[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 841 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 841

To provide cost-sharing assistance to improve access to the markets of 
 foreign countries for energy efficiency products and renewable energy 
 products exported by small- and medium-sized businesses in the United 
                    States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 14, 2011

  Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Merkley) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
            Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide cost-sharing assistance to improve access to the markets of 
 foreign countries for energy efficiency products and renewable energy 
 products exported by small- and medium-sized businesses in the United 
                    States, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Renewable Energy Market Access 
Program Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Energy efficiency product.--The term ``energy 
        efficiency product'' means any product, technology, or 
        component of a product that--
                    (A) as compared with products, technologies, or 
                components of products being deployed at the time for 
                widespread commercial use in the country in which the 
                product, technology, or component will be used--
                            (i) substantially increases the energy 
                        efficiency of buildings, industrial or 
                        agricultural processes, or electricity 
                        transmission, distribution, or end-use 
                        consumption; or
                            (ii) substantially increases the energy 
                        efficiency of the transportation system; and
                    (B) results in no significant incremental adverse 
                effects on public health or the environment.
            (2) Renewable energy.--The term ``renewable energy'' means 
        energy generated by a renewable energy resource.
            (3) Renewable energy product.--The term ``renewable energy 
        product'' means any product, technology, or component of a 
        product used in the development or production of renewable 
        energy.
            (4) Renewable energy resource.--The term ``renewable energy 
        resource'' means solar, wind, ocean, tidal, or geothermal 
        energy, biofuel, biomass, hydropower, or hydrokinetic energy.
            (5) Small- and medium-sized businesses.--The term ``small- 
        and medium-sized businesses'' means--
                    (A) small business concerns (as that term used in 
                section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)); 
                and
                    (B) businesses the Secretary of Commerce determines 
                to be small- or medium-sized, based on factors that 
                include the structure of the industry, the amount of 
                competition in the industry, the average size of 
                businesses in the industry, and costs and barriers 
                associated with entering the industry.

SEC. 3. COST-SHARING ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE EXPORTATION OF 
              ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRODUCTS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTS.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary for International Trade of the 
Department of Commerce (in this section referred to as the ``Under 
Secretary'') shall establish and carry out a program to provide cost-
sharing assistance to eligible organizations--
            (1) to improve access to the markets of foreign countries 
        for energy efficiency products and renewable energy products 
        exported by small- and medium-sized businesses in the United 
        States; and
            (2) to assist small- and medium-sized businesses in the 
        United States in obtaining services and other assistance with 
        respect to exporting energy efficiency products and renewable 
        energy products, including services and assistance available 
        from the Department of Commerce and other Federal agencies.
    (b) Eligible Organizations.--An eligible organization is a 
nonprofit trade association in the United States or a State or regional 
organization that promotes the exportation and sale of energy 
efficiency products or renewable energy products.
    (c) Application Process.--An eligible organization shall submit an 
application for cost-sharing assistance under subsection (a)--
            (1) at such time and in such manner as the Under Secretary 
        may require; and
            (2) that contains a plan that describes the activities the 
        organization plans to carry out using the cost-sharing 
        assistance provided under subsection (a).
    (d) Awarding Cost-Sharing Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall establish a 
        process for granting applications for cost-sharing assistance 
        under subsection (a) that includes a competitive review 
        process.
            (2) Priority for innovative ideas.--In awarding cost-
        sharing assistance under subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
        shall give priority to an eligible organization that includes 
        in the plan of the organization submitted under subsection 
        (c)(2) innovative ideas for improving access to the markets of 
        foreign countries for energy efficiency products and renewable 
        energy products exported by small- and medium-sized businesses 
        in the United States.
    (e) Level of Cost-Sharing Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Under 
        Secretary shall determine an appropriate percentage of the cost 
        of carrying out a plan submitted by an eligible organization 
        under subsection (c)(2) to be provided in the form of 
        assistance under this section.
            (2) Limitation.--Assistance provided under this section may 
        not exceed 50 percent of the cost of carrying out the plan of 
        an eligible organization.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Energy, shall submit to Congress a report on the export promotion needs 
of businesses in the United States that export energy efficiency 
products or renewable energy products.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Commerce to carry out this Act--
            (1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;
            (2) $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
            (3) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 2014;
            (4) $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; and
            (5) $19,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.
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