[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 123 (Thursday, September 13, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6346-S6369]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 2817. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS JOBS WEBSITE.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to Congress a report--
       (1) assessing the feasibility and advisability of the 
     establishment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a 
     website designed specifically for public and private sector 
     employers to advertize employment opportunities for veterans; 
     and
       (2) estimating the funds and other resources required to 
     establish and maintain such a website.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2818. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 13, between lines 18 and 19, insert the following:
       ``(v) Any other license to operate equipment or engage in a 
     trade.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2819. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

[[Page S6347]]

     SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON EMPLOYMENT BY MEMBERS OF 
                   CONGRESS OF VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE 
                   NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES.

       It is the sense of the Senate that Members of Congress 
     should lead by example by hiring qualified veterans and 
     members of the National Guard and Reserves for open positions 
     on their personal and committee staff.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2820. Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. Landrieu and Mr. Cochran) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 
veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie 
on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. REDESIGNATED AREAS.

       Section 3(p)(4)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     632(p)(4)(C)) is amended--
       (1) in clause (i), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; or''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) September 30, 2013.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2821. Mrs. BOXER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. ___. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE 
                   FUND.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter A of chapter 61 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new part:

   ``PART IX--CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE FUND

``Sec. 6098. Contributions to the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund.

     ``SEC. 6098. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HOMELESS VETERANS 
                   ASSISTANCE FUND.

       ``(a) In General.--Every individual, with respect to the 
     taxpayer's return for the taxable year of the tax imposed by 
     chapter 1--
       ``(1) may designate that a specified portion (not less than 
     $1) of any overpayment of tax shall be paid over to the 
     Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund in accordance with the 
     provisions of section 9512, and
       ``(2) in addition to any payment (if any) under paragraph 
     (1), may make a contribution to the United States of an 
     additional amount which shall be paid over to such Fund.
       ``(b) Manner and Time of Designation and Contribution.--A 
     designation and contribution under subsection (a) may be made 
     with respect to any taxable year--
       ``(1) at the time of filing the return of the tax imposed 
     by chapter 1 for such taxable year, or
       ``(2) at any other time (after such time of filing) 
     specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

     Such designation and contribution shall be made in such 
     manner as the Secretary prescribes by regulations except 
     that, if such designation is made at the time of filing the 
     return of the tax imposed by chapter 1 for such taxable year, 
     such designation shall be made either on the first page of 
     the return or on the page bearing the taxpayer's signature.
       ``(c) Overpayments Treated as Refunded.--For purposes of 
     this title, any portion of an overpayment of tax designated 
     under subsection (a) shall be treated as--
       ``(1) being refunded to the taxpayer as of the last date 
     prescribed for filing the return of tax imposed by chapter 1 
     (determined without regard to extensions) or, if later, the 
     date the return is filed, and
       ``(2) a contribution made by such taxpayer on such date to 
     the United States.''.
       (b) Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund.--Subchapter A of 
     chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 9512. HOMELESS VETERANS ASSISTANCE FUND.

       ``(a) Creation of Trust Fund.--There is established in the 
     Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the 
     `Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund', consisting of such 
     amounts as may be appropriated or credited to such fund as 
     provided in this section or section 9602(b).
       ``(b) Transfers to Trust Fund.--There are hereby 
     appropriated to the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund amounts 
     equivalent to the amounts designated and contributed under 
     section 6098.
       ``(c) Expenditures.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), 
     amounts in the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund shall be 
     available (and shall remain available until expended) to the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the 
     Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service 
     and Department of Housing and Urban Development, for the 
     purpose of providing services to homeless veterans, through--
       ``(A) the development and implementation of new and 
     innovative strategies to prevent and end veteran 
     homelessness, and
       ``(B) any homeless veteran program administered by the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Labor 
     Veterans Employment and Training Service, and the Department 
     of Housing and Urban Development.
       ``(2) Additional allocations.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs is authorized to make transfers from the amounts 
     described in paragraph (1) to the Department of Labor 
     Veterans Employment and Training Service and the Department 
     of Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of 
     supporting programs that serve homeless veterans.
       ``(3) Advance notice.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     in collaboration with the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development, shall submit a detailed 
     expenditure plan for any amounts in the Homeless Veterans 
     Assistance Fund to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and of the Senate not later than 60 days prior to any 
     expenditure of such amounts.
       ``(d) President's Annual Budget Information.--Beginning 
     with the President's annual budget submission for fiscal year 
     2014 and every year thereafter, the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development shall include a description of 
     the use of funds from the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund 
     from the previous fiscal year and the proposed use of such 
     funds for the next fiscal year.''.
       (c) Clerical Amendments.--
       (1) The table of parts for subchapter A of chapter 61 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new item:

  ``PART IX--Contributions to the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund''.

       (2) The table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 98 of 
     such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     item:

``Sec. 9512. Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund.''.

       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2822. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT.

       Part 19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, section 15 
     of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644), and any other 
     applicable laws or regulations establishing procurement 
     requirements relating to small business concerns (as defined 
     in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) may 
     not be waived with respect to any contract awarded under any 
     program or other authority under this Act or an amendment 
     made by this Act.

     SEC. __. PROHIBITION ON WAIVER OF REQUIREMENTS REGARDING 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CONTRACTING 
                   GOALS AND PREFERENCES.

       Neither section 8127 nor section 8128 of title 38, United 
     States Code, may be waived with respect to any contract 
     awarded under any program or other authority under this Act 
     or any amendment made by this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2823. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. TERMINATION OF TAXPAYER FINANCING OF PRESIDENTIAL 
                   ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.

       (a) Termination of Designation of Income Tax Payments.--
     Section 6096 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Termination.--This section shall not apply to taxable 
     years beginning after December 31, 2011.''.
       (b) Termination of Fund and Account.--
       (1) Termination of presidential election campaign fund.--
       (A) In general.--Chapter 95 of subtitle H of such Code is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 9014. TERMINATION.

       ``The provisions of this chapter shall not apply with 
     respect to any presidential election (or any presidential 
     nominating convention) after the date of the enactment of 
     this section, or to any candidate in such an election.''.
       (B) Transfer of excess funds to general fund.--Section 9006 
     of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(d) Transfer of Funds Remaining After Termination.--The 
     Secretary shall transfer all amounts in the fund after the 
     date of the enactment of this section to the general fund of 
     the Treasury, to be used only for reducing the deficit.''.
       (2) Termination of account.--Chapter 96 of subtitle H of 
     such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     section:

     ``SEC. 9043. TERMINATION.

       ``The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any 
     candidate with respect to any presidential election after the 
     date of the enactment of this section.''.
       (c) Clerical Amendments.--

[[Page S6348]]

       (1) The table of sections for chapter 95 of subtitle H of 
     such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     item:

``Sec. 9014. Termination.''.

       (2) The table of sections for chapter 96 of subtitle H of 
     such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     item:

       ``Sec. 9043. Termination.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2824. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 14 and all that follows and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 14. EXTENSION OF MODIFIED PENSION FOR CERTAIN VETERANS 
                   COVERED BY MEDICAID PLANS FOR SERVICES 
                   FURNISHED BY NURSING FACILITIES.

       Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2016'' and inserting 
     ``March 31, 2017''.

     SEC. 15. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN 
                   UNPAID TAXES.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``SEC. 7345. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF 
                   CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.

       ``(a) In General.--If the Secretary receives certification 
     by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that any individual 
     has a seriously delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of 
     $50,000, the Secretary shall transmit such certification to 
     the Secretary of State for action with respect to denial, 
     revocation, or limitation of a passport pursuant to section 
     15(d) of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012.
       ``(b) Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt.--For purposes of this 
     section, the term `seriously delinquent tax debt' means an 
     outstanding debt under this title for which a notice of lien 
     has been filed in public records pursuant to section 6323 or 
     a notice of levy has been filed pursuant to section 6331, 
     except that such term does not include--
       ``(1) a debt that is being paid in a timely manner pursuant 
     to an agreement under section 6159 or 7122, and
       ``(2) a debt with respect to which collection is suspended 
     because a collection due process hearing under section 6330, 
     or relief under subsection (b), (c), or (f) of section 6015, 
     is requested or pending.
       ``(c) Adjustment for Inflation.--In the case of a calendar 
     year beginning after 2012, the dollar amount in subsection 
     (a) shall be increased by an amount equal to--
       ``(1) such dollar amount, multiplied by
       ``(2) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under 
     section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by 
     substituting `calendar year 2011' for `calendar year 1992' in 
     subparagraph (B) thereof.

     If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence is not 
     a multiple of $1,000, such amount shall be rounded to the 
     next highest multiple of $1,000.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for 
     subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 7345. Revocation or denial of passport in case of certain tax 
              delinquencies.''.
       (c) Authority for Information Sharing.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (l) of section 6103 of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new paragraph:
       ``(23) Disclosure of return information to department of 
     state for purposes of passport revocation under section 
     7345.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall, upon receiving a 
     certification described in section 7345, disclose to the 
     Secretary of State return information with respect to a 
     taxpayer who has a seriously delinquent tax debt described in 
     such section. Such return information shall be limited to--
       ``(i) the taxpayer identity information with respect to 
     such taxpayer, and
       ``(ii) the amount of such seriously delinquent tax debt.
       ``(B) Restriction on disclosure.--Return information 
     disclosed under subparagraph (A) may be used by officers and 
     employees of the Department of State for the purposes of, and 
     to the extent necessary in, carrying out the requirements of 
     section 15(d) of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (4) of section 6103(p) 
     of such Code is amended by striking ``or (22)'' each place it 
     appears in subparagraph (F)(ii) and in the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A) and inserting ``(22), or (23)''.
       (d) Authority To Deny or Revoke Passport.--
       (1) Denial.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraph (B), 
     upon receiving a certification described in section 7345 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 from the Secretary of the 
     Treasury, the Secretary of State may not issue a passport to 
     any individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt 
     described in such section.
       (B) Emergency and humanitarian situations.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State may issue a 
     passport, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian 
     reasons, to an individual described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Revocation.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State may revoke a 
     passport previously issued to any individual described in 
     paragraph (1)(A).
       (B) Limitation for return to united states.--If the 
     Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, 
     may--
       (i) limit a previously issued passport only for return 
     travel to the United States; or
       (ii) issue a limited passport that only permits return 
     travel to the United States.
       (3) Hold harmless.--The Secretary of the Treasury and the 
     Secretary of State shall not be liable to an individual for 
     any action with respect to a certification by the 
     Commissioner of Internal Revenue under section 7345 of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (e) Revocation or Denial of Passport in Case of Individual 
     Without Social Security Account Number.--
       (1) Denial.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraph (B), 
     upon receiving an application for a passport from an 
     individual that either--
       (i) does not include the social security account number 
     issued to that individual, or
       (ii) includes an incorrect or invalid social security 
     number willfully, intentionally, negligently, or recklessly 
     provided by such individual,

     the Secretary of State is authorized to deny such application 
     and is authorized to not issue a passport to the individual.
       (B) Emergency and humanitarian situations.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State may issue a 
     passport, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian 
     reasons, to an individual described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Revocation.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State may revoke a 
     passport previously issued to any individual described in 
     paragraph (1)(A).
       (B) Limitation for return to united states.--If the 
     Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, 
     may--
       (i) limit a previously issued passport only for return 
     travel to the United States; or
       (ii) issue a limited passport that only permits return 
     travel to the United States.
       (f) Effective Date.--The provisions of, and amendments made 
     by, this section shall take effect on January 1, 2013.

     SEC. 16. NO MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 163(h)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subparagraph:
       ``(G) No deduction for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), no 
     deduction shall be allowed by reason of paragraph (2)(D) for 
     any taxable year with respect to any taxpayer with an 
     adjusted gross income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for 
     such taxable year.
       ``(ii) Termination.--Clause (i) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 17. NO RENTAL EXPENSE DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 212 of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     flush sentence:

     ``Paragraph (2) shall not apply for any taxable year with 
     respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross income equal 
     to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable year. The 
     preceding sentence shall not apply to any taxable year 
     beginning after the date on which the aggregate savings from 
     the elimination of the deductions and credits for 
     millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 18. NO GAMBLING LOSS DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 165(d) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
     ``In the case of a taxpayer with an adjusted gross income 
     equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for the taxable year, the 
     preceding sentence shall not apply for any taxable year 
     beginning before the date on which the aggregate savings from 
     the elimination of the deductions and credits for 
     millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

[[Page S6349]]

     SEC. 19. NO DISCHARGE OF INDEBTEDNESS DEDUCTION FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 108 of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(j) No Deduction for Millionaires and Billionaires.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
     exclusion shall be allowed by reason of this section for any 
     taxable year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted 
     gross income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such 
     taxable year.
       ``(2) Termination.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 20. NO ELECTRIC PLUG-IN VEHICLE TAX CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 30D(f) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(8) No credit for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     no credit described in subsection (c)(2) shall be allowed 
     under this section for any taxable year with respect to any 
     taxpayer with an adjusted gross income equal to or greater 
     than $1,000,000 for such taxable year.
       ``(B) Termination.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 21. NO HOUSEHOLD AND DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 21 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection 
     (g) and by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(f) No Credit for Millionaires and Billionaires.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
     credit shall be allowed under this section for any taxable 
     year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross 
     income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable 
     year.
       ``(2) Termination.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 22. NO RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENT PROPERTY CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 25D(e) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(9) No credit for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     no credit shall be allowed under this section for any taxable 
     year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross 
     income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable 
     year.
       ``(B) Termination.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 16 
     through 22 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 14 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 23. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2825. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 8 and all that follows and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 8. EXTENSION OF MODIFIED PENSION FOR CERTAIN VETERANS 
                   COVERED BY MEDICAID PLANS FOR SERVICES 
                   FURNISHED BY NURSING FACILITIES.

       Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2016'' and inserting 
     ``March 31, 2017''.

     SEC. 9. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN 
                   UNPAID TAXES.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``SEC. 7345. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF 
                   CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.

       ``(a) In General.--If the Secretary receives certification 
     by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that any individual 
     has a seriously delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of 
     $50,000, the Secretary shall transmit such certification to 
     the Secretary of State for action with respect to denial, 
     revocation, or limitation of a passport pursuant to section 
     9(d) of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012.
       ``(b) Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt.--For purposes of this 
     section, the term `seriously delinquent tax debt' means an 
     outstanding debt under this title for which a notice of lien 
     has been filed in public records pursuant to section 6323 or 
     a notice of levy has been filed pursuant to section 6331, 
     except that such term does not include--
       ``(1) a debt that is being paid in a timely manner pursuant 
     to an agreement under section 6159 or 7122, and
       ``(2) a debt with respect to which collection is suspended 
     because a collection due process hearing under section 6330, 
     or relief under subsection (b), (c), or (f) of section 6015, 
     is requested or pending.
       ``(c) Adjustment for Inflation.--In the case of a calendar 
     year beginning after 2012, the dollar amount in subsection 
     (a) shall be increased by an amount equal to--
       ``(1) such dollar amount, multiplied by
       ``(2) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under 
     section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by 
     substituting `calendar year 2011' for `calendar year 1992' in 
     subparagraph (B) thereof.

     If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence is not 
     a multiple of $1,000, such amount shall be rounded to the 
     next highest multiple of $1,000.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for 
     subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 7345. Revocation or denial of passport in case of certain tax 
              delinquencies.''.

       (c) Authority for Information Sharing.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (l) of section 6103 of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new paragraph:
       ``(23) Disclosure of return information to department of 
     state for purposes of passport revocation under section 
     7345.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall, upon receiving a 
     certification described in section 7345, disclose to the 
     Secretary of State return information with respect to a 
     taxpayer who has a seriously delinquent tax debt described in 
     such section. Such return information shall be limited to--
       ``(i) the taxpayer identity information with respect to 
     such taxpayer, and
       ``(ii) the amount of such seriously delinquent tax debt.
       ``(B) Restriction on disclosure.--Return information 
     disclosed under subparagraph (A) may be used by officers and 
     employees of the Department of State for the purposes of, and 
     to the extent necessary in, carrying out the requirements of 
     section 9(d) of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (4) of section 6103(p) 
     of such Code is amended by striking ``or (22)'' each place it 
     appears in subparagraph (F)(ii) and in the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A) and inserting ``(22), or (23)''.
       (d) Authority To Deny or Revoke Passport.--
       (1) Denial.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraph (B), 
     upon receiving a certification described in section 7345 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 from the Secretary of the 
     Treasury, the Secretary of State may not issue a passport to 
     any individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt 
     described in such section.
       (B) Emergency and humanitarian situations.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State may issue a 
     passport, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian 
     reasons, to an individual described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Revocation.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State may revoke a 
     passport previously issued to any individual described in 
     paragraph (1)(A).
       (B) Limitation for return to united states.--If the 
     Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, 
     may--
       (i) limit a previously issued passport only for return 
     travel to the United States; or
       (ii) issue a limited passport that only permits return 
     travel to the United States.

[[Page S6350]]

       (3) Hold harmless.--The Secretary of the Treasury and the 
     Secretary of State shall not be liable to an individual for 
     any action with respect to a certification by the 
     Commissioner of Internal Revenue under section 7345 of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (e) Revocation or Denial of Passport in Case of Individual 
     Without Social Security Account Number.--
       (1) Denial.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraph (B), 
     upon receiving an application for a passport from an 
     individual that either--
       (i) does not include the social security account number 
     issued to that individual, or
       (ii) includes an incorrect or invalid social security 
     number willfully, intentionally, negligently, or recklessly 
     provided by such individual,

     the Secretary of State is authorized to deny such application 
     and is authorized to not issue a passport to the individual.
       (B) Emergency and humanitarian situations.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State may issue a 
     passport, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian 
     reasons, to an individual described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Revocation.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State may revoke a 
     passport previously issued to any individual described in 
     paragraph (1)(A).
       (B) Limitation for return to united states.--If the 
     Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, 
     may--
       (i) limit a previously issued passport only for return 
     travel to the United States; or
       (ii) issue a limited passport that only permits return 
     travel to the United States.
       (f) Effective Date.--The provisions of, and amendments made 
     by, this section shall take effect on January 1, 2013.

     SEC. 10. NO MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 163(h)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subparagraph:
       ``(G) No deduction for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), no 
     deduction shall be allowed by reason of paragraph (2)(D) for 
     any taxable year with respect to any taxpayer with an 
     adjusted gross income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for 
     such taxable year.
       ``(ii) Termination.--Clause (i) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 11. NO RENTAL EXPENSE DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 212 of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     flush sentence:

     ``Paragraph (2) shall not apply for any taxable year with 
     respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross income equal 
     to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable year. The 
     preceding sentence shall not apply to any taxable year 
     beginning after the date on which the aggregate savings from 
     the elimination of the deductions and credits for 
     millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 12. NO GAMBLING LOSS DEDUCTION FOR MILLIONAIRES AND 
                   BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 165(d) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
     ``In the case of a taxpayer with an adjusted gross income 
     equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for the taxable year, the 
     preceding sentence shall not apply for any taxable year 
     beginning before the date on which the aggregate savings from 
     the elimination of the deductions and credits for 
     millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 13. NO DISCHARGE OF INDEBTEDNESS DEDUCTION FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 108 of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(j) No Deduction for Millionaires and Billionaires.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
     exclusion shall be allowed by reason of this section for any 
     taxable year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted 
     gross income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such 
     taxable year.
       ``(2) Termination.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 14. NO ELECTRIC PLUG-IN VEHICLE TAX CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 30D(f) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(8) No credit for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     no credit described in subsection (c)(2) shall be allowed 
     under this section for any taxable year with respect to any 
     taxpayer with an adjusted gross income equal to or greater 
     than $1,000,000 for such taxable year.
       ``(B) Termination.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 15. NO HOUSEHOLD AND DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 21 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection 
     (g) and by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(f) No Credit for Millionaires and Billionaires.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
     credit shall be allowed under this section for any taxable 
     year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross 
     income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable 
     year.
       ``(2) Termination.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 16. NO RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENT PROPERTY CREDIT FOR 
                   MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.

       (a) In General.--Section 25D(e) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(9) No credit for millionaires and billionaires.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     no credit shall be allowed under this section for any taxable 
     year with respect to any taxpayer with an adjusted gross 
     income equal to or greater than $1,000,000 for such taxable 
     year.
       ``(B) Termination.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any 
     taxable year beginning after the date on which the aggregate 
     savings from the elimination of the deductions and credits 
     for millionaires attributable to the enactment of sections 10 
     through 16 of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012 matches 
     dollar for dollar the increase of expenditures attributable 
     to the enactment of sections 2 through 8 of such Act.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2012.

     SEC. 17. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2826. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Beginning on page 38, strike line 11 and all that follows 
     through page 39, line 7, and insert the following:

     SEC. 17. CONSOLIDATION OF VETERANS EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall take such actions as may be 
     necessary to consolidate the programs described in subsection 
     (b) into a single program to be carried out by the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs.
       (b) Programs.--The programs described in this subsection 
     are the following:
       (1) Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program of the Department 
     of Labor.

[[Page S6351]]

       (2) Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Project of the 
     Department of Labor.
       (3) Local Veterans' Employment Representative Program of 
     the Department of Labor.
       (4) Transition Assistance Program of the Department of 
     Labor.
       (5) Veterans' Workforce Investment Program of the 
     Department of Labor.
       (6) Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (c) Metrics.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     establish metrics to assess the program resulting from 
     consolidation under subsection (a).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2827. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Portman) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

        TITLE II--ENERGY SAVINGS AND INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Energy Savings and 
     Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2012''.

                         Subtitle A--Buildings

                     PART I--BUILDING ENERGY CODES

     SEC. 211. GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDING CODES.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 303 of the Energy Conservation 
     and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6832) is amended--
       (1) by striking paragraph (14) and inserting the following:
       ``(14) Model building energy code.--The term `model 
     building energy code' means a voluntary building energy code 
     and standards developed and updated through a consensus 
     process among interested persons, such as the IECC or the 
     code used by--
       ``(A) the Council of American Building Officials;
       ``(B) the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and 
     Air-Conditioning Engineers; or
       ``(C) other appropriate organizations.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(17) IECC.--The term `IECC' means the International 
     Energy Conservation Code.
       ``(18) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 4 of the Native American 
     Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 
     U.S.C. 4103).''.
       (b) State Building Energy Efficiency Codes.--Section 304 of 
     the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6833) 
     is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 304. UPDATING STATE BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY CODES.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall--
       ``(1) encourage and support the adoption of building energy 
     codes by States, Indian tribes, and, as appropriate, by local 
     governments that meet or exceed the model building energy 
     codes, or achieve equivalent or greater energy savings; and
       ``(2) support full compliance with the State and local 
     codes.
       ``(b) State and Indian Tribe Certification of Building 
     Energy Code Updates.--
       ``(1) Review and updating of codes by each state and indian 
     tribe.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
     which a model building energy code is updated, each State or 
     Indian tribe shall certify whether or not the State or Indian 
     tribe, respectively, has reviewed and updated the energy 
     provisions of the building code of the State or Indian tribe, 
     respectively.
       ``(B) Demonstration.--The certification shall include a 
     demonstration of whether or not the energy savings for the 
     code provisions that are in effect throughout the State or 
     Indian tribal territory meet or exceed--
       ``(i) the energy savings of the updated model building 
     energy code; or
       ``(ii) the targets established under section 307(b)(2).
       ``(C) No model building energy code update.--If a model 
     building energy code is not updated by a target date 
     established under section 307(b)(2)(D), each State or Indian 
     tribe shall, not later than 2 years after the specified date, 
     certify whether or not the State or Indian tribe, 
     respectively, has reviewed and updated the energy provisions 
     of the building code of the State or Indian tribe, 
     respectively, to meet or exceed the target in section 
     307(b)(2).
       ``(2) Validation by secretary.--Not later than 90 days 
     after a State or Indian tribe certification under paragraph 
     (1), the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) determine whether the code provisions of the State or 
     Indian tribe, respectively, meet the criteria specified in 
     paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) if the determination is positive, validate the 
     certification.
       ``(c) Improvements in Compliance With Building Energy 
     Codes.--
       ``(1) Requirement.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     a certification under subsection (b), each State and Indian 
     tribe shall certify whether or not the State and Indian 
     tribe, respectively, has--
       ``(i) achieved full compliance under paragraph (3) with the 
     applicable certified State and Indian tribe building energy 
     code or with the associated model building energy code; or
       ``(ii) made significant progress under paragraph (4) toward 
     achieving compliance with the applicable certified State and 
     Indian tribe building energy code or with the associated 
     model building energy code.
       ``(B) Repeat certifications.--If the State or Indian tribe 
     certifies progress toward achieving compliance, the State or 
     Indian tribe shall repeat the certification until the State 
     or Indian tribe certifies that the State or Indian tribe has 
     achieved full compliance, respectively.
       ``(2) Measurement of compliance.--A certification under 
     paragraph (1) shall include documentation of the rate of 
     compliance based on--
       ``(A) independent inspections of a random sample of the 
     buildings covered by the code in the preceding year; or
       ``(B) an alternative method that yields an accurate measure 
     of compliance.
       ``(3) Achievement of compliance.--A State or Indian tribe 
     shall be considered to achieve full compliance under 
     paragraph (1) if--
       ``(A) at least 90 percent of building space covered by the 
     code in the preceding year substantially meets all the 
     requirements of the applicable code specified in paragraph 
     (1), or achieves equivalent or greater energy savings level; 
     or
       ``(B) the estimated excess energy use of buildings that did 
     not meet the applicable code specified in paragraph (1) in 
     the preceding year, compared to a baseline of comparable 
     buildings that meet this code, is not more than 5 percent of 
     the estimated energy use of all buildings covered by this 
     code during the preceding year.
       ``(4) Significant progress toward achievement of 
     compliance.--A State or Indian tribe shall be considered to 
     have made significant progress toward achieving compliance 
     for purposes of paragraph (1) if the State or Indian tribe--
       ``(A) has developed and is implementing a plan for 
     achieving compliance during the 8-year-period beginning on 
     the date of enactment of this paragraph, including annual 
     targets for compliance and active training and enforcement 
     programs; and
       ``(B) has met the most recent target under subparagraph 
     (A).
       ``(5) Validation by secretary.--Not later than 90 days 
     after a State or Indian tribe certification under paragraph 
     (1), the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) determine whether the State or Indian tribe has 
     demonstrated meeting the criteria of this subsection, 
     including accurate measurement of compliance; and
       ``(B) if the determination is positive, validate the 
     certification.
       ``(d) States or Indian Tribes That Do Not Achieve 
     Compliance.--
       ``(1) Reporting.--A State or Indian tribe that has not made 
     a certification required under subsection (b) or (c) by the 
     applicable deadline shall submit to the Secretary a report 
     on--
       ``(A) the status of the State or Indian tribe with respect 
     to meeting the requirements and submitting the certification; 
     and
       ``(B) a plan for meeting the requirements and submitting 
     the certification.
       ``(2) Federal support.--For any State or Indian tribe for 
     which the Secretary has not validated a certification by a 
     deadline under subsection (b) or (c), the lack of the 
     certification may be a consideration for Federal support 
     authorized under this section for code adoption and 
     compliance activities.
       ``(3) Local government.--In any State or Indian tribe for 
     which the Secretary has not validated a certification under 
     subsection (b) or (c), a local government may be eligible for 
     Federal support by meeting the certification requirements of 
     subsections (b) and (c).
       ``(4) Annual reports by secretary.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall annually submit to 
     Congress, and publish in the Federal Register, a report on--
       ``(i) the status of model building energy codes;
       ``(ii) the status of code adoption and compliance in the 
     States and Indian tribes;
       ``(iii) implementation of this section; and
       ``(iv) improvements in energy savings over time as result 
     of the targets established under section 307(b)(2).
       ``(B) Impacts.--The report shall include estimates of 
     impacts of past action under this section, and potential 
     impacts of further action, on--
       ``(i) upfront financial and construction costs, cost 
     benefits and returns (using investment analysis), and 
     lifetime energy use for buildings;
       ``(ii) resulting energy costs to individuals and 
     businesses; and
       ``(iii) resulting overall annual building ownership and 
     operating costs.
       ``(e) Technical Assistance to States and Indian Tribes.--
     The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to States 
     and Indian tribes to implement the goals and requirements of 
     this section, including procedures and technical analysis for 
     States and Indian tribes--
       ``(1) to improve and implement State residential and 
     commercial building energy codes;
       ``(2) to demonstrate that the code provisions of the States 
     and Indian tribes achieve equivalent or greater energy 
     savings than the model building energy codes and targets;
       ``(3) to document the rate of compliance with a building 
     energy code; and
       ``(4) to otherwise promote the design and construction of 
     energy efficient buildings.
       ``(f) Availability of Incentive Funding.--

[[Page S6352]]

       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide incentive 
     funding to States and Indian tribes--
       ``(A) to implement the requirements of this section;
       ``(B) to improve and implement residential and commercial 
     building energy codes, including increasing and verifying 
     compliance with the codes and training of State, tribal, and 
     local building code officials to implement and enforce the 
     codes; and
       ``(C) to promote building energy efficiency through the use 
     of the codes.
       ``(2) Additional funding.--Additional funding shall be 
     provided under this subsection for implementation of a plan 
     to achieve and document full compliance with residential and 
     commercial building energy codes under subsection (c)--
       ``(A) to a State or Indian tribe for which the Secretary 
     has validated a certification under subsection (b) or (c); 
     and
       ``(B) in a State or Indian tribe that is not eligible under 
     subparagraph (A), to a local government that is eligible 
     under this section.
       ``(3) Training.--Of the amounts made available under this 
     subsection, the State may use amounts required, but not to 
     exceed $750,000 for a State, to train State and local 
     building code officials to implement and enforce codes 
     described in paragraph (2).
       ``(4) Local governments.--States may share grants under 
     this subsection with local governments that implement and 
     enforce the codes.
       ``(g) Stretch Codes and Advanced Standards.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
     and financial support for the development of stretch codes 
     and advanced standards for residential and commercial 
     buildings for use as--
       ``(A) an option for adoption as a building energy code by 
     local, tribal, or State governments; and
       ``(B) guidelines for energy-efficient building design.
       ``(2) Targets.--The stretch codes and advanced standards 
     shall be designed--
       ``(A) to achieve substantial energy savings compared to the 
     model building energy codes; and
       ``(B) to meet targets under section 307(b), if available, 
     at least 3 to 6 years in advance of the target years.
       ``(h) Studies.--The Secretary, in consultation with 
     building science experts from the National Laboratories and 
     institutions of higher education, designers and builders of 
     energy-efficient residential and commercial buildings, code 
     officials, and other stakeholders, shall undertake a study of 
     the feasibility, impact, economics, and merit of--
       ``(1) code improvements that would require that buildings 
     be designed, sited, and constructed in a manner that makes 
     the buildings more adaptable in the future to become zero-
     net-energy after initial construction, as advances are 
     achieved in energy-saving technologies;
       ``(2) code procedures to incorporate measured lifetimes, 
     not just first-year energy use, in trade-offs and performance 
     calculations; and
       ``(3) legislative options for increasing energy savings 
     from building energy codes, including additional incentives 
     for effective State and local action, and verification of 
     compliance with and enforcement of a code other than by a 
     State or local government.
       ``(i) Effect on Other Laws.--Nothing in this section or 
     section 307 supersedes or modifies the application of 
     sections 321 through 346 of the Energy Policy and 
     Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq.).
       ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and 
     section 307 $200,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.''.
       (c) Federal Building Energy Efficiency Standards.--Section 
     305 of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 
     6834) is amended by striking ``voluntary building energy 
     code'' each place it appears in subsections (a)(2)(B) and (b) 
     and inserting ``model building energy code''.
       (d) Model Building Energy Codes.--Section 307 of the Energy 
     Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6836) is amended 
     to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 307. SUPPORT FOR MODEL BUILDING ENERGY CODES.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall support the updating 
     of model building energy codes.
       ``(b) Targets.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall support the updating 
     of the model building energy codes to enable the achievement 
     of aggregate energy savings targets established under 
     paragraph (2).
       ``(2) Targets.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall work with State, 
     Indian tribes, local governments, nationally recognized code 
     and standards developers, and other interested parties to 
     support the updating of model building energy codes by 
     establishing 1 or more aggregate energy savings targets to 
     achieve the purposes of this section.
       ``(B) Separate targets.--The Secretary may establish 
     separate targets for commercial and residential buildings.
       ``(C) Baselines.--The baseline for updating model building 
     energy codes shall be the 2009 IECC for residential buildings 
     and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010 for commercial buildings.
       ``(D) Specific years.--
       ``(i) In general.--Targets for specific years shall be 
     established and revised by the Secretary through rulemaking 
     and coordinated with nationally recognized code and standards 
     developers at a level that--

       ``(I) is at the maximum level of energy efficiency that is 
     technologically feasible and life-cycle cost effective, while 
     accounting for the economic considerations under paragraph 
     (4);
       ``(II) is higher than the preceding target; and
       ``(III) promotes the achievement of commercial and 
     residential high-performance buildings through high 
     performance energy efficiency (within the meaning of section 
     401 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
     U.S.C. 17061)).

       ``(ii) Initial targets.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date of enactment of this clause, the Secretary shall 
     establish initial targets under this subparagraph.
       ``(iii) Different target years.--Subject to clause (i), 
     prior to the applicable year, the Secretary may set a later 
     target year for any of the model building energy codes 
     described in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines 
     that a target cannot be met.
       ``(iv) Small business.--When establishing targets under 
     this paragraph through rulemaking, the Secretary shall ensure 
     compliance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
     Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601 note; Public Law 104-121).
       ``(3) Appliance standards and other factors affecting 
     building energy use.--In establishing building code targets 
     under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall develop and adjust 
     the targets in recognition of potential savings and costs 
     relating to--
       ``(A) efficiency gains made in appliances, lighting, 
     windows, insulation, and building envelope sealing;
       ``(B) advancement of distributed generation and on-site 
     renewable power generation technologies;
       ``(C) equipment improvements for heating, cooling, and 
     ventilation systems;
       ``(D) building management systems and SmartGrid 
     technologies to reduce energy use; and
       ``(E) other technologies, practices, and building systems 
     that the Secretary considers appropriate regarding building 
     plug load and other energy uses.
       ``(4) Economic considerations.--In establishing and 
     revising building code targets under paragraph (2), the 
     Secretary shall consider the economic feasibility of 
     achieving the proposed targets established under this section 
     and the potential costs and savings for consumers and 
     building owners, including a return on investment analysis.
       ``(c) Technical Assistance to Model Building Energy Code-
     setting and Standard Development Organizations.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, on a timely basis, 
     provide technical assistance to model building energy code-
     setting and standard development organizations consistent 
     with the goals of this section.
       ``(2) Assistance.--The assistance shall include, as 
     requested by the organizations, technical assistance in--
       ``(A) evaluating code or standards proposals or revisions;
       ``(B) building energy analysis and design tools;
       ``(C) building demonstrations;
       ``(D) developing definitions of energy use intensity and 
     building types for use in model building energy codes to 
     evaluate the efficiency impacts of the model building energy 
     codes;
       ``(E) performance-based standards;
       ``(F) evaluating economic considerations under subsection 
     (b)(4); and
       ``(G) developing model building energy codes by Indian 
     tribes in accordance with tribal law.
       ``(3) Amendment proposals.--The Secretary may submit timely 
     model building energy code amendment proposals to the model 
     building energy code-setting and standard development 
     organizations, with supporting evidence, sufficient to enable 
     the model building energy codes to meet the targets 
     established under subsection (b)(2).
       ``(4) Analysis methodology.--The Secretary shall make 
     publicly available the entire calculation methodology 
     (including input assumptions and data) used by the Secretary 
     to estimate the energy savings of code or standard proposals 
     and revisions.
       ``(d) Determination.--
       ``(1) Revision of model building energy codes.--If the 
     provisions of the IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1 regarding 
     building energy use are revised, the Secretary shall make a 
     preliminary determination not later than 90 days after the 
     date of the revision, and a final determination not later 
     than 15 months after the date of the revision, on whether or 
     not the revision will--
       ``(A) improve energy efficiency in buildings compared to 
     the existing model building energy code; and
       ``(B) meet the applicable targets under subsection (b)(2).
       ``(2) Codes or standards not meeting targets.--
       ``(A) In general.--If the Secretary makes a preliminary 
     determination under paragraph (1)(B) that a code or standard 
     does not meet the targets established under subsection 
     (b)(2), the Secretary may at the same time provide the model 
     building energy code or standard developer with proposed 
     changes that would result in a model building energy code 
     that meets the targets and with supporting evidence, taking 
     into consideration--
       ``(i) whether the modified code is technically feasible and 
     life-cycle cost effective;

[[Page S6353]]

       ``(ii) available appliances, technologies, materials, and 
     construction practices; and
       ``(iii) the economic considerations under subsection 
     (b)(4).
       ``(B) Incorporation of changes.--
       ``(i) In general.--On receipt of the proposed changes, the 
     model building energy code or standard developer shall have 
     an additional 270 days to accept or reject the proposed 
     changes of the Secretary to the model building energy code or 
     standard for the Secretary to make a final determination.
       ``(ii) Final determination.--A final determination under 
     paragraph (1) shall be on the modified model building energy 
     code or standard.
       ``(e) Administration.--In carrying out this section, the 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(1) publish notice of targets and supporting analysis and 
     determinations under this section in the Federal Register to 
     provide an explanation of and the basis for such actions, 
     including any supporting modeling, data, assumptions, 
     protocols, and cost-benefit analysis, including return on 
     investment; and
       ``(2) provide an opportunity for public comment on targets 
     and supporting analysis and determinations under this 
     section.
       ``(f) Voluntary Codes and Standards.--Nothwithstanding any 
     other provision of this section, any model building code or 
     standard established under this section shall not be binding 
     on a State, local government, or Indian tribe as a matter of 
     Federal law.''.

             PART II--WORKER TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

     SEC. 221. BUILDING TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTERS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall provide 
     grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in 
     section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1001)) and Tribal Colleges or Universities (as defined in 
     section 316(b) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)) to establish 
     building training and assessment centers--
       (1) to identify opportunities for optimizing energy 
     efficiency and environmental performance in buildings;
       (2) to promote the application of emerging concepts and 
     technologies in commercial and institutional buildings;
       (3) to train engineers, architects, building scientists, 
     building energy permitting and enforcement officials, and 
     building technicians in energy-efficient design and 
     operation;
       (4) to assist institutions of higher education and Tribal 
     Colleges or Universities in training building technicians;
       (5) to promote research and development for the use of 
     alternative energy sources and distributed generation to 
     supply heat and power for buildings, particularly energy-
     intensive buildings; and
       (6) to coordinate with and assist State-accredited 
     technical training centers, community colleges, Tribal 
     Colleges or Universities, and local offices of the National 
     Institute of Food and Agriculture and ensure appropriate 
     services are provided under this section to each region of 
     the United States.
       (b) Coordination and Nonduplication.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall coordinate the program 
     with the Industrial Assessment Centers program and with other 
     Federal programs to avoid duplication of effort.
       (2) Collocation.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
     building, training, and assessment centers established under 
     this section shall be collocated with Industrial Assessment 
     Centers.

                Subtitle B--Building Efficiency Finance

     SEC. 231. LOAN PROGRAM FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES TO 
                   EXISTING BUILDINGS.

       Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 1706. BUILDING RETROFIT FINANCING PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Credit support.--The term `credit support' means a 
     guarantee or commitment to issue a guarantee or other forms 
     of credit enhancement to ameliorate risks for efficiency 
     obligations.
       ``(2) Efficiency obligation.--The term `efficiency 
     obligation' means a debt or repayment obligation incurred in 
     connection with financing a project, or a portfolio of such 
     debt or payment obligations.
       ``(3) Project.--The term `project' means the installation 
     and implementation of efficiency, advanced metering, 
     distributed generation, or renewable energy technologies and 
     measures in a building (or in multiple buildings on a given 
     property) that are expected to increase the energy efficiency 
     of the building (including fixtures) in accordance with 
     criteria established by the Secretary.
       ``(b) Eligible Projects.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 1703 and 1705, 
     the Secretary may provide credit support under this section, 
     in accordance with section 1702.
       ``(2) Inclusions.--Buildings eligible for credit support 
     under this section include commercial, multifamily 
     residential, industrial, municipal, government, institution 
     of higher education, school, and hospital facilities that 
     satisfy criteria established by the Secretary.
       ``(c) Guidelines.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) establish guidelines for credit support provided 
     under this section; and
       ``(B) publish the guidelines in the Federal Register; and
       ``(C) provide for an opportunity for public comment on the 
     guidelines.
       ``(2) Requirements.--The guidelines established by the 
     Secretary under this subsection shall include--
       ``(A) standards for assessing the energy savings that could 
     reasonably be expected to result from a project;
       ``(B) examples of financing mechanisms (and portfolios of 
     such financing mechanisms) that qualify as efficiency 
     obligations;
       ``(C) the threshold levels of energy savings that a 
     project, at the time of issuance of credit support, shall be 
     reasonably expected to achieve to be eligible for credit 
     support;
       ``(D) the eligibility criteria the Secretary determines to 
     be necessary for making credit support available under this 
     section; and
       ``(E) notwithstanding subsections (d)(3) and (g)(2)(B) of 
     section 1702, any lien priority requirements that the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary, in consultation with 
     the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, which 
     may include--
       ``(i) requirements to preserve priority lien status of 
     secured lenders and creditors in buildings eligible for 
     credit support;
       ``(ii) remedies available to the Secretary under chapter 
     176 of title 28, United States Code, in the event of default 
     on the efficiency obligation by the borrower; and
       ``(iii) measures to limit the exposure of the Secretary to 
     financial risk in the event of default, such as--

       ``(I) the collection of a credit subsidy fee from the 
     borrower as a loan loss reserve, taking into account the 
     limitation on credit support under subsection (d);
       ``(II) minimum debt-to-income levels of the borrower;
       ``(III) minimum levels of value relative to outstanding 
     mortgage or other debt on a building eligible for credit 
     support;
       ``(IV) allowable thresholds for the percent of the 
     efficiency obligation relative to the amount of any mortgage 
     or other debt on an eligible building;
       ``(V) analysis of historic and anticipated occupancy levels 
     and rental income of an eligible building;
       ``(VI) requirements of third-party contractors to guarantee 
     energy savings that will result from a retrofit project, and 
     whether financing on the efficiency obligation will amortize 
     from the energy savings;
       ``(VII) requirements that the retrofit project incorporate 
     protocols to measure and verify energy savings; and
       ``(VIII) recovery of payments equally by the Secretary and 
     the retrofit.

       ``(3) Efficiency obligations.--The financing mechanisms 
     qualified by the Secretary under paragraph (2)(B) may 
     include--
       ``(A) loans, including loans made by the Federal Financing 
     Bank;
       ``(B) power purchase agreements, including energy 
     efficiency power purchase agreements;
       ``(C) energy services agreements, including energy 
     performance contracts;
       ``(D) property assessed clean energy bonds and other tax 
     assessment-based financing mechanisms;
       ``(E) aggregate on-meter agreements that finance retrofit 
     projects; and
       ``(F) any other efficiency obligations the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate.
       ``(4) Priorities.--In carrying out this section, the 
     Secretary shall prioritize--
       ``(A) the maximization of energy savings with the available 
     credit support funding;
       ``(B) the establishment of a clear application and approval 
     process that allows private building owners, lenders, and 
     investors to reasonably expect to receive credit support for 
     projects that conform to guidelines;
       ``(C) the distribution of projects receiving credit support 
     under this section across States or geographical regions of 
     the United States; and
       ``(D) projects designed to achieve whole-building 
     retrofits.
       ``(d) Limitation.--Notwithstanding section 1702(c), the 
     Secretary shall not issue credit support under this section 
     in an amount that exceeds--
       ``(1) 90 percent of the principal amount of the efficiency 
     obligation that is the subject of the credit support; or
       ``(2) $10,000,000 for any single project.
       ``(e) Aggregation of Projects.--To the extent provided in 
     the guidelines developed in accordance with subsection (c), 
     the Secretary may issue credit support on a portfolio, or 
     pool of projects, that are not required to be geographically 
     contiguous, if each efficiency obligation in the pool 
     fulfills the requirements described in this section.
       ``(f) Application.--
       ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive credit support 
     under this section, the applicant shall submit to the 
     Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and 
     containing such information as the Secretary determines to be 
     necessary.
       ``(2) Contents.--An application submitted under this 
     section shall include assurances by the applicant that--
       ``(A) each contractor carrying out the project meets 
     minimum experience level criteria, including local retrofit 
     experience, as determined by the Secretary;
       ``(B) the project is reasonably expected to achieve energy 
     savings, as set forth in the application using any 
     methodology that

[[Page S6354]]

     meets the standards described in the program guidelines;
       ``(C) the project meets any technical criteria described in 
     the program guidelines;
       ``(D) the recipient of the credit support and the parties 
     to the efficiency obligation will provide the Secretary 
     with--
       ``(i) any information the Secretary requests to assess the 
     energy savings that result from the project, including 
     historical energy usage data, a simulation-based benchmark, 
     and detailed descriptions of the building work, as described 
     in the program guidelines; and
       ``(ii) permission to access information relating to 
     building operations and usage for the period described in the 
     program guidelines; and
       ``(E) any other assurances that the Secretary determines to 
     be necessary.
       ``(3) Determination.--Not later than 90 days after 
     receiving an application, the Secretary shall make a final 
     determination on the application, which may include requests 
     for additional information.
       ``(g) Fees.--
       ``(1) In general.--In addition to the fees required by 
     section 1702(h)(1), the Secretary may charge reasonable fees 
     for credit support provided under this section.
       ``(2) Availability.--Fees collected under this section 
     shall be subject to section 1702(h)(2).
       ``(h) Underwriting.--The Secretary may delegate the 
     underwriting activities under this section to 1 or more 
     entities that the Secretary determines to be qualified.
       ``(i) Report.--Not later than 1 year after commencement of 
     the program, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report that describes in reasonable 
     detail--
       ``(1) the manner in which this section is being carried 
     out;
       ``(2) the number and type of projects supported;
       ``(3) the types of funding mechanisms used to provide 
     credit support to projects;
       ``(4) the energy savings expected to result from projects 
     supported by this section;
       ``(5) any tracking efforts the Secretary is using to 
     calculate the actual energy savings produced by the projects; 
     and
       ``(6) any plans to improve the tracking efforts described 
     in paragraph (5).
       ``(j) Funding.--
       ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
     $400,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2012 through 
     2021, to remain available until expended.
       ``(2) Administrative costs.--Not more than 1 percent of any 
     amounts made available to the Secretary under paragraph (1) 
     may be used by the Secretary for administrative costs 
     incurred in carrying out this section.''.

         Subtitle C--Industrial Efficiency and Competitiveness

                PART I--MANUFACTURING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

     SEC. 241. STATE PARTNERSHIP INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
                   REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM.

       Section 399A of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
     U.S.C. 6371h-1) is amended--
       (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``and industry'' 
     before the period at the end;
       (2) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections 
     (i) and (j), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
       ``(h) State Partnership Industrial Energy Efficiency 
     Revolving Loan Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
     under which the Secretary shall provide grants to eligible 
     lenders to pay the Federal share of creating a revolving loan 
     program under which loans are provided to commercial and 
     industrial manufacturers to implement commercially available 
     technologies or processes that significantly--
       ``(A) reduce systems energy intensity, including the use of 
     energy-intensive feedstocks; and
       ``(B) improve the industrial competitiveness of the United 
     States.
       ``(2) Eligible lenders.--To be eligible to receive cost-
     matched Federal funds under this subsection, a lender shall--
       ``(A) be a community and economic development lender that 
     the Secretary certifies meets the requirements of this 
     subsection;
       ``(B) lead a partnership that includes participation by, at 
     a minimum--
       ``(i) a State government agency; and
       ``(ii) a private financial institution or other provider of 
     loan capital;
       ``(C) submit an application to the Secretary, and receive 
     the approval of the Secretary, for cost-matched Federal funds 
     to carry out a loan program described in paragraph (1); and
       ``(D) ensure that non-Federal funds are provided to match, 
     on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis, the amount of Federal 
     funds that are provided to carry out a revolving loan program 
     described in paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Award.--The amount of cost-matched Federal funds 
     provided to an eligible lender shall not exceed $100,000,000 
     for any fiscal year.
       ``(4) Recapture of awards.--
       ``(A) In general.--An eligible lender that receives an 
     award under paragraph (1) shall be required to repay to the 
     Secretary an amount of cost-match Federal funds, as 
     determined by the Secretary under subparagraph (B), if the 
     eligible lender is unable or unwilling to operate a program 
     described in this subsection for a period of not less than 10 
     years beginning on the date on which the eligible lender 
     first receives funds made available through the award.
       ``(B) Determination by secretary.--The Secretary shall 
     determine the amount of cost-match Federal funds that an 
     eligible lender shall be required to repay to the Secretary 
     under subparagraph (A) based on the consideration by the 
     Secretary of--
       ``(i) the amount of non-Federal funds matched by the 
     eligible lender;
       ``(ii) the amount of loan losses incurred by the revolving 
     loan program described in paragraph (1); and
       ``(iii) any other appropriate factor, as determined by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(C) Use of recaptured cost-match federal funds.--The 
     Secretary may distribute to eligible lenders under this 
     subsection each amount received by the Secretary under this 
     paragraph.
       ``(5) Eligible projects.--A program for which cost-matched 
     Federal funds are provided under this subsection shall be 
     designed to accelerate the implementation of industrial and 
     commercial applications of technologies or processes 
     (including distributed generation, applications or 
     technologies that use sensors, meters, software, and 
     information networks, controls, and drives or that have been 
     installed pursuant to an energy savings performance contract, 
     project, or strategy) that--
       ``(A) improve energy efficiency, including improvements in 
     efficiency and use of water, power factor, or load 
     management;
       ``(B) enhance the industrial competitiveness of the United 
     States; and
       ``(C) achieve such other goals as the Secretary determines 
     to be appropriate.
       ``(6) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate 
     applications for cost-matched Federal funds under this 
     subsection on the basis of--
       ``(A) the description of the program to be carried out with 
     the cost-matched Federal funds;
       ``(B) the commitment to provide non-Federal funds in 
     accordance with paragraph (2)(D);
       ``(C) program sustainability over a 10-year period;
       ``(D) the capability of the applicant;
       ``(E) the quantity of energy savings or energy feedstock 
     minimization;
       ``(F) the advancement of the goal under this Act of 25-
     percent energy avoidance;
       ``(G) the ability to fund energy efficient projects not 
     later than 120 days after the date of the grant award; and
       ``(H) such other factors as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, 
     $400,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2012 through 
     2021.''.

     SEC. 242. COORDINATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY 
                   EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR INDUSTRY.

       (a) In General.--As part of the research and development 
     activities of the Industrial Technologies Program of the 
     Department of Energy, the Secretary shall establish, as 
     appropriate, collaborative research and development 
     partnerships with other programs within the Office of Energy 
     Efficiency and Renewable Energy (including the Building 
     Technologies Program), the Office of Electricity Delivery and 
     Energy Reliability, and the Office of Science that--
       (1) leverage the research and development expertise of 
     those programs to promote early stage energy efficiency 
     technology development;
       (2) support the use of innovative manufacturing processes 
     and applied research for development, demonstration, and 
     commercialization of new technologies and processes to 
     improve efficiency (including improvements in efficient use 
     of water), reduce emissions, reduce industrial waste, and 
     improve industrial cost-competitiveness; and
       (3) apply the knowledge and expertise of the Industrial 
     Technologies Program to help achieve the program goals of the 
     other programs.
       (b) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and biennially thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes 
     actions taken to carry out subsection (a) and the results of 
     those actions.

     SEC. 243. REDUCING BARRIERS TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF INDUSTRIAL 
                   ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Industrial energy efficiency.--The term ``industrial 
     energy efficiency'' means the energy efficiency derived from 
     commercial technologies and measures to improve energy 
     efficiency or to generate or transmit electric power and 
     heat, including electric motor efficiency improvements, 
     demand response, direct or indirect combined heat and power, 
     and waste heat recovery.
       (2) Industrial sector.--The term ``industrial sector'' 
     means any subsector of the manufacturing sector (as defined 
     in North American Industry Classification System codes 31-33 
     (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act)) 
     establishments of which have, or could have, thermal host 
     facilities with electricity requirements met in whole, or in 
     part, by onsite electricity generation, including direct and 
     indirect combined heat and power or waste recovery.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.

[[Page S6355]]

       (b) Report on the Deployment of Industrial Energy 
     Efficiency.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate a report describing--
       (A) the results of the study conducted under paragraph (2); 
     and
       (B) recommendations and guidance developed under paragraph 
     (3).
       (2) Study.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
     industrial sector, shall conduct a study of the following:
       (A) The legal, regulatory, and economic barriers to the 
     deployment of industrial energy efficiency in all electricity 
     markets (including organized wholesale electricity markets, 
     and regulated electricity markets), including, as applicable, 
     the following:
       (i) Transmission and distribution interconnection 
     requirements.
       (ii) Standby, back-up, and maintenance fees (including 
     demand ratchets).
       (iii) Exit fees.
       (iv) Life of contract demand ratchets.
       (v) Net metering.
       (vi) Calculation of avoided cost rates.
       (vii) Power purchase agreements.
       (viii) Energy market structures.
       (ix) Capacity market structures.
       (x) Other barriers as may be identified by the Secretary, 
     in coordination with the industrial sector.
       (B) Examples of --
       (i) successful State and Federal policies that resulted in 
     greater use of industrial energy efficiency;
       (ii) successful private initiatives that resulted in 
     greater use of industrial energy efficiency; and
       (iii) cost-effective policies used by foreign countries to 
     foster industrial energy efficiency.
       (C) The estimated economic benefits to the national economy 
     of providing the industrial sector with Federal energy 
     efficiency matching grants of $5,000,000,000 for 5- and 10-
     year periods, including benefits relating to--
       (i) estimated energy and emission reductions;
       (ii) direct and indirect jobs saved or created;
       (iii) direct and indirect capital investment;
       (iv) the gross domestic product; and
       (v) trade balance impacts.
       (D) The estimated energy savings available from increased 
     use of recycled material in energy-intensive manufacturing 
     processes.
       (3) Recommendations and guidance.--The Secretary, in 
     coordination with the industrial sector, shall develop policy 
     recommendations regarding the deployment of industrial energy 
     efficiency, including proposed regulatory guidance to States 
     and relevant Federal agencies to address barriers to 
     deployment.

     SEC. 244. FUTURE OF INDUSTRY PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 452 of the Energy Independence and 
     Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17111) is amended by striking 
     the section heading and inserting the following: ``future of 
     industry program''.
       (b) Definition of Energy Service Provider.--Section 452(a) 
     of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
     U.S.C. 17111(a)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (3):
       ``(5) Energy service provider.--The term `energy service 
     provider' means any private company or similar entity 
     providing technology or services to improve energy efficiency 
     in an energy-intensive industry.''.
       (c) Industrial Research and Assessment Centers.--
       (1) In general.--Section 452(e) of the Energy Independence 
     and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17111(e)) is amended--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and indenting 
     appropriately;
       (B) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary'';
       (C) in subparagraph (A) (as redesignated by subparagraph 
     (A)), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
     following: ``, including assessments of sustainable 
     manufacturing goals and the implementation of information 
     technology advancements for supply chain analysis, logistics, 
     system monitoring, industrial and manufacturing processes, 
     and other purposes''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Centers of excellence.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a Center 
     of Excellence at up to 10 of the highest performing 
     industrial research and assessment centers, as determined by 
     the Secretary.
       ``(B) Duties.--A Center of Excellence shall coordinate with 
     and advise the industrial research and assessment centers 
     located in the region of the Center of Excellence.
       ``(C) Funding.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, of the funds made available under subsection 
     (f), the Secretary shall use to support each Center of 
     Excellence not less than $500,000 for fiscal year 2012 and 
     each fiscal year thereafter, as determined by the Secretary.
       ``(3) Expansion of centers.--The Secretary shall provide 
     funding to establish additional industrial research and 
     assessment centers at institutions of higher education that 
     do not have industrial research and assessment centers 
     established under paragraph (1), taking into account the size 
     of, and potential energy efficiency savings for, the 
     manufacturing base within the region of the proposed center.
       ``(4) Coordination.--
       ``(A) In general.--To increase the value and capabilities 
     of the industrial research and assessment centers, the 
     centers shall--
       ``(i) coordinate with Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
     Centers of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology;
       ``(ii) coordinate with the Building Technologies Program of 
     the Department of Energy to provide building assessment 
     services to manufacturers;
       ``(iii) increase partnerships with the National 
     Laboratories of the Department of Energy to leverage the 
     expertise and technologies of the National Laboratories for 
     national industrial and manufacturing needs;
       ``(iv) increase partnerships with energy service providers 
     and technology providers to leverage private sector expertise 
     and accelerate deployment of new and existing technologies 
     and processes for energy efficiency, power factor, and load 
     management;
       ``(v) identify opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas 
     emissions; and
       ``(vi) promote sustainable manufacturing practices for 
     small- and medium-sized manufacturers.
       ``(5) Outreach.--The Secretary shall provide funding for--
       ``(A) outreach activities by the industrial research and 
     assessment centers to inform small- and medium-sized 
     manufacturers of the information, technologies, and services 
     available; and
       ``(B) a full-time equivalent employee at each center of 
     excellence whose primary mission shall be to coordinate and 
     leverage the efforts of the center with--
       ``(i) Federal and State efforts;
       ``(ii) the efforts of utilities and energy service 
     providers;
       ``(iii) the efforts of regional energy efficiency 
     organizations; and
       ``(iv) the efforts of other centers in the region of the 
     center of excellence.
       ``(6) Workforce training.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall pay the Federal 
     share of associated internship programs under which students 
     work with or for industries, manufacturers, and energy 
     service providers to implement the recommendations of 
     industrial research and assessment centers.
       ``(B) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     carrying out internship programs described in subparagraph 
     (A) shall be 50 percent.
       ``(C) Funding.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, of the funds made available under subsection 
     (f), the Secretary shall use to carry out this paragraph not 
     less than $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and each fiscal 
     year thereafter.
       ``(7) Small business loans.--The Administrator of the Small 
     Business Administration shall, to the maximum practicable, 
     expedite consideration of applications from eligible small 
     business concerns for loans under the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 631 et seq.) to implement recommendations of 
     industrial research and assessment centers established under 
     paragraph (1).''.

     SEC. 245. SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE.

       (a) In General.--Part E of title III of the Energy Policy 
     and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6341) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

     ``SEC. 376. SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE.

       ``(a) In General.--As part of the Industrial Technologies 
     Program of the Department of Energy, the Secretary shall 
     carry out a sustainable manufacturing initiative under which 
     the Secretary, on the request of a manufacturer, shall 
     conduct onsite technical assessments to identify 
     opportunities for--
       ``(1) maximizing the energy efficiency of industrial 
     processes and cross-cutting systems;
       ``(2) preventing pollution and minimizing waste;
       ``(3) improving efficient use of water in manufacturing 
     processes;
       ``(4) conserving natural resources; and
       ``(5) achieving such other goals as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate.
       ``(b) Coordination.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
     initiative in coordination with the private sector and 
     appropriate agencies, including the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology to accelerate adoption of new and 
     existing technologies or processes that improve energy 
     efficiency.
       ``(c) Research and Development Program for Sustainable 
     Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies and Processes.--As 
     part of the Industrial Technologies Program of the Department 
     of Energy, the Secretary shall carry out a joint industry-
     government partnership program to research, develop, and 
     demonstrate new sustainable manufacturing and industrial 
     technologies and processes that maximize the energy 
     efficiency of industrial systems, reduce pollution, and 
     conserve natural resources.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be to carry out this section $10,000,000 for the period of 
     fiscal years 2012 through 2021.''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of the Energy 
     Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. prec. 6201) is amended 
     by adding at the end of the items relating to part E of title 
     III the following:

``Sec. 376. Sustainable manufacturing initiative.''.

[[Page S6356]]

     SEC. 246. STUDY OF ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING 
                   CAPABILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an 
     arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under which 
     the Academy shall conduct a study of the development of 
     advanced manufacturing capabilities for various energy 
     technologies, including--
       (1) an assessment of the manufacturing supply chains of 
     established and emerging industries;
       (2) an analysis of--
       (A) the manner in which supply chains have changed over the 
     25-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act;
       (B) current trends in supply chains; and
       (C) the energy intensity of each part of the supply chain 
     and opportunities for improvement;
       (3) for each technology or manufacturing sector, an 
     analysis of which sections of the supply chain are critical 
     for the United States to retain or develop to be competitive 
     in the manufacturing of the technology;
       (4) an assessment of which emerging energy technologies the 
     United States should focus on to create or enhance 
     manufacturing capabilities; and
       (5) recommendations on leveraging the expertise of energy 
     efficiency and renewable energy user facilities so that best 
     materials and manufacturing practices are designed and 
     implemented.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which 
     the Secretary enters into the agreement with the Academy 
     described in subsection (a), the Academy shall submit to the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Secretary a report describing the 
     results of the study required under this section, including 
     any findings and recommendations.

     SEC. 247. INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES STEERING COMMITTEE.

       The Secretary shall establish an advisory steering 
     committee that includes national trade associations 
     representing energy-intensive industries or energy service 
     providers to provide recommendations to the Secretary on 
     planning and implementation of the Industrial Technologies 
     Program of the Department of Energy.

                          PART II--SUPPLY STAR

     SEC. 251. SUPPLY STAR.

       Part B of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 6291) is amended by inserting after section 
     324A (42 U.S.C. 6294a) the following:

     ``SEC. 324B. SUPPLY STAR PROGRAM.

       ``(a) In General.--There is established within the 
     Department of Energy a Supply Star program to identify and 
     promote practices, recognize companies, and, as appropriate, 
     recognize products that use highly efficient supply chains in 
     a manner that conserves energy, water, and other resources.
       ``(b) Coordination.--In carrying out the program described 
     in subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) consult with other appropriate agencies; and
       ``(2) coordinate efforts with the Energy Star program 
     established under section 324A.
       ``(c) Duties.--In carrying out the Supply Star program 
     described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) promote practices, recognize companies, and, as 
     appropriate, recognize products that comply with the Supply 
     Star program as the preferred practices, companies, and 
     products in the marketplace for maximizing supply chain 
     efficiency;
       ``(2) work to enhance industry and public awareness of the 
     Supply Star program;
       ``(3) collect and disseminate data on supply chain energy 
     resource consumption;
       ``(4) develop and disseminate metrics, processes, and 
     analytical tools (including software) for evaluating supply 
     chain energy resource use;
       ``(5) develop guidance at the sector level for improving 
     supply chain efficiency;
       ``(6) work with domestic and international organizations to 
     harmonize approaches to analyzing supply chain efficiency, 
     including the development of a consistent set of tools, 
     templates, calculators, and databases; and
       ``(7) work with industry, including small businesses, to 
     improve supply chain efficiency through activities that 
     include--
       ``(A) developing and sharing best practices; and
       ``(B) providing opportunities to benchmark supply chain 
     efficiency.
       ``(d) Evaluation.--In any evaluation of supply chain 
     efficiency carried out by the Secretary with respect to a 
     specific product, the Secretary shall consider energy 
     consumption and resource use throughout the entire lifecycle 
     of a product, including production, transport, packaging, 
     use, and disposal.
       ``(e) Grants and Incentives.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may award grants or other 
     forms of incentives on a competitive basis to eligible 
     entities, as determined by the Secretary, for the purposes 
     of--
       ``(A) studying supply chain energy resource efficiency; and
       ``(B) demonstrating and achieving reductions in the energy 
     resource consumption of commercial products through changes 
     and improvements to the production supply and distribution 
     chain of the products.
       ``(2) Use of information.--Any information or data 
     generated as a result of the grants or incentives described 
     in paragraph (1) shall be used to inform the development of 
     the Supply Star Program.
       ``(f) Training.--The Secretary shall use funds to support 
     professional training programs to develop and communicate 
     methods, practices, and tools for improving supply chain 
     efficiency.
       ``(g) Effect of Impact on Climate Change.--For purposes of 
     this section, the impact on climate change shall not be a 
     factor in determining supply chain efficiency.
       ``(h) Effect of Outsourcing of American Jobs.--For purposes 
     of this section, the outsourcing of American jobs in the 
     production of a product shall not count as a positive factor 
     in determining supply chain efficiency.
       ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2012 through 
     2021.''.

                PART III--ELECTRIC MOTOR REBATE PROGRAM

     SEC. 261. ENERGY SAVING MOTOR CONTROL REBATE PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than January 1, 2012, the 
     Secretary of Energy (referred to in this section as the 
     ``Secretary'') shall establish a program to provide rebates 
     for expenditures made by entities for the purchase and 
     installation of a new constant speed electric motor control 
     that reduces motor energy use by not less than 5 percent.
       (b) Requirements.--
       (1) Application.--To be eligible to receive a rebate under 
     this section, an entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application in such form, at such time, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require, including--
       (A) demonstrated evidence that the entity purchased a 
     constant speed electric motor control that reduces motor 
     energy use by not less than 5 percent; and
       (B) the physical nameplate of the installed motor of the 
     entity to which the energy saving motor control is attached.
       (2) Authorized amount of rebate.--The Secretary may provide 
     to an entity that meets the requirements of paragraph (1) a 
     rebate the amount of which shall be equal to the product 
     obtained by multiplying--
       (A) the nameplate horsepower of the electric motor to which 
     the energy saving motor control is attached; and
       (B) $25.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2012 and 2013, to remain available until 
     expended.

                  PART IV--TRANSFORMER REBATE PROGRAM

     SEC. 271. ENERGY EFFICIENT TRANSFORMER REBATE PROGRAM.

       (a) Definition of Qualified Transformer.--In this section, 
     the term ``qualified transformer'' means a transformer that 
     meets or exceeds the National Electrical Manufacturers 
     Association (NEMA) Premium Efficiency designation, calculated 
     to 2 decimal points, as having 30 percent fewer losses than 
     the NEMA TP-1-2002 efficiency standard for a transformer of 
     the same number of phases and capacity, as measured in 
     kilovolt-amperes.
       (b) Establishment.--Not later than January 1, 2012, the 
     Secretary of Energy (referred to in this section as the 
     ``Secretary'') shall establish a program to provide rebates 
     for expenditures made by owners of commercial buildings and 
     multifamily residential buildings for the purchase and 
     installation of a new energy efficient transformers.
       (c) Requirements.--
       (1) Application.--To be eligible to receive a rebate under 
     this section, an owner shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application in such form, at such time, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require, including 
     demonstrated evidence that the owner purchased a qualified 
     transformer.
       (2) Authorized amount of rebate.--For qualified 
     transformers, rebates, in dollars per kilovolt-ampere 
     (referred to in this paragraph as ``kVA'') shall be--
       (A) for 3-phase transformers--
       (i) with a capacity of not greater than 10 kVA, $15;
       (ii) with a capacity of not less than 10 kVA and not 
     greater than 100 kVA, the difference between 15 and the 
     quotient obtained by dividing--

       (I) the difference between--

       (aa) the capacity of the transformer in kVA; and
       (bb) 10; by

       (II) 9; and

       (iii) with a capacity greater than or equal to 100 kVA, $5; 
     and
       (B) for single-phase transformers, 75 percent of the rebate 
     for a 3-phase transformer of the same capacity.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2012 and 2013, to remain available until 
     expended.

              Subtitle D--Federal Agency Energy Efficiency

     SEC. 281. ADOPTION OF PERSONAL COMPUTER POWER SAVINGS 
                   TECHNIQUES BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 360 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, and the Administrator of General Services, 
     shall issue guidance for

[[Page S6357]]

     Federal agencies to employ advanced tools allowing energy 
     savings through the use of computer hardware, energy 
     efficiency software, and power management tools.
       (b) Reports on Plans and Savings.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the issuance of the guidance under 
     subsection (a), each Federal agency shall submit to the 
     Secretary of Energy a report that describes--
       (1) the plan of the agency for implementing the guidance 
     within the agency; and
       (2) estimated energy and financial savings from employing 
     the tools described in subsection (a).

     SEC. 282. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR DESIGN UPDATES.

       Section 3307 of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (h) as 
     subsections (e) through (i), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       ``(d) Availability of Funds for Design Updates.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for any 
     project for which congressional approval is received under 
     subsection (a) and for which the design has been 
     substantially completed but construction has not begun, the 
     Administrator of General Services may use appropriated funds 
     to update the project design to meet applicable Federal 
     building energy efficiency standards established under 
     section 305 of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 
     U.S.C. 6834) and other requirements established under section 
     3312.
       ``(2) Limitation.--The use of funds under paragraph (1) 
     shall not exceed 125 percent of the estimated energy or other 
     cost savings associated with the updates as determined by a 
     life-cycle cost analysis under section 544 of the National 
     Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8254).''.

     SEC. 283. BEST PRACTICES FOR ADVANCED METERING.

       Section 543(e) of the National Energy Conservation Policy 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 8253(e) is amended by striking paragraph (3) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(3) Plan.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     on which guidelines are established under paragraph (2), in a 
     report submitted by the agency under section 548(a), each 
     agency shall submit to the Secretary a plan describing the 
     manner in which the agency will implement the requirements of 
     paragraph (1), including--
       ``(i) how the agency will designate personnel primarily 
     responsible for achieving the requirements; and
       ``(ii) a demonstration by the agency, complete with 
     documentation, of any finding that advanced meters or 
     advanced metering devices (as those terms are used in 
     paragraph (1)), are not practicable.
       ``(B) Updates.--Reports submitted under subparagraph (A) 
     shall be updated annually.
       ``(4) Best practices report.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of the Energy Savings and Industrial 
     Competitiveness Act of 2012, the Secretary of Energy, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Administrator of General Services, shall develop, and issue a 
     report on, best practices for the use of advanced metering of 
     energy use in Federal facilities, buildings, and equipment by 
     Federal agencies.
       ``(B) Updating.--The report described under subparagraph 
     (A) shall be updated annually.
       ``(C) Components.--The report shall include, at a minimum--
       ``(i) summaries and analysis of the reports by agencies 
     under paragraph (3);
       ``(ii) recommendations on standard requirements or 
     guidelines for automated energy management systems, 
     including--

       ``(I) potential common communications standards to allow 
     data sharing and reporting;
       ``(II) means of facilitating continuous commissioning of 
     buildings and evidence-based maintenance of buildings and 
     building systems; and
       ``(III) standards for sufficient levels of security and 
     protection against cyber threats to ensure systems cannot be 
     controlled by unauthorized persons; and

       ``(iii) an analysis of--

       ``(I) the types of advanced metering and monitoring systems 
     being piloted, tested, or installed in Federal buildings; and
       ``(II) existing techniques used within the private sector 
     or other non-Federal government buildings.''.

     SEC. 284. FEDERAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND DATA COLLECTION 
                   STANDARD.

       Section 543 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 8253) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating the second subsection (f) (as added by 
     section 434(a) of Public Law 110-140 (121 Stat. 1614)) as 
     subsection (g); and
       (2) in subsection (f)(7), by striking subparagraph (A) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(A) In general.--For each facility that meets the 
     criteria established by the Secretary under paragraph (2)(B), 
     the energy manager shall use the web-based tracking system 
     under subparagraph (B)--
       ``(i) to certify compliance with the requirements for--

       ``(I) energy and water evaluations under paragraph (3);
       ``(II) implementation of identified energy and water 
     measures under paragraph (4); and
       ``(III) follow-up on implemented measures under paragraph 
     (5); and

       ``(ii) to publish energy and water consumption data on an 
     individual facility basis.''.

     SEC. 285. ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

       Section 804(4) of the National Energy Conservation Policy 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 8287c(4)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; or''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) a measure to support the use of electric vehicles or 
     the fueling or charging infrastructure necessary for electric 
     vehicles.''.

     SEC. 286. FEDERAL PURCHASE REQUIREMENT.

       Section 203 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     15852) is amended--
       (1) in subsections (a) and (b)(2), by striking ``electric 
     energy'' each place it appears and inserting ``electric, 
     direct, and thermal energy'';
       (2) in subsection (b)(2)--
       (A) by inserting ``, or avoided by,'' after ``generated 
     from''; and
       (B) by inserting ``(including ground-source, reclaimed, and 
     ground water)''after ``geothermal'';
       (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
       (4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       ``(d) Separate Calculation.--Renewable energy produced at a 
     Federal facility, on Federal land, or on Indian land (as 
     defined in section 2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3501))--
       ``(1) shall be calculated (on a BTU-equivalent basis) 
     separately from renewable energy used; and
       ``(2) may be used individually or in combination to comply 
     with subsection (a).''.

     SEC. 287. STUDY ON FEDERAL DATA CENTER CONSOLIDATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a 
     study on the feasibility of a government-wide data center 
     consolidation, with an overall Federal target of a minimum of 
     800 Federal data center closures by October 1, 2015.
       (b) Coordination.--In conducting the study, the Secretary 
     shall coordinate with Federal data center program managers, 
     facilities managers, and sustainability officers.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report that describes the results of the study, including a 
     description of agency best practices in data center 
     consolidation.

                       Subtitle E--Miscellaneous

     SEC. 291. OFFSETS.

       (a) Zero-Net Energy Commercial Buildings Initiative.--
     Section 422(f) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 
     2007 (42 U.S.C. 17082(f)) is amended by striking paragraphs 
     (2) through (4) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 
     2012;
       ``(3) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
       ``(4) $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
     2018.''.
       (b) Energy Sustainability and Efficiency Grants and Loans 
     for Institutions.--Subsection (j) of section 399A of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6371h-1) (as 
     redesignated by section 241(2)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``through 2013'' and 
     inserting ``and 2010, $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2011 and 2012, and $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2013''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``through 2013'' and 
     inserting ``and 2010, $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2011 and 2012, and $425,000,000 for fiscal year 2013''.
       (c) Waste Energy Recovery Incentive Program.--Section 
     373(f)(1) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
     U.S.C. 6343(f)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (D); 
     and
       (2) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
       ``(B) $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010;
       ``(C) $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 and 2012; 
     and''.
       (d) Energy-intensive Industries Program.--Section 452(f)(1) 
     of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
     U.S.C. 17111(f)(1)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``$202,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$102,000,000''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``$208,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$108,000,000''.

     SEC. 292. ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS REQUIRED.

       The authorization of amounts under this title and the 
     amendments made by this title shall be effective for any 
     fiscal year only to the extent and in the amount provided in 
     advance in appropriations Acts.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2828. Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Mr. Manchin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the end of the amendment, add the following:

[[Page S6358]]

     SEC. 19. KEYSTONE XL PERMIT APPROVAL.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding Executive Order No. 13337 
     (3 U.S.C. 301 note), Executive Order No. 11423 (3 U.S.C. 301 
     note), section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and any 
     other Executive order or provision of law, no presidential 
     permit shall be required for the pipeline described in the 
     application filed on May 4, 2012, by TransCanada Corporation 
     to the Department of State for the northern portion of the 
     Keystone XL pipeline from the Canadian border to the South 
     Dakota/Nebraska border.
       (b) Environmental Impact Statement.--The final 
     environmental impact statement issued by the Secretary of 
     State on August 26, 2011, regarding the pipeline referred to 
     in subsection (a), shall be considered to satisfy all 
     requirements of the National Environment Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
       (c) Intrastate Portion.--Nothing in this section affects 
     the ongoing work of the State of Nebraska with regard to the 
     fully intrastate portion of the Keystone XL pipeline.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2829. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. Enzi) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. GRANTS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL 
                   TRAINING FOR VETERANS.

       Section 330J(c)(8) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 254c-15(c)(8)) is amended by inserting before the 
     period the following: ``, including, as provided by the 
     Secretary, may use funds to provide to military veterans 
     required coursework and training that take into account, and 
     are not duplicative of, previous medical coursework and 
     training received when such veterans were active members of 
     the Armed Forces, to enable such veterans to satisfy 
     emergency medical services personnel certification 
     requirements, as determined by the appropriate State 
     regulatory entity''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2830. Mr. COCHRAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2789 proposed by Mrs. Murray to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       On page 9, strike lines 24 and 25 and insert the following:
       (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary of Veterans
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2831. Mr. COCHRAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 9, strike lines 4 and 5 and insert the following:
       (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary of Veterans
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2832. Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Mr. Manchin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2789 proposed by Mrs. 
Murray to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of the amendment, add the following:

     SEC. 19. KEYSTONE XL PERMIT APPROVAL.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding Executive Order No. 13337 
     (3 U.S.C. 301 note), Executive Order No. 11423 (3 U.S.C. 301 
     note), section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and any 
     other Executive order or provision of law, no presidential 
     permit shall be required for the pipeline described in the 
     application filed on May 4, 2012, by TransCanada Corporation 
     to the Department of State for the northern portion of the 
     Keystone XL pipeline from the Canadian border to the South 
     Dakota/Nebraska border.
       (b) Environmental Impact Statement.--The final 
     environmental impact statement issued by the Secretary of 
     State on August 26, 2011, regarding the pipeline referred to 
     in subsection (a), shall be considered to satisfy all 
     requirements of the National Environment Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
       (c) Intrastate Portion.--Nothing in this section affects 
     the ongoing work of the State of Nebraska with regard to the 
     fully intrastate portion of the Keystone XL pipeline.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2833. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2789 proposed by Mrs. Murray to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. VETERANS' BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM; OFFICE OF 
                   VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) In General.--Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 657b) is amended by striking subsection (f) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(f) Online Coordination.--
       ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `veterans' 
     assistance provider' means--
       ``(A) a veterans' business center established under 
     subsection (g);
       ``(B) an employee of the Administration assigned to the 
     Office of Veterans Business Development; and
       ``(C) a veterans business ownership representative 
     designated under subsection (g)(13)(B).
       ``(2) Establishment.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     establish an online mechanism to--
       ``(A) provide information that assists veterans' assistance 
     providers in carrying out the activities of the veterans' 
     assistance providers; and
       ``(B) coordinate and leverage the work of the veterans' 
     assistance providers, including by allowing a veterans' 
     assistance provider to--
       ``(i) distribute best practices and other materials;
       ``(ii) communicate with other veterans' assistance 
     providers regarding the activities of the veterans' 
     assistance provider on behalf of veterans; and
       ``(iii) pose questions to and request input from other 
     veterans' assistance providers.
       ``(g) Veterans' Business Center Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       ``(A) the term `active duty' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code;
       ``(B) the term `private nonprofit organization' means an 
     entity that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 
     501(a) of such Code;
       ``(C) the term `Reservist' means a member of a reserve 
     component of the Armed Forces, as described in section 10101 
     of title 10, United States Code;
       ``(D) the term `Service Corps of Retired Executives' means 
     the Service Corps of Retired Executives authorized under 
     section 8(b)(1);
       ``(E) the term `small business concern owned and controlled 
     by veterans'--
       ``(i) has the same meaning as in section 3(q); and
       ``(ii) includes a small business concern--

       ``(I) not less than 51 percent of which is owned by one or 
     more spouses of veterans or, in the case of any publicly 
     owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of 
     which is owned by one or more spouses of veterans; and
       ``(II) the management and daily business operations of 
     which are controlled by one or more spouses of veterans;

       ``(F) the term `spouse', relating to a veteran, service-
     disabled veteran, or Reservist, includes an individual who is 
     the spouse of a veteran, service-disabled veteran, or 
     Reservist on the date on which the veteran, service-disabled 
     veteran, or Reservist died;
       ``(G) the term `veterans' business center program' means 
     the program established under paragraph (2)(A); and
       ``(H) the term `women's business center' means a women's 
     business center described in section 29.
       ``(2) Program established.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the 
     Associate Administrator, shall establish a veterans' business 
     center program, under which the Associate Administrator may 
     provide financial assistance to a private nonprofit 
     organization to conduct a 5-year project for the benefit of 
     small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, 
     which may be renewed for one or more additional 5-year 
     periods.
       ``(B) Form of financial assistance.--Financial assistance 
     under this subsection may be in the form of a grant, a 
     contract, or a cooperative agreement.
       ``(3) Veterans' business centers.--Each private nonprofit 
     organization that receives financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall establish or operate a veterans' business 
     center (which may include establishing or operating satellite 
     offices in the region described in paragraph (5) served by 
     that private nonprofit organization) that provides to 
     veterans (including service-disabled veterans), Reservists, 
     and the spouses of veterans (including service-disabled 
     veterans) and Reservists--
       ``(A) financial advice, including training and counseling 
     on applying for and securing business credit and investment 
     capital, preparing and presenting financial statements, and 
     managing cash flow and other financial operations of a small 
     business concern;
       ``(B) management advice, including training and counseling 
     on the planning, organization, staffing, direction, and 
     control of each major activity and function of a small 
     business concern;
       ``(C) marketing advice, including training and counseling 
     on identifying and segmenting domestic and international 
     market opportunities, preparing and executing marketing 
     plans, developing pricing strategies, locating contract 
     opportunities, negotiating contracts, and using public 
     relations and advertising techniques; and
       ``(D) advice, including training and counseling, for 
     Reservists and the spouses of Reservists.
       ``(4) Application.--

[[Page S6359]]

       ``(A) In general.--A private nonprofit organization 
     desiring to receive financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall submit an application to the Associate 
     Administrator at such time and in such manner as the 
     Associate Administrator may require.
       ``(B) 5-year plan.--Each application described in 
     subparagraph (A) shall include a 5-year plan on proposed 
     fundraising and training activities relating to the veterans' 
     business center.
       ``(C) Determination and notification.--Not later than 60 
     days after the date on which a private nonprofit organization 
     submits an application under subparagraph (A), the Associate 
     Administrator shall approve or deny the application and 
     notify the applicant of the determination.
       ``(D) Availability of application.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall make every effort to make the application 
     under subparagraph (A) available online.
       ``(5) Eligibility.--The Associate Administrator may select 
     to receive financial assistance under this subsection--
       ``(A) a Veterans Business Outreach Center established by 
     the Administrator under section 8(b)(17) on or before the day 
     before the date of enactment of this subsection; or
       ``(B) private nonprofit organizations located in various 
     regions of the United States, as the Associate Administrator 
     determines is appropriate.
       ``(6) Selection criteria.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     establish selection criteria, stated in terms of relative 
     importance, to evaluate and rank applicants under paragraph 
     (5)(C) for financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(B) Criteria.--The selection criteria established under 
     this paragraph shall include--
       ``(i) the experience of the applicant in conducting 
     programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart or upgrade the 
     business skills of veterans, and the spouses of veterans, who 
     own or may own small business concerns;
       ``(ii) for an applicant for initial financial assistance 
     under this subsection--

       ``(I) the ability of the applicant to begin operating a 
     veterans' business center within a minimum amount of time; 
     and
       ``(II) the geographic region to be served by the veterans' 
     business center;

       ``(iii) the demonstrated ability of the applicant to--

       ``(I) provide managerial counseling and technical 
     assistance to entrepreneurs; and
       ``(II) coordinate services provided by veterans services 
     organizations and other public or private entities; and

       ``(iv) for any applicant for a renewal of financial 
     assistance under this subsection, the results of the most 
     recent examination under paragraph (10) of the veterans' 
     business center operated by the applicant.
       ``(C) Criteria publicly available.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall--
       ``(i) make publicly available the selection criteria 
     established under this paragraph; and
       ``(ii) include the criteria in each solicitation for 
     applications for financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(7) Amount of assistance.--The amount of financial 
     assistance provided under this subsection to a private 
     nonprofit organization for each fiscal year shall be--
       ``(A) not less than $150,000; and
       ``(B) not more than $200,000.
       ``(8) Federal share.--
       ``(A) In general.--
       ``(i) Initial financial assistance.--Except as provided in 
     clause (ii) and subparagraph (E), a private nonprofit 
     organization that receives financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall provide non-Federal contributions for the 
     operation of the veterans' business center established by the 
     private nonprofit organization in an amount equal to--

       ``(I) in each of the first and second years of the project, 
     not less than 33 percent of the amount of the financial 
     assistance received under this subsection; and
       ``(II) in each of the third through fifth years of the 
     project, not less than 50 percent of the amount of the 
     financial assistance received under this subsection.

       ``(ii) Renewals.--A private nonprofit organization that 
     receives a renewal of financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall provide non-Federal contributions for the 
     operation of the veterans' business center established by the 
     private nonprofit organization in an amount equal to not less 
     than 50 percent of the amount of the financial assistance 
     received under this subsection.
       ``(B) Form of non-federal share.--Not more than 50 percent 
     of the non-Federal share for a project carried out using 
     financial assistance under this subsection may be in the form 
     of in-kind contributions.
       ``(C) Timing of disbursement.--The Associate Administrator 
     may disburse not more than 25 percent of the financial 
     assistance awarded to a private nonprofit organization before 
     the private nonprofit organization obtains the non-Federal 
     share required under this paragraph with respect to that 
     award.
       ``(D) Failure to obtain non-federal funding.--
       ``(i) In general.--If a private nonprofit organization that 
     receives financial assistance under this subsection fails to 
     obtain the non-Federal share required under this paragraph 
     during any fiscal year, the private nonprofit organization 
     may not receive a disbursement under this subsection in a 
     subsequent fiscal year or a disbursement for any other 
     project funded by the Administration, unless the 
     Administrator makes a written determination that the private 
     nonprofit organization will be able to obtain a non-Federal 
     contribution.
       ``(ii) Restoration.--A private nonprofit organization 
     prohibited from receiving a disbursement under clause (i) in 
     a fiscal year may receive financial assistance in a 
     subsequent fiscal year if the organization obtains the non-
     Federal share required under this paragraph for the 
     subsequent fiscal year.
       ``(E) Waiver of non-federal share.--
       ``(i) In general.--Upon request by a private nonprofit 
     organization, and in accordance with this subparagraph, the 
     Administrator may waive, in whole or in part, the requirement 
     to obtain non-Federal funds under subparagraph (A) for a 
     fiscal year. The Administrator may not waive the requirement 
     for a private nonprofit organization to obtain non-Federal 
     funds under this subparagraph for more than a total of 2 
     fiscal years.
       ``(ii) Considerations.--In determining whether to waive the 
     requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this 
     subparagraph, the Administrator shall consider--

       ``(I) the economic conditions affecting the private 
     nonprofit organization;
       ``(II) the impact a waiver under this subparagraph would 
     have on the credibility of the veterans' business center 
     program;
       ``(III) the demonstrated ability of the private nonprofit 
     organization to raise non-Federal funds; and
       ``(IV) the performance of the private nonprofit 
     organization.

       ``(iii) Limitation.--The Administrator may not waive the 
     requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this 
     subparagraph if granting the waiver would undermine the 
     credibility of the veterans' business center program.
       ``(9) Contract authority.--A veterans' business center may 
     enter into a contract with a Federal department or agency to 
     provide specific assistance to veterans, service-disabled 
     veterans, Reservists, or the spouses of veterans, service-
     disabled veterans, or Reservists. Performance of such 
     contract shall not hinder the veterans' business center in 
     carrying out the terms of the grant received by the veterans' 
     business centers from the Administrator.
       ``(10) Examination and determination of viability.--
       ``(A) Examination.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     conduct an annual examination of the programs and finances of 
     each veterans' business center established or operated using 
     financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(ii) Factors.--In conducting the examination under clause 
     (i), the Associate Administrator shall consider whether the 
     veterans' business center has failed--

       ``(I) to provide the information required to be provided 
     under subparagraph (B), or the information provided by the 
     center is inadequate;
       ``(II) the center has failed to comply with a requirement 
     for participation in the veterans' business center program, 
     as determined by the Assistant Administrator, including--

       ``(aa) failure to acquire or properly document a non-
     Federal share;
       ``(bb) failure to establish an appropriate partnership or 
     program for marketing and outreach to small business 
     concerns;
       ``(cc) failure to achieve results described in a financial 
     assistance agreement; and
       ``(dd) failure to provide to the Administrator a 
     description of the amount and sources of any non-Federal 
     funding received by the center;

       ``(III) to carry out the 5-year plan under in paragraph 
     (4)(B); or
       ``(IV) to meet the eligibility requirements under paragraph 
     (5).

       ``(B) Information provided.--In the course of an 
     examination under subparagraph (A), the veterans' business 
     center shall provide to the Associate Administrator--
       ``(i) an itemized cost breakdown of actual expenditures for 
     costs incurred during the most recent full fiscal year;
       ``(ii) documentation of the amount of non-Federal 
     contributions obtained and expended by the veterans' business 
     center during the most recent full fiscal year; and
       ``(iii) with respect to any in-kind contribution under 
     paragraph (8)(B), verification of the existence and valuation 
     of such contributions.
       ``(C) Determination of viability.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall analyze the results of each examination 
     under this paragraph and, based on that analysis, make a 
     determination regarding the viability of the programs and 
     finances of each veterans' business center.
       ``(D) Discontinuation of funding.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Associate Administrator may 
     discontinue an award of financial assistance to a private 
     nonprofit organization at any time if the Associate 
     Administrator determines under subparagraph (C) that the 
     veterans' business center operated by that organization is 
     not viable.
       ``(ii) Restoration.--The Associate Administrator may 
     continue to provide financial assistance to a private 
     nonprofit organization in a subsequent fiscal year if the 
     Associate Administrator determines under subparagraph (C) 
     that the veterans' business center is viable.
       ``(11) Privacy requirements.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     a veterans' business center established or operated using 
     financial assistance provided under this subsection may not 
     disclose the name, address, or telephone number of any 
     individual or small business

[[Page S6360]]

     concern that receives advice from the veterans' business 
     center without the consent of the individual or small 
     business concern.
       ``(B) Exception.--A veterans' business center may disclose 
     information described in subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) if the Administrator or Associate Administrator is 
     ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or 
     criminal enforcement action initiated by a Federal or State 
     agency; or
       ``(ii) to the extent that the Administrator or Associate 
     Administrator determines that such a disclosure is necessary 
     to conduct a financial audit of a veterans' business center.
       ``(C) Administration use of information.--This paragraph 
     does not--
       ``(i) restrict access by the Administrator to program 
     activity data; or
       ``(ii) prevent the Administrator from using information not 
     described in subparagraph (A) to conduct surveys of 
     individuals or small business concerns that receive advice 
     from a veterans' business center.
       ``(D) Regulations.--The Administrator shall issue 
     regulations to establish standards for requiring disclosures 
     under subparagraph (B)(ii).
       ``(12) Report.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the end of 
     each fiscal year, the Associate Administrator shall submit to 
     the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the effectiveness of the 
     veterans' business center program in each region during the 
     most recent full fiscal year.
       ``(B) Contents.--Each report under this paragraph shall 
     include, at a minimum, for each veterans' business center 
     established or operated using financial assistance provided 
     under this subsection--
       ``(i) the number of individuals receiving assistance from 
     the veterans' business center, including the number of such 
     individuals who are--

       ``(I) veterans or spouses of veterans;
       ``(II) service-disabled veterans or spouses of service-
     disabled veterans; or
       ``(III) Reservists or spouses of Reservists;

       ``(ii) the number of startup small business concerns formed 
     by individuals receiving assistance from the veterans' 
     business center, including--

       ``(I) veterans or spouses of veterans;
       ``(II) service-disabled veterans or spouses of service-
     disabled veterans; or
       ``(III) Reservists or spouses of Reservists;

       ``(iii) the gross receipts of small business concerns that 
     receive advice from the veterans' business center;
       ``(iv) the employment increases or decreases of small 
     business concerns that receive advice from the veterans' 
     business center;
       ``(v) to the maximum extent practicable, the increases or 
     decreases in profits of small business concerns that receive 
     advice from the veterans' business center; and
       ``(vi) the results of the examination of the veterans' 
     business center under paragraph (10).
       ``(13) Coordination of efforts and consultation.--
       ``(A) Coordination and consultation.--To the extent 
     practicable, the Associate Administrator and each private 
     nonprofit organization that receives financial assistance 
     under this subsection shall--
       ``(i) coordinate outreach and other activities with other 
     programs of the Administration and the programs of other 
     Federal agencies;
       ``(ii) consult with technical representatives of the 
     district offices of the Administration in carrying out 
     activities using financial assistance under this subsection; 
     and
       ``(iii) provide information to the veterans business 
     ownership representatives designated under subparagraph (B) 
     and coordinate with the veterans business ownership 
     representatives to increase the ability of the veterans 
     business ownership representatives to provide services 
     throughout the area served by the veterans business ownership 
     representatives.
       ``(B) Veterans business ownership representatives.--
       ``(i) Designation.--The Administrator shall designate not 
     fewer than 1 individual in each district office of the 
     Administration as a veterans business ownership 
     representative, who shall communicate and coordinate 
     activities of the district office with private nonprofit 
     organizations that receive financial assistance under this 
     subsection.
       ``(ii) Initial designation.--The first individual in each 
     district office of the Administration designated by the 
     Administrator as a veterans business ownership representative 
     under clause (i) shall be an individual that is employed by 
     the Administration on the date of enactment of this 
     subsection.
       ``(14) Existing contracts.--An award of financial 
     assistance under this subsection shall not void any contract 
     between a private nonprofit organization and the 
     Administration that is in effect on the date of such award.
       ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated--
       ``(1) to carry out subsections (a) through (f), $2,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2015; and
       ``(2) to carry out subsection (g)--
       ``(A) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
       ``(B) $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2014; and
       ``(C) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.''.
       (b) GAO Reports.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       (A) the terms ``small business concern'' and ``veteran'' 
     have the meanings given those terms under section 3 of the 
     Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and
       (B) the terms ``Reservist'', ``small business concern owned 
     and controlled by veterans'', and ``veterans' business center 
     program'' have the meanings given those terms in section 
     32(g) of the Small Business Act, as added by this section.
       (2) Report on access to credit.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit a report regarding the ability of small 
     business concern owned and controlled by veterans to access 
     credit to--
       (i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
     Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
       (ii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee 
     on Small Business of the House of Representatives.
       (B) Contents.--The report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include an analysis of--
       (i) the sources of credit used by small business concerns 
     owned and controlled by veterans and percentage of the credit 
     obtained by small business concern owned and controlled by 
     veterans that is obtained from each source;
       (ii) the default rate for small business concerns owned and 
     controlled by veterans separately for each source of credit 
     described in clause (i), as compared to the default rate for 
     the source of credit for small business concerns generally;
       (iii) the Federal lending programs available to provide 
     credit to small business concerns owned and controlled by 
     veterans;
       (iv) gaps, if any, in the availability of credit for small 
     business concerns owned and controlled by veterans that are 
     not being filled by the Federal Government or private 
     sources;
       (v) obstacles faced by veterans in trying to access credit;
       (vi) the extent to which deployment and other military 
     responsibilities affect the credit history of veterans and 
     Reservists; and
       (vii) the extent to which veterans are aware of Federal 
     programs targeted towards helping veterans access credit.
       (3) Report on veterans' business center program.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the end of 
     the second fiscal year beginning after the date on which the 
     veterans' business center program is established, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall evaluate the 
     effectiveness of the veterans' business center program, and 
     submit to Congress a report on the results of that 
     evaluation.
       (B) Contents.--The report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include--
       (i) an assessment of--

       (I) the use of amounts made available to carry out the 
     veterans' business center program;
       (II) the effectiveness of the services provided by each 
     private nonprofit organization receiving financial assistance 
     under the veterans' business center program;
       (III) whether the services described in clause (ii) are 
     duplicative of services provided by other veteran service 
     organizations, programs of the Small Business Administration, 
     or programs of another Federal department or agency and, if 
     so, recommendations regarding how to alleviate the 
     duplication of the services; and
       (IV) whether there are areas of the United States in which 
     there are not adequate entrepreneurial services for small 
     business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and, if 
     so, whether there is a veterans' business center established 
     under the veterans' business center program providing 
     services to that area; and

       (ii) recommendations, if any, for improving the veterans' 
     business center program.
       (c) Reporting Requirement for Interagency Task Force.--
     Section 32(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b(c)) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Report.--Not less frequently than twice each year, 
     the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     appointments made to and activities of the task force.''.

     SEC. __. EXTENSION OF MODIFIED PENSION FOR CERTAIN VETERANS 
                   COVERED BY MEDICAID PLANS FOR SERVICES 
                   FURNISHED BY NURSING FACILITIES.

       Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2016'' and inserting 
     ``June 30, 2017''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2834. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. VETERANS TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
     the General Services Administration;
       (2) the term ``Executive department'' has the same meaning 
     as in section 101 of title 5, United States Code;

[[Page S6361]]

       (3) the term `` `qualified veteran'' means a veteran who 
     the Secretary determines is in need of access to a computer 
     to search and apply for employment;
       (4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs; and
       (5) the term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in 
     section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
       (b) Pilot Program.--
       (1) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with 
     the Administrator, shall establish a pilot program to provide 
     to qualified veterans not less than 25 percent of the 
     Government-owned computers that would otherwise be disposed 
     of during each year at no cost or reduced cost.
       (2) Purposes of program.--The pilot program established 
     under paragraph (1) shall be designed to--
       (A) encourage and facilitate employment opportunities for 
     and the entrepreneurship of veterans;
       (B) assist the Secretary of Labor in carrying out section 5 
     of this Act; and
       (C) reduce the overall unemployment of veterans.
       (3) Termination.--The authority to carry out the pilot 
     program under this subsection shall terminate 3 years after 
     the date on which the Secretary establishes the pilot 
     program.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination 
     with the Administrator, shall submit to the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
     describing--
       (A) the number of Government-owned computers in the 5 
     largest Executive departments during the 2-year period ending 
     on the date of enactment of this Act, including the number of 
     working computers, nonworking computers, desktop computers, 
     and laptop computers;
       (B) the number of Government-owned computers disposed of by 
     the 5 largest Executive departments during the 2-year period 
     ending on the date of enactment of this Act, including the 
     number of such computers that were working computers, 
     nonworking computers, desktop computers, or laptop computers;
       (C) the procedures of the 5 largest Executive departments 
     for the disposal of Government-owned computers; and
       (D) the plans of the Secretary, in coordination with the 
     Administrator, for carrying out the pilot program under 
     subsection (b), including any plans to give priority to 
     veterans who are disabled.
       (2) Determination of largest executive departments.--For 
     purposes of paragraph (1), the 5 largest Executive 
     departments shall be determined on the basis of the number of 
     employees of each Executive department and the total amount 
     appropriated to each Executive department for the fiscal year 
     preceding the date of enactment of this Act.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be 
     necessary to carry out this section.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2835. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2789 proposed by Mrs. Murray to the bill S. 3457, to 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs 
corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. __. VETERANS' BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM; OFFICE OF 
                   VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) In General.--Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 657b) is amended by striking subsection (f) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(f) Online Coordination.--
       ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `veterans' 
     assistance provider' means--
       ``(A) a veterans' business center established under 
     subsection (g);
       ``(B) an employee of the Administration assigned to the 
     Office of Veterans Business Development; and
       ``(C) a veterans business ownership representative 
     designated under subsection (g)(13)(B).
       ``(2) Establishment.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     establish an online mechanism to--
       ``(A) provide information that assists veterans' assistance 
     providers in carrying out the activities of the veterans' 
     assistance providers; and
       ``(B) coordinate and leverage the work of the veterans' 
     assistance providers, including by allowing a veterans' 
     assistance provider to--
       ``(i) distribute best practices and other materials;
       ``(ii) communicate with other veterans' assistance 
     providers regarding the activities of the veterans' 
     assistance provider on behalf of veterans; and
       ``(iii) pose questions to and request input from other 
     veterans' assistance providers.
       ``(g) Veterans' Business Center Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       ``(A) the term `active duty' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code;
       ``(B) the term `private nonprofit organization' means an 
     entity that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 
     501(a) of such Code;
       ``(C) the term `Reservist' means a member of a reserve 
     component of the Armed Forces, as described in section 10101 
     of title 10, United States Code;
       ``(D) the term `Service Corps of Retired Executives' means 
     the Service Corps of Retired Executives authorized under 
     section 8(b)(1);
       ``(E) the term `small business concern owned and controlled 
     by veterans'--
       ``(i) has the same meaning as in section 3(q); and
       ``(ii) includes a small business concern--

       ``(I) not less than 51 percent of which is owned by one or 
     more spouses of veterans or, in the case of any publicly 
     owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of 
     which is owned by one or more spouses of veterans; and
       ``(II) the management and daily business operations of 
     which are controlled by one or more spouses of veterans;

       ``(F) the term `spouse', relating to a veteran, service-
     disabled veteran, or Reservist, includes an individual who is 
     the spouse of a veteran, service-disabled veteran, or 
     Reservist on the date on which the veteran, service-disabled 
     veteran, or Reservist died;
       ``(G) the term `veterans' business center program' means 
     the program established under paragraph (2)(A); and
       ``(H) the term `women's business center' means a women's 
     business center described in section 29.
       ``(2) Program established.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administrator, acting through the 
     Associate Administrator, shall establish a veterans' business 
     center program, under which the Associate Administrator may 
     provide financial assistance to a private nonprofit 
     organization to conduct a 5-year project for the benefit of 
     small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans, 
     which may be renewed for one or more additional 5-year 
     periods.
       ``(B) Form of financial assistance.--Financial assistance 
     under this subsection may be in the form of a grant, a 
     contract, or a cooperative agreement.
       ``(3) Veterans' business centers.--Each private nonprofit 
     organization that receives financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall establish or operate a veterans' business 
     center (which may include establishing or operating satellite 
     offices in the region described in paragraph (5) served by 
     that private nonprofit organization) that provides to 
     veterans (including service-disabled veterans), Reservists, 
     and the spouses of veterans (including service-disabled 
     veterans) and Reservists--
       ``(A) financial advice, including training and counseling 
     on applying for and securing business credit and investment 
     capital, preparing and presenting financial statements, and 
     managing cash flow and other financial operations of a small 
     business concern;
       ``(B) management advice, including training and counseling 
     on the planning, organization, staffing, direction, and 
     control of each major activity and function of a small 
     business concern;
       ``(C) marketing advice, including training and counseling 
     on identifying and segmenting domestic and international 
     market opportunities, preparing and executing marketing 
     plans, developing pricing strategies, locating contract 
     opportunities, negotiating contracts, and using public 
     relations and advertising techniques; and
       ``(D) advice, including training and counseling, for 
     Reservists and the spouses of Reservists.
       ``(4) Application.--
       ``(A) In general.--A private nonprofit organization 
     desiring to receive financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall submit an application to the Associate 
     Administrator at such time and in such manner as the 
     Associate Administrator may require.
       ``(B) 5-year plan.--Each application described in 
     subparagraph (A) shall include a 5-year plan on proposed 
     fundraising and training activities relating to the veterans' 
     business center.
       ``(C) Determination and notification.--Not later than 60 
     days after the date on which a private nonprofit organization 
     submits an application under subparagraph (A), the Associate 
     Administrator shall approve or deny the application and 
     notify the applicant of the determination.
       ``(D) Availability of application.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall make every effort to make the application 
     under subparagraph (A) available online.
       ``(5) Eligibility.--The Associate Administrator may select 
     to receive financial assistance under this subsection--
       ``(A) a Veterans Business Outreach Center established by 
     the Administrator under section 8(b)(17) on or before the day 
     before the date of enactment of this subsection; or
       ``(B) private nonprofit organizations located in various 
     regions of the United States, as the Associate Administrator 
     determines is appropriate.
       ``(6) Selection criteria.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     establish selection criteria, stated in terms of relative 
     importance, to evaluate and rank applicants under paragraph 
     (5)(C) for financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(B) Criteria.--The selection criteria established under 
     this paragraph shall include--
       ``(i) the experience of the applicant in conducting 
     programs or ongoing efforts designed

[[Page S6362]]

     to impart or upgrade the business skills of veterans, and the 
     spouses of veterans, who own or may own small business 
     concerns;
       ``(ii) for an applicant for initial financial assistance 
     under this subsection--

       ``(I) the ability of the applicant to begin operating a 
     veterans' business center within a minimum amount of time; 
     and
       ``(II) the geographic region to be served by the veterans' 
     business center;

       ``(iii) the demonstrated ability of the applicant to--

       ``(I) provide managerial counseling and technical 
     assistance to entrepreneurs; and
       ``(II) coordinate services provided by veterans services 
     organizations and other public or private entities; and

       ``(iv) for any applicant for a renewal of financial 
     assistance under this subsection, the results of the most 
     recent examination under paragraph (10) of the veterans' 
     business center operated by the applicant.
       ``(C) Criteria publicly available.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall--
       ``(i) make publicly available the selection criteria 
     established under this paragraph; and
       ``(ii) include the criteria in each solicitation for 
     applications for financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(7) Amount of assistance.--The amount of financial 
     assistance provided under this subsection to a private 
     nonprofit organization for each fiscal year shall be--
       ``(A) not less than $150,000; and
       ``(B) not more than $200,000.
       ``(8) Federal share.--
       ``(A) In general.--
       ``(i) Initial financial assistance.--Except as provided in 
     clause (ii) and subparagraph (E), a private nonprofit 
     organization that receives financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall provide non-Federal contributions for the 
     operation of the veterans' business center established by the 
     private nonprofit organization in an amount equal to--

       ``(I) in each of the first and second years of the project, 
     not less than 33 percent of the amount of the financial 
     assistance received under this subsection; and
       ``(II) in each of the third through fifth years of the 
     project, not less than 50 percent of the amount of the 
     financial assistance received under this subsection.

       ``(ii) Renewals.--A private nonprofit organization that 
     receives a renewal of financial assistance under this 
     subsection shall provide non-Federal contributions for the 
     operation of the veterans' business center established by the 
     private nonprofit organization in an amount equal to not less 
     than 50 percent of the amount of the financial assistance 
     received under this subsection.
       ``(B) Form of non-federal share.--Not more than 50 percent 
     of the non-Federal share for a project carried out using 
     financial assistance under this subsection may be in the form 
     of in-kind contributions.
       ``(C) Timing of disbursement.--The Associate Administrator 
     may disburse not more than 25 percent of the financial 
     assistance awarded to a private nonprofit organization before 
     the private nonprofit organization obtains the non-Federal 
     share required under this paragraph with respect to that 
     award.
       ``(D) Failure to obtain non-federal funding.--
       ``(i) In general.--If a private nonprofit organization that 
     receives financial assistance under this subsection fails to 
     obtain the non-Federal share required under this paragraph 
     during any fiscal year, the private nonprofit organization 
     may not receive a disbursement under this subsection in a 
     subsequent fiscal year or a disbursement for any other 
     project funded by the Administration, unless the 
     Administrator makes a written determination that the private 
     nonprofit organization will be able to obtain a non-Federal 
     contribution.
       ``(ii) Restoration.--A private nonprofit organization 
     prohibited from receiving a disbursement under clause (i) in 
     a fiscal year may receive financial assistance in a 
     subsequent fiscal year if the organization obtains the non-
     Federal share required under this paragraph for the 
     subsequent fiscal year.
       ``(E) Waiver of non-federal share.--
       ``(i) In general.--Upon request by a private nonprofit 
     organization, and in accordance with this subparagraph, the 
     Administrator may waive, in whole or in part, the requirement 
     to obtain non-Federal funds under subparagraph (A) for a 
     fiscal year. The Administrator may not waive the requirement 
     for a private nonprofit organization to obtain non-Federal 
     funds under this subparagraph for more than a total of 2 
     fiscal years.
       ``(ii) Considerations.--In determining whether to waive the 
     requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this 
     subparagraph, the Administrator shall consider--

       ``(I) the economic conditions affecting the private 
     nonprofit organization;
       ``(II) the impact a waiver under this subparagraph would 
     have on the credibility of the veterans' business center 
     program;
       ``(III) the demonstrated ability of the private nonprofit 
     organization to raise non-Federal funds; and
       ``(IV) the performance of the private nonprofit 
     organization.

       ``(iii) Limitation.--The Administrator may not waive the 
     requirement to obtain non-Federal funds under this 
     subparagraph if granting the waiver would undermine the 
     credibility of the veterans' business center program.
       ``(9) Contract authority.--A veterans' business center may 
     enter into a contract with a Federal department or agency to 
     provide specific assistance to veterans, service-disabled 
     veterans, Reservists, or the spouses of veterans, service-
     disabled veterans, or Reservists. Performance of such 
     contract shall not hinder the veterans' business center in 
     carrying out the terms of the grant received by the veterans' 
     business centers from the Administrator.
       ``(10) Examination and determination of viability.--
       ``(A) Examination.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Associate Administrator shall 
     conduct an annual examination of the programs and finances of 
     each veterans' business center established or operated using 
     financial assistance under this subsection.
       ``(ii) Factors.--In conducting the examination under clause 
     (i), the Associate Administrator shall consider whether the 
     veterans' business center has failed--

       ``(I) to provide the information required to be provided 
     under subparagraph (B), or the information provided by the 
     center is inadequate;
       ``(II) the center has failed to comply with a requirement 
     for participation in the veterans' business center program, 
     as determined by the Assistant Administrator, including--

       ``(aa) failure to acquire or properly document a non-
     Federal share;
       ``(bb) failure to establish an appropriate partnership or 
     program for marketing and outreach to small business 
     concerns;
       ``(cc) failure to achieve results described in a financial 
     assistance agreement; and
       ``(dd) failure to provide to the Administrator a 
     description of the amount and sources of any non-Federal 
     funding received by the center;

       ``(III) to carry out the 5-year plan under in paragraph 
     (4)(B); or
       ``(IV) to meet the eligibility requirements under paragraph 
     (5).

       ``(B) Information provided.--In the course of an 
     examination under subparagraph (A), the veterans' business 
     center shall provide to the Associate Administrator--
       ``(i) an itemized cost breakdown of actual expenditures for 
     costs incurred during the most recent full fiscal year;
       ``(ii) documentation of the amount of non-Federal 
     contributions obtained and expended by the veterans' business 
     center during the most recent full fiscal year; and
       ``(iii) with respect to any in-kind contribution under 
     paragraph (8)(B), verification of the existence and valuation 
     of such contributions.
       ``(C) Determination of viability.--The Associate 
     Administrator shall analyze the results of each examination 
     under this paragraph and, based on that analysis, make a 
     determination regarding the viability of the programs and 
     finances of each veterans' business center.
       ``(D) Discontinuation of funding.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Associate Administrator may 
     discontinue an award of financial assistance to a private 
     nonprofit organization at any time if the Associate 
     Administrator determines under subparagraph (C) that the 
     veterans' business center operated by that organization is 
     not viable.
       ``(ii) Restoration.--The Associate Administrator may 
     continue to provide financial assistance to a private 
     nonprofit organization in a subsequent fiscal year if the 
     Associate Administrator determines under subparagraph (C) 
     that the veterans' business center is viable.
       ``(11) Privacy requirements.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     a veterans' business center established or operated using 
     financial assistance provided under this subsection may not 
     disclose the name, address, or telephone number of any 
     individual or small business concern that receives advice 
     from the veterans' business center without the consent of the 
     individual or small business concern.
       ``(B) Exception.--A veterans' business center may disclose 
     information described in subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) if the Administrator or Associate Administrator is 
     ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or 
     criminal enforcement action initiated by a Federal or State 
     agency; or
       ``(ii) to the extent that the Administrator or Associate 
     Administrator determines that such a disclosure is necessary 
     to conduct a financial audit of a veterans' business center.
       ``(C) Administration use of information.--This paragraph 
     does not--
       ``(i) restrict access by the Administrator to program 
     activity data; or
       ``(ii) prevent the Administrator from using information not 
     described in subparagraph (A) to conduct surveys of 
     individuals or small business concerns that receive advice 
     from a veterans' business center.
       ``(D) Regulations.--The Administrator shall issue 
     regulations to establish standards for requiring disclosures 
     under subparagraph (B)(ii).
       ``(12) Report.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the end of 
     each fiscal year, the Associate Administrator shall submit to 
     the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the effectiveness of the 
     veterans' business center program in each region during the 
     most recent full fiscal year.
       ``(B) Contents.--Each report under this paragraph shall 
     include, at a minimum, for each veterans' business center 
     established or operated using financial assistance provided 
     under this subsection--

[[Page S6363]]

       ``(i) the number of individuals receiving assistance from 
     the veterans' business center, including the number of such 
     individuals who are--

       ``(I) veterans or spouses of veterans;
       ``(II) service-disabled veterans or spouses of service-
     disabled veterans; or
       ``(III) Reservists or spouses of Reservists;

       ``(ii) the number of startup small business concerns formed 
     by individuals receiving assistance from the veterans' 
     business center, including--

       ``(I) veterans or spouses of veterans;
       ``(II) service-disabled veterans or spouses of service-
     disabled veterans; or
       ``(III) Reservists or spouses of Reservists;

       ``(iii) the gross receipts of small business concerns that 
     receive advice from the veterans' business center;
       ``(iv) the employment increases or decreases of small 
     business concerns that receive advice from the veterans' 
     business center;
       ``(v) to the maximum extent practicable, the increases or 
     decreases in profits of small business concerns that receive 
     advice from the veterans' business center; and
       ``(vi) the results of the examination of the veterans' 
     business center under paragraph (10).
       ``(13) Coordination of efforts and consultation.--
       ``(A) Coordination and consultation.--To the extent 
     practicable, the Associate Administrator and each private 
     nonprofit organization that receives financial assistance 
     under this subsection shall--
       ``(i) coordinate outreach and other activities with other 
     programs of the Administration and the programs of other 
     Federal agencies;
       ``(ii) consult with technical representatives of the 
     district offices of the Administration in carrying out 
     activities using financial assistance under this subsection; 
     and
       ``(iii) provide information to the veterans business 
     ownership representatives designated under subparagraph (B) 
     and coordinate with the veterans business ownership 
     representatives to increase the ability of the veterans 
     business ownership representatives to provide services 
     throughout the area served by the veterans business ownership 
     representatives.
       ``(B) Veterans business ownership representatives.--
       ``(i) Designation.--The Administrator shall designate not 
     fewer than 1 individual in each district office of the 
     Administration as a veterans business ownership 
     representative, who shall communicate and coordinate 
     activities of the district office with private nonprofit 
     organizations that receive financial assistance under this 
     subsection.
       ``(ii) Initial designation.--The first individual in each 
     district office of the Administration designated by the 
     Administrator as a veterans business ownership representative 
     under clause (i) shall be an individual that is employed by 
     the Administration on the date of enactment of this 
     subsection.
       ``(14) Existing contracts.--An award of financial 
     assistance under this subsection shall not void any contract 
     between a private nonprofit organization and the 
     Administration that is in effect on the date of such award.
       ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated--
       ``(1) to carry out subsections (a) through (f), $2,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2015; and
       ``(2) to carry out subsection (g)--
       ``(A) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;
       ``(B) $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2014; and
       ``(C) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.''.
       (b) GAO Reports.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       (A) the terms ``small business concern'' and ``veteran'' 
     have the meanings given those terms under section 3 of the 
     Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and
       (B) the terms ``Reservist'', ``small business concern owned 
     and controlled by veterans'', and ``veterans' business center 
     program'' have the meanings given those terms in section 
     32(g) of the Small Business Act, as added by this section.
       (2) Report on access to credit.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit a report regarding the ability of small 
     business concern owned and controlled by veterans to access 
     credit to--
       (i) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on 
     Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate; and
       (ii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee 
     on Small Business of the House of Representatives.
       (B) Contents.--The report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include an analysis of--
       (i) the sources of credit used by small business concerns 
     owned and controlled by veterans and percentage of the credit 
     obtained by small business concern owned and controlled by 
     veterans that is obtained from each source;
       (ii) the default rate for small business concerns owned and 
     controlled by veterans separately for each source of credit 
     described in clause (i), as compared to the default rate for 
     the source of credit for small business concerns generally;
       (iii) the Federal lending programs available to provide 
     credit to small business concerns owned and controlled by 
     veterans;
       (iv) gaps, if any, in the availability of credit for small 
     business concerns owned and controlled by veterans that are 
     not being filled by the Federal Government or private 
     sources;
       (v) obstacles faced by veterans in trying to access credit;
       (vi) the extent to which deployment and other military 
     responsibilities affect the credit history of veterans and 
     Reservists; and
       (vii) the extent to which veterans are aware of Federal 
     programs targeted towards helping veterans access credit.
       (3) Report on veterans' business center program.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the end of 
     the second fiscal year beginning after the date on which the 
     veterans' business center program is established, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall evaluate the 
     effectiveness of the veterans' business center program, and 
     submit to Congress a report on the results of that 
     evaluation.
       (B) Contents.--The report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include--
       (i) an assessment of--

       (I) the use of amounts made available to carry out the 
     veterans' business center program;
       (II) the effectiveness of the services provided by each 
     private nonprofit organization receiving financial assistance 
     under the veterans' business center program;
       (III) whether the services described in clause (ii) are 
     duplicative of services provided by other veteran service 
     organizations, programs of the Small Business Administration, 
     or programs of another Federal department or agency and, if 
     so, recommendations regarding how to alleviate the 
     duplication of the services; and
       (IV) whether there are areas of the United States in which 
     there are not adequate entrepreneurial services for small 
     business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and, if 
     so, whether there is a veterans' business center established 
     under the veterans' business center program providing 
     services to that area; and

       (ii) recommendations, if any, for improving the veterans' 
     business center program.
       (c) Reporting Requirement for Interagency Task Force.--
     Section 32(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b(c)) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Report.--Not less frequently than twice each year, 
     the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     appointments made to and activities of the task force.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2836. Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Carper, and Mr. 
Brown, of Massachusetts) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

                 TITLE II--FIRE GRANTS REAUTHORIZATION

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Fire Grants 
     Reauthorization Act of 2012''.

     SEC. 202. AMENDMENTS TO DEFINITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 4 of the Federal Fire Prevention 
     and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, except as otherwise 
     provided,'' after ``means'';
       (2) in paragraph (4), by striking `` `Director' means'' and 
     all that follows through ``Agency;'' and inserting `` 
     `Administrator of FEMA' means the Administrator of the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency;'';
       (3) in paragraph (5)--
       (A) by inserting ``Indian tribe,'' after ``county,''; and
       (B) by striking ``and `firecontrol' '' and inserting ``and 
     `fire control' '';
       (4) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (9) as 
     paragraphs (7) through (10), respectively;
       (5) by inserting after paragraph (5), the following:
       ``(6) `Indian tribe' has the meaning given that term in 
     section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b) and `tribal' means of or 
     pertaining to an Indian tribe;'';
       (6) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and (10), as 
     redesignated by paragraph (4), as paragraphs (10) and (11);
       (7) by inserting after paragraph (8), as redesignated by 
     paragraph (4), the following:
       ``(9) `Secretary' means, except as otherwise provided, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security;''; and
       (8) by amending paragraph (10), as redesignated by 
     paragraph (6), to read as follows:
       ``(10) `State' has the meaning given the term in section 2 
     of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101).''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Administrator of fema.--The Federal Fire Prevention and 
     Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by 
     striking ``Director'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``Administrator of FEMA''.
       (2) Administrator of fema's award.--Section 15 of such Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 2214) is amended by striking ``Director's Award'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``Administrator's 
     Award''.

     SEC. 203. ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANTS.

       Section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act 
     of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229) is amended to read as follows:

[[Page S6364]]

     ``SEC. 33. FIREFIGHTER ASSISTANCE.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Administrator of fema.--The term `Administrator of 
     FEMA' means the Administrator of FEMA, acting through the 
     Administrator.
       ``(2) Available grant funds.--The term `available grant 
     funds', with respect to a fiscal year, means those funds 
     appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations 
     in subsection (q)(1) for such fiscal year less any funds used 
     for administrative costs pursuant to subsection (q)(2) in 
     such fiscal year.
       ``(3) Career fire department.--The term `career fire 
     department' means a fire department that has an all-paid 
     force of firefighting personnel other than paid-on-call 
     firefighters.
       ``(4) Combination fire department.--The term `combination 
     fire department' means a fire department that has--
       ``(A) paid firefighting personnel; and
       ``(B) volunteer firefighting personnel.
       ``(5) Firefighting personnel.--The term `firefighting 
     personnel' means individuals, including volunteers, who are 
     firefighters, officers of fire departments, or emergency 
     medical service personnel of fire departments.
       ``(6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     `institution of higher education' has the meaning given such 
     term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1001).
       ``(7) Nonaffiliated ems organization.--The term 
     `nonaffiliated EMS organization' means a public or private 
     nonprofit emergency medical services organization that is not 
     affiliated with a hospital and does not serve a geographic 
     area in which the Administrator of FEMA finds that emergency 
     medical services are adequately provided by a fire 
     department.
       ``(8) Paid-on-call.--The term `paid-on-call' with respect 
     to firefighting personnel means firefighting personnel who 
     are paid a stipend for each event to which they respond.
       ``(9) Volunteer fire department.--The term `volunteer fire 
     department' means a fire department that has an all-volunteer 
     force of firefighting personnel.
       ``(b) Assistance Program.--
       ``(1) Authority.--In accordance with this section, the 
     Administrator of FEMA may award--
       ``(A) assistance to firefighters grants under subsection 
     (c); and
       ``(B) fire prevention and safety grants and other 
     assistance under subsection (d).
       ``(2) Administrative assistance.--The Administrator of FEMA 
     shall--
       ``(A) establish specific criteria for the selection of 
     grant recipients under this section; and
       ``(B) provide assistance with application preparation to 
     applicants for such grants.
       ``(c) Assistance to Firefighters Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA may, in 
     consultation with the chief executives of the States in which 
     the recipients are located, award grants on a competitive 
     basis directly to--
       ``(A) fire departments, for the purpose of protecting the 
     health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel 
     throughout the United States against fire, fire-related, and 
     other hazards;
       ``(B) nonaffiliated EMS organizations to support the 
     provision of emergency medical services; and
       ``(C) State fire training academies for the purposes 
     described in subparagraphs (G), (H), and (I) of paragraph 
     (3).
       ``(2) Maximum grant amounts.--
       ``(A) Population.--The Administrator of FEMA may not award 
     a grant under this subsection in excess of amounts as 
     follows:
       ``(i) In the case of a recipient that serves a jurisdiction 
     with 100,000 people or fewer, the amount of the grant awarded 
     to such recipient shall not exceed $1,000,000 in any fiscal 
     year.
       ``(ii) In the case of a recipient that serves a 
     jurisdiction with more than 100,000 people but not more than 
     500,000 people, the amount of the grant awarded to such 
     recipient shall not exceed $2,000,000 in any fiscal year.
       ``(iii) In the case of a recipient that serves a 
     jurisdiction with more than 500,000 but not more than 
     1,000,000 people, the amount of the grant awarded to such 
     recipient shall not exceed $3,000,000 in any fiscal year.
       ``(iv) In the case of a recipient that serves a 
     jurisdiction with more than 1,000,000 people but not more 
     than 2,500,000 people, the amount of the grant awarded to 
     such recipient shall not exceed $6,000,000 for any fiscal 
     year.
       ``(v) In the case of a recipient that serves a jurisdiction 
     with more than 2,500,000 people, the amount of the grant 
     awarded to such recipient shall not exceed $9,000,000 in any 
     fiscal year.
       ``(B) Aggregate.--
       ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and 
     (B) and except as provided under clause (ii), the 
     Administrator of FEMA may not award a grant under this 
     subsection in a fiscal year in an amount that exceeds the 
     amount that is one percent of the available grant funds in 
     such fiscal year.
       ``(ii) Exception.--The Administrator of FEMA may waive the 
     limitation in clause (i) with respect to a grant recipient if 
     the Administrator of FEMA determines that such recipient has 
     an extraordinary need for a grant in an amount that exceeds 
     the limit under clause (i).
       ``(3) Use of grant funds.--Each entity receiving a grant 
     under this subsection shall use the grant for one or more of 
     the following purposes:
       ``(A) To train firefighting personnel in--
       ``(i) firefighting;
       ``(ii) emergency medical services and other emergency 
     response (including response to natural disasters, acts of 
     terrorism, and other man-made disasters);
       ``(iii) arson prevention and detection;
       ``(iv) maritime firefighting; or
       ``(v) the handling of hazardous materials.
       ``(B) To train firefighting personnel to provide any of the 
     training described under subparagraph (A).
       ``(C) To fund the creation of rapid intervention teams to 
     protect firefighting personnel at the scenes of fires and 
     other emergencies.
       ``(D) To certify--
       ``(i) fire inspectors; and
       ``(ii) building inspectors--

       ``(I) whose responsibilities include fire safety 
     inspections; and
       ``(II) who are employed by or serving as volunteers with a 
     fire department.

       ``(E) To establish wellness and fitness programs for 
     firefighting personnel to ensure that the firefighting 
     personnel are able to carry out their duties as firefighters, 
     including programs dedicated to raising awareness of, and 
     prevention of, job-related mental health issues.
       ``(F) To fund emergency medical services provided by fire 
     departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations.
       ``(G) To acquire additional firefighting vehicles, 
     including fire trucks and other apparatus.
       ``(H) To acquire additional firefighting equipment, 
     including equipment for--
       ``(i) fighting fires with foam in remote areas without 
     access to water; and
       ``(ii) communications, monitoring, and response to a 
     natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made 
     disaster, including the use of a weapon of mass destruction.
       ``(I) To acquire personal protective equipment, including 
     personal protective equipment--
       ``(i) prescribed for firefighting personnel by the 
     Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the 
     Department of Labor; or
       ``(ii) for responding to a natural disaster or act of 
     terrorism or other man-made disaster, including the use of a 
     weapon of mass destruction.
       ``(J) To modify fire stations, fire training facilities, 
     and other facilities to protect the health and safety of 
     firefighting personnel.
       ``(K) To educate the public about arson prevention and 
     detection.
       ``(L) To provide incentives for the recruitment and 
     retention of volunteer firefighting personnel for volunteer 
     firefighting departments and other firefighting departments 
     that utilize volunteers.
       ``(M) To support such other activities, consistent with the 
     purposes of this subsection, as the Administrator of FEMA 
     determines appropriate.
       ``(d) Fire Prevention and Safety Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--For the purpose of assisting fire 
     prevention programs and supporting firefighter health and 
     safety research and development, the Administrator of FEMA 
     may, on a competitive basis--
       ``(A) award grants to fire departments;
       ``(B) award grants to, or enter into contracts or 
     cooperative agreements with, national, State, local, tribal, 
     or nonprofit organizations that are not fire departments and 
     that are recognized for their experience and expertise with 
     respect to fire prevention or fire safety programs and 
     activities and firefighter research and development programs, 
     for the purpose of carrying out--
       ``(i) fire prevention programs; and
       ``(ii) research to improve firefighter health and life 
     safety; and
       ``(C) award grants to institutions of higher education, 
     national fire service organizations, or national fire safety 
     organizations to establish and operate fire safety research 
     centers.
       ``(2) Maximum grant amount.--A grant awarded under this 
     subsection may not exceed $1,500,000 for a fiscal year.
       ``(3) Use of grant funds.--Each entity receiving a grant 
     under this subsection shall use the grant for one or more of 
     the following purposes:
       ``(A) To enforce fire codes and promote compliance with 
     fire safety standards.
       ``(B) To fund fire prevention programs, including programs 
     that educate the public about arson prevention and detection.
       ``(C) To fund wildland fire prevention programs, including 
     education, awareness, and mitigation programs that protect 
     lives, property, and natural resources from fire in the 
     wildland-urban interface.
       ``(D) In the case of a grant awarded under paragraph 
     (1)(C), to fund the establishment or operation of a fire 
     safety research center for the purpose of significantly 
     reducing the number of fire-related deaths and injuries among 
     firefighters and the general public through research, 
     development, and technology transfer activities.
       ``(E) To support such other activities, consistent with the 
     purposes of this subsection, as the Administrator of FEMA 
     determines appropriate.
       ``(4) Limitation.--None of the funds made available under 
     this subsection may be provided to the Association of 
     Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or any of its 
     affiliates, subsidiaries, or allied organizations.

[[Page S6365]]

       ``(e) Applications for Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--An entity seeking a grant under this 
     section shall submit to the Administrator of FEMA an 
     application therefor in such form and in such manner as the 
     Administrator of FEMA determines appropriate.
       ``(2) Elements.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
     (1) shall include the following:
       ``(A) A description of the financial need of the applicant 
     for the grant.
       ``(B) An analysis of the costs and benefits, with respect 
     to public safety, of the use for which a grant is requested.
       ``(C) An agreement to provide information to the national 
     fire incident reporting system for the period covered by the 
     grant.
       ``(D) A list of other sources of funding received by the 
     applicant--
       ``(i) for the same purpose for which the application for a 
     grant under this section was submitted; or
       ``(ii) from the Federal Government for other fire-related 
     purposes.
       ``(E) Such other information as the Administrator of FEMA 
     determines appropriate.
       ``(3) Joint or regional applications.--
       ``(A) In general.--Two or more entities may submit an 
     application under paragraph (1) for a grant under this 
     section to fund a joint program or initiative, including 
     acquisition of shared equipment or vehicles.
       ``(B) Nonexclusivity.--Applications under this paragraph 
     may be submitted instead of or in addition to any other 
     application submitted under paragraph (1).
       ``(C) Guidance.--The Administrator of FEMA shall--
       ``(i) publish guidance on applying for and administering 
     grants awarded for joint programs and initiatives described 
     in subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) encourage applicants to apply for grants for joint 
     programs and initiatives described in subparagraph (A) as the 
     Administrator of FEMA determines appropriate to achieve 
     greater cost effectiveness and regional efficiency.
       ``(f) Peer Review of Grant Applications.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA shall, after 
     consultation with national fire service and emergency medical 
     services organizations, appoint fire service personnel to 
     conduct peer reviews of applications received under 
     subsection (e)(1).
       ``(2) Applicability of federal advisory committee act.--The 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to activities carried out pursuant to this subsection.
       ``(g) Prioritization of Grant Awards.--In awarding grants 
     under this section, the Administrator of FEMA shall consider 
     the following:
       ``(1) The findings and recommendations of the peer reviews 
     carried out under subsection (f).
       ``(2) The degree to which an award will reduce deaths, 
     injuries, and property damage by reducing the risks 
     associated with fire-related and other hazards.
       ``(3) The extent of the need of an applicant for a grant 
     under this section and the need to protect the United States 
     as a whole.
       ``(4) The number of calls requesting or requiring a fire 
     fighting or emergency medical response received by an 
     applicant.
       ``(h) Allocation of Grant Awards.--In awarding grants under 
     this section, the Administrator of FEMA shall ensure that of 
     the available grant funds in each fiscal year--
       ``(1) not less than 25 percent are awarded under subsection 
     (c) to career fire departments;
       ``(2) not less than 25 percent are awarded under subsection 
     (c) to volunteer fire departments;
       ``(3) not less than 25 percent are awarded under subsection 
     (c) to combination fire departments and fire departments 
     using paid-on-call firefighting personnel;
       ``(4) not less than 10 percent are available for open 
     competition among career fire departments, volunteer fire 
     departments, combination fire departments, and fire 
     departments using paid-on-call firefighting personnel for 
     grants awarded under subsection (c);
       ``(5) not less than 10 percent are awarded under subsection 
     (d); and
       ``(6) not more than 2 percent are awarded under this 
     section to nonaffiliated EMS organizations described in 
     subsection (c)(1)(B).
       ``(i) Additional Requirements and Limitations.--
       ``(1) Funding for emergency medical services.--Not less 
     than 3.5 percent of the available grant funds for a fiscal 
     year shall be awarded under this section for purposes 
     described in subsection (c)(3)(F).
       ``(2) State fire training academies.--
       ``(A) Maximum share.--Not more than 3 percent of the 
     available grant funds for a fiscal year may be awarded under 
     subsection (c)(1)(C).
       ``(B) Maximum grant amount.--The Administrator of FEMA may 
     not award a grant under subsection (c)(1)(C) to a State fire 
     training academy in an amount that exceeds $1,000,000 in any 
     fiscal year.
       ``(3) Amounts for purchasing firefighting vehicles.--Not 
     more than 25 percent of the available grant funds for a 
     fiscal year may be used to assist grant recipients to 
     purchase vehicles pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(G).
       ``(j) Further Considerations.--
       ``(1) Assistance to firefighters grants to fire 
     departments.--In considering applications for grants under 
     subsection (c)(1)(A), the Administrator of FEMA shall 
     consider--
       ``(A) the extent to which the grant would enhance the daily 
     operations of the applicant and the impact of such a grant on 
     the protection of lives and property; and
       ``(B) a broad range of factors important to the applicant's 
     ability to respond to fires and related hazards, such as the 
     following:
       ``(i) Population served.
       ``(ii) Geographic response area.
       ``(iii) Hazards vulnerability.
       ``(iv) Call volume.
       ``(v) Financial situation, including unemployment rate of 
     the area being served.
       ``(vi) Need for training or equipment.
       ``(2) Applications from nonaffiliated ems organizations.--
     In the case of an application submitted under subsection 
     (e)(1) by a nonaffiliated EMS organization, the Administrator 
     of FEMA shall consider the extent to which other sources of 
     Federal funding are available to the applicant to provide the 
     assistance requested in such application.
       ``(3) Awarding fire prevention and safety grants to certain 
     organizations that are not fire departments.--In the case of 
     applicants for grants under this section who are described in 
     subsection (d)(1)(B), the Administrator of FEMA shall give 
     priority to applicants who focus on--
       ``(A) prevention of injuries to high risk groups from fire; 
     and
       ``(B) research programs that demonstrate a potential to 
     improve firefighter safety.
       ``(4) Awarding grants for fire safety research centers.--
       ``(A) Considerations.--In awarding grants under subsection 
     (d)(1)(C), the Administrator of FEMA shall--
       ``(i) select each grant recipient on--

       ``(I) the demonstrated research and extension resources 
     available to the recipient to carry out the research, 
     development, and technology transfer activities;
       ``(II) the capability of the recipient to provide 
     leadership in making national contributions to fire safety;
       ``(III) the recipient's ability to disseminate the results 
     of fire safety research; and
       ``(IV) the strategic plan the recipient proposes to carry 
     out under the grant;

       ``(ii) give special consideration in selecting recipients 
     under subparagraph (A) to an applicant for a grant that 
     consists of a partnership between--

       ``(I) a national fire service organization or a national 
     fire safety organization; and
       ``(II) an institution of higher education, including a 
     minority-serving institution (as described in section 371(a) 
     of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))); 
     and

       ``(iii) consider the research needs identified and 
     prioritized through the workshop required by subparagraph 
     (B)(i).
       ``(B) Research needs.--
       ``(i) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012, 
     the Administrator of FEMA shall convene a workshop of the 
     fire safety research community, fire service organizations, 
     and other appropriate stakeholders to identify and prioritize 
     fire safety research needs.
       ``(ii) Publication.--The Administrator of FEMA shall ensure 
     that the results of the workshop are made available to the 
     public.
       ``(C) Limitations on grants for fire safety research 
     centers.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA may award 
     grants under subsection (d) to establish not more than 3 fire 
     safety research centers.
       ``(ii) Recipients.--An institution of higher education, a 
     national fire service organization, and a national fire 
     safety organization may not directly receive a grant under 
     subsection (d) for a fiscal year for more than 1 fire safety 
     research center.
       ``(5) Avoiding duplication.--The Administrator of FEMA 
     shall review lists submitted by applicants pursuant to 
     subsection (e)(2)(D) and take such actions as the 
     Administrator of FEMA considers necessary to prevent 
     unnecessary duplication of grant awards.
       ``(k) Matching and Maintenance of Expenditure 
     Requirements.--
       ``(1) Matching requirement for assistance to firefighters 
     grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     an applicant seeking a grant to carry out an activity under 
     subsection (c) shall agree to make available non-Federal 
     funds to carry out such activity in an amount equal to not 
     less than 15 percent of the grant awarded to such applicant 
     under such subsection.
       ``(B) Exception for entities serving small communities.--In 
     the case that an applicant seeking a grant to carry out an 
     activity under subsection (c) serves a jurisdiction of--
       ``(i) more than 20,000 residents but not more than 
     1,000,000 residents, the application shall agree to make 
     available non-Federal funds in an amount equal to not less 
     than 10 percent of the grant awarded to such applicant under 
     such subsection; and
       ``(ii) 20,000 residents or fewer, the applicant shall agree 
     to make available non-Federal funds in an amount equal to not 
     less than 5 percent of the grant awarded to such applicant 
     under such subsection.
       ``(2) Matching requirement for fire prevention and safety 
     grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--An applicant seeking a grant to carry 
     out an activity under subsection (d) shall agree to make 
     available non-Federal funds to carry out such activity in an 
     amount equal to not less than 5 percent

[[Page S6366]]

     of the grant awarded to such applicant under such subsection.
       ``(B) Means of matching.--An applicant for a grant under 
     subsection (d) may meet the matching requirement under 
     subparagraph (A) through direct funding, funding of 
     complementary activities, or the provision of staff, 
     facilities, services, material, or equipment.
       ``(3) Maintenance of expenditures.--An applicant seeking a 
     grant under subsection (c) or (d) shall agree to maintain 
     during the term of the grant the applicant's aggregate 
     expenditures relating to the uses described in subsections 
     (c)(3) and (d)(3) at not less than 80 percent of the average 
     amount of such expenditures in the 2 fiscal years preceding 
     the fiscal year in which the grant amounts are received.
       ``(4) Waiver.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
     (C)(ii), the Administrator of FEMA may waive or reduce the 
     requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) in cases of 
     demonstrated economic hardship.
       ``(B) Guidelines.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA shall 
     establish and publish guidelines for determining what 
     constitutes economic hardship for purposes of this paragraph.
       ``(ii) Consultation.--In developing guidelines under clause 
     (i), the Administrator of FEMA shall consult with individuals 
     who are--

       ``(I) recognized for expertise in firefighting, emergency 
     medical services provided by fire services, or the economic 
     affairs of State and local governments; and
       ``(II) members of national fire service organizations or 
     national organizations representing the interests of State 
     and local governments.

       ``(iii) Considerations.--In developing guidelines under 
     clause (i), the Administrator of FEMA shall consider, with 
     respect to relevant communities, the following:

       ``(I) Changes in rates of unemployment from previous years.
       ``(II) Whether the rates of unemployment of the relevant 
     communities are currently and have consistently exceeded the 
     annual national average rates of unemployment.
       ``(III) Changes in percentages of individuals eligible to 
     receive food stamps from previous years.
       ``(IV) Such other factors as the Administrator of FEMA 
     considers appropriate.

       ``(C) Certain applicants for fire prevention and safety 
     grants.--The authority under subparagraph (A) shall not apply 
     with respect to a nonprofit organization that--
       ``(i) is described in subsection (d)(1)(B); and
       ``(ii) is not a fire department or emergency medical 
     services organization.
       ``(l) Grant Guidelines.--
       ``(1) Guidelines.--For each fiscal year, prior to awarding 
     any grants under this section, the Administrator of FEMA 
     shall publish in the Federal Register--
       ``(A) guidelines that describe--
       ``(i) the process for applying for grants under this 
     section; and
       ``(ii) the criteria that will be used for selecting grant 
     recipients; and
       ``(B) an explanation of any differences between such 
     guidelines and the recommendations obtained under paragraph 
     (2).
       ``(2) Annual meeting to obtain recommendations.--
       ``(A) In general.--For each fiscal year, the Administrator 
     of FEMA shall convene a meeting of qualified members of 
     national fire service organizations and, at the discretion of 
     the Administrator of FEMA, qualified members of emergency 
     medical service organizations to obtain recommendations 
     regarding the following:
       ``(i) Criteria for the awarding of grants under this 
     section.
       ``(ii) Administrative changes to the assistance program 
     established under subsection (b).
       ``(B) Qualified members.--For purposes of this paragraph, a 
     qualified member of an organization is a member who--
       ``(i) is recognized for expertise in firefighting or 
     emergency medical services;
       ``(ii) is not an employee of the Federal Government; and
       ``(iii) in the case of a member of an emergency medical 
     service organization, is a member of an organization that 
     represents--

       ``(I) providers of emergency medical services that are 
     affiliated with fire departments; or
       ``(II) nonaffiliated EMS providers.

       ``(3) Applicability of federal advisory committee act.--The 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to activities carried out under this subsection.
       ``(m) Accounting Determination.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, for purposes of this section, equipment 
     costs shall include all costs attributable to any design, 
     purchase of components, assembly, manufacture, and 
     transportation of equipment not otherwise commercially 
     available.
       ``(n) Eligible Grantee on Behalf of Alaska Native 
     Villages.--The Alaska Village Initiatives, a non-profit 
     organization incorporated in the State of Alaska, shall be 
     eligible to apply for and receive a grant or other assistance 
     under this section on behalf of Alaska Native villages.
       ``(o) Training Standards.--If an applicant for a grant 
     under this section is applying for such grant to purchase 
     training that does not meet or exceed any applicable national 
     voluntary consensus standards, including those developed 
     under section 647 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management 
     Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 747), the applicant shall submit 
     to the Administrator of FEMA an explanation of the reasons 
     that the training proposed to be purchased will serve the 
     needs of the applicant better than training that meets or 
     exceeds such standards.
       ``(p) Ensuring Effective Use of Grants.--
       ``(1) Audits.--The Administrator of FEMA may audit a 
     recipient of a grant awarded under this section to ensure 
     that--
       ``(A) the grant amounts are expended for the intended 
     purposes; and
       ``(B) the grant recipient complies with the requirements of 
     subsection (k).
       ``(2) Performance assessment.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA shall develop 
     and implement a performance assessment system, including 
     quantifiable performance metrics, to evaluate the extent to 
     which grants awarded under this section are furthering the 
     purposes of this section, including protecting the health and 
     safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire 
     and fire-related hazards.
       ``(B) Consultation.--The Administrator of FEMA shall 
     consult with fire service representatives and with the 
     Comptroller General of the United States in developing the 
     assessment system required by subparagraph (A).
       ``(3) Annual reports to administrator of fema.--Not less 
     frequently than once each year during the term of a grant 
     awarded under this section, the recipient of the grant shall 
     submit to the Administrator of FEMA an annual report 
     describing how the recipient used the grant amounts.
       ``(4) Annual reports to congress.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than September 30, 2013, and 
     each year thereafter through 2017, the Administrator of FEMA 
     shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Science and Technology of the House of Representatives a 
     report that provides--
       ``(i) information on the performance assessment system 
     developed under paragraph (2); and
       ``(ii) using the performance metrics developed under such 
     paragraph, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the grants 
     awarded under this section.
       ``(B) Additional information.--The report due under 
     subparagraph (A) on September 30, 2016, shall also include 
     recommendations for legislative changes to improve grants 
     under this section.
       ``(q) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section--
       ``(A) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
       ``(B) for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017, an amount 
     equal to the amount authorized for the previous fiscal year 
     increased by the percentage by which--
       ``(i) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
     city average) for the previous fiscal year, exceeds
       ``(ii) the Consumer Price Index for the fiscal year 
     preceding the fiscal year described in clause (i).
       ``(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts appropriated 
     pursuant to paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the 
     Administrator of FEMA may use not more than 5 percent of such 
     amounts for salaries and expenses and other administrative 
     costs incurred by the Administrator of FEMA in the course of 
     awarding grants and providing assistance under this section.
       ``(3) Congressionally directed spending.--Consistent with 
     the requirements in subsections (c)(1) and (d)(1) that grants 
     under those subsections be awarded on a competitive basis, 
     none of the funds appropriated pursuant to this subsection 
     may be used for any congressionally directed spending item 
     (as defined under the rules of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives).
       ``(r) Sunset of Authorities.--The authority to award 
     assistance and grants under this section shall expire on the 
     date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of the 
     Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012.''.

     SEC. 204. STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

       (a) Improvements to Hiring Grants.--
       (1) Term of grants.--Subparagraph (B) of section 34(a)(1) 
     of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229a(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(B) Grants made under this paragraph shall be for 3 years 
     and be used for programs to hire new, additional 
     firefighters.''.
       (2) Limitation of portion of costs of hiring 
     firefighters.--Subparagraph (E) of such section is amended to 
     read as follows:
       ``(E) The portion of the costs of hiring firefighters 
     provided by a grant under this paragraph may not exceed--
       ``(i) 75 percent in the first year of the grant;
       ``(ii) 75 percent in the second year of the grant; and
       ``(iii) 35 percent in the third year of the grant.''.
       (b) Clarification Regarding Eligible Entities for 
     Recruitment and Retention Grants.--The second sentence of 
     section 34(a)(2) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229a(a)(2)) is 
     amended by striking ``organizations on a local or statewide 
     basis'' and inserting ``national, State, local, or tribal 
     organizations''.
       (c) Maximum Amount for Hiring a Firefighter.--Paragraph (4) 
     of section 34(c) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229a(c)) is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(4) The amount of funding provided under this section to 
     a recipient fire department for hiring a firefighter in any 
     fiscal year may not exceed--

[[Page S6367]]

       ``(A) in the first year of the grant, 75 percent of the 
     usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that 
     department at the time the grant application was submitted;
       ``(B) in the second year of the grant, 75 percent of the 
     usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that 
     department at the time the grant application was submitted; 
     and
       ``(C) in the third year of the grant, 35 percent of the 
     usual annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that 
     department at the time the grant application was 
     submitted.''.
       (d) Waivers.--Section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229a) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (i) as 
     subsections (e) through (j), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       ``(d) Waivers.--
       ``(1) In general.--In a case of demonstrated economic 
     hardship, the Administrator of FEMA may--
       ``(A) waive the requirements of subsection (c)(1); or
       ``(B) waive or reduce the requirements in subsection 
     (a)(1)(E) or subsection (c)(2).
       ``(2) Guidelines.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA shall 
     establish and publish guidelines for determining what 
     constitutes economic hardship for purposes of paragraph (1).
       ``(B) Consultation.--In developing guidelines under 
     subparagraph (A), the Administrator of FEMA shall consult 
     with individuals who are--
       ``(i) recognized for expertise in firefighting, emergency 
     medical services provided by fire services, or the economic 
     affairs of State and local governments; and
       ``(ii) members of national fire service organizations or 
     national organizations representing the interests of State 
     and local governments.
       ``(C) Considerations.--In developing guidelines under 
     subparagraph (A), the Administrator of FEMA shall consider, 
     with respect to relevant communities, the following:
       ``(i) Changes in rates of unemployment from previous years.
       ``(ii) Whether the rates of unemployment of the relevant 
     communities are currently and have consistently exceeded the 
     annual national average rates of unemployment.
       ``(iii) Changes in percentages of individuals eligible to 
     receive food stamps from previous years.
       ``(iv) Such other factors as the Administrator of FEMA 
     considers appropriate.''.
       (e) Improvements to Performance Evaluation Requirements.--
     Subsection (e) of section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229a), 
     as redesignated by subsection (d)(1) of this section, is 
     amended by inserting before the first sentence the following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of FEMA shall 
     establish a performance assessment system, including 
     quantifiable performance metrics, to evaluate the extent to 
     which grants awarded under this section are furthering the 
     purposes of this section.
       ``(2) Submittal of information.--''.
       (f) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (f) of section 34 of such Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 2229a), as redesignated by subsection (d)(1) of 
     this section, is amended by striking ``The authority'' and 
     all that follows through ``Congress concerning'' and 
     inserting the following: ``Not later than September 30, 2014, 
     the Administrator of FEMA shall submit to the Committee on 
     Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and 
     the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives a report on''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The heading for subsection (f) 
     of section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229a), as redesignated 
     by subsection (d)(1) of this section, is amended by striking 
     ``Sunset and Reports'' and inserting ``Report''.
       (g) Additional Definitions.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (i) of section 34 of such Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 2229a), as redesignated by subsection (d)(1) of 
     this section, is amended--
       (A) in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking ``In 
     this section, the term--'' and inserting ``In this 
     section:'';
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by inserting ``The term'' before `` `firefighter' 
     has''; and
       (ii) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period;
       (C) by striking paragraph (2); and
       (D) by inserting at the end the following:
       ``(2) The terms `Administrator of FEMA', `career fire 
     department', `combination fire department', and `volunteer 
     fire department' have the meanings given such terms in 
     section 33(a).''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 34(a)(1)(A) of such Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 2229a(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``career, 
     volunteer, and combination fire departments'' and inserting 
     ``career fire departments, combination fire departments, and 
     volunteer fire departments''.
       (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (j) of section 34 of such Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 2229a), as redesignated by subsection (d)(1) of 
     this section, is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(8) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
       ``(9) for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017, an amount 
     equal to the amount authorized for the previous fiscal year 
     increased by the percentage by which--
       ``(A) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
     city average) for the previous fiscal year, exceeds
       ``(B) the Consumer Price Index for the fiscal year 
     preceding the fiscal year described in subparagraph (A).''.
       (2) Administrative expenses.--Such subsection (j) is 
     further amended--
       (A) in paragraph (9), as added by paragraph (1) of this 
     subsection, by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as 
     clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and moving the left 
     margin of such clauses, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the 
     right;
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (9) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (I), respectively, and moving the 
     left margin of such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, 2 ems 
     to the right;
       (C) by striking ``There are'' and inserting the following:
       ``(1) In general.--There are''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Administrative expenses.--Of the amounts appropriated 
     pursuant to paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the 
     Administrator of FEMA may use not more than 5 percent of such 
     amounts to cover salaries and expenses and other 
     administrative costs incurred by the Administrator of FEMA to 
     make grants and provide assistance under this section.''.
       (3) Congressionally directed spending.--Such subsection (j) 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) Congressionally directed spending.--Consistent with 
     the requirement in subsection (a) that grants under this 
     section be awarded on a competitive basis, none of the funds 
     appropriated pursuant to this subsection may be used for any 
     congressionally direct spending item (as defined under the 
     rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives).''.
       (i) Technical Amendment.--Section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 
     2229a) is amended by striking ``Administrator'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``Administrator of FEMA''.
       (j) Clerical Amendment.--Such section is further amended in 
     the heading by striking ``expansion of pre-september 11, 
     2001, fire grant program'' and inserting the following: 
     ``staffing for adequate fire and emergency response''.
       (k) Sunset of Authority to Award Hiring Grants.--Such 
     section is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(k) Sunset of Authorities.--The authority to award 
     assistance and grants under this section shall expire on the 
     date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of the 
     Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012.''.

     SEC. 205. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON VALUE AND FUNDING OF 
                   ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS AND STAFFING FOR 
                   ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAMS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the grants and assistance awarded under sections 33 and 
     34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 
     U.S.C. 2229 and 2229a) have proven equally valuable in 
     protecting the health and safety of the public and 
     firefighting personnel throughout the United States against 
     fire and fire-related hazards; and
       (2) providing parity in funding for the awarding of grants 
     and assistance under both such sections will ensure that the 
     grant and assistance programs under such sections can 
     continue to serve their complementary purposes.

     SEC. 206. REPORT ON AMENDMENTS TO ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS 
                   AND STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY 
                   RESPONSE PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than September 30, 2016, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology of the 
     House of Representatives a report on the effect of the 
     amendments made by this title.
       (b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) An assessment of the effect of the amendments made by 
     sections 203 and 204 on the effectiveness, relative 
     allocation, accountability, and administration of the grants 
     and assistance awarded under sections 33 and 34 of the 
     Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 
     2229 and 2229a) after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (2) An evaluation of the extent to which the amendments 
     made by sections 203 and 204 have enabled recipients of 
     grants and assistance awarded under such sections 33 and 34 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act to mitigate fire 
     and fire-related and other hazards more effectively.

     SEC. 207. STUDIES AND REPORTS ON THE STATE OF FIRE SERVICES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
       (2) Career fire department, combination fire department, 
     volunteer fire department.--The terms ``career fire 
     department'', ``combination fire department'', and 
     ``volunteer fire department'' have the meanings given such 
     terms in section 33(a) of the Federal Fire Prevention and 
     Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(a)), as amended by 
     section 203.
       (3) Fire service.--The term ``fire service'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 4 of the Federal Fire 
     Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2203).
       (b) Study and Report on Compliance With Staffing 
     Standards.--

[[Page S6368]]

       (1) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study on the 
     level of compliance with national voluntary consensus 
     standards for staffing, training, safe operations, personal 
     protective equipment, and fitness among the fire services of 
     the United States.
       (2) Survey.--
       (A) In general.--In carrying out the study required by 
     paragraph (1), the Administrator shall carry out a survey of 
     fire services to assess the level of compliance of such fire 
     services with the standards described in such paragraph.
       (B) Elements.--The survey required by subparagraph (A) 
     shall--
       (i) include career fire departments, volunteer fire 
     departments, combination fire departments, and fire 
     departments serving communities of different sizes, and such 
     other distinguishing factors as the Administrator considers 
     relevant;
       (ii) employ methods to ensure that the survey accurately 
     reflects the actual rate of compliance with the standards 
     described in paragraph (1) among fire services; and
       (iii) determine the extent of barriers and challenges to 
     achieving compliance with the standards described in 
     paragraph (1) among fire services.
       (C) Authority to carry out survey with nonprofit.--If the 
     Administrator determines that it will reduce the costs 
     incurred by the United States Fire Administration in carrying 
     out the survey required by subparagraph (A), the 
     Administrator may carry out such survey in conjunction with a 
     nonprofit organization that has substantial expertise and 
     experience in the following areas:
       (i) The fire services.
       (ii) National voluntary consensus standards.
       (iii) Contemporary survey methods.
       (3) Report on findings of study.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
     Congress a report on the findings of the Administrator with 
     respect to the study required by paragraph (1).
       (B) Contents.--The report required by subparagraph (A) 
     shall include the following:
       (i) An accurate description, based on the results of the 
     survey required by paragraph (2)(A), of the rate of 
     compliance with the standards described in paragraph (1) 
     among United States fire services, including a comparison of 
     the rates of compliance among career fire departments, 
     volunteer fire departments, combination fire departments, and 
     fire departments serving communities of different sizes, and 
     such other comparisons as Administrator considers relevant.
       (ii) A description of the challenges faced by different 
     types of fire departments and different types of communities 
     in complying with the standards described in paragraph (1).
       (c) Task Force to Enhance Firefighter Safety.--
       (1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall establish a task force to be known as the 
     ``Task Force to Enhance Firefighter Safety'' (in this 
     subsection referred to as the ``Task Force'').
       (2) Membership.--
       (A) In general.--Members of the Task Force shall be 
     appointed by the Secretary from among the general public and 
     shall include the following:
       (i) Representatives of national organizations representing 
     firefighters and fire chiefs.
       (ii) Individuals representing standards-setting and 
     accrediting organizations, including representatives from the 
     voluntary consensus codes and standards development 
     community.
       (iii) Such other individuals as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate.
       (B) Representatives of other departments and agencies.--The 
     Secretary may invite representatives of other Federal 
     departments and agencies that have an interest in fire 
     services to participate in the meetings and other activities 
     of the Task Force.
       (C) Number; terms of service; pay and allowances.--The 
     Secretary shall determine the number, terms of service, and 
     pay and allowances of members of the Task Force appointed by 
     the Secretary, except that a term of service of any such 
     member may not exceed 2 years.
       (3) Responsibilities.--The Task Force shall--
       (A) consult with the Secretary in the conduct of the study 
     required by subsection (b)(1); and
       (B) develop a plan to enhance firefighter safety by 
     increasing fire service compliance with the standards 
     described in subsection (b)(1), including by--
       (i) reviewing and evaluating the report required by 
     subsection (b)(3)(A) to determine the extent of and barriers 
     to achieving compliance with the standards described in 
     subsection (b)(1) among fire services; and
       (ii) considering ways in which the Federal Government, 
     States, and local governments can promote or encourage fire 
     services to comply with such standards.
       (4) Report.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
     which the Secretary submits the report required by subsection 
     (b)(3)(A), the Task Force shall submit to Congress and the 
     Secretary a report on the activities and findings of the Task 
     Force.
       (B) Contents.--The report required by subparagraph (A) 
     shall include the following:
       (i) The findings and recommendations of the Task Force with 
     respect to the study carried out under subsection (b)(1).
       (ii) The plan developed under paragraph (3)(B).
       (d) Study and Report on the Needs of Fire Services.--
       (1) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study--
       (A) to define the current roles and activities associated 
     with fire services on a national, State, regional, and local 
     level;
       (B) to identify the equipment, staffing, and training 
     required to fulfill the roles and activities defined under 
     subparagraph (A);
       (C) to conduct an assessment to identify gaps between what 
     fire services currently possess and what they require to meet 
     the equipment, staffing, and training needs identified under 
     subparagraph (B) on a national and State-by-State basis; and
       (D) to measure the impact of the grant and assistance 
     program under section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and 
     Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229) in meeting the needs of 
     fire services and filling the gaps identified under 
     subparagraph (C).
       (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this title, the Administrator shall submit to 
     Congress a report on the findings of the Administrator with 
     respect to the study conducted under paragraph (1).
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this 
     section--
       (1) $600,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
       (2) $600,000 for fiscal year 2014.

                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2837. Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Ms. Snowe, and Mrs. Shaheen) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 
3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 
veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie 
on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. LOW-INTEREST REFINANCING UNDER THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT 
                   BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM.

       Section 1122(b) of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (15 
     U.S.C. 696 note) is amended by striking ``2 years'' and 
     inserting ``3 years and 6 months''.

                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2838. Mr. PAUL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. TRANSFER OF AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR ASSISTANCE TO 
                   PAKISTAN, YEMEN, EGYPT, AND LIBYA.

       Of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for 
     fiscal year 2012 for direct United States assistance to the 
     Governments of Pakistan, Yemen, Egypt, or Libya that remain 
     available for expenditure as of the date of the enactment of 
     this Act--
       (1) the President shall transfer 50 percent to the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of the veterans 
     job corps; and
       (2) the President shall transfer 50 percent to the Treasury 
     of the United States to be used for deficit reduction.

     SEC. __. LIMITATION ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN.

       No amounts may be obligated or expended to provide any 
     direct United States assistance to the Government of Pakistan 
     unless the President certifies to Congress that--
       (1) Dr. Shakil Afridi has been released from prison in 
     Pakistan;
       (2) any criminal charges brought against Dr. Afridi, 
     including treason, have been dropped; and
       (3) if necessary to ensure his freedom, Dr. Afridi has been 
     allowed to leave Pakistan.

     SEC. __. LIMITATION ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO YEMEN, EGYPT, 
                   AND LIBYA.

       (a) Prohibition.--Except as provided under subsection (b), 
     no amounts may be obligated or expended to provide any direct 
     United States assistance, loan guarantee, or debt relief to 
     the Government of Yemen, the Government of Egypt, or the 
     Government of Libya.
       (b) Waiver and Certification.--Beginning 60 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the President may waive 
     the prohibition under subsection (a) with respect to the 
     Government of Yemen, the Government of Libya, or the 
     Government of Egypt if the President certifies to Congress 
     that--
       (1) the Government is cooperating or has cooperated fully 
     with investigations into the September 12, 2012, attack on 
     the United States Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, the September 11, 
     2012, attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, 
     Libya, or the September 11, 2012, attack on the United States 
     Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, as the case may be; and
       (2) all identifiable persons associated with organizing, 
     planning, or participating in the attack--
       (A) have been identified by the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigations or the Central Intelligence Agency and 
     arrested by local authorities; and
       (B) have been transferred to United States custody.

[[Page S6369]]

       (c) Report on Unsecured Weapons in Libya.--Not later than 
     90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     President shall submit a report to Congress examining the 
     extent to which advanced weaponry remaining unsecured after 
     the fall of Moammar Qaddafi was used by the individuals 
     responsible for the September 11, 2012, attack on the United 
     States consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

     SEC. __. USE OF SAVINGS FROM LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE.

       Of the amounts saved as a result of the prohibitions on 
     assistance in the immediately preceding section--
       (1) 50 percent shall be made available to the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs for purposes of the veterans job corps; and
       (2) 50 percent shall be used for deficit reduction.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2839. Mr. HATCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2782 submitted by Mr. Burr and intended to be proposed to 
the bill S. 3457, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. 10. FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM AGE AND 
                   RETIREMENT TREATMENT FOR CERTAIN RETIREES OF 
                   THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) Increase in Maximum Age Limit for Positions Subject to 
     FERS.--
       (1) Law enforcement officers.--Section 3307(e) of title 5, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or (3)'' after 
     ``paragraph (2)''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) The maximum age limit for an original appointment to 
     a position as a law enforcement officer (as defined in 
     section 8401(17)) shall be 47 years of age, in the case of an 
     individual who on the effective date of such appointment is 
     eligible to receive retired pay or retainer pay for military 
     service, or pension or compensation from the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs instead of such retired or retainer pay.''.
       (2) Other positions.--The maximum age limit for an original 
     appointment to a position as a member of the Capitol Police 
     or Supreme Court Police, nuclear materials courier (as 
     defined under section 8401(33) of such title), or customs and 
     border protection officer (as defined in section 8401(36) of 
     such title) shall be 47 years of age, in the case of an 
     individual who on the effective date of such appointment is 
     eligible to receive retired pay or retainer pay for military 
     service, or pension or compensation from the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs instead of such retired or retainer pay.
       (b) Eligibility for Annuity.--Section 8412(d) of such title 
     is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (2), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) after becoming 57 years of age and completing 10 
     years of service as a law enforcement officer, member of the 
     Capitol Police or Supreme Court Police, nuclear materials 
     courier, customs or border protection officer, or any 
     combination of such service totaling 10 years, if such 
     employee--
       ``(A) is originally appointed to a position as a law 
     enforcement officer, member of the Capitol Police or Supreme 
     Court Police, nuclear materials courier, or customs and 
     border protection officer on or after the effective date of 
     this paragraph under section 10(e) of the Careers for 
     Veterans Act of 2012; and
       ``(B) on the date that original appointment met the 
     requirements of section 3307(e)(2) of this title or section 
     10(a)(2) of the Careers for Veterans Act of 2012,''.
       (c) Mandatory Separation.--Section 8425 of such title is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1), in the first sentence, by 
     inserting ``, except that a law enforcement officer, nuclear 
     materials courier, or customs and border protection officer 
     eligible for retirement under section 8412(d)(3) shall be 
     separated from the service on the last day of the month in 
     which that employee becomes 57 years of age'' before the 
     period;
       (2) in subsection (c), in the first sentence, by inserting 
     ``, except that a member of the Capitol Police eligible for 
     retirement under section 8412(d)(3) shall be separated from 
     the service on the last day of the month in which that 
     employee becomes 57 years of age'' before the period; and
       (3) in subsection (d), in the first sentence, by inserting 
     ``, except that a member of the Supreme Court Police eligible 
     for retirement under section 8412(d)(3) shall be separated 
     from the service on the last day of the month in which that 
     employee becomes 57 years of age'' before the period.
       (d) Computation of Basic Annuity.--Section 8415(e) of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``total service as'' and 
     inserting ``civilian service as a law enforcement officer, 
     member of the Capitol Police or Supreme Court Police, nuclear 
     materials courier, customs and border protection officer, or 
     air traffic controller that, in the aggregate,''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``so much of such 
     individual's total service as exceeds 20 years'' and 
     inserting ``the remainder of such individual's total 
     service''.
       (e) Effective Date.--This section (including the amendments 
     made by this section) shall take effect 60 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act and shall apply to appointments 
     made on or after that effective date.

                          ____________________