2014 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare (Sections 1 - 18445)
Chapter 84 - Department of Energy (Sections 7101 - 7386k)
Subchapter VI - Administrative Provisions (Sections 7211 - 7279a)
Part C - General Administrative Provisions (Sections 7251 - 7279a)
Sec. 7251 - General authority

To the extent necessary or appropriate to perform any function transferred by this chapter, the Secretary or any officer or employee of the Department may exercise, in carrying out the function so transferred, any authority or part thereof available by law, including appropriation Acts, to the official or agency from which such function was transferred.

(Pub. L. 95–91, title VI, §641, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 598.)

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 95–91, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 565, known as the Department of Energy Organization Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7101 of this title and Tables.

Pub. L. 112–239, div. C, title XXXI, §3120, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2174, provided that:

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall review and, to the extent practicable, revise the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation and other regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies that apply to the administration, execution, and oversight of the missions and operations of the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration to improve and streamline such administration, execution, and oversight.

"(b) Improvement and Streamlining.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator shall review and, to the extent practicable, carry out the following actions:

"(1) Streamline business processes and structures to reduce unnecessary, burdensome, or duplicative approvals.

"(2) Delegate approval for work for others agreements and cooperative research and development agreements (except those that the Secretary or Administrator determine are high value or unique) to the lowest appropriate officials and streamline the approval processes.

"(3) Establish processes for ensuring routine or low-risk procurement and subcontracting decisions are made at the discretion of the management and operating contractors while ensuring that the Secretary or Administrator apply appropriate oversight.

"(4) Assess procurement thresholds as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 2, 2013] and take steps as appropriate to adjust such thresholds.

"(5) Eliminate duplicative or low-value reports and data calls and ensure consistency in management and cost-accounting data.

"(6) Actions to otherwise streamline, clarify, and eliminate redundancy in the regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies described by subsection (a).

"(c) Briefing.—

"(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 2, 2013], the Secretary and the Administrator shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the review conducted under subsection (a), including the status of such review and any actions taken or planned to be taken to improve and streamline the regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies described in such subsection.

"(2) Appropriate congressional committees defined.—In this subsection, the term 'appropriate congressional committees' means—

"(A) the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives]; and

"(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives."

Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXI, §3161, Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2048, required the Secretary of Energy to establish the Department of Energy Security Management Board, and provided for its duties which related to the security functions of the Department, and its membership, appointments, personnel, compensation, expenses, and termination on Oct. 31, 2000, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXI, §3142(h)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 933.