[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1872 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1872

             To authorize Energy Frontier Research Centers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 16, 2015

 Mr. Grayson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
             To authorize Energy Frontier Research Centers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ENERGY FRONTIER RESEARCH CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall carry out a program to provide 
awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to multi-institutional 
collaborations or other appropriate entities to conduct fundamental and 
use-inspired energy research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs 
related to needs identified in--
            (1) the Grand Challenges report of the Department's Basic 
        Energy Sciences Advisory Committee;
            (2) the report of the Department's Basic Energy Sciences 
        Advisory Committee entitled ``From Quanta to the Continuum: 
        Opportunities for Mesoscale Science'';
            (3) the Basic Energy Sciences Basic Research Needs workshop 
        report; or
            (4) other relevant reports identified by the Director.
    (b) Collaborations.--A collaboration receiving an award under this 
subsection may include multiple types of institutions and private 
sector entities.
    (c) Selection and Duration.--
            (1) In general.--A collaboration under this subsection 
        shall be selected for a period of 5 years. An Energy Frontier 
        Research Center already in existence and supported by the 
        Director on the date of enactment of this Act may continue to 
        receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the date 
        of establishment of that center.
            (2) Reapplication.--After the end of the period described 
        in paragraph (1), an awardee may reapply for selection for a 
        second period of 5 years on a competitive, merit-reviewed 
        basis.
            (3) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities 
        of the Department, the Director may terminate an 
        underperforming center for cause during the performance period.
    (d) No Funding for Construction.--No funding provided pursuant to 
this subsection may be used for the construction of new buildings or 
facilities.
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