§2723. Fellowship program for development of skills critical to the Department of Energy nuclear weapons complex

(a) In general

The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a fellowship program for the development of skills critical to the ongoing mission of the Department of Energy nuclear weapons complex. Under the fellowship program, the Secretary shall provide educational assistance and research assistance to eligible individuals to facilitate the development by such individuals of skills critical to maintaining the ongoing mission of the Department of Energy nuclear weapons complex.

(b) Eligible individuals

Individuals eligible for participation in the fellowship program are United States citizens who are the following:

(1) Students pursuing graduate degrees in fields of science or engineering that are related to nuclear weapons engineering or to the science and technology base of the Department of Energy.

(2) Individuals engaged in postdoctoral studies in such fields.

(c) Covered facilities

The Secretary shall carry out the fellowship program at or in connection with the following facilities:

(1) The Kansas City Plant, Kansas City, Missouri.

(2) The Pantex Plant, Amarillo, Texas.

(3) The Y–12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

(4) The Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina.

(5) The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California.

(6) The Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.

(7) The Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California.

(d) Administration

The Secretary shall carry out the fellowship program at a facility referred to in subsection (c) through the stockpile manager of the facility.

(e) Allocation of funds

The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Defense Programs, allocate funds available for the fellowship program under subsection (f) among the facilities referred to in subsection (c). The Secretary shall make the allocation after evaluating an assessment by the weapons program director of each such facility of the personnel and critical skills necessary at the facility for carrying out the ongoing mission of the facility.

(f) Agreement

(1) The Secretary may allow an individual to participate in the program only if the individual signs an agreement described in paragraph (2).

(2) An agreement referred to in paragraph (1) shall be in writing, shall be signed by the participant, and shall include the participant's agreement to serve, after completion of the course of study for which the assistance was provided, as a full-time employee in a position in the Department of Energy for a period of time to be established by the Secretary of Energy of not less than one year, if such a position is offered to the participant.

(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLVI, §4623, formerly Pub. L. 104–106, div. C, title XXXI, §3140, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 621 ; Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXI, §3162(a)–(d), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 943 ; renumbered Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLVI, §4623, by Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, §3141(i)(10), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1779 .)

Codification

Section was formerly set out as a note under section 2121 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 108–136.

Amendments

1999-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–65, §3162(a), substituted "Secretary shall" for "Secretary shall-", struck out par. (1) designation before "provide educational assistance", and struck out pars. (2) and (3) which read as follows:

"(2) employ eligible individuals at the facilities described in subsection (c) in order to facilitate the development of such skills by these individuals; or

"(3) provide eligible individuals with the assistance and the employment."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–65, §3162(b), inserted "are United States citizens who" after "program" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c)(5) to (7). Pub. L. 106–65, §3162(c), added pars. (5) to (7).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–65, §3162(d), amended heading and text of subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Energy for fiscal year 1996 under section 3101(b), $10,000,000 may be used for the purpose of carrying out the fellowship program under this section."