prevent slowdowns, but he did not supply a site‑by‑site cost projection at the hearing.

Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro told the secretary the department had not delivered a required spend plan tied to the year‑long continuing resolution and pressed for the detailed plan required by statute; Wright acknowledged the department was reviewing projects and said he would provide updates and further briefings.

Committee members also cited the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and NNSA. Fleischmann said he was “pleased to see the budget request includes strong support for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” while Kaptur and others warned the department must avoid undercutting energy innovation and community programs.

The subcommittee entered the secretary’s full written testimony into the record and asked for follow‑up briefings and documentation; Wright agreed to provide further details and to continue discussions with members about lab funding and cleanup programs.

Looking ahead, members signaled they will press for greater detail in the department’s spend plan and for assurances that cuts will not interrupt critical lab research or long‑running cleanup projects.","Members of the House Appropriations subcommittee questioned Department of Energy funding priorities at a May 7 hearing, pressing Secretary Chris Wright about proposed reductions to the Office of Science while seeking assurances the national labs will keep core research and cleanup work on track.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers press DOE on critical minerals and hydrogen hub reviews; agency promises criteria and timeline

Subcommittee urges faster permitting, grid upgrades to meet AI and data‑center energy demand

Lawmakers press DOE on ‘frozen’ awards and massive loan commitments; Wright says reviews are ongoing

Congress presses DOE on HALEU supply, reprocessing and spent fuel strategy

House appropriators press DOE on cuts to Office of Science and national labs funding