---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 6331"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "6331"
heading: "Laboratory-directed research and development programs"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/6331"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part VI — Elements of Department of Defense and Other Matters"
  - "Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense"
  - "Chapter 608 — Administrative Matters"
  - "Subchapter II — Research and Development"
---

# §6331. Laboratory-directed research and development programs

- (a) **Authority.—** Government-owned, [contractor](/usc/10/9511.md?p=7)-operated laboratories that are funded out of [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6) available to the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Energy for national security programs are authorized to carry out [laboratory-directed research and development](#d).
- (b) **Regulations.—** The Secretary of Energy shall prescribe regulations for the conduct of [laboratory-directed research and development](#d) at such laboratories.
- (c) **Funding.—** Of the [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6) provided by the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Energy to a [national security laboratory](/usc/10/6101.md?p=6) for national security activities, the Secretary shall provide a specific amount, of not less than 5 percent and not more than 7 percent of such [funds](/usc/10/2871.md?p=6), to be used by the laboratory for [laboratory-directed research and development](#d).
- (d) **Laboratory-directed Research and Development Defined.—** For purposes of this section, the term “laboratory-directed research and development” means research and development work of a creative and innovative nature which, under the regulations prescribed pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b), is selected by the director of a laboratory for the purpose of maintaining the vitality of the laboratory in defense-related scientific disciplines.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1448.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6331 was renumbered section 8331 of this title.

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2791 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).