[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2196 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2196
To authorize the Secretary of Energy to establish the position of
Assistant Secretary for Advanced Energy Research, Technology
Development, and Deployment to implement an innovative energy research,
technology development, and deployment program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 25, 2006
Mrs. Clinton (for herself, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Bingaman) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Energy to establish the position of
Assistant Secretary for Advanced Energy Research, Technology
Development, and Deployment to implement an innovative energy research,
technology development, and deployment program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advanced Research Projects Energy
Act (ARPA-E) Act''.
SEC. 2. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADVANCED ENERGY RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT, AND DEPLOYMENT.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish in
the Department of Energy the position of Assistant Secretary
for Advanced Energy Research, Technology Development, and
Deployment (referred to in this Act as the ``Assistant
Secretary''), to be headed by, and to report to, the Secretary.
(2) Qualifications.--The Assistant Secretary shall be an
individual with--
(A) an advanced education degree in energy
technology; and
(B) substantial commercial research and technology
development and deployment experience.
(b) Mission.--The mission of the Assistant Secretary is--
(1) to implement an innovative energy research, technology
development, and deployment program to--
(A) increase national security by significantly
reducing petroleum and imported fuels consumption;
(B) significantly improve the efficiency of
electricity use and the reliability of the electricity
system; and
(C) significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
and
(2) to sponsor a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge, high-
payoff research, development, and deployment projects to carry
out the program.
(c) Experimental Personnel Authority.--The Assistant Secretary may
staff the office of the Assistant Secretary primarily using a program
of experimental use of special personnel management authority in order
to facilitate recruitment of eminent experts in science or engineering
for management of research and development projects and programs
administered by the Assistant Secretary under similar terms and
conditions as the authority is exercised under section 1101 of the
Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999
(Public Law 105-261; 5 U.S.C. 3104 note), as determined by the
Assistant Secretary.
(d) Transactions Other Than Contracts and Grants.--To carry out
projects under this Act, the Assistant Secretary may enter into
transactions to carry out advanced research projects under this
subsection under similar terms and conditions as the authority is
exercised under section 646(g) of the Department of Energy Organization
Act (42 U.S.C. 7256(g)).
(e) Prizes for Advanced Technology Achievements.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) through (4), the
Assistant Secretary may carry out a program to award cash
prizes in recognition of outstanding achievements in basic,
advanced, and applied research, technology development, and
prototype development that have the potential to advance the
mission described in subsection (b) under similar terms and
conditions as the authority is exercised under section 1008 of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16396).
(2) Competition requirements.--In carrying out this
subsection, the Assistant Secretary shall--
(A) use a competitive process for the selection of
recipients of cash prizes; and
(B) conduct widely-advertised solicitation of
submissions of research results, technology
developments, and prototypes.
(3) Maximum amount for all cash prizes.--The total amount
of all cash prizes awarded for a fiscal year under this
subsection may not exceed $50,000,000.
(4) Maximum amount of individual cash prizes.--The amount
of an individual cash prize awarded under this subsection may
not exceed $10,000,000 unless the amount of the award is
approved by the Secretary of Energy.
(f) Annual Reports.--As soon as practicable after the end of each
fiscal year for which the Assistant Secretary receives funds under
subsection (h), the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Science, of the House of
Representatives a report on the progress, challenges, future
milestones, and strategic plan of the Assistant Secretary, including--
(1) a description of, and rationale for, any changes in the
strategic plan;
(2) the adequacy of human and financial resources necessary
to achieve the mission described in subsection (b); and
(3) in the case of cash prizes awarded under subsection
(e), a description of--
(A) the applications of the research, technology,
or prototypes for which prizes were awarded;
(B) the total amount of the prizes that were
awarded;
(C) the methods used for solicitation and
evaluation of submissions and an assessment of the
effectiveness of those methods; and
(D) recommendations to improve the prize program.
(g) Relationship to Other Authority.--The program under this Act
may be carried out in conjunction with, or in addition to, the exercise
of any other authority of the Assistant Secretary to acquire, support,
or stimulate basic, advanced, and applied research, technology
development, or prototype projects.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(2) $2,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through
2011.
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