[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 30 (Thursday, March 9, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1966-S1971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. COLEMAN (for himself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Talent, Mr. Lieberman,
Mr. Isakson, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Carper, Mr.
Bunning, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Lautenberg, and Mr.
Burns):
S. 2393. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to advance
medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients
and families have access to the current treatments and information
regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national
childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric
cancers; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
my legislation, the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006, be printed in
the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2393
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 ``Conquer Childhood Cancer Act
of 2006''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Cancer kills more children than any other disease.
(2) Each year cancer kills more children between 1 and 20
years of age than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and
AIDS, combined.
(3) Every year, over 12,500 young people are diagnosed with
cancer.
(4) Each year about 2,300 children and teenagers die from
cancer.
(5) One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before age
20.
(6) Some forms of childhood cancer have proven to be so
resistant that even in spite of the great research strides
made, most of those children die. Up to 75 percent of the
children with cancer can now be cured.
(7) The causes of most childhood cancers are not yet known.
(8) Childhood cancers are mostly those of the white blood
cells (leukemia's), brain, bone, the lymphatic system, and
tumors of the muscles, kidneys, and nervous system. Each of
these behaves differently, but all are characterized by an
uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells.
(9) Eighty percent of the children who are diagnosed with
cancer have disease which has already spread to distant sites
in the body.
(10) Ninety percent of children with a form of pediatric
cancer are treated at one of the more than 200 Children's
Oncology Group member institutions throughout the United
States
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
It is the purpose of this Act to authorize appropriations
to--
(1) encourage and expand the support for biomedical
research programs of the existing National Cancer Institute-
designated multi-center national infrastructure for pediatric
cancer research;
(2) establish a population-based national childhood cancer
database (the Children's Cancer Research Network) to evaluate
incidence trends of childhood cancers and to enable the
investigations of genetic epidemiology in order to identify
causes to aid in development of prevention strategies;
(3) provide informational services to patients and families
affected by childhood cancer;
(4) support the development, construction and operation of
a comprehensive online public information system on childhood
cancers and services available to families; and
(5) establish a fellowship program in pediatric cancer
research to foster clinical and translational research career
development in pediatric oncologists in the early stages of
their career.
SEC. 4. PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS.
Subpart 1 of part C of title IV of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end thereof the following:
``SEC. 417E. PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS.
``(a) Pediatric Cancer Research.--
``(1) Special programs of research excellence in pediatric
cancers.--The Director of NIH, acting through the National
Cancer Institute, shall establish special programs of
research excellence in the area of pediatric cancers. Such
programs shall demonstrate a balanced approach to research
cause, prognosis, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
pediatric cancers that foster translation of basic research
findings into innovative interventions applied to patients.
``(2) Fellowship of excellence in pediatric cancer
research.--The Secretary shall develop a grant mechanism for
the establishment, in cooperation with the National Cancer
Institute-supported pediatric cancer clinical trial groups,
of Research Fellowships in Pediatric Cancer to support
adequate numbers of pediatric focused clinical and
translational investigators thereby facilitating continuous
momentum of research excellence.
``(b) National Childhood Cancer Registry.--The Director of
NIH shall award a grant for the operation of a population-
based national childhood cancer database, the Childhood
Cancer Research Network (CCRN), of the Children's Oncology
Group, in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute.
[[Page S1967]]
``(c) Public Awareness of Pediatric Cancers and Available
Treatments and Research.--The Secretary shall award a grants
to recognized childhood cancer professional and advocacy
organizations for the expansion and widespread implementation
of activities to raise public awareness of currently
available information, treatment, and research with the
intent to ensure access to best available therapies for
pediatric cancers.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section,
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011. Funds
appropriated under this section shall remain available until
expended.''.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I join my colleague, Senator Coleman, in
introducing the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. I would also like to
recognize Senators Talent, Isakson, Cochran, Bunning, Murkowski,
Lieberman, Carper, Landrieu, and Lautenberg who have all joined as
original cosponsors of the bill.
This bipartisan legislation seeks to achieve several important goals
in our battle against childhood cancer. Specifically, it will expand
support for pediatric cancer research, foster the career development of
more pediatric oncologists, and provide essential information and
support to help families deal with this devastating disease. Childhood
cancer impacts thousands of children and their families each year.
While we have made great steps in treating cancer, we have made
relatively little progress in advancing our understanding of the most
common forms of pediatric cancer. This legislation will help to provide
resources to hopefully one day find a cure.
Each year, more than 12,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and
more than 2,000 of them lose their courageous battle with the disease.
Pediatric cancer not only takes a toll on the child, it affects the
entire family--the parents, siblings, friends, and extended family all
suffer when a child has cancer. I have had the honor of meeting one
such family from Warwick, Rhode Island who has taken the pain and
devastation of losing their young son to neuroblastoma, a very
aggressive childhood cancer, and turned their tragedy into a message of
hope. The Haight family is committed, in memory of their nine year old
son Ben, to education, advocacy, and lending support to other families
going through a similar struggle with pediatric cancer. I never had a
chance to meet Ben Haight but his mother Nancy has told me of his
tremendous strength and courage. Ben fought every day during his four
and a half year battle with this disease and his tragic story
highlights the importance of this legislation.
It is my hope that the bill we are introducing today will help to
step up our efforts with regard to childhood cancer so that one day
Ben's story, and thousands of other children like him, will be one of
survival. In Rhode Island alone, a dozen children each year succumb to
various forms of childhood cancer. Each of these children had hopes,
dreams, and desires that will never be fulfilled and one cannot
quantify the impact each of these children could have had on their
communities and on society as a whole. We need to be doing more to give
these children a chance to grow up and reach their full potential.
The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act will enhance federal efforts in the
fight against childhood cancer and will also complement the incredible
work of private organizations dedicated to the prevention and cure of
pediatric cancer. I would like to commend the CureSearch National
Childhood Cancer Foundation for its work in this area. CureSearch
brings together academic and research institutions, medical
professionals with expertise in pediatric cancer, and children and
families afflicted with the disease, to form a national network
committed to research, treatment, and cures for childhood cancer.
Thank you, Mr. President. I look forward to working with my
colleagues toward swift passage of this important legislation.
______
By Mr. GRASSLEY:
S. 2395. A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to require
that air carriers accept as mail shipments certain live animals; to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President I rise to introduce legislation that
would address the concerns related to the shipping of live birds
through the United States Postal Service. I introduced a similar bill
during the 107th Congress with bi-partisan support. It was included in
Public Law 107-67.
This bill should close some loopholes that some of the airlines are
using to avoid the timely shipping of day-old baby chicks.
Some members of the airline industry stated that they commonly and
regularly refuse to transport shipments of some species of live animals
for its regularly scheduled cargo service and, therefore, can refuse to
carry any live animals by mail under existing law. My bill will make
the law apply to ``any air carrier that commonly and regularly carries
any live animals as cargo,'' thus making sure that if the air carrier
does ship any live animals as cargo, it will be required to ship
animals as mail.
There have been accusations that the shipping of day-old poultry
could spread avian influenza. I have received information from Avian
Health Veterinarians and they have informed me that avian influenza is
not an egg transmitted disease. There are no reports of day-old poultry
from infected breeders being infected with avian influenza when they
hatch.
Poultry health specialists have been examining the vertical
transmission, or parents-to-chicks via the egg of avian influenza, for
more than 30 years. Studies looking at the avian influenza have
consistently failed to reveal evidence of avian influenza virus
infections in newly hatched chicks from infected parent flocks.
This clearly shows that day-old poultry are not likely to be
naturally infected. So the risk of transmitting avian influenza through
shipment of day-old poultry is not an issue.
This bill would also address two other problems that have caused an
adverse economic impact to bird shippers. First, the bill requires air
carriers that take poultry as mail, to transfer such shipments so that
the shipper is guaranteed that the shipment will reach its ultimate
destination.
Second, it requires an air carrier to take shipments of poultry as
air mail when the outside temperature is between 0 degrees Fahrenheit
-17 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.77 degrees Celsius
from point of origin of the shipment through the point of destination.
These temperature parameters are accepted by avian veterinarians as
safe and humane.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2395
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONTRACTS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF MAIL BY AIR.
Section 5402(e)(2)(A) of title 39, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in the first sentence--
(A) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``(2)(A)''; and
(B) in clause (i) (as designated by subparagraph (A)), by
striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''; and
(2) by striking the second sentence and inserting the
following:
``(ii) A shipment described in clause (i) shall include the
transfer of any cargo described in that clause from the point
of origin of the shipment to the point of destination.
``(iii) An air carrier shall accept and carry cargo
described in clause (i) when the outside temperature is
between 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.77 degrees Celsius) and 100
degrees Fahrenheit (37.77 degrees Celsius) from point of
origin through the point of destination.
``(iv) The authority of the Postal Service under this
subparagraph shall apply to any air carrier that commonly and
regularly carries any live animals as cargo.''.
______
By Mr. SMITH (for himself and Mrs. Lincoln):
S. 2397. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
establish long-term care trust accounts and allow a refundable tax
credit for contributions to such accounts, and for other purposes; to
the Committee on Finance.
Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Long-Term
Care Trust Account Act of 2006. I am pleased to be joined by my
colleague Senator Blanche Lincoln.
In the past few years the notion of estate planning has taken on a
negative connotation. I am here to introduce a bill that will focus on
the positive side of planning for one's future.
[[Page S1968]]
As the Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I am
committed to improving the financing and delivery of long-term care.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that national
spending for long-term care was almost $160 billion in 2002,
representing about 12 percent of all personal health care expenditures.
While those numbers are already staggering we also know that the need
for long-term care is expected to grow significantly in coming decades.
Almost two-thirds of people receiving long-term care are over age 65,
with this number expected to double by 2030.
For many individuals it will be necessary to find a way to either
save for the care needed or purchase long-term care insurance. Long-
term care insurance protects assets and income from the devastating
financial consequences of long-term health care costs. Today's
comprehensive long-term care insurance policies allow consumers to
choose from a variety of benefits and offer a wide range of coverage
choices. They allow individuals to receive care in a variety of
settings including nursing homes, home care, assisted living facilities
and adult day care. Some of the most recent policies also provide a
cash benefit that a consumer can spend in the manner he or she chooses.
Lastly, long-term care insurance allows individuals to take personal
responsibility for their long-term health care needs and reduces the
strain on state Medicaid budgets. Unfortunately, for many the struggle
to pay the immediate costs of long-term care insurance sometimes
outweighs the security these products provide.
With our national savings rate in steady decline I fear the American
middle class is woefully unprepared to meet the coming challenges of
their long-term care needs. As we move forward in our effort to help
individuals stay financially stable in their later years, we must
encourage them to purchase long-term care insurance and save for long-
term care services. The Long-Term Care Trust Account Act of 2006
achieves both goals. My legislation will create a new type of savings
vehicle for the purpose of preparing for the costs associated with
long-term care services and purchasing long-term care insurance. An
individual who establishes a long-term care trust account can
contribute up to $5,000 per year to their account and receive a
refundable ten percent tax credit on that contribution. Interest
accrued on these accounts will be tax free, and funds can be withdrawn
for the purchase of long-term care insurance or to pay for long-term
care services. The bill will also allow an individual to make
contributions to another person's Long-Term Care Trust Account. This
will help many relatives in our country that want to help their parents
or a loved one prepare for their health care needs.
It is my hope that this legislation will help all Americans save for
their long-term care needs. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to support this important bill.
Thank you, Mr. President.
______
By Mr. BAUCUS:
S. 2398. A bill to establish an Advanced Research Projects
Administration-Energy to initiate high risk, innovative energy research
to improve the energy security of the United States, to extend certain
energy tax incentives, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, in the years when I first began to serve
in Congress, America faced severe problems with supplies of oil. For
years, long gas lines, frustration, and questions about the security of
our oil supply drove the public debate.
Thirty years have passed. And, frankly, things have not changed all
that much. We still use gasoline and coal at staggering rates. And we
are still concerned about the security of our oil supply. We do not
have lines at gas stations. But last year, prices rose to levels
unimaginable just a few years ago.
Prices for gasoline, heating oil, electricity, and natural gas have
soared in recent years, hitting working families hard. In the past few
weeks, we have seen a terrorist attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities.
We have seen oil workers kidnapped in Nigeria. We have seen
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threaten that he would cut off our
supply of oil from his country. And we have seen some question whether
Iran's role as an oil supplier keeps other countries from properly
addressing Iran's threat to nuclear proliferation.
Energy provides one of America's greatest challenges for the 21st
century. Our economy has been dependent on oil and coal for about 100
years. And since World War II, natural gas has become part of the
equation. Will we continue this dependency for the next 100 years?
The cost of energy will profoundly affect the future competitiveness
of the American economy. As the Chinese and Indian economies grow, so
will their demand for energy. And that will add further upward pressure
to energy prices.
To respond to the challenges of the new world economy, I am
introducing legislation in seven key areas to build a foundation for a
more competitive America. We must improve education, health care, trade
law enforcement, the tax code, and savings. And we must bring a greater
focus to energy research and development. Today, I introduce the Energy
Competitiveness Act of 2006.
We are trapped in an energy box. It is a box characterized by high
imports, ever-increasing prices for oil and natural gas, and
environmental danger. We must experiment with ways to break out of that
box. To break out, we need an energy research effort modeled after the
Manhattan Project, or the Apollo mission to the moon.
America has a brilliant record of gathering the best minds. We meet
challenges that may at first seem to be impossible. During World War
II, the Manhattan Project brought together brilliant physicists and
engineers to build an atomic bomb in 3 short years. And after President
Kennedy described his vision to a joint session of Congress in May of
1961, the Apollo space program put a man on the moon in just 8 years.
Looking back, these achievements were stunning. Both projects started
out with no guarantee of success. Each could have ended in utter
failure. Yet because of the talent, ingenuity, and focus of creative
minds, they both succeeded.
Breaking out of the energy box poses a similar challenge. Success is
not guaranteed. But we have got to give it our best shot.
Today I am introducing the Energy Competitiveness Act of 2006. My
legislation would create a new energy research agency. It would extend
key alternative energy tax relief. It would help our Nation face the
challenges of a newly competitive global economy. It would help to move
us into a new energy future.
We have the greatest research scientists on the planet. We have the
most technically talented workforce in the world. But we do not have
the vigor that we need in energy research. Energy research is a
backwater, compared to other research efforts in biotechnology,
medicine, computers, and defense-oriented projects.
With the Manhattan Project and the Apollo space program, America
proved that we can gather the best talent for a focused mission and
succeed. It is time that we begin a similar effort on energy.
We need to create a new agency to initiate cutting-edge, innovative
energy research and development aimed at taking us to a new energy
future. Doing so is essential to our effort to improve our economic
competitiveness.
The new agency is modeled on DARPA--the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency--in the Department of Defense. Among the revolutionary
technologies that DARPA has developed are the internet and stealth
technology for aircraft. DARPA has been a tremendous success.
The National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of
Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine joined to form the Committee
on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century. Norm Augustine
chaired the Committee. Based on DARPA's achievements, last fall, the
Committee recommended the creation of an ARPA-E: Advanced Research
Projects Agency--Energy.
This was one of a number of recommendations that the Committee made
in its impressive report on the future competitive challenges that
America faces. The Committee recommended that ARPA-E be designed to
[[Page S1969]]
conduct transformative, out-of-the-box energy research.
My bill proposes that ARPA-E be a small agency with a total of 250
people. A minimum of 180 of them would be technical staff.
A director of the agency and four deputies would lead ARPA-E. I
propose that ARPA-E be funded at $300 million in fiscal year 2007, $600
million in 2008, $1.1 billion in 2009, $1.5 billion in 2010, and $2.0
billion in 2011.
We would require that the staff have a technical background. The
agency would use the Experimental Personnel Authority designed for
DARPA. That authority authorizes higher salaries than for typical
Federal employees, and faster hiring, so that the agency could get to
work quickly.
To keep the intense, innovative focus that we want, technical staff
would be limited to 3 to 4 years at the agency. Managers would be
limited to 4 to 6 years. The director could give both groups extended
terms of employment if the director so chose.
For contracts, the agency would use the DARPA procedure. That
procedure allows more flexible contracting arrangements than are
normally possible under the Federal Acquisition Regulations. To ensure
that ARPA-E would conduct innovative research, 75 percent of research
projects initiated by ARPA-E would not be peer reviewed.
The ARPA-E would be authorized to award cash prizes to encourage and
accelerate energy research accomplishments.
Finally, the bill would require a report by the end of fiscal year
2007 on whether ARPA-E would need its own energy research lab.
The Energy Competitiveness Act would also increase our commitment to
develop promising energy technologies. In the Energy Policy Act of
2005, last year's Energy bill, we established several important
incentives to foster new forms of energy production and to encourage
conservation.
America's investment in alternative energy and conservation lags well
behind that of other developed countries. The 2005 Energy bill put us
on the right track by expanding the tax credit for electricity from
renewable resources. It created incentives for coal gasification
technologies. It encouraged investment in refineries that can handle
North American feedstocks. And it established tax credits for energy-
efficient buildings and equipment.
Unfortunately, these provisions are either short-term or capped at
insufficient levels. The Energy Competitiveness Act that I introduce
today would bolster the first steps made in 2005. The bill that I
introduce today would extend these important provisions and increase
the amount of tax incentives available.
The bill would extend through 2010 the tax credit for electricity
produced from wind, biomass, geothermal, and other renewable sources.
It would also increase the volume caps on Clean Renewable Energy Bonds
and coal gasification tax credits.
The bill would make permanent enhanced depreciation for new refining
capacity that is capable of refining non-conventional feedstocks.
North America has abundant energy resources that could ease our
demand for oil from the Mideast. But today, many of our refineries are
incapable of processing heavier feedstocks, such as oil from shale or
tar sands. Making this provision permanent would provide the needed
certainty for long-term investments in capital intensive refining
projects.
The Energy Competitiveness Act that I introduce today would encourage
businesses to purchase alternative fuel and electric vehicles. And it
would extend through 2010 many of the incentives from the 2005 bill
that promote investment in energy-efficient buildings and equipment.
We are seeing exciting new efforts in America to strengthen our
energy competitiveness.
We need to build on this foundation by creating an aggressive energy
research agency that will push the limits of new technology and
discover alternative energy sources.
America has massive coal reserves. So coal gasification is receiving
greater attention. Gasification involves breaking down coal under heat
and pressure to create synthetic natural gas. We must address the
environmental issues. But if this technology can be improved, then
America will be able to take a huge step toward energy independence.
There are exciting developments in wind energy. In Montana, the
Judith Gap Wind Farm has been generating power at full capacity for
several weeks. The farm includes 90 wind turbines. Each turbine can
produce enough electricity for roughly 400 homes.
The entire farm can produce the electricity needed to supply 300,000
customers. Montana was one of nine States that put in place more than
100 megawatts of wind power generation in 2005. And my State ranks in
the top 15 States in the Nation for wind power capacity.
Fusion is another possible area where aggressive research could lead
to huge payoffs. Continuing research will help us to determine whether
energy production through fusion is a practical option.
Ethanol is also gaining as an alternative energy option. In 2005,
Americans invested more than $850 million in ethanol plants. Ford Motor
Company has plans for producing 250,000 vehicles in 2006 that will be
able to use several different types of fuel, including ethanol.
Brazil, with the help of ethanol, expects to become energy
independent this year. Ethanol accounts for 20 percent of Brazil's fuel
transport market. Seven out of every 10 cars in Brazil can run on
ethanol, gasoline, or a mixture of both.
In Iceland, all electricity generation is from renewable sources.
Iceland is now taking the next step, and has started an initiative to
replace the use of fossil fuels with hydrogen by 2050.
To achieve this, in 1999, Icelanders founded a public-private
partnership called Icelandic New Energy. This partnership is the main
driver in hydrogen energy research and implementation in Iceland.
Public hydrogen-fueled buses began service in December of last year.
And experiments continue with hydrogen-driven consumer motorcycles,
small cars, and fishing boats.
We live in a much larger and more complex nation than Iceland or
Brazil. But we can share their vision of a future fueled by alternative
energy and improved conservation.
There are also exciting developments in nanotechnology, solar power,
energy-efficient materials, biomass, and green buildings.
All of these are examples of possible directions for our Nation's
energy future. But we need a more aggressive and focused research and
development effort to push these alternatives. And we need an effort to
create scientific breakthroughs to supplement existing technologies.
We have got to give it our best shot. As President Franklin Roosevelt
said, we must conduct ``bold, persistent experimentation.''
Our economic security is at stake. Our ability to compete in the new
world economy is at stake.
ARPA-E will help us move forward on existing technologies. It will
help us to find new technologies that are not even imaginable today.
And the tax incentives will keep us on the right track until more
dramatic breakthroughs occur.
I urge my colleagues to look closely at this legislation.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2398
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Energy
Competitiveness Act of 2006''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION-ENERGY
Sec. 101. Advanced Research Projects Administration-Energy.
TITLE II--ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES
Subtitle A--Energy Infrastructure Tax Incentives
Sec. 201. Extension of credit for electricity produced from certain
renewable resources.
Sec. 202. Extension and expansion of credit to holders of clean
renewable energy bonds.
Sec. 203. Extension and expansion of qualifying advanced coal project
credit.
[[Page S1970]]
Sec. 204. Extension and expansion of qualifying gasification project
credit.
Subtitle B--Domestic Fossil Fuel Security
Sec. 211. Extension of election to expense certain refineries.
Subtitle C--Conservation and Energy Efficiency Provisions
Sec. 221. Extension of energy efficient commercial buildings deduction.
Sec. 222. Extension of new energy efficient home credit.
Sec. 223. Extension of residential energy efficient property credit.
Sec. 224. Extension of credit for business installation of qualified
fuel cells and stationary microturbine power plants.
Sec. 225. Extension of business solar investment tax credit.
Subtitle D--Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Incentives
Sec. 231. Extension of excise tax provisions and income tax credit for
biodiesel and alternative fuels.
Sec. 232. Exception from depreciation limitation for certain
alternative and electric passenger automobiles.
TITLE I--ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION-ENERGY
SEC. 101. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION-ENERGY.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Advanced
Research Projects Administration-Energy (referred to in this
section as ``ARPA-E'').
(b) Goals.--The goals of ARPA-E are to reduce the quantity
of energy the United States imports from foreign sources and
to improve the competitiveness of the United States economy
by--
(1) promoting revolutionary changes in the critical
technologies that would promote energy competitiveness;
(2) turning cutting-edge science and engineering into
technologies for energy and environmental application; and
(3) accelerating innovation in energy and the environment
for both traditional and alternative energy sources and in
energy efficiency mechanisms to--
(A) reduce energy use;
(B) decrease the reliance of the United States on foreign
energy sources; and
(C) improve energy competitiveness.
(c) Director.--
(1) In general.--ARPA-E shall be headed by a Director
(referred to in this section as the ``Director'') appointed
by the President.
(2) Positions at level v.--Section 5316 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Director, Advanced Research Projects Administration-
Energy.''.
(d) Duties.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the Director
shall award competitive grants, cooperative agreements, or
contracts to institutions of higher education, companies, or
consortia of such entities (which may include federally
funded research and development centers) to achieve the goal
described in subsection (b) through acceleration of--
(A) energy-related research;
(B) development of resultant techniques, processes, and
technologies, and related testing and evaluation; and
(C) demonstration and commercial application of the most
promising technologies and research applications.
(2) Small-business concerns.--The Director shall carry out
programs established under this section, to the maximum
extent practicable, in a manner that is similar to the Small
Business Innovation Research Program established under
section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) to ensure
that small-business concerns are fully able to participate in
the programs.
(e) Personnel.--
(1) Program managers.--
(A) Appointment.--The Director shall appoint employees to
serve as program managers for each of the programs that are
established to carry out the duties of ARPA-E under this
section.
(B) Duties.--Program managers shall be responsible for--
(i) establishing research and development goals for the
program, as well as publicizing goals of the program to the
public and private sectors;
(ii) soliciting applications for specific areas of
particular promise, especially areas for which the private
sector cannot or will not provide funding;
(iii) selecting research projects for support under the
program from among applications submitted to ARPA-E, based
on--
(I) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed
projects;
(II) the demonstrated capabilities of the applicants to
successfully carry out the proposed research project; and
(III) such other criteria as are established by the
Director; and
(iv) monitoring the progress of projects supported under
the program.
(2) Other personnel.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Director
shall appoint such employees as are necessary to carry out
the duties of ARPA-E under this section.
(B) Limitations.--The Director shall appoint not more than
250 employees to carry out the duties of ARPA-E under this
section, including not less than 180 technical staff, of
which--
(i) not less than 20 staff shall be senior technical
managers (including program managers designated under
paragraph (1)); and
(ii) not less than 80 staff shall be technical program
managers.
(3) Experimental personnel authority.--In appointing
personnel for ARPA-E, the Director shall have the hiring and
management authorities described in section 1101 of the Strom
Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
1999 (Public Law 105-261; 5 U.S.C. 3104 note).
(4) Maximum duration of employment.--
(A) Program managers and senior technical managers.--
(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), a program manager
and a senior technical manager appointed under this
subsection shall serve for a term not to exceed 4 years after
the date of appointment.
(ii) Extensions.--The Director may extend the term of
employment of a program manager or a senior technical manager
appointed under this subsection for not more than 4 years
through 1 or more 2-year terms.
(B) Technical program managers.--A technical program
manager appointed under this subsection shall serve for a
term not to exceed 6 years after the date of appointment.
(5) Location.--The office of an officer or employee of
ARPA-E shall not be located in the headquarters of the
Department of Energy.
(f) Transactions Other Than Contracts and Grants.--
(1) In general.--To carry out projects through ARPA-E, the
Director may enter into transactions (other than contracts,
cooperative agreements, and grants) to carry out advanced
research projects under this section 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)).
(2) Peer review.--Peer review shall not be required for 75
percent of the research projects carried out by the Director
under this section.
(g) Prizes for Advanced Technology Achievements.--The
Director 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 for application to the
performance of the mission of ARPA-E 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).
(h) Coordination of Activities.--The Director--
(1) shall ensure that the activities of ARPA-E are
coordinated with activities of Department of Energy offices
and outside agencies; and
(2) may carry out projects jointly with other agencies.
(i) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2007, the
Director shall submit to Congress a report on the activities
of ARPA-E under this section, including a recommendation on
whether ARPA-E needs an energy research laboratory.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section--
(1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
(2) $600,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(3) $1,100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(4) $1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(5) $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
TITLE II--ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES
Subtitle A--Energy Infrastructure Tax Incentives
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF CREDIT FOR ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM
CERTAIN RENEWABLE RESOURCES.
Section 45(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(relating to qualified facilities) is amended by striking
``2008'' each place it appears and inserting ``2011''.
SEC. 202. EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF CREDIT TO HOLDERS OF
CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY BONDS.
(a) In General.--Section 54(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to termination) is amended by striking
``2007'' and inserting ``2010''.
(b) Annual Volume Cap for Bonds Issued During Extension
Period.--Paragraph (1) of section 54(f) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to limitation on amount of
bonds designated) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) National limitation.--
``(A) Initial national limitation.--With respect to bonds
issued after December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2008,
there is a national clean renewable energy bond limitation of
$800,000,000.
``(B) Annual national limitation.--With respect to bonds
issued after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2011,
there is a national clean renewable energy bond limitation
for each calendar year of $800,000,000.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to bonds issued after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
SEC. 203. EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF QUALIFYING ADVANCED COAL
PROJECT CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Section 48A(d)(3)(A) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to aggregate credits) is
amended by striking ``$1,300,000,000'' and inserting
``$1,800,000,000''.
(b) Authorization of Additional Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle Projects.--Subparagraph (B) of section
48A(d)(3) of te Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to
aggregate credits) is amended to read as follows:
[[Page S1971]]
``(B) Particular projects.--Of the dollar amount in
subparagraph (A), the Secretary is authorized to certify--
``(i) $800,000,000 for integrated gasification combined
cycle projects the application for which is submitted during
the period described in paragraph (2)(A)(i),
``(ii) $500,000,000 for projects which use other advanced
coal-based generation technologies the application for which
is submitted during the period described in paragraph
(2)(A)(i), and
``(iii) $500,000,000 for integrated gasification combined
cycle projects the application for which is submitted during
the period described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii).''.
(c) Application Period for Additional Projects.--
Subparagraph (A) of section 48A(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (relating to certification) is amended to read
as follows:
``(A) Application period.--Each applicant for certification
under this paragraph shall submit an application meeting the
requirements of subparagraph (B). An applicant may only
submit an application--
``(i) for an allocation from the dollar amount specified in
clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (3)(A) during the 3-year
period beginning on the date the Secretary establishes the
program under paragraph (1), and
``(ii) for an allocation from the dollar amount specified
in paragraph (3)(A)(iii) during the 3-year period beginning
at the termination of the period described in clause (i).''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the amendments made by
section 1307 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
SEC. 204. EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF QUALIFYING GASIFICATION
PROJECT CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Section 48B(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (relating to qualifying gasification project
program) is amended by striking ``$350,000,000'' and
inserting ``$850,000,000''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the amendments made by
section 1307 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Subtitle B--Domestic Fossil Fuel Security
SEC. 211. EXTENSION OF ELECTION TO EXPENSE CERTAIN
REFINERIES.
(a) In General.--Section 179C(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (defining qualified refinery property) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and before January 1, 2012'' in
subparagraph (B) and inserting ``and, in the case of any
qualified refinery described in subsection (d)(1), before
January 1, 2012'', and
(2) by inserting ``if described in subsection (d)(1)''
after ``of which'' in subparagraph (F)(i).
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (d) of section 179C
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as
follows:
``(d) Qualified Refinery.--For purposes of this section,
the term `qualified refinery' means any refinery located in
the United States which is designed to serve the primary
purpose of processing liquid fuel from--
``(1) crude oil, or
``(2) qualified fuels (as defined in section 45K(c)).''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the amendment made by
section 1323(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Subtitle C--Conservation and Energy Efficiency Provisions
SEC. 221. EXTENSION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
DEDUCTION.
Section 179D(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(relating to termination) is amended by striking ``2007'' and
inserting ``2010''.
SEC. 222. EXTENSION OF NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Subsection (g) of section 45L of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to new energy
efficient home credit) is amended to read as follows:
``(g) Termination.--This section shall not apply to--
``(1) any qualified new energy efficient home meeting the
energy saving requirements of subsection (c)(1) acquired
after December 31, 2010, and
``(2) any qualified new energy efficient home meeting the
energy saving requirements of paragraph (2) or (3) of
subsection (c) acquired after December 31, 2007.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the amendments made by
section 1332 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
SEC. 223. EXTENSION OF RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENT PROPERTY
CREDIT.
Section 25D(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(relating to termination) is amended by striking ``2007'' and
inserting ``2010''.
SEC. 224. EXTENSION OF CREDIT FOR BUSINESS INSTALLATION OF
QUALIFIED FUEL CELLS AND STATIONARY
MICROTURBINE POWER PLANTS.
Sections 48(c)(1)(E) and 48(c)(2)(E) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to termination) are each
amended by striking ``2007'' and inserting ``2010''.
SEC. 225. EXTENSION OF BUSINESS SOLAR INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT.
Sections 48(a)(2)(A)(i)(II) and 48(a)(3)(A)(ii) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to termination) are
each amended by striking ``2008'' and inserting ``2011''.
Subtitle D--Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Incentives
SEC. 231. EXTENSION OF EXCISE TAX PROVISIONS AND INCOME TAX
CREDIT FOR BIODIESEL AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS.
(a) Biodiesel.--Sections 40A(g), 6426(c)(6), and
6427(e)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are each
amended by striking ``2008'' and inserting ``2010''.
(b) Alternative Fuel.--
(1) Fuels.--Sections 6426(d)(4) and 6427(e)(5)(C) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are each amended by striking
``September 30, 2009'' and inserting ``December 31, 2010''.
(2) Refueling property.--Section 30C(g) of such Code is
amended by striking ``2009'' and inserting ``2010''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on January 1, 2007.
SEC. 232. EXCEPTION FROM DEPRECIATION LIMITATION FOR CERTAIN
ALTERNATIVE AND ELECTRIC PASSENGER AUTOMOBILES.
(a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of section 280F(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to limitation) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(D) Special rule for certain alternative motor vehicles
and qualified electric vehicles.--Subparagraph (A) shall not
apply to any motor vehicle for which a credit is allowable
under section 30 or 30B.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subparagraph (C) of section
280F(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by
striking clause (ii) and by redesignating clause (iii) as
clause (ii).
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to property placed in service after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
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