Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
More than a decade has passed since the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) last reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) Isotope Program. In light of recent global developments, bipartisan leaders from the Energy and Commerce Committee have called for an updated review.
Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO) are leading this initiative. Their letter to the GAO highlights concerns about U.S. reliance on Russia for isotopes critical to national security, advanced manufacturing, and medicine—an issue exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The DOE Isotope Program has been working for at least a decade to shore up domestic isotope development and free the United States from a position of dependence, but its progress in doing so is unclear," reads a key excerpt from their letter. It continues: "Current U.S. production still has not replaced our reliance on Russia and possibly other high-risk countries."
The letter also notes that several proposed DOE facilities intended to boost domestic supply remain in early stages or under construction. A notable example is Oak Ridge’s Stable Isotope Production and Research Center (SIPRC), which is not expected to begin production until 2032.
The DOE's Isotope Program plays a crucial role in producing isotopes necessary for national security, advanced manufacturing, and medical applications. Despite being one of few global producers of these essential materials, the U.S. continues to depend heavily on imports from countries like Russia.
The last GAO review occurred in 2012, before significant geopolitical changes such as Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. A 2022 testimony by the executive director of the Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals highlighted that the U.S. still relies almost exclusively on Russia for 44 isotopes vital for industrial use and cancer treatment.
Additionally, China has emerged as a new supplier of stable isotopes, potentially increasing foreign dependency further.
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