Recognizing the 60th anniversary of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
H. Res. 306 is a nonbinding House of Representatives resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The measure traces PNNL’s origins (selected in 1965 to manage Hanford Site laboratories), notes its evolution into a diversified DOE national laboratory, and highlights its growth in staff, research activity, and collaborations. It emphasizes PNNL’s contributions to nuclear cleanup, energy, national security, cyber defense, and other scientific fields, as well as its partnerships with universities and industry, its invention activity, and STEM outreach. The resolution congratulates PNNL, acknowledges its impact, and expresses the hope for continued innovation and discovery. The bill is introduced as a ceremonial expression of recognition and does not create legal mandates or appropriations. It was introduced by Representatives Newhouse, Schrier, and DelBene and referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Key Points
- 1Establishes that the House recognizes the 60th anniversary of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), tracing its history from its 1965 origin as Hanford Laboratories and its 1995 formal renaming to PNNL.
- 2Notes PNNL’s growth in size and impact: from about 2,200 employees in 1965 to more than 6,400 today; the lab is the largest employer in central Washington.
- 3Cites PNNL's fiscal and research productivity: $1.64 billion in research and development in fiscal year 2024; 319 invention disclosures and 59 patents granted in 2024.
- 4Highlights broad research directions and contributions, including nuclear waste cleanup, Earth systems science, modernizing the energy grid, energy storage and resilience, salmon recovery, nuclear nonproliferation, cyber defense, and the use of artificial intelligence to speed scientific discovery.
- 5Emphasizes collaborations: more than 200 joint appointments with over 60 academic institutions, seven joint institutes, and collaboration with industry across the United States; example of millimeter-wave technology used in airport security screening.
- 6Notes PNNL’s STEM outreach impact: engaging more than 51,000 students and 900 educators in fiscal year 2024.
- 7States purpose and intent: the House congratulates PNNL, recognizes its contributions to national challenges, and looks forward to ongoing innovation and discovery.