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• Developing sites for the storing of civilian nuclear waste; and

• Developing new nuclear weapons and naval reactors through the semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA).

Beyond these core responsibilities, DOE currently administers billions of dollars that support research and commercialization of energy technology, provides loans to the private sector for energy infrastructure and technology commercialization, and issues energy efficiency standards for appliances. More recently, DOE has focused its work and taxpayers’ money on renewable energy and climate change.°

It is one thing for government to engage in fundamental scientific research that the private sector would not perform, particularly because advancements in science promote national security through technological prowess. Government, however, should not be picking winners and losers in dealing with energy resources or commercial technology. Such government favoritism can crowd out new innovation, devolve into cronyism, and raise energy prices for consumers and businesses. It is time for the United States to use all of its energy resources again for the benefit of the American people.

New Policies: Energy To ensure that the American people have access to abundant, affordable, and reliable energy, DESAS’s energy role should be focused on:

• Working with the energy industry and networks to ensure energy infrastructure security through science and coordination with the private sector.

• Assessing international energy issues that constitute threats to U.S. national security.

• Promoting U.S. energy resources as a means to assist our allies, diminish our strategic adversaries, and ensure the existence of markets that will support

domestic energy production.

• Pursuing early and advanced science, including materials science, that is related to energy and national security.

• Developing the leadership necessary for the disposal of commercial and government spent nuclear fuel.