[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5220 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5220
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the
battery processing and manufacturing program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 3, 2026
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Bennet,
and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the
battery processing and manufacturing program, 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 ``Clean Transportation Jobs and
Development Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Alternative fuel.--The term ``alternative fuel'' means
a fuel that results in a significant reduction in lifecycle
greenhouse gas and criteria air pollutant emissions compared to
conventional fuel options.
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 3. BATTERY PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING.
Section 40207 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (42
U.S.C. 18741) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in clause (ii), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(II) in clause (iii), by striking
the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(III) by adding at the end the
following:
``(iv) to invest in 1 or more workforce
training or education consortia that support
the battery, battery manufacturing, or critical
mineral operations of local processing
facilities, including eligible consortia
described in section 28(c) of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15
U.S.C. 3722a(c)) and regional innovation
engines described in section 10388 of the
Research and Development, Competition, and
Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19108) involved in
battery and mineral processing technologies.'';
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as
subparagraph (D); and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (B)
the following:
``(C) Application.--
``(i) In general.--An eligible entity
seeking a grant under the program shall submit
to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary determines necessary.
``(ii) Workforce safety and fire plan.--An
application submitted under clause (i) shall
include, within any required community benefits
plan, a workforce safety and fire plan, which
shall include conducting outreach to best
prepare local first responders for any
potential emergency needs related to their
operations or workforce.''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``There is'' and inserting
the following:
``(A) Fiscal years 2022 through 2026.--There is'';
and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Fiscal years 2027 through 2031.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry
out the program and the program established under
subsection (c) $6,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal
years 2027 through 2031, to remain available until
expended, subject to the condition that not less than
33 percent shall be made available to support the
program established under that subsection.''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in clause (ii), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(II) in clause (iii), by striking
the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(III) by adding at the end the
following:
``(iv) to invest in 1 or more workforce
training or education consortia that support
the battery, battery manufacturing, or critical
mineral operations of local processing
facilities, including eligible consortia
described in section 28(c) of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15
U.S.C. 3722a(c)) and regional innovation
engines described in section 10388 of the
Research and Development, Competition, and
Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19108) involved in
battery and mineral processing technologies.'';
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as
subparagraph (D); and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (B)
the following:
``(C) Application.--
``(i) In general.--An eligible entity
seeking a grant under the program shall submit
to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary determines necessary.
``(ii) Risk mitigation plan.--An
application submitted under clause (i) shall
include a risk mitigation plan that includes
workforce recruitment and retention, community
engagement, and a workforce safety and fire
plan, which shall include conducting outreach
to best prepare local first responders for any
potential emergency needs related to their
operations or workforce.''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``There is'' and inserting
the following:
``(A) Fiscal years 2022 through 2026.--There is'';
and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Fiscal years 2027 through 2031.--For the
period of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, the Secretary
shall carry out the program using the amounts made
available under subsection (b)(4)(B).''.
SEC. 4. OFFICE OF CRITICAL MINERALS AND ENERGY INNOVATION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered project.--The term ``covered project'' means a
project funded or managed by the Department relating to--
(A) capacity expansion of manufacturing and energy
supply chains for key energy technologies, including
batteries, building and energy efficiency, critical
minerals and recycling, energy generation and fuels,
including geothermal, grid equipment, and industrial
base capabilities essential for national defense;
(B) energy or productivity assessments of small and
medium-sized manufacturers, clean energy supply chains,
and academic institutions; and
(C) workforce development, recruitment, and
training relating to subparagraphs (A) and (B).
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the head of the
Office appointed under subsection (c).
(3) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of
Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation established under
subsection (b).
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish an office,
to be known as the ``Office of Critical Minerals and Energy
Innovation''.
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Office is to eliminate
vulnerabilities in the United States energy supply chain for
purposes of enduring energy resilience and independence--
(A) by catalyzing United States processing and
manufacturing capacity;
(B) by reinvigorating the manufacturing workforce
through education and training opportunities; and
(C) by generating data-backed supply chain insights
to inform policies and private and public investments.
(3) Interagency collaboration.--
(A) In general.--As applicable, the Director shall
coordinate and collaborate with interagency partners,
including the agencies described in subparagraph (B),
on energy supply chain analysis that may be used to
lessen vulnerabilities of the United States and allies
of the United States.
(B) Agencies described.--The agencies referred to
in subparagraph (A) are--
(i) the Department of Defense;
(ii) the National Security Council;
(iii) the Export-Import Bank of the United
States;
(iv) the Development Finance Cooperation;
(v) the Department of the Treasury;
(vi) the United States Agency for
International Development; and
(vii) the Department of Commerce.
(c) Director.--The Secretary shall appoint a Director to be head of
the Office.
(d) Duties.--The Director shall, in coordination with the heads of
relevant program offices of the Department, as appropriate--
(1) provide financial assistance to, administer, provide
interagency coordination of, or conduct oversight of the
administration of, as applicable, covered projects, including
programs described in subsection (e);
(2) evaluate proposals for covered projects, including
scope, technical specifications, maturity of design, funding
profile, estimated costs, proposed schedule, proposed technical
and financial milestones, and potential for commercial success
based on economic and policy projections;
(3) recommend to the head of a program office of the
Department, as appropriate, whether a proposal for a covered
project will enhance the domestic energy supply chain;
(4)(A) conduct reviews of ongoing covered projects,
including evaluating the progress of a covered project based on
the proposed schedule and technical and financial milestones;
and
(B) provide those reviews to the Secretary;
(5) provide analysis to Departmental leadership to ensure
that the Department has a balanced portfolio of investments in
covered projects;
(6) provide to the Secretary expertise and advice on
policies and financial support for manufacturing and energy
supply chains;
(7) assess lessons learned in overseeing covered projects
and implement improvements in the process of evaluating and
overseeing covered projects; and
(8) conduct outreach and technical assistance to entities
that may best utilize the programs or analyses of the Office.
(e) Programs Described.--Programs referred to in subsection (d)(1)
are the following:
(1) The programs authorized under subsections (b), (c),
(f)(3), and (f)(4) of section 40207 of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18741).
(2) The advanced energy manufacturing and recycling grant
program established under section 40209 of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18742).
(3) The State manufacturing leadership program authorized
under section 40534 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act (42 U.S.C. 18814).
(4) Programs authorized under title III of the Defense
Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4531 et seq.).
(5) The domestic manufacturing conversion grant program
authorized under section 50143 of Public Law 117-169 (commonly
referred to as the ``Inflation Reduction Act'') (136 Stat.
2044).
(6) The extended product system rebate program authorized
under section 1005 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42 U.S.C. 6311
note; Public Law 116-260).
(7) The energy efficient transformer rebate program
authorized under section 1006 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42
U.S.C. 6317 note; Public Law 116-260).
(8) The rare earth demonstration facility established under
section 7001(c) of the Energy Act of 2020 (42 U.S.C. 13344(c)).
(9) Grants provided under subsections (b) and (i) of
section 457 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
(42 U.S.C. 17116).
(10) The qualifying advanced energy project credit under
section 48C of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as carried out
pursuant to agreements with the Internal Revenue Service.
(11) Any programs authorized to be carried out by the
Office after the date of enactment of this Act.
(f) Employees.--The Secretary may hire or align existing
appropriate personnel for the operation of the Office.
(g) Coordination.--The Director shall coordinate with--
(1) project management, workforce development, capital
programs, acquisition management, and energy information
entities within the Department, including the Office of Project
Management, the Office of State and Community Energy Programs,
the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, the Advanced
Research Projects Agency--Energy, the Office of Clean Energy
Demonstrations, the Office of Critical and Emerging
Technologies, the Loan Programs Office, and the Office of
Technology Transitions;
(2) the Energy Information Administration;
(3) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy; and
(4) professional organizations in project management,
construction, cost estimation, capital markets, energy
information, workforce development, and other relevant fields.
(h) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce
of the House of Representatives an annual report that describes, for
the year covered by the report--
(1) the activities carried out to implement this section;
(2) progress made by the Office to strengthen and scale the
clean energy supply chains of the United States through--
(A) transformative manufacturing capacity
investments;
(B) targeted workforce investments to build up the
energy workforce of the future; and
(C) cutting-edge energy supply chain vulnerability
and innovation analysis;
(3) a description of the processes and procedures used by
the Office to evaluate proposals of covered projects and to
oversee covered projects; and
(4) any recommended changes to--
(A) the processes and procedures described in
paragraph (3); and
(B) the structure or duties of the Office.
SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PROCESSING OF CRITICAL MINERALS AND
DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL MINERALS AND METALS.
Section 40210 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (42
U.S.C. 18743) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $100,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.''.
SEC. 6. REPORTING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNOLOGIES.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act and
every 2 years thereafter through 2031, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a report describing--
(1) the activities undertaken pursuant to this Act,
including--
(A) the status of public-private partnerships;
(B) the progress of the programs under sections 7,
8, 11, and 12 in meeting goals and timelines; and
(C) a strategic plan for funding activities across
Federal agencies; and
(2) the technologies and knowledge developed and
demonstrated as a result of those activities, with a particular
emphasis on whether those technologies were successfully
adopted for commercial applications, and if so, whether
products relying on those technologies are manufactured in the
United States.
SEC. 7. ADVANCED VEHICLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Extreme-fast charging.--The term ``extreme-fast
charging'' means recharging up to 80 percent of battery
capacity in approximately 10 minutes or less.
(2) Program.--The term ``program'' means the research,
development, and pilot scale demonstration program established
under subsection (b).
(3) Sustainable material.--The term ``sustainable
material'' means material used throughout the consumer and
industrial economy that can be produced in required volumes
without--
(A) depleting nonrenewable resources; or
(B) disrupting the established steady-state
equilibrium of the environment and key natural resource
systems.
(4) Transformational nonroad vehicle technology.--The term
``transformational nonroad vehicle technology'' means an
innovative technology that--
(A) enables advanced nonroad transportation,
nonroad transportation components, and related energy
technologies that have the potential to produce
significantly lower emissions and greater energy
savings than current commercial technologies;
(B) enables improved or expanded supply and
production of domestic emission reducing fuels and
components; or
(C) ensures the long term, secure, and sustainable
supply of critical materials.
(b) Advanced Vehicle Research and Development Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall support a research,
development, and pilot scale demonstration program relating to
more efficient, sustainable, resilient, safe, and domestically
available technology, sustainable materials, and manufacturing
processes for advanced vehicle technologies that have the
potential--
(A) to substantially reduce or eliminate greenhouse
gas emissions from the manufacture and use of passenger
and commercial vehicles;
(B) to reduce the cost of vehicle manufacturing and
ownership; and
(C) to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources.
(2) Program components.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out the program, the
Secretary shall focus on research, development, and
demonstration challenges across the full vehicle
ecosystem (from the supply chain through manufacturing
and end-of-life), including, to the maximum extent
practicable, activities in the areas of--
(i) electrification of vehicle systems,
including compact and efficient electric
drivetrain systems;
(ii) power electronics, electric machines,
and electric machine drive systems, which may
include--
(I) electronic motors, including
advanced inverters and motors that can
be used for passenger vehicles and
commercial vehicles;
(II) magnetic materials, including
permanent magnets with reduced or
without critical materials;
(III) improvement of partial load
efficiency;
(IV) design of power electronics
and electric motor technologies that
enable efficient recycling of critical
materials; and
(V) assessment of potential impacts
of various vehicle systems on electric
propulsion performance, including
potential impacts from AM/FM radio
frequencies;
(iii) vehicle batteries and relevant
systems, which may include--
(I) advanced batteries systems,
ultracapacitors, and other competitive
energy storage devices;
(II) common interconnection
protocols, specifications, and
architecture for transportation and
stationary battery applications;
(III) energy density and capacity,
recharging robustness, extreme-fast
charging and wireless charging
capabilities, and efficiencies to lower
cost;
(IV) lifetime improvement and
reduction of potential lifecycle
impacts from advanced batteries;
(V) improvement of efficient use
and reuse, substitution, and recycling
of critical materials in vehicles,
including rare earth elements and
precious metals, at risk of supply
disruption;
(VI) advanced battery protection
systems for safe handling of high-
voltage power and thermal management;
(VII) technologies that enable
flexible manufacturing facilities that
can accommodate different vehicle
battery chemistries and configurations;
and
(VIII) improvement of the
efficiency and safety of the
manufacturing of advanced batteries;
(iv) vehicle components and systems,
including manufacturing technologies and
processes, which may include--
(I) reducing or repurposing waste
streams, reducing emissions, and
reducing energy intensity of vehicle,
engine, and advanced battery
manufacturing processes; and
(II) increasing the production
rate, and decreasing the cost of,
advanced battery and hydrogen fuel cell
manufacturing, including manufacturing
of purpose-built hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles, hydrogen fueling
infrastructure, and components;
(v) hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles
and fuel pathways, which may include--
(I) vehicle fuel cells and relevant
systems, including power electronics
systems to regulate fuel cell voltages;
(II) synthetic fuels from recycled
carbon dioxide and net-zero carbon
liquid fuels; and
(III) advanced biofuel
technologies;
(vi) lubricants and accessory power loads
for hybrid and electric vehicles after
treatment technologies;
(vii) vehicle weight reduction, which may
include the development of--
(I) more sustainable materials or
cost-effective lightweight materials;
and
(II) higher efficiency
manufacturing processes, such as
additive manufacturing, to produce
sustainable materials or lightweight
materials and fabricate, assemble, and
use dissimilar materials, including--
(aa) lightweight systems
that combine several existing
vehicle components; and
(bb) voluntary, consensus-
based standards for strategic
lightweight materials;
(viii) improved vehicle recycling methods
to increase the recycled material content of
feedstocks used in raw material manufacturing;
(ix) vehicle propulsion systems, which may
include--
(I) engine and component
durability;
(II) engine down speeding;
(III) advanced internal combustion
engines;
(IV) transmission gear and engine
operation matching; and
(V) advanced transmission
technologies;
(x) applying advanced computing resources
to large, voluntarily provided industry
datasets from providers and cities to support
the development of predictive engineering,
modeling, and simulation of components,
vehicles, and transportation systems;
(xi) leveraging the use of machine learning
toward manufacturing and additive manufacturing
optimization, which may include assessing the
efficiency and safety of manufacturing
processes;
(xii) advanced computing systems, including
energy efficient systems, technology, and
networking, for vehicular onboard, off-board,
and edge computing applications;
(xiii) assessing automation in both vehicle
and infrastructure systems;
(xiv) infrastructure, which may include--
(I) refueling and charging
infrastructure for alternative fueled
and electric drive or plug-in electric
hybrid vehicles, with consideration for
the unique challenges facing urban and
rural areas;
(II) extreme-fast charging,
including through wired and wireless
charging systems;
(III) integration, bidirectional
capability, and operational
optimization of vehicle electrification
for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-
duty vehicles with charging
infrastructure and the electric grid;
and
(IV) sensing, communications, and
actuation technologies for vehicles,
the electric grid, and infrastructure,
which may include--
(aa) communication, onboard
sensing, and connectivity among
vehicles, infrastructure,
pedestrians, and the electric
grid;
(bb) assessing the use of
autonomous vehicles or
connectivity to improve roadway
throughput; and
(cc) autonomous refueling
and charging technologies and
infrastructure;
(xv) retrofitting advanced vehicle
technologies to existing vehicles;
(xvi) informing and educating the public on
the energy benefits of automation,
electrification, and connected vehicle
technologies, connected infrastructure assets,
and mobility applied sensors;
(xvii) reusing valuable components and
materials, such as permanent magnets and other
electric drive components for advanced
vehicles;
(xviii) transportation system analysis to
further understand the energy implications and
opportunities of advanced mobility solutions
and communication and connectivity among
vehicles, infrastructure, pedestrians, and the
electric grid; and
(xix) other innovative advanced vehicle
technology-focused research and development, as
determined by the Secretary.
(B) Technical milestones.--The Secretary shall
determine a comprehensive set of technical milestones
for research and development carried out under the
program.
(3) Coordination.--In carrying out paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall coordinate with--
(A) the program established under section 137 of
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42
U.S.C. 17014); and
(B) the program established under section 641(q) of
the United States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(q)).
(c) Nonroad Transportation Environmental and Technical Assistance
Research.--
(1) Activities.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out the program, the
Secretary, in consultation with the heads of relevant
Federal agencies, shall support research, development,
and demonstration activities to address and reduce
nonroad sector emissions from transportation fuels used
in aviation, rail, and maritime technologies and other
relevant technologies.
(B) Energy innovation hub.--The activities
described in subparagraph (A) may be carried out
primarily by an Energy Innovation Hub established
pursuant to section 206 of the Department of Energy
Research Coordination Act (42 U.S.C. 18632).
(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the activities described in
paragraph (1) shall be--
(A) to identify, study, evaluate, test, and
demonstrate emerging transformational nonroad vehicle
energy technologies and practices to improve
environmental performance to meet Federal and
international standards and guidelines, including
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water emissions, or
other particulate or toxic emissions;
(B) to advance research, development, and
demonstration activities--
(i) to overcome barriers in
transformational nonroad vehicle energy
technologies, including alternative fuels such
as hydrogen, components, and other energy
technologies, to improve total machine or
system efficiency for nonroad mobile equipment;
and
(ii) to increase the fuel economy and use
of alternative fuels and alternative energy;
(C) to support opportunities to transfer relevant
research findings and technologies between the nonroad
and on-highway equipment and vehicle sectors; and
(D) to test relevant precommercial technologies.
(3) Coordination.--The Secretary may coordinate the
activities described in paragraph (1) with activities--
(A) that are associated with the development or
approval of validation and testing regimes; and
(B) related to certification or validation of
emerging energy technologies or practices that
demonstrate significant environmental or other benefits
to domestic non-road transportation industries.
(4) Assistance.--The Secretary may enter into cooperative
agreements, contracts, or other agreements with academic,
public, private, and nongovernmental entities and facilities to
carry out the activities described in paragraph (1).
(d) Standard of Review.--The Secretary shall periodically review
activities carried out under this section to determine the achievement
of technical milestones, as determined by the Secretary.
(e) Technology Testing and Metrics.--In carrying out the program,
the Secretary, in coordination with the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, shall--
(1) develop voluntary, consensus-based standard testing
procedures, methodologies, and best practices for evaluating
the performance of advanced vehicle technologies, including
heavy vehicle technologies under a range of representative duty
cycles and operating conditions, including for electrified and
hydrogen fuel cell systems; and
(2) evaluate advanced vehicle performance, including heavy
vehicle and nonroad vehicle performance using work performance-
based metrics.
SEC. 8. ADVANCED ON-ROAD VEHICLE SECURITY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a research and
development program focused on--
(1) the cybersecurity and physical security of
interconnections between vehicles, vehicle energy storage
systems, charging equipment, buildings, and the electric grid
for--
(A) plug-in electric vehicles;
(B) connected vehicles;
(C) autonomous vehicles; and
(D) other relevant vehicles; and
(2) the security impacts, efficiency, and safety of plug-in
electric vehicles using alternating current charging, high-
power direct current fast charging, and extreme fast charging.
(b) Coordination.--The Secretary shall establish and carry out the
program under subsection (a) in coordination with--
(1) the program established under section 7(b);
(2) the program established under section 137 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17014); and
(3) the heads of relevant Federal agencies.
(c) Assessment.--The Secretary shall develop a 5- to 10-year impact
assessment of emergent cybersecurity threats to, and vulnerabilities
of, the United States on-road transportation system and connected
infrastructure by identifying--
(1) areas of research with respect to which Federal
crossagency research coordination and cooperation may help
address those threats and vulnerabilities; and
(2) current research and challenges associated with
cyberphysical protection and resiliency of electric, connected,
and automated vehicle technologies.
(d) Information To Assess Barriers in Alternative Fuel Delivery,
Distribution, and Transmission.--
(1) Request.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish a request
for information on the technical, economic, and knowledge
barriers for delivery, distribution, and transmission of
alternative fuels, including--
(A) barriers associated with electric grid load
management and applications, including applications
that will allow bidirectional batteries in plug-in
electric drive vehicles to be used for grid storage,
ancillary services provision, and backup power;
(B) barriers associated with integration of plug-in
bidirectional electric drive vehicles with smart grid
technology, including necessary equipment, and
information technology systems;
(C) technical and economic barriers to delivery
technologies for hydrogen and biofuels sufficient to
support widespread consumer use; and
(D) any other barriers to installing sufficient and
regionally appropriate alternative fuel recharging and
refueling infrastructure, including sufficiency and
efficient use of zero-emissions generation and
transmission capabilities.
(2) Use of information.--The Secretary shall use
information provided in response to the request under paragraph
(1) to identify gaps in public and private research,
development, and demonstration activities needed to be
addressed to overcome the barriers described in that paragraph.
(3) Consultation.--In carrying out paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall coordinate with--
(A) State, local, and Tribal governments;
(B) stakeholders in academia and relevant
industries; and
(C) the electric vehicle working group established
under section 25006 of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (23 U.S.C. 151 note; Public Law 117-58).
(4) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a report summarizing the findings under this
subsection.
SEC. 9. VEHICLE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM SAFETY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--In coordination with the program established under
section 7(b), the Secretary shall support a program of research,
development, and demonstration of vehicle energy storage safety and
reliability.
(b) Activities.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall support activities--
(1) to examine the mechanisms that lead to vehicle energy
storage system safety and reliability incidents;
(2) to develop new materials to improve overall vehicle
energy storage system safety and abuse tolerance;
(3) to perform abuse testing;
(4) to advance and perform testing techniques;
(5) to demonstrate detailed failure analyses;
(6) to mitigate vehicle energy storage cell and system
failures, including hydrogen fuel storage tank failures;
(7) to develop crush-induced battery safety protocols and
technical standards to improve robustness;
(8) to develop suggested worker safety and emergency
response procedures for hazards related to battery
manufacturing;
(9) to develop new materials and equipment for battery
hazard suppression and fire dangers; and
(10) to carry out other innovative energy storage safety-
focused research and development, as determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 10. ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the
Advanced Vehicle Technologies Advisory Committee (referred to
in this section as the ``advisory committee'') to advise the
Secretary on vehicle technology and mobility system research
advancements.
(2) Membership.--The advisory committee shall be composed
of not fewer than 15 members who are qualified to provide
advice on the research, development, and demonstration
activities under this Act (in this section referred to as the
``DOE Vehicle Program''), including representatives from
research and academic institutions, environmental
organizations, industry, and nongovernmental entities,
including relevant labor organizations and associations
representing automobile manufacturers.
(b) Assessment.--The advisory committee shall assess--
(1) the current state of United States competitiveness in
advancing vehicle technologies and mobility systems,
including--
(A) the scope and scale of United States
investments in sustainable and advanced transportation
research, development, and demonstration; and
(B) the scope and scale of research, development,
and demonstration activities to lower vehicle and fuel
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions;
(2) progress made in implementing the DOE Vehicle Program,
including progress toward meeting the technical milestones as
determined by the Secretary pursuant to section 7;
(3) the balance of research and development activities and
funding across the DOE Vehicle Program;
(4) the management, coordination, implementation, and
activities of the DOE Vehicle Program;
(5) whether environmental, safety, security, and other
appropriate issues are adequately addressed by the DOE Vehicle
Program; and
(6) other relevant topics, as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act and not less frequently than once every 3 years thereafter,
the advisory committee shall submit to the Secretary, the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report
on--
(1) the findings of the assessments of the advisory
committee under subsection (b); and
(2) the recommendations of the advisory committee for ways
to improve or revise the DOE Vehicle Program.
(d) Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Chapter 10 of
title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Advisory
Committee Act'') (except for section 1013 of that title), shall apply
to the advisory committee.
SEC. 11. MEDIUM-DUTY AND HEAVY-DUTY COMMERCIAL AND TRANSIT VEHICLES
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--In coordination with the program established under
section 7(b), the Secretary shall support a program of research,
development, and demonstration activities of advanced energy
technologies for medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial, vocational,
recreational, and transit vehicles, on-road and nonroad, including, to
the maximum extent practicable, activities in the areas of--
(1) vehicle engines, which may include--
(A) engine efficiency, emission controls, and
combustion research;
(B) energy- and space-efficient emissions control
systems;
(C) engine idle and parasitic energy loss
reduction;
(D) advanced internal combustion engines; and
(E) engine down speeding;
(2) electric drivetrains, including--
(A) durable, highly efficient power electronics and
electric machinery research;
(B) partial load efficiency improvements;
(C) control and coordination research for electric
drive systems using multiple electric motors;
(D) regenerative braking to recoup braking energy;
and
(E) high-fidelity modeling to accelerate design and
adoption of electrified commercial vehicles;
(3) friction and wear reduction;
(4) improved aerodynamics and tire rolling resistance;
(5) advanced lightweighting materials and vehicle designs;
(6) synthetic fuels from recycled carbon dioxide and other
net-zero carbon liquid fuels;
(7) vehicle batteries, including--
(A) complete vehicle and battery pack modeling,
simulation, and testing; and
(B) thermal management of battery systems;
(8) mild hybrid, heavy hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric
platforms and energy storage technologies, including--
(A) identifying and developing solutions for
technical barriers to advance batteries;
(B) electric drive systems; and
(C) charging and refueling systems for medium-duty
commercial and heavy-duty freight delivery vehicles;
(9) vehicle components, including--
(A) transmission and drivetrain optimization,
including compact and efficient electric drivetrain
systems;
(B) waste heat recovery and conversion;
(C) electrification of steering systems, braking
systems, and accessory loads;
(D) onboard sensing, computing, and communications
technologies; and
(E) advanced battery protection systems for safe
handling of high voltage power;
(10) relevant infrastructure, including bidirectional
capability, beyond megawatt charging, and increasing load
capacity per vehicle;
(11) recharging infrastructure and compressed natural gas
infrastructure;
(12) hydrogen vehicle technologies, including--
(A) fuel cells;
(B) hydrogen-fueling infrastructure;
(C) the development of medium-duty and heavy-duty
refueling equipment design and concepts;
(D) synthetic fuels;
(E) onboard technologies for compressed and other
advanced hydrogen storage systems; and
(F) advanced cooling technologies for fuel cell
thermal management;
(13) retrofitting advanced energy technologies onto
existing truck and bus fleets;
(14) assessment of automated and connected vehicle
technologies;
(15) energy use strategies, including charging patterns
that minimize impacts on the distribution grid and optimize the
use of clean, low-cost generation resources; and
(16) integration of advanced systems onto a single truck
and trailer platform or bus.
(b) Coordination.--In carrying out the program under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall coordinate with appropriate industry
stakeholders, including relevant labor organizations.
(c) Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Systems Research, Development, and
Demonstration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award financial
assistance for the research, development, and demonstration of
the integration of multiple advanced energy technologies and
advanced operational efficiency for medium-duty and heavy-duty
platforms and trailers, including the integration of
technologies described in subsection (a).
(2) Applicant.--Applicants applying for assistance under
paragraph (1) include--
(A) truck and trailer manufacturers;
(B) engine and component manufacturers;
(C) hydrogen fuel cell and component manufacturers;
(D) public and private fleet owners and customers;
(E) university researchers; and
(F) other applicants, as determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 12. ENERGY-EFFICIENT MOBILITY SYSTEMS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--In coordination with the program established under
section 7(b), the Secretary shall support a program of research,
development, and demonstration of advanced energy-efficient mobility
solutions that will address the potential energy impacts of advanced
vehicle technologies throughout the transportation sector.
(b) Development of Tools.--The program under subsection (a) shall
include the development of tools, techniques, processes, and
capabilities to understand and identify essential components to improve
the energy productivity of integrated mobility systems.
(c) Activities.--In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary
shall support activities--
(1) to improve the energy and mobility impacts of emerging
and potentially disruptive technologies and services;
(2) to assess automated vehicle computing loads and
capabilities;
(3) to improve onboard sensing and external connectivity,
including vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, and
vehicle-to-everything connectivity;
(4) to maximize vehicle energy efficiency for connected
vehicles under real-world driving conditions;
(5) to assess methods to use autonomous vehicles or
connectivity to improve roadway throughput;
(6) to research advance autonomous refueling and charging
technologies and infrastructure;
(7) to apply machine learning with high-performance
computing resources to large industry datasets from providers
and cities to develop predictive capabilities for the
transportation system;
(8) to optimize systems for mobility, grid, and buildings
to support vehicle electrification and vehicle automation from
light-duty to heavy-duty vehicles, with grid stability, demand
response, and reliability; and
(9) to carry out other innovative, energy-focused research
and development, as determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 13. COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the activities under this Act, the
Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate
research, development, and demonstration activities among--
(1) relevant programs of the Department, including programs
carried out by--
(A) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy;
(B) the Office of Science;
(C) the Office of Electricity;
(D) the Office of Fossil Energy;
(E) the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security,
and Emergency Response;
(F) the Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy;
(G) the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations;
(H) the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy
Innovation established under section 4(b); and
(I) other offices of the Department, as determined
by the Secretary; and
(2) relevant technology research and development programs
of other Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Department of Transportation;
(B) the National Institute of Standards and
Technology;
(C) the National Science Foundation;
(D) the Department of Defense; and
(E) other Federal agencies, as determined by the
Secretary.
(b) Intergovernmental Coordination.--In carrying out this Act, the
Secretary shall seek opportunities to leverage resources and support
initiatives of Federal, State, and local governments in developing
advanced vehicle technologies, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
SEC. 14. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for
research, development, and demonstration of alternative fuels, vehicle
propulsion systems, vehicle components, and other related technologies
in the United States, including activities authorized under this Act--
(1) for fiscal year 2027, $530,000,000;
(2) for fiscal year 2028, $556,500,000;
(3) for fiscal year 2029, $584,325,000;
(4) for fiscal year 2030, $613,541,250; and
(5) for fiscal year 2031, $644,218,312.
<all>