[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3330-S3332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1808. Mr. COONS (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Capito, and Ms.
Klobuchar) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
SEC. __1. NATIONAL COORDINATING ENTITY FOR SUSTAINABLE
CHEMISTRY.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this title, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall convene an interagency
entity (referred to in this title as the ``Entity'') under
the National Science and Technology Council with the
responsibility to coordinate Federal programs and activities
in support of sustainable chemistry, including those
described in sections __3 and __4.
(b) Coordination With Existing Groups.--In convening the
Entity, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy shall consider overlap and possible coordination with
existing committees, subcommittees, or other groups of the
National Science and Technology Council, such as--
(1) the Committee on Environment;
(2) the Committee on Technology;
(3) the Committee on Science; or
(4) related groups or subcommittees.
(c) Co-chairs.--The Entity shall be co-chaired by the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a
representative from the Environmental Protection Agency, the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National
Science Foundation, or the Department of Energy, as selected
by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy.
(d) Agency Participation.--The Entity shall include
representatives, including subject matter experts, from the
Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation,
the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the
Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug
Administration, and other related Federal agencies, as
appropriate.
[[Page S3331]]
(e) Termination.--The Entity shall terminate on the date
that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this title.
SEC. __2. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY.
(a) Strategic Plan.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of this title, the Entity shall--
(1) consult with relevant stakeholders, including
representatives from industry, academia, national labs, the
Federal Government, and international entities, to develop
and update, as needed, a consensus definition of
``sustainable chemistry'' to guide the activities under this
title;
(2) develop a working framework of attributes
characterizing and metrics for assessing sustainable
chemistry, as described in subsection (b);
(3) assess the state of sustainable chemistry in the United
States as a key benchmark from which progress under the
activities described in this title can be measured, including
assessing key sectors of the United States economy, key
technology platforms, commercial priorities, and barriers to
innovation;
(4) coordinate and support Federal research, development,
demonstration, technology transfer, commercialization,
education, and training efforts in sustainable chemistry,
including budget coordination and support for public-private
partnerships, as appropriate;
(5) identify any Federal regulatory barriers to, and
opportunities for, Federal agencies facilitating the
development of incentives for development, consideration and
use of sustainable chemistry processes and products;
(6) identify major scientific challenges, roadblocks, or
hurdles to transformational progress in improving the
sustainability of the chemical sciences; and
(7) review, identify, and make effort to eliminate
duplicative Federal funding and duplicative Federal research
in sustainable chemistry.
(b) Characterizing and Assessing Sustainable Chemistry.--
The Entity shall develop a working framework of attributes
characterizing and metrics for assessing sustainable
chemistry for the purposes of carrying out the title. In
developing this framework, the Entity shall--
(1) seek advice and input from stakeholders as described in
subsection (c);
(2) consider existing definitions of, or frameworks
characterizing and metrics for assessing, sustainable
chemistry already in use at Federal agencies;
(3) consider existing definitions of, or frameworks
characterizing and metrics for assessing, sustainable
chemistry already in use by international organizations of
which the United States is a member, such as the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development; and
(4) consider any other appropriate existing definitions of,
or frameworks characterizing and metrics for assessing,
sustainable chemistry.
(c) Consultation.--In carrying out the duties described in
subsections (a) and (b), the Entity shall consult with
stakeholders qualified to provide advice and information to
guide Federal activities related to sustainable chemistry
through workshops, requests for information, or other
mechanisms as necessary. The stakeholders shall include
representatives from--
(1) business and industry (including trade associations and
small- and medium-sized enterprises from across the value
chain);
(2) the scientific community (including the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, scientific
professional societies, national labs, and academia);
(3) the defense community;
(4) State, tribal, and local governments, including
nonregulatory State or regional sustainable chemistry
programs, as appropriate;
(5) nongovernmental organizations; and
(6) other appropriate organizations.
(d) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Entity shall submit a report to
the Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee
on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives. In addition to the elements described in
subsections (a) and (b), the report shall include--
(A) a summary of federally funded, sustainable chemistry
research, development, demonstration, technology transfer,
commercialization, education, and training activities;
(B) a summary of the financial resources allocated to
sustainable chemistry initiatives by each participating
agency;
(C) an assessment of the current state of sustainable
chemistry in the United States, including the role that
Federal agencies are playing in supporting it;
(D) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the
goals and priorities of this Act, and recommendations for
future program activities;
(E) an evaluation of steps taken and future strategies to
avoid duplication of efforts, streamline interagency
coordination, facilitate information sharing, and spread best
practices among participating agencies; and
(F) an evaluation of duplicative Federal funding and
duplicative Federal research in sustainable chemistry,
efforts undertaken by the Entity to eliminate duplicative
funding and research, and recommendations on how to achieve
these goals.
(2) Submission to gao.--The Entity shall also submit the
report described in paragraph (1) to the Comptroller General
of the United States for consideration in future
Congressional inquiries.
(3) Additional reports.--The Entity shall submit a report
to Congress and the Comptroller General of the United States
that incorporates the information described in subparagraphs
(A), (B), (D), (E), and (F) of paragraph (1) every 3 years,
commencing after the initial report is submitted until the
Entity terminates.
SEC. __3. AGENCY ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE
CHEMISTRY.
(a) In General.--The agencies participating in the Entity
shall carry out activities in support of sustainable
chemistry, as appropriate to the specific mission and
programs of each agency.
(b) Activities.--The activities described in subsection (a)
shall--
(1) incorporate sustainable chemistry into existing
research, development, demonstration, technology transfer,
commercialization, education, and training programs, that the
agency determines to be relevant, including consideration
of--
(A) merit-based competitive grants to individual
investigators and teams of investigators, including, to the
extent practicable, early career investigators for research
and development;
(B) grants to fund collaborative research and development
partnerships among universities, industry, and nonprofit
organizations;
(C) coordination of sustainable chemistry research,
development, demonstration, and technology transfer conducted
at Federal laboratories and agencies;
(D) incentive prize competitions and challenges in
coordination with such existing Federal agency programs; and
(E) grants, loans, and loan guarantees to aid in the
technology transfer and commercialization of sustainable
chemicals, materials, processes, and products;
(2) collect and disseminate information on sustainable
chemistry research, development, technology transfer, and
commercialization, including information on accomplishments
and best practices;
(3) expand the education and training of students at
appropriate levels of education, professional scientists and
engineers, and other professionals involved in all aspects of
sustainable chemistry and engineering appropriate to that
level of education and training, including through--
(A) partnerships with industry as described in section __4;
(B) support for the integration of sustainable chemistry
principles into chemistry and chemical engineering curriculum
and research training, as appropriate to that level of
education and training; and
(C) support for integration of sustainable chemistry
principles into existing or new professional development
opportunities for professionals including teachers, faculty,
and individuals involved in laboratory research (product
development, materials specification and testing, life cycle
analysis, and management);
(4) as relevant to an agency's programs, examine methods by
which the Federal agencies, in collaboration and consultation
with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, may
facilitate the development or recognition of validated,
standardized tools for performing sustainability assessments
of chemistry processes or products;
(5) through programs identified by an agency, support
(including through technical assistance, participation,
financial support, communications tools, awards, or other
forms of support) outreach and dissemination of sustainable
chemistry advances such as non-Federal symposia, forums,
conferences, and publications in collaboration with, as
appropriate, industry, academia, scientific and professional
societies, and other relevant groups;
(6) provide for public input and outreach to be integrated
into the activities described in this section by the
convening of public discussions, through mechanisms such as
public meetings, consensus conferences, and educational
events, as appropriate;
(7) within each agency, develop or adapt metrics to track
the outputs and outcomes of the programs supported by that
agency; and
(8) incentivize or recognize actions that advance
sustainable chemistry products, processes, or initiatives,
including through the establishment of a nationally
recognized awards program through the Environmental
Protection Agency to identify, publicize, and celebrate
innovations in sustainable chemistry and chemical
technologies.
(c) Limitations .--Financial support provided under this
section shall--
(1) be available only for pre-competitive activities; and
(2) not be used to promote the sale of a specific product,
process, or technology, or to disparage a specific product,
process, or technology.
SEC. __4. PARTNERSHIPS IN SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY.
(a) In General.--The agencies participating in the Entity
may facilitate and support, through financial, technical, or
other assistance, the creation of partnerships between
institutions of higher education, nongovernmental
organizations, consortia, or companies across the value chain
in the
[[Page S3332]]
chemical industry, including small- and medium-sized
enterprises, to--
(1) create collaborative sustainable chemistry research,
development, demonstration, technology transfer, and
commercialization programs; and
(2) train students and retrain professional scientists,
engineers, and others involved in materials specification on
the use of sustainable chemistry concepts and strategies by
methods, including--
(A) developing or recognizing curricular materials and
courses for undergraduate and graduate levels and for the
professional development of scientists, engineers, and others
involved in materials specification; and
(B) publicizing the availability of professional
development courses in sustainable chemistry and recruiting
professionals to pursue such courses.
(b) Private Sector Participation.--To be eligible for
support under this section, a partnership in sustainable
chemistry shall include at least one private sector
organization.
(c) Selection of Partnerships.--In selecting partnerships
for support under this section, the agencies participating in
the Entity shall also consider the extent to which the
applicants are willing and able to demonstrate evidence of
support for, and commitment to, the goals outlined in the
strategic plan and report described in section __2.
(d) Prohibited Use of Funds.--Financial support provided
under this section may not be used--
(1) to support or expand a regulatory chemical management
program at an implementing agency under a State law;
(2) to construct or renovate a building or structure; or
(3) to promote the sale of a specific product, process, or
technology, or to disparage a specific product, process, or
technology.
SEC. __5. PRIORITIZATION.
In carrying out this Act, the Entity shall focus its
support for sustainable chemistry activities on those that
achieve, to the highest extent practicable, the goals
outlined in the title.
SEC. __6. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this title shall be construed to alter or amend
any State law or action with regard to sustainable chemistry,
as defined by the State.
SEC. __7. MAJOR MULTI-USER RESEARCH FACILITY PROJECT.
Section 110 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness
Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s-2) is amended by striking (g)(2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) Major multi-user research facility project.--The term
`major multi-user research facility project' means a science
and engineering facility project that exceeds $100,000,000 in
total construction, acquisition, or upgrade costs to the
Foundation.''.
______