[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6291 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6291
To provide for a comprehensive and integrative program to accelerate
microelectronics research and development at the Department of Energy,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 14, 2021
Mr. Tonko (for himself and Mr. Ellzey) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a comprehensive and integrative program to accelerate
microelectronics research and development at the Department of Energy,
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 ``Microelectronics Research for Energy
Innovation Act'' or the ``Micro Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(2) Historically black college and university.--The term
``historically Black college and university'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(4) Minority serving institution.--The term ``minority
serving institution'' includes the entities described in any of
the paragraphs (1) through (7) of section 371(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
(5) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(7) Tribal college and university.--The term ``Tribal
College and University'' has the meaning given in section 316
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c).
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the coming end of Moore's Law presents major
technological challenges and opportunities for the United
States and important implications for national security,
economic competitiveness, and scientific discovery;
(2) future progress and innovation in microelectronics, and
maintaining a robust domestic microelectronics supply chain,
will require an approach that advances relevant materials
science, electronic and photonic device technologies,
processing and packaging technologies, manufacturing
technologies, circuit, chip, and system architecture, and
software system and algorithm development in a co-design
fashion;
(3) the National Laboratories possess unique technical
expertise and user facilities that are essential to overcoming
foundational research challenges relevant to the topics
described in paragraph (2), and translating and transferring
research outcomes to industry; and
(4) the assets described in paragraph (3) will enable the
Department to drive advances in microelectronics that are
essential to meeting future needs in areas critical to its
mission as well as the future competitiveness of the domestic
microelectronics industry, including high-performance
computing, emerging data-centric computing approaches, and
energy-efficient computing; optical sensors, sources, and
wireless networks; and power electronics and electricity
delivery systems.
SEC. 4. MICROELECTRONICS RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a cross-cutting
program of research, development, and demonstration of microelectronics
relevant to the mission of the Department and in the service of the
Nation's global competitiveness in the field of microelectronics.
(b) Research Areas.--In carrying out the program under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall award financial assistance to eligible
entities under subsection (c) to carry out research projects in--
(1) foundational science areas, including--
(A) materials sciences, chemical sciences, and
plasma science synthesis, and fabrication;
(B) novel microelectronics devices, including
emerging memory and storage technologies;
(C) diverse computing architectures and paradigms,
including analog computing and edge computing;
(D) data-driven modeling and simulation;
(E) integrated sensing, power harvesting, and
communications;
(F) component integration and subsystems;
(G) photonic integration; and
(H) development of co-design frameworks for all
stages of microelectronics design, development,
fabrication, and application;
(2) methods for leveraging advanced simulation, artificial
intelligence, and machine learning to enhance co-design and
discovery in microelectronics;
(3) in consultation with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, fabrication and processing science
and metrology associated with microelectronics manufacturing,
including lithography, patterning, surface deposition, etching,
and cleaning;
(4) approaches for optimizing system-level advanced
computing energy efficiency for the electrical grid, power
electronics, and other energy infrastructure;
(5) approaches for enhancing the durability and lifetime of
radiation-hardened electronics; and
(6) enhancement of microelectronics security, including the
development of integrated devices, packages, and thermal
management for severe environments and national security.
(c) Eligible Entities.--The entities eligible to receive financial
assistance under this section include--
(1) an institution of higher education, including
historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges
and universities, and minority serving institutions;
(2) a nonprofit research organization;
(3) a State research agency;
(4) a National Laboratory;
(5) a private commercial entity;
(6) a partnership or consortium of 2 or more entities
described in paragraphs (1) through (5); and
(7) any other entities the Secretary deems appropriate.
(d) Technology Transfer.--In carrying out the program described in
subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the
Office of Technology Transitions shall support translational research
and transfer of microelectronics technologies for the benefit of United
States economic competitiveness.
(e) Education and Outreach.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall support education and outreach
activities to disseminate information and promote public understanding
of microelectronics and the microelectronics workforce.
(f) Report.--Not less than 180 days after the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate, a report describing the goals,
priorities, and anticipated outcomes of the program described in
subsection (a).
(g) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary to carry out the activities described in this section--
(1) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
(2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
(3) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
(4) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and
(5) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
SEC. 5. MICROELECTRONICS SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTERS.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the program under section 4, the
Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Science, shall
establish up to four Microelectronics Science Research Centers
(referred to in this section as ``Centers'') to conduct mission-driven
research to address foundational challenges in the design, development,
and fabrication of microelectronics and to facilitate the translation
of research results to industry.
(b) Activities.--The activities of the Centers authorized under
this section shall include research, development, and demonstration
activities for--
(1) accelerating the development of new microelectronics
science and technology, including materials, devices, circuits,
systems, architectures, fabrication tools, processes,
diagnostics, modeling, synthesis, and metrology;
(2) advancing the sustainability and energy efficiency of
new microelectronics devices, packages, and systems;
(3) application-driven co-design and prototyping of novel
devices to facilitate laboratory-to-fabrication transition;
(4) advancing knowledge and experimental capabilities in
surface and materials science, plasma science, and
computational and theoretical methods, including artificial
intelligence, machine learning, multi-scale co-design, and
advanced supercomputing capabilities to invent and manufacture
revolutionary microelectronic devices;
(5) creating technology testbeds for prototyping platforms
for validation and verification of new capabilities and sharing
of ideas, intellectual property, and the unique facilities of
the Department; and
(6) supporting long-term and short-term workforce
development in microelectronics.
(c) Requirements.--
(1) Selection and duration.--The Director of the Office of
Science shall select Centers on a competitive, merit-reviewed
basis for a period of not more than 5 years, subject to the
availability of appropriations, beginning on the date of
establishment of that Center.
(2) Applications.--An eligible applicant under this
subsection shall submit to the Director of the Office of
Science an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director deems appropriate.
(3) Eligible applicants.--The Director of the Office of
Science shall consider applications from National Laboratories,
institutions of higher education, research centers, or a
consortia thereof, or any other entity that the Secretary of
Energy deems appropriate.
(4) Renewal.--After the end of either period described in
paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Science may renew
support for the Center for a period of not more than 5 years on
a merit-reviewed basis. For a Center in operation for 10 years
after its previous selection on a competitive, merit-reviewed
basis, the Director may renew support for the center on a
competitive, merit-reviewed basis for a period of not more than
5 years, and may subsequently provide an additional renewal on
a merit-reviewed basis for a period of not more than 5 years.
(5) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Director of the Office of Science may
terminate an underperforming center for cause during the
performance period.
(d) Technology Transfer.--The Director of the Office of Science, in
coordination with the Director of the Office of Technology Transitions,
shall implement partnerships with industry groups for the purpose of
facilitating the translation and transfer of research results produced
by the Centers.
(e) Coordination.--The Secretary shall--
(1) establish a coordinating network to coordinate cross-
cutting research and foster communication and collaboration
among the Centers; and
(2) ensure the coordination, and avoid unnecessary
duplication, of the activities of each Center with the
activities of--
(A) other research entities of the Department,
including--
(i) the Nanoscale Science Research Centers;
(ii) the National Quantum Information
Science Research Centers;
(iii) the Energy Frontier Research Centers;
(iv) the Energy Innovation Hubs; and
(v) the National Laboratories;
(B) the National Semiconductor Technology Center
authorized in title XCIX of division H of the William
M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283);
(C) institutions of higher education;
(D) industry; and
(E) research activities carried out by other
Federal agencies.
(f) Funding.--The Secretary of Energy shall allocate up to
$25,000,000 for each Center established under this section for each of
fiscal years 2022 through 2026, subject to the availability of
appropriations.
<all>