[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3388-S3389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1867. Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Hyde-
Smith, and Mr. Moran) 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 in title X, insert the following:
SEC. 10__. ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE
RESEARCH.
Section 2203(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C.
13503(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting
the following:
``(3) Established program to stimulate competitive
research.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Eligible jurisdiction.--The term `eligible
jurisdiction' means a State that is determined to be eligible
for a grant under this paragraph in accordance with
subparagraph (D).
``(ii) EPSCoR.--The term `EPSCoR' means the Established
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research operated under
subparagraph (B).
``(iii) National laboratory.--The term `National
Laboratory' has the meaning given the term in section 2 of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
``(iv) State.--The term `State' means--
``(I) a State;
``(II) the District of Columbia;
``(III) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
``(IV) Guam; and
``(V) the United States Virgin Islands.
``(B) Program operation.--The Secretary shall operate an
Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
``(C) Objectives.--The objectives of EPSCoR shall be--
``(i) to increase the number of researchers in eligible
jurisdictions, especially at institutions of higher
education, capable of performing nationally competitive
science and engineering research in support of the mission of
the Department of Energy in the areas of applied energy
research, environmental management, and basic science;
``(ii) to improve science and engineering research and
education programs at institutions of higher education in
eligible jurisdictions and enhance the capabilities of
eligible jurisdictions to develop, plan, and execute research
that is competitive, including through investing in research
equipment and instrumentation; and
``(iii) to increase the probability of long-term growth of
competitive funding to eligible jurisdictions.
``(D) Eligible jurisdictions.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary may establish criteria for
determining whether a State is eligible for a grant under
this paragraph.
``(ii) Requirement.--Except as provided in clause (iii), in
establishing criteria under clause (i), the Secretary shall
ensure that a State is eligible for a grant under this
paragraph if the State, as determined by the Secretary, is a
State that--
``(I) historically has received relatively little Federal
research and development funding; and
``(II) has demonstrated a commitment--
``(aa) to develop the research bases in the State; and
``(bb) to improve science and engineering research and
education programs at institutions of higher education in the
State.
``(iii) Eligibility under nsf epscor.--At the election of
the Secretary, or if the Secretary determines not to
establish criteria under clause (i), a State is eligible for
a grant under this paragraph if the State is eligible to
receive funding under the Established Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research of the National Science Foundation.
``(E) Grants in areas of applied energy research,
environmental management, and basic science.--
``(i) In general.--EPSCoR shall make grants to eligible
jurisdictions to carry out and support applied energy
research and research in all areas of environmental
management and basic science sponsored by the Department of
Energy, including--
``(I) energy efficiency, fossil energy, renewable energy,
and other applied energy research;
``(II) electricity delivery research;
``(III) cybersecurity, energy security, and emergency
response;
``(IV) environmental management; and
``(V) basic science research.
``(ii) Activities.--EPSCoR shall make grants under this
subparagraph for activities consistent with the objectives
described in
[[Page S3389]]
subparagraph (C) in the areas of applied energy research,
environmental management, and basic science described in
clause (i), including--
``(I) to support research that is carried out in
partnership with the National Laboratories;
``(II) to provide for graduate traineeships;
``(III) to support research by early career faculty; and
``(IV) to improve research capabilities through biennial
research implementation grants.
``(iii) No cost sharing.--EPSCoR shall not impose any cost-
sharing requirement with respect to a grant made under this
subparagraph, but may require letters of commitment from
National Laboratories.
``(F) Other activities.--EPSCoR may carry out such
activities as may be necessary to meet the objectives
described in subparagraph (C) in the areas of applied energy
research, environmental management, and basic science
described in subparagraph (E)(i).
``(G) Program implementation.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date
of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Appropriations
of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a plan
describing how the Secretary shall implement EPSCoR.
``(ii) Contents of plan.--The plan described in clause (i)
shall include a description of--
``(I) the management structure of EPSCoR, which shall
ensure that all research areas and activities described in
this paragraph are incorporated into EPSCoR;
``(II) efforts to conduct outreach to inform eligible
jurisdictions and faculty of changes to, and opportunities
under, EPSCoR;
``(III) how EPSCoR plans to increase engagement with
eligible jurisdictions, faculty, and State committees,
including by holding regular workshops, to increase
participation in EPSCoR; and
``(IV) any other issues relating to EPSCoR that the
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(H) Program evaluation.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021, the Secretary shall contract with a
federally funded research and development center, the
National Academy of Sciences, or a similar organization to
carry out an assessment of the effectiveness of EPSCoR,
including an assessment of--
``(I) the tangible progress made towards achieving the
objectives described in subparagraph (C);
``(II) the impact of research supported by EPSCoR on the
mission of the Department of Energy; and
``(III) any other issues relating to EPSCoR that the
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(ii) Limitation.--The organization with which the
Secretary contracts under clause (i) shall not be a National
Laboratory.
``(iii) Report.--Not later than 6 years after the date of
enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Appropriations
of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report
describing the results of the assessment carried out under
clause (i), including recommendations for improvements that
would enable the Secretary to achieve the objectives
described in subparagraph (C).''.
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