[House Report 114-107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress    }                                   {   Rept. 114-107
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                   {          Part 1

======================================================================



 
              AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2015

                                _______
                                

  May 8, 2015.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

     Mr. Smith of Texas, from the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                  Technology, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                     MINORITY AND ADDITIONAL VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 1806]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 1806) to provide for technological 
innovation through the prioritization of Federal investment in 
basic research, fundamental scientific discovery, and 
development to improve the competitiveness of the United 
States, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 
report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 
the bill as amended do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Committee Statement and Views....................................    53
Section-by-Section...............................................    82
Explanation of Amendments........................................   100
Committee Consideration..........................................   101
Roll Call Votes..................................................   101
Correspondence...................................................   114
Application of Law to the Legislative Branch.....................   118
Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the 
  Committee......................................................   118
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............   118
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................   118
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings..............................   118
Federal Advisory Committee Act...................................   118
Unfunded Mandate Statement.......................................   118
Earmark Identification...........................................   119
Committee Estimate...............................................   119
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate...   119
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill as Reported.............   123
Minority Views...................................................   244
Additional Views.................................................   251

    The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2015''.
  (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Policy objectives.
Sec. 104. Definitions.
Sec. 105. Accountability and transparency.
Sec. 106. Greater accountability in Federal funding for research.
Sec. 107. Obligation of major research equipment and facilities 
construction funds.
Sec. 108. Management and oversight of large facilities.
Sec. 109. Whistleblower education.
Sec. 110. Graduate student support.
Sec. 111. Permissible support.
Sec. 112. Expanding STEM opportunities.
Sec. 113. Review of education programs.
Sec. 114. Recompetition of awards.
Sec. 115. Sense of the Congress regarding industry investment in STEM 
education.
Sec. 116. Misrepresentation of research results.
Sec. 117. Research reproducibility and replication.
Sec. 118. Research grant conditions.
Sec. 119. Computing resources study.
Sec. 120. Scientific breakthrough prizes.
Sec. 121. Rotating personnel.
Sec. 122. Sense of Congress regarding Innovation Corps.
Sec. 123. Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies 
Initiative.
Sec. 124. Noyce scholarship program amendments.
Sec. 125. Informal STEM education.
Sec. 126. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

      TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS

Sec. 201. Findings; sense of Congress.
Sec. 202. STEM Education Advisory Panel.
Sec. 203. Committee on STEM Education.
Sec. 204. STEM Education Coordinating Office.

           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency.
Sec. 303. Coordination of international science and technology 
partnerships.
Sec. 304. Alternative research funding models.
Sec. 305. Amendments to prize competitions.
Sec. 306. United States Chief Technology Officer.
Sec. 307. National Research Council study on technology for emergency 
notifications on university campuses.

        TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 402. Standards and conformity assessment.
Sec. 403. Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.
Sec. 404. Police and security authority.
Sec. 405. Education and outreach.
Sec. 406. Programmatic planning report.
Sec. 407. Assessments by the National Research Council.
Sec. 408. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
Sec. 409. Elimination of obsolete reports.
Sec. 410. Modifications to grants and cooperative agreements.
Sec. 411. Information systems standards consultation.
Sec. 412. United States-Israeli cooperation.

                 TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE

Sec. 501. Mission.
Sec. 502. Basic energy sciences.
Sec. 503. Advanced scientific computing research.
Sec. 504. High energy physics.
Sec. 505. Biological and environmental research.
Sec. 506. Fusion energy.
Sec. 507. Nuclear physics.
Sec. 508. Science laboratories infrastructure program.
Sec. 509. Domestic manufacturing.
Sec. 510. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 511. Definitions.

    TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

           Subtitle A--Crosscutting Research and Development

Sec. 601. Crosscutting research and development.
Sec. 602. Strategic research portfolio analysis and coordination plan.
Sec. 603. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.

 Subtitle B--Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and 
                              Development

Sec. 611. Distributed energy and electric energy systems.
Sec. 612. Electric transmission and distribution research and 
development.

          Subtitle C--Nuclear Energy Research and Development

Sec. 621. Objectives.
Sec. 622. Program objectives study.
Sec. 623. Nuclear energy research and development programs.
Sec. 624. Small modular reactor program.
Sec. 625. Fuel cycle research and development.
Sec. 626. Nuclear energy enabling technologies program.
Sec. 627. Technical standards collaboration.
Sec. 628. Available facilities database.
Sec. 629. Nuclear waste disposal.

    Subtitle D--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research and 
                              Development

Sec. 641. Energy efficiency.
Sec. 642. Next Generation Lighting Initiative.
Sec. 643. Building standards.
Sec. 644. Secondary electric vehicle battery use program.
Sec. 645. Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program.
Sec. 646. Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers.
Sec. 647. Renewable energy.
Sec. 648. Bioenergy program.
Sec. 649. Concentrating solar power research program.
Sec. 650. Renewable energy in public buildings.

           Subtitle E--Fossil Energy Research and Development

Sec. 661. Fossil energy.
Sec. 662. Coal research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application programs.
Sec. 663. High efficiency gas turbines research and development.

          Subtitle F--Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

Sec. 671. ARPA-E amendments.

              Subtitle G--Authorization of Appropriations

Sec. 681. Authorization of appropriations.

                        Subtitle H--Definitions

Sec. 691. Definitions.

          TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

                         Subtitle A--In General

Sec. 701. Definitions.
Sec. 702. Savings clause.

       Subtitle B--Innovation Management at Department of Energy

Sec. 711. Under Secretary for Science and Energy.
Sec. 712. Technology transfer and transitions assessment.
Sec. 713. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 714. Nuclear energy innovation.

    Subtitle C--Cross-Sector Partnerships and Grant Competitiveness

Sec. 721. Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program.
Sec. 722. Public-private partnerships for commercialization.
Sec. 723. Inclusion of early-stage technology demonstration in 
authorized technology transfer activities.
Sec. 724. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education 
and other nonprofit institutions.
Sec. 725. Participation in the Innovation Corps program.

                    Subtitle D--Assessment of Impact

Sec. 731. Report by Government Accountability Office.

                     TITLE VIII--SENSE OF CONGRESS

Sec. 801. Sense of Congress.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act--
          (1) the term ``STEM'' means the subjects of science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics;
          (2) the term ``STEM education'' means education in the 
        subjects of STEM, including computer science; and
          (3) the term ``Committee on STEM Education'' means the 
        Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
        Education established under section 101 of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621).

                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for fiscal year 2016.
          (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                  (A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available to carry 
                out research and related activities, including--
                          (i) $834,800,000 for the Biological Science 
                        Directorate;
                          (ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer and 
                        Information Science and Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                          (iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                          (iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geosciences 
                        Directorate;
                          (v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathematical and 
                        Physical Science Directorate;
                          (vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Behavioral, 
                        and Economics Directorate, of which $50,000,000 
                        shall be for the National Center for Science 
                        and Engineering Statistics;
                          (vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of 
                        International Science and Engineering;
                          (viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative 
                        Activities; and
                          (ix) $1,480,000 for the United States Arctic 
                        Commission;
                  (B) $866,000,000 shall be made available for 
                education and human resources;
                  (C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major 
                research equipment and facilities construction;
                  (D) $325,000,000 shall be made available for agency 
                operations and award management;
                  (E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office 
                of the National Science Board; and
                  (F) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.
  (b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for fiscal year 2017.
          (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                  (A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available to carry 
                out research and related activities, including--
                          (i) $834,800,000 for the Biological Science 
                        Directorate;
                          (ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer and 
                        Information Science and Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                          (iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                          (iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geosciences 
                        Directorate;
                          (v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathematical and 
                        Physical Science Directorate;
                          (vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Behavioral, 
                        and Economics Directorate, of which $50,000,000 
                        shall be for the National Center for Science 
                        and Engineering Statistics;
                          (vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of 
                        International Science and Engineering;
                          (viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative 
                        Activities; and
                          (ix) $1,480,000 for the United States Arctic 
                        Commission;
                  (B) $866,000,000 shall be made available for 
                education and human resources;
                  (C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major 
                research equipment and facilities construction;
                  (D) $325,000,000 shall be made available for agency 
                operations and award management;
                  (E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office 
                of the National Science Board; and
                  (F) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

  Congress finds the following:
          (1) Taxpayer-supported research investments administered by 
        the Foundation should serve the national interest.
          (2) The Foundation has made major contributions for more than 
        60 years to strengthen and sustain the Nation's academic 
        research enterprise.
          (3) The economic strength and national security of the United 
        States, and the quality of life of all Americans, are grounded 
        in the Nation's scientific and technological capabilities.
          (4) Providing support for basic research is an investment in 
        our Nation's future security and economic prosperity.
          (5) Congress applauds the Foundation's recognition that wise 
        stewardship of taxpayer dollars is necessary to maintain and 
        ensure the public's trust for funding of fundamental scientific 
        and engineering research.
          (6) Other nations are increasing their public investments in 
        basic research in the physical sciences in order to boost long-
        term economic growth.
          (7) Longstanding United States leadership in supercomputing, 
        genomics, nanoscience, photonics, quantum physics, and other 
        key technological areas is jeopardized if United States 
        investments in basic research in the natural sciences do not 
        keep pace.
          (8) Redundant regulations and reporting requirements imposed 
        by Federal agencies on research institutions and researchers 
        increase costs by tens of millions of dollars annually.
          (9) The Foundation carries out important functions by 
        supporting basic research in all science and engineering 
        disciplines and in supporting STEM education at all levels.
          (10) The research and education activities of the Foundation 
        promote the discovery, integration, dissemination, and 
        application of new knowledge in service to society and prepare 
        future generations of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers 
        who will be necessary to ensure America's leadership in the 
        global marketplace.
          (11) Many of the complex problems and challenges facing the 
        Nation increasingly require the collaboration of multiple 
        scientific disciplines. The Foundation should continue to 
        emphasize cross-directorate research collaboration and 
        activities to address these issues and encourage 
        interdisciplinary research.
          (12) The Foundation should meet the highest standards of 
        efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its stewardship 
        of public funds.
          (13) The Foundation is charged with the responsibilities--
                  (A) to develop and encourage the pursuit of a 
                national policy for the promotion of basic research and 
                education in the sciences;
                  (B) to initiate, support, and conduct basic 
                scientific research and to appraise the impact of 
                research on industrial development and the general 
                welfare;
                  (C) to initiate, support, and conduct scientific 
                research activities in connection with matters relating 
                to the national defense, at the request of the 
                Secretary of Defense;
                  (D) to award scholarships and graduate fellowships in 
                the sciences;
                  (E) to foster the interchange of scientific 
                information among scientists and across scientific 
                disciplines;
                  (F) to evaluate scientific research programs 
                undertaken by agencies of the Federal Government, and 
                to correlate the Foundation's scientific research with 
                that undertaken by individuals and by public and 
                private research groups;
                  (G) to communicate effectively to American citizens 
                the relevance of public investments in scientific 
                discovery and technological innovation to the Nation's 
                security, prosperity, and welfare; and
                  (H) to establish such special commissions as the 
                Board considers necessary.
          (14) The emerging global economic, scientific, and technical 
        environment challenges long standing assumptions about domestic 
        and international policy, requiring the Foundation to play a 
        more proactive role in sustaining the competitive advantage of 
        the United States through superior research capabilities.

SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVES.

  In allocating resources made available under this title, the 
Foundation shall have the following policy objectives:
          (1) To renew and maintain the Nation's international 
        leadership in science and technology by--
                  (A) increasing the national investment in basic 
                scientific research and increasing interdisciplinary 
                investment in strategic areas vital to the national 
                interest;
                  (B) balancing the Nation's research portfolio among 
                the life sciences, mathematics, the physical sciences, 
                computer and information science, geosciences, 
                engineering, and social, behavioral, and economic 
                sciences, all of which are important for the continued 
                development of enabling technologies necessary for 
                sustained economic competitiveness;
                  (C) encouraging investments in potentially 
                transformative scientific research to benefit our 
                Nation and its citizens;
                  (D) expanding the pool of scientists and engineers in 
                the United States, including among segments of the 
                population that have been historically underrepresented 
                in STEM fields; and
                  (E) modernizing the Nation's research infrastructure 
                and establishing and maintaining cooperative 
                international relationships with premier research 
                institutions.
          (2) To increase overall workforce skills by--
                  (A) improving the quality of STEM education and tools 
                provided both inside and outside of the classroom, 
                including in kindergarten through grade 12; and
                  (B) expanding STEM training opportunities at 
                institutions of higher education.
          (3) To strengthen innovation by expanding the focus of 
        competitiveness and innovation at the regional and local level.

SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS.

  In this title:
          (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Science 
        Board.
          (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Foundation.
          (3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National 
        Science Foundation established under section 2 of the National 
        Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
          (4) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution 
        of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1001(a)).
          (5) State.--The term ``State'' means one of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other 
        territory or possession of the United States.
          (6) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the 
        several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other 
        territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 105. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

  It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) sustained, predictable Federal funding is essential to 
        United States leadership in science and technology;
          (2) building understanding of and confidence in investments 
        in basic research are essential to public support for 
        sustained, predictable Federal funding; and
          (3) the Foundation should commit itself fully to transparency 
        and accountability and to clear, consistent public 
        communication regarding the national interest for each 
        Foundation-awarded grant and cooperative agreement.

SEC. 106. GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RESEARCH.

  (a) Standard for Award of Grants.--The Foundation shall award Federal 
funding for basic research and education in the sciences through a new 
research grant or cooperative agreement only if an affirmative 
determination is made by the Foundation under subsection (b) and 
written justification relating thereto is published under subsection 
(c).
  (b) Determination.--A determination referred to in subsection (a) is 
a justification by the responsible Foundation official as to how the 
research grant or cooperative agreement promotes the progress of 
science in the United States, consistent with the Foundation mission as 
established in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 
1861 et seq.), and further--
          (1) is worthy of Federal funding; and
          (2) is in the national interest, as indicated by having the 
        potential to achieve--
                  (A) increased economic competitiveness in the United 
                States;
                  (B) advancement of the health and welfare of the 
                American public;
                  (C) development of an American STEM workforce that is 
                globally competitive;
                  (D) increased public scientific literacy and public 
                engagement with science and technology in the United 
                States;
                  (E) increased partnerships between academia and 
                industry in the United States;
                  (F) support for the national defense of the United 
                States; or
                  (G) promotion of the progress of science in the 
                United States.
  (c) Written Justification.--Public announcement of each award of 
Federal funding described in subsection (a) shall include a written 
justification from the responsible Foundation official as to how a 
grant or cooperative agreement meets the requirements of subsection 
(b).
  (d) Implementation.--A determination under subsection (b) shall be 
made after a research grant or cooperative agreement proposal has 
satisfied the Foundation's reviews for Merit and Broader Impacts. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering the Foundation's 
intellectual merit or broader impacts criteria for evaluating grant 
applications.

SEC. 107. OBLIGATION OF MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 
                    CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.

  No funds may be obligated for a fiscal year for a construction 
project for the Foundation that has not commenced before the date of 
enactment of this Act until 30 days after the report required with 
respect to each such fiscal year under section 14(a)(2) of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-4(a)(2)) 
is transmitted to the Congress.

SEC. 108. MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES.

  (a) Large Facilities Office.--The Director shall maintain a Large 
Facilities Office within the Office of the Director. The functions of 
the Large Facilities Office shall be to support the research 
directorates in the development, implementation, and assessment of 
major multi-user research facilities, including by--
          (1) serving as the Foundation's primary resource for all 
        policy or process issues related to the development and 
        implementation of major multi-user research facilities;
          (2) serving as a Foundation-wide resource on project 
        management, including providing expert assistance on 
        nonscientific and nontechnical aspects of project planning, 
        budgeting, implementation, management, and oversight;
          (3) coordinating and collaborating with research directorates 
        to share best management practices and lessons learned from 
        prior projects; and
          (4) assessing projects during preconstruction and 
        construction phases for cost and schedule risk.
  (b) Oversight of Large Facilities.--The Director shall appoint a 
senior agency official within the Office of the Director whose primary 
responsibility is oversight of major multi-user research facilities. 
The duties of this official shall include--
          (1) oversight of the development, construction, and operation 
        of major multi-user research facilities across the Foundation;
          (2) in collaboration with the directors of the research 
        directorates and other senior agency officials as appropriate, 
        ensuring that the requirements of section 14(a) of the National 
        Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 are satisfied;
          (3) serving as a liaison to the National Science Board for 
        approval and oversight of major multi-user research facilities; 
        and
          (4) periodically reviewing and updating as necessary 
        Foundation policies and guidelines for the development and 
        construction of major multi-user research facilities.
  (c) Policies for Large Facility Costs.--
          (1) In general.--The Director shall ensure that the 
        Foundation's policies for developing and managing major multi-
        user research facility construction costs are consistent with 
        the best practices described in the March 2009 Government 
        Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP, or any successor 
        report thereto.
          (2) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress 
        the results of a study and a report reforming the Foundation's 
        policies on financial management of major multi-user research 
        facilities, including a description of any aspects of the 
        policies that diverge from the best practices recommended in 
        Government Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP and the 
        Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
          (3) Management fees.--
                  (A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term 
                ``management fee'' means a portion of an award made by 
                the Foundation for the purpose of covering ordinary and 
                necessary business expenses necessary to maintain 
                operational stability which are not otherwise allowable 
                under Cost Principles Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 
                200, Subpart E, , or any successor regulation thereto.
                  (B) Limitation.--The Foundation may provide 
                management fees under an award only if the awardee has 
                demonstrated that it has limited or no other financial 
                resources for covering the expenses for which the 
                management fees are sought.
                  (C) Financial information.--The Foundation shall 
                require award applicants to provide income and 
                financial information covering a period of no less than 
                three prior years (or in the case of an entity 
                established less than three years prior to the entity's 
                application date, the period beginning on the date of 
                establishment and ending on the application date), 
                including cash on hand and net asset information, in 
                support of a request for management fees. The 
                Foundation shall also require awardees to report to the 
                Foundation, within 30 days of receipt, any sources of 
                non-Federal funds received in excess of $50,000 during 
                the award period.
                  (D) Expense reporting.--The Foundation shall require 
                awardees to track and report to the Foundation annually 
                all expenses reimbursed or otherwise paid for with 
                management fee funds, in accordance with Federal 
                accounting practices as established in Government 
                Accountability Office Report GAO-12-331G, or any 
                successor report thereto.
                  (E) Audits.--The Inspector General of the Foundation 
                may audit any Foundation award for compliance with this 
                paragraph.
                  (F) Prohibited uses.--An awardee may not use 
                management fees for--
                          (i) costs allowable under Cost Principles 
                        Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 200, Subpart 
                        E, or any successor regulation thereto;
                          (ii) alcoholic beverages;
                          (iii) tickets to concerts, or sporting and 
                        other entertainment events;
                          (iv) vacation or other travel for nonbusiness 
                        purposes;
                          (v) charitable contributions;
                          (vi) social or sporting club memberships;
                          (vii) meals for nonbusiness purposes;
                          (viii) luxury or personal items;
                          (ix) lobbying, as described in the Uniform 
                        Guidance at 2 C.F.R. 200.450; or
                          (x) any other purpose the Foundation 
                        determines is inappropriate.
                  (G) Review.--The Foundation shall review management 
                fee usage under each Foundation award on at least an 
                annual basis for compliance with this paragraph and the 
                Foundation's Large Facilities Manual.
          (4) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress a 
        report describing the Foundation's policies for developing and 
        managing major multi-user research facility construction costs, 
        including a description of any aspects of the policies that 
        diverge from the best practices recommended in Government 
        Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP, or any successor 
        report thereto, and the Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 200.

SEC. 109. WHISTLEBLOWER EDUCATION.

  (a) In General.--The Foundation shall be subject to section 4712 of 
title 41, United States Code.
  (b) Education and Training.--The Foundation shall provide education 
and training for Foundation managers and staff on the requirements of 
such section 4712, and provide information on the law to all grantees, 
contractors, and employees of such grantees and contractors.

SEC. 110. GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT.

  (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
essential elements of the NSF Research Traineeship Program, formerly 
the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program, 
(or any successor thereto) should be maintained, including--
          (1) collaborative research that transcends traditional 
        disciplinary boundaries to solve large and complex research 
        problems of significant scientific and societal importance; and
          (2) providing students the opportunity to become leaders in 
        the science and engineering of the future.
  (b) Models for Support.--The Director shall enter into an agreement 
with the National Research Council to convene a workshop or roundtable 
to examine models of Federal support for STEM graduate students, 
including the Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship program and 
comparable fellowship programs at other agencies, traineeship programs, 
and the research assistant model.
  (c) Purpose.--The purpose of the workshop or roundtable shall be to 
compare and evaluate the extent to which each of these models helps to 
prepare graduate students for diverse careers utilizing STEM degrees, 
including at diverse types of institutions of higher education, in 
industry, and at government agencies and research laboratories, and to 
make recommendations regarding--
          (1) how current Federal programs and models, including 
        programs and models at the Foundation, can be improved;
          (2) the appropriateness of the current distribution of 
        funding among the different models at the Foundation and across 
        the agencies; and
          (3) the appropriateness of creating a new education and 
        training program for graduate students distinct from programs 
        that provide direct financial support, including the grants 
        authorized in section 527 of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-15).
  (d) Criteria.--At a minimum, in comparing programs and models, the 
workshop or roundtable participants shall consider the capacity of such 
programs or models to provide students with knowledge and skills--
          (1) to become independent, creative, successful researchers;
          (2) to participate in large interdisciplinary research 
        projects, including in an international context;
          (3) to adhere to the highest standards for research ethics;
          (4) to become high-quality teachers utilizing the most 
        currently available evidence-based pedagogy;
          (5) in oral and written communication, to both technical and 
        nontechnical audiences;
          (6) in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business ethics; and
          (7) in program management.
  (e) Graduate Student Input.--The participants in the workshop or 
roundtable shall include current or recent STEM graduate students.
  (f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the National Research Council shall submit to Congress a 
summary report of the findings and recommendations of the workshop or 
roundtable convened under this section.

SEC. 111. PERMISSIBLE SUPPORT.

  A grant made by the Education and Human Resources Directorate to 
support informal education may be used--
          (1) to support the participation of underrepresented students 
        in nonprofit competitions, out-of-school activities, and field 
        experiences related to STEM subjects (such as robotics, science 
        research, invention, mathematics, and technology competitions), 
        including--
                  (A) the purchase of parts and supplies needed to 
                participate in such competitions; and
                  (B) incentives and stipends for teachers and 
                instructional leaders who are involved in assisting 
                students and preparing students for such competitions, 
                if such activities fall outside the regular duties and 
                responsibilities of such teachers and instructional 
                leaders; and
          (2) to broaden underrepresented secondary school students' 
        access to, and interest in, careers that require academic 
        preparation in STEM subjects.

SEC. 112. EXPANDING STEM OPPORTUNITIES.

  (a) In General.--Within the Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources (or any successor thereto), under existing programs targeting 
broadening participation, the Director shall provide grants on a merit-
reviewed, competitive basis for research on programming that engages 
underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
  (b) Use of Funds.--
          (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        used for research to advance the engagement of underrepresented 
        students in grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM through the 
        development and implementation of innovative before-school, 
        after-school, out-of-school, or summer activities, including 
        programs (if applicable to the target population) provided in a 
        single-gender environment, that are designed to encourage 
        interest, engagement, and skills development of 
        underrepresented students in STEM. Such research shall be 
        conducted in learning environments that actively provide 
        programming to underrepresented students in grades kindergarten 
        through 8 in STEM.
          (2) Permitted activities.--Such activities may include--
                  (A) the development and implementation of programming 
                described in subsection (a) for the purpose of 
                research;
                  (B) the use of a variety of engagement methods, 
                including cooperative and hands-on learning;
                  (C) exposure of underrepresented youth to role models 
                in the fields of STEM, including researchers in the 
                National Laboratories, and nearpeer mentors;
                  (D) training of informal learning educators and 
                youth-serving professionals using evidence-based 
                methods consistent with the target student population 
                being served;
                  (E) education of students on the relevance and 
                significance of STEM careers, provision of academic 
                advice and assistance, and activities designed to help 
                students make real-world connections to STEM content 
                activities;
                  (F) the attendance of underrepresented youth at 
                events, competitions, and academic programs to provide 
                content expertise and encourage career exposure in 
                STEM;
                  (G) activities designed to engage parents of 
                underrepresented youth;
                  (H) innovative strategies to engage underrepresented 
                youth, such as using leadership skill outcome measures 
                to encourage youth with the confidence to pursue STEM 
                coursework and academic study;
                  (I) coordination with STEM-rich environments, 
                including other nonprofit, nongovernmental 
                organizations, classroom and out-of-classroom settings, 
                institutions of higher education, vocational 
                facilities, corporations, museums, National 
                Laboratories, or science centers; and
                  (J) the acquisition of instructional materials or 
                technology-based tools to conduct applicable grant 
                activity.
  (c) Application.--An applicant seeking funding under the section 
shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as may be required. The application shall 
include, at a minimum, the following:
          (1) A description of the target audience to be served by the 
        program.
          (2) A description of the process for recruitment and 
        selection of students, as appropriate.
          (3) A description of how such research activity may inform 
        programming that engages underrepresented students in grades 
        kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
          (4) A description of how such research activity may inform 
        programming that promotes student academic achievement in STEM.
          (5) An evaluation plan that includes, at a minimum, the use 
        of outcome-oriented measures to determine the impact and 
        efficacy of activities being researched.
  (d) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the Director 
shall give priority to applicants which, for the purpose of grant 
activity, include or partner with a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
organization that has extensive experience and expertise in increasing 
the participation of underrepresented students in STEM.
  (e) Accountability and Dissemination.--
          (1) Evaluation required.--Not later than 5 years after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall evaluate the 
        grants provided under this section. In addition to evaluating 
        the effectiveness of the grant activities, such evaluation 
        shall--
                  (A) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment 
                tools to identify best practices and materials 
                developed or demonstrated by the research; and
                  (B) to the extent practicable, combine the research 
                resulting from the grant activity with the current 
                research on serving underrepresented students in grades 
                kindergarten through 8.
          (2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the Director 
        shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the 
        public a report that includes--
                  (A) the results of the evaluation; and
                  (B) any recommendations for administrative and 
                legislative action that could optimize the 
                effectiveness of the program.
  (f) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall 
consult, cooperate, and coordinate, to enhance program effectiveness 
and to avoid duplication, with the programs and policies of other 
relevant Federal agencies.

SEC. 113. REVIEW OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

  (a) In General.--The Director shall review the education programs of 
the Foundation that are in operation as of the date of enactment of 
this Act to determine--
          (1) whether any of such programs duplicate target groups, 
        services provided, fields of focus, or objectives; and
          (2) how those programs are being evaluated and assessed for 
        outcome-oriented effectiveness.
  (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the annual budget 
submission to Congress, the Director shall complete a report on the 
review carried out under this section and shall submit the report to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate, and shall make the report widely available to the public.

SEC. 114. RECOMPETITION OF AWARDS.

  (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
          (1) the merit-reviewed competition of grant and award 
        proposals is a hallmark of the Foundation grant and award 
        making process;
          (2) the majority of Foundation-funded multi-user research 
        facilities have transitioned to five-year cooperative 
        agreements, and every five years the program officer 
        responsible for the facility makes a recommendation to the 
        National Science Board as to the renewal, recompetition, or 
        termination of support for the facility; and
          (3) requiring the recompetition of expiring awards is based 
        on the conviction that competition is most likely to ensure the 
        effective stewardship of Foundation funds for supporting 
        research and education.
  (b) Recompetition.--The Director shall ensure that the system for 
recompetition of Maintenance and Operations of facilities, equipment 
and instrumentation is fair, consistent, and transparent and is applied 
in a manner that renews grants and awards in a timely manner. The 
Director shall periodically evaluate whether the criteria of the system 
are being applied in a manner that is transparent, reliable, and valid.

SEC. 115. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING INDUSTRY INVESTMENT IN STEM 
                    EDUCATION.

  It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) in order to bolster the STEM workforce pipeline, many 
        industry sectors are becoming involved in K-12 initiatives and 
        supporting undergraduate and graduate work in STEM subject 
        areas and fields;
          (2) partnerships with education providers, STEM focused 
        competitions, and other opportunities have become important 
        aspects of private sector efforts to strengthen the STEM 
        workforce;
          (3) understanding the work that private sector organizations 
        are undertaking in STEM fields should inform the Federal 
        Government's role in STEM education; and
          (4) successful private sector STEM initiatives, as reflected 
        by measurements of relevant outcomes, should be encouraged and 
        supported by the Foundation.

SEC. 116. MISREPRESENTATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS.

  (a) Prohibition.--The findings and conclusions of any article 
authored by a principal investigator receiving a research grant from 
the Foundation, using the results of the research conducted under the 
grant, that is published in a peer-reviewed publication, otherwise made 
publicly available, or incorporated in an application for a research 
grant or grant extension from the Foundation may not contain any 
falsification, fabrication, or plagiarism, as established in the 
Foundation's Research Misconduct regulation (45 C.F.R. 689).
  (b) Publication.--The Director shall make publicly available any 
finding that research misconduct (as defined in 45 C.F.R. 689) has been 
committed, including the name of the principal investigator, within 30 
days of the final administration action of the Foundation.

SEC. 117. RESEARCH REPRODUCIBILITY AND REPLICATION.

  (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) the gold standard of good science is the ability of a 
        researcher or research lab to reproduce a published method and 
        finding;
          (2) there is growing concern that some published research 
        findings cannot be reproduced or replicated, which can 
        negatively affect the public's trust in science;
          (3) there are a complex set of factors affecting 
        reproducibility and replication; and
          (4) the increasing interdisciplinary nature and complexity of 
        scientific research may be a contributing factor to issues with 
        research reproducibility and replication.
  (b) Report.--The Director shall--
          (1) not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, enter into an agreement with the National Research 
        Council to provide, within 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, a report to assess research and data 
        reproducibility and replicability issues in interdisciplinary 
        research and to make recommendations on how to improve rigor 
        and transparency in scientific research; and
          (2) not later than 60 days after receiving the results of the 
        assessment under paragraph (1), submit a report to the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate on the findings of the assessment, 
        together with the agreement or disagreement of the Director and 
        Board with each of its findings and recommendations.

SEC. 118. RESEARCH GRANT CONDITIONS.

  The Foundation shall establish procedures to ensure that--
          (1) a research grant awarded by the Foundation to a principal 
        investigator supports a scope of work not otherwise being 
        directly funded by grants provided by other Federal agencies;
          (2) a principal investigator includes in any application for 
        a research grant awarded by the Foundation a list of all 
        Federal research funding received by the principal 
        investigator, as well as any funding that is being requested as 
        of that time;
          (3) unpublished research results used to support a grant 
        proposal made to the Foundation do not include any knowing 
        misrepresentations of data;
          (4) principal investigators who receive Foundation research 
        grant funding under more than one grant at the same time have 
        sufficient resources to conduct the proposed research under 
        each of those grants appropriately under the terms of the 
        grant; and
          (5) barriers to early career and new investigator applicants 
        are addressed, including taking into account the broader 
        accomplishments and potential of the individual investigator in 
        addition to the potential impact of the project.

SEC. 119. COMPUTING RESOURCES STUDY.

  Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General shall transmit to the Congress a report detailing 
the results of a study on the use of scientific computing resources 
funded by the Foundation at institutions of higher education. Such 
study shall assess--
          (1) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        scientific computing resources for projects that have similar 
        scientific computing requirements or projects where specialized 
        software solutions could be shared with other practitioners in 
        the scientific community;
          (2) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        hardware that can be cost effectively procured from cloud 
        computing services;
          (3) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        software from an open source repository or platform; and
          (4) cost savings that could be achieved by potential sharing 
        of scientific computing resources across all Foundation grants.

SEC. 120. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH PRIZES.

  The Director shall place a high priority on designing and 
administering pilot programs for scientific breakthrough prizes, in 
conjunction with private entities, that are consistent with Office of 
Science and Technology Policy guidelines. Breakthrough prizes shall 
center around technological breakthroughs that are of strategic 
importance to the Nation, and have the capacity to spur new economic 
growth.

SEC. 121. ROTATING PERSONNEL.

  In order to control the costs to the Foundation of individuals 
employed pursuant to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 
U.S.C. 4701 note)--
          (1) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a written 
        justification and waiver by the Deputy Director in instances in 
        which such an individual is to be paid at a rate that exceeds 
        the maximum rate of pay for the Senior Executive Service, 
        including, if applicable, adjustment for the certified Senior 
        Executive Service Performance Appraisal System;
          (2) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a written 
        justification and waiver by the Director in instances in which 
        such an individual is to be paid at a rate that exceeds the 
        annual salary rate of the Vice President of the United States; 
        and
          (3) the Foundation shall provide an annual report to Congress 
        on the costs to the Foundation of employing such individuals, 
        including--
                  (A) the timeliness and completeness of Foundation 
                actions in response to recommendations and findings 
                from the Office of Inspector General related to the 
                employment of such individuals;
                  (B) actions taken by the Foundation to reduce the 
                cost to the Foundation of the employment of such 
                individuals at pay levels that exceed the threshold 
                described in paragraph (1);
                  (C) the value to the Foundation of employing 
                individuals pursuant to the Intergovernmental Personnel 
                Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4701 note) whose pay is set 
                below the threshold described in paragraph (1); and
                  (D) the value to the Foundation of employing 
                individuals who are not permanent employees whose pay 
                requires a justification and waiver under paragraph (1) 
                or (2).

SEC. 122. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INNOVATION CORPS.

  It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) the Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) was 
        established to foster a national innovation ecosystem by 
        encouraging institutions, scientists, engineers, and 
        entrepreneurs to identify and explore the innovation and 
        commercial potential of Foundation-funded research well beyond 
        the laboratory;
          (2) the Foundation's I-Corps includes investment in 
        entrepreneurship and commercialization education, training, and 
        mentoring, ultimately leading to the practical deployment of 
        technologies, products, processes, and services that improve 
        the Nation's competitiveness, promote economic growth, and 
        benefit society; and
          (3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, educators, 
        mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and supporting 
        specialized education and training, I-Corps is at the leading 
        edge of a strong, lasting foundation for an American innovation 
        ecosystem.

SEC. 123. BRAIN RESEARCH THROUGH ADVANCING INNOVATIVE NEUROTECHNOLOGIES 
                    INITIATIVE.

  The Foundation shall support research activities related to the Brain 
Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative. The 
Foundation is encouraged to work in conjunction with the Interagency 
Working Group on Neuroscience (IWGN) to determine how to use the data 
infrastructure of the Foundation and other applicable agencies to help 
neuroscientists collect, standardize, manage, and analyze the large 
amounts of data that will result from research attempting to understand 
how the brain functions.

SEC. 124. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.

  (a) Amendments.--Section 10A of the National Science Foundation 
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n--1a) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ``or bachelor's'' 
        after ``master's'';
          (2) in subsection (c)--
                  (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (2)(B);
                  (B) in paragraph (3)--
                          (i) by inserting ``for teachers with master's 
                        degrees in their field'' after ``Teaching 
                        Fellowships''; and
                          (ii) by striking the period at the end of 
                        subparagraph (B) and inserting ``; and''; and
                  (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
          ``(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master 
        Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's degrees in 
        their field and working toward a master's degree--
                  ``(A) offering academic courses leading to a master's 
                degree and leadership training to prepare individuals 
                to become master teachers in elementary and secondary 
                schools; and
                  ``(B) offering programs both during and after 
                matriculation in the program for which the fellowship 
                is received to enable fellows to become highly 
                effective mathematics and science teachers, including 
                mentoring, training, induction, and professional 
                development activities, to fulfill the service 
                requirements of this section, including the 
                requirements of subsection (e), and to exchange ideas 
                with others in their fields.'';
          (3) in subsection (e), by striking ``subsection (g)'' and 
        inserting ``subsection (h)'';
          (4) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as 
        subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and
          (5) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new 
        subsection:
  ``(g) Support for Master Teaching Fellows While Enrolled in a 
Master's Degree Program.--A National Science Foundation Master Teacher 
Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of fellowship support while 
enrolled in a master's degree program as described in subsection 
(c)(4)(A), except that if such fellow is enrolled in a part-time 
program, such amount shall be prorated according to the length of the 
program.''.
  (b) Definition.--Section 10(i)(5) of the National Science Foundation 
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n--1(i)(5)) is amended by 
inserting ``computer science,'' after ``means a science,''.

SEC. 125. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION.

  (a) Grants.--The Director, through the Directorate for Education and 
Human Resources, shall continue to award competitive, merit-reviewed 
grants to support--
          (1) research and development of innovative out-of-school STEM 
        learning and emerging STEM learning environments in order to 
        improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement in STEM; and
          (2) research that advances the field of informal STEM 
        education.
  (b) Uses of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under this section 
may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple STEM disciplines, or 
integrative STEM initiatives and shall include--
          (1) research and development that improves our understanding 
        of learning and engagement in informal environments, including 
        the role of informal environments in broadening participation 
        in STEM; and
          (2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models, 
        programs, and other resources for informal learning 
        environments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase 
        engagement for K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general 
        public, including design and testing of the scalability of 
        models, programs, and other resources.

SEC. 126. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH.

   The Foundation shall continue to operate a robust Experimental 
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The EPSCoR program 
helps ensure that academic research institutions in more than half the 
States develop a strong research infrastructure and participate fully 
in federally funded research activities. The program should be a high 
priority for the Foundation.

      TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS

SEC. 201. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

  (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
          (1) According to the National Science Board's Science and 
        Engineering Indicators, the science and engineering workforce 
        has shown sustained growth for more than half a century, and 
        workers with science and engineering degrees tend to earn more 
        than comparable workers in other fields.
          (2) According to the Program for International Student 
        Assessment 2012 results, America lags behind many other nations 
        in STEM education. American students rank 21st in science and 
        26th in mathematics.
          (3) Junior Achievement USA and ING found a decrease of 25 
        percent in the percentage of teenage students interested in 
        STEM careers.
          (4) According to a 2007 report from the Department of Labor, 
        industries and firms dependent on a strong science and 
        mathematics workforce have launched a variety of programs that 
        target K-12 students and undergraduate and graduate students in 
        STEM fields.
          (5) The Federal Government spends nearly $3 billion annually 
        on STEM education related program and activities, but 
        encouraging STEM education activities beyond the scope of the 
        Federal Government, including privately sponsored competitions 
        and programs in our schools, is crucial to the future technical 
        and economic competitiveness of the United States.
  (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) more effective coordination and adoption of performance 
        measurement based on objective outcomes for federally supported 
        STEM programs is needed;
          (2) leveraging private and nonprofit investments in STEM 
        education will be essential to strengthening the Federal STEM 
        portfolio;
          (3) strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio may require 
        program consolidations and terminations, but such changes 
        should be based on evidence with stakeholder input;
          (4) coordinating STEM programs and activities across the 
        Federal Government in order to limit duplication and engage 
        stakeholders in STEM programs and related activities for which 
        objective outcomes can be measured will bolster results of 
        Federal STEM education programs, improve the return on 
        taxpayers' investments in STEM education programs, and in turn 
        strengthen the United States economy; and
          (5) as the Committee on STEM Education implements the 5-year 
        Strategic Plan for Federal STEM education required under 
        section 101(b)(5) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act 
        of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621(b)(5)), STEM education stakeholders 
        must be engaged and outcome-based evaluation metrics should be 
        considered in the coordination and consolidation efforts for 
        the Federal STEM portfolio.

SEC. 202. STEM EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL.

  (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish or designate a STEM 
Education Advisory Panel that incorporates key stakeholders from the 
education and industry sectors. The co-chairs shall be members of the 
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
  (b) Qualifications.--The Advisory Panel established or designated by 
the President under subsection (a) shall consist primarily of members 
from academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and industry and 
shall include in-school, out-of-school, and informal educational 
practitioners. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to 
provide advice and information on STEM education research, development, 
training, implementation, interventions, professional development, or 
workforce needs or concerns. In selecting or designating an Advisory 
Panel, the President may also seek and give consideration to 
recommendations from the Congress, industry, the scientific community 
(including the National Academy of Sciences, scientific professional 
societies, and academia), State and local governments, and other 
appropriate organizations.
  (c) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the President, the 
Committee on STEM Education, and the STEM Education Coordinating Office 
established under section 204 on matters relating to STEM education, 
and shall each year provide general guidance to every Federal agency 
with STEM education programs or activities, including in the 
preparation of requests for appropriations for activities related to 
STEM education. The Advisory Panel shall also assess and develop 
recommendations for--
          (1) progress made in implementing the STEM education 
        Strategic Plan required under section 101 of the America 
        COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), and any 
        needs or opportunities to update the strategic plan;
          (2) the management, coordination, and implementation of STEM 
        education programs and activities across the Federal 
        Government;
          (3) the appropriateness of criteria used by Federal agencies 
        to evaluate the effectiveness of Federal STEM education 
        programs and activities;
          (4) ways to leverage private and nonprofit STEM investments 
        and encourage public-private partnerships to strengthen STEM 
        education and help build the STEM workforce pipeline;
          (5) ways to incorporate workforce needs into Federal STEM 
        education programs, particularly for specific fields of 
        national interest and areas experiencing high unemployment 
        rates;
          (6) ways to better vertically and horizontally integrate 
        Federal STEM programs and activities from pre-K through 
        graduate study and the workforce, and from in-school to out-of-
        school in order to improve transitions for students moving 
        through the STEM pipeline;
          (7) whether societal and workforce concerns are adequately 
        addressed by current Federal STEM education programs and 
        activities;
          (8) the extent to which Federal STEM education programs and 
        activities are contributing to recruitment and retention of 
        women and underrepresented students in the STEM education and 
        workforce pipeline; and
          (9) ways to encourage geographic diversity in STEM education 
        and the workforce pipeline.
  (d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not less frequently 
than once every 3 fiscal years, to the President and Congress on its 
assessments under subsection (c) and its recommendations for ways to 
improve Federal STEM education programs. The first report under this 
subsection shall be submitted within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
  (e) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal members of 
the Advisory Panel, while attending meetings of the Advisory Panel or 
while otherwise serving at the request of the head of the Advisory 
Panel away from their homes or regular places of business, may be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as 
authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for 
individuals in the Government serving without pay. Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the Advisory Panel 
who are officers or employees of the United States from being allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with existing law.

SEC. 203. COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION.

  Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 6621) is amended--
          (1) in the first subsection (b)--
                  (A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (6) as 
                paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;
                  (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following 
                new paragraphs:
          ``(3) collaborate with the STEM Education Advisory Panel 
        established under section 202 of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2015 and other outside stakeholders to 
        ensure the engagement of the STEM education community;
          ``(4) review evaluation measures used for Federal STEM 
        education programs;''; and
                  (C) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking ``, 
                periodically update,''; and
          (2) in the second subsection (b) and in subsection (c), by 
        striking ``subsection (b)(5)'' and inserting ``subsection 
        (b)(7)''.

SEC. 204. STEM EDUCATION COORDINATING OFFICE.

  (a) Establishment.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall establish within the Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources a STEM Education Coordinating Office, which shall have a 
Director and staff that shall include career employees detailed from 
Federal agencies that fund STEM education programs and activities.
  (b) Responsibilities.--The STEM Education Coordinating Office shall--
          (1) provide technical and administrative support to--
                  (A) the Committee on STEM Education, especially in 
                its coordination of Federal STEM programs and strategic 
                planning responsibilities;
                  (B) the Advisory Panel established under section 202; 
                and
                  (C) Federal agencies with STEM education programs;
          (2) periodically update and maintain the inventory of 
        federally sponsored STEM education programs and activities 
        established under section 101(b)(8) of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621); and
          (3) provide for dissemination of information on Federal STEM 
        education programs and activities, as appropriate, to 
        stakeholders in academia, industry, nonprofit organizations 
        with expertise in STEM education, State and local educational 
        agencies, and other STEM stakeholders.
  (c) Report.--The Director of the STEM Education Coordinating Office 
shall transmit a report annually to Congress not later than 60 days 
after the submission of the President's budget request. The annual 
report shall include--
          (1) any updates to the inventory required under subsection 
        (b)(2);
          (2) a description of all consolidations and terminations of 
        Federal STEM education programs implemented in the previous 
        fiscal year, including an explanation of the reasons for 
        consolidations and terminations;
          (3) recommendations for consolidations and terminations of 
        STEM education programs or activities in the upcoming fiscal 
        year;
          (4) a description of any significant new STEM Education 
        public-private partnerships; and
          (5) description of the progress made in carrying out the 
        strategic plan required under section 101 of the America 
        COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), 
        including a description of the outcome of any program 
        assessments completed in the previous year.
  (d) Responsibilities of NSF.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall encourage and monitor the efforts of the STEM 
Education Coordinating Office to ensure that the Coordinating Office is 
carrying out its responsibilities under subsection (b) appropriately.

           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  There are authorized to be appropriated for the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy--
          (1) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
          (2) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2017.

SEC. 302. REGULATORY EFFICIENCY.

  (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
          (1) high and increasing administrative burdens and costs in 
        Federal research administration, particularly in the higher 
        education sector where most federally sponsored research is 
        performed, are eroding funds available to carry out basic 
        scientific research;
          (2) progress has been made over the last decade in 
        streamlining the pre-award grant application process through 
        Grants.gov, the Federal Government's website portal;
          (3) post-award administrative costs have grown as Federal 
        research agencies have continued to impose agency-unique 
        compliance and reporting requirements on researchers and 
        research institutions;
          (4) facilities and administration costs at research 
        universities can exceed 50 percent of the total value of 
        Federal research grants, and it is estimated that nearly 30 
        percent of the funds invested annually in federally funded 
        research is consumed by paperwork and other administrative 
        processes required by Federal agencies; and
          (5) it is a matter of critical importance to American 
        competitiveness that administrative costs of federally funded 
        research be streamlined so that a higher proportion of taxpayer 
        dollars flow into direct research activities.
  (b) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall establish a working group under the authority of the 
National Science and Technology Council, to include the Office of 
Management and Budget. The working group shall be responsible for 
reviewing Federal regulations affecting research and research 
universities and making recommendations on how to--
          (1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative Federal 
        regulations and reporting requirements;
          (2) minimize the regulatory burden on United States 
        institutions of higher education performing federally funded 
        research while maintaining accountability for Federal tax 
        dollars; and
          (3) identify and update specific regulations to refocus on 
        performance-based goals rather than on process while still 
        meeting the desired outcome.
  (c) Stakeholder Input.--In carrying out the responsibilities under 
subsection (b), the working group shall take into account input and 
recommendations from non-Federal stakeholders, including federally 
funded and nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher 
education, scientific disciplinary societies and associations, 
nonprofit research institutions, industry, including small businesses, 
federally funded research and development centers, and others with a 
stake in ensuring effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability in the 
performance of scientific research.
  (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Director shall 
report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on what steps have been taken to carry out 
the recommendations of the working group established under subsection 
(b).

SEC. 303. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
                    PARTNERSHIPS.

  (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish a body under the National Science and 
Technology Council with the responsibility to identify and coordinate 
international science and technology cooperation that can strengthen 
the United States science and technology enterprise, improve economic 
and national security, and support United States foreign policy goals.
  (b) NSTC Body Leadership.--The body established under subsection (a) 
shall be co-chaired by senior level officials from the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy and the Department of State.
  (c) Responsibilities.--The body established under subsection (a) 
shall--
          (1) plan and coordinate interagency international science and 
        technology cooperative research and training activities and 
        partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and work 
        with other National Science and Technology Council committees 
        to help plan and coordinate the international component of 
        national science and technology priorities;
          (2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning, 
        as appropriate, international science and technology 
        cooperative research and training activities and partnerships 
        supported or managed by Federal agencies with the foreign 
        policy goals of the United States;
          (3) identify opportunities for new international science and 
        technology cooperative research and training partnerships that 
        advance both the science and technology and the foreign policy 
        priorities of the United States;
          (4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and 
        recommendations from non-Federal science and technology 
        stakeholders, including universities, scientific and 
        professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations 
        and institutions; and
          (5) identify broad issues that influence the ability of 
        United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with 
        foreign counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and 
        access to scientific information.
  (d) Report to Congress.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall transmit a report, to be updated every 2 years, 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate. The report shall also be made available to the 
public on the reporting agency's website. The report shall contain a 
description of--
          (1) the priorities and policies established under subsection 
        (c)(2);
          (2) the ongoing and new partnerships established since the 
        last update to the report;
          (3) the means by which stakeholder input was received, as 
        well as summary views of stakeholder input; and
          (4) the issues influencing the ability of United States 
        scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign 
        counterparts.
  (e) Additional Reports to Congress.--The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall transmit, not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate, a report that lists and describes all foreign 
travel by Office of Science and Technology Policy staff and detailees. 
Each report shall specify the dates of each trip, the purpose of the 
trip, Office of Science and Technology Policy participants on the trip, 
total Office of Science and Technology Policy costs associated with the 
trip, and details of all international meetings, including meeting 
participants and topics addressed.

SEC. 304. ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH FUNDING MODELS.

  (a) Pilot Program Authority.--The heads of Federal science agencies, 
in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, shall conduct appropriate pilot programs to validate 
alternative research funding models, including--
          (1) scientific breakthrough prize programs that are of 
        strategic importance to the Nation and have the capacity to 
        spur new economic growth; and
          (2) novel mechanisms of funding including obtaining non-
        Federal funds through crowd source funding.
  (b) Non-Federal Partners.--A pilot program may be conducted under 
this section through an agreement, grant, or contractual relationship 
with a non-Federal entity regarding the design, administration, and 
funding of the program.
  (c) Prize Competition Judges.--
          (1) Requirements.--Judges for a prize competition carried out 
        under this section shall not be required to be Federal 
        employees. An individual who serves as a judge for a prize 
        competition carried out under this section who is not a Federal 
        employee shall be required to sign an agreement, developed by 
        the Office of Science and Technology Policy, with respect to 
        nondisclosure, conflict of interest, and judging code of 
        conduct requirements.
          (2) Disclosure of personal financial interests.--A judge for 
        a prize competition with a total purse of $10,000 or more, or 
        for an aggregate of prize competitions with a total purse of 
        $50,000 or more, shall be required to disclose all personal 
        financial interests.
          (3) Report to congress.--Not later than 30 days after the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy completes development 
        of an agreement under paragraph (1), it shall transmit a report 
        to Congress describing the requirements of such agreement.
  (d) Public Notice.--The heads of Federal science agencies shall 
widely advertise prize competitions to be conducted under this section 
to ensure maximum participation.
  (e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term ``Federal 
science agency'' means--
          (1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
          (2) the National Science Foundation;
          (3) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
          (4) the National Weather Service.
  (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the annual 
budget submission to Congress, the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall transmit to the Congress a report on 
programs identified and conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 305. AMENDMENTS TO PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

  Section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3719) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (c)--
                  (A) by inserting ``competition'' after ``section, a 
                prize'';
                  (B) by inserting ``types'' after ``following''; and
                  (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prizes'' and 
                inserting ``prize competitions'';
          (2) in subsection (f)--
                  (A) by striking ``in the Federal Register'' and 
                inserting ``on a publicly accessible Government 
                website, such as www.challenge.gov,''; and
                  (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prize'' and 
                inserting ``cash prize purse'';
          (3) in subsection (g), by striking ``prize'' and inserting 
        ``cash prize purse'';
          (4) in subsection (h), by inserting ``prize'' before 
        ``competition'' both places it appears;
          (5) in subsection (i)--
                  (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``prize'' 
                before ``competition'';
                  (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' 
                before ``competition'' both places it appears;
                  (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); 
                and
                  (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following 
                new paragraph:
          ``(3) Waiver.--An agency may waive the requirement under 
        paragraph (2). The annual report under subsection (p) shall 
        include a list of such waivers granted during the preceding 
        fiscal year, along with a detailed explanation of the reasons 
        for granting the waivers.'';
          (6) in subsection (k)--
                  (A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' 
                before ``competition''; and
                  (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``prize'' before 
                ``competitions'' both places it appears;
          (7) in subsection (l), by striking all after ``may enter 
        into'' and inserting ``a grant, contract, cooperative 
        agreement, or other agreement with a private sector for-profit 
        or nonprofit entity to administer the prize competition, 
        subject to the provisions of this section.'';
          (8) in subsection (m)--
                  (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
          ``(1) In general.--Support for a prize competition under this 
        section, including financial support for the design and 
        administration of a prize competition or funds for a cash prize 
        purse, may consist of Federal appropriated funds and funds 
        provided by private sector for-profit and nonprofit entities. 
        The head of an agency may accept funds from other Federal 
        agencies, private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit 
        entities to support such prize competitions. The head of an 
        agency may not give any special consideration to any private 
        sector for-profit or nonprofit entity in return for a 
        donation.'';
                  (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``prize awards'' 
                and inserting ``cash prize purses'';
                  (C) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                          (i) by striking ``No prize'' and inserting 
                        ``No prize competition''; and
                          (ii) by striking ``the prize'' and inserting 
                        ``the cash prize purse'';
                  (D) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``a prize'' and 
                inserting ``a cash prize purse'';
                  (E) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting 
                ``competition'' after ``prize'';
                  (F) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``a prize'' and 
                inserting ``a cash prize purse''; and
                  (G) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``cash prizes'' 
                and inserting ``cash prize purses'';
          (9) in subsection (n), by inserting ``for both for-profit and 
        nonprofit entities,'' after ``contract vehicle'';
          (10) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ``or providing a 
        prize'' and insert ``a prize competition or providing a cash 
        prize purse''; and
          (11) in subsection (p)(2)--
                  (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``cash prizes'' 
                both places it occurs and inserting ``cash prize 
                purses''; and
                  (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                  ``(G) Plan.--A description of crosscutting topical 
                areas and agency-specific mission needs that may be the 
                strongest opportunities for prize competitions during 
                the upcoming 2 fiscal years.''.

SEC. 306. UNITED STATES CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.

  Title II of the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, 
and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6611 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:
                ``united states chief technology officer
  ``Sec. 210.  (a) Appointment.--The President may appoint a United 
States Chief Technology Officer. Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, such 
officer shall be one of the Associate Directors of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy.
  ``(b) Duties.--The duties of the United States Chief Technology 
Officer should include--
          ``(1) advising the President and the Director of the Office 
        of Science and Technology Policy on Federal information 
        systems, technology, data, and innovation policies and 
        initiatives;
          ``(2) promoting an improved exchange of information among the 
        Federal Government, the public, and Congress;
          ``(3) promoting the use of innovative technological 
        approaches across the Federal Government to ensure a modern 
        information technology infrastructure;
          ``(4) working with the Chief Technology Officers and Chief 
        Information Officers of all Federal agencies to ensure the use 
        of best technologies and security practices for information 
        systems;
          ``(5) establishing a working group with such Officers to 
        exchange best practices about information systems;
          ``(6) promoting transparency and accountability across the 
        Federal Government for all technological implementation by 
        working with agencies to ensure that each arm of the Federal 
        Government, including the executive branch, makes its records 
        open and accessible;
          ``(7) promoting security and privacy protection policies for 
        all Federal information technology systems that are consistent 
        with Federal law, regulations, and current best practices;
          ``(8) promoting technological interoperability of key 
        Government functions;
          ``(9) in consultation with the Office of Management and 
        Budget, providing an annual report to the President, the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and 
        Congress on the current state of information systems of all 
        Federal agencies, including--
                  ``(A) the status of information systems, including 
                potential technology and security concerns about these 
                information systems in all Federal agencies;
                  ``(B) a review of all Federal websites with third-
                party embedded tools that--
                          ``(i) identifies each embedded tool, who it 
                        belongs to, and the data it collects; and
                          ``(ii) addresses effects on cybersecurity and 
                        consumer privacy, including whether each 
                        website provides prominent notice to consumers 
                        about the presence of the tool and whether the 
                        consumer may opt-out of the tool;
                  ``(C) the amount of money being spent on various 
                technologies; and
                  ``(D) technology recommendations and best practices; 
                and
          ``(10) such other functions and activities as the President 
        and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy may 
        assign.
  ``(c) Report.--In the absence of a United States Chief Technology 
Officer, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
shall be responsible for providing the report required under subsection 
(b)(9).''.

SEC. 307. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STUDY ON TECHNOLOGY FOR EMERGENCY 
                    NOTIFICATIONS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.

  (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research 
Council to conduct and complete a study to identify and review 
technologies employed at institutions of higher education to provide 
notifications to students, faculty, and other personnel during 
emergency situations in accordance with the requirements of existing 
law. The study shall address--
          (1) the timeliness of notifications during emergency 
        situations provided by various technologies;
          (2) the durability of such technologies in delivering such 
        notifications to students, faculty, and other personnel; and
          (3) the limitations exhibited by such technologies to 
        successfully deliver notifications not more than 30 seconds 
        after the institution of higher education transmits such 
        notifications.
  (b) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which 
the National Research Council enters into the arrangement required by 
subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under 
such subsection.

        TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary of Commerce $933,700,000 for the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2016.
          (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                  (A) $744,700,000 shall be for scientific and 
                technical research and services laboratory activities;
                  (B) $59,000,000 shall be for the construction and 
                maintenance of facilities; and
                  (C) $130,000,000 shall be for industrial technology 
                services activities, of which $125,000,000 shall be for 
                the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under 
                sections 25 and 26 of the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278I) 
                and $5,000,000 shall be for the Network for 
                Manufacturing Innovation Program under section 34 of 
                the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
                (15 U.S.C. 278s).
  (b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary of Commerce $933,700,000 for the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2017.
          (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                  (A) $744,700,000 shall be for scientific and 
                technical research and services laboratory activities;
                  (B) $59,000,000 shall be for the construction and 
                maintenance of facilities; and
                  (C) $130,000,000 shall be for industrial technology 
                services activities, of which $125,000,000 shall be for 
                the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under 
                sections 25 and 26 of the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278I) 
                and $5,000,000 shall be for the Network for 
                Manufacturing Innovation Program under section 34 of 
                the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
                (15 U.S.C. 278s).

SEC. 402. STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT.

  Section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 272) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (b)--
                  (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``authorized to take'' and inserting 
                ``authorized to serve as the President's principal 
                adviser on standards policy pertaining to the Nation's 
                technological competitiveness and innovation ability 
                and to take'';
                  (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``compare 
                standards'' and all that follows through ``Federal 
                Government'' and inserting ``facilitate standards-
                related information sharing and cooperation between 
                Federal agencies''; and
                  (C) in paragraph (13), by striking ``Federal, State, 
                and local'' and all that follows through ``private 
                sector'' and inserting ``technical standards activities 
                and conformity assessment activities of Federal, State, 
                and local governments with private sector''; and
          (2) in subsection (c)--
                  (A) in paragraph (22), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                  (B) by redesignating paragraph (23) as paragraph 
                (25); and
                  (C) by inserting after paragraph (22) the following:
          ``(23) participate in and support scientific and technical 
        conferences;
          ``(24) perform pre-competitive measurement science and 
        technology research in partnership with institutions of higher 
        education and industry to promote United States industrial 
        competitiveness; and''.

SEC. 403. VISITING COMMITTEE ON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.

  Section 10 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 278) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)--
                  (A) by striking ``15 members'' and inserting ``not 
                fewer than 11 members'';
                  (B) by striking ``at least 10'' and inserting ``at 
                least two-thirds''; and
                  (C) by adding at the end the following: ``The 
                Committee may consult with the National Research 
                Council in making recommendations regarding general 
                policy for the Institute.''; and
          (2) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``, including the 
        Program established under section 28,''.

SEC. 404. POLICE AND SECURITY AUTHORITY.

  Section 15 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 278e) is amended--
          (1) by striking ``of the Government; and'' and inserting ``of 
        the Government;''; and
          (2) by striking ``United States Code.'' and inserting 
        ``United States Code; and (i) the protection of Institute 
        buildings and other plant facilities, equipment, and property, 
        and of employees, associates, visitors, or other persons 
        located therein or associated therewith, notwithstanding any 
        other provision of law.''.

SEC. 405. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

  The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 
et seq.) is amended by striking sections 18, 19, and 19A and inserting 
the following:

``SEC. 18. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

  ``(a) In General.--The Director may support, promote, and coordinate 
activities and efforts to enhance public awareness and understanding of 
measurement sciences, standards, and technology by the general public, 
industry, and academia in support of the Institute's mission.
  ``(b) Research Fellowships.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Director may award research 
        fellowships and other forms of financial and logistical 
        assistance, including direct stipend awards, to--
                  ``(A) students at institutions of higher education 
                within the United States who show promise as present or 
                future contributors to the mission of the Institute; 
                and
                  ``(B) United States citizens for research and 
                technical activities of the Institute.
          ``(2) Selection.--The Director shall select persons to 
        receive such fellowships and assistance on the basis of ability 
        and of the relevance of the proposed work to the mission and 
        programs of the Institute.
          ``(3) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, 
        financial and logistical assistance includes, notwithstanding 
        section 1345 of title 31, United States Code, or any contrary 
        provision of law, temporary housing and local transportation to 
        and from the Institute facilities.
  ``(c) Post-doctoral Fellowship Program.--The Director shall establish 
and conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, that shall include not fewer than 20 
fellows per fiscal year. In evaluating applications for fellowships 
under this subsection, the Director shall give consideration to the 
goal of promoting the participation of underrepresented students in 
research areas supported by the Institute.''.

SEC. 406. PROGRAMMATIC PLANNING REPORT.

  Section 23(d) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278i(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
``The 3-year programmatic planning document shall also describe how the 
Director is addressing recommendations from the Visiting Committee on 
Advanced Technology established under section 10.''.

SEC. 407. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

  (a) National Academy of Sciences Review.--Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology shall enter into a contract with 
the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a single, comprehensive 
review of the Institute's laboratory programs. The review shall--
          (1) assess the technical merits and scientific caliber of the 
        research conducted at the laboratories;
          (2) examine the strengths and weaknesses of the 2010 
        laboratory reorganization on the Institute's ability to fulfill 
        its mission;
          (3) evaluate how cross-cutting research and development 
        activities are planned, coordinated, and executed across the 
        laboratories; and
          (4) assess how the laboratories are engaging industry, 
        including the incorporation of industry need, into the research 
        goals and objectives of the Institute.
  (b) Additional Assessments.--Section 24 of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278j) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 24. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

  ``(a) In General.--The Institute shall contract with the National 
Research Council to perform and report on assessments of the technical 
quality and impact of the work conducted at Institute laboratories.
  ``(b) Schedule.--Two laboratories shall be assessed under subsection 
(a) each year, and each laboratory shall be assessed at least once 
every 3 years.
  ``(c) Summary Report.--Beginning in the year after the first 
assessment is conducted under subsection (a), and once every two years 
thereafter, the Institute shall contract with the National Research 
Council to prepare a report that summarizes the findings common across 
the individual assessment reports.
  ``(d) Additional Assessments.--The Institute, at the discretion of 
the Director, also may contract with the National Research Council to 
conduct additional assessments of Institute programs and projects that 
involve collaboration across the Institute laboratories and centers and 
assessments of selected scientific and technical topics.
  ``(e) Consultation With Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.--
The National Research Council may consult with the Visiting Committee 
on Advanced Technology established under section 10 in performing the 
assessments under this section.
  ``(f) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after the completion of each 
assessment, the Institute shall transmit the report on such assessment 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.''.

SEC. 408. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.

  Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.

  ``(a) Establishment and Purpose.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Director and, 
        if appropriate, through other officials, shall provide 
        assistance for the creation and support of manufacturing 
        extension centers, to be known as the `Hollings Manufacturing 
        Extension Centers', for the transfer of manufacturing 
        technology and best business practices (in this Act referred to 
        as the `Centers'). The program under this section shall be 
        known as the `Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership'.
          ``(2) Affiliations.--Such Centers shall be affiliated with 
        any United States-based public or nonprofit institution or 
        organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is awarded 
        financial assistance under this section.
          ``(3) Objective.--The objective of the Centers is to enhance 
        competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance in 
        United States manufacturing through--
                  ``(A) the transfer of manufacturing technology and 
                techniques developed at the Institute to Centers and, 
                through them, to manufacturing companies throughout the 
                United States;
                  ``(B) the participation of individuals from industry, 
                institutions of higher education, State governments, 
                other Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the 
                Institute in cooperative technology transfer 
                activities;
                  ``(C) efforts to make new manufacturing technology 
                and processes usable by United States-based small and 
                medium-sized companies;
                  ``(D) the active dissemination of scientific, 
                engineering, technical, and management information 
                about manufacturing to industrial firms, including 
                small and medium-sized manufacturing companies;
                  ``(E) the utilization, when appropriate, of the 
                expertise and capability that exists in Federal 
                laboratories other than the Institute;
                  ``(F) the provision to community colleges and area 
                career and technical education schools of information 
                about the job skills needed in small and medium-sized 
                manufacturing businesses in the regions they serve; and
                  ``(G) promoting and expanding certification systems 
                offered through industry, associations, and local 
                colleges, when appropriate.
  ``(b) Activities.--The activities of the Centers shall include--
          ``(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing systems 
        and other advanced production technologies, based on Institute-
        supported research, for the purpose of demonstrations and 
        technology transfer;
          ``(2) the active transfer and dissemination of research 
        findings and Center expertise to a wide range of companies and 
        enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized manufacturers; 
        and
          ``(3) the facilitation of collaborations and partnerships 
        between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and 
        community colleges and area career and technical education 
        schools to help such colleges and schools better understand the 
        specific needs of manufacturers and to help manufacturers 
        better understand the skill sets that students learn in the 
        programs offered by such colleges and schools.
  ``(c) Operations.--
          ``(1) Financial support.--The Secretary may provide financial 
        support to any Center created under subsection (a). The 
        Secretary may not provide to a Center more than 50 percent of 
        the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required 
        to create and maintain such Center.
          ``(2) Regulations.--The Secretary shall implement, review, 
        and update the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations 
        related to this section at least once every 3 years.
          ``(3) Application.--
                  ``(A) In general.--Any nonprofit institution, or 
                consortium thereof, or State or local government, may 
                submit to the Secretary an application for financial 
                support under this section, in accordance with the 
                procedures established by the Secretary.
                  ``(B) Cost sharing.--In order to receive assistance 
                under this section, an applicant for financial 
                assistance under subparagraph (A) shall provide 
                adequate assurances that non-Federal assets obtained 
                from the applicant and the applicant's partnering 
                organizations will be used as a funding source to meet 
                not less than 50 percent of the costs incurred. For 
                purposes of the preceding sentence, the costs incurred 
                means the costs incurred in connection with the 
                activities undertaken to improve the competitiveness, 
                management, productivity, and technological performance 
                of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
                  ``(C) Agreements with other entities.--In meeting the 
                50 percent requirement, it is anticipated that a Center 
                will enter into agreements with other entities such as 
                private industry, institutions of higher education, and 
                State governments to accomplish programmatic objectives 
                and access new and existing resources that will further 
                the impact of the Federal investment made on behalf of 
                small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
                  ``(D) Legal rights.--Each applicant under 
                subparagraph (A) shall also submit a proposal for the 
                allocation of the legal rights associated with any 
                invention which may result from the proposed Center's 
                activities.
          ``(4) Merit review.--The Secretary shall subject each such 
        application to merit review. In making a decision whether to 
        approve such application and provide financial support under 
        this section, the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the 
        following:
                  ``(A) The merits of the application, particularly 
                those portions of the application regarding technology 
                transfer, training and education, and adaptation of 
                manufacturing technologies to the needs of particular 
                industrial sectors.
                  ``(B) The quality of service to be provided.
                  ``(C) Geographical diversity and extent of service 
                area.
                  ``(D) The percentage of funding and amount of in-kind 
                commitment from other sources.
          ``(5) Evaluation.--
                  ``(A) In general.--Each Center that receives 
                financial assistance under this section shall be 
                evaluated during its third year of operation by an 
                evaluation panel appointed by the Secretary.
                  ``(B) Composition.--Each such evaluation panel shall 
                be composed of private experts, none of whom shall be 
                connected with the involved Center, and Federal 
                officials.
                  ``(C) Chair.--An official of the Institute shall 
                chair the panel.
                  ``(D) Performance measurement.--Each evaluation panel 
                shall measure the involved Center's performance against 
                the objectives specified in this section.
                  ``(E) Positive evaluation.--If the evaluation is 
                positive, the Secretary may provide continued funding 
                through the sixth year.
                  ``(F) Probation.--The Secretary shall not provide 
                funding unless the Center has received a positive 
                evaluation. A Center that has not received a positive 
                evaluation by the evaluation panel shall be notified by 
                the panel of the deficiencies in its performance and 
                shall be placed on probation for one year, after which 
                time the panel shall reevaluate the Center. If the 
                Center has not addressed the deficiencies identified by 
                the panel, or shown a significant improvement in its 
                performance, the Director shall conduct a new 
                competition to select an operator for the Center or may 
                close the Center.
                  ``(G) Additional financial support.--After the sixth 
                year, a Center may receive additional financial support 
                under this section if it has received a positive 
                evaluation through an independent review, under 
                procedures established by the Institute.
                  ``(H) Eight-year review.--A Center shall undergo an 
                independent review in the 8th year of operation. Each 
                evaluation panel shall measure the Center's performance 
                against the objectives specified in this section. A 
                Center that has not received a positive evaluation as a 
                result of an independent review shall be notified by 
                the Program of the deficiencies in its performance and 
                shall be placed on probation for one year, after which 
                time the Program shall reevaluate the Center. If the 
                Center has not addressed the deficiencies identified by 
                the review, or shown a significant improvement in its 
                performance, the Director shall conduct a new 
                competition to select an operator for the Center or may 
                close the Center.
                  ``(I) Recompetition.--If a recipient of a Center 
                award has received financial assistance for 10 
                consecutive years, the Director shall conduct a new 
                competition to select an operator for the Center 
                consistent with the plan required in this Act. 
                Incumbent Center operators in good standing shall be 
                eligible to compete for the new award.
                  ``(J) Reports.--
                          ``(i) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after 
                        the date of enactment of the America COMPETES 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Director shall 
                        transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
                        and Technology of the House of Representatives 
                        and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                        Transportation of the Senate a plan as to how 
                        the Institute will conduct reviews, 
                        assessments, and reapplication competitions 
                        under this paragraph.
                          ``(ii) Independent assessment.--The Director 
                        shall contract with an independent organization 
                        to perform an assessment of the implementation 
                        of the reapplication competition process under 
                        this paragraph within 3 years after the 
                        transmittal of the report under clause (i). The 
                        organization conducting the assessment under 
                        this clause may consult with the MEP Advisory 
                        Board.
                          ``(iii) Comparison of centers.--Not later 
                        than 2 years after the date of enactment of the 
                        America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, 
                        the Director shall transmit to the Committee on 
                        Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
                        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
                        Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
                        report providing information on the first and 
                        second years of operations for centers 
                        operating from new competitions or 
                        recompetition as compared to longstanding 
                        centers. The report shall provide detail on the 
                        engagement in services provided by Centers and 
                        the characteristics of services provided, 
                        including volume and type of services, so that 
                        the Committees can evaluate whether the cost-
                        sharing ratio has an effect on the services 
                        provided at Centers.
          ``(6) Patent rights.--The provisions of chapter 18 of title 
        35, United States Code, shall apply, to the extent not 
        inconsistent with this section, to the promotion of technology 
        from research by Centers under this section except for 
        contracts for such specific technology extension or transfer 
        services as may be specified by statute or by the Director.
          ``(7) Protection of center client confidential information.--
        Section 552 of title 5, United States Code, shall apply to the 
        following information obtained by the Federal Government on a 
        confidential basis in connection with the activities of any 
        participant involved in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership:
                  ``(A) Information on the business operation of any 
                participant in a Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
                Partnership program or of a client of a Center.
                  ``(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of a 
                Center.
          ``(8) Advisory boards.--Each Center's advisory boards shall 
        institute a conflict of interest policy, approved by the 
        Director, that ensures the Board represents local small and 
        medium-sized manufacturers in the Center's region. Board 
        Members may not serve as a vendor or provide services to the 
        Center, nor may they serve on more than one Center's oversight 
        board simultaneously.
  ``(d) Acceptance of Funds.--
          ``(1) In general.--In addition to such sums as may be 
        appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate the 
        Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Secretary and 
        Director also may accept funds from other Federal departments 
        and agencies and, under section 2(c)(7), from the private 
        sector for the purpose of strengthening United States 
        manufacturing.
          ``(2) Allocation of funds.--
                  ``(A) Funds accepted from other federal departments 
                or agencies.--The Director shall determine whether 
                funds accepted from other Federal departments or 
                agencies shall be counted in the calculation of the 
                Federal share of capital and annual operating and 
                maintenance costs under subsection (c).
                  ``(B) Funds accepted from the private sector.--Funds 
                accepted from the private sector under section 2(c)(7), 
                if allocated to a Center, may not be considered in the 
                calculation of the Federal share under subsection (c) 
                of this section.
  ``(e) MEP Advisory Board.--
          ``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board 
        (in this subsection referred to as the `MEP Advisory Board').
          ``(2) Membership.--
                  ``(A) In general.--The MEP Advisory Board shall 
                consist of not fewer than 10 members broadly 
                representative of stakeholders, to be appointed by the 
                Director. At least 2 members shall be employed by or on 
                an advisory board for the Centers, at least 1 member 
                shall represent a community college, and at least 5 
                other members shall be from United States small 
                businesses in the manufacturing sector. No member shall 
                be an employee of the Federal Government.
                  ``(B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph (C) 
                or (D), the term of office of each member of the MEP 
                Advisory Board shall be 3 years.
                  ``(C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term 
                for which his predecessor was appointed shall be 
                appointed for the remainder of such term.
                  ``(D) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person who has 
                completed two consecutive full terms of service on the 
                MEP Advisory Board shall thereafter be ineligible for 
                appointment during the one-year period following the 
                expiration of the second such term.
          ``(3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not less 
        than 2 times annually and shall provide to the Director--
                  ``(A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
                Partnership programs, plans, and policies;
                  ``(B) assessments of the soundness of Hollings 
                Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and 
                strategies; and
                  ``(C) assessments of current performance against 
                Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program 
                plans.
          ``(4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.--
                  ``(A) In general.--In discharging its duties under 
                this subsection, the MEP Advisory Board shall function 
                solely in an advisory capacity, in accordance with the 
                Federal Advisory Committee Act.
                  ``(B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory 
                Committee Act shall not apply to the MEP Advisory 
                Board.
          ``(5) Report.--The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit an 
        annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to Congress 
        within 30 days after the submission to Congress of the 
        President's annual budget request in each year. Such report 
        shall address the status of the program established pursuant to 
        this section and comment on the relevant sections of the 
        programmatic planning document and updates thereto transmitted 
        to Congress by the Director under subsections (c) and (d) of 
        section 23.
  ``(f) Competitive Grant Program.--
          ``(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, within 
        the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, under this 
        section and section 26, a program of competitive awards among 
        participants described in paragraph (2) for the purposes 
        described in paragraph (3).
          ``(2) Participants.--Participants receiving awards under this 
        subsection shall be the Centers, or a consortium of such 
        Centers.
          ``(3) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this 
        subsection is to add capabilities to the Hollings Manufacturing 
        Extension Partnership, including the development of projects to 
        solve new or emerging manufacturing problems as determined by 
        the Director, in consultation with the Director of the Hollings 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, the MEP Advisory 
        Board, and small and medium-sized manufacturers. One or more 
        themes for the competition may be identified, which may vary 
        from year to year, depending on the needs of manufacturers and 
        the success of previous competitions. Centers may be reimbursed 
        for costs incurred under the program.
          ``(4) Applications.--Applications for awards under this 
        subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at such time, and 
        containing such information as the Director shall require, in 
        consultation with the MEP Advisory Board.
          ``(5) Selection.--Awards under this subsection shall be peer 
        reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director shall endeavor 
        to have broad geographic diversity among selected proposals. 
        The Director shall select proposals to receive awards that 
        will--
                  ``(A) improve the competitiveness of industries in 
                the region in which the Center or Centers are located;
                  ``(B) create jobs or train newly hired employees; and
                  ``(C) promote the transfer and commercialization of 
                research and technology from institutions of higher 
                education, national laboratories, and nonprofit 
                research institutes.
          ``(6) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards under this 
        subsection shall not be required to provide a matching 
        contribution.
          ``(7) Global marketplace projects.--In making awards under 
        this subsection, the Director, in consultation with the MEP 
        Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take into consideration 
        whether an application has significant potential for enhancing 
        the competitiveness of small and medium-sized United States 
        manufacturers in the global marketplace.
          ``(8) Duration.--Awards under this subsection shall last no 
        longer than 3 years.
  ``(g) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.--The 
Director shall--
          ``(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small 
        manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from effectively 
        competing in the global market;
          ``(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the Centers to 
        address such obstacles; and
          ``(3) facilitate improved communication between the Centers 
        to assist such manufacturers in implementing appropriate, 
        targeted solutions to such obstacles.
  ``(h) Definitions.--In this section--
          ``(1) the term `area career and technical education school' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. 
        Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 
        (20 U.S.C. 2302); and
          ``(2) the term `community college' means an institution of 
        higher education (as defined under section 101(a) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest 
        degree that is predominately awarded to students is an 
        associate's degree.''.

SEC. 409. ELIMINATION OF OBSOLETE REPORTS.

  Section 28 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 278n) is amended--
          (1) by striking subsection (g); and
          (2) in subsection (k)--
                  (A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``and'' after the 
                semicolon at the end;
                  (B) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``; and'' at the 
                end and inserting a period; and
                  (C) by striking paragraph (5).

SEC. 410. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

  Section 8(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3706(a)) is amended by striking ``The total amount of 
any such grant or cooperative agreement may not exceed 75 percent of 
the total cost of the program.''.

SEC. 411. INFORMATION SYSTEMS STANDARDS CONSULTATION.

  Section 20(c)(1) of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278g--3(c)(1)) is amended by striking ``the 
National Security Agency,''.

SEC. 412. UNITED STATES-ISRAELI COOPERATION.

  It is the Sense of Congress that--
          (1) partnerships that facilitate basic scientific research 
        between the United States and Israel advance technology 
        development, innovation, and commercialization leading to 
        growth in various sectors, including manufacturing, and 
        creating benefits for both nations;
          (2) joint research and development agreements carried out 
        through government organizations like the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology support these efforts;
          (3) partnerships between the United States and Israel that 
        further the basic scientific enterprise should be encouraged; 
        and
          (4) the National Institute of Standards and Technology should 
        continue to facilitate scientific collaborations between Israel 
        and United States' technical agencies working in measurement 
        science and standardization.

                 TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE

SEC. 501. MISSION.

  Section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 
7139) is amended by adding at the end the following:
  ``(c) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Science shall be the 
delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and major scientific 
tools to transform the understanding of nature and to advance the 
energy, economic, and national security of the United States. In 
support of this mission, the Director shall carry out programs on basic 
energy sciences, advanced scientific computing research, high energy 
physics, biological and environmental research, fusion energy sciences, 
and nuclear physics, including as provided under subtitle A of title V 
of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, through activities 
focused on--
          ``(1) fundamental scientific discoveries through the study of 
        matter and energy;
          ``(2) science in the national interest, including--
                  ``(A) advancing an agenda for American energy 
                security through research on energy production, 
                storage, transmission, efficiency, and use; and
                  ``(B) advancing our understanding of the Earth's 
                climate through research in atmospheric and 
                environmental sciences; and
          ``(3) National Scientific User Facilities to deliver the 21st 
        century tools of science, engineering, and technology and 
        provide the Nation's researchers with the most advanced tools 
        of modern science including accelerators, colliders, 
        supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, and 
        facilities for studying materials science.
  ``(d) Coordination With Other Department of Energy Programs.--The 
Under Secretary for Science and Energy shall ensure the coordination of 
Office of Science activities and programs with other activities of the 
Department.''.

SEC. 502. BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program in basic energy 
sciences, including materials sciences and engineering, chemical 
sciences, physical biosciences, and geosciences, for the purpose of 
providing the scientific foundations for new energy technologies.
  (b) Mission.--The mission of the program described in subsection (a) 
shall be to support fundamental research to understand, predict, and 
ultimately control matter and energy at the electronic, atomic, and 
molecular levels in order to provide the foundations for new energy 
technologies and to support Department missions in energy, environment, 
and national security.
  (c) Basic Energy Sciences User Facilities.--The Director shall carry 
out a subprogram for the development, construction, operation, and 
maintenance of national user facilities to support the program under 
this section. As practicable, these facilities shall serve the needs of 
the Department, industry, the academic community, and other relevant 
entities to create and examine new materials and chemical processes for 
the purposes of advancing new energy technologies and improving the 
competitiveness of the United States. These facilities shall include--
          (1) x-ray light sources;
          (2) neutron sources;
          (3) nanoscale science research centers; and
          (4) other facilities the Director considers appropriate, 
        consistent with section 209 of the Department of Energy 
        Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139).
  (d) Light Source Leadership Initiative.--
          (1) Establishment.--In support of the subprogram authorized 
        in subsection (c), the Director shall establish an initiative 
        to sustain and advance global leadership of light source user 
        facilities.
          (2) Leadership strategy.--Not later than 9 months after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the 
        Director shall prepare, in consultation with relevant 
        stakeholders, and submit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
        and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a light 
        source leadership strategy that--
                  (A) identifies, prioritizes, and describes plans for 
                the development, construction, and operation of light 
                sources over the next decade;
                  (B) describes plans for optimizing management and use 
                of existing light source facilities; and
                  (C) assesses the international outlook for light 
                source user facilities and describes plans for United 
                States cooperation in such projects.
          (3) Advisory committee feedback and recommendations.--Not 
        later than 45 days after submission of the strategy described 
        in paragraph (2), the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee 
        shall provide the Director, the Committee on Science, Space, 
        and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
        report of the Advisory Committee's analyses, findings, and 
        recommendations for improving the strategy, including a review 
        of the most recent budget request for the initiative.
          (4) Proposed budget.--The Director shall transmit annually to 
        Congress a proposed budget corresponding to the activities 
        identified in the strategy.
  (e) Accelerator Research and Development.--The Director shall carry 
out research and development on advanced accelerator and storage ring 
technologies relevant to the development of Basic Energy Sciences user 
facilities, in consultation with the Office of Science's High Energy 
Physics and Nuclear Physics programs.
  (f) Energy Frontier Research Centers.--
          (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to 
        provide awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to 
        multi-institutional collaborations or other appropriate 
        entities to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy 
        research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
          (2) Collaborations.--A collaboration receiving an award under 
        this subsection may include multiple types of institutions and 
        private sector entities.
          (3) Selection and duration.--
                  (A) In general.--A collaboration under this 
                subsection shall be selected for a period of 5 years. 
                An Energy Frontier Research Center already in existence 
                and supported by the Director on the date of enactment 
                of this Act may continue to receive support for a 
                period of 5 years beginning on the date of 
                establishment of that center.
                  (B) Reapplication.--After the end of the period 
                described in subparagraph (A), an awardee may reapply 
                for selection for a second period of 5 years on a 
                competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
                  (C) Termination.--Consistent with the existing 
                authorities of the Department, the Director may 
                terminate an underperforming center for cause during 
                the performance period.
          (4) No funding for construction.--No funding provided 
        pursuant to this subsection may be used for the construction of 
        new buildings or facilities.

SEC. 503. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING RESEARCH.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a research, development, 
and demonstration program to advance computational and networking 
capabilities to analyze, model, simulate, and predict complex phenomena 
relevant to the development of new energy technologies and the 
competitiveness of the United States.
  (b) Facilities.--The Director, as part of the program described in 
subsection (a), shall develop and maintain world-class computing and 
network facilities for science and deliver critical research in applied 
mathematics, computer science, and advanced networking to support the 
Department's missions.
  (c) Definitions.--Section 2 of the Department of Energy High-End 
Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5541) is amended by 
striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and inserting the following:
          ``(1) Co-design.--The term `co-design' means the joint 
        development of application algorithms, models, and codes with 
        computer technology architectures and operating systems to 
        maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
          ``(2) Department.--The term `Department' means the Department 
        of Energy.
          ``(3) Exascale.--The term `exascale' means computing system 
        performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point 
        operations per second.
          ``(4) High-end computing system.--The term `high-end 
        computing system' means a computing system with performance 
        that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly 
        available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
          ``(5) Institution of higher education.--The term `institution 
        of higher education' has the meaning given the term in section 
        2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
          ``(6) Leadership system.--The term `leadership system' means 
        a high-end computing system that is among the most advanced in 
        the world in terms of performance in solving scientific and 
        engineering problems.
          ``(7) National laboratory.--The term `National Laboratory' 
        means any one of the seventeen laboratories owned by the 
        Department.
          ``(8) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of 
        Energy.
          ``(9) Software technology.--The term `software technology' 
        includes optimal algorithms, programming environments, tools, 
        languages, and operating systems for high-end computing 
        systems.''.
  (d) Department of Energy High-end Computing Research and Development 
Program.--Section 3 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing 
Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5542) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)--
                  (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``program'' and 
                inserting ``coordinated program across the 
                Department'';
                  (B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
                  (C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (2) and inserting ``; and''; and
                  (D) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
          ``(3) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and 
        industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the 
        technology developed in this program to other challenges in 
        science, engineering, medicine, and industry.'';
          (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``vector'' and all that 
        follows through ``architectures'' and inserting ``computer 
        technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in 
        power requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of 
        multicore processors, concurrency, memory and storage, 
        bandwidth, and reliability''; and
          (3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
  ``(d) Exascale Computing Program.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a coordinated 
        research program to develop exascale computing systems to 
        advance the missions of the Department.
          ``(2) Execution.--The Secretary shall, through competitive 
        merit review, establish two or more National Laboratory-
        industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated 
        research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale 
        architectures, and--
                  ``(A) conduct mission-related co-design activities in 
                developing such exascale platforms;
                  ``(B) develop those advancements in hardware and 
                software technology required to fully realize the 
                potential of an exascale production system in 
                addressing Department target applications and solving 
                scientific problems involving predictive modeling and 
                simulation and large-scale data analytics and 
                management; and
                  ``(C) explore the use of exascale computing 
                technologies to advance a broad range of science and 
                engineering.
          ``(3) Administration.--In carrying out this program, the 
        Secretary shall--
                  ``(A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed 
                basis, access for researchers in United States 
                industry, institutions of higher education, National 
                Laboratories, and other Federal agencies to these 
                exascale systems, as appropriate; and
                  ``(B) conduct outreach programs to increase the 
                readiness for the use of such platforms by domestic 
                industries, including manufacturers.
          ``(4) Reports.--
                  ``(A) Integrated strategy and program management 
                plan.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress, not 
                later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the 
                America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, a report 
                outlining an integrated strategy and program management 
                plan, including target dates for prototypical and 
                production exascale platforms, interim milestones to 
                reaching these targets, functional requirements, roles 
                and responsibilities of National Laboratories and 
                industry, acquisition strategy, and estimated resources 
                required, to achieve this exascale system capability. 
                The report shall include the Secretary's plan for 
                Departmental organization to manage and execute the 
                Exascale Computing Program, including definition of the 
                roles and responsibilities within the Department to 
                ensure an integrated program across the Department. The 
                report shall also include a plan for ensuring balance 
                and prioritizing across ASCR subprograms in a flat or 
                slow-growth budget environment.
                  ``(B) Status reports.--At the time of the budget 
                submission of the Department for each fiscal year, the 
                Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that 
                describes the status of milestones and costs in 
                achieving the objectives of the exascale computing 
                program.
                  ``(C) Exascale merit report.--At least 18 months 
                prior to the initiation of construction or installation 
                of any exascale-class computing facility, the Secretary 
                shall transmit a plan to the Congress detailing--
                          ``(i) the proposed facility's cost 
                        projections and capabilities to significantly 
                        accelerate the development of new energy 
                        technologies;
                          ``(ii) technical risks and challenges that 
                        must be overcome to achieve successful 
                        completion and operation of the facility; and
                          ``(iii) an independent assessment of the 
                        scientific and technological advances expected 
                        from such a facility relative to those expected 
                        from a comparable investment in expanded 
                        research and applications at terascale-class 
                        and petascale-class computing facilities, 
                        including an evaluation of where investments 
                        should be made in the system software and 
                        algorithms to enable these advances.''.

SEC. 504. HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a research program on the 
fundamental constituents of matter and energy and the nature of space 
and time.
  (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
          (1) the Director should incorporate the findings and 
        recommendations of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization 
        Panel's report entitled ``Building for Discovery: Strategic 
        Plan for U.S. Particle Physics in the Global Context'', into 
        the Department's planning process as part of the program 
        described in subsection (a);
          (2) the Director should prioritize domestically hosted 
        research projects that will maintain the United States position 
        as a global leader in particle physics and attract the world's 
        most talented physicists and foreign investment for 
        international collaboration; and
          (3) the nations that lead in particle physics by hosting 
        international teams dedicated to a common scientific goal 
        attract the world's best talent and inspire future generations 
        of physicists and technologists.
  (c) Neutrino Research.--As part of the program described in 
subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research activities on 
rare decay processes and the nature of the neutrino, which may include 
collaborations with the National Science Foundation or international 
collaborations.
  (d) Dark Energy and Dark Matter Research.--As part of the program 
described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research 
activities on the nature of dark energy and dark matter, which may 
include collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration or the National Science Foundation, or international 
collaborations.
  (e) Accelerator Research and Development.--The Director shall carry 
out research and development in advanced accelerator concepts and 
technologies, including laser technologies, to reduce the necessary 
scope and cost for the next generation of particle accelerators. The 
Director shall ensure access to national laboratory accelerator 
facilities, infrastructure, and technology for users and developers of 
accelerators that advance applications in energy and the environment, 
medicine, industry, national security, and discovery science.
  (f) International Collaboration.--The Director, as practicable and in 
coordination with other appropriate Federal agencies as necessary, 
shall ensure the access of United States researchers to the most 
advanced accelerator facilities and research capabilities in the world, 
including the Large Hadron Collider.

SEC. 505. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program of research, 
development, and demonstration in the areas of biological systems 
science and climate and environmental science to support the energy and 
environmental missions of the Department.
  (b) Priority Research.--In carrying out this section, the Director 
shall prioritize fundamental research on biological systems and 
genomics science with the greatest potential to enable scientific 
discovery.
  (c) Assessment.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress 
identifying climate science-related initiatives under this section that 
overlap or duplicate initiatives of other Federal agencies and the 
extent of such overlap or duplication.
  (d) Limitation.--The Director shall not approve new climate science-
related initiatives to be carried out through the Office of Science 
without making a determination that such work is unique and not 
duplicative of work by other Federal agencies. Not later than 3 months 
after receiving the assessment required under subsection (c), the 
Director shall cease those climate science-related initiatives 
identified in the assessment as overlapping or duplicative, unless the 
Director justifies that such work is critical to achieving American 
energy security.
  (e) Low Dose Radiation Research Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Director of the Department of Energy 
        Office of Science shall carry out a research program on low 
        dose radiation. The purpose of the program is to enhance the 
        scientific understanding of and reduce uncertainties associated 
        with the effects of exposure to low dose radiation in order to 
        inform improved risk management methods.
          (2) Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an 
        agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study 
        assessing the current status and development of a long-term 
        strategy for low dose radiation research. Such study shall be 
        completed not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
        of this Act. The study shall be conducted in coordination with 
        Federal agencies that perform ionizing radiation effects 
        research and shall leverage the most current studies in this 
        field. Such study shall--
                  (A) identify current scientific challenges for 
                understanding the long-term effects of ionizing 
                radiation;
                  (B) assess the status of current low dose radiation 
                research in the United States and internationally;
                  (C) formulate overall scientific goals for the future 
                of low-dose radiation research in the United States;
                  (D) recommend a long-term strategic and prioritized 
                research agenda to address scientific research goals 
                for overcoming the identified scientific challenges in 
                coordination with other research efforts;
                  (E) define the essential components of a research 
                program that would address this research agenda within 
                the universities and the National Laboratories; and
                  (F) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such a 
                program.
          (3) Research plan.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        completion of the study performed under paragraph (2) the 
        Secretary of Energy shall deliver to the Committee on Science, 
        Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 5-
        year research plan that responds to the study's findings and 
        recommendations and identifies and prioritizes research needs.
          (4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``low dose 
        radiation'' means a radiation dose of less than 100 
        millisieverts.
          (5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
        be construed to subject any research carried out by the 
        Director under the research program under this subsection to 
        any limitations described in section 977(e) of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)).

SEC. 506. FUSION ENERGY.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a fusion energy sciences 
research program to expand the fundamental understanding of plasmas and 
matter at very high temperatures and densities and to build the 
scientific foundation necessary to enable fusion power.
  (b) Fusion Materials Research and Development.--As part of the 
activities authorized in section 978 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 16318)--
          (1) the Director, in coordination with the Assistant 
        Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the Department, shall carry out 
        research and development activities to identify, characterize, 
        and demonstrate materials that can endure the neutron, plasma, 
        and heat fluxes expected in a fusion power system; and
          (2) the Secretary shall--
                  (A) provide an assessment of the need for a facility 
                or facilities that can examine and test potential 
                fusion and next generation fission materials and other 
                enabling technologies relevant to the development of 
                fusion power; and
                  (B) provide an assessment of whether a single new 
                facility that substantially addresses magnetic fusion 
                and next generation fission materials research needs is 
                feasible, in conjunction with the expected capabilities 
                of facilities operational as of the date of enactment 
                of this Act.
  (c) Tokamak Research and Development.--
          (1) In general.--As part of the program described in 
        subsection (a), the Director shall support research and 
        development activities and facility operations to optimize the 
        tokamak approach to fusion energy.
          (2) ITER.--
                  (A) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
                Congress a report providing an assessment of--
                          (i) the most recent schedule for ITER that 
                        has been approved by the ITER Council; and
                          (ii) progress of the ITER Council and the 
                        ITER Director General toward implementation of 
                        the recommendations of the Third Biennial 
                        International Organization Management 
                        Assessment Report.
                  (B) Fairness in competition for solicitations for 
                international project activities.--Section 33 of the 
                Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended 
                by adding at the end the following: ``For purposes of 
                this section, with respect to international research 
                projects, the term `private facilities or laboratories' 
                shall refer to facilities or laboratories located in 
                the United States.''.
                  (C) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress 
                that the United States should support a robust, diverse 
                fusion program. It is further the sense of Congress 
                that developing the scientific basis for fusion, 
                providing research results key to the success of ITER, 
                and training the next generation of fusion scientists 
                are of critical importance to the United States and 
                should in no way be diminished by participation of the 
                United States in the ITER project.
  (d) Inertial Fusion Energy Research and Development Program.--The 
Secretary shall carry out a program of research and technology 
development in inertial fusion for energy applications, including ion 
beam, laser, and pulsed power fusion systems.
  (e) Alternative and Enabling Concepts.--
          (1) In general.--As part of the program described in 
        subsection (a), the Director shall support research and 
        development activities and facility operations at United States 
        universities, national laboratories, and private facilities for 
        a portfolio of alternative and enabling fusion energy concepts 
        that may provide solutions to significant challenges to the 
        establishment of a commercial magnetic fusion power plant, 
        prioritized based on the ability of the United States to play a 
        leadership role in the international fusion research community. 
        Fusion energy concepts and activities explored under this 
        paragraph may include--
                  (A) high magnetic field approaches facilitated by 
                high temperature superconductors;
                  (B) advanced stellarator concepts;
                  (C) non-tokamak confinement configurations operating 
                at low magnetic fields;
                  (D) magnetized target fusion energy concepts;
                  (E) liquid metals to address issues associated with 
                fusion plasma interactions with the inner wall of the 
                encasing device;
                  (F) immersion blankets for heat management and fuel 
                breeding;
                  (G) advanced scientific computing activities; and
                  (H) other promising fusion energy concepts identified 
                by the Director.
          (2) Coordination with arpa-e.--The Under Secretary and the 
        Director shall coordinate with the Director of the Advanced 
        Research Projects Agency-Energy (in this paragraph referred to 
        as ``ARPA-E'') to--
                  (A) assess the potential for any fusion energy 
                project supported by ARPA-E to represent a promising 
                approach to a commercially viable fusion power plant;
                  (B) determine whether the results of any fusion 
                energy project supported by ARPA-E merit the support of 
                follow-on research activities carried out by the Office 
                of Science; and
                  (C) avoid unintentional duplication of activities.
  (f) General Plasma Science and Applications.--Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to 
Congress an assessment of opportunities in which the United States can 
provide world-leading contributions to advancing plasma science and 
non-fusion energy applications, and identify opportunities for 
partnering with other Federal agencies both within and outside of the 
Department of Energy.
  (g) Identification of Priorities.--
          (1) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress 
        a report on the Department's proposed fusion energy research 
        and development activities over the following 10 years under at 
        least 3 realistic budget scenarios, including a scenario based 
        on 3 percent annual growth in the non-ITER portion of the 
        budget for fusion energy research and development activities. 
        The report shall--
                  (A) identify specific areas of fusion energy research 
                and enabling technology development in which the United 
                States can and should establish or solidify a lead in 
                the global fusion energy development effort;
                  (B) identify priorities for initiation of facility 
                construction and facility decommissioning under each of 
                those scenarios; and
                  (C) assess the ability of the United States fusion 
                workforce to carry out the activities identified in 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), including the adequacy of 
                college and university programs to train the leaders 
                and workers of the next generation of fusion energy 
                researchers.
          (2) Process.--In order to develop the report required under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall leverage best practices and 
        lessons learned from the process used to develop the most 
        recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization 
        Panel of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. No member of 
        the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee shall be excluded 
        from participating in developing or voting on final approval of 
        the report required under paragraph (1).

SEC. 507. NUCLEAR PHYSICS.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program of experimental 
and theoretical research, and support associated facilities, to 
discover, explore, and understand all forms of nuclear matter.
  (b) Isotope Development and Production for Research Applications.--
The Director shall carry out a program for the production of isotopes, 
including the development of techniques to produce isotopes, that the 
Secretary determines are needed for research, medical, industrial, or 
other purposes. In making this determination, the Secretary shall--
          (1) ensure that, as has been the policy of the United States 
        since the publication in 1965 of Federal Register notice 30 
        Fed. Reg. 3247, isotope production activities do not compete 
        with private industry unless critical national interests 
        necessitate the Federal Government's involvement;
          (2) ensure that activities undertaken pursuant to this 
        section, to the extent practicable, promote the growth of a 
        robust domestic isotope production industry; and
          (3) consider any relevant recommendations made by Federal 
        advisory committees, the National Academies, and interagency 
        working groups in which the Department participates.

SEC. 508. SCIENCE LABORATORIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.

  (a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program to improve the 
safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of infrastructure at Office 
of Science laboratories. The program shall include projects to--
          (1) renovate or replace space that does not meet research 
        needs;
          (2) replace facilities that are no longer cost effective to 
        renovate or operate;
          (3) modernize utility systems to prevent failures and ensure 
        efficiency;
          (4) remove excess facilities to allow safe and efficient 
        operations; and
          (5) construct modern facilities to conduct advanced research 
        in controlled environmental conditions.
  (b) Approach.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall 
utilize all available approaches and mechanisms, including capital line 
items, minor construction projects, energy savings performance 
contracts, utility energy service contracts, alternative financing, and 
expense funding, as appropriate.

SEC. 509. DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING.

  Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the current ability of 
domestic manufacturers to meet the procurement requirements for major 
ongoing projects funded by the Office of Science of the Department, 
including a calculation of the percentage of equipment acquired from 
domestic manufacturers for this purpose.

SEC. 510. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) Fiscal Year 2016.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary for the Office of Science for fiscal year 2016 
$5,339,800,000, of which--
          (1) $1,850,000,000 shall be for Basic Energy Science;
          (2) $788,000,000 shall be for High Energy Physics;
          (3) $550,000,000 shall be for Biological and Environmental 
        Research;
          (4) $624,700,000 shall be for Nuclear Physics;
          (5) $621,000,000 shall be for Advanced Scientific Computing 
        Research;
          (6) $488,000,000 shall be for Fusion Energy Sciences;
          (7) $113,600,000 shall be for Science Laboratories 
        Infrastructure;
          (8) $181,000,000 shall be for Science Program Direction;
          (9) $103,000,000 shall be for Safeguards and Security; and
          (10) $20,500,000 shall be for Workforce Development for 
        Teachers and Scientists.
  (b) Fiscal Year 2017.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary for the Office of Science for fiscal year 2017 
$5,339,800,000, of which--
          (1) $1,850,000,000 shall be for Basic Energy Science;
          (2) $788,000,000 shall be for High Energy Physics;
          (3) $550,000,000 shall be for Biological and Environmental 
        Research;
          (4) $624,700,000 shall be for Nuclear Physics;
          (5) $621,000,000 shall be for Advanced Scientific Computing 
        Research;
          (6) $488,000,000 shall be for Fusion Energy Sciences;
          (7) $113,600,000 shall be for Science Laboratories 
        Infrastructure;
          (8) $181,000,000 shall be for Science Program Direction;
          (9) $103,000,000 shall be for Safeguards and Security; and
          (10) $20,500,000 shall be for Workforce Development for 
        Teachers and Scientists.

SEC. 511. DEFINITIONS.

  In this title--
          (1) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy;
          (2) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the Office of 
        Science of the Department; and
          (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.

    TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

           Subtitle A--Crosscutting Research and Development

SEC. 601. CROSSCUTTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

  (a) Crosscutting Research and Development.--The Secretary shall, 
through the Under Secretary for Science and Energy, utilize the 
capabilities of the Department to identify strategic opportunities for 
collaborative research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application of innovative science and technologies for--
          (1) advancing the understanding of the energy-water-land use 
        nexus;
          (2) modernizing the electric grid by improving energy 
        transmission and distribution systems security and resiliency;
          (3) utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide in electric power 
        generation;
          (4) subsurface technology and engineering;
          (5) high performance computing;
          (6) cybersecurity; and
          (7) critical challenges identified through comprehensive 
        energy studies, evaluations, and reviews.
  (b) Crosscutting Approaches.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall seek to leverage existing programs, and consolidate and 
coordinate activities, throughout the Department to promote 
collaboration and crosscutting approaches within programs.
  (c) Additional Actions.--The Secretary shall--
          (1) prioritize activities that promote the utilization of all 
        affordable domestic resources;
          (2) develop a rigorous and realistic planning, evaluation, 
        and technical assessment framework for setting objective, long-
        term strategic goals and evaluating progress that ensures the 
        integrity and independence to insulate planning from political 
        influence and the flexibility to adapt to market dynamics;
          (3) ensure that activities shall be undertaken in a manner 
        that does not duplicate other activities within the Department 
        or other Federal Government activities; and
          (4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to 
        the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
        institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.

SEC. 602. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND COORDINATION PLAN.

  Section 994 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16358) is amended 
to read as follows:

``SEC. 994. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND COORDINATION 
                    PLAN.

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall periodically review all of the 
science and technology activities of the Department in a strategic 
framework that takes into account the frontiers of science to which the 
Department can contribute, the national needs relevant to the 
Department's statutory missions, and global energy dynamics.
  ``(b) Coordination Analysis and Plan.--As part of the review under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop a plan to improve 
coordination and collaboration in research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application activities across Department organizational 
boundaries.
  ``(c) Plan Contents.--The plan shall describe--
          ``(1) cross-cutting scientific and technical issues and 
        research questions that span more than one program or major 
        office of the Department;
          ``(2) how the applied technology programs of the Department 
        are coordinating their activities, and addressing those 
        questions;
          ``(3) ways in which the technical interchange within the 
        Department, particularly between the Office of Science and the 
        applied technology programs, can be enhanced, including limited 
        ways in which the research agendas of the Office of Science and 
        the applied programs can better interact and assist each other;
          ``(4) a description of how the Secretary will ensure that the 
        Department's overall research agenda include, in addition to 
        fundamental, curiosity-driven research, fundamental research 
        related to topics of concern to the applied programs, and 
        applications in Departmental technology programs of research 
        results generated by fundamental, curiosity-driven research;
          ``(5) critical assessments of any ongoing programs that have 
        experienced sub-par performance or cost over-runs of 10 percent 
        or more over one or more years; and
          ``(6) activities that may be more effectively left to the 
        States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, institutions 
        of higher education, or other stakeholders.
  ``(d) Plan Transmittal.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, and 
every 4 years thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate the results 
of the review under subsection (a) and the coordination plan under 
subsection (b).''.

SEC. 603. STRATEGY FOR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

  (a) Amendments.--Section 993 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16357) is amended--
          (1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: 
        ``strategy for facilities and infrastructure''; and
          (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``2008'' and inserting 
        ``2018''.
  (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The item relating to section 993 in 
the table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended to 
read as follows:

``Sec. 993. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.''.

 Subtitle B--Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and 
                              Development

SEC. 611. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.

  Section 921 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16211) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 921. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out programs of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application on 
distributed energy resources and systems reliability and efficiency, to 
improve the reliability and efficiency of distributed energy resources 
and systems, integrating advanced energy technologies with grid 
connectivity, including activities described in this subtitle. The 
programs shall address advanced energy technologies and systems and 
advanced grid security, resiliency, and reliability technologies.
  ``(b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary 
shall seek to--
          ``(1) leverage existing programs;
          ``(2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the 
        Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting 
        approaches;
          ``(3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that does 
        not duplicate other activities within the Department or other 
        Federal Government activities; and
          ``(4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to 
        the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
        institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.''.

SEC. 612. ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH AND 
                    DEVELOPMENT.

  (a) Amendments.--Section 925 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16215) is amended--
          (1) by amending the section heading to read as follows: 
        ``electric transmission and distribution research and 
        development'';
          (2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
  ``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive 
research, development, and demonstration program to ensure the 
reliability, efficiency, and environmental integrity of electrical 
transmission and distribution systems, which shall include innovations 
for--
          ``(1) advanced energy delivery technologies, energy storage 
        technologies, materials, and systems;
          ``(2) advanced grid reliability and efficiency technology 
        development;
          ``(3) technologies contributing to significant load 
        reductions;
          ``(4) advanced metering, load management, and control 
        technologies;
          ``(5) technologies to enhance existing grid components;
          ``(6) the development and use of high-temperature 
        superconductors to--
                  ``(A) enhance the reliability, operational 
                flexibility, or power-carrying capability of electric 
                transmission or distribution systems; or
                  ``(B) increase the efficiency of electric energy 
                generation, transmission, distribution, or storage 
                systems;
          ``(7) integration of power systems, including systems to 
        deliver high-quality electric power, electric power 
        reliability, and combined heat and power;
          ``(8) supply of electricity to the power grid by small scale, 
        distributed, and residential-based power generators;
          ``(9) the development and use of advanced grid design, 
        operation, and planning tools; and
          ``(10) any other infrastructure technologies, as 
        appropriate.''; and
          (3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
  ``(c) Implementation.--
          ``(1) Consortium.--The Secretary shall consider implementing 
        the program under this section using a consortium of 
        participants from industry, institutions of higher education, 
        and National Laboratories.
          ``(2) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable the 
        Secretary shall seek to--
                  ``(A) leverage existing programs;
                  ``(B) consolidate and coordinate activities, 
                throughout the Department to promote collaboration and 
                crosscutting approaches;
                  ``(C) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner 
                that does not duplicate other activities within the 
                Department or other Federal Government activities; and
                  ``(D) identify programs that may be more effectively 
                left to the States, industry, nongovernmental 
                organizations, institutions of higher education, or 
                other stakeholders.''.
  (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The item relating to section 925 in 
the table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended to 
read as follows:

``Sec. 925. Electric transmission and distribution research and 
development.''.

          Subtitle C--Nuclear Energy Research and Development

SEC. 621. OBJECTIVES.

  Section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271) is 
amended--
          (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of civilian 
nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application, including activities described in this subtitle. Such 
programs shall take into consideration the following objectives:
          ``(1) Enhancing nuclear power's viability as part of the 
        United States energy portfolio.
          ``(2) Reducing used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste products 
        generated by civilian nuclear energy.
          ``(3) Supporting technological advances in areas that 
        industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of 
        technical and financial uncertainty.
          ``(4) Providing the technical means to reduce the likelihood 
        of nuclear proliferation.
          ``(5) Maintaining a cadre of nuclear scientists and 
        engineers.
          ``(6) Maintaining National Laboratory and university nuclear 
        programs, including their infrastructure.
          ``(7) Supporting both individual researchers and 
        multidisciplinary teams of researchers to pioneer new 
        approaches in nuclear energy, science, and technology.
          ``(8) Developing, planning, constructing, acquiring, and 
        operating special equipment and facilities for the use of 
        researchers.
          ``(9) Supporting technology transfer and other appropriate 
        activities to assist the nuclear energy industry, and other 
        users of nuclear science and engineering, including activities 
        addressing reliability, availability, productivity, component 
        aging, safety, and security of nuclear power plants.
          ``(10) Reducing the environmental impact of nuclear energy-
        related activities.
          ``(11) Researching and developing technologies and processes 
        to meet Federal and State requirements and standards for 
        nuclear power systems.'';
          (2) by striking subsections (b) through (d); and
          (3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (b).

SEC. 622. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES STUDY.

  Section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271) is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
  ``(c) Program Objectives Study.--In furtherance of the program 
objectives listed in subsection (a) of this section, the Government 
Accountability Office shall, within one year after the date of 
enactment of this subsection, transmit to the Congress a report on the 
results of a study on the scientific and technical merit of major 
Federal and State requirements and standards, including moratoria, that 
delay or impede the further development and commercialization of 
nuclear power, and how the Department can assist in overcoming such 
delays or impediments.''.

SEC. 623. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

  Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16272) is 
amended by striking subsections (c) through (e) and inserting the 
following:
  ``(c) Reactor Concepts.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program of 
        research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
        application to advance nuclear power systems as well as 
        technologies to sustain currently deployed systems.
          ``(2) Designs and technologies.--In conducting the program 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall examine advanced 
        reactor designs and nuclear technologies, including those 
        that--
                  ``(A) have higher efficiency, lower cost, and 
                improved safety compared to reactors in operation as of 
                the date of enactment of the America COMPETES 
                Reauthorization Act of 2015;
                  ``(B) utilize passive safety features;
                  ``(C) minimize proliferation risks;
                  ``(D) substantially reduce production of high-level 
                waste per unit of output;
                  ``(E) increase the life and sustainability of reactor 
                systems currently deployed;
                  ``(F) use improved instrumentation;
                  ``(G) are capable of producing large-scale quantities 
                of hydrogen or process heat;
                  ``(H) minimize water usage or use alternatives to 
                water as a cooling mechanism; or
                  ``(I) use nuclear energy as part of an integrated 
                energy system.
          ``(3) International cooperation.--In carrying out the program 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall seek opportunities 
        to enhance the progress of the program through international 
        cooperation through such organizations as the Generation IV 
        International Forum or any other international collaboration 
        the Secretary considers appropriate.
          ``(4) Exceptions.--No funds authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out the activities described in this subsection shall be 
        used to fund the activities authorized under sections 641 
        through 645.''.

SEC. 624. SMALL MODULAR REACTOR PROGRAM.

  Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16272) is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
  ``(d) Small Modular Reactor Program.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a small 
        modular reactor program to promote research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application of small modular 
        reactors, including through cost-shared projects for commercial 
        application of reactor systems designs.
          ``(2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with and 
        utilize the expertise of the Secretary of the Navy in 
        establishing and carrying out such program.
          ``(3) Additional activities.--Activities may also include 
        development of advanced computer modeling and simulation tools, 
        by Federal and non-Federal entities, which demonstrate and 
        validate new design capabilities of innovative small modular 
        reactor designs.
          ``(4) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `small modular reactor' means a nuclear reactor meeting 
        generally accepted industry standards--
                  ``(A) with a rated capacity of less than 300 
                electrical megawatts;
                  ``(B) with respect to which most parts can be factory 
                assembled and shipped as modules to a reactor plant 
                site for assembly; and
                  ``(C) that can be constructed and operated in 
                combination with similar reactors at a single site.''.

SEC. 625. FUEL CYCLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

  (a) Amendments.--Section 953 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16273) is amended--
          (1) in the section heading by striking ``advanced fuel cycle 
        initiative'' and inserting ``fuel cycle research and 
        development'';
          (2) by striking subsection (a);
          (3) by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as 
        subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and
          (4) by inserting before subsection (d), as so redesignated by 
        paragraph (3) of this subsection, the following new 
        subsections:
  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a fuel cycle research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application program 
(referred to in this section as the `program') on fuel cycle options 
that improve uranium resource utilization, maximize energy generation, 
minimize nuclear waste creation, improve safety, mitigate risk of 
proliferation, and improve waste management in support of a national 
strategy for spent nuclear fuel and the reactor concepts research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application program under 
section 952(c).
  ``(b) Fuel Cycle Options.--Under this section the Secretary may 
consider implementing the following initiatives:
          ``(1) Open cycle.--Developing fuels, including the use of 
        nonuranium materials and alternate claddings, for use in 
        reactors that increase energy generation, improve safety 
        performance and margins, and minimize the amount of nuclear 
        waste produced in an open fuel cycle.
          ``(2) Recycle.--Developing advanced recycling technologies, 
        including advanced reactor concepts to improve resource 
        utilization, reduce proliferation risks, and minimize 
        radiotoxicity, decay heat, and mass and volume of nuclear waste 
        to the greatest extent possible.
          ``(3) Advanced storage methods.--Developing advanced storage 
        technologies for both onsite and long-term storage that 
        substantially prolong the effective life of current storage 
        devices or that substantially improve upon existing nuclear 
        waste storage technologies and methods, including repositories.
          ``(4) Fast test reactor.--Investigating the potential 
        research benefits of a fast test reactor user facility to 
        conduct experiments on fuels and materials related to fuel 
        forms and fuel cycles that will increase fuel utilization, 
        reduce proliferation risks, and reduce nuclear waste products.
          ``(5) Advanced reactor innovation.--Developing an advanced 
        reactor innovation testbed where national laboratories, 
        universities, and industry can address advanced reactor design 
        challenges to enable construction and operation of privately 
        funded reactor prototypes to resolve technical uncertainty for 
        United States-based designs for future domestic and 
        international markets.
          ``(6) Other technologies.--Developing any other technology or 
        initiative that the Secretary determines is likely to advance 
        the objectives of the program.
  ``(c) Additional Advanced Recycling and Crosscutting Activities.--In 
addition to and in support of the specific initiatives described in 
paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (b), the Secretary may support 
the following activities:
          ``(1) Development and testing of integrated process flow 
        sheets for advanced nuclear fuel recycling processes.
          ``(2) Research to characterize the byproducts and waste 
        streams resulting from fuel recycling processes.
          ``(3) Research and development on reactor concepts or 
        transmutation technologies that improve resource utilization or 
        reduce the radiotoxicity of waste streams.
          ``(4) Research and development on waste treatment processes 
        and separations technologies, advanced waste forms, and 
        quantification of proliferation risks.
          ``(5) Identification and evaluation of test and experimental 
        facilities necessary to successfully implement the advanced 
        fuel cycle initiative.
          ``(6) Advancement of fuel cycle-related modeling and 
        simulation capabilities.
          ``(7) Research to understand the behavior of high-burnup 
        fuels.''.
  (b) Conforming Amendment.--The item relating to section 953 in the 
table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended to read 
as follows:

``Sec. 953. Fuel cycle research and development.''.

SEC. 626. NUCLEAR ENERGY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

  (a) Amendment.--Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 958. NUCLEAR ENERGY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES.

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a program to support 
the integration of activities undertaken through the reactor concepts 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
program under section 952(c) and the fuel cycle research and 
development program under section 953, and support crosscutting nuclear 
energy concepts. Activities commenced under this section shall be 
concentrated on broadly applicable research and development focus 
areas.
  ``(b) Activities.--Activities conducted under this section may 
include research involving--
          ``(1) advanced reactor materials;
          ``(2) advanced radiation mitigation methods;
          ``(3) advanced proliferation and security risk assessment 
        methods;
          ``(4) advanced sensors and instrumentation;
          ``(5) high performance computation modeling, including 
        multiphysics, multidimensional modeling simulation for nuclear 
        energy systems, and continued development of advanced modeling 
        simulation capabilities through national laboratory, industry, 
        and university partnerships for operations and safety 
        performance improvements of light water reactors for currently 
        deployed and near-term reactors and advanced reactors and for 
        the development of small modular reactors; and
          ``(6) any crosscutting technology or transformative concept 
        aimed at establishing substantial and revolutionary 
        enhancements in the performance of future nuclear energy 
        systems that the Secretary considers relevant and appropriate 
        to the purpose of this section.
  ``(c) Report.--The Secretary shall submit, as part of the annual 
budget submission of the Department, a report on the activities of the 
program conducted under this section, which shall include a brief 
evaluation of each activity's progress.''.
  (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 is amended by adding at the end of the items for subtitle E 
of title IX the following new item:

``Sec. 958. Nuclear energy enabling technologies.''.

SEC. 627. TECHNICAL STANDARDS COLLABORATION.

  (a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology shall establish a nuclear energy standards committee (in 
this section referred to as the ``technical standards committee'') to 
facilitate and support, consistent with the National Technology 
Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, the development or revision of 
technical standards for new and existing nuclear power plants and 
advanced nuclear technologies.
  (b) Membership.--
          (1) In general.--The technical standards committee shall 
        include representatives from appropriate Federal agencies and 
        the private sector, and be open to materially affected 
        organizations involved in the development or application of 
        nuclear energy-related standards.
          (2) Co-chairs.--The technical standards committee shall be 
        co-chaired by a representative from the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology and a representative from a private 
        sector standards organization.
  (c) Duties.--The technical standards committee shall, in cooperation 
with appropriate Federal agencies--
          (1) perform a needs assessment to identify and evaluate the 
        technical standards that are needed to support nuclear energy, 
        including those needed to support new and existing nuclear 
        power plants and advanced nuclear technologies, including 
        developing the technical basis for regulatory frameworks for 
        advanced reactors;
          (2) formulate, coordinate, and recommend priorities for the 
        development of new technical standards and the revision of 
        existing technical standards to address the needs identified 
        under paragraph (1);
          (3) facilitate and support collaboration and cooperation 
        among standards developers to address the needs and priorities 
        identified under paragraphs (1) and (2);
          (4) as appropriate, coordinate with other national, regional, 
        or international efforts on nuclear energy-related technical 
        standards in order to avoid conflict and duplication and to 
        ensure global compatibility; and
          (5) promote the establishment and maintenance of a database 
        of nuclear energy-related technical standards.
  (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To the extent provided for in 
advance by appropriations Acts, the Secretary may transfer to the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology not to 
exceed $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 for the Secretary of Commerce to 
carry out this section from amounts appropriated for nuclear energy 
research and development within the Nuclear Energy Enabling 
Technologies account for the Department.

SEC. 628. AVAILABLE FACILITIES DATABASE.

  The Secretary shall prepare a database of non-Federal user facilities 
receiving Federal funds that may be used for unclassified nuclear 
energy research.   The Secretary shall make this database accessible on 
the Department's website.

SEC. 629. NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL.

  To the extent consistent with the requirements of current law, the 
Department shall be responsible for disposal of high-level radioactive 
waste or spent nuclear fuel generated by reactors under the programs 
authorized in this subtitle, or the amendments made by this subtitle.

    Subtitle D--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research and 
                              Development

SEC. 641. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

  Section 911 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16191) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 911. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

  ``(a) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of energy 
efficiency research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application, including activities described in this subtitle. Such 
programs shall prioritize activities that industry by itself is not 
likely to undertake because of technical challenges or regulatory 
uncertainty, and take into consideration the following objectives:
          ``(1) Increasing energy efficiency.
          ``(2) Reducing the cost of energy.
          ``(3) Reducing the environmental impact of energy-related 
        activities.
  ``(b) Programs.--Programs under this subtitle shall include research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application of--
          ``(1) innovative, affordable technologies to improve the 
        energy efficiency and environmental performance of vehicles, 
        including weight and drag reduction technologies, technologies, 
        modeling, and simulation for increasing vehicle connectivity 
        and automation, and whole-vehicle design optimization;
          ``(2) cost-effective technologies, for new construction and 
        retrofit, to improve the energy efficiency and environmental 
        performance of buildings, using a whole-buildings approach;
          ``(3) advanced technologies to improve the energy efficiency, 
        environmental performance, and process efficiency of energy-
        intensive and waste-intensive industries;
          ``(4) technologies to improve the energy efficiency of 
        appliances and mechanical systems for buildings in extreme 
        climates, including cogeneration, trigeneration, and 
        polygeneration units;
          ``(5) advanced battery technologies; and
          ``(6) fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.''.

SEC. 642. NEXT GENERATION LIGHTING INITIATIVE.

  Section 912 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16192) and 
the item relating thereto in the table of contents of that Act are 
repealed.

SEC. 643. BUILDING STANDARDS.

  Section 914 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16194) is 
amended by striking subsection (c).

SEC. 644. SECONDARY ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY USE PROGRAM.

  Section 915 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16195) and 
the item relating thereto in the table of contents of that Act are 
repealed.

SEC. 645. NETWORK FOR MANUFACTURING INNOVATION PROGRAM.

  To the extent provided for in advance by appropriations Acts, the 
Secretary may transfer to the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology up to $150,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 
2015 through 2017 from amounts appropriated for advanced manufacturing 
research and development under this subtitle (and the amendments made 
by this subtitle) for the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the 
Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program authorized under section 
34 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
278s).

SEC. 646. ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS.

  Section 917 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16197) is 
amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)--
                  (A) by inserting ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (2)(B);
                  (B) by striking ``; and'' at the end of paragraph (3) 
                and inserting a period; and
                  (C) by striking paragraph (4);
          (2) in subsection (b)--
                  (A) by striking paragraph (1);
                  (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (5) as 
                paragraphs (1) through (4), respectively; and
                  (C) by striking paragraph (6);
          (3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
  ``(g) Prohibition.--None of the funds awarded under this section may 
be used for the construction of facilities or the deployment of 
commercially available technologies.''; and
          (4) by striking subsection (i).

SEC. 647. RENEWABLE ENERGY.

  Section 931 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16231) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 931. RENEWABLE ENERGY.

  ``(a) In General.--
          ``(1) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of 
        renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application, including activities described in this 
        subtitle. Such programs shall prioritize discovery research and 
        development and take into consideration the following 
        objectives:
                  ``(A) Increasing the conversion efficiency of all 
                forms of renewable energy through improved 
                technologies.
                  ``(B) Decreasing the cost of renewable energy 
                generation and delivery.
                  ``(C) Promoting the diversity of the energy supply.
                  ``(D) Decreasing the dependence of the United States 
                on foreign mineral resources.
                  ``(E) Decreasing the environmental impact of 
                renewable energy-related activities.
                  ``(F) Increasing the export of renewable generation 
                technologies from the United States.
          ``(2) Programs.--
                  ``(A) Solar energy.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                program of research, development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application for solar energy, including 
                innovations in--
                          ``(i) photovoltaics;
                          ``(ii) solar heating;
                          ``(iii) concentrating solar power;
                          ``(iv) lighting systems that integrate 
                        sunlight and electrical lighting in complement 
                        to each other; and
                          ``(v) development of technologies that can be 
                        easily integrated into new and existing 
                        buildings.
                  ``(B) Wind energy.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                program of research, development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application for wind energy, including 
                innovations in--
                          ``(i) low speed wind energy;
                          ``(ii) testing and verification technologies;
                          ``(iii) distributed wind energy generation; 
                        and
                          ``(iv) transformational technologies for 
                        harnessing wind energy.
                  ``(C) Geothermal.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                program of research, development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application for geothermal energy, including 
                technologies for--
                          ``(i) improving detection of geothermal 
                        resources;
                          ``(ii) decreasing drilling costs;
                          ``(iii) decreasing maintenance costs through 
                        improved materials;
                          ``(iv) increasing the potential for other 
                        revenue sources, such as mineral production; 
                        and
                          ``(v) increasing the understanding of 
                        reservoir life cycle and management.
                  ``(D) Hydropower.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
                program of research, development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application for technologies that enable the 
                development of new and incremental hydropower capacity, 
                including:
                          ``(i) Advanced technologies to enhance 
                        environmental performance and yield greater 
                        energy efficiencies.
                          ``(ii) Ocean energy, including wave energy.
                  ``(E) Miscellaneous projects.--The Secretary shall 
                conduct research, development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application programs for--
                          ``(i) the combined use of renewable energy 
                        technologies with one another and with other 
                        energy technologies, including the combined use 
                        of renewable power and fossil technologies;
                          ``(ii) renewable energy technologies for 
                        cogeneration of hydrogen and electricity; and
                          ``(iii) kinetic hydro turbines.
  ``(b) Rural Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall 
give priority to demonstrations that assist in delivering electricity 
to rural and remote locations including--
          ``(1) advanced renewable power technology, including combined 
        use with fossil technologies;
          ``(2) biomass; and
          ``(3) geothermal energy systems.
  ``(c) Analysis and Evaluation.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct analysis and 
        evaluation in support of the renewable energy programs under 
        this subtitle. These activities shall be used to guide budget 
        and program decisions, and shall include--
                  ``(A) economic and technical analysis of renewable 
                energy potential, including resource assessment;
                  ``(B) analysis of past program performance, both in 
                terms of technical advances and in market introduction 
                of renewable energy;
                  ``(C) assessment of domestic and international market 
                drivers, including the impacts of any Federal, State, 
                or local grants, loans, loan guarantees, tax 
                incentives, statutory or regulatory requirements, or 
                other government initiatives; and
                  ``(D) any other analysis or evaluation that the 
                Secretary considers appropriate.
          ``(2) Funding.--The Secretary may designate up to 1 percent 
        of the funds appropriated for carrying out this subtitle for 
        analysis and evaluation activities under this subsection.
          ``(3) Submittal to congress.--This analysis and evaluation 
        shall be submitted to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate at least 30 days 
        before each annual budget request is submitted to Congress.''.

SEC. 648. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.

  Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16232) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 932. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.

  ``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application for bioenergy, 
including innovations in--
          ``(1) biopower energy systems;
          ``(2) biofuels;
          ``(3) bioproducts;
          ``(4) integrated biorefineries that may produce biopower, 
        biofuels, and bioproducts; and
          ``(5) cross-cutting research and development in feedstocks.
  ``(b) Biofuels and Bioproducts.--The goals of the biofuels and 
bioproducts programs shall be to develop, in partnership with industry 
and institutions of higher education--
          ``(1) advanced biochemical and thermochemical conversion 
        technologies capable of making fuels from lignocellulosic 
        feedstocks that are price-competitive with fossil-based fuels 
        and fully compatible with either internal combustion engines or 
        fuel cell-powered vehicles;
          ``(2) advanced conversion of biomass to biofuels and 
        bioproducts as part of integrated biorefineries based on either 
        biochemical processes, thermochemical processes, or hybrids of 
        these processes; and
          ``(3) other advanced processes that will enable the 
        development of cost-effective bioproducts, including biofuels.
  ``(c) Retrofit Technologies for the Development of Ethanol From 
Cellulosic Materials.--The Secretary shall establish a program of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for 
technologies and processes to enable biorefineries that exclusively use 
corn grain or corn starch as a feedstock to produce ethanol to be 
retrofitted to accept a range of biomass, including lignocellulosic 
feedstocks.
  ``(d) Limitations.--None of the funds authorized for carrying out 
this section may be used to fund commercial biofuels production for 
defense purposes.
  ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
          ``(1) Biomass.--The term `biomass' means--
                  ``(A) any organic material grown for the purpose of 
                being converted to energy;
                  ``(B) any organic byproduct of agriculture (including 
                wastes from food production and processing) that can be 
                converted into energy; or
                  ``(C) any waste material that can be converted to 
                energy, is segregated from other waste materials, and 
                is derived from--
                          ``(i) any of the following forest-related 
                        resources: mill residues, precommercial 
                        thinnings, slash, brush, or otherwise 
                        nonmerchantable material;
                          ``(ii) wood waste materials, including waste 
                        pallets, crates, dunnage, manufacturing and 
                        construction wood wastes (other than pressure-
                        treated, chemically treated, or painted wood 
                        wastes), and landscape or right-of-way tree 
                        trimmings, but not including municipal solid 
                        waste, gas derived from the biodegradation of 
                        municipal solid waste, or paper that is 
                        commonly recycled; or
                          ``(iii) solids derived from waste water 
                        treatment processes.
          ``(2) Lignocellulosic feedstock.--The term `lignocellulosic 
        feedstock' means any portion of a plant or coproduct from 
        conversion, including crops, trees, forest residues, grasses, 
        and agricultural residues not specifically grown for food, 
        including from barley grain, grapeseed, rice bran, rice hulls, 
        rice straw, soybean matter, cornstover, and sugarcane 
        bagasse.''.

SEC. 649. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER RESEARCH PROGRAM.

  Section 934 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16234) and 
the item relating thereto in the table of contents of that Act are 
repealed.

SEC. 650. RENEWABLE ENERGY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

  Section 935 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16235) and 
the item relating thereto in the table of contents of that Act are 
repealed.

           Subtitle E--Fossil Energy Research and Development

SEC. 661. FOSSIL ENERGY.

  Section 961 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16291) is amended 
to read as follows:

``SEC. 961. FOSSIL ENERGY.

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs in 
fossil energy, including activities under this subtitle, with the goal 
of improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and environmental 
performance of fossil energy production, upgrading, conversion, and 
consumption. Such programs shall take into consideration the following 
objectives:
          ``(1) Increasing the energy conversion efficiency of all 
        forms of fossil energy through improved technologies.
          ``(2) Decreasing the cost of all fossil energy production, 
        generation, and delivery.
          ``(3) Promoting diversity of energy supply.
          ``(4) Decreasing the dependence of the United States on 
        foreign energy supplies.
          ``(5) Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-related 
        activities.
          ``(6) Increasing the export of fossil energy-related 
        equipment, technology, and services from the United States.
  ``(b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary 
shall seek to--
          ``(1) leverage existing programs;
          ``(2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the 
        Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting 
        approaches;
          ``(3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that does 
        not duplicate other activities within the Department or other 
        Federal Government activities; and
          ``(4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to 
        the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
        institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.
  ``(c) Limitations.--
          ``(1) Uses.--None of the funds authorized for carrying out 
        this section may be used for Fossil Energy Environmental 
        Restoration.
          ``(2) Institutions of higher education.--Not less than 20 
        percent of the funds appropriated for carrying out section 964 
        of this Act for each fiscal year shall be dedicated to research 
        and development carried out at institutions of higher 
        education.
          ``(3) Use for regulatory assessments or determinations.--The 
        results of any research, development, demonstration, or 
        commercial application projects or activities of the Department 
        authorized under this subtitle may not be used for regulatory 
        assessments or determinations by Federal regulatory 
        authorities.
  ``(d) Assessments.--
          ``(1) Constraints against bringing resources to market.--Not 
        later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the America 
        COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall 
        transmit to Congress an assessment of the technical, 
        institutional, policy, and regulatory constraints to bringing 
        new domestic fossil resources to market.
          ``(2) Technology capabilities.--Not later than 2 years after 
        the date of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization 
        Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a long-
        term assessment of existing and projected technological 
        capabilities for expanded production from domestic 
        unconventional oil, gas, and methane reserves.''.

SEC. 662. COAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND COMMERCIAL 
                    APPLICATION PROGRAMS.

  (a) In General.--Section 962 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16292) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)--
                  (A) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                  (B) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting a semicolon; and
                  (C) by adding at the end the following:
          ``(12) specific additional programs to address water use and 
        reuse;
          ``(13) the testing, including the construction of testing 
        facilities, of high temperature materials for use in advanced 
        systems for combustion or use of coal; and
          ``(14) innovations to application of existing coal conversion 
        systems designed to increase efficiency of conversion, 
        flexibility of operation, and other modifications to address 
        existing usage requirements.'';
          (2) by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as 
        subsections (c) through (e), respectively;
          (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
  ``(b) Transformational Coal Technology Program.--
          ``(1) In general.--As part of the program established under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary may carry out a program designed 
        to undertake research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application of technologies, including the 
        accelerated development of--
                  ``(A) chemical looping technology;
                  ``(B) supercritical carbon dioxide power generation 
                cycles;
                  ``(C) pressurized oxycombustion, including new and 
                retrofit technologies; and
                  ``(D) other technologies that are characterized by 
                the use of--
                          ``(i) alternative energy cycles;
                          ``(ii) thermionic devices using waste heat;
                          ``(iii) fuel cells;
                          ``(iv) replacement of chemical processes with 
                        biotechnology;
                          ``(v) nanotechnology;
                          ``(vi) new materials in applications (other 
                        than extending cycles to higher temperature and 
                        pressure), such as membranes or ceramics;
                          ``(vii) carbon utilization, such as in 
                        construction materials, using low quality 
                        energy to reconvert back to a fuel, or 
                        manufactured food;
                          ``(viii) advanced gas separation concepts; 
                        and
                          ``(ix) other technologies, including--
                                  ``(I) modular, manufactured 
                                components; and
                                  ``(II) innovative production or 
                                research techniques, such as using 3-D 
                                printer systems, for the production of 
                                early research and development 
                                prototypes.
          ``(2) Cost share.--In carrying out the program described in 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall enter into partnerships with 
        private entities to share the costs of carrying out the 
        program. The Secretary may reduce the non-Federal cost share 
        requirement if the Secretary determines that the reduction is 
        necessary and appropriate considering the technological risks 
        involved in the project.''; and
          (4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated) by striking 
        paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
          ``(1) In general.--In carrying out programs authorized by 
        this section, the Secretary shall identify cost and performance 
        goals for coal-based technologies that would permit the 
        continued cost-competitive use of coal for the production of 
        electricity, chemical feedstocks, transportation fuels, and 
        other marketable products.''.
  (b) Advisory Committee; Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 963 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16293) is amended--
          (1) by amending paragraph (6) of subsection (c) to read as 
        follows:
          ``(6) Advisory committee.--
                  ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to 
                undertake, not less frequently than once every 3 years, 
                a review and prepare a report on the progress being 
                made by the Department of Energy to achieve the goals 
                described in subsections (a) and (b) of section 962 and 
                subsection (b) of this section.
                  ``(B) Membership requirements.--Members of the 
                advisory committee established under subparagraph (A) 
                shall be appointed by the Secretary.''; and
          (2) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
  ``(d) Study of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress the results of a study 
to assess the cost and feasibility of engineering, permitting, 
building, maintaining, regulating, and insuring a national system of 
carbon dioxide pipelines.''.

SEC. 663. HIGH EFFICIENCY GAS TURBINES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary, through the Office of Fossil Energy, 
shall carry out a multiyear, multiphase program of research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application to innovate 
technologies to maximize the efficiency of gas turbines used in power 
generation systems.
  (b) Program Elements.--The program under this section shall--
          (1) support innovative engineering and detailed gas turbine 
        design for megawatt-scale and utility-scale electric power 
        generation, including--
                  (A) high temperature materials, including 
                superalloys, coatings, and ceramics;
                  (B) improved heat transfer capability;
                  (C) manufacturing technology required to construct 
                complex three-dimensional geometry parts with improved 
                aerodynamic capability;
                  (D) combustion technology to produce higher firing 
                temperature while lowering nitrogen oxide and carbon 
                monoxide emissions per unit of output;
                  (E) advanced controls and systems integration;
                  (F) advanced high performance compressor technology; 
                and
                  (G) validation facilities for the testing of 
                components and subsystems;
          (2) include technology demonstration through component 
        testing, subscale testing, and full scale testing in existing 
        fleets;
          (3) include field demonstrations of the developed technology 
        elements so as to demonstrate technical and economic 
        feasibility; and
          (4) assess overall combined cycle and simple cycle system 
        performance.
  (c) Program Goals.--The goals of the multiphase program established 
under subsection (a) shall be--
          (1) in phase I--
                  (A) to develop the conceptual design of advanced high 
                efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at least 62 
                percent combined cycle efficiency or 47 percent simple 
                cycle efficiency on a lower heating value basis; and
                  (B) to develop and demonstrate the technology 
                required for advanced high efficiency gas turbines that 
                can achieve at least 62 percent combined cycle 
                efficiency or 47 percent simple cycle efficiency on a 
                lower heating value basis; and
          (2) in phase II, to develop the conceptual design for 
        advanced high efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at least 
        65 percent combined cycle efficiency or 50 percent simple cycle 
        efficiency on a lower heating value basis.
  (d) Proposals.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall solicit grant and contract proposals from 
industry, small businesses, universities, and other appropriate parties 
for conducting activities under this section. In selecting proposals, 
the Secretary shall emphasize--
          (1) the extent to which the proposal will stimulate the 
        creation or increased retention of jobs in the United States; 
        and
          (2) the extent to which the proposal will promote and enhance 
        United States technology leadership.
  (e) Competitive Awards.--The provision of funding under this section 
shall be on a competitive basis with an emphasis on technical merit.
  (f) Cost Sharing.--Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to an award of financial assistance made 
under this section.

          Subtitle F--Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

SEC. 671. ARPA-E AMENDMENTS.

  Section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538) is 
amended--
          (1) by amending paragraph (1) of subsection (c) to read as 
        follows:
          ``(1) In general.--The goals of ARPA-E shall be to enhance 
        the economic and energy security of the United States and to 
        ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead 
        through the development of advanced energy technologies.'';
          (2) in subsection (i)(1), by inserting ``ARPA-E shall not 
        provide funding for a project unless the prospective grantee 
        demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure private financing or 
        indicates that the project is not independently commercially 
        viable.'' after ``relevant research agencies.'';
          (3) in subsection (l)(1), by inserting ``and once every 6 
        years thereafter,'' after ``operation for 6 years,''; and
          (4) by redesignating subsection (n) as subsection (o) and 
        inserting after subsection (m) the following new subsection:
  ``(n) Protection of Proprietary Information.--
          ``(1) In general.--The following categories of information 
        collected by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy from 
        recipients of financial assistance awards shall be considered 
        privileged and confidential and not subject to disclosure 
        pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States Code:
                  ``(A) Plans for commercialization of technologies 
                developed under the award, including business plans, 
                technology to market plans, market studies, and cost 
                and performance models.
                  ``(B) Investments provided to an awardee from third 
                parties, such as venture capital, hedge fund, or 
                private equity firms, including amounts and percentage 
                of ownership of the awardee provided in return for such 
                investments.
                  ``(C) Additional financial support that the awardee 
                plans to invest or has invested into the technology 
                developed under the award, or that the awardee is 
                seeking from third parties.
                  ``(D) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new 
                products or services resulting from the research 
                conducted under the award.
          ``(2) Effect of subsection.--Nothing in this subsection 
        affects--
                  ``(A) the authority of the Secretary to use 
                information without publicly disclosing such 
                information; or
                  ``(B) the responsibility of the Secretary to transmit 
                information to Congress as required by law.''.

              Subtitle G--Authorization of Appropriations

SEC. 681. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

  (a) Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and 
Development.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
for electrical delivery and energy reliability technology activities 
within the Office of Electricity $113,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016 and 2017.
  (b) Nuclear Energy.--
          (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary for research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application for nuclear energy technology activities 
        within the Office of Nuclear Energy $504,600,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
          (2) Limitation.--Any amounts made available pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) shall not 
        be derived from the Nuclear Waste Fund established under 
        section 302(c) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 
        U.S.C. 10222(c)).
  (c) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.--There are authorized to 
be appropriated to the Secretary for research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application for energy efficiency and 
renewable energy technology activities within the Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy $1,198,500,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016 and 2017.
  (d) Fossil Energy.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary for research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for fossil energy technology activities within the Office 
of Fossil Energy $605,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
  (e) ARPA-E.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy $140,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

                        Subtitle H--Definitions

SEC. 691. DEFINITIONS.

  In this title--
          (1) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy; 
        and
          (2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.

          TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

                         Subtitle A--In General

SEC. 701. DEFINITIONS.

  In this title:
          (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the Department 
        of Energy.
          (2) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        means a Department of Energy nonmilitary national laboratory, 
        including--
                  (A) Ames Laboratory;
                  (B) Argonne National Laboratory;
                  (C) Brookhaven National Laboratory;
                  (D) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory;
                  (E) Idaho National Laboratory;
                  (F) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory;
                  (G) National Energy Technology Laboratory;
                  (H) National Renewable Energy Laboratory;
                  (I) Oak Ridge National Laboratory;
                  (J) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory;
                  (K) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory;
                  (L) Savannah River National Laboratory;
                  (M) Stanford Linear Accelerator Center;
                  (N) Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility; 
                and
                  (O) any laboratory operated by the National Nuclear 
                Security Administration, but only with respect to the 
                civilian energy activities thereof.
          (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Energy.

SEC. 702. SAVINGS CLAUSE.

  Nothing in this title or an amendment made by this title abrogates or 
otherwise affects the primary responsibilities of any National 
Laboratory to the Department.

       Subtitle B--Innovation Management at Department of Energy

SEC. 711. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND ENERGY.

  (a) In General.--Section 202(b) of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7132(b)) is amended--
          (1) by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``Under Secretary for Science and 
        Energy''; and
          (2) in paragraph (4)--
                  (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                  (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting a semicolon; and
                  (C) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the 
                following:
          ``(H) establish appropriate linkages between offices under 
        the jurisdiction of the Under Secretary; and
          ``(I) perform such functions and duties as the Secretary 
        shall prescribe, consistent with this section.''.
  (b) Conforming Amendments.--
          (1) Section 3164(b)(1) of the Department of Energy Science 
        Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381a(b)(1)) is amended by 
        striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and inserting ``Under 
        Secretary for Science and Energy''.
          (2) Section 641(h)(2) of the United States Energy Storage 
        Competitiveness Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(h)(2)) is amended 
        by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and inserting 
        ``Under Secretary for Science and Energy''.

SEC. 712. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRANSITIONS ASSESSMENT.

  Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report which 
shall include--
          (1) an assessment of the Department's current ability to 
        carry out the goals of section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 
        2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391), including an assessment of the role and 
        effectiveness of the Director of the Office of Technology 
        Transitions; and
          (2) recommended departmental policy changes and legislative 
        changes to section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
        U.S.C. 16391) to improve the Department's ability to 
        successfully transfer new energy technologies to the private 
        sector.

SEC. 713. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

  It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary should encourage 
the National Laboratories and federally funded research and development 
centers to inform small businesses of the opportunities and resources 
that exist pursuant to this title.

SEC. 714. NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION.

  Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary, in consultation with the National Laboratories, relevant 
Federal agencies, and other stakeholders, shall transmit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate a report assessing the Department's capabilities to 
authorize, host, and oversee privately funded fusion and non-light 
water reactor prototypes and related demonstration facilities at 
Department-owned sites. For purposes of this report, the Secretary 
shall consider the Department's capabilities to facilitate privately-
funded prototypes up to 20 megawatts thermal output. The report shall 
address the following:
          (1) The Department's safety review and oversight 
        capabilities.
          (2) Potential sites capable of hosting research, development, 
        and demonstration of prototype reactors and related facilities 
        for the purpose of reducing technical risk.
          (3) The Department's and National Laboratories' existing 
        physical and technical capabilities relevant to research, 
        development, and oversight.
          (4) The efficacy of the Department's available contractual 
        mechanisms, including cooperative research and development 
        agreements, work for others agreements, and agreements for 
        commercializing technology.
          (5) Potential cost structures related to physical security, 
        decommissioning, liability, and other long-term project costs.
          (6) Other challenges or considerations identified by the 
        Secretary, including issues related to potential cases of 
        demonstration reactors up to 2 gigawatts of thermal output.

    Subtitle C--Cross-Sector Partnerships and Grant Competitiveness

SEC. 721. AGREEMENTS FOR COMMERCIALIZING TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out the Agreements for 
Commercializing Technology pilot program of the Department, as 
announced by the Secretary on December 8, 2011, in accordance with this 
section.
  (b) Terms.--Each agreement entered into pursuant to the pilot program 
referred to in subsection (a) shall provide to the contractor of the 
applicable National Laboratory, to the maximum extent determined to be 
appropriate by the Secretary, increased authority to negotiate contract 
terms, such as intellectual property rights, payment structures, 
performance guarantees, and multiparty collaborations.
  (c) Eligibility.--
          (1) In general.--Any director of a National Laboratory may 
        enter into an agreement pursuant to the pilot program referred 
        to in subsection (a).
          (2) Agreements with non-federal entities.--To carry out 
        paragraph (1) and subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
        permit the directors of the National Laboratories to execute 
        agreements with a non-Federal entity, including a non-Federal 
        entity already receiving Federal funding that will be used to 
        support activities under agreements executed pursuant to 
        paragraph (1), provided that such funding is solely used to 
        carry out the purposes of the Federal award.
          (3) Restriction.--The requirements of chapter 18 of title 35, 
        United States Code (commonly known as the ``Bayh-Dole Act'') 
        shall apply if--
                  (A) the agreement is a funding agreement (as that 
                term is defined in section 201 of that title); and
                  (B) at least 1 of the parties to the funding 
                agreement is eligible to receive rights under that 
                chapter.
  (d) Submission to Secretary.--Each affected director of a National 
Laboratory shall submit to the Secretary, with respect to each 
agreement entered into under this section--
          (1) a summary of information relating to the relevant 
        project;
          (2) the total estimated costs of the project;
          (3) estimated commencement and completion dates of the 
        project; and
          (4) other documentation determined to be appropriate by the 
        Secretary.
  (e) Certification.--The Secretary shall require the contractor of the 
affected National Laboratory to certify that each activity carried out 
under a project for which an agreement is entered into under this 
section--
          (1) is not in direct competition with the private sector; and
          (2) does not present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict of 
        interest, and avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of 
        interest, as a result of the agreement under this section.
  (f) Extension.--The pilot program referred to in subsection (a) shall 
be extended until October 31, 2017.
  (g) Reports.--
          (1) Overall assessment.--Not later than 60 days after the 
        date described in subsection (f), the Secretary, in 
        coordination with directors of the National Laboratories, shall 
        submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate a report that--
                  (A) assesses the overall effectiveness of the pilot 
                program referred to in subsection (a);
                  (B) identifies opportunities to improve the 
                effectiveness of the pilot program;
                  (C) assesses the potential for program activities to 
                interfere with the responsibilities of the National 
                Laboratories to the Department; and
                  (D) provides a recommendation regarding the future of 
                the pilot program.
          (2) Transparency.--The Secretary, in coordination with 
        directors of the National Laboratories, shall submit to the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources of the Senate an annual report that accounts for all 
        incidences of, and provides a justification for, non-Federal 
        entities using funds derived from a Federal contract or award 
        to carry out agreements pursuant to this section.

SEC. 722. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION.

  (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary 
shall delegate to directors of the National Laboratories signature 
authority with respect to any agreement described in subsection (b) the 
total cost of which (including the National Laboratory contributions 
and project recipient cost share) is less than $1,000,000.
  (b) Agreements.--Subsection (a) applies to--
          (1) a cooperative research and development agreement;
          (2) a non-Federal work-for-others agreement; and
          (3) any other agreement determined to be appropriate by the 
        Secretary, in collaboration with the directors of the National 
        Laboratories.
  (c) Administration.--
          (1) Accountability.--The director of the affected National 
        Laboratory and the affected contractor shall carry out an 
        agreement under this section in accordance with applicable 
        policies of the Department, including by ensuring that the 
        agreement does not compromise any national security, economic, 
        or environmental interest of the United States.
          (2) Certification.--The director of the affected National 
        Laboratory and the affected contractor shall certify that each 
        activity carried out under a project for which an agreement is 
        entered into under this section does not present, or minimizes, 
        any apparent conflict of interest, and avoids or neutralizes 
        any actual conflict of interest, as a result of the agreement 
        under this section.
          (3) Availability of records.--On entering an agreement under 
        this section, the director of a National Laboratory shall 
        submit to the Secretary for monitoring and review all records 
        of the National Laboratory relating to the agreement.
          (4) Rates.--The director of a National Laboratory may charge 
        higher rates for services performed under a partnership 
        agreement entered into pursuant to this section, regardless of 
        the full cost of recovery, if such funds are used exclusively 
        to support further research and development activities at the 
        respective National Laboratory.
  (d) Exception.--This section does not apply to any agreement with a 
majority foreign-owned company.
  (e) Conforming Amendment.--Section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) is amended--
          (1) in subsection (a)--
                  (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting 
                the subparagraphs appropriately;
                  (B) by striking ``Each Federal agency'' and inserting 
                the following:
          ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), each 
        Federal agency''; and
                  (C) by adding at the end the following:
          ``(2) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in 
        accordance with section 722(a) of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2015, approval by the Secretary of 
        Energy shall not be required for any technology transfer 
        agreement proposed to be entered into by a National Laboratory 
        of the Department of Energy, the total cost of which (including 
        the National Laboratory contributions and project recipient 
        cost share) is less than $1,000,000.''; and
          (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection (a)(1)'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``subsection (a)(1)(A)''.

SEC. 723. INCLUSION OF EARLY-STAGE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION IN 
                    AUTHORIZED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES.

  Section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391) is 
amended by--
          (1) redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
          (2) inserting after subsection (f) the following:
  ``(g) Early-Stage Technology Demonstration.--The Secretary shall 
permit the directors of the National Laboratories to use funds 
authorized to support technology transfer within the Department to 
carry out early-stage and pre-commercial technology demonstration 
activities to remove technology barriers that limit private sector 
interest and demonstrate potential commercial applications of any 
research and technologies arising from National Laboratory 
activities.''.

SEC. 724. FUNDING COMPETITIVENESS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION 
                    AND OTHER NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS.

  Section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)) 
is amended--
          (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Except as provided in 
        paragraphs (2) and (3)'' and inserting ``Except as provided in 
        paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)''; and
          (2) by adding at the end the following:
          ``(4) Exemption for institutions of higher education and 
        other nonprofit institutions.--
                  ``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a 
                research or development activity performed by an 
                institution of higher education or nonprofit 
                institution (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-
                Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
                3703)).
                  ``(B) Termination date.--The exemption under 
                subparagraph (A) shall apply during the 6-year period 
                beginning on the date of enactment of this 
                paragraph.''.

SEC. 725. PARTICIPATION IN THE INNOVATION CORPS PROGRAM.

  The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the Director of the 
National Science Foundation to enable researchers funded by the 
Department to participate in the National Science Foundation Innovation 
Corps program.

                    Subtitle D--Assessment of Impact

SEC. 731. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.

  Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
report--
          (1) describing the results of the projects developed under 
        sections 721, 722, and 723, including information regarding--
                  (A) partnerships initiated as a result of those 
                projects and the potential linkages presented by those 
                partnerships with respect to national priorities and 
                other taxpayer-funded research; and
                  (B) whether the activities carried out under those 
                projects result in--
                          (i) fiscal savings;
                          (ii) expansion of National Laboratory 
                        capabilities;
                          (iii) increased efficiency of technology 
                        transfers; or
                          (iv) an increase in general efficiency of the 
                        National Laboratory system; and
          (2) assess the scale, scope, efficacy, and impact of the 
        Department's efforts to promote technology transfer and private 
        sector engagement at the National Laboratories, and make 
        recommendations on how the Department can improve these 
        activities.

                     TITLE VIII--SENSE OF CONGRESS

SEC. 801. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

  It is the sense of Congress that climate change is real.

                     Committee Statement and Views


                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    The purpose of H.R. 1806, the ``America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2015,'' is to provide for technological 
innovation through the prioritization of Federal investment in 
basic research and fundamental scientific discovery, and make 
reforms to Federal science policy to ensure future United 
States economic competitiveness and security.
    The bill reauthorizes the National Science Foundation 
(NSF), the coordination of Federal STEM education programs, the 
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the 
Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE SC) and DOE's 
applied energy research and development programs. The bill also 
authorizes changes to improve technology transfer from the 
DOE's national laboratories to the private sector.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    Federal policies that focus on scientific and technological 
advancement have been a recurring subject of congressional 
attention since the founding of the United States. Among the 
major post-World War II legislation in this area are the 
National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (P.L. 81-507), the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-703), the Department of 
Energy Organization Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-91), the Energy Policy 
Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-486), the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 
109-58), and the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (P.L. 96-480).
    In 2007, Congress passed and the President signed into law, 
the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote 
Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act 
(P.L. 110-69), which was based on President George W. Bush's 
American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI). The centerpiece of 
the ACI was the prioritization of basic research in the 
physical sciences and engineering. Physical sciences research 
develops and advances knowledge and technologies that are used 
by scientists in nearly every other field. The ACI called for 
strengthening Federal investments in these areas by 
reallocating existing Federal resources to three innovation-
enabling basic research agencies: NSF, NIST core lab research 
and facilities, and DOE SC.
    In 2010, Congress passed and the President signed into law, 
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-
358). This authorization expired at the end of 2014, thereby 
necessitating a reauthorization of agencies included in this 
Act.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

    The NSF is the primary source of Federal funding for non-
medical basic research and a significant contributor to many 
fields of scientific endeavor. Through more than 11,700 annual 
competitive awards, chosen through a merit-review process, NSF 
supports the work of over 356,500 scientists, engineers, 
educators and students at universities, laboratories and field 
sites across the United States and internationally.

Coordination of STEM education programs and activities

    The Federal government spends nearly $3 billion across 
fourteen Federal agencies on STEM education programs each year. 
These programs are operated and funded primarily through the 
NSF, the Department of Education and the Department of Health 
and Human Services. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2010 included a number of requirements for the review and 
coordination of Federal STEM programs. The Act required the 
National Science and Technology Council, an interagency group 
led by OSTP, to form a Committee on STEM (CoSTEM) to review 
Federal STEM education activities to ensure they are not 
duplicative, and develop and implement a 5-year strategic plan. 
CoSTEM released an inventory of Federal STEM programs in 
December 2011 and the final strategic plan in May 2013.

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

    The National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, 
and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-282) authorized the 
establishment of OSTP to advise the President on science and 
technology policy issues. OSTP also leads interagency efforts 
to develop and implement science and technology budgets and to 
coordinate science education efforts.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

    NIST is a non-regulatory agency within the Department of 
Commerce. Originally founded in 1901 as the National Bureau of 
Standards, NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and 
industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, 
standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic 
security and improve quality of life in the United States.

Department of Energy Science

    The Office of Science within the Department of Energy is 
the largest Federal sponsor of basic research in the physical 
sciences, supporting 22,000 researchers at 17 national 
laboratories and more than 300 universities, and conducting 
research in high performance computing, basic energy sciences, 
biological and environmental research, high energy physics, 
fusion energy, and nuclear physics.

Department of Energy Applied Research and Development

    The Department of Energy conducts applied research and 
development programs in nuclear energy, energy efficiency and 
renewable energy, electricity, and fossil energy, and manages 
the Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy (ARPA-E). The 
Department spends close to $3 billion on applied energy R&D, 
conducting research, development, demonstration and commercial 
application programs in national labs, universities, and in 
partnership with the private sector.

Department of Energy Technology Transfer

    The Department of Energy owns 17 national laboratories, 
sixteen of which are Federally funded research and development 
centers (FFRDCs). These facilities provide unique scientific 
research capabilities critical to the Department's mission and 
keep the United States' competitive in technology development 
by providing opportunities for collaboration with the private 
sector. The legislation corrects institutional inefficiencies 
that mitigate the effectiveness of the national laboratories to 
transfer research know-how and work products to the private 
sector.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    During the 113th and 114th Congresses, the House Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology held 44 hearings relevant to 
the activities authorized in this bill.
    On February 6, 2013, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``American Competitiveness: The Role of Research and 
Development.'' The purpose of this hearing was to help outline 
ways to ensure that America continues to be the leader of 
global innovation. The hearing examined the positive impact of 
today's R&D and looked forward to potential breakthrough 
innovations in the future. Witnesses included Mr. Richard 
Templeton, President and CEO, Texas Instruments; Dr. Shirley 
Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and 
Dr. Charles Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering.
    On February 13, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``American Energy Outlook: Technology, 
Market, and Policy Drivers.'' The purpose of this hearing was 
to receive testimony regarding the current state of the U.S. 
energy markets, projected trends, and the impact of technology 
development on the U.S. energy sector. Witnesses included The 
Honorable Adam Sieminski, Administrator, Energy Information 
Administration (EIA), U.S. Department of Energy; Mr. Robert 
McNally, President, The Rapidan Group; and Ms. Lisa Jacobson, 
President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy.
    On February 28, 2013, the Subcommittee on Oversight held a 
hearing entitled, ``Top Challenges for Science Agencies: 
Reports from the Inspectors General--Part 1.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to provide Members of the Subcommittee the 
opportunity to receive testimony on the most serious 
performance and management challenges facing the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National 
Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Commerce (DOC) 
from the perspective of the Inspectors General of the 
respective agency. Witnesses included Mr. Paul K. Martin, 
Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration (NASA), Office of Inspector General; Ms. Allison 
C. Lerner, Inspector General, National Science Foundation 
(NSF), Office of Inspector General; and Mr. Dave Smith, Deputy 
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Office of 
Inspector General.
    On March 5, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research held a 
hearing entitled, ``Scientific Integrity & Transparency.'' The 
purpose of this hearing was to help Members understand the 
problem of access to underlying data from published research 
funded by the Federal government, and why access to this 
underlying data is vital to scientific integrity and 
transparency for peer reviewed research. Witnesses included Dr. 
Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine and Professor 
Emeritus of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of 
California--San Francisco; Dr. Victoria Stodden, Assistant 
Professor of Statistics, Columbia University; Dr. Stanley 
Young, Assistant Director for Bioinformatics, National 
Institutes of Statistical Sciences; and Mr. Sayeed Choudhury, 
Associate Dean for Research Data Management at Johns Hopkins 
University and Hodson Director of the Digital Research and 
Curation Center.
    On March 13, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``Federal Financial Support for Energy 
Technologies: Assessing Costs and Benefits.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to receive testimony regarding various forms 
of Federal financial support for the development and production 
of fuels and energy technologies, including tax incentives, 
loan guarantees, and direct spending on research, development, 
demonstration and commercialization activities. Witnesses 
included Dr. Terry Dinan, Senior Analyst, Congressional Budget 
Office; Ms. Mary Hutzler, Distinguished Senior Fellow, 
Institute for Energy Research; and Mr. Malcolm Woolf, Senior 
Vice President Policy & Government Affairs, Advanced Energy 
Economy.
    On March 13, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research held a 
hearing entitled, ``STEM Education: Industry and Philanthropic 
Initiatives.'' The purpose of the hearing was to review 
industry and philanthropic STEM education initiatives to ensure 
there is no duplication of efforts and proper leveraging with 
Federal, industry, and philanthropic STEM education 
initiatives. Witnesses included Ms. Shelly Esque, President, 
Intel Foundation; Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs; 
and Director, Corporate Affairs Group, Intel Corporation; Dr. 
Bob Smith, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, 
Engineering and Technology, Honeywell Aerospace; Dr. Vince 
Bertram, President and Chief Executive Officer, Project Lead 
the Way; and Ms. Andrea Ingram, Vice President of Education and 
Guest Services, Museum of Science and Industry.
    On March 14, 2013, the Subcommittee on Oversight held a 
hearing entitled, ``Top Challenges for Science Agencies: 
Reports from the Inspectors General--Part 2.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to receive testimony on the most serious 
performance and management challenges facing the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), 
from the perspective of the Inspectors General of each agency. 
Witnesses included Mr. Gregory H. Friedman, Inspector General, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General; Mr. 
Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., Inspector General, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General; and Ms. Mary L. 
Kendall, Deputy Inspector General, U.S. Department of the 
Interior, Office of Inspector General.
    On March 20, 2013, the Subcommittee on Technology held a 
hearing entitled, ``Examining the Effectiveness of NIST 
Laboratories.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine how 
the work conducted at National Institute of Standards and 
Technology's (NIST) laboratories is aligned with the promotion 
of American innovation and industrial competitiveness. 
Witnesses included Dr. Willie E. May, Associate Director for 
Laboratory Programs, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology; and Dr. Ross B. Corotis, Denver Business Challenge 
Professor, University of Colorado at Boulder; Member, 
Laboratory Assessments Board, National Research Council of the 
National Academy of Sciences.
    On April 16, 2013, the Subcommittees on Energy and 
Oversight held a joint hearing entitled, ``Assessing the 
Efficiency and Effectiveness of Wind Energy Incentives.'' The 
purpose of this hearing was to look specifically at the 
efficiency and effectiveness of Federal incentives for onshore 
and offshore wind technology. Witnesses included Mr. Frank 
Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and the Environment, 
Government Accountability Office; Dr. Robert Michaels, 
Professor of Economics, Mihaylo College of Business and 
Economics, California State University, Fullerton; Ms. Audra 
Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alliance to 
Protect Nantucket Sound; and Mr. Robert Gramlich, Interim Chief 
Executive Officer and Senior Vice President for Policy, 
American Wind Energy Association.
    On April 17, 2013, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``A Review of the President's FY 2014 Budget Request 
for Science Agencies.'' The purpose of this hearing was to 
review President Obama's proposed fiscal year 2014 (FY14) 
budget request for programs and science agencies under the 
Committee's jurisdiction. The witness was The Honorable John 
Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
Executive Office of the President.
    On April 17, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research held a 
hearing entitled, ``An Overview of the National Science 
Foundation Budget for Fiscal Year 2014.'' The purpose of this 
hearing was to review the Administration's fiscal year 2014 
(FY14) budget request for the National Science Foundation. The 
witnesses were The Honorable Cora Marrett, Acting Director, 
National Science Foundation; and The Honorable Dan Arvizu, 
Chairman, National Science Board.
    On April 18, 2013, the Subcommittee on Technology held a 
hearing entitled, ``An Overview of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget 
Proposal at the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
(NIST).'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the 
Administration's proposed fiscal year 2014 (FY14) budget 
request for the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
(NIST). The witness was The Honorable Patrick Gallagher, Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology; Director, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
    On April 24, 2013, the Subcommittees on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Next Generation Computing 
and Big Data Analytics.'' The purpose of this hearing was to 
examine how advancements in information technology and data 
analytics enable private and public sector organizations to 
utilize mass volumes of data to provide greater value to their 
customers and citizens, spurring new product and service 
innovations. Witnesses included Dr. David McQueeney, Vice 
President, Technical Strategy and Worldwide Operations, IBM 
Research; Dr. Michael Rappa, Director, Institute for Advanced 
Analytics, Distinguished University Professor, North Carolina 
State University; and Dr. Farnam Jahanian, Assistant Director 
for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) 
Directorate, National Science Foundation.
    On April 26, 2013, the Subcommittees on Energy and 
Environment held a joint hearing entitled, ``A Review of 
Federal Hydraulic Fracturing Research Activities.'' The purpose 
of this hearing was to review agencies' hydraulic fracturing-
related efforts, with a primary focus on examining progress 
under Executive Order 13605 and the associated interagency 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and steering committee. 
Witnesses included Dr. Kevin Teichman, Senior Science Advisor, 
Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection 
Agency; Mr. Guido DeHoratiis, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Oil and Gas, Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy; 
Dr. David Russ, Regional Executive, Northeast Area, U.S. 
Geological Survey; and Dr. Robin Ikeda, Acting Director, Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Department of Health 
and Human Services.
    On May 21, 2013, the Subcommittees on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``The Current and Future 
Applications of Biometric Technologies.'' The purpose of the 
hearing was to examine the current development and state of 
biometric technologies, and the challenges of adopting 
biometric technology. Witnesses included Dr. Charles H. Romine, 
Director, Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute 
of Standards and Technology; Mr. John Mears, Board Member, 
International Biometrics and Identification Association; and 
Dr. Stephanie Schuckers, Director, Center for Identification 
Technology Research.
    On May 22, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled ``America's Next Generation Supercomputer: The 
Exascale Challenge.'' The purpose of the hearing was to examine 
high performance computing research and development challenges 
and opportunities, specifically as they relate to exascale 
computing. The hearing also explored advanced scientific 
computing research and additionally examined draft legislation 
directing the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an exascale 
computing system. Witnesses included Dr. Roscoe Giles, 
Chairman, Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee; Dr. 
Rick Stevens, Associate Laboratory Director for Computing, 
Environment and Life Sciences, Argonne National Laboratory; Ms. 
Dona Crawford, Associate Director for Computation, Lawrence 
Livermore National Laboratory; and Dr. Daniel Reed, Vice 
President for Research and Economic Development, University of 
Iowa.
    On June 4, 2013, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``STEM Education: The Administration's Proposed 
Reorganization.'' The purpose of this hearing was to review the 
Administration's proposed consolidation and re-organization of 
Federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
(STEM) programs. Witnesses included The Honorable John Holdren, 
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), 
Executive Office of the President; Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, 
Assistant Director, Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources, National Science Foundation (NSF); and Mr. Leland D. 
Melvin, Associate Administrator for Education, National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    On June 18, 2013, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``Department of Energy Science & Technology 
Priorities.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the 
Department of Energy's (DOE) science and technology priorities 
and related management and policy challenges, with an emphasis 
on how these factors influence research, development, 
demonstration and commercialization activities within the 
overall mission of the Department. The witness was The 
Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy.
    On July 10, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Strategic Planning for 
National Manufacturing Competitiveness.'' The purpose of this 
hearing was to examine proposed legislation, H.R. 2447, the 
``American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act'' that would 
modify an existing report required by the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization of 2010 by directing the National Science and 
Technology Council's Committee on Technology to lead other 
agencies and stakeholders in developing a national 
manufacturing competitiveness strategy every four years. 
Witnesses included Dr. Jonathan Rich, Chairman and CEO, Berry 
Plastics, Inc.; Ms. Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO, 
Council on Competitiveness; and Mr. Zach Mottl, Chief Alignment 
Officer, Atlas Tool and Die Works, Inc.
    On July 11, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled ``Oversight and Management of Department of Energy 
National Laboratories and Science Activities.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to examine the Department of Energy's (DOE) 
oversight and management of science and technology activities, 
particularly as they relate to enhancing the efficiency and 
effectiveness of the National Laboratory System. Witnesses 
included Mr. Matthew Stepp, Senior Policy Analyst, Information 
Technology and Innovation Foundation; Mr. Jack Spencer, Senior 
Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; Dr. Thom Mason, 
Director, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Dr. Dan Arvizu, 
Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
    On July 24, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Improving Technology 
Transfer at Universities, Research Institutes and National 
Laboratories.'' The purpose of this hearing was to look at 
innovative approaches to technology transfer at universities, 
research institutes, and national laboratories, and on 
potential improvements to the Small Business Technology 
Transfer (STTR) program. Witnesses included Dr. Brian R. 
Wamhoff, Vice President of Research & Development, Co-founder, 
HemoShear, LLC; Dr. Elizabeth Hart-Wells, Assistant Vice 
President for Research, Associate Director of the Burton D. 
Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Purdue University; and Dr. 
Erik Lium, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Office of Innovation, 
Technology & Alliances, University of California, San 
Francisco.
    On July 25, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled, ``The Future of Coal: Utilizing America's Abundant 
Energy Resources.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine 
coal-related technology challenges and opportunities, with an 
emphasis on enhancing the effectiveness and impact of 
Department of Energy research and development (R&D) activities, 
including DOE's R&D priorities as well as Federal government 
and private industry investments. Witnesses included Mr. Chris 
Smith, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Department 
of Energy; Mr. Ben Yamagata, Executive Director, Coal 
Utilization Research Council; Mr. Don Collins, Chief Executive 
Officer, Western Research Institute; and Ms. Judi Greenwald, 
Vice President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.
    On July 31, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``The Frontiers of Human 
Brain Research.'' The purpose of this hearing was to understand 
the frontiers and challenges of brain science research, 
including its potential and limitations for curing brain 
diseases and rehabilitating those with brain-related injuries 
and disorders. The hearing will also aim to understand any 
policy implications from this research, including any 
implications for the America COMPETES reauthorization. 
Witnesses included Dr. Story Landis, Director of National 
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National 
Institutes of Health; Mr. Michael McLoughlin, Deputy Business 
Area Executive, Research and Exploratory Development at Applied 
Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University; U.S. Air Force 
Master Sergeant Joseph Deslauriers Jr.; Dr. Marcus Raichle, 
Professor of Radiology, Neurology, Neurobiology and Biomedical 
Engineering, Washington University; and Dr. Gene Robinson, 
Director, Institute for Genomic Biology, Swanlund Chair, Center 
for Advanced Study Professor in Entomology and Neuroscience, 
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University.
    On September 10, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Examining Federal 
Advanced Manufacturing Programs.'' The purpose of this hearing 
was to examine Federal advanced manufacturing programs, with a 
focus on research and development programs at the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology. Witnesses included Dr. 
Alan Taub, Professor, Material Science & Engineering, 
University of Michigan; Dr. Thomas M. Baer, Stanford Photonics 
Research Center, Stanford University; and Mr. Mark Muro, Senior 
Fellow and Policy Director, Metropolitan Policy Program, 
Brookings Institution.
    On October 29, 2013, the Subcommittees on Energy and 
Environment held a joint hearing entitled, ``EPA Power Plant 
Regulations: Is the Technology Ready?'' The purpose of this 
hearing was to examine what considerations the EPA relied in 
making its selection of best system of emissions reductions in 
the proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for 
electric generating units (EGUs) and to answer the question: 
Has carbon capture and storage technology been ``adequately 
demonstrated?'' Witnesses included The Honorable Charles 
McConnell, Executive Director, Energy & Environment Initiative, 
Rice University; Dr. Richard Bajura, Director, National 
Research Center for Coal and Energy, West Virginia University; 
Mr. Kurt Waltzer, Managing Director, The Clean Air Task Force; 
and Mr. Roger Martella, Partner, Environmental Practice Group, 
Sidley Austin.
    On October 30, 2013, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``Providing the Tools for Scientific 
Discovery and Basic Energy Research: the Department of Energy 
Science Mission.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine 
challenges and opportunities in setting priorities for the 
DOE's basic research mission as well as well as the execution 
of these fundamental science programs and activities within the 
Office of Science (SC). Witnesses included Dr. Pat Dehmer, 
Deputy Director for Science Programs, Office of Science, 
Department of Energy; Dr. Horst Simon, Deputy Director, 
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; and Dr. John Hemminger, 
Chairman, Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, Department 
of Energy.
    On November 13, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Keeping America FIRST: 
Federal Investments in Research, Science, and Technology at 
NSF, NIST, OSTP and Interagency STEM Programs.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to examine the fundamental science and 
research activities at the National Science Foundation (NSF), 
National Institutes for Standards and Technology (NIST), and 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The 
coordination of Science, Technology, Engineering and 
Mathematics (STEM) education programs across several Federal 
agencies were also examined during this hearing. Witnesses 
included Dr. Richard Buckius, Vice President for Research, 
Purdue University; Dr. Daniel Sarewitz, Co-Director, Consortium 
for Science, Policy & Outcomes, Professor of Science and 
Society, Arizona State University; Dr. Timothy Killeen, 
President, The Research Foundation for SUNY, Vice Chancellor 
for Research, SUNY System Administration; and Mr. James Brown, 
Executive Director, STEM Education Coalition.
    On December 12, 2013, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Building a Network for 
Manufacturing Innovation.'' The purpose of the hearing was to 
examine the need for a manufacturing innovation network and to 
review H.R. 2996, the ``Revitalize American Manufacturing and 
Innovation Act of 2013.'' Witnesses included The Honorable Tom 
Reed, Member, U.S. House of Representatives; The Honorable 
Joseph P. Kennedy III, Member, U.S. House of Representatives; 
Mr. Jonathan Davis, Global Vice President of Advocacy, SEMI; 
Dr. Richard A. Aubrecht, Vice Chairman of the Board, Vice 
President, Strategy & Technology, Moog Inc.; Dr. Stephan 
Biller, Chief Scientist Manufacturing Technology, GE Global 
Research; and Dr. Stan A. Veuger, Resident Scholar, American 
Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.
    On January 9, 2014, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Private Sector Programs 
that Engage Students in STEM.'' The purpose of this hearing was 
to review science, technology, engineering and mathematics 
(STEM) education initiatives developed and conducted by private 
organizations to learn what is being done by these 
organizations and industry to support STEM education and to 
ensure the Federal government can leverage, not duplicate, 
these initiatives. Witnesses were Mr. Dean Kamen, Founder, For 
Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), 
Founder and President, DEKA Research & Development Corporation; 
Mr. Hadi Partovi, Co-founder and CEO, Code.org; Dr. Kemi Jona, 
Director, Office of STEM Education Partnerships, Research 
Professor, Learning Sciences and Computer Sciences, 
Northwestern University; Dr. Phillip Cornwell, Vice President 
for Academic Affairs, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, 
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Ms. Ellana Crew, 12th 
Grade teacher, South River High School, Edgewater, Maryland; 
Mr. Brian Morris, 12th Grade teacher, Chantilly Academy, 
Chantilly, Virginia; Mr. Daniel Nette, 11th Grade teacher, 
George Mason High School, Falls Church, Virginia; and Mr. 
Vishnu Rachakonda, 12th Grade teacher, Eleanor Roosevelt High 
School, Greenbelt, Maryland.
    On March 6, 2014, the Subcommittees on Research and 
Technology and Oversight held a joint hearing entitled, ``Can 
Technology Protect Americans from International 
Cybercriminals?'' The purpose of the hearing was to examine the 
current state of technology and standards to protect Americans 
from international cybercriminals. The hearing will also 
address the evolution of cyber-attacks against the U.S. 
industry from rogue hackers to sophisticated international 
crime syndicates and foreign governments, including the 
origination point of many of these crimes. Witnesses were Dr. 
Charles H. Romine, Director, Information Technology Laboratory, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology; Mr. Bob Russo, 
General Manager, Payment Card Industry Security Standards 
Council, LLC; Mr. Randy Vanderhoof, Executive Director, Smart 
Card Alliance; Mr. Justin Brookman, Director, Consumer Privacy, 
Center for Democracy & Technology; and Mr. Steven Chabinsky, 
Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs, CrowdStrike, Inc.; 
Former Deputy Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation--Cyber Division.
    On March 12, 2014, the Subcommittees on Energy and 
Environment held a joint hearing entitled, ``Science of Capture 
and Storage: Understanding EPA's Carbon Rules.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to explore the basis for the Environmental 
Protection Agency's (EPA) conclusion that carbon capture and 
storage systems (CCS) are adequately demonstrated as a 
technology for controlling carbon dioxide emissions in full-
scale commercial power plants, and to examine the EPA's 
rationale in proposing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) 
for commercial power plants. Witnesses were Robert G. Hilton, 
Vice President, Power Technologies for Government Affairs, 
Alstom Power Inc.; Robert C. Trautz, Senior Project Manager, 
Electric Power Research Institute; Scott Miller, General 
Manager and CEO, City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, 
American Public Power Association; David Hawkins, Director of 
Climate Change Programs, Natural Resources Defense Council; and 
Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and 
Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    On March 26, 2014, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget 
Request for Science Agencies.'' The purpose of this hearing was 
to review President Obama's proposed fiscal year 2015 (FY15) 
budget request for programs and science agencies under the 
Committee's jurisdiction. The witness was The Honorable John 
Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
Executive Office of the President.
    On April 9, 2014, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Prizes to Spur Innovation 
and Technology Breakthroughs.'' The purpose of the hearing was 
to examine the role of prizes funded by the private sector and 
Federal science agencies in spurring technical innovation. 
Witnesses included Mr. Christopher Frangione, Vice President of 
Prize Development, XPRIZE; Mr. Donnie Wilson, Founder and CEO, 
Elastec American Marine; Mr. Narinder Singh, Co-Founder and 
Chief Strategy Officer, Appirio and President, TopCoder; and 
Dr. Sharon Moe, President, American Society of Nephrology.
    On April 10, 2014, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``Department of Energy Science and Technology 
Priorities.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the 
Department of Energy's (DOE) science and technology priorities, 
emphasizing how these factors influence research, development, 
demonstration and commercialization activities and budgets 
within the overall mission of the Department. The witness was 
The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary, Department of Energy.
    On June 10, 2014, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled, ``A Review of the P5: The U.S. Vision for Particle 
Physics After Discovery of the Higgs Boson.'' The purpose of 
the hearing was to examine the Particle Physics Project 
Prioritization Panel's (P5's) strategic plan for United States' 
particle physics vis-aa-vis other countries just released last 
month. Witnesses included Dr. Steve Ritz, P5 Chair and 
Professor, University of California, Santa Cruz; Dr. Persis 
Drell, Director Emerita, SLAC National Laboratory; Dr. Nigel 
Lockyer, Director, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; and 
Dr. Natalie Roe, Director, Physics Division, Lawrence Berkley 
National Laboratory.
    On June 12, 2014, the Subcommittees on Research and 
Technology and Oversight held a joint hearing entitled, 
``Reducing the Administrative Workload for Federally Funded 
Research.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine concerns 
raised and policy actions recommended in the National Science 
Board's report (``Reducing Investigators' Administrative 
Workload for Federally Funded Research'') to eliminate or 
modify ineffective regulations, harmonize and streamline 
requirements, and increase efficiency and effectiveness for 
universities receiving Federal funds. Witnesses included Dr. 
Arthur Bienenstock, Chairman, Task Force on Administrative 
Burden, National Science Board; Dr. Susan Wyatt Sedwick, Chair, 
Federal Demonstration Partnership; President, FDP Foundation; 
Dr. Gina Lee-Glauser, Vice President for Research, Syracuse 
University, Office of Research; and The Honorable Allison 
Lerner, Inspector General, National Science Foundation, Office 
of Inspector General.
    On July 11, 2014, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled, ``Fusion Energy: The World's Most Complex Energy 
Project.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the 
Fusion Energy Science (FES) program within the Department of 
Energy's (DOE's) Office of Science, focusing on the United 
States' involvement in the International Thermonuclear 
Experimental Reactor (ITER) project located in Cadarache, 
France, as well as its current operating status. Witnesses 
included Dr. Frank Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, GAO; Dr. Pat Dehmer, Deputy Director for Science 
Programs, DOE; Dr. Robert Iotti, ITER Council Chair; and Dr. 
Ned Sauthoff, Director, U.S. ITER Project, Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory.
    On July 17, 2014, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology held a hearing entitled, ``Policies to Spur 
Innovative Medical Breakthroughs from Laboratories to 
Patients.'' The purpose of this hearing was to explore public 
and private sector efforts in basic, applied, translational, 
and clinical scientific research for medical breakthroughs 
discovered through interdisciplinary biomedical R&D combined 
with chemistry, physics, mathematics, computing, and 
engineering. Witnesses included Dr. Harold Varmus, Director, 
National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH); Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President and Carson 
Family Professor, Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair, 
The Rockefeller University; Dr. Jay Keasling, Hubbard Howe Jr. 
Distinguished Professor of Biochemical Engineering, University 
of California, Berkeley; Professor, Department of Chemical & 
Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; 
Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of 
California, Berkeley; Director, Synthetic Biology Engineering 
Research Center; and Dr. Craig Venter, Founder, Chairman, and 
Chief Executive Officer, J. Craig Venter Institute, Synthetic 
Genomics, Inc., and Human Longevity, Inc.
    On December 11, 2014, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``The Future of Nuclear Energy.'' The purpose 
of this hearing was to discuss the next generation of reactor 
designs, the DOE's support through its Office of Nuclear Energy 
(NE), and challenges for private investment in new nuclear 
energy technology. Witnesses included The Honorable Peter 
Lyons, Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. 
Department of Energy; Dr. Ashley Finan, Senior Project Manager, 
Energy Innovation Project, Clean Air Task Force; Mr. Mike 
McGough, Chief Commercial Officer, NuScale Power; Dr. Leslie 
Dewan, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Transatomic 
Power; and Mr. Daniel Lipman, Executive Director, Policy 
Development, Nuclear Energy Institute.
    On January 28, 2015, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``Super Computing and American Technology 
Leadership.'' The purpose of this hearing was to assess the 
Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program within 
the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science as a 
mechanism to support technological advancement in the United 
States. This hearing will focus on high performance computing 
(HPC) facilities' unique ability to accelerate innovation and 
inform the Committee regarding the applications and benefits 
from sustained investment in the ASCR program. Witnesses 
included Mr. Norman Augustine, Board Member, Bipartisan Policy 
Center; Dr. Roscoe Giles, Chairman, DOE Advanced Scientific 
Computing Advisory Committee; Mr. David Turek, Vice President, 
Technical Computing, IBM; and Dr. James Crowley, Executive 
Director, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
    On February 3, 2015, the Subcommittees on Oversight and 
Research and Technology held a joint hearing entitled, ``NSF's 
Oversight of the NEON Project and Other Major Research 
Facilities Developed Under Cooperative Agreements.'' The 
purpose of the hearing was to review the National Science 
Foundation's (NSF) oversight and management of the National 
Ecological Observatory Network Project (NEON Project) and other 
major research facilities developed under cooperative 
agreements. Witnesses included Dr. Richard Buckius, Chief 
Operating Officer, National Science Foundation; Dr. James P. 
Collins, Chairman, National Ecological Observatory Network; and 
Ms. Kate Manuel, Legislative Attorney, Congressional Research 
Service.
    On February 25, 2015, the Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled, ``An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the 
Department of Energy for Fiscal Year 2016.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to examine the Department of Energy's science 
and technology priorities and their impact on the allocation of 
funding within the Department's research, development, 
demonstration, and commercialization activities. The witness 
was The Honorable Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of 
Energy.
    On March 24, 2015, the Subcommittee on Energy held a 
hearing entitled, ``Department of Energy Oversight: Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.'' The purpose of this 
hearing was to conduct oversight of the Department of Energy's 
$2.72 billion request for FY 2016 for the Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) technology research, 
development, demonstration, and commercialization activities. 
Witnesses included The Honorable David Danielson, Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); Mr. Nick Loris, Herbert and 
Joyce Morgan Fellow, Heritage Foundation; Dr. Veronique de 
Rugy, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center, George Mason 
University; and Ms. Ruth McCormick, Director of Federal and 
State Affairs, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE).
    In the 113th Congress, H.R. 4186, ``Frontiers in 
Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014,'' 
was introduced by Representative Larry Bucshon on March 10, 
2014. On March 13, 2014, the Subcommittee on Research and 
Technology reported H.R. 4186, as amended, to the Full 
Committee by a voice vote. On May 21, 2014, the House Science, 
Space and Technology Committee held a mark-up session on H.R. 
4186. On May 28, Chairman Lamar Smith moved that the Committee 
favorably report H.R. 4186, as amended, to the House. The 
motion was agreed to by voice vote.
    In the 114th Congress, on April 15, 2015, H.R. 1806 was 
introduced by Representative Lamar Smith, with Mr. Lucas, Mrs. 
Comstock, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Palazzo, Mr. 
Hultgren, Mr. Knight, Mr. Babin, and Mr. Loudermilk.

                            COMMITTEE VIEWS

                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


NSF Research and Related Activities

    The Committee recommends $6,186,300,000 for Research and 
Related Activities (R&RA) at NSF for fiscal years 2016 and 
2017, which is $252,650,000 above fiscal year 2015 and the same 
as the request for fiscal year 2016.
    The Committee authorizes funding under the R&RA by 
directorate or office. The Committee prioritizes funding in the 
areas of math, physics, chemistry, materials, astronomy, 
engineering, computer science and biology. The Committee 
believes that strategic investments in these physical science 
areas are essential if the United States is to remain a global 
leader in science and innovation. Authorizing funding by 
directorate brings the Foundation in line with the way Congress 
authorizes or appropriates funding for the majority of other 
major Federal science agencies and programs by subject matter, 
including the National Institutes of Health, the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Energy, and the 
Department of Defense.
    The Committee believes the authorized level for the 
Directorate for Geosciences supports priority science in the 
national interest including basic research to improve 
forecasting of severe weather events, earthquakes, pioneering 
geology aimed at discovery of new oil and gas resources, 
hydrology and biochemistry to assure safe, adequate drinking 
water supplies for our communities, and STEM education 
activities. The Committee expects that within the amount 
provided for Geosciences, the Foundation will fund the 
International Ocean Discovery Program at the requested level of 
$48,000,000.
    The Committee's recommended authorization level for 
Integrative Activities includes the fully requested amount in 
fiscal year 2016 for the Experimental Program to Stimulate 
Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The Committee supports the fully 
requested amount in fiscal year 2016 for Graduate Research 
Fellowships (GRF), and encourages NSF to consider funding 
fellows through multiple directorates.
    Longstanding congressional concerns persist about the merit 
of activities funded through NSF's Directorate for Social, 
Behavioral, and Economic (SBE) Sciences. In order to address 
these concerns, NSF must ensure that SBE awards are consistent 
with NSF's scientific quality standards and aligned to national 
interests, as required by Sec. 106. The Committee recognizes 
the intrinsic value in SBE sciences and the direct 
responsiveness of SBE activities to Committee priorities, 
including cybersecurity, disaster response, Understanding the 
Brain (UtB) and the collection of data for STEM education 
indicators.

NSF Education and Human Resources

    In order to comply with Budget Control Act spending 
limitations, H.R. 1806 maintains current funding of 
$866,000,000 for the Education and Human Resources (EHR) 
Directorate. The Committee expects the directorate to support 
high-value research that measurably increases student interest, 
engagement and attainment in science, technology, engineering, 
and mathematics including computer science (STEM) fields at all 
levels of education. This includes support for programs 
identified in other provisions of the legislation that 
encourage girls and underrepresented students to participate in 
STEM subjects in grades K-8, support for students participating 
in informal STEM programs including privately sponsored STEM-
related competitions, and a review of existing STEM education 
programs for duplication and outcome-oriented effectiveness. 
The Committee supports informal education and ensuring all EHR 
grants are in the national interest consistent with Sec. 106 
and can be appropriately evaluated for outcome-oriented 
effectiveness.

Duplicative research

    The Committee is concerned about duplicative research 
programs across the National Science Foundation directorates 
and other Federal agencies, particularly in the areas of 
climate change, sustainability, and energy. The Committee's 
authorization does not include funding for the Science, 
Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) program in 
fiscal year 2016 or fiscal year 2017. The Committee understands 
that NSF intended to sunset SEES after fiscal year 2016. 
Although the Committee supports the broad goals of NSF's 
proposed new Risk and Resilience research program, the 
Committee is concerned that the scope of the proposed research 
is unclear and potentially duplicative of other hazards 
research programs at NSF. The Committee urges NSF to better 
articulate the research goals of this program, and provide an 
update to the Committee on how the program's research is 
different or complementary to existing research at NSF.

Interdisciplinary research

    The Committee strongly supports interdisciplinary research 
and encourages the National Science Foundation to continue to 
support cross-directorate collaborations and research programs 
that address critical challenges to national security, economic 
competitiveness, and the health and welfare of Americans. The 
Committee believes that within the recommended authorization, 
NSF continues to have the resources, funding mechanisms and 
tools it needs to support these efforts.

Astronomical Sciences Portfolio Review

    U.S.-based astronomy facilities continue to make 
groundbreaking discoveries and maintain excellent world-class 
scientific research even as operating budgets have been 
continually constrained. The Committee expects NSF to provide 
regular updates on the status of the ground-based telescope 
divestments recommended by the Astronomical Portfolio Review 
Committee. The Committee strongly supports all efforts by NSF 
to work with private, as well as state and local government 
partners to continue use of these facilities for scientific 
research and education. NSF shall not implement any final 
divestment of infrastructure without first reporting such 
actions to the Committee and ensuring that they are carried out 
in accordance with any relevant reprogramming requirements.

NSF headquarters relocation

    The Committee understands that NSF intends to move forward 
on relocating the Foundation's headquarters to Alexandria, 
Virginia, including a funding request of $30,770,000 for 
relocation associated costs in fiscal year 2016 with no 
estimate yet available for fiscal year 2017 costs. The 
Committee expects that Fiscal Year 2016 expenditures for 
headquarters relocation will come from the existing funding 
level for Agency Operations and Award Management Account. The 
Committee directs NSF to provide periodic updates to the 
Committee on the status of the relocation and any events that 
may affect the schedule or cost of the relocation.

Science in the national interest

    The Committee believes that throughout its history NSF has 
played an integral part in funding breakthrough discoveries in 
fields as diverse as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer 
science, engineering and biology. However, the Committee has 
expressed concern that NSF has approved a number of grants for 
which the scientific merits and national interest are not 
obvious. Sec. 106 ensures that NSF funding is transparent and 
accountable, requiring that NSF's public announcement of a 
grant award be accompanied by a non-technical explanation of 
the project's scientific merits and national interest. This 
language is consistent with a new policy announced by NSF in 
January 2015, emphasizing that the title and abstract for each 
funded grant should act as the public justification for NSF 
funding. It should explain how the project serves the national 
interest and is consistent with the NSF mission, as set forth 
in the 1950 legislation that created the Foundation (P.L. 81-
507) and enumerated in Sec 106. The Committee believes that 
this may include undertaking international scientific 
partnerships and research activities that further the interests 
of the United States.

Major multi-user research facility construction and management

    The Committee understands that the Foundation has 
commissioned a study by the National Academy of Public 
Administration (NAPA) to evaluate and make recommendations on 
the Foundation's use of cooperative agreements for construction 
and management of major multi-user research facilities. The 
Committee expects to receive timely updates on the progress of 
this report and a written report to the Committee on the 
Foundation's response to its recommendations, in addition to 
the report to Congress required in Sec. 108.

Management fees

    The Committee believes that the limitation on management 
fee awards based on financial resources in Sec. 108 only 
applies to resources that may be available for covering 
business and overhead expenses related to the cooperative 
agreement for which a management fee is sought.

Antarctic facilities

    The Committee is very interested in recommendations made by 
the U.S. Antarctic Blue Ribbon Panel on how to improve and 
streamline logistical capabilities to more efficiently support 
world-class Antarctic science. The Committee understands the 
NSF intends to release a plan by the end of calendar year 2015, 
and expects the Foundation to provide the Committee with timely 
updates on the progress and details of that plan.

Office of Inspector General

    The Committee recommends $15,160,000 for the NSF Office of 
Inspector General (OIG) in fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 
2017, an increase of $730,000 over fiscal year 2015. The 
Committee supports the OIG in continuing audits and reviews 
that ensure taxpayer money is spent effectively and 
efficiently. The Committee also remains interested in the OIG's 
efforts to reach consensus with NSF on the accountability and 
cost surveillance measures most appropriate for the management 
of large cooperative agreements. The OIG shall keep the 
Committee apprised of any changes agreed to or agreements 
reached with NSF on this topic throughout the fiscal year.

Graduate student support

    The Committee intends the term graduate student to apply to 
both master's degree and doctoral students. The workshop or 
roundtable convened through NSF's agreement with the National 
Research Council shall be broadly representative of a variety 
of models of support for both master's degree and doctoral 
students.

Review of education programs

    Since the fiscal year 2014 budget request was presented to 
Congress, the Administration has been working to streamline and 
consolidate the Federal STEM education portfolio. H.R. 1806 
requires NSF to review its STEM education programs and support 
to ensure there is no duplication of effort and to ensure every 
program is being adequately assessed and evaluated for outcome-
oriented effectiveness.

        TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS

    H.R. 1806 defines ``STEM education'' to mean education in 
the subjects of science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics, including computer science. The definition 
recognizes the value of the computing and information 
technology fields in all aspects of STEM. This definition 
applies to references to STEM education throughout the entire 
bill, including Title II.
    H.R. 1806 establishes an Advisory Panel of outside 
stakeholders to provide expert input on the Federal STEM 
education portfolio. Strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio 
requires greater coordination among the agencies with STEM 
education programs and may require program consolidations and 
terminations. The Advisory Panel is responsible for assessing 
ways to vertically and horizontally integrate Federal STEM 
programs and activities into the educational pipeline, and the 
Committee encourages including the evaluation of methods to 
scale up and disseminate successful programs and terminate and 
consolidate ineffective programs and programs with overlapping 
objectives.
    The Advisory Panel, the Committee on STEM Education 
(CoSTEM), and the coordinating office will work to identify the 
evaluation methods for the Federal STEM education portfolio and 
ways to manage, coordinate, eliminate duplication and 
consolidate the Federal STEM portfolio so that it best serves 
the needs of taxpayers.
    The Committee believes that establishing the coordinating 
office at the National Science Foundation will take advantage 
of the Foundation's expertise in STEM education. The Committee 
notes that the Foundation is the largest outlet for STEM 
education support among the fourteen Federal agencies that 
administer STEM programs. The Foundation is required to 
establish an office with a director but should rely on 
detailees from other agencies to carry out its activities. The 
Foundation has played an important role in CoSTEM since its 
inception and should continue to play a role in the strategic 
planning process.

           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

    Title III of H.R. 1806 authorizes programs within the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This includes 
three bills the Committee marked-up on March 4, 2015. Those 
bills, H.R. 1119, the Research and Development Efficiency Act, 
H.R. 1156, the International Science and Technology Cooperation 
Act of 2015, and H.R. 1162 the Science Prize Competitions Act, 
passed the Committee by voice vote.

U.S. Chief Technology Officer

    Reflecting the Committee's long-term interest and work to 
promote security and privacy protection policies for Federal 
information systems, Title III requires the Presidentially-
appointed U.S. Chief Technology Officer (USCTO) to be one of 
the Associate Directors (AD) within OSTP, and identifies 
certain key responsibilities and reporting requirements of the 
USCTO.
    Congressional oversight plays an important role in ensuring 
transparency and accountability within the Federal government. 
During the 113th Congress, on multiple occasions, OSTP declined 
the Committee's invitations to the USCTO to testify at a 
hearing before the Committee on issues related to 
HealthCare.gov. OSTP cited the lack of Senate-confirmation as 
one of the reasons for declining the invitations. Further, 
although the USCTO is located organizationally within OSTP, and 
the USCTO's salary, and that of his staff, comes from OSTP, the 
Committee was informed by the OSTP Director that the USCTO does 
not report to him, raising questions about the accountability, 
oversight, and activities of this seemingly autonomous czar-
like position. The Committee asserts its jurisdiction over this 
position and intends to oversee its functions.
    The USCTO is a relatively new position created by President 
Obama with no official job description. Sec. 306 brings 
transparency to the role of the USCTO by designating the 
position as one of the already-established Associate Director 
positions within OSTP. Since all OSTP ADs are Senate-confirmed, 
this ensures that the USCTO will be available to testify before 
Congress in the future, much like President Obama's first 
USCTO, who held the position of both USCTO and Associate 
Director for Technology at OSTP.

        TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

    H.R. 1806 authorizes funding levels for the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) includes an eight 
percent increase for NIST's six laboratory units in the 
Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS) account. 
The Committee intends for the NIST labs to conduct fundamental 
scientific research supporting the Institute's standards and 
measurement work. NIST facilitates the transition and makes 
possible the adoption of new discoveries, technologies, and 
other innovations into the commercial marketplace. Any applied 
research supporting lab-to-market strategies or targeting 
technology commercialization should be directed through the 
Industrial Technology Services account (ITS).
    Under ITS, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) 
program helps small and medium manufacturers connect to tools, 
technology and best practices. This legislation changes the 
current cost share requirements to encourage smaller 
manufacturers to use MEP services. NIST will inform the 
Committee at regular intervals about the effect of this change 
on attracting more small manufacturing companies to use MEP 
services.
    The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, 
enacted last year (P.L. 113-235), authorizes up to $5,000,000 
per year for up to ten years for NIST to administer a Network 
for Manufacturing Innovation (NMI) program and set forth 
requirements and safeguards for the NMI competitive selection 
process to assure merit-based decisions and insulation from 
political influence. Under the new law, up to $250,000,000 over 
ten years was authorized to be transferred from Department of 
Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account 
(advanced manufacturing) to the Secretary of Commerce. H.R. 
1806 reiterates the NMI funding levels and program requirements 
of the bipartisan legislation enacted in the 113th Congress.
    H.R. 1806 updates policies and programs for NIST to ensure 
the Institute will continue its education programs, to allow 
the National Academies and the Visiting Committee on Advanced 
Technology to communicate, and to strengthen the MEP program.

            TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF SCIENCE


Basic Energy Sciences

    The Committee urges the Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program 
within the Office of Science to aggressively pursue a strategy 
to maintain and expand upon its world-class, open-access user 
facilities, including x-ray light sources, neutron sources, and 
nanoscale science research centers. The Committee recognizes 
that these facilities uniquely enable research to provide 
useful information and revolutionary discovery about the atomic 
structure and dynamics in materials.
    The next transformative breakthroughs in innovative energy 
technologies will likely arise from a strong foundation in 
basic research, for which BES provides critical support. 
Therefore H.R. 1806 prioritizes BES funding and supports 
construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source-II and the 
Advanced Photon Source upgrade. The Committee recognizes the 
importance of the BES contribution to the exascale computing 
program through its Computational Materials Sciences 
activities. The Committee supports the first full year of 
operations of the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-
II).
    The Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) will continue 
to support Office of Science's basic research mission by 
convening talented groups of researchers to confront 
fundamental challenges for potentially transformative energy 
technologies. The Committee acknowledges the contributions of 
the following reports: the Grand Challenges report of the 
Department's Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, the 
report of the Department's Basic Energy Sciences Advisory 
Committee entitled ``From Quanta to the Continuum: 
Opportunities for Mesoscale Science,'' and the Basic Energy 
Sciences Basic Research Needs workshop report.

Advanced Scientific Computing Research

    The Committee recognizes that high performance computing 
(HPC) modeling supports nearly every area of technological 
advancement and encourages the Department to develop next 
generation computing facilities through its Advanced Scientific 
Computing Research (ASCR) program within the Office of Science. 
High performance computation keeps the United States 
competitive in the global market for scientific research and 
development and, therefore, is another priority funding area in 
H.R. 1806.
    H.R. 1806 provides the Department of Energy with statutory 
authority to build and operate first-of-a-kind computing 
systems incorporating increased resiliency features and 
optimized power requirements. The next generation of high 
performance computing facilities, also known as exascale 
computing systems, will require new developments in hardware 
and software. The capabilities provided by exascale computing 
systems will be unique above current capabilities and serve as 
a mechanism to greatly enhance scientific research and support 
the United States nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship 
responsibility within the Department of Energy.

High Energy Physics

    The Committee supports the Particle Physics Projects 
Prioritization Panel's report entitled ``Building for 
Discovery: Strategic Plan for U.S. Particle Physics in the 
Global Context.'' The Committee encourages the High Energy 
Physics (HEP) program within the Office of Science to work 
towards regaining the United States' global leadership position 
in neutrino science and anticipates the completion of the Long 
Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF). The Committee also 
recognizes the importance of continued support for smaller-
scale projects, including the Dark Energy Spectroscopic 
Instrument (DESI) and upgrades such as the Proton Improvement 
Plan II (PIP-II).

Biological and Environmental Research

    The Committee recognizes the importance of the Biological 
and Environmental Research (BER) program's mission to support 
basic research and scientific user facilities to increase the 
knowledge base for complex biological and environmental 
systems. The Committee is concerned, however, about the trend 
within BER towards increased emphasis on climate modeling 
seemingly at the expense of physical science programs, 
including genomic and radiological sciences.
    H.R. 1806 rebalances these priorities by requiring 
increased accountability and transparency for BER's climate 
modeling budget and authorizes a plan for Biological Systems 
Science to execute a comprehensive research program on low dose 
radiation. The Committee recognizes the Department's unique 
capabilities to research the intersection of biological systems 
and radiological sciences necessary to execute a comprehensive 
program on low dose radiation research. The Joint Genome 
Institute (JGI) will continue to provide genome sequence data 
and analysis techniques to researchers.

Fusion Energy Sciences

    The Committee disapproves of the Department's request to 
cut the Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program below fiscal year 
2015 spending levels. The Committee supports the FES mission to 
expand the fundamental understanding of the behavior of plasmas 
and matter at very high temperatures. Additionally, the 
Committee recognizes the monumental challenges and questions of 
physics associated with controlling plasmas, generating and 
manipulating very strong electromagnetic fields, and developing 
materials that can withstand extreme conditions.
    The Committee anticipates the new schedule and baseline for 
the ITER project expected in November, 2015, and recognizes the 
inherent challenges associated with managing a complex 
international project of its scale. The Committee asserts the 
need to maintain domestic fusion science capabilities and 
establish a consensus plan throughout the fusion research 
community moving forward.

Nuclear Physics

    The Committee acknowledges the uniqueness of the Nuclear 
Physics (NP) program's support for fundamental nuclear science, 
including the Nuclear Theory subprogram which increases the 
knowledge base that will ultimately identify new frontiers for 
future experiments. H.R. 1806 supports the operation of user 
facilities such as the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System 
(ATLAS), including the Californium Rare Ion Breeder Upgrade 
(CARIBU) and the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope 
Beams (FRIB), a new user facility to support research on 
aspects of the nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics.
    The Committee encourages NP to continue its research 
efforts to explore novel concepts and rare decay processes 
relevant for the production of critical isotopes that support 
medical applications among other things.

    TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT


Crosscutting research and development

    The Committee recognizes the value of targeted crosscutting 
research and development, and supports Department of Energy 
efforts to foster greater cooperation and coordination between 
the Office of Science and the applied energy research programs. 
In accordance with the Department's FY 2016 budget request, 
this legislation authorizes specific strategic opportunities 
for crosscutting R&D in the energy-water-land use nexus, 
modernizing the electric grid through improving transmission 
systems security and resiliency, subsurface technology and 
engineering, the utilization of supercritical CO2 
for power generation, high performance computing, and 
cybersecurity.
    The Committee also acknowledges the need for long-term 
planning within the Department, as well as strategic analysis 
of existing research portfolios. This legislation requires the 
Department to prepare a report addressing further opportunities 
for crosscutting R&D, opportunities to increase coordination 
and reduce duplication of research efforts, critical 
assessments of poor performing programs, and activities that 
may be more effectively left to States, industry, non-profits, 
or institutions of higher education. This report is required to 
be delivered within one year of the enactment of this act, and 
every four years thereafter. The Committee recommends the 
report also be delivered to the House Committee on Energy and 
Commerce.

Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability research and development

    H.R. 1806 authorizes R&D on distributed energy, electric 
systems, and electric transmission and distribution within the 
Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability (OE). The Committee recognizes the 
importance of existing programs within OE focusing on energy 
storage, energy transmission and reliability, and smart grid 
systems research, as well as OE's lead role in cybersecurity 
and grid modernization crosscutting research and development. 
The Committee finds that due to the diversity of the thousands 
of utilities that provide power to the electric grid, federally 
funded research and development fills a vital role.
    H.R. 1806 authorizes $113,000,000, an increase of 
$5,300,000 for electricity R&D programs in the Office of 
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. The Committee 
recommends that the Department prioritize research and 
development in energy storage and energy delivery systems by 
recommending $20,000,000 for programs in Energy Storage and 
$47,000,000 for cybersecurity for energy delivery systems. The 
Committee encourages OE to prioritize research and development 
within the smart grid R&D and clean energy transmission program 
areas, recommending $16,000,000 and $30,000,000 for each 
respective program area.

Nuclear Energy research and development

    The Committee finds that advancement of next generation 
nuclear energy technology in the United States is heavily 
impacted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's or the 
Commission's) licensing structure. The NRC's light-water 
reactor centric regulatory structure is not adequately prepared 
to license non-light water technologies. The Commission has not 
dedicated sufficient resources to develop an alternate 
licensing framework for timely consideration of advanced 
technologies as it would not be appropriate to fund such 
development through fees assessed to the current base of 
licensees operating light-water reactors.
    The Committee encourages the Department to focus on nuclear 
energy research, development, and demonstration activities that 
will enable the private sector to invest in the next generation 
of nuclear technology by providing critical research 
capabilities, including user facilities. The Committee 
encourages the Department to carry out research, development, 
and demonstration activities to resolve technical uncertainty 
and provide data to inform the Commission's development process 
for new licensing frameworks.
    The Committee recommends $110,000,000 for Nuclear Enabling 
Technologies. The Committee urges the Department to focus its 
efforts on high performance computation modeling that will 
increase confidence for materials integrity applicable to light 
water reactors and advanced reactor systems. The Committee 
recommends $150,000,000 for Reactor Concepts Research, 
Development, and Demonstration. The Committee encourages the 
Department to continue the Small Modular Reactors Licensing 
Technical Support program. The Committee recommends 
$180,000,000 for Fuel Cycle Research and Development.
    The Committee anticipates the Department's assessment of 
its capabilities to authorize, host, and oversee prototypes 
reactor construction and operation at Department-owned sites 
and encourages the Secretary to develop an advanced reactor 
innovation testbed. The Committee anticipates the Department's 
findings with respect to research benefits of a high-flux fast 
reactor user facility that would enable further research and 
investment in advanced reactor technology in the United States.
    The Committee urges the Department to continue its work to 
demonstrate the behavior of high-burnup fuels and support 
research and development related to non-light water 
technologies, including sodium fast reactors, lead fast 
reactors, gas-cooled fast reactors, high temperature gas 
reactors, fluoride high temperature reactors, molten salt 
reactors, and other relevant designs. The Committee recommends 
$5,000,000 to continue the Integrated University Program.
    The Committee recommends that the GAO report provided for 
in Sec. 622 also be submitted to the House Committee on Energy 
and Commerce.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy research and development

    H.R. 1806 authorizes R&D for the three primary program 
areas within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy (EERE)--transportation, renewable power, and energy 
efficiency. The Committee acknowledges the importance of 
research and development in these three areas, but questions 
the Department's priorities within the office, as annual budget 
requests focus funding on subprograms in market transformation 
and market barrier mitigation, reduction of soft costs, and 
other technology deployment programs. The Committee finds that 
by reducing these accounts across all program areas, the 
Department can prioritize research and development within EERE 
while meeting funding levels authorized in this legislation.
    Within transportation programs, the Committee supports 
research, development, and demonstration in vehicle 
technologies, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and 
bioenergy technologies, and encourages the Department to 
prioritize funding for research and development programs. The 
Committee finds that the distribution and use of transportation 
fuel is a global, multi-trillion dollar industry, with the 
capacity and market drivers to move deployment of cost-
efficient technology forward without investing Federal funds in 
deployment and market-focused subprograms. The Committee 
acknowledges the Department's important role in research and 
development of biofuels, but expresses concern with the focus 
on commercial scale biofuels production. In response, H.R. 1806 
prohibits the Department from diverting research and 
development funds to sponsor commercial biofuels production for 
defense purposes. The Committee recommends $180,000,000 for 
Vehicle Technologies, $150,000,000 for Bioenergy Technologies, 
and $87,000,000 for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies.
    In renewable power, the Committee supports research, 
development, and demonstration in solar, wind, water, and 
geothermal power technologies, and encourages the Department to 
prioritize funding for research and development programs. The 
Committee finds that the deployment of renewable power has been 
heavily subsidized by the Federal government, through direct 
government spending, grants, loan guarantees, and targeted tax 
credits for decades, but solar and wind power make up less than 
five percent of U.S. power generation. The Committee recommends 
a focus on research and development to solve the fundamental 
challenges of grid-scale energy storage and reliability within 
renewable power programs, and eliminating subprograms focused 
on the reductions of soft costs, market transformation, and 
large-scale deployment projects like offshore wind. 
Accordingly, the Committee recommends $150,000,000 for Solar 
Energy, $38,700,000 for Water Power, $36,000,000 for Geothermal 
Technologies, and $50,000,000 for Wind Energy, eliminating 
authorization for the deployment of off-shore wind.
    In energy efficiency, the Committee supports research, 
development, and demonstration in advanced manufacturing, 
building technologies, and the Federal Energy Management 
Program. The Committee finds that there are significant cost 
reduction drivers for private industry to undertake the 
deployment of energy efficient technology. American 
manufacturing and construction are billion dollar industries 
with the capacity and motivation to pursue sound business 
practices to cut costs and increase profits through energy 
efficiency, and American families are capable of making wise 
choices about saving energy in their homes when cost effective. 
The Committee recommends $135,000,000 for Building Technologies 
and $150,000,000 for Advanced Manufacturing, and encourages the 
Department to focus spending towards research and development 
in energy efficient technologies. The Committee recommends 
$18,800,000 for the Federal Energy Management Program, and 
encourages the Department to focus on energy savings across the 
federal government, not advancing deployment of renewable 
energy.

Fossil Energy research and development

    H.R. 1806 authorizes the Department to undertake research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs 
for fossil energy. The Committee recommends that the Department 
prioritize long-term, strategic planning within the Fossil R&D 
program. In response, this legislation requires the Department 
to submit reports on the technical, institutional, policy, and 
regulatory constraints for the development of new domestic 
fossil technologies, and a long-term assessment of 
technological capabilities for expanded production from 
domestic unconventional oil, gas, and methane reserves.
    Within Coal R&D programs, the Committee finds that testing 
of new, transformational energy conversion platforms under real 
operating conditions is necessary in order to overcome 
technical risks before significant investments can be made by 
industry to demonstrate and commercialize new technologies. The 
Committee recommends the Department pursue the most cost-
effective mechanisms to develop valuable design and operational 
data for emerging technologies, with the goal of reducing 
Department-wide costs from commercial demonstration-scale 
projects. The Committee recommends that DOE support efforts to 
advance transformational technologies currently under 
development in the Department's Fossil Energy and Coal CCS & 
Power Systems R&D program, including engineering design as well 
as construction and operation of technologies at pilot scale.
    The Committee recognizes the value of research and 
development in advanced natural gas combustion cycle (NGCC) 
technologies by authorizing a new R&D program for high 
efficiency gas turbines. By increasing the rate of innovation 
in materials, manufacturing, and design technology for gas 
turbines, industry can deploy more efficient turbines that can 
reduce costs and the amount of natural gas needed to meet the 
nation's energy demand.
    H.R. 1806 authorizes $605,000,000, an increase of 
$34,000,000 for programs in Fossil Energy Research and 
Development. The Committee encourages the Department to 
prioritize Coal R&D programs, particularly transformational 
coal technologies, and recommends an authorization of 
$420,000,000 for programs in coal R&D programs. The Committee 
also recognizes the importance of the Natural Gas Technologies 
program, and recommends an authorization of $45,000,000 for 
natural gas research and development programs, including mid-
stream infrastructure R&D to enhance the deliverability 
efficiency of natural gas, and including $25,000,000 for 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for high efficiency natural gas turbines for use in 
power generation systems.

Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy

    H.R. 1806 authorizes $140,000,000 for programs in the 
Advanced Research Project Agency--Energy, or ARPA-E. ARPA-E was 
established by the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) in 2007, 
and was designed to promote high risk, high reward research 
that ``industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of 
technical and financial uncertainty.''
    The Committee finds that while some of ARPA-E's funding has 
gone to projects in line with those guidelines, ARPA-E has too 
often subsidized large companies and technologies that have 
already received private financing. Close to twenty percent of 
ARPA-E's funding has been awarded to large businesses. H.R. 
1806 addresses the Committee's concerns by codifying existing 
ARPA-E requirements that applicants demonstrate their 
technologies are not commercially viable and would not be 
developed without ARPA-E assistance, and adding a requirement 
that grant recipients provide documentation of attempts to 
secure private financing without success. This requirement 
maintains a focus on innovation where projects are too 
technically or financially risky for investors to consider.
    The Committee remains concerned that ARPA-E funding is 
arbitrarily skewed towards renewable energy projects, and 
ignores innovative technologies in fossil and nuclear energy. 
Accordingly, H.R. 1806 removes the requirement for all ARPA-E 
projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to provide 
opportunities for ground-breaking technologies in all energy 
areas.

          TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER


Technology transfer

    H.R. 1806 makes targeted reforms to the relationship 
between the Department of Energy and its national laboratories. 
The Committee is concerned that institutional inefficiencies 
between the Department of Energy and its laboratories, 
including onerous transactional oversight by the Department, 
harm laboratories' productivity with respect to cooperative 
research and development with the private sector and technology 
transfer.
    The Committee finds that the laboratories provide unique 
capabilities for the progress of science and technology, but 
have been prevented from achieving their potential due to 
bureaucratic restrictions inconsistent with the intent of the 
government-owned, contractor-operated model. Under this 
legislation, laboratory directors will receive increased 
authority to enter into certain cooperative agreements with the 
private sector. Laboratory directors will receive new authority 
to use technology transfer funds for the purpose of 
demonstrating research concepts, otherwise known as 
``maturation.''
    Nuclear Prototype Development H.R. 1806 requires the 
Department will assess its capabilities to authorize, host, and 
oversee privately funded fusion and non-light water reactor 
prototypes and related demonstration facilities at Department-
owned sites.
    The Committee is concerned about the lack of progress in 
developing fusion and next generation nuclear fission 
technology in the United States, considering the more rapid 
rate of nuclear technology advancement in previous decades and 
comparative growth for such technologies overseas. While other 
countries continue to develop prototypes and commercial 
advanced reactors, the United States appears to be at least a 
decade away from beginning construction of an advanced reactor. 
If the United States fails to regain leadership in advanced 
nuclear technology, it will lose the opportunity to compete in 
the global export market and weaken its position to influence 
global nuclear safety and nonproliferation issues.
    The Committee recognizes that the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission regulates the operating fleet of light-water 
reactors, which generate nearly 20 percent of the United 
States' electricity while maintaining an envious safety record. 
The Committee understands that the Commission's current 
regulatory framework is not well-suited to provide timely 
consideration of non-light water fission technology, otherwise 
known as ``advanced reactors,'' and fusion technology. The 
Commission's light-water reactor centric regulatory framework 
creates a barrier for private developers to demonstrate the 
increased safety and efficiency features of their proposed 
designs.
    The Committee urges the Department of Energy to place a 
higher emphasis on advanced reactor technology and anticipates 
the Department's assessment of its capabilities to authorize, 
host, and oversee privately-funded advanced reactor prototypes, 
including research projects that could lead to prototypes.
    The Committee recommends that the DOE report provided for 
in Sec. 712, and the GAO report provided for in Sec. 731 also 
be submitted to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                           Section-by-Section


Sec. 1. Short title; Table of contents

    This section establishes the short title of the bill as the 
``America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015.''

Sec. 2. Definitions

    This section defines STEM, STEM Education and Committee on 
STEM Education.

                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 
2016 and 2017 for NSF. This includes specific allocations of 
$6,186,300,000 for research and related activities, 
$834,800,000 for the Biological Science Directorate, 
$1,050,000,000 for the Computer and Information Science and 
Engineering Directorate, $1,034,000,000 for the Engineering 
Directorate, $1,200,000,000 for the Geosciences Directorate, 
$1,500,000,000 for the Mathematical and Physical Science 
Directorate, $150,000,000 for the Social, Behavioral, and 
Economics Directorate, of which $50,000,000 is for the National 
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, $38,520,000 for 
the Office of International Science and Engineering, 
$377,500,000 for Integrative Activities, and $1,480,000 for the 
United States Arctic Commission. Further, $866,000,000 will be 
allocated for education and human resources, $200,310,000 for 
major research equipment and facilities construction, 
$325,000,000 for agency operations and award management, 
$4,370,000 for the Office of the National Science Board, and 
$15,160,000 for the Office of the Inspector General.

Sec. 102. Findings

    This section contains findings regarding the importance of 
the research and education activities supported by the NSF, the 
importance of accountability and transparency in Federal 
research funding, and notes that NSF-sponsored research should 
serve the national interest.

Sec. 103. Policy objectives

    States the policy objectives that the NSF should follow 
when allocating resources. These include: renewing and 
maintaining the Nation's international leadership in science 
and technology through specified activities; increasing overall 
workforce skills; and strengthening innovation by expanding the 
focus of competitiveness and innovation policy at the regional 
and local level.

Sec 104. Definitions

    This section provides relevant definitions within Title I.

Sec 105. Accountability and transparency

    Section 105 states that it the sense of Congress that: 
sustained, predictable Federal funding is essential to U.S. 
leadership in science and technology; building understanding of 
and confidence in investments in basic research are essential 
to support for Federal funding; and NSF should commit itself to 
transparency and accountability as well as clear public 
communication regarding the national interest for every NSF-
awarded grant and cooperative agreement.

Sec. 106. Greater accountability in Federal funding for research

    This section states that NSF will award funding for new 
grants or cooperative agreements only if a determination is 
made and written justification is published by NSF affirming 
that said grant or agreement is worthy of Federal funding and 
is in the national interest consistent with the law 
establishing the NSF in 1950, and further determined by meeting 
specified criteria. States that nothing in this section alters 
the Foundation's intellectual merit or broader impacts criteria 
for evaluating grants.

Sec. 107. Obligation of major research equipment and facilities 
        construction funds

    This section states that no funds may be used for an NSF 
construction project until at least 30 days after the report 
required under section 14 (a) (2) of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is transmitted to 
Congress.

Sec. 108. Management and oversight of large facilities

    This section requires the Director to maintain within the 
Office of the Director a Large Facilities Office that will 
support all research directorates in the development, 
implementation and evaluation of major research facilities. 
Further, the Director must appoint a senior agency official 
within the Office of the Director whose primary responsibility 
is oversight of major research facilities. This section 
requires the Director to submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the study on reforming the Foundation's polices on 
financial management of major multi-user research facilities. 
This section also defines and sets restrictions on the use of 
``management fees,'' including a prohibition on certain 
unallowable expenses including: alcoholic beverages, tickets to 
concerts or sporting events, vacation or other travel for non-
business purposes, charitable contributions, social or sporting 
club memberships, meals for non-business purposes, luxury or 
personal items, and lobbying.

Sec. 109. Whistleblower education

    Section 109 states that the NSF must provide education and 
training for Foundation managers and staff on Section 4712 in 
the US Code, the Pilot Program for Enhancement of Contractor 
Employee Whistleblower Protections. This information must also 
be transmitted to all NSF grantees, contractors, and employees.

Sec. 110. Graduate student support

    This section conveys the sense of Congress that essential 
elements of the NSF Research Traineeship, formerly the 
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship, shall 
be maintained. This section instructs the Director to enter 
into an agreement with the National Research Council to convene 
a workshop to examine models of Federal support for STEM 
graduate students. The purpose of the workshop shall be to 
compare and evaluate the extent to which each model helps to 
prepare graduate students for diverse careers utilizing STEM 
degrees.

Sec 111. Permissible support

    This section allows the Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources to support informal education grants for the 
participation of underrepresented students in nonprofit 
competitions, out-of-school activities, and field experience 
related to STEM subjects and allows support to broaden 
secondary school students' access to and interest in careers 
that require academic preparation in STEM subjects.

Sec. 112. Expanding STEM opportunities

    Section 112 states that within the Directorate for 
Education and Human Resources, under existing programs 
targeting broadening participation, the Director may provide 
grants on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis for research on 
programming that engages underrepresented students in grades K-
8 in order to better educate these students in STEM subjects. 
Grants awarded under this section can be used for providing 
before-school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer 
activities, and specifies permitted activities under these 
grants. This section specifies that in awarding grants, the 
Director shall give priority to applicants that include or 
partner with a non-profit, nongovernmental organization that 
has experience and expertise in increasing the participation of 
underrepresented students in STEM. It also requires that no 
later than five years after the date of enactment, the Director 
shall evaluate the program established under this Act, and 
provide a report to Congress on the evaluation and make the 
report widely available. Specifies that the Director must 
consult, cooperate, and coordinate with relevant Federal 
agencies to enhance program effectiveness and avoid 
duplication.

Sec. 113. Review of education programs

    Requires the Director to review NSF's education programs to 
determine whether there is any duplication in these programs 
and how these programs are being evaluated and assessed for 
outcome-oriented effectiveness. The Director must complete a 
report, submit the report to Congress and make it publicly 
available.

Sec. 114. Recompetition of awards

    Section 114 includes findings that state that the merit-
review process and recompetition of awards is the best way to 
ensure effective stewardship of NSF funds. This section 
requires the Director to ensure that the system for 
recompetition of multi-user research facilities is fair, 
consistent, and transparent and allows for renewal of grants 
and awards in a timely manner. It also requires that the 
Director periodically evaluate whether the criteria are being 
applied in a manner that is transparent, reliable, and valid.

Sec. 115. Sense of the Congress regarding industry investment in STEM 
        education.

    States that it is the sense of Congress that: many industry 
sectors are becoming involved in STEM at K-12, undergraduate, 
and graduate levels to bolster the future workforce; 
partnerships with education providers, STEM-focused 
competitions, and other opportunities are important pieces of 
private sector efforts to strengthen the STEM workforce; 
understanding the private sector's efforts in STEM will inform 
the Federal Government's role in STEM education; and NSF should 
support successful private sector STEM initiatives.

Sec. 116. Misrepresentation of research results

    Section 116 states that falsification, fabrication, 
plagiarism or other misrepresentation of research results 
obtained while working under an NSF grant is prohibited under 
the NSF's Research Misconduct Regulation. Within 30 days of the 
final administrative action of the Foundation, a finding of 
research misconduct must be made publicly available, including 
the name of the principal investigator.

Sec. 117. Research reproducibility and replication

    This section states that it is the sense of Congress that 
the gold standard of good science is the ability of a 
researcher or lab to reproduce a method and finding; there is 
growing concern that significant amount of published research 
findings cannot be reproduced or replicated; there are a 
complex set of factors affecting reproducibility and 
replication; and the increasing interdisciplinary nature and 
complexity of scientific research may be a contributing factor 
to issues with research reproducibility and replication. 
Directs the Director to enter into an agreement with the NRC to 
provide a report assessing these issues and make 
recommendations.

Sec. 118. Research grant conditions

    Section 118 requires NSF to establish procedures to ensure 
that: a research grant awarded by NSF to a PI does not 
duplicate the aims and scope of any grants being directly 
funded by another agency; a PI includes in a grant application 
to the NSF a list of all Federal funding received by the PI and 
any outstanding funding requests; unpublished results used to 
support a proposal made to NSF do not contain knowing 
misrepresentations of data; PIs that receive NSF funding under 
more than one grant at a time have sufficient resources to 
conduct the proposed research under each grant request; and 
barriers to early career and new PIs are addressed to take into 
account the potential of the investigator as well as potential 
impact of the project.

Sec. 119. Computing resources study

    This section requires the Comptroller General to transmit 
to Congress a report on the results of a study on efficient 
use--through sharing, where possible--of computing resources 
funded by NSF at institutions of higher education.

Sec. 120. Scientific breakthrough prizes

    This section requires the Director of NSF to place a high 
priority on designing and administering pilot programs for 
scientific breakthrough prizes that are consistent with Office 
of Science and Technology Policy guidelines and are of 
strategic importance to the national interest.

Sec. 121. Rotating personnel

    To help control costs, this section requires the Deputy 
Director to provide written justification and waiver for each 
instance in which maximum rate of pay for members of the Senior 
Executive Service is exceeded; a detailed written justification 
and waiver must be provided by the Director in each instance in 
which the annual salary rate of the Vice President of the 
United States is exceeded; and the National Science Board shall 
provide an annual report to Congress on the costs to the 
Foundation of employing such individuals.

Sec. 122. Sense of Congress regarding Innovation Corps

    This section contains a sense of Congress stating that: 
NSF's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) was established to foster a 
national innovation ecosystem; the I-Corps includes investment 
in entrepreneurship and commercialization education, training, 
and mentoring that should lead to the practical deployment of 
technologies, products, processes, and services that improve 
the Nation's competitiveness, promote economic growth, and 
benefit society; and by building networks of entrepreneurs, 
mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and supporting 
specialized education and training, the I-Corps is at the 
leading edge of a strong, lasting foundation for an American 
innovation ecosystem.

Sec. 123. Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies 
        initiative

    Section 123 encourages the NSF to support the funding of 
research activities related to the Brain Research through 
Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative and 
through cooperation with the Interagency Working Group on 
Neuroscience.

Sec. 124. Noyce Scholarship Program amendments

    This section amends the NSF Noyce Master Teaching 
Fellowship program to allow participants with a bachelor's 
degree working toward a Master's degree to participate in the 
program. This section adds computer science to current 
definitions in the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Sec. 125. Informal STEM education

    This section states that the Directorate for Education and 
Human Resources will continue to award competitive, merit-
reviewed grants to support research and development of out-of-
school STEM learning environments. Funds used for these 
activities may be used for research and development that 
improves understanding of the learning process, and design and 
testing of learning models and programs for K-12 students, K-12 
teachers, and the general public.

Sec. 126. Experimental program to Stimulate Competitive Research

    This section states that the Foundation shall continue to 
operate a robust Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 
Research (EPSCoR) and should be a high priority for the 
Foundation.

      TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS


Sec. 201. Findings; Sense of Congress

    This section includes findings stating the continued need 
for STEM education in the U.S. Additionally, this section 
states that more effective coordination and adoption of 
performance measurements is needed for Federally supported STEM 
programs; that leveraging private and non-profit investment in 
STEM is essential to strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio; 
that strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio may require 
program consolidations and terminations as evidence and 
stakeholder input warrants; coordinating STEM programs and 
activities across the Federal Government in order to limit 
duplication and engage stakeholders will strengthen the results 
of the U.S.'s Federal STEM education programs and activities 
and in turn strengthen the United States economy.

Sec. 202. STEM Education Advisory Panel

    This section instructs the President to establish or 
designate a STEM Education Advisory Panel incorporating key 
stakeholders from the education and industry sectors, co-
chaired by members of the President's Council of Advisors on 
Science and Technology. The panel will assess and develop 
recommendations on: progress made in implementing the STEM 
Education Strategic Plan; the management, coordination and 
implementation of Federal STEM education programs and 
activities; the appropriateness of criteria used by Federal 
agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of Federal STEM 
Education programs and activities; ways to leverage private and 
non-profit STEM investments and encourage public-private 
partnerships to build the STEM workforce pipeline; ways to 
incorporate workforce needs into Federal STEM education 
programs, particularly for specific fields of national interest 
and areas experiencing high unemployment rates; ways to better 
integrate Federal STEM programs and activities from pre-K 
through graduate study and the workforce, and from in-school to 
out-of-school in order to improve transitions in the STEM 
pipeline; whether societal and workforce concerns are 
adequately addressed by current Federal STEM education programs 
and activities; the extent to which Federal STEM education 
programs and activities are contributing to recruitment and 
retention of women and underrepresented students in the STEM 
education and workforce pipeline; and ways to encourage 
geographic diversity in STEM education and the workforce 
pipeline. The panel must report to Congress and President on 
the aforementioned assessments every three years. This section 
allows travel expenses for panel members.

Sec. 203. Committee on STEM education

    This section amends language from the 2010 COMPETES Act 
that established a Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) under 
the National Science and Technology Council. The amendments 
require CoSTEM to collaborate with external stakeholders and 
review the evaluation measures used for Federal STEM education 
programs. This section also amends CoSTEM's role in the 
inventory of Federal STEM programs.

Sec. 204. STEM Education Coordinating Office

    Section 204 requires the Director of NSF to establish a 
STEM Education Coordinating Office within the Directorate for 
Education and Human Resources with a Director and staff 
detailed from other Federal agencies with STEM education 
programs and activities. The Coordinating office will: provide 
technical and administrative support to CoSTEM, the Advisory 
Panel established in section 202, and Federal agencies with 
STEM education programs; periodically update and maintain the 
inventory of Federal STEM programs; and provide for 
dissemination of information on Federal STEM programs and 
activities. This section requires the Director of the 
Coordinating Office to submit an annual report to Congress 
containing: updates to the inventory of STEM programs; a 
description of all STEM education consolidations and 
terminations for the previous fiscal year; recommendations for 
consolidations or terminations in the upcoming year; a 
description of any significant new STEM Education public/
private partnerships; and a description of the progress made in 
carrying out the strategic plan. Requires the Director of NSF 
to encourage and monitor the efforts of the Coordinating 
Office.

           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2016 and 
$4,550,000 for fiscal year 2017 for the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy.

Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency

    This section requires the Director of OSTP to establish a 
working group, which will include the Office of Management and 
Budget, to review Federal regulations affecting research and 
research universities and make recommendations on how to 
harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative regulations 
and reporting requirements and minimize the regulatory burden 
on institutions of higher education performing Federally funded 
research. The Director must submit an annual report to Congress 
on what steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations 
of the working group.

Sec. 303. Coordination of International Science and Technology 
        Partnerships

    Establishes a body co-chaired by OSTP and the State 
Department to identify and coordinate international science and 
technology cooperation that can strengthen the American science 
and technology enterprise, improve economic and national 
security, and support our Nation's foreign policy goals. This 
section requires the Director of OSTP to submit a report to 
Congress every two years describing the work of the body, the 
ongoing and new partnerships established since the last report, 
the means by which stakeholder input was received as well as 
summary views of that input, and the issues influencing U.S. 
scientists' abilities to collaborate with foreign counterparts. 
This section also requires OSTP to submit an additional report 
to Congress 60 days after enactment and annually thereafter, on 
foreign travel conducted by OSTP personnel.

Sec. 304. Alternative research funding models

    Provides science agencies, in consultation with OSTP, the 
authority to conduct pilot programs to validate alternative 
research funding models including scientific breakthrough prize 
programs and novel mechanisms of funding such as crowd-sourced 
funding. This section also establishes parameters for judging 
prize competitions and requires prize competitions to be widely 
advertised. Finally, it requires an annual report to Congress 
on the programs identified and conducted, and separately, 30 
days after enactment, OSTP must transmit to Congress a non-
disclosure/conflict of interest document that individuals who 
serve as judges who are not Federal employees will be required 
to sign.

Sec. 305. Amendments to prize competitions

    Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 USC 3719) to require notices of prize competitions to 
be published online. Also amends language to explicitly allow 
prize funding to come from for profit or nonprofit entities in 
the private sector as well as Federal agencies; this section 
notes specifically that the head of an agency may not give any 
special consideration to a private sector for-profit or 
nonprofit entity in return for a donation. This section also 
adds to the annual report a requirement that it include a 
description of crosscutting topical areas and agency-specific 
mission needs that may be the strongest opportunities for prize 
competitions over the next two fiscal years.

Sec. 306. United States Chief Technology Officer

    Amends Title II of the National Science and Technology 
Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 by adding a 
section that designates the presidentially appointed U.S. Chief 
Technology Officer (USCTO) to be one of the Associate Directors 
of OSTP. In addition to functions the President and OSTP 
Director may assign to the USCTO, this section identifies 
various duties assigned to the USCTO, including that the 
individual promote transparency and accountability across the 
Federal government for all technological implementation by 
working with agencies to ensure that each arm of the Federal 
government, including the executive branch, makes its records 
open and accessible. The USCTO is also required to promote 
security and privacy protection policies for all Federal 
information technology systems. Additionally, this section 
requires the USCTO to submit an annual report to the President, 
OSTP and Congress, in consultation with the Office of 
Management and Budget, on the current state of information 
systems of all Federal agencies, including a review of websites 
with third-party embedded tools, and the amount of money being 
spent on various technologies.

Sec. 307. National Research Council study on technology for emergency 
        notifications on University campuses

    This section directs the Director of OSTP to enter into an 
agreement with the National Research Council to conduct a study 
to identify and review technologies employed at institutions of 
higher education to provide notifications to students, faculty, 
and other personnel during emergencies in accordance with the 
requirements of existing law.

        TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY


Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations

    For fiscal years 2016 and 2017, this section authorizes 
$933,700,000 for the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology. For each fiscal year, this section specifies that 
$744,700,000 shall be for scientific technical research and 
services laboratory activities, $59,000,000 shall be for the 
construction and maintenance of facilities, and $130,000,000 
shall be for industrial technology services activities of which 
$125,000,000 shall be used for the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership program and $5,000,000 shall be for the Network for 
Manufacturing Innovation program.

Sec. 402. Standards and conformity assessment

    Amends Section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act by adding language stating that the Director of 
NIST is authorized to serve ``as the President's principal 
adviser on standards policy pertaining to the Nation's 
technological competitiveness and innovation ability''; 
replacing standards language to read: ``facilitate standards-
related information sharing and cooperation between Federal 
agencies''; and enabling more seamless technical standards 
related information sharing. This section would also add 
language authorizing the Director of NIST to participate in and 
support scientific conferences and perform pre-competitive 
measurement science and technology research in partnership with 
higher education and industry to promote U.S. competitiveness.

Sec. 403. Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology

    Amends Section 10 of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act by changing the size of the Committee from 
15 members to ``not fewer than 11 members'' and revising 
proportions of membership requirements accordingly. This 
section would also permit consultation with the National 
Research Council in making recommendations for policy.

Sec. 404. Police and security authority

    Amends Section 15 of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to 
undertake activities for the protection of NIST buildings and 
other facilities.

Sec. 405. Education and outreach

    Amends Section 18, 19, and 19A of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act. It codifies NIST's authority to 
provide stipends directly to college students and teachers who 
show promise as contributors to the NIST mission and to United 
States citizens performing research and technical activities 
relevant to NIST. It also allows the Director to establish and 
conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program that shall include 
no fewer than 20 fellows per fiscal year.

Sec. 406. Programmatic planning report

    This section requires NIST's three year planning document 
to describe how the Director is addressing recommendations from 
the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.

Sec. 407. Assessments by the National Research Council

    This section requires NIST to contract with the National 
Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive review of all of 
NIST's laboratory programs within six months. This section 
would also amend Section 24 of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology act to require NIST to contract with 
NAS to perform reviews of each laboratory every three years. 
This section describes additional process requirements for 
these assessments.

Sec. 408. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership

    This section would amend Section 25 of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology Act. It requires the 
Director to provide assistance for U.S. manufacturing through 
the creation and support of Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
Centers. In order to enhance competitiveness, productivity and 
technological performance, Centers help manufacturers with 
adoption of advanced production technologies, transfer and 
dissemination of research findings, and other improvements. 
Centers are selected by the Director through a competitive, 
merit-based process; nonprofit institutions or consortia or 
state or local governments may apply. This section states that 
the Secretary may not provide more than 50 percent of the 
capital and annual operating and maintenance funds for a 
Center. This section would require Center applicants to provide 
assurances and, if selected, enter into legal agreements, that 
non-Federal assets will meet not less than 50 percent of the 
costs incurred. Section 409 would require each MEP to be 
evaluated in its third year of operation by a panel of private 
experts: a Center receiving positive evaluation may receive 
funding through the sixth year; a Center not receiving a 
positive evaluation is to be placed on probation. After the 
sixth year, a Center may receive additional support if it has 
received another positive evaluation. This section also would 
require a Center to undergo an independent eight year review. 
If a Center has received funding for 10 years the Director 
shall conduct a new competition. NIST is required to submit a 
report on the plan for conducting reviews, assessment and 
reapplication, and independent assessment of the reapplication 
competition process, as well as a report that assesses the 
effects of higher Federal contributions to newly selected 
Centers on services provided to small manufacturing companies. 
Chapter 18 or title 35 and Section 552 or title 5 shall apply. 
Each Center is required to have a Board of Directors and an 
Advisory Board. Center Advisory Boards must institute conflict 
of interest policies to be approved by the Director and Board 
Members may not serve as a vendor or provide services to the 
Center. Centers may accept funds from other Federal agencies; 
the Director will determine whether those funds count toward 
the Federal share. Funds from the private sector may not be 
considered towards the Federal share. This section establishes 
the MEP Advisory Board, to consist of not fewer than ten 
members serving three year terms, at least two on or from 
Center Advisory Boards and at least five from U.S. small 
manufacturing businesses. This section also sets other policies 
for the MEP Advisory Board and requires it to report to 
Congress on the status of the program within 30 days of the 
President's annual budget request. This section establishes a 
competitive grant program within the Hollings Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership in order to address new or emerging 
manufacturing problems determined by the Director. Centers or 
consortia of Centers may participate under the application and 
selection process described in this section. Grant recipients 
are not required to provide matching contributions. The 
Director may take into consideration whether an application has 
significant potential to enhance competitiveness of small and 
medium manufacturers. Grants shall not last more than 3 years. 
The Director is required to evaluate obstacles unique to small 
manufacturers. This section also provides definitions for area 
career and technical education schools and community colleges.

Sec. 409. Elimination of obsolete reports

    This section eliminates the annual report on the Technology 
Innovation Program.

Sec. 410. Modifications to grants and cooperative agreements

    Amends section 8(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
Innovation Act of 1980 so that the total amount of any grant or 
cooperative agreement may not exceed 75 percent of the total 
cost of the program.

Sec. 411. Information systems standards consultation

    Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act to remove the National Security Agency from the list of the 
entities consulted during the development of information 
systems standards and guidelines.

Sec. 412. United States-Israeli cooperation

    This section expresses the sense of Congress that 
partnerships that facilitate basic scientific research between 
the U.S. and Israel advance technology development, innovation, 
and commercialization leading to growth in various sectors, 
including manufacturing, benefiting both nations; joint 
research and development agreements carried out through 
government organizations like NIST support these efforts; 
partnerships between the U.S. and Israel that further the basic 
scientific enterprise should be encouraged; and NIST should 
continue its role as facilitator of scientific collaborations 
between Israel and U.S. technical agencies working in 
measurement science and standardization.

                 TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE


Sec. 501. Mission

    This section directs the Secretary to deliver scientific 
discoveries, capabilities, and major scientific tools to 
advance the national interest in energy and the corresponding 
fundamental scientific understanding. It also instructs the 
Secretary to support this mission through programs on basic 
energy sciences, advanced scientific computing research, high 
energy physics, biological and environmental research, fusion 
energy sciences, and nuclear physics.

Sec. 502. Basic energy sciences

    This section directs the Director of the Office of Science 
to carry out a program in basic energy sciences, including 
materials sciences and engineering, chemical sciences, physical 
biosciences, and geosciences for the purpose of providing the 
scientific foundations for new energy technologies. Section 502 
requires the Director to carry out the development, 
construction, operation, and maintenance of national user 
facilities, including x-ray light sources, neutron sources, 
nanoscale science research centers, and other facilities the 
Director considers appropriate. This section also authorizes 
the establishment of a light source leadership initiative to 
sustain and advance global leadership of light source user 
facilities.

Sec. 503. Advanced scientific computing research

    Section 503 directs the Director to carry out a program to 
advance computational and network capabilities to analyze, 
model, simulate, and predict complex phenomena relevant to the 
development of new energy technologies and the competitiveness 
of the United States, including the development of world-class 
computing and network facilities and a program to develop 
exascale computing systems.

Sec. 504. High energy physics

    This section directs the Director to carry out a research 
program on the elementary constituents of matter and energy and 
the nature of space and time. It requires the Director to 
create, preserve, and maintain United States facilities 
essential to underground research, and to carry out research 
and development in advanced accelerator concepts and 
technologies.

Sec. 505. Biological and environmental research

    This section directs the Director to carry out a program on 
biological systems science prioritizing fundamental research on 
biological systems and genomics science. Section 505 requires 
the Director to carry out a research program on low dose 
radiation, the purpose of which is to enhance scientific 
understanding of and reduce uncertainties associated with the 
effects of human exposure to low dose radiation in order to 
inform improved risk management methods.

Sec. 506. Fusion energy

    This section directs the Director to carry out a fusion 
energy sciences research program to expand the fundamental 
understanding of plasmas and matter at very high temperatures 
and densities and to build the scientific foundation necessary 
to enable fusion power.

Sec. 507. Nuclear physics

    This section directs the Director to carry out a program to 
discover, explore, and understand all forms of nuclear matter, 
including a program for the production of isotopes that the 
Secretary determines are needed for research purposes.

Sec. 508. Science Laboratories Infrastructure Program

    Section 508 requires the Director to carry out a program to 
improve safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of 
infrastructure at Office of Science laboratories.

Sec. 509. Domestic manufacturing

    This section requires the Secretary to assess the domestic 
manufacturing sector's capability to meet procurement 
requirements of the Office of Science.

Sec. 510. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2016 
and 2017 for the Office of Science at $5,339,800,000, which 
includes Basic Energy Sciences at $1,850,000,000; Advanced 
Scientific Computing Research at $621,000,000; High Energy 
Physics at $788,000,000; Biological and Environmental Research 
at $550,000,000; Fusion Energy Sciences at $488,000,000; 
Nuclear Physics at $624,700,000; Science Laboratory 
Infrastructure at $113,600,000; Science Program Direction at 
$181,000,000; Safeguards and Security at $103,000,000; and 
Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists at 
$20,500,000.

Sec. 511. Definitions

    This section provides relevant definitions for Title V.

    TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT


           SUBTITLE A--CROSSCUTTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 601. Crosscutting research and development

    This section contains findings regarding the need for 
critical energy research and development, and directs the 
Secretary to promote crosscutting research and development 
advancing the state of the energy-water-land nexus; improving 
energy transmission and distribution system security and 
resiliency; utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide in power 
generation; and innovating technologies for subsurface 
engineering, exascale computing, cybersecurity, and other 
critical challenges identified though comprehensive energy 
studies, evaluations, and reviews.
    It directs the Secretary to consolidate and coordinate 
activities throughout the Department to avoid duplication, 
identify opportunities for public-private partnerships, 
prioritize activities promoting the utilization of all 
affordable domestic resources, develop long-term planning 
insulated from political influence, and identify programs that 
may be more effectively left to the States, industry 
nongovernmental organizations, institutes of higher education, 
or other stakeholders.

Sec. 602. Strategic Research Portfolio Analysis and Coordination Plan

    Section 602 amends the requirements of the Strategic 
Research Portfolio Analysis and Coordination Plan to include, 
in addition to other plan contents, the identification of 
ongoing programs that have experienced multiple years of poor 
performance and activities that may be more effectively left to 
states or other stakeholders.

Sec. 603. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure

    This section directs the Secretary to prepare a report 
describing the long-term strategy developed and implemented for 
research and development facilities and infrastructure within 
the Department. This report shall be submitted along with the 
President's budget request for fiscal year 2018.

 SUBTITLE B--ELECTRICITY DELIVERY AND ENERGY RELIABILITY RESEARCH AND 
                              DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 611. Distributed energy and electric energy systems

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out programs of 
research and development on distributed systems reliability and 
efficiency, including advanced energy technologies and systems 
and advanced grid security, resiliency, and reliability 
technologies. The Secretary is further directed to leverage 
existing programs, consolidate and coordinate activities 
throughout the Department to facilitate a crosscutting 
approach, and identify programs that may be more effectively 
left to the states or other stakeholders.

Sec. 612. Electric transmission and distribution research and 
        development

    This section directs the Secretary to undertake electric 
transmission and distribution research, development, and 
demonstration activities. This section also directs the 
Secretary to identify opportunities for public-private 
partnerships, leverage existing programs, consolidate 
activities to prevent duplication and promote crosscutting 
approaches, and identify activities that may be more 
effectively left to the states or other stakeholders.

          SUTBTITLE C--NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 621. Objectives

    Section 621 directs the Secretary to carry out a program 
for civilian nuclear energy research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application.

Sec. 622. Program objectives study

    This section instructs the GAO to assess Federal and state 
requirements and standards, including moratoria, which delay or 
impede development and commercialization of nuclear power and 
provide recommendation as to how DOE can assist in overcoming 
such delays or impediments.

Sec. 623. Nuclear Energy Research and Development Programs

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a research 
and development program related to advanced reactor concepts 
and currently deployed systems.

Sec. 624. Small Modular Reactor Program

    Section 624 directs the Secretary to carry out a research 
and development program for small modular reactors.

Sec. 625. Fuel cycle research and development

    Section 625 directs the Secretary to carry out a research 
and development program related to alternative fuel cycles, 
which may, among other things, increase fuel utilization, 
reduce nuclear waste products, improve safety, and minimize 
proliferation risk.

Sec. 626. Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies Program

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a broad 
research and development program for crosscutting nuclear 
energy concepts including radiation mitigation, sensory and 
instrumentation, manufacturing methods, and high performance 
computation modeling.

Sec. 627. Technical standards collaboration

    This section requires the Director of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish a 
nuclear energy standards committee, which shall include 
representatives from appropriate Federal agencies and the 
private sector.

Sec. 628. Available facilities database

    This section directs the Secretary to prepare a publicly 
accessible database of non-Federal user facilities receiving 
Federal funds that may be used for unclassified nuclear energy 
research.

Sec. 629. Nuclear waste disposal

    This section designates that DOE shall remain responsible 
for disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear 
fuel.

    SUBTITLE D--ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH AND 
                              DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 641. Energy efficiency

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out programs of 
research and development for energy efficiency, including 
programs of research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application of technology to improve the energy 
efficiency and environmental performance of vehicles, 
buildings, energy-intensive and waste-intensive industries, 
advanced batteries, fuel cells, and appliances and mechanical 
systems of buildings.

Sec. 642. Next Generation Lighting Initiative

    Section 642 repeals the Next Generation Lighting Initiative 
research and development program.

Sec. 643. Building Standards

    This section repeals the grant program supporting 
additional building standards within the broader Building 
Standards research and development program.

Sec. 644. Secondary Electric Vehicle Battery Use Program

    Section 644 repeals the Secondary Electric Vehicle Battery 
Use research and development program.

Sec. 645. Network for manufacturing innovation program

    As provided for by appropriations Acts, the Secretary of 
Energy may transfer up to $150 million between FY15 and FY17 
for advanced manufacturing research and development to the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out the 
Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program.

Sec. 646. Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a cost-
sharing program for a geographically dispersed network of 
Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers. Funds awarded 
under this program may not be used for the deployment of 
otherwise commercially available technologies.

Sec. 647. Renewable energy

    Section 647 directs the Secretary to carry out programs of 
research and development for renewable energy. Programs include 
solar energy, wind energy, geothermal, hydropower, and other 
miscellaneous projects. Miscellaneous projects include research 
and development of technologies facilitating the combined use 
of renewable and fossil energy resources. In carrying out rural 
demonstration projects, this section directs the Secretary to 
give priority to rural and remote locations. To guide budget 
and program decisions, this section directs the Secretary to 
evaluate renewable energy potential, program performance, and 
market drivers. This analysis shall be submitted to Congress 
annually, at least 30 days prior to the submission of the 
President's budget request.

Sec. 648. Bioenergy Program

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a program 
of research and development for bioenergy, including biopower 
energy systems, biofuels, bioproducts, integrated 
biorefineries, and crosscutting research and development in 
feedstock. Programs include public-private partnerships to 
develop advanced bioenergy processes and retrofit technologies. 
This section also prohibits funding under the biofuels program 
for use on commercial biofuel production for defense purposes.

Sec. 649. Concentrating Solar Power Research Program

    Section 649 repeals the Concentrating Solar Power Research 
Program.

Sec. 650. Renewable Energy in Public Buildings

    Section 650 repeals the Renewable Energy in Public 
Buildings Demonstration Program.

           SUBTITLE E--FOSSIL ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 661. Fossil energy

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a program 
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for fossil energy.
    This section also includes direction that not less than 20 
percent of the funds appropriated for the research and 
development of mining technologies shall be dedicated to 
research and development carried out by institutions of higher 
education.

Sec. 662. Coal research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
        application programs

    This section directs the Secretary to carry out a program 
of research and development for advanced clean coal 
technologies. It expands the program to include water use and 
reuse; high temperature materials; and transformational 
technologies. Under this section, the Secretary may enter into 
cost sharing partnerships to carry out such research and 
development. This section directs the Secretary to identify 
cost and performance goals to advance cost-competitive coal-
based technologies. It creates an advisory committee appointed 
by the Secretary to review and report on the progress of the 
program. The section also requires the Secretary to submit 
within one year an assessment of the cost and feasibility of a 
national system of carbon dioxide pipelines.

Sec. 663. High efficiency gas turbines research and development

    Section 663 directs the Secretary to carry out a program of 
research and development for innovative and transformational 
technologies to maximize the efficiency of gas turbines used in 
power generation systems.

         SUBTITLE F--ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY--ENERGY

Sec. 671. ARPA--E amendments

    Section 671 directs the Secretary to carry out the Advanced 
Research Projects Agency-Energy to overcome the long-term and 
high-risk technological barriers in the development of energy 
technologies to enhance the economic and energy security and 
ensure the technological leadership of the United States. In 
carrying out activities under this section, the Secretary shall 
ensure prospective grantees demonstrate sufficient attempts to 
secure private financing as to indicate that the project is not 
independently commercially viable. This section provides for 
the Secretary to contract with the National Academy of Sciences 
every 6 years to conduct an evaluation of performance. 
Categories of sensitive proprietary information obtained by the 
Secretary shall be protected from public disclosure. Nothing in 
this section affects the Secretary's obligation to collect such 
information or to make it available to Congress.

              SUBTITLE G--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

Sec. 681. Authorization of appropriations

    This section authorizes to be appropriated funds for fiscal 
years 2016 and 2017 for research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application activities within the Department of 
Energy, including the Office of Electricity at $113,000,000; 
Nuclear Energy at $504,600,000; Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy $1,198,500,000; Fossil Energy at $605,000,000; and ARPA-
E at $140,000,000.

                        SUBTITLE H--DEFINITIONS

Sec. 691. Definitions

    This section provides relevant definitions for Title VI.

          TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER


                         SUBTITLE A--IN GENERAL

Sec.701. Definitions

    This section provides relevant definitions for Title VII.

Sec. 702. Savings clause

    This section states that nothing within the Subtitle shall 
abrogate or affect the primary responsibilities of a national 
laboratory.

       SUBTITLE B--INNOVATION MANAGEMENT AT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Sec. 711. Under Secretary for Science and Energy

    Section 711 codifies the consolidation of the Under 
Secretary for Energy and Under Secretary for Science positions 
into one Under Secretary for Science and Energy.

Sec. 712. Technology Transfer and Transitions Assessment

    This Section requires the Secretary to assess the 
effectiveness of DOE's Office of Technology Transitions and 
make recommended departmental policy changes accordingly.

Sec. 713. Sense of Congress

    Section 713 provides a sense of Congress that the Secretary 
should encourage the national laboratories to inform small 
businesses of relevant opportunities and resources.

Sec. 714. Nuclear energy innovation

    Section 714 requires DOE to assess its capabilities to 
authorize, host, and oversee privately funded fusion and non-
light water reactor prototypes at Department-owned sites.

    SUBTITLE C--CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANT COMPETITIVENESS

Sec.721. Agreements for commercializing Technology Pilot Program

    This section authorizes the Secretary to continue until 
October 31, 2017 a pilot program to institute agreements 
between national laboratories and third-party entities. These 
agreements, known as ACT agreements, provide national 
laboratories with increased authority to negotiate contract 
terms, including intellectual property rights, payment 
structures, performance guarantees, and multiparty 
collaborations. Section 201 also requires the Secretary, in 
coordination with the laboratory directors, to report on the 
effectiveness of this pilot program and provide transparency 
regarding the potential use of funds derived from Federal 
contracts pursuant to this section.

Sec. 722. Public-private partnerships for commercialization

    This section delegates to the national laboratories 
signature authority for certain agreements with third-party 
entities for a notional amount of less than $1,000,000.

Sec. 723. Inclusion of early-stage technology demonstration in 
        authorized technology transfer activities

    Section 723 delegates to national laboratories authority to 
use technology transfer funds to carry out early-stage and pre-
commercial technology demonstration activities to attract 
private sector investment for research and technology arising 
out of the national laboratories.

Sec. 724. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education 
        and other non-profit institutions

    This section exempts for a 6-year trial period universities 
and nonprofit institutions from the 20 percent cost-share 
requirement for applied research and development grants.

Sec. 725. Participation in the Innovation Corps Program

    This section allows the Secretary to enter into an 
agreement with the Director of the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) to enable researchers funded by DOE to participate in 
NSF's Innovation Corps program.

                    SUBTITLE D--ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT

Sec. 731. Report by Government Accountability Office

    Section 731 instructs the GAO to submit a report within 
three years of enactment assessing the impact of the technology 
transfer activities authorized in this legislation, pursuant to 
sections 721, 722, and 723. This section also requires an 
assessment of DOE's efforts to promote technology transfer.

                               TITLE VIII


Sec. 801. Sense of Congress

    Section 801 states that it is the sense of Congress that 
climate change is real.

                       Explanation of Amendments

    A manager's amendment offered by Representative Lamar Smith 
was adopted by the Committee. The amendment made minor and 
technical changes.
    An amendment offered by Representative Mo Brooks was 
adopted by the Committee. The amendment added a new section in 
support of the NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate 
Competitive Research.
    An amendment offered by Representative Alan Grayson was 
adopted by the Committee. The amendment added a new subsection 
in support of Energy Frontier Research Centers.
    An amendment offered by Representative Alan Grayson was 
adopted by the Committee. The amendment made changes to section 
506 regarding fusion energy.
    An amendment offered by Representative Dan Lipinski was 
adopted by the Committee. The amendment added a new section on 
Advanced Reactor Innovation and included new areas of research 
for energy efficiency programs.
    An amendment offered by Representative Eric Swalwell, as 
amended by Representative Lamar Smith, was adopted by the 
Committee. The amendment adds a title expressing a sense of 
congress that climate change is real.

                        Committee Consideration

    On April 22, 2015, the Committee met in open session and 
ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 1806, as amended, by 
roll call vote, a quorum being present.

                            Roll Call Votes


  AMENDMENT NO. JOHNSON 050 (AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE)

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 2
Amendment Sponsor: Ms. Johnson (TX)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           15            18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. TAKANO 026

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 3
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Takano (CA)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           15            18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

 AMENDMENT NO. BEYER 010 (AMENDING SECTION 101), BEYER 009, BEYER 010 
                         (AMENDING SECTION 505)

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 4
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Beyer (VA)--Defeated En Bloc

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair:--TX.....................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           15            18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. CLARK 001

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 5
Amendment Sponsor: Ms. Clark (MA)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           15            18
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. FOSTER 003

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 6
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Foster (IL)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................                          X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           14            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                       AMENDMENT NO. BONAMICI 009

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 9
Amendment Sponsor: Ms. Bonamici (OR)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                       AMENDMENT NO. JOHNSON 049

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 10
Amendment Sponsor: Ms. Johnson (TX)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. VEASEY 015

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 14
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Veasey (TX)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                       AMENDMENT NO. BONAMICI 000

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 20
Amendment Sponsor: Ms. Bonamici (OR)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. TONKO 014

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 21
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Tonko (NY)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. TONKO 016

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 22
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Tonko (NY)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. VEASEY 016

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 23
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Veasey (TX) and Mr. Bera (CA)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                        AMENDMENT NO. TAKANO 012

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 24
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Takano (CA)--Defeated

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................                          X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................                          X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................                          X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................                          X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................                          X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................                          X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................                          X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................                          X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................                          X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................                          X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................                          X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................                          X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................                          X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................                          X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................                          X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................                          X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           16            19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

       AMENDMENT NO. SMITH AMENDMENT TO SWALWELL (013) AMENDMENT

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 25
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Smith (TX)--Passed

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................            X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................            X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................            X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................            X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................            X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................            X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................            X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................            X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................            X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................            X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................            X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................            X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................            X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................            X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................            X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................            X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................            X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................            X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................            X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................                          X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................                          X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................                          X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................                          X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................                          X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................                          X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................                          X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................                          X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................                          X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................                          X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................                          X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................                          X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................                          X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................                          X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................                          X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................                          X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           19            16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                AMENDMENT NO. SWALWELL 013 (AS AMENDED)

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 26
Amendment Sponsor: Mr. Swalwell (CA)--Passed

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................            X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................            X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................            X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................            X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................            X
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................            X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................            X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................            X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................            X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................                          X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................                          X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................            X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................            X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................            X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................            X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................            X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................            X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................            X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................            X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................            X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................            X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................            X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................            X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................            X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................            X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................            X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................            X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................            X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................            X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................            X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................            X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................            X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................            X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................            X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................            X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................            X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           33             2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

                             FINAL PASSAGE

Bill: H.R. 1806
Roll Call No. 27
PASSED

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Member                                 Aye           No         Present     Not Voting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SMITH, Chair--TX......................................            X
Mr. LUCAS--OK**...........................................            X
Mr. SENSENBRENNER--WI.....................................
Mr. ROHRABACHER--CA.......................................            X
Mr. NEUGEBAUER--TX........................................            X
Mr. McCAUL--TX............................................
Mr. PALAZZO--MS...........................................            X
Mr. BROOKS--AL............................................            X
Mr. HULTGREN--IL..........................................            X
Mr. POSEY--FL.............................................            X
Mr. MASSIE--KY............................................            X
Mr. BRIDENSTINE--OK.......................................            X
Mr. WEBER--TX.............................................            X
Mr. JOHNSON--OH...........................................            X
Mr. MOOLENAAR--MI.........................................            X
Mr. KNIGHT--CA............................................            X
Mr. BABIN--TX.............................................            X
Mr. WESTERMAN--AR.........................................            X
Mrs. COMSTOCK--VA.........................................            X
Mr. NEWHOUSE--WA..........................................
Mr. PALMER--AL............................................            X
Mr. LOUDERMILK--GA........................................            X
Ms. JOHNSON, Ranking--TX..................................                          X
Ms. LOFGREN--CA...........................................                          X
Mr. LIPINSKI--IL..........................................                          X
Ms. EDWARDS--MD...........................................                          X
Ms. BONAMICI--OR..........................................                          X
Mr. SWALWELL--CA..........................................                          X
Mr. GRAYSON--FL...........................................                          X
Mr. BERA--CA..............................................                          X
Ms. ESTY--CT..............................................                          X
Mr. VEASEY--TX............................................                          X
Ms. CLARK--MA.............................................                          X
Mr. BEYER--VA.............................................                          X
Mr. PERLMUTTER--CO........................................                          X
Mr. TONKO--NY.............................................                          X
Mr. TAKANO--CA............................................                          X
Mr. FOSTER--IL............................................                          X
VACANT....................................................
    Totals................................................           19            16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Vice Chair

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

              Application of Law to the Legislative Branch

    Section 102(b) (3) of Public Law 104-1 requires a 
description of the application of this bill to the legislative 
branch where the bill relates to the terms and conditions of 
employment or access to public services and accommodations. 
This bill reauthorizes the National Science Foundation, the 
coordination of Federal STEM education programs, the White 
House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy 
Office of Science, and DOE's energy supply Research and 
Development programs. The bill also authorizes changes to 
improve technology transfer from the DOE's national 
laboratories to the private sector. As such this bill does not 
relate to employment or access to public services and 
accommodations.

  Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause 
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of 
this report.

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    The goal of H.R. 1806 is to reauthorize the National 
Science Foundation, the coordination of Federal STEM education 
programs, the White House Office of Science and Technology 
Policy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the 
Department of Energy Office of Science, and DOE's energy supply 
Research and Development programs.

                    Duplication of Federal Programs

    No provision of H.R. 1806 establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of 
another Federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

                  Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings

    The Committee estimates that enacting H.R. 1806 does not 
direct the completion of any specific rule makings within the 
meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551.

                     Federal Advisory Committee Act

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish 
or authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within 
the definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b).

                       Unfunded Mandate Statement

    Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded 
Mandate Reform Act, P.L. 104-4) requires a statement as to 
whether the provisions of the reported include unfunded 
mandates. In compliance with this requirement the Committee has 
received a letter from the Congressional Budget Office included 
herein.

                         Earmark Identification

    H.R. 1806 does not include any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9 of rule XXI.

                           Committee Estimate

    Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the 
Committee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out 
H.R. 1806. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides 
that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has 
included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the 
bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act.

     Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

    With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule 
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect 
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received 
the following cost estimate for H.R. 1806 from the Director of 
Congressional Budget Office:

                                                       May 5, 2015.
Hon. Lamar Smith,
Chairman Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1806, the America 
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Marin 
Burnett.
            Sincerely,
                                                        Keith Hall.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1806--America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015

    Summary: H.R. 1806 would authorize appropriations totaling 
about $33 billion over the 2016-2020 period for several 
agencies to support scientific research, industrial innovation, 
and certain educational activities. Assuming appropriation of 
the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the 
legislation would cost about $32 billion over the 2016-2020 
period.
    Enacting the legislation could increase direct spending; 
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. However, CBO 
estimates that the net effect on direct spending would be 
negligible for each year. H.R. 1806 would not affect revenues.
    H.R. 1806 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) 
and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary effects of H.R. 1806 are shown in the following 
table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget 
functions 250 (general science, space, and technology), 270 
(energy), 370 (commerce and housing credit), 450 (community and 
regional development), and 800 (general government).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   2016       2017       2018       2019       2020    2016-2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
National Science Foundation:
    Research and Related Activities:
        Authorization Level...................      6,186      6,186          0          0          0     12,372
        Estimated Outlays.....................      1,113      3,712      3,959      1,918        866     11,568
    Education and Human Resources:
        Authorization Level...................        866        866          0          0          0      1,732
        Estimated Outlays.....................        104        450        572        355        173      1,654
    Other National Science Foundation
     Activities:
        Authorization Level...................        544        544          0          0          0      1,088
        Estimated Outlays.....................        326        441        186         91         30      1,074
        Subtotal, National Science Foundation:
            Authorization Level...............      7,596      7,596          0          0          0     15,192
            Estimated Outlays.................      1,543      4,603      4,717      2,364      1,069     14,296
Office of Science and Technology Policy:
    Authorization Level.......................          5          5          0          0          0         10
    Estimated Outlays.........................          4          5          1          1          1         10
National Institutes of Standards and
 Technology:
    Science and Technical Research:
        Authorization Level...................        745        744          0          0          0      1,489
        Estimated Outlays.....................        574        729        171         15          0      1,489
    Industrial Technology Services:
        Authorization Level...................        130        130          0          0          0        260
        Estimated Outlays.....................         35        103         94         26          3        260
    Facility Construction and Maintenance:
        Authorization Level...................         59         59          0          0          0        118
        Estimated Outlays.....................          7         15         18         28         28         97
        Subtotal, National Institutes of
         Standards and Technology:
            Authorization Level...............        934        933          0          0          0      1,867
            Estimated Outlays.................        615        848        282         69         31      1,846
Department of Energy:
    Office of Science:
        Authorization Level...................      5,340      5,340          0          0          0     10,680
        Estimated Outlays.....................      2,937      4,539      2,403        801          0     10,680
    Applied Research and Development:
        Authorization Level...................      2,563      2,563          0          0          0      5,126
        Estimated Outlays.....................        469      1,282      1,441        993        559      4,745
        Subtotal, Department of Energy:
            Authorization Level...............      7,903      7,903          0          0          0     15,806
            Estimated Outlays.................      3,406      5,821      3,844      1,794        559     15,425
Total Spending Under H.R. 1806:
    Estimated Authorization Level.............     16,438     16,437          0          0          0     32,875
    Estimated Outlays.........................      5,568     11,277      8,844      4,228      1,659     31,576
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note:Components may not sum to totals because of rounding.

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes H.R. 1806 
will be enacted near the end of 2015 and that the necessary 
amounts will be appropriated for each fiscal year. Estimated 
outlays are based on historical spending patterns for existing 
programs.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Programs

    H.R. 1806 would authorize the appropriation of $15.2 
billion over the 2016-2017 period for the National Science 
Foundation to carry out various activities to support basic 
scientific research and education.
    Research and Related Activities. The bill would authorize 
the appropriation of $12.4 billion over the 2016-2017 period 
for programs under NSF's research and related activities 
account. In 2015, those programs received an appropriation of 
$5.8 billion. Based on historical spending patterns, CBO 
estimates that this provision would cost $11.6 billion over the 
2016-2020 period and $0.8 billion after 2020.
    Education and Human Resources. The legislation would 
authorize the appropriation of $1.7 billion over the 2016-2017 
period for NSF's education and human resources programs. CBO 
estimates that implementing this provision would cost $1.7 
billion over the 2016-2020 period.
    Other NSF Activities. H.R. 1806 would authorize the 
appropriation of $1.1 billion over the 2016-2017 period for 
other NSF activities, including agency operations and award 
management, major research equipment and facilities 
construction, the Office of the Inspector General, and the 
Office of the National Science Board. In 2015, those programs 
received appropriations totaling $544 million. Based on 
historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that implementing 
those provisions would cost $1.1 billion over the 2016-2020 
period.

Office of Science and Technology Policy

    H.R. 1806 would authorize the appropriation of $10 million 
over the 2016-2017 period for the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy (OSTP). OSTP also would be required to 
establish a body within the National Science and Technology 
Council to coordinate international science and technology 
cooperation, as well as a federal coordination office for 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education. In 
2015, the agency received an appropriation of $6 million.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Programs

    H.R. 1806 would authorize the appropriation of $1.9 billion 
over the 2016-2017 period for programs administered by the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology. By comparison, 
appropriations for NIST programs in 2015 total about $864 
million.
    Scientific and Technical Research. The bill would authorize 
the appropriation of about $1.5 billion for NIST's Scientific 
and Technical Research and Services program, which supports 
NIST's laboratories and technical programs as well as national 
research facilities. Assuming appropriation of the specified 
amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this provision would 
cost $1.5 billion over the 2016-2020.
    Industrial Technology Services. H.R. 1806 also would 
authorize the appropriation of $260 million over the 2016-2017 
period to operate two programs:
           The Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
        program ($250 million), which provides technical 
        assistance and training to small manufacturers, and
           The Network for Manufacturing Innovation 
        program ($10 million), which supports a network of 
        research centers focused on developing manufacturing 
        technologies.
    Assuming appropriation of the specified amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing this provision would cost $260 
million over the 2016-2020 period.
    Facility Construction and Maintenance. Finally, for NIST, 
the bill would authorize the appropriation of $118 million over 
the 2016-2017 period for construction and maintenance of NIST 
buildings and laboratories. Assuming appropriation of the 
specified amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this 
provision would cost $97 million over the 2016-2020 period and 
$21 million after 2020.

Department of Energy (DOE) Programs

    H.R. 1806 would authorize the appropriation of $15.8 
billion over the 2016-2017 period for the Department of Energy 
to carry out various activities to support scientific research 
and education.
    Office of Science. The bill would authorize the 
appropriation of $10.7 billion over the 2016-2017 period for 
DOE research programs in basic energy sciences, biological and 
environmental sciences, high energy physics, and computational 
science. In 2015, DOE received appropriations totaling $5.1 
billion to carry out those activities. Assuming appropriation 
of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates this provision would 
cost $10.7 billion over the 2016-2020 period.
    Applied Research and Development. H.R. 1806 would authorize 
appropriations totaling $5.1 billion over the 2016-2017 period 
for DOE's major research and development programs. (By 
comparison, appropriations for those programs in 2015 total 
$3.6 billion.) Authorized funding under H.R. 1806 includes:
           $2.4 billion for activities related to 
        energy-efficiency and renewable energy;
           $1.2 billion for fossil energy programs;
           $1 billion for nuclear energy programs;
           $280 million for activities of the Advanced 
        Research Projects Agency--Energy; and
           $226 million for the Office of Electricity 
        Delivery and Energy Reliability.
    Based on historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that 
fully funding applied research and development would cost $4.7 
billion over the 2016-2020 period, and $0.5 billion after 2020.
    Pay-As-You-Go considerations: The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go 
Act of 2010 establishes budget reporting and enforcement 
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or 
revenues.
    H.R. 1806 would authorize NIST to accept funds from private 
entities for efforts to support domestic manufacturing and 
would make those amounts available to the agency without 
further appropriation. Based on information from NIST, CBO 
estimates that this provision would have an insignificant 
effect on net direct spending because amounts collected would 
be small--less than $500,000 per year--and would be spent by 
the agency.
    H.R. 1806 also would allow agencies that sponsor prize 
competitions to waive a requirement that participants obtain 
liability insurance to protect the government against claims by 
third party entities. Because any successful claims against the 
government for those cases would probably be paid from the 
Treasury's Judgment Fund (a permanent, indefinite appropriation 
for claims and judgments against the United States), the bill 
could affect direct spending. However, CBO anticipates that any 
such cases would be rare and that the impact on direct spending 
would be insignificant.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1806 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. Public colleges, universities, and research 
centers could benefit from grants authorized by the bill.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Marin Burnett (NSF, 
DOE--Office of Science, OSTP); Susan Willie (NIST); Megan 
Carroll (DOE--Applied Research & Development); Impact on state, 
local, and tribal governments: Jon Sperl; Impact on the private 
sector: Amy Petz.
    Estimate approved by: Theresa Gullo, Assistant Director for 
Budget Analysis.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no 
change is proposed is shown in roman):

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2002

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 10. ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

  (a) Scholarship Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a 
        program to award grants to eligible entities to recruit 
        and train mathematics and science teachers and to 
        provide scholarships and stipends to individuals 
        participating in the program. Such program shall be 
        known as the ``Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship 
        Program''.
          (2) Merit review.--Grants shall be provided under 
        this section on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
          (3) Use of grants.--A grant provided under this 
        section shall be used by the eligible entity--
                  (A) to develop and implement a program to 
                recruit and prepare undergraduate students 
                majoring in science, technology, engineering, 
                and mathematics at the eligible entity (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) to become 
                qualified as mathematics and science teachers, 
                through--
                          (i) administering scholarships in 
                        accordance with subsection (c);
                          (ii) offering academic courses and 
                        early clinical teaching experiences 
                        designed to prepare students 
                        participating in the program to teach 
                        in elementary schools and secondary 
                        schools, including such preparation as 
                        is necessary to meet requirements for 
                        teacher certification or licensing;
                          (iii) offering programs to students 
                        participating in the program, both 
                        before and after the students receive 
                        their baccalaureate degree, to enable 
                        the students to become better 
                        mathematics and science teachers, to 
                        fulfill the service requirements of 
                        this section, and to exchange ideas 
                        with others in the students' fields; 
                        and
                          (iv) providing summer internships for 
                        freshman and sophomore students 
                        participating in the program; or
                  (B) to develop and implement a program to 
                recruit and prepare science, technology, 
                engineering, or mathematics professionals to 
                become qualified as mathematics and science 
                teachers, through--
                          (i) administering stipends in 
                        accordance with subsection (d);
                          (ii) offering academic courses and 
                        clinical teaching experiences designed 
                        to prepare stipend recipients to teach 
                        in elementary schools and secondary 
                        schools served by a high need local 
                        educational agency, including such 
                        preparation as is necessary to meet 
                        requirements for teacher certification 
                        or licensing; and
                          (iii) offering programs to stipend 
                        recipients, both during and after 
                        matriculation in the program for which 
                        the stipend is received, to enable 
                        recipients to become better mathematics 
                        and science teachers, to fulfill the 
                        service requirements of this section, 
                        and to exchange ideas with others in 
                        the students' fields.
          (4) Eligibility requirement.--
                  (A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant under this section, an eligible entity 
                shall ensure that specific faculty members and 
                staff from the science, technology, 
                engineering, and mathematics departments and 
                specific education faculty of the eligible 
                entity (and participating institutions of 
                higher education of the consortium, if 
                applicable) are designated to carry out the 
                development and implementation of the program.
                  (B) Inclusion of master teachers.--An 
                eligible entity (and participating institutions 
                of higher education of the consortium, if 
                applicable) receiving a grant under this 
                section may also include master teachers in the 
                development of the pedagogical content of the 
                program and in the supervision of students 
                participating in the program in their clinical 
                teaching experiences.
                  (C) Active participants.--No eligible entity 
                (or participating institution of higher 
                education of the consortium, if applicable) 
                shall be eligible for a grant under this 
                section unless faculty from the science, 
                technology, engineering, and mathematics 
                departments of the eligible entity (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) are active 
                participants in the program.
          (5) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, 
        the Director shall ensure that the eligible entities 
        (and participating institutions of higher education of 
        the consortia, if applicable) represent a variety of 
        types of institutions of higher education. In support 
        of this goal, the Director shall broadly disseminate 
        information about when and how to apply for grants 
        under this section, including by conducting outreach 
        to--
                  (A) historically Black colleges and 
                universities that are part B institutions, as 
                defined in section 322(2) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)); and
                  (B) minority institutions, as defined in 
                section 365(3) of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3)).
          (6) Supplement not supplant.--Grant funds provided 
        under this section shall be used to supplement, and not 
        supplant, other Federal or State funds available for 
        the type of activities supported by the grant.
  (b) Selection Process.--
          (1) Application.--An eligible entity seeking funding 
        under this section shall submit an application to the 
        Director at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Director may require. The 
        application shall include, at a minimum--
                  (A) in the case of an applicant that is 
                submitting an application on behalf of a 
                consortium of institutions of higher education, 
                a description of the participating institutions 
                of higher education and the roles and 
                responsibilities of each such institution;
                  (B) a description of the program that the 
                applicant intends to operate, including the 
                number of scholarships and summer internships 
                or the size and number of stipends the 
                applicant intends to award, the type of 
                activities proposed for the recruitment of 
                students to the program, and the selection 
                process that will be used in awarding the 
                scholarships or stipends;
                  (C) evidence that the applicant has the 
                capability to administer the program in 
                accordance with the provisions of this section, 
                which may include a description of any existing 
                programs at the applicant eligible entity (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) that are 
                targeted to the education of mathematics and 
                science teachers and the number of teachers 
                graduated annually from such programs;
                  (D) a description of the academic courses and 
                clinical teaching experiences required under 
                subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B)(ii) of subsection 
                (a)(3), as applicable, including--
                          (i) a description of the 
                        undergraduate program that will enable 
                        a student to graduate within 5 years 
                        with a major in science, technology, 
                        engineering, or mathematics and to 
                        obtain teacher certification or 
                        licensing;
                          (ii) a description of the clinical 
                        teaching experiences proposed; and
                          (iii) evidence of agreements between 
                        the applicant and the schools or local 
                        educational agencies that are 
                        identified as the locations at which 
                        clinical teaching experiences will 
                        occur;
                  (E) a description of the programs required 
                under subparagraphs (A)(iii) and (B)(iii) of 
                subsection (a)(3), including activities to 
                assist new teachers in fulfilling the teachers' 
                service requirements under this section;
                  (F) an identification of the applicant 
                eligible entity's science, technology, 
                engineering, and mathematics faculty and its 
                education faculty (and such faculty of 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) who will 
                carry out the development and implementation of 
                the program as required under subsection 
                (a)(4); and
                  (G) a description of the process the 
                applicant will use to fulfill the requirements 
                of subsection (f).
          (2) Review of applications.--In evaluating the 
        applications submitted under paragraph (1), the 
        Director shall consider, at a minimum--
                  (A) the ability of the applicant (and the 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) to 
                effectively carry out the program;
                  (B) the extent to which the applicant's 
                science, technology, engineering, and 
                mathematics faculty and its education faculty 
                (and such faculty of participating institutions 
                of higher education of the consortium, if 
                applicable) have worked or will work 
                collaboratively to design new or revised 
                curricula that recognize the specialized 
                pedagogy required to teach science, technology, 
                engineering, and mathematics effectively in 
                elementary schools and secondary schools;
                  (C) the extent to which the applicant (and 
                the participating institutions of higher 
                education of the consortium, if applicable) is 
                committed to making the program a central 
                organizational focus;
                  (D) the degree to which the proposed 
                programming will enable scholarship or stipend 
                recipients to become successful mathematics and 
                science teachers;
                  (E) the number and academic qualifications of 
                the students who will be served by the program; 
                and
                  (F) the ability of the applicant (and the 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) to recruit 
                students who would otherwise not pursue a 
                career in teaching in elementary schools or 
                secondary schools and students who are 
                individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of 
                the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
  (c) Scholarship Requirements.--
          (1) In general.--Scholarships under this section 
        shall be available only to students who--
                  (A) are majoring in science, technology, 
                engineering, or mathematics; and
                  (B) have attained at least junior status in a 
                baccalaureate degree program.
          (2) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to 
        receive scholarships primarily on the basis of academic 
        merit, with consideration given to financial need and 
        to the goal of promoting the participation of 
        individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the 
        Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
          (3) Amount.--The Director shall establish for each 
        year the amount to be awarded for scholarships under 
        this section for that year, which shall be not less 
        than $10,000 per year, except that no individual shall 
        receive for any year more than the cost of attendance 
        at that individual's institution. Full-time students 
        may receive annual scholarships through the completion 
        of a baccalaureate degree program, not to exceed a 
        maximum of 3 years. Part-time students may receive 
        scholarships that are prorated according to such 
        students' enrollment status, not to exceed 6 years of 
        scholarship support.
          (4) Service obligation.--If an individual receives a 
        scholarship under this section, such individual shall 
        be required to complete, within 8 years after 
        graduation from the baccalaureate degree program for 
        which the scholarship was awarded, 2 years of service 
        as a mathematics or science teacher for each full 
        scholarship award received, with a maximum service 
        requirement of 6 years. Service required under this 
        paragraph shall be performed in a high need local 
        educational agency.
  (d) Stipends.--
          (1) In general.--Stipends under this section shall be 
        available only to science, technology, engineering, or 
        mathematics professionals who, while receiving the 
        stipend, are enrolled in a program established under 
        subsection (a)(3)(B).
          (2) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to 
        receive stipends under this section primarily on the 
        basis of academic merit and professional achievement, 
        with consideration given to financial need and to the 
        goal of promoting the participation of individuals 
        identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and 
        Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 
        1885b).
          (3) Amount and duration.--Stipends under this section 
        shall be not less than $10,000 per year, except that no 
        individual shall receive for any year more than the 
        cost of attendance at such individual's institution. 
        Individuals may receive a maximum of 1 year of stipend 
        support, except that if an individual is enrolled in a 
        part-time program, such amount shall be prorated 
        according to the length of the program.
          (4) Service obligation.--If an individual receives a 
        stipend under this section, such individual shall be 
        required to complete, within 4 years after graduation 
        from the program for which the stipend was awarded, 2 
        years of service as a mathematics or science teacher. 
        Service required under this paragraph shall be 
        performed in a high need local educational agency.
  (e) Conditions of Support.--As a condition of acceptance of a 
scholarship or stipend under this section, a recipient of a 
scholarship or stipend shall enter into an agreement with the 
eligible entity--
          (1) accepting the terms of the scholarship or stipend 
        pursuant to subsection (c) or subsection (d);
          (2) agreeing to provide the eligible entity with 
        annual certification of employment and up-to-date 
        contact information and to participate in surveys 
        conducted by the eligible entity as part of an ongoing 
        assessment program; and
          (3) establishing that if the service obligation 
        required under this section is not completed, all or a 
        portion of the scholarship or stipend received under 
        this section shall be repaid in accordance with 
        subsection (g).
  (f) Collection for Noncompliance.--
          (1) Monitoring compliance.--An eligible entity 
        receiving a grant under this section shall, as a 
        condition of participating in the program, enter into 
        an agreement with the Director to monitor the 
        compliance of scholarship or stipend recipients with 
        their respective service requirements.
          (2) Collection of repayment.--
                  (A) In general.--In the event that a 
                scholarship or stipend recipient is required to 
                repay the scholarship or stipend under 
                subsection (g), the eligible entity shall--
                          (i) be responsible for determining 
                        the repayment amounts and for notifying 
                        the recipient and the Director of the 
                        amount owed; and
                          (ii) collect such repayment amount 
                        within a period of time as determined 
                        under the agreement described in 
                        paragraph (1), or the repayment amount 
                        shall be treated as a loan in 
                        accordance with subparagraph (C).
                  (B) Returned to treasury.--Except as provided 
                in subparagraph (C), any such repayment shall 
                be returned to the Treasury of the United 
                States.
                  (C) Retain percentage.--An eligible entity 
                may retain a percentage of any repayment the 
                eligible entity collects to defray 
                administrative costs associated with the 
                collection. The Director shall establish a 
                single, fixed percentage that will apply to all 
                eligible entities.
  (g) Failure to Complete Service Obligation.--
          (1) General rule.--If an individual who has received 
        a scholarship or stipend under this section--
                  (A) fails to maintain an acceptable level of 
                academic standing in the educational 
                institution in which the individual is 
                enrolled, as determined by the Director;
                  (B) is dismissed from such educational 
                institution for disciplinary reasons;
                  (C) withdraws from the program for which the 
                award was made before the completion of such 
                program;
                  (D) declares that the individual does not 
                intend to fulfill the service obligation under 
                this section; or
                  (E) fails to fulfill the service obligation 
                of the individual under this section,
        such individual shall be liable to the United States as 
        provided in paragraph (2).
          (2) Amount of repayment.--
                  (A) Less than one year of service.--If a 
                circumstance described in paragraph (1) occurs 
                before the completion of 1 year of a service 
                obligation under this section, the total amount 
                of awards received by the individual under this 
                section shall be repaid or such amount shall be 
                treated as a loan to be repaid in accordance 
                with subparagraph (C).
                  (B) More than one year of service.--If a 
                circumstance described in subparagraph (D) or 
                (E) of paragraph (1) occurs after the 
                completion of 1 year of a service obligation 
                under this section--
                          (i) for a scholarship recipient, the 
                        total amount of scholarship awards 
                        received by the individual under this 
                        section, reduced by the ratio of the 
                        number of years of service completed 
                        divided by the number of years of 
                        service required, shall be repaid or 
                        such amount shall be treated as a loan 
                        to be repaid in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                          (ii) for a stipend recipient, one-
                        half of the total amount of stipends 
                        received by the individual under this 
                        section shall be repaid or such amount 
                        shall be treated as a loan to be repaid 
                        in accordance with subparagraph (C).
                  (C) Repayments.--The loans described under 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be payable to 
                the Federal Government, consistent with the 
                provisions of part B or D of title IV of the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965, and shall be 
                subject to repayment in accordance with terms 
                and conditions specified by the Director (in 
                consultation with the Secretary of Education) 
                in regulations promulgated to carry out this 
                paragraph.
          (3) Exceptions.--The Director may provide for the 
        partial or total waiver or suspension of any service or 
        payment obligation by an individual under this section 
        whenever compliance by the individual with the 
        obligation is impossible or would involve extreme 
        hardship to the individual, or if enforcement of such 
        obligation with respect to the individual would be 
        unconscionable.
  (h) Data Collection.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
under this section shall supply to the Director any relevant 
statistical and demographic data on scholarship and stipend 
recipients the Director may request, including information on 
employment required under this section.
  (i) Definitions.--In this section--
          (1) the term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 472 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll);
          (2) the term ``eligible entity'' means--
                  (A) an institution of higher education; or
                  (B) an institution of higher education that 
                receives grant funds on behalf of a consortium 
                of institutions of higher education;
          (3) the term ``fellowship'' means an award to an 
        individual under section 10A;
          (4) the term ``high need local educational agency'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 201 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021);
          (5) the term ``mathematics and science teacher'' 
        means a science, computer science, technology, 
        engineering, or mathematics teacher at the elementary 
        school or secondary school level;
          (6) the term ``scholarship'' means an award under 
        subsection (c);
          (7) the term ``science, technology, engineering, or 
        mathematics professional'' means a person who holds a 
        baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree in science, 
        technology, engineering, or mathematics, and is working 
        in or had a career in such field or a related area; and
          (8) the term ``stipend'' means an award under 
        subsection (d).
  (j) Mathematics and Science Scholarship Gift Fund.--In 
accordance with section 11(f) of the National Science 
Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1870(f)), the Director is 
authorized to accept donations from the private sector to 
supplement but not supplant scholarships, stipends, 
internships, or fellowships associated with programs under this 
section or section 10A.
  (k) Assessment of Teacher Service and Retention.--Not later 
than 4 years after the date of enactment of the America 
COMPETES Act, the Director shall transmit to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a report on the effectiveness of the programs 
carried out under this section and section 10A. The report 
shall include the proportion of individuals receiving 
scholarships, stipends, or fellowships under the program who--
          (1) fulfill the individuals' service obligation 
        required under this section or section 10A;
          (2) remain in the teaching profession beyond the 
        individuals' service obligation; and
          (3) remain in the teaching profession in a high need 
        local educational agency beyond the individuals' 
        service obligation.
  (l) Evaluation.--Not less than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of the America COMPETES Act, the Director, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall conduct an 
evaluation to determine whether the scholarships, stipends, and 
fellowships authorized under this section and section 10A have 
been effective in increasing the numbers of high-quality 
mathematics and science teachers teaching in high need local 
educational agencies and whether there continue to exist 
significant shortages of such teachers in high need local 
educational agencies.

SEC. 10A. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS AND MASTER 
                    TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS.

  (a) In General.--
          (1) Grants.--
                  (A) In general.--As part of the Robert Noyce 
                Teacher Scholarship Program established under 
                section 10, the Director shall establish a 
                separate program to award grants to eligible 
                entities to enable such entities to administer 
                fellowships in accordance with this section.
                  (B) Definitions.--The terms used in this 
                section have the meanings given the terms in 
                section 10.
          (2) Fellowships.--Fellowships under this section 
        shall be available only to--
                  (A) science, technology, engineering, or 
                mathematics professionals, including retiring 
                professionals in those fields, who shall be 
                referred to as ``National Science Foundation 
                Teaching Fellows'' and who, in the first year 
                of the fellowship, are enrolled in a master's 
                degree program leading to teacher certification 
                or licensing; and
                  (B) mathematics and science teachers, who 
                shall be referred to as ``National Science 
                Foundation Master Teaching Fellows'' and who 
                possess a master's or bachelor's degree in 
                their field.
  (b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an eligible entity shall enter into a 
partnership that shall include--
          (1) a department within an institution of higher 
        education participating in the partnership that 
        provides an advanced program of study in mathematics 
        and science;
          (2)(A) a school or department within an institution 
        of higher education participating in the partnership 
        that provides a teacher preparation program; or
          (B) a 2-year institution of higher education that has 
        a teacher preparation offering or a dual enrollment 
        program with an institution of higher education 
        participating in the partnership;
          (3) not less than 1 high need local educational 
        agency and a public school or a consortium of public 
        schools served by the agency; and
          (4) 1 or more nonprofit organizations that have a 
        demonstrated record of capacity to provide expertise or 
        support to meet the purposes of this section.
  (c) Use of Grants.--Grants awarded under this section shall 
be used by the eligible entity (and participating institutions 
of higher education of the consortium, if applicable) to 
develop and implement a program for National Science Foundation 
Teaching Fellows or National Science Foundation Master Teaching 
Fellows, through--
          (1) administering fellowships in accordance with this 
        section, including providing the teaching fellowship 
        salary supplements described in subsection (f);
          (2) in the case of National Science Foundation 
        Teaching Fellowships--
                  (A) offering academic courses and clinical 
                teaching experiences leading to a master's 
                degree and designed to prepare individuals to 
                teach in elementary schools and secondary 
                schools, including such preparation as is 
                necessary to meet the requirements for 
                certification or licensing; and
                  (B) offering programs both during and after 
                matriculation in the program for which the 
                fellowship is received to enable fellows to 
                become highly effective mathematics and science 
                teachers, including mentoring, training, 
                induction, and professional development 
                activities, to fulfill the service requirements 
                of this section, including the requirements of 
                subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with 
                others in their fields; [and]
          (3) in the case of National Science Foundation Master 
        Teaching Fellowships for teachers with master's degrees 
        in their field--
                  (A) offering academic courses and leadership 
                training to prepare individuals to become 
                master teachers in elementary schools and 
                secondary schools; and
                  (B) offering programs both during and after 
                matriculation in the program for which the 
                fellowship is received to enable fellows to 
                become highly effective mathematics and science 
                teachers, including mentoring, training, 
                induction, and professional development 
                activities, to fulfill the service requirements 
                of this section, including the requirements of 
                subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with 
                others in their fields[.]; and
          (4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master 
        Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's 
        degrees in their field and working toward a master's 
        degree--
                  (A) offering academic courses leading to a 
                master's degree and leadership training to 
                prepare individuals to become master teachers 
                in elementary and secondary schools; and
                  (B) offering programs both during and after 
                matriculation in the program for which the 
                fellowship is received to enable fellows to 
                become highly effective mathematics and science 
                teachers, including mentoring, training, 
                induction, and professional development 
                activities, to fulfill the service requirements 
                of this section, including the requirements of 
                subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with 
                others in their fields.
  (d) Selection Process.--
          (1) Merit review.--Grants shall be awarded under this 
        section on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
          (2) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a 
        grant under this section shall submit an application to 
        the Director at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Director may 
        require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
                  (A) in the case of an applicant that is 
                submitting an application on behalf of a 
                consortium of institutions of higher education, 
                a description of the participating institutions 
                of higher education and the roles and 
                responsibilities of each such institution;
                  (B) a description of the program that the 
                applicant intends to operate, including the 
                number of fellowships the applicant intends to 
                award, the type of activities proposed for the 
                recruitment of students to the program, and the 
                amount of the teaching fellowship salary 
                supplements to be provided in accordance with 
                subsection (f);
                  (C) evidence that the applicant has the 
                capability to administer the program in 
                accordance with the provisions of this section, 
                which may include a description of any existing 
                programs at the applicant eligible entity (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) that are 
                targeted to the education of mathematics and 
                science teachers and the number of teachers 
                graduated annually from such programs;
                  (D) in the case of National Science 
                Foundation Teaching Fellowships, a description 
                of--
                          (i) the selection process that will 
                        be used in awarding fellowships, 
                        including a description of the rigorous 
                        measures to be used, including the 
                        rigorous, nationally recognized 
                        assessments to be used, in order to 
                        determine whether individuals applying 
                        for fellowships have advanced content 
                        knowledge of science, technology, 
                        engineering, or mathematics;
                          (ii) the academic courses and 
                        clinical teaching experiences described 
                        in subsection (c)(2)(A), including--
                                  (I) a description of an 
                                educational program that will 
                                enable a student to obtain a 
                                master's degree and teacher 
                                certification or licensing 
                                within 1 year; and
                                  (II) evidence of agreements 
                                between the applicant and the 
                                schools or local educational 
                                agencies that are identified as 
                                the locations at which clinical 
                                teaching experiences will 
                                occur;
                          (iii) a description of the programs 
                        described in subsection (c)(2)(B), 
                        including activities to assist 
                        individuals in fulfilling their service 
                        requirements under this section;
                  (E) evidence that the eligible entity will 
                provide the teaching supplements required under 
                subsection (f); and
                  (F) a description of the process the 
                applicant will use to fulfill the requirements 
                of section 10(f).
          (3) Criteria.--In evaluating the applications 
        submitted under paragraph (2), the Director shall 
        consider, at a minimum--
                  (A) the ability of the applicant (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) to 
                effectively carry out the program and to meet 
                the requirements of subsection (f);
                  (B) the extent to which the mathematics, 
                science, or engineering faculty and the 
                education faculty at the eligible entity (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) have worked 
                or will work collaboratively to design new or 
                revised curricula that recognizes the 
                specialized pedagogy required to teach science, 
                technology, engineering, and mathematics 
                effectively in elementary schools and secondary 
                schools;
                  (C) the extent to which the applicant (and 
                participating institutions of higher education 
                of the consortium, if applicable) is committed 
                to making the program a central organizational 
                focus;
                  (D) the degree to which the proposed 
                programming will enable participants to become 
                highly effective mathematics and science 
                teachers and prepare such participants to 
                assume leadership roles in their schools, in 
                addition to their regular classroom duties, 
                including serving as mentor or master teachers, 
                developing curriculum, and assisting in the 
                development and implementation of professional 
                development activities;
                  (E) the number and quality of the individuals 
                that will be served by the program; and
                  (F) in the case of the National Science 
                Foundation Teaching Fellowship, the ability of 
                the applicant (and participating institutions 
                of higher education of the consortium, if 
                applicable) to recruit individuals who would 
                otherwise not pursue a career in teaching and 
                individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of 
                the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 1855a or 1855b).
          (4) Selection of fellows.--
                  (A) In general.--Individuals shall be 
                selected to receive fellowships under this 
                section primarily on the basis of--
                          (i) professional achievement;
                          (ii) academic merit;
                          (iii) content knowledge of science, 
                        technology, engineering, or 
                        mathematics, as demonstrated by their 
                        performance on an assessment in 
                        accordance with paragraph (2)(D)(i); 
                        and
                          (iv) in the case of National Science 
                        Foundation Master Teaching Fellows, 
                        demonstrated success in improving 
                        student academic achievement in 
                        science, technology, engineering, or 
                        mathematics.
                  (B) Promoting participation of certain 
                individuals.--Among individuals demonstrating 
                equivalent qualifications, consideration may be 
                given to the goal of promoting the 
                participation of individuals identified in 
                section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering 
                Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 
                1885b).
  (e) Duties of National Science Foundation Teaching Fellows 
and Master Teaching Fellows.--A National Science Foundation 
Teaching Fellow or a National Science Foundation Master 
Teaching Fellow, while fulfilling the service obligation under 
[subsection (g)] subsection (h) and in addition to regular 
classroom activities, shall take on a leadership role within 
the school or local educational agency in which the fellow is 
employed, as defined by the partnership according to such 
fellow's expertise, including serving as a mentor or master 
teacher, developing curricula, and assisting in the development 
and implementation of professional development activities.
  (f) Teaching Fellowship Salary Supplements.--
          (1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this section shall provide salary supplements to 
        individuals who participate in the program under this 
        section during the period of their service obligation 
        under subsection (g). A local educational agency 
        through which the service obligation is fulfilled shall 
        agree not to reduce the base salary normally paid to an 
        individual solely because such individual receives a 
        salary supplement under this subsection.
          (2) Amount and duration.--
                  (A) Amount.--Salary supplements provided 
                under paragraph (1) shall be not less than 
                $10,000 per year, except that, in the case of a 
                National Science Foundation Teaching Fellow, 
                while enrolled in the master's degree program 
                as described in subsection (c)(2)(A), such 
                fellow shall receive not more than the cost of 
                attendance at such fellow's institution.
                  (B) Support while enrolled in master's degree 
                program.--A National Science Foundation 
                Teaching Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year 
                of fellowship support while enrolled in a 
                master's degree program as described in 
                subsection (c)(2)(A), except that if such 
                fellow is enrolled in a part-time program, such 
                amount shall be prorated according to the 
                length of the program.
                  (C) Duration of support.--An eligible entity 
                receiving a grant under this section shall 
                provide teaching fellowship salary supplements 
                through the period of the fellow's service 
                obligation under subsection (g).
  (g) Support for Master Teaching Fellows While Enrolled in a 
Master's Degree Program.--A National Science Foundation Master 
Teacher Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of fellowship 
support while enrolled in a master's degree program as 
described in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if such fellow 
is enrolled in a part-time program, such amount shall be 
prorated according to the length of the program.
  [(g)] (h) Service Obligation.--An individual awarded a 
fellowship under this section shall serve as a mathematics or 
science teacher in an elementary school or secondary school 
served by a high need local educational agency for--
          (1) in the case of a National Science Foundation 
        Teaching Fellow, 4 years, to be fulfilled within 6 
        years of completing the master's program described in 
        subsection (c)(2)(A); and
          (2) in the case of a National Science Foundation 
        Master Teaching Fellow, 5 years, to be fulfilled within 
        7 years of the start of participation in the program 
        under subsection (c)(3).
  [(h)] (i) Matching Requirement.--
          (1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this section shall provide, from non-Federal 
        sources, to carry out the activities supported by the 
        grant--
                  (A) in the case of grants in an amount of 
                less than $1,500,000, an amount equal to at 
                least 30 percent of the amount of the grant, at 
                least one half of which shall be in cash; and
                  (B) in the case of grants in an amount of 
                $1,500,000 or more, an amount equal to at least 
                50 percent of the amount of the grant, at least 
                one half of which shall be in cash.
          (2) Waiver.--The Director may waive all or part of 
        the matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for 
        any fiscal year for an eligible entity receiving a 
        grant under this section, if the Director determines 
        that applying the matching requirement would result in 
        serious hardship or inability to carry out the 
        authorized activities described in this section.
  [(i)] (j) Conditions of Support; Collection for 
Noncompliance; Failure to Complete Service Obligation; Data 
Collection.--
          (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) of section 10 shall 
        apply to eligible entities and recipients of 
        fellowships under this section, as applicable, in the 
        same manner as such subsections apply to eligible 
        entities and recipients of scholarships and stipends 
        under section 10, as applicable.
          (2) Amount of repayment.--If a circumstance described 
        in subparagraph (D) or (E) of section 10(g)(1) occurs 
        after the completion of 1 year of a service obligation 
        under this section--
                  (A) for a National Science Foundation 
                Teaching Fellow, the total amount of fellowship 
                award received by the individual under this 
                section while enrolled in the master's degree 
                program, reduced by one-fourth of the total 
                amount for each year of service completed, plus 
                one-half of the total teaching fellowship 
                salary supplements received by such individual 
                under this section, shall be repaid or such 
                amount shall be treated as a loan to be repaid 
                in accordance with section 10(g)(1)(C); and
                  (B) for a National Science Foundation Master 
                Teaching Fellow, the total amount of teaching 
                fellowship salary supplements received by the 
                individual under this section, reduced by one-
                half, shall be repaid or such amount shall be 
                treated as a loan to be repaid in accordance 
                with section 10(g)(1)(C).

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AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

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            TITLE I--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

SEC. 101. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL STEM EDUCATION.

  (a) Establishment.--The Director shall establish a committee 
under the National Science and Technology Council, including 
the Office of Management and Budget, with the responsibility to 
coordinate Federal programs and activities in support of STEM 
education, including at the National Science Foundation, the 
Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Department of Education, and all other 
Federal agencies that have programs and activities in support 
of STEM education.
  (b) Responsibilities.--The committee established under 
subsection (a) shall--
          (1) coordinate the STEM education activities and 
        programs of the Federal agencies;
          (2) coordinate STEM education activities and programs 
        with the Office of Management and Budget;
          (3) collaborate with the STEM Education Advisory 
        Panel established under section 202 of the America 
        COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 and other outside 
        stakeholders to ensure the engagement of the STEM 
        education community;
          (4) review evaluation measures used for Federal STEM 
        education programs;
          [(3)] (5) encourage the teaching of innovation and 
        entrepreneurship as part of STEM education activities;
          [(4)] (6) review STEM education activities and 
        programs to ensure they are not duplicative of similar 
        efforts within the Federal government;
          [(5)] (7) develop, implement through the 
        participating agencies, and update once every 5 years a 
        5-year STEM education strategic plan, which shall--
                  (A) specify and prioritize annual and long-
                term objectives;
                  (B) specify the common metrics that will be 
                used to assess progress toward achieving the 
                objectives;
                  (C) describe the approaches that will be 
                taken by each participating agency to assess 
                the effectiveness of its STEM education 
                programs and activities; and
                  (D) with respect to subparagraph (A), 
                describe the role of each agency in supporting 
                programs and activities designed to achieve the 
                objectives; and
          [(6)] (8) establish[, periodically update,] and 
        maintain an inventory of federally sponsored STEM 
        education programs and activities, including 
        documentation of assessments of the effectiveness of 
        such programs and activities and rates of participation 
        by women, underrepresented minorities, and persons in 
        rural areas in such programs and activities.
  (b) Responsibilities of OSTP.--The Director shall encourage 
and monitor the efforts of the participating agencies to ensure 
that the strategic plan under [subsection (b)(5)] subsection 
(b)(7) is developed and executed effectively and that the 
objectives of the strategic plan are met.
  (c) Report.--The Director shall transmit a report annually to 
Congress at the time of the President's budget request 
describing the plan required under [subsection (b)(5)] 
subsection (b)(7). The annual report shall include--
          (1) a description of the STEM education programs and 
        activities for the previous and current fiscal years, 
        and the proposed programs and activities under the 
        President's budget request, of each participating 
        Federal agency;
          (2) the levels of funding for each participating 
        Federal agency for the programs and activities 
        described under paragraph (1) for the previous fiscal 
        year and under the President's budget request;
          (3) an evaluation of the levels of duplication and 
        fragmentation of the programs and activities described 
        under paragraph (1);
          (4) except for the initial annual report, a 
        description of the progress made in carrying out the 
        implementation plan, including a description of the 
        outcome of any program assessments completed in the 
        previous year, and any changes made to that plan since 
        the previous annual report; and
          (5) a description of how the participating Federal 
        agencies will disseminate information about federally 
        supported resources for STEM education practitioners, 
        including teacher professional development programs, to 
        States and to STEM education practitioners, including 
        to teachers and administrators in schools that meet the 
        criteria described in subsection (c)(1)(A) and (B) of 
        section 3175 of the Department of Energy Science 
        Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381j(c)(1)(A) and 
        (B)).

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                              ----------                              


STEVENSON-WYDLER TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ACT OF 1980

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 8. GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants and enter into 
cooperative agreements according to the provisions of this 
section in order to assist any activity consistent with this 
Act, including activities performed by individuals. [The total 
amount of any such grant or cooperative agreement may not 
exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the program.]
  (b) Eligibility and Procedure.--Any person or institution may 
apply to the Secretary for a grant or cooperative agreement 
available under this section. Application shall be made in such 
form and manner, and with such content and other submissions, 
as the Assistant Secretary shall prescribe. The Secretary shall 
act upon each such application within 90 days after the date on 
which all required information is received.
  (c) Terms and Conditions.--
          (1) Any grant made, or cooperative agreement entered 
        into, under this section shall be subject to the 
        limitations and provisions set forth in paragraph (2) 
        of this subsection, and to such other terms, 
        conditions, and requirements as the Secretary deems 
        necessary or appropriate.
          (2) Any person who receives or utilizes any proceeds 
        of any grant made or cooperative agreement entered into 
        under this section shall keep such records as the 
        Secretary shall by regulation prescribe as being 
        necessary and appropriate to facilitate effective audit 
        and evaluation, including records which fully disclose 
        the amount and disposition by such recipient of such 
        proceeds, the total cost of the program or project in 
        connection with which such proceeds were used, and the 
        amount, if any, of such costs which was provided 
        through other sources.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 12. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.

  (a) General Authority.--[Each Federal agency]
          (1) In general._Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        each Federal agency may permit the director of any of 
        its Government-operated Federal laboratories, and, to 
        the extent provided in an agency-approved joint work 
        statement or, if permitted by the agency, in an agency-
        approved annual strategic plan, contractor-operated 
        laboratories--
                  [(1)] (A) to enter into cooperative research 
                and development agreements on behalf of such 
                agency (subject to subsection (c) of this 
                section) with other Federal agencies; units of 
                State or local government; industrial 
                organizations (including corporations, 
                partnerships, and limited partnerships, and 
                industrial development organizations); public 
                and private foundations; nonprofit 
                organizations (including universities); or 
                other persons (including licensees of 
                inventions owned by the Federal agency); and
                  [(2)] (B) to negotiate licensing agreements 
                under section 207 of title 35, United States 
                Code, or under other authorities (in the case 
                of a Government-owned, contractor-operated 
                laboratory, subject to subsection (c) of this 
                section) for inventions made or other 
                intellectual property developed at the 
                laboratory and other inventions or other 
                intellectual property that may be voluntarily 
                assigned to the Government.
          (2) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in 
        accordance with section 722(a) of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2015, approval by the Secretary 
        of Energy shall not be required for any technology 
        transfer agreement proposed to be entered into by a 
        National Laboratory of the Department of Energy, the 
        total cost of which (including the National Laboratory 
        contributions and project recipient cost share) is less 
        than $1,000,000.
  (b) Enumerated Authority.--(1) Under an agreement entered 
into pursuant to [subsection (a)(1)] subsection (a)(1)(A), the 
laboratory may grant, or agree to grant in advance, to a 
collaborating party patent licenses or assignments, or options 
thereto, in any invention made in whole or in part by a 
laboratory employee under the agreement, or, subject to section 
209 of title 35, United States Code, may grant a license to an 
invention which is federally owned, for which a patent 
application was filed before the signing of the agreement, and 
directly within the scope of the work under the agreement, for 
reasonable compensation when appropriate. The laboratory shall 
ensure, through such agreement, that the collaborating party 
has the option to choose an exclusive license for a pre-
negotiated field of use for any such invention under the 
agreement or, if there is more than one collaborating party, 
that the collaborating parties are offered the option to hold 
licensing rights that collectively encompass the rights that 
would be held under such an exclusive license by one party. In 
consideration for the Government's contribution under the 
agreement, grants under this paragraph shall be subject to the 
following explicit conditions:
          (A) A nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, 
        paid-up license from the collaborating party to the 
        laboratory to practice the invention or have the 
        invention practiced throughout the world by or on 
        behalf of the Government. In the exercise of such 
        license, the Government shall not publicly disclose 
        trade secrets or commercial or financial information 
        that is privileged or confidential within the meaning 
        of section 552(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code, or 
        which would be considered as such if it had been 
        obtained from a non-Federal party.
          (B) If a laboratory assigns title or grants an 
        exclusive license to such an invention, the Government 
        shall retain the right--
                  (i) to require the collaborating party to 
                grant to a responsible applicant a 
                nonexclusive, partially exclusive, or exclusive 
                license to use the invention in the applicant's 
                licensed field of use, on terms that are 
                reasonable under the circumstances; or
                  (ii) if the collaborating party fails to 
                grant such a license, to grant the license 
                itself.
          (C) The Government may exercise its right retained 
        under subparagraph (B) only in exceptional 
        circumstances and only if the Government determines 
        that--
                  (i) the action is necessary to meet health or 
                safety needs that are not reasonably satisfied 
                by the collaborating party;
                  (ii) the action is necessary to meet 
                requirements for public use specified by 
                Federal regulations, and such requirements are 
                not reasonably satisfied by the collaborating 
                party; or
                  (iii) the collaborating party has failed to 
                comply with an agreement containing provisions 
                described in subsection (c)(4)(B).
        This determination is subject to administrative appeal 
        and judicial review under section 203(2) of title 35, 
        United States Code.
  (2) Under agreements entered into pursuant to [subsection 
(a)(1)] subsection (a)(1)(A), the laboratory shall ensure that 
a collaborating party may retain title to any invention made 
solely by its employee in exchange for normally granting the 
Government a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-
up license to practice the invention or have the invention 
practiced throughout the world by or on behalf of the 
Government for research or other Government purposes.
  (3) Under an agreement entered into pursuant to [subsection 
(a)(1)] subsection (a)(1)(A), a laboratory may--
          (A) accept, retain, and use funds, personnel, 
        services, and property from a collaborating party and 
        provide personnel, services, and property to a 
        collaborating party;
          (B) use funds received from a collaborating party in 
        accordance with subparagraph (A) to hire personnel to 
        carry out the agreement who will not be subject to 
        full-time-equivalent restrictions of the agency;
          (C) to the extent consistent with any applicable 
        agency requirements or standards of conduct, permit an 
        employee or former employee of the laboratory to 
        participate in an effort to commercialize an invention 
        made by the employee or former employee while in the 
        employment or service of the Government; and
          (D) waive, subject to reservation by the Government 
        of a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license to 
        practice the invention or have the invention practiced 
        throughout the world by or on behalf of the Government, 
        in advance, in whole or in part, any right of ownership 
        which the Federal Government may have to any subject 
        invention made under the agreement by a collaborating 
        party or employee of a collaborating party.
  (4) A collaborating party in an exclusive license in any 
invention made under an agreement entered into pursuant to 
[subsection (a)(1)] subsection (a)(1)(A) shall have the right 
of enforcement under chapter 29 of title 35, United States 
Code.
  (5) A Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratory that 
enters into a cooperative research and development agreement 
pursuant to [subsection (a)(1)] subsection (a)(1)(A) may use or 
obligate royalties or other income accruing to the laboratory 
under such agreement with respect to any invention only--
          (A) for payments to inventors;
          (B) for purposes described in clauses (i), (ii), 
        (iii), and (iv) of section 14(a)(1)(B); and
          (C) for scientific research and development 
        consistent with the research and development missions 
        and objectives of the laboratory.
  (6)(A) In the case of a laboratory that is part of the 
National Nuclear Security Administration, a designated official 
of that Administration may waive any license retained by the 
Government under paragraph (1)(A), (2), or (3)(D), in whole or 
in part and according to negotiated terms and conditions, if 
the designated official finds that the retention of the license 
by the Government would substantially inhibit the 
commercialization of an invention that would otherwise serve an 
important national security mission.
  (B) The authority to grant a waiver under subparagraph (A) 
shall expire on the date that is five years after the date of 
the enactment of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. The expiration under 
the preceding sentence of authority to grant a waiver under 
subparagraph (A) shall not affect any waiver granted under that 
subparagraph before the expiration of such authority.
  (C) Not later than February 15 of each year, the 
Administrator for Nuclear Security shall submit to Congress a 
report on any waivers granted under this paragraph during the 
preceding year.
  (c) Contract Considerations.--(1) A Federal agency may issue 
regulations on suitable procedures for implementing the 
provisions of this section; however, implementation of this 
section shall not be delayed until issuance of such 
regulations.
  (2) The agency in permitting a Federal laboratory to enter 
into agreements under this section shall be guided by the 
purposes of this Act.
  (3)(A) Any agency using the authority given it under 
subsection (a) shall review standards of conduct for its 
employees for resolving potential conflicts of interest to make 
sure they adequately establish guidelines for situations likely 
to arise through the use of this authority, including but not 
limited to cases where present or former employees or their 
partners negotiate licenses or assignments of titles to 
inventions or negotiate cooperative research and development 
agreements with federal agencies (including the agency with 
which the employee involved is or was formerly employed).
  (B) If, in implementing subparagraph (A), an agency is unable 
to resolve potential conflicts of interest within its current 
statutory framework, it shall propose necessary statutory 
changes to be forwarded to its authorizing committees in 
Congress.
  (4) The laboratory director in deciding what cooperative 
research and development agreements to enter into shall--
          (A) give special consideration to small business 
        firms, and consortia involving small business firms; 
        and
          (B) give preference to business units located in the 
        United States which agree that products embodying 
        inventions made under the cooperative research and 
        development agreement or produced through the use of 
        such inventions will be manufactured substantially in 
        the United States and, in the case of any industrial 
        organization or other person subject to the control of 
        a foreign company or government, as appropriate, take 
        into consideration whether or not such foreign 
        government permits United States agencies, 
        organizations, or other persons to enter into 
        cooperative research and development agreements and 
        licensing agreements.
  (5)(A) If the head of the agency or his designee desires an 
opportunity to disapprove or require the modification of any 
such agreement presented by the director of a Government-
operated laboratory, the agreement shall provide a 30-day 
period within which such action must be taken beginning on the 
date the agreement is presented to him or her by the head of 
the laboratory concerned.
  (B) In any case in which the head of an agency or his 
designee disapproves or requires the modification of an 
agreement presented by the director of a Government-operated 
laboratory under this section, the head of the agency or such 
designee shall transmit a written explanation of such 
disapproval or modification to the head of the laboratory 
concerned.
  (C)(i) Any non-Federal entity that operates a laboratory 
pursuant to a contract with a Federal agency shall submit to 
the agency any cooperative research and development agreement 
that the entity proposes to enter into and the joint work 
statement if required with respect to that agreement.
  (ii) A Federal agency that receives a proposed agreement and 
joint work statement under clause (i) shall review and approve, 
request specific modifications to, or disapprove the proposed 
agreement and joint work statement within 30 days after such 
submission. No agreement may be entered into by a Government-
owned, contractor-operated laboratory under this section before 
both approval of the agreement and approval of a joint work 
statement under this clause.
  (iii) In any case in which an agency which has contracted 
with an entity referred to in clause (i) disapproves or 
requests the modification of a cooperative research and 
development agreement or joint work statement submitted under 
that clause, the agency shall transmit a written explanation of 
such disapproval or modification to the head of the laboratory 
concerned.
  (iv) Any agency that has contracted with a non-Federal entity 
to operate a laboratory may develop and provide to such 
laboratory one or more model cooperative research and 
development agreements for purposes of standardizing practices 
and procedures, resolving common legal issues, and enabling 
review of cooperative research and development agreements to be 
carried out in a routine and prompt manner.
  (v) A Federal agency may waive the requirements of clause (i) 
or (ii) under such circumstances as the agency considers 
appropriate.
  (6) Each agency shall maintain a record of all agreements 
entered into under this section.
  (7)(A) No trade secrets or commercial or financial 
information that is privileged or confidential, under the 
meaning of section 552(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code, 
which is obtained in the conduct of research or as a result of 
activities under this Act from a non-Federal party 
participating in a cooperative research and development 
agreement shall be disclosed.
  (B) The director, or in the case of a contractor-operated 
laboratory, the agency, for a period of up to 5 years after 
development of information that results from research and 
development activities conducted under this Act and that would 
be a trade secret or commercial or financial information that 
is privileged or confidential if the information had been 
obtained from a non-Federal party participating in a 
cooperative research and development agreement, may provide 
appropriate protections against the dissemination of such 
information, including exemption from subchapter II of chapter 
5 of title 5, United States Code.
  (d) Definition.--As used in this section--
          (1) the term ``cooperative research and development 
        agreement'' means any agreement between one or more 
        Federal laboratories and one or more non-Federal 
        parties under which the Government, through its 
        laboratories, provides personnel, services, facilities, 
        equipment, intellectual property, or other resources 
        with or without reimbursement (but not funds to non-
        Federal parties) and the non-Federal parties provide 
        funds, personnel, services, facilities, equipment, 
        intellectual property, or other resources toward the 
        conduct of specified research or development efforts 
        which are consistent with the missions of the 
        laboratory; except that such term does not include a 
        procurement contract or cooperative agreement as those 
        terms are used in sections 6303, 6304, and 6305 of 
        title 31, United States Code;
          (2) the term ``laboratory'' means--
                  (A) a facility or group of facilities owned, 
                leased, or otherwise used by a Federal agency, 
                a substantial purpose of which is the 
                performance of research, development, or 
                engineering by employees of the Federal 
                Government;
                  (B) a group of Government-owned, contractor-
                operated facilities (including a weapon 
                production facility of the Department of 
                Energy) under a common contract, when a 
                substantial purpose of the contract is the 
                performance of research and development, or the 
                production, maintenance, testing, or 
                dismantlement of a nuclear weapon or its 
                components, for the Federal Government; and
                  (C) a Government-owned, contractor-operated 
                facility (including a weapon production 
                facility of the Department of Energy) that is 
                not under a common contract described in 
                subparagraph (B), and the primary purpose of 
                which is the performance of research and 
                development, or the production, maintenance, 
                testing, or dismantlement of a nuclear weapon 
                or its components, for the Federal Government,
        but such term does not include any facility covered by 
        Executive Order No. 12344, dated February 1, 1982, 
        pertaining to the naval nuclear propulsion program;
          (3) the term ``joint work statement'' means a 
        proposal prepared for a Federal agency by the director 
        of a Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratory 
        describing the purpose and scope of a proposed 
        cooperative research and development agreement, and 
        assigning rights and responsibilities among the agency, 
        the laboratory, and any other party or parties to the 
        proposed agreement; and
          (4) the term ``weapon production facility of the 
        Department of Energy'' means a facility under the 
        control or jurisdiction of the Secretary of Energy that 
        is operated for national security purposes and is 
        engaged in the production, maintenance, testing, or 
        dismantlement of a nuclear weapon or its components.
  (e) Determination of Laboratory Missions.--For purposes of 
this section, an agency shall make separate determinations of 
the mission or missions of each of its laboratories.
  (f) Relationship to Other Laws.--Nothing in this section is 
intended to limit or diminish existing authorities of any 
agency.
  (g) Principles.--In implementing this section, each agency 
which has contracted with a non-Federal entity to operate a 
laboratory shall be guided by the following principles:
          (1) The implementation shall advance program missions 
        at the laboratory, including any national security 
        mission.
          (2) Classified information and unclassified sensitive 
        information protected by law, regulation, or Executive 
        order shall be appropriately safeguarded.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 24. PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

  (a) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' means a Federal 
        agency.
          (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy.
          (3) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' has 
        the meaning given under section 4, except that term 
        shall not include any agency of the legislative branch 
        of the Federal Government.
          (4) Head of an agency.--The term ``head of an 
        agency'' means the head of a Federal agency.
  (b) In General.--Each head of an agency, or the heads of 
multiple agencies in cooperation, may carry out a program to 
award prizes competitively to stimulate innovation that has the 
potential to advance the mission of the respective agency.
  (c) Prizes.--For purposes of this section, a prize 
competition may be one or more of the following types:
          (1) A point solution prize that rewards and spurs the 
        development of solutions for a particular, well-defined 
        problem.
          (2) An exposition prize that helps identify and 
        promote a broad range of ideas and practices that may 
        not otherwise attract attention, facilitating further 
        development of the idea or practice by third parties.
          (3) Participation prizes that create value during and 
        after the competition by encouraging contestants to 
        change their behavior or develop new skills that may 
        have beneficial effects during and after the 
        competition.
          (4) Such other types of [prizes] prize competitions 
        as each head of an agency considers appropriate to 
        stimulate innovation that has the potential to advance 
        the mission of the respective agency.
  (d) Topics.--In selecting topics for prize competitions, the 
head of an agency shall consult widely both within and outside 
the Federal Government, and may empanel advisory committees.
  (e) Advertising.--The head of an agency shall widely 
advertise each prize competition to encourage broad 
participation.
  (f) Requirements and Registration.--For each prize 
competition, the head of an agency shall publish a notice [in 
the Federal Register] on a publicly accessible Government 
website, such as www.challenge.gov, announcing--
          (1) the subject of the competition;
          (2) the rules for being eligible to participate in 
        the competition;
          (3) the process for participants to register for the 
        competition;
          (4) the amount of the [prize] cash prize purse; and
          (5) the basis on which a winner will be selected.
  (g) Eligibility.--To be eligible to win a [prize] cash prize 
purse under this section, an individual or entity--
          (1) shall have registered to participate in the 
        competition under any rules promulgated by the head of 
        an agency under subsection (f);
          (2) shall have complied with all the requirements 
        under this section;
          (3) in the case of a private entity, shall be 
        incorporated in and maintain a primary place of 
        business in the United States, and in the case of an 
        individual, whether participating singly or in a group, 
        shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United 
        States; and
          (4) may not be a Federal entity or Federal employee 
        acting within the scope of their employment.
  (h) Consultation With Federal Employees.--An individual or 
entity shall not be deemed ineligible under subsection (g) 
because the individual or entity used Federal facilities or 
consulted with Federal employees during a prize competition if 
the facilities and employees are made available to all 
individuals and entities participating in the prize competition 
on an equitable basis.
  (i) Liability.--
          (1) In general.--
                  (A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term 
                ``related entity'' means a contractor or 
                subcontractor at any tier, and a supplier, 
                user, customer, cooperating party, grantee, 
                investigator, or detailee.
                  (B) Liability.--Registered participants shall 
                be required to agree to assume any and all 
                risks and waive claims against the Federal 
                Government and its related entities, except in 
                the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, 
                death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or 
                profits, whether direct, indirect, or 
                consequential, arising from their participation 
                in a prize competition, whether the injury, 
                death, damage, or loss arises through 
                negligence or otherwise.
          (2) Insurance.--Participants shall be required to 
        obtain liability insurance or demonstrate financial 
        responsibility, in amounts determined by the head of an 
        agency, for claims by--
                  (A) a third party for death, bodily injury, 
                or property damage, or loss resulting from an 
                activity carried out in connection with 
                participation in a prize competition, with the 
                Federal Government named as an additional 
                insured under the registered participant's 
                insurance policy and registered participants 
                agreeing to indemnify the Federal Government 
                against third party claims for damages arising 
                from or related to prize competition 
                activities; and
                  (B) the Federal Government for damage or loss 
                to Government property resulting from such an 
                activity.
          (3) Waiver.--An agency may waive the requirement 
        under paragraph (2). The annual report under subsection 
        (p) shall include a list of such waivers granted during 
        the preceding fiscal year, along with a detailed 
        explanation of the reasons for granting the waivers.
          [(3)] (4) Exception.--The head of an agency may not 
        require a participant to waive claims against the 
        administering entity arising out of the unauthorized 
        use or disclosure by the agency of the intellectual 
        property, trade secrets, or confidential business 
        information of the participant.
  (j) Intellectual Property.--
          (1) Prohibition on the government acquiring 
        intellectual property rights.--The Federal Government 
        may not gain an interest in intellectual property 
        developed by a participant in a competition without the 
        written consent of the participant.
          (2) Licenses.--The Federal Government may negotiate a 
        license for the use of intellectual property developed 
        by a participant for a competition.
  (k) Judges.--
          (1) In general.--For each competition, the head of an 
        agency, either directly or through an agreement under 
        subsection (l), shall appoint one or more qualified 
        judges to select the winner or winners of the prize 
        competition on the basis described under subsection 
        (f). Judges for each competition may include 
        individuals from outside the agency, including from the 
        private sector.
          (2) Restrictions.--A judge may not--
                  (A) have personal or financial interests in, 
                or be an employee, officer, director, or agent 
                of any entity that is a registered participant 
                in a prize competition; or
                  (B) have a familial or financial relationship 
                with an individual who is a registered 
                participant.
          (3) Guidelines.--The heads of agencies who carry out 
        prize competitions under this section shall develop 
        guidelines to ensure that the judges appointed for such 
        prize competitions are fairly balanced and operate in a 
        transparent manner.
          (4) Exemption from faca.--The Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to any 
        committee, board, commission, panel, task force, or 
        similar entity, created solely for the purpose of 
        judging prize competitions under this section.
  (l) Administering the Competition.--The head of an agency may 
enter into [an agreement with a private, nonprofit entity to 
administer a prize competition, subject to the provisions of 
this section.] a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or 
other agreement with a private sector for-profit or nonprofit 
entity to administer the prize competition, subject to the 
provisions of this section.
  (m) Funding.--
          [(1) In general.--Support for a prize competition 
        under this section, including financial support for the 
        design and administration of a prize or funds for a 
        monetary prize purse, may consist of Federal 
        appropriated funds and funds provided by the private 
        sector for such cash prizes. The head of an agency may 
        accept funds from other Federal agencies to support 
        such competitions. The head of an agency may not give 
        any special consideration to any private sector entity 
        in return for a donation.]
          (1) In general.--Support for a prize competition 
        under this section, including financial support for the 
        design and administration of a prize competition or 
        funds for a cash prize purse, may consist of Federal 
        appropriated funds and funds provided by private sector 
        for-profit and nonprofit entities. The head of an 
        agency may accept funds from other Federal agencies, 
        private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit 
        entities to support such prize competitions. The head 
        of an agency may not give any special consideration to 
        any private sector for-profit or nonprofit entity in 
        return for a donation.
          (2) Availability of funds.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, funds appropriated for [prize awards] 
        cash prize purses under this section shall remain 
        available until expended. No provision in this section 
        permits obligation or payment of funds in violation of 
        section 1341 of title 31, United States Code.
          (3) Amount of prize.--
                  (A) Announcement.--[No prize] No prize 
                competition may be announced under subsection 
                (f) until all the funds needed to pay out the 
                announced amount of [the prize] the cash prize 
                purse have been appropriated or committed in 
                writing by a private source.
                  (B) Increase in amount.--The head of an 
                agency may increase the amount of [a prize] a 
                cash prize purse after an initial announcement 
                is made under subsection (f) only if--
                          (i) notice of the increase is 
                        provided in the same manner as the 
                        initial notice of the prize 
                        competition; and
                          (ii) the funds needed to pay out the 
                        announced amount of the increase have 
                        been appropriated or committed in 
                        writing by a private source.
          (4) Limitation on amount.--
                  (A) Notice to congress.--No prize competition 
                under this section may offer [a prize] a cash 
                prize purse in an amount greater than 
                $50,000,000 unless 30 days have elapsed after 
                written notice has been transmitted to the 
                Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
                on Science and Technology of the House of 
                Representatives.
                  (B) Approval of head of agency.--No prize 
                competition under this section may result in 
                the award of more than $1,000,000 in [cash 
                prizes] cash prize purses without the approval 
                of the head of an agency.
  (n) General Service Administration Assistance.--Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the America 
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, the General Services 
Administration shall provide government wide services to share 
best practices and assist agencies in developing guidelines for 
issuing prize competitions. The General Services Administration 
shall develop a contract vehicle for both for-profit and 
nonprofit entities, to provide agencies access to relevant 
products and services, including technical assistance in 
structuring and conducting prize competitions to take maximum 
benefit of the marketplace as they identify and pursue prize 
competitions to further the policy objectives of the Federal 
Government.
  (o) Compliance With Existing Law.--
          (1) In General.--The Federal Government shall not, by 
        virtue of offering [or providing a prize] a prize 
        competition or providing a cash prize purse under this 
        section, be responsible for compliance by registered 
        participants in a prize competition with Federal law, 
        including licensing, export control, and 
        nonproliferation laws, and related regulations.
          (2) Other prize authority.--Nothing in this section 
        affects the prize authority authorized by any other 
        provision of law.
  (p) Annual Report.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than March 1 of each year, 
        the Director shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the activities carried out 
        during the preceding fiscal year under the authority in 
        subsection (b).
          (2) Information included.--The report for a fiscal 
        year under this subsection shall include, for each 
        prize competition under subsection (b), the following:
                  (A) Proposed goals.--A description of the 
                proposed goals of each prize competition.
                  (B) Preferable method.--An analysis of why 
                the utilization of the authority in subsection 
                (b) was the preferable method of achieving the 
                goals described in subparagraph (A) as opposed 
                to other authorities available to the agency, 
                such as contracts, grants, and cooperative 
                agreements.
                  (C) Amount of cash prizes.--The total amount 
                of [cash prizes] cash prize purses awarded for 
                each prize competition, including a description 
                of amount of private funds contributed to the 
                program, the sources of such funds, and the 
                manner in which the amounts of [cash prizes] 
                cash prize purses awarded and claimed were 
                allocated among the accounts of the agency for 
                recording as obligations and expenditures.
                  (D) Solicitations and evaluation of 
                submissions.--The methods used for the 
                solicitation and evaluation of submissions 
                under each prize competition, together with an 
                assessment of the effectiveness of such methods 
                and lessons learned for future prize 
                competitions.
                  (E) Resources.--A description of the 
                resources, including personnel and funding, 
                used in the execution of each prize competition 
                together with a detailed description of the 
                activities for which such resources were used 
                and an accounting of how funding for execution 
                was allocated among the accounts of the agency 
                for recording as obligations and expenditures.
                  (F) Results.--A description of how each prize 
                competition advanced the mission of the agency 
                concerned.
                  (G) Plan.--A description of crosscutting 
                topical areas and agency-specific mission needs 
                that may be the strongest opportunities for 
                prize competitions during the upcoming 2 fiscal 
                years.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


 NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, ORGANIZATION, AND PRIORITIES 
ACT OF 1976

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE II--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                 UNITED STATES CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

  Sec. 210. (a) Appointment.--The President may appoint a 
United States Chief Technology Officer. Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2015, such officer shall be one of the 
Associate Directors of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy.
  (b) Duties.--The duties of the United States Chief Technology 
Officer should include--
          (1) advising the President and the Director of the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy on Federal 
        information systems, technology, data, and innovation 
        policies and initiatives;
          (2) promoting an improved exchange of information 
        among the Federal Government, the public, and Congress;
          (3) promoting the use of innovative technological 
        approaches across the Federal Government to ensure a 
        modern information technology infrastructure;
          (4) working with the Chief Technology Officers and 
        Chief Information Officers of all Federal agencies to 
        ensure the use of best technologies and security 
        practices for information systems;
          (5) establishing a working group with such Officers 
        to exchange best practices about information systems;
          (6) promoting transparency and accountability across 
        the Federal Government for all technological 
        implementation by working with agencies to ensure that 
        each arm of the Federal Government, including the 
        executive branch, makes its records open and 
        accessible;
          (7) promoting security and privacy protection 
        policies for all Federal information technology systems 
        that are consistent with Federal law, regulations, and 
        current best practices;
          (8) promoting technological interoperability of key 
        Government functions;
          (9) in consultation with the Office of Management and 
        Budget, providing an annual report to the President, 
        the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy, and Congress on the current state of 
        information systems of all Federal agencies, 
        including--
                  (A) the status of information systems, 
                including potential technology and security 
                concerns about these information systems in all 
                Federal agencies;
                  (B) a review of all Federal websites with 
                third-party embedded tools that--
                          (i) identifies each embedded tool, 
                        who it belongs to, and the data it 
                        collects; and
                          (ii) addresses effects on 
                        cybersecurity and consumer privacy, 
                        including whether each website provides 
                        prominent notice to consumers about the 
                        presence of the tool and whether the 
                        consumer may opt-out of the tool;
                  (C) the amount of money being spent on 
                various technologies; and
                  (D) technology recommendations and best 
                practices; and
          (10) such other functions and activities as the 
        President and Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy may assign.
  (c) Report.--In the absence of a United States Chief 
Technology Officer, the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall be responsible for providing the report 
required under subsection (b)(9).

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                establishment, functions, and activities

  Sec. 2. (a) There is established within the Department of 
Commerce a science, engineering, technology, and measurement 
laboratory to be known as the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Institute'').
  (b) The Secretary of Commerce (hereafter in this Act referred 
to as the ``Secretary'') acting through the Director of the 
Institute (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Director'') is [authorized to take] authorized to serve as 
the President's principal adviser on standards policy 
pertaining to the Nation's technological competitiveness and 
innovation ability and to take all actions necessary and 
appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this Act, including 
the following functions of the Institute--
          (1) to assist industry in the development of 
        technology and procedures needed to improve quality, to 
        modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product 
        reliability, manufacturability, functionality, and 
        cost-effectiveness, and to facilitate the more rapid 
        commercialization, especially by small- and medium-
        sized companies throughout the United States, of 
        products based on new scientific discoveries in fields 
        such as automation, electronics, advanced materials, 
        biotechnology, and optical technologies;
          (2) to develop, maintain, and retain custody of the 
        national standards of measurement, and provide the 
        means and methods for making measurements consistent 
        with those standards;
          (3) to [compare standards used in scientific 
        investigations, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, 
        industry, and educational institutions with the 
        standards adopted or recognized by the Federal 
        Government] facilitate standards-related information 
        sharing and cooperation between Federal agencies and to 
        coordinate the use by Federal agencies of private 
        sector standards, emphasizing where possible the use of 
        standards developed by private, consensus 
        organizations;
          (4) to enter into contracts, including cooperative 
        research and development arrangements, and grants and 
        cooperative agreements, in furtherance of the purposes 
        of this Act;
          (5) to provide United States industry, Government, 
        and educational institutions with a national 
        clearinghouse of current information, techniques, and 
        advice for the achievement of higher quality and 
        productivity based on current domestic and 
        international scientific and technical development;
          (6) to assist industry in the development of 
        measurements, measurement methods, and basic 
        measurement technology;
          (7) to determine, compile, evaluate, and disseminate 
        physical constants and the properties and performance 
        of conventional and advanced materials when they are 
        important to science, engineering, manufacturing, 
        education, commerce, and industry and are not available 
        with sufficient accuracy elsewhere;
          (8) to develop a fundamental basis and methods for 
        testing materials, mechanisms, structures, equipment, 
        and systems, including those used by the Federal 
        Government;
          (9) to assure the compatibility of United States 
        national measurement standards with those of other 
        nations;
          (10) to cooperate with other departments and agencies 
        of the Federal Government, with industry, with State 
        and local governments, with the governments of other 
        nations and international organizations, and with 
        private organizations in establishing standard 
        practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary 
        consensus standards;
          (11) to advise government and industry on scientific 
        and technical problems;
          (12) to invent, develop, and (when appropriate) 
        promote transfer to the private sector of measurement 
        devices to serve special national needs; and
          (13) to coordinate [Federal, State, and local 
        technical standards activities and conformity 
        assessment activities, with private sector] technical 
        standards activities and conformity assessment 
        activities of Federal, State, and local governments 
        with private sector technical standards activities and 
        conformity assessment activities, with the goal of 
        eliminating unnecessary duplication and complexity in 
        the development and promulgation of conformity 
        assessment requirements and measures.
  (c) In carrying out the functions specified in subsection 
(b), the Secretary, acting through the Director may, among 
other things--
          (1) construct physical standards;
          (2) test, calibrate, and certify standards and 
        standard measuring apparatus;
          (3) study and improve instruments, measurement 
        methods, and industrial process control and quality 
        assurance techniques;
          (4) cooperate with the States in securing uniformity 
        in weights and measures laws and methods of inspection;
          (5) cooperate with foreign scientific and technical 
        institutions to understand technological developments 
        in other countries better;
          (6) prepare, certify, and sell standard reference 
        materials for use in ensuring the accuracy of chemical 
        analyses and measurements of physical and other 
        properties of materials;
          (7) in furtherance of the purposes of this Act, 
        accept research associates, cash donations, and donated 
        equipment from industry, and also engage with industry 
        in research to develop new basic and generic 
        technologies for traditional and new products and for 
        improved production and manufacturing;
          (8) study and develop fundamental scientific 
        understanding and improved measurement, analysis, 
        synthesis, processing, and fabrication methods for 
        chemical substances and compounds, ferrous and 
        nonferrous metals, and all traditional and advanced 
        materials, including processes of degradation;
          (9) investigate ionizing and nonionizing radiation 
        and radioactive substances, their uses, and ways to 
        protect people, structures, and equipment from their 
        harmful effects;
          (10) determine the atomic and molecular structure of 
        matter, through analysis of spectra and other methods, 
        to provide a basis for predicting chemical and physical 
        structures and reactions and for designing new 
        materials and chemical substances, including 
        biologically active macromolecules;
          (11) perform research on electromagnetic waves, 
        including optical waves, and on properties and 
        performance of electrical, electronic, and 
        electromagnetic devices and systems and their essential 
        materials, develop and maintain related standards, and 
        disseminate standard signals through broadcast and 
        other means;
          (12) develop and test standard interfaces, 
        communication protocols, and data structures for 
        computer and related telecommunications systems;
          (13) study computer systems (as that term is defined 
        in section 20(d) of this Act) and their use to control 
        machinery and processes;
          (14) perform research to develop standards and test 
        methods to advance the effective use of computers and 
        related systems and to protect the information stored, 
        processed, and transmitted by such systems and to 
        provide advice in support of policies affecting Federal 
        computer and related telecommunications systems;
          (15) on an ongoing basis, facilitate and support the 
        development of a voluntary, consensus-based, industry-
        led set of standards, guidelines, best practices, 
        methodologies, procedures, and processes to cost-
        effectively reduce cyber risks to critical 
        infrastructure (as defined under subsection (e));
          (16) determine properties of building materials and 
        structural elements, and encourage their 
        standardization and most effective use, including 
        investigation of fire-resisting properties of building 
        materials and conditions under which they may be most 
        efficiently used, and the standardization of types of 
        appliances for fire prevention;
          (17) undertake such research in engineering, pure and 
        applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, 
        materials science, and the physical sciences as may be 
        necessary to carry out and support the functions 
        specified in this section;
          (18) compile, evaluate, publish, and otherwise 
        disseminate general, specific and technical data 
        resulting from the performance of the functions 
        specified in this section or from other sources when 
        such data are important to science, engineering, or 
        industry, or to the general public, and are not 
        available elsewhere;
          (19) collect, create, analyze, and maintain specimens 
        of scientific value;
          (20) operate national user facilities;
          (21) evaluate promising inventions and other novel 
        technical concepts submitted by inventors and small 
        companies and work with other Federal agencies, States, 
        and localities to provide appropriate technical 
        assistance and support for those inventions which are 
        found in the evaluation process to have commercial 
        promise;
          (22) demonstrate the results of the Institute''s 
        activities by exhibits or other methods of technology 
        transfer, including the use of scientific or technical 
        personnel of the Institute for part-time or 
        intermittent teaching and training activities at 
        educational institutions of higher learning as part of 
        and incidental to their official duties; [and]
          (23) participate in and support scientific and 
        technical conferences;
          (24) perform pre-competitive measurement science and 
        technology research in partnership with institutions of 
        higher education and industry to promote United States 
        industrial competitiveness; and
          [(23)] (25) undertake such other activities similar 
        to those specified in this subsection as the Director 
        determines appropriate.
  (d) In carrying out the extramural funding programs of the 
Institute, including the programs established under sections 
25, 26, and 28 of this Act, the Secretary may retain reasonable 
amounts of any funds appropriated pursuant to authorizations 
for these programs in order to pay for the Institute's 
management of these programs.
  (e) Cyber Risks.--
          (1) In general.--In carrying out the activities under 
        subsection (c)(15), the Director--
                  (A) shall--
                          (i) coordinate closely and regularly 
                        with relevant private sector personnel 
                        and entities, critical infrastructure 
                        owners and operators, and other 
                        relevant industry organizations, 
                        including Sector Coordinating Councils 
                        and Information Sharing and Analysis 
                        Centers, and incorporate industry 
                        expertise;
                          (ii) consult with the heads of 
                        agencies with national security 
                        responsibilities, sector-specific 
                        agencies and other appropriate 
                        agencies, State and local governments, 
                        the governments of other nations, and 
                        international organizations;
                          (iii) identify a prioritized, 
                        flexible, repeatable, performance-
                        based, and cost-effective approach, 
                        including information security measures 
                        and controls, that may be voluntarily 
                        adopted by owners and operators of 
                        critical infrastructure to help them 
                        identify, assess, and manage cyber 
                        risks;
                          (iv) include methodologies--
                                  (I) to identify and mitigate 
                                impacts of the cybersecurity 
                                measures or controls on 
                                business confidentiality; and
                                  (II) to protect individual 
                                privacy and civil liberties;
                          (v) incorporate voluntary consensus 
                        standards and industry best practices;
                          (vi) align with voluntary 
                        international standards to the fullest 
                        extent possible;
                          (vii) prevent duplication of 
                        regulatory processes and prevent 
                        conflict with or superseding of 
                        regulatory requirements, mandatory 
                        standards, and related processes; and
                          (viii) include such other similar and 
                        consistent elements as the Director 
                        considers necessary; and
                  (B) shall not prescribe or otherwise 
                require--
                          (i) the use of specific solutions;
                          (ii) the use of specific information 
                        or communications technology products 
                        or services; or
                          (iii) that information or 
                        communications technology products or 
                        services be designed, developed, or 
                        manufactured in a particular manner.
          (2) Limitation.--Information shared with or provided 
        to the Institute for the purpose of the activities 
        described under subsection (c)(15) shall not be used by 
        any Federal, State, tribal, or local department or 
        agency to regulate the activity of any entity. Nothing 
        in this paragraph shall be construed to modify any 
        regulatory requirement to report or submit information 
        to a Federal, State, tribal, or local department or 
        agency.
          (3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                  (A) Critical infrastructure.--The term 
                ``critical infrastructure'' has the meaning 
                given the term in section 1016(e) of the USA 
                PATRIOT Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
                  (B) Sector-specific agency.--The term 
                ``sector-specific agency'' means the Federal 
                department or agency responsible for providing 
                institutional knowledge and specialized 
                expertise as well as leading, facilitating, or 
                supporting the security and resilience programs 
                and associated activities of its designated 
                critical infrastructure sector in the all-
                hazards environment.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


               visiting committee on advanced technology

  Sec. 10. (a) There is established within the Institute a 
Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (hereafter in this 
Act referred to as the ``Committee''). The Committee shall 
consist of [15 members] not fewer than 11 members appointed by 
the Director, [at least 10] at least two-thirds of whom shall 
be from United States industry. The Director shall appoint as 
original members of the Committee any final members of the 
National Bureau of Standards Visiting Committee who wish to 
serve in such capacity. In addition to any powers and functions 
otherwise granted to it by this Act, the Committee shall review 
and make recommendations regarding general policy for the 
Institute, its organization, its budget, and its programs 
within the framework of applicable national policies as set 
forth by the President and the Congress. The Committee may 
consult with the National Research Council in making 
recommendations regarding general policy for the Institute.
  (b) The persons appointed as members of the Committee--
          (1) shall be eminent in fields such as business, 
        research, new product development, engineering, labor, 
        education, management consulting, environment, and 
        international relations;
          (2) shall be selected solely on the basis of 
        established records of distinguished service;
          (3) shall not be employees of the Federal Government; 
        and
          (4) shall be so selected as to provide representation 
        of a cross-section of the traditional and emerging 
        United States industries.
The Director is requested, in making appointments of persons as 
members of the Committee, to give due consideration to any 
recommendations which may be submitted to the Director by the 
National Academies, professional societies, business 
associations, labor associations, and other appropriate 
organizations.
  (c)(1) The term of office of each member of the Committee, 
other than the original members, shall be 3 years; except that 
any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the 
expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed 
shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. Any person 
who has completed two consecutive full terms of service on the 
Committee shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
the one-year period following the expiration of the second such 
term.
  (2) The original members of the Committee shall be elected to 
three classes of three members each; one class shall have a 
term of one year, one a term of two years, and the other a term 
of three years.
  (d) The Committee shall meet at least twice each year at the 
call of the Chairman or whenever one-third of the members so 
request in writing. A majority of the members of the Committee 
not having a conflict of interest in the matter being 
considered by the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Each 
member shall be given appropriate notice, whenever possible, 
not less than 15 days prior to any meeting, of the call of such 
meeting.
  (e) The Committee shall have an executive committee, and may 
delegate to it or to the Secretary such of the powers and 
functions granted to the Committee by this Act as it deems 
appropriate. The Committee is authorized to appoint from among 
its members such other committees as it deems necessary, and to 
assign to committees so appointed such survey and advisory 
functions as the Committee deems appropriate to assist it in 
exercising its powers and functions under this Act.
  (f) The election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the 
Committee shall take place at each annual meeting occurring in 
an even-numbered year. The Vice Chairman shall perform the 
duties of the Chairman in his absence. In case a vacancy occurs 
in the chairmanship or vice chairmanship, the Committee shall 
elect a member to fill such vacancy.
  (g) The Committee may, with the concurrence of a majority of 
its members, permit the appointment of a staff consisting of 
not more than four professional staff members and such clerical 
staff members as may be necessary. Such staff shall be 
appointed by the Director, after consultation with the Chairman 
of the Committee, and assigned at the direction of the 
Committee. The professional members of such staff may be 
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service 
and the provisions of chapter 51 of title 5 of such Code 
relating to classification, and compensated at a rate not 
exceeding the appropriate rate provided for individuals in 
grade GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 
5 of such Code, as may be necessary to provide for the 
performance of such duties as may be prescribed by the 
Committee in connection with the exercise of its powers and 
functions under this Act.
  (h)(1) The Committee shall render an annual report to the 
Secretary for submission to the Congress not later than 30 days 
after the submittal to Congress of the President's annual 
budget request in each year. Such report shall deal 
essentially, though not necessarily exclusively, with policy 
issues or matters which affect the Institute[, including the 
Program established under section 28,] or with which the 
Committee in its official role as the private sector policy 
advisor of the Institute is concerned. Each such report shall 
identify areas of research and research techniques of the 
Institute of potential importance to the long-term 
competitiveness of United States industry, in which the 
Institute possesses special competence, which could be used to 
assist United States enterprises and United States industrial 
joint research and development ventures. Such report also shall 
comment on the programmatic planning document and updates 
thereto submitted to Congress by the Director under subsections 
(c) and (d) of section 23.
  (2) The Committee shall render to the Secretary and the 
Congress such additional reports on specific policy matters as 
it deems appropriate.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  Sec. 15. In the performance of the functions of the Institute 
the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to undertake the 
following activities: (a) The purchase, repair, and cleaning of 
uniforms for guards; (b) the care, maintenance, protection, 
repair, and alteration of Institute buildings and other plant 
facilities, equipment, and property. (c) the rental of field 
sites and laboratory, office, and warehouse space; (d) the 
purchase of reprints from technical journals or other 
periodicals and the payment of page charges for the publication 
of research papers and reports in such journals; (e) the 
furnishing of food and shelter without repayment therefor to 
employees of the Government at Arctic and Antarctic stations; 
(f) for the conduct of observations on radio propagation 
phenomena in the Arctic or Antarctic regions, the appointment 
of employees at base rates established by the Secretary of 
Commerce which shall not exceed such maximum rates as may be 
specified from time to time in the appropriation concerned, and 
without regard to the civil service and classification laws and 
titles II and III of the Federal Employees Pay Act of 1945; (g) 
the erection on leased property of specialized facilities and 
working and living quarters when the Secretary of Commerce 
determines that this will best serve the interests [of the 
Government; and] of the Government; (h) the provision of 
transportation services for employees of the Institute between 
the facilities of the Institute and nearby public 
transportation, notwithstanding section 1344 of title 31, 
[United States Code.] United States Code; and (i) the 
protection of Institute buildings and other plant facilities, 
equipment, and property, and of employees, associates, 
visitors, or other persons located therein or associated 
therewith, notwithstanding any other provision of law.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

  [Sec. 18. (a) In General.--The Director is authorized to 
expend funds appropriated for activities of the Institute in 
any fiscal year, as the Director may deem desirable, for awards 
of research fellowships and other forms of financial assistance 
to students at institutions of higher learning within the 
United States who show promise as present or future 
contributors to the mission of the Institute, and to United 
States citizens for research and technical activities on 
Institute programs. The selection of persons to receive such 
fellowships and assistance shall be made on the basis of 
ability and of the relevance of the proposed work to the 
mission and programs of the Institute.
  [(b) Manufacturing Fellowship Program.--
          [(1) Establishment.--To promote the development of a 
        robust research community working at the leading edge 
        of manufacturing sciences, the Director shall establish 
        a program to award--
                  [(A) postdoctoral research fellowships at the 
                Institute for research activities related to 
                manufacturing sciences; and
                  [(B) senior research fellowships to 
                established researchers in industry or at 
                institutions of higher education who wish to 
                pursue studies related to the manufacturing 
                sciences at the Institute.
          [(2) Applications.--To be eligible for an award under 
        this subsection, an individual shall submit an 
        application to the Director at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Director 
        may require.
          [(3) Stipend levels.--Under this subsection, the 
        Director shall provide stipends for postdoctoral 
        research fellowships at a level consistent with the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program, and senior 
        research fellowships at levels consistent with support 
        for a faculty member in a sabbatical position.
  [(c) Underrepresented Minorities.--In evaluating applications 
for fellowships under this section, the Director shall give 
consideration to the goal of promoting the participation of 
underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by the 
Institute.
  [Sec. 19. The Institute shall establish and conduct a post-
doctoral fellowship program, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, which shall be organized and carried out in 
substantially the same manner as the National Academy of 
Sciences/National Research Council Post-Doctoral Research 
Associate Program that was in effect prior to 1986, and which 
shall include not less than twenty nor more than 120 new 
fellows per fiscal year. In evaluating applications for 
fellowships under this section, the Director shall give 
consideration to the goal of promoting the participation of 
underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by the 
Institute.
  [Sec. 19A. (a) The Director shall establish within the 
Institute a teacher science and technology enhancement program 
to provide for professional development of mathematics and 
science teachers of elementary, middle, and secondary schools 
(as those terms are defined by the Director), including 
providing for the improvement of those teachers with respect to 
the understanding of science and the impacts of science on 
commerce.
  [(b) In carrying out the program under this section, the 
Director shall focus on the areas of--
          [(1) scientific measurements;
          [(2) tests and standards development;
          [(3) industrial competitiveness and quality;
          [(4) manufacturing;
          [(5) technology transfer; and
          [(6) any other area of expertise of the Institute 
        that the Director determines to be appropriate.
  [(c) The Director shall develop and issue procedures and 
selection criteria for participants in the program. The 
Director shall give special consideration to an application 
from a teacher from a high-need school, as defined in section 
200 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021).
  [(d) The program under this section shall be conducted on an 
annual basis during the summer months, during the period of 
time when a majority of elementary, middle, and secondary 
schools have not commenced a school year.
  [(e) The program shall provide for teachers' participation in 
activities at the laboratory facilities of the Institute, or 
shall utilize other means of accomplishing the goals of the 
program as determined by the Director, which may include the 
Internet, video conferencing and recording, and workshops and 
conferences.]

SEC. 18. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

  (a) In General.--The Director may support, promote, and 
coordinate activities and efforts to enhance public awareness 
and understanding of measurement sciences, standards, and 
technology by the general public, industry, and academia in 
support of the Institute's mission.
  (b) Research Fellowships.--
          (1) In general.--The Director may award research 
        fellowships and other forms of financial and logistical 
        assistance, including direct stipend awards, to--
                  (A) students at institutions of higher 
                education within the United States who show 
                promise as present or future contributors to 
                the mission of the Institute; and
                  (B) United States citizens for research and 
                technical activities of the Institute.
          (2) Selection.--The Director shall select persons to 
        receive such fellowships and assistance on the basis of 
        ability and of the relevance of the proposed work to 
        the mission and programs of the Institute.
          (3) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, 
        financial and logistical assistance includes, 
        notwithstanding section 1345 of title 31, United States 
        Code, or any contrary provision of law, temporary 
        housing and local transportation to and from the 
        Institute facilities.
  (c) Post-doctoral Fellowship Program.--The Director shall 
establish and conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, that shall 
include not fewer than 20 fellows per fiscal year. In 
evaluating applications for fellowships under this subsection, 
the Director shall give consideration to the goal of promoting 
the participation of underrepresented students in research 
areas supported by the Institute.
  Sec. 20. (a) The Institute shall--
          (1) have the mission of developing standards, 
        guidelines, and associated methods and techniques for 
        information systems;
          (2) develop standards and guidelines, including 
        minimum requirements, for information systems used or 
        operated by an agency or by a contractor of an agency 
        or other organization on behalf of an agency, other 
        than national security systems (as defined in section 
        3552(b)(5) of title 44, United States Code);
          (3) develop standards and guidelines, including 
        minimum requirements, for providing adequate 
        information security for all agency operations and 
        assets, but such standards and guidelines shall not 
        apply to national security systems; and
          (4) carry out the responsibilities described in 
        paragraph (3) through the Computer Security Division.
  (b) The standards and guidelines required by subsection (a) 
shall include, at a minimum--
          (1)(A) standards to be used by all agencies to 
        categorize all information and information systems 
        collected or maintained by or on behalf of each agency 
        based on the objectives of providing appropriate levels 
        of information security according to a range of risk 
        levels;
          (B) guidelines recommending the types of information 
        and information systems to be included in each such 
        category; and
          (C) minimum information security requirements for 
        information and information systems in each such 
        category;
          (2) a definition of and guidelines concerning 
        detection and handling of information security 
        incidents; and
          (3) guidelines developed in coordination with the 
        National Security Agency for identifying an information 
        system as a national security system consistent with 
        applicable requirements for national security systems, 
        issued in accordance with law and as directed by the 
        President.
  (c) In developing standards and guidelines required by 
subsections (a) and (b), the Institute shall--
          (1) consult with other agencies and offices 
        (including, but not limited to, the Director of the 
        Office of Management and Budget, the Departments of 
        Defense and Energy, [the National Security Agency,] the 
        General Accounting Office, and the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security) to assure--
                  (A) use of appropriate information security 
                policies, procedures, and techniques, in order 
                to improve information security and avoid 
                unnecessary and costly duplication of effort; 
                and
                  (B) that such standards and guidelines are 
                complementary with standards and guidelines 
                employed for the protection of national 
                security systems and information contained in 
                such systems;
          (2) provide the public with an opportunity to comment 
        on proposed standards and guidelines;
          (3) submit to the Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget for promulgation under section 
        11331 of title 40, United States Code--
                  (A) standards, as required under subsection 
                (b)(1)(A), no later than 12 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this section; and
                  (B) minimum information security requirements 
                for each category, as required under subsection 
                (b)(1)(C), no later than 36 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this section;
          (4) issue guidelines as required under subsection 
        (b)(1)(B), no later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act;
          (5) ensure that such standards and guidelines do not 
        require specific technological solutions or products, 
        including any specific hardware or software security 
        solutions;
          (6) ensure that such standards and guidelines provide 
        for sufficient flexibility to permit alternative 
        solutions to provide equivalent levels of protection 
        for identified information security risks; and
          (7) use flexible, performance-based standards and 
        guidelines that, to the greatest extent possible, 
        permit the use of off-the-shelf commercially developed 
        information security products.
  (d) The Institute shall--
          (1) submit standards developed pursuant to subsection 
        (a), along with recommendations as to the extent to 
        which these should be made compulsory and binding, to 
        the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for 
        promulgation under section 11331 of title 40, United 
        States Code;
          (2) provide assistance to agencies regarding--
                  (A) compliance with the standards and 
                guidelines developed under subsection (a);
                  (B) detecting and handling information 
                security incidents; and
                  (C) information security policies, 
                procedures, and practices;
          (3) conduct research, as needed, to determine the 
        nature and extent of information security 
        vulnerabilities and techniques for providing cost-
        effective information security;
          (4) develop and periodically revise performance 
        indicators and measures for agency information security 
        policies and practices;
          (5) evaluate private sector information security 
        policies and practices and commercially available 
        information technologies to assess potential 
        application by agencies to strengthen information 
        security;
          (6) evaluate security policies and practices 
        developed for national security systems to assess 
        potential application by agencies to strengthen 
        information security;
          (7) periodically assess the effectiveness of 
        standards and guidelines developed under this section 
        and undertake revisions as appropriate;
          (8) solicit and consider the recommendations of the 
        Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, 
        established by section 21, regarding standards and 
        guidelines developed under subsection (a) and submit 
        such recommendations to the Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget with such standards submitted to 
        the Director; and
          (9) prepare an annual public report on activities 
        undertaken in the previous year, and planned for the 
        coming year, to carry out responsibilities under this 
        section.
  (e) Intramural Security Research.--As part of the research 
activities conducted in accordance with subsection (d)(3), the 
Institute shall, to the extent practicable and appropriate--
          (1) conduct a research program to develop a unifying 
        and standardized identity, privilege, and access 
        control management framework for the execution of a 
        wide variety of resource protection policies and that 
        is amenable to implementation within a wide variety of 
        existing and emerging computing environments;
          (2) carry out research associated with improving the 
        security of information systems and networks;
          (3) carry out research associated with improving the 
        testing, measurement, usability, and assurance of 
        information systems and networks;
          (4) carry out research associated with improving 
        security of industrial control systems;
          (5) carry out research associated with improving the 
        security and integrity of the information technology 
        supply chain; and
          (6) carry out any additional research the Institute 
        determines appropriate.
  (f) As used in this section--
          (1) the term ``agency'' has the same meaning as 
        provided in section 3502(1) of title 44, United States 
        Code;
          (2) the term ``information security'' has the same 
        meaning as provided in section 3532(1) of such title;
          (3) the term ``information system'' has the same 
        meaning as provided in section 3502(8) of such title;
          (4) the term ``information technology'' has the same 
        meaning as provided in section 11101 of title 40, 
        United States Code; and
          (5) the term ``national security system'' has the 
        same meaning as provided in section 3532(b)(2) of such 
        title.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                          reports to congress

  Sec. 23. (a) The Director shall keep the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives fully and currently informed with regard to all 
of the activities of the Institute.
  (b) The Director shall justify in writing all changes in 
policies regarding fees for standard reference materials and 
calibration services occurring after June 30, 1987, including a 
description of the anticipated impact of any proposed changes 
on demand for and anticipated revenues from the materials and 
services. Changes in policy and fees shall not be effective 
unless and until the Director has submitted the proposed 
schedule and justification to the Congress and 30 days on which 
both Houses of Congress are in session have elapsed since such 
submission, except that the requirement of this sentence shall 
not apply with respect to adjustments which are based solely on 
changes in the costs of raw materials or of producing and 
delivering standard reference materials or calibration 
services.
  (c) Three-Year Programmatic Planning Document.--Concurrent 
with the submission to Congress of the President's annual 
budget request in the first year after the date of enactment of 
this subsection, the Director shall submit to Congress a 3-year 
programmatic planning document for the Institute, including 
programs under the Scientific and Technical Research and 
Services, Industrial Technology Services, and Construction of 
Research Facilities functions.
  (d) Annual Update on Three-Year Programmatic Planning 
Document.--Concurrent with the submission to the Congress of 
the President's annual budget request in each year after the 
date of enactment of this subsection, the Director shall submit 
to Congress an update to the 3-year programmatic planning 
document submitted under subsection (c), revised to cover the 
first 3 fiscal years after the date of that update. The 3-year 
programmatic planning document shall also describe how the 
Director is addressing recommendations from the Visiting 
Committee on Advanced Technology established under section 10.

               [studies by the national research council

  [Sec. 24. The Director may periodically contract with the 
National Research Council for advice and studies to assist the 
Institute to serve United States industry and science. The 
subjects of such advice and studies may include--
          [(1) the competitive position of the United States in 
        key areas of manufacturing and emerging technologies 
        and research activities which would enhance that 
        competitiveness;
          [(2) potential activities of the Institute, in 
        cooperation with industry and the States, to assist in 
        the transfer and dissemination of new technologies for 
        manufacturing and quality assurance; and
          [(3) identification and assessment of likely barriers 
        to widespread use of advanced manufacturing technology 
        by the United States workforce, including training and 
        other initiatives which could lead to a higher 
        percentage of manufacturing jobs of United States 
        companies being located within the borders of our 
        country.

     [regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology

  [Sec. 25. (a) The Secretary, through the Director and, if 
appropriate, through other officials, shall provide assistance 
for the creation and support of regional centers for the 
transfer of manufacturing technology (hereafter in this Act 
referred to as the ``Centers''). Such centers shall be 
affiliated with any United States-based nonprofit institution 
or organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is 
awarded financial assistance under this section in accordance 
with the description published by the Secretary in the Federal 
Register under subsection (c)(2). Individual awards shall be 
decided on the basis of merit review. The objective of the 
Centers is to enhance productivity and technological 
performance in United States manufacturing through--
          [(1) the transfer of manufacturing technology and 
        techniques developed at the Institute to Centers and, 
        through them, to manufacturing companies throughout the 
        United States;
          [(2) the participation of individuals from industry, 
        universities, State governments, other Federal 
        agencies, and, when appropriate, the Institute in 
        cooperative technology transfer activities;
          [(3) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and 
        processes usable by United States-based small- and 
        medium-sized companies;
          [(4) the active dissemination of scientific, 
        engineering, technical, and management information 
        about manufacturing to industrial firms, including 
        small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies;
          [(5) the utilization, when appropriate, of the 
        expertise and capability that exists in Federal 
        laboratories other than the Institute; and
          [(6) providing to community colleges information 
        about the job skills needed in small- and medium-sized 
        manufacturing businesses in the regions they serve.
  [(b) The activities of the Centers shall include--
          [(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing 
        systems and other advanced production technologies, 
        based on research by the Institute, for the purpose of 
        demonstrations and technology transfer;
          [(2) the active transfer and dissemination of 
        research findings and Center expertise to a wide range 
        of companies and enterprises, particularly small- and 
        medium-sized manufacturers; and
          [(3) loans, on a selective, short-term basis, of 
        items of advanced manufacturing equipment to small 
        manufacturing firms with less than 100 employees.
  [(c)(1) The Secretary may provide financial support to any 
Center created under subsection (a) for a period not to exceed 
six years. The Secretary may not provide to a Center more than 
50 percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance 
funds required to create and maintain such Center.
  [(2) The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register, 
within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, 
a draft description of a program for establishing Centers, 
including--
          [(A) a description of the program;
          [(B) procedures to be followed by applicants;
          [(C) criteria for determining qualified applicants;
          [(D) criteria, including those listed under paragraph 
        (4), for choosing recipients of financial assistance 
        under this section from among the qualified applicants; 
        and
          [(E) maximum support levels expected to be available 
        to Centers under the program in the fourth through 
        sixth years of assistance under this section.
The Secretary shall publish a final description under this 
paragraph after the expiration of a 30-day comment period.
  [(3)(A) Any nonprofit institution, or group thereof, or 
consortia of nonprofit institutions, including entities 
existing on August 23, 1988, may submit to the Secretary an 
application for financial support under this subsection, in 
accordance with the procedures established by the Secretary and 
published in the Federal Register under paragraph (2).
  [(B) In order to receive assistance under this section, an 
applicant for financial assistance under subparagraph (A) shall 
provide adequate assurances that non-Federal assets obtained 
from the applicant and the applicant's partnering organizations 
will be used as a funding source to meet not less than 50 
percent of the costs incurred for the first 3 years and an 
increasing share for each of the last 3 years. For purposes of 
the preceding sentence, the costs incurred means the costs 
incurred in connection with the activities undertaken to 
improve the management, productivity, and technological 
performance of small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
  [(C) In meeting the 50 percent requirement, it is anticipated 
that a Center will enter into agreements with other entities 
such as private industry, universities, and State governments 
to accomplish programmatic objectives and access new and 
existing resources that will further the impact of the Federal 
investment made on behalf of small- and medium-sized 
manufacturing companies. All non-Federal costs, contributed by 
such entities and determined by a Center as programmatically 
reasonable and allocable under MEP program procedures are 
includable as a portion of the Center's contribution.
  [(D) Each applicant under subparagraph (A) shall also submit 
a proposal for the allocation of the legal rights associated 
with any invention which may result from the proposed Center's 
activities.
  [(4) The Secretary shall subject each such application to 
merit review. In making a decision whether to approve such 
application and provide financial support under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall consider at a minimum (A) the 
merits of the application, particularly those portions of the 
application regarding technology transfer, training and 
education, and adaptation of manufacturing technologies to the 
needs of particular industrial sectors, (B) the quality of 
service to be provided, (C) geographical diversity and extent 
of service area, and (D) the percentage of funding and amount 
of in-kind commitment from other sources.
  [(5) Each Center which receives financial assistance under 
this section shall be evaluated during its third year of 
operation by an evaluation panel appointed by the Secretary. 
Each such evaluation panel shall be composed of private 
experts, none of whom shall be connected with the involved 
Center, and Federal officials. An official of the Institute 
shall chair the panel. Each evaluation panel shall measure the 
involved Center's performance against the objectives specified 
in this section. The Secretary shall not provide funding for 
the fourth through the sixth years of such Center's operation 
unless the evaluation is positive. If the evaluation is 
positive, the Secretary may provide continued funding through 
the sixth year at declining levels. A Center that has not 
received a positive evaluation by the evaluation panel shall be 
notified by the panel of the deficiencies in its performance 
and shall be placed on probation for one year, after which time 
the panel shall reevaluate the Center. If the Center has not 
addressed the deficiencies identified by the panel, or shown a 
significant improvement in its performance, the Director shall 
conduct a new competition to select an operator for the Center 
or may close the Center. After the sixth year, a Center may 
receive additional financial support under this section if it 
has received a positive evaluation through an independent 
review, under procedures established by the Institute. Such an 
independent review shall be required at least every two years 
after the sixth year of operation. Funding received for a 
fiscal year under this section after the sixth year of 
operation shall not exceed one third of the capital and annual 
operating and maintenance costs of the Center under the 
program.
  [(6) The provisions of chapter 18 of title 35, United States 
Code, shall (to the extent not inconsistent with this section) 
apply to the promotion of technology from research by Centers 
under this section except for contracts for such specific 
technology extension or transfer services as may be specified 
by statute or by the Director.
          [(7) Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology Authorization Act of 2010, the Comptroller 
        General shall submit to Congress a report on the cost 
        share requirements under the program. The report 
        shall--
                  [(A) discuss various cost share structures, 
                including the cost share structure in place 
                prior to such date of enactment, and the effect 
                of such cost share structures on individual 
                Centers and the overall program; and
                  [(B) include recommendations for how best to 
                structure the cost share requirement to provide 
                for the long-term sustainability of the 
                program.
          [(8) If consistent with the recommendations in the 
        report transmitted to Congress under paragraph (7), the 
        Secretary shall alter the cost structure requirements 
        specified under paragraph (3)(B) and (5) provided that 
        the modification does not increase the cost share 
        structure in place before the date of enactment of the 
        America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, or allow 
        the Secretary to provide a Center more than 50 percent 
        of the costs incurred by that Center.
  [(d) Acceptance of Funds.--
          [(1) In general.--In addition to such sums as may be 
        appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate 
        the Centers program, the Secretary and Director also 
        may accept funds from other Federal departments and 
        agencies and under section 2(c)(7) from the private 
        sector for the purpose of strengthening United States 
        manufacturing.
          [(2) Allocation of funds.--
                  [(A) Funds accepted from other federal 
                departments or agencies.--The Director shall 
                determine whether funds accepted from other 
                Federal departments or agencies shall be 
                counted in the calculation of the Federal share 
                of capital and annual operating and maintenance 
                costs under subsection (c).
                  [(B) Funds accepted from the private 
                sector.--Funds accepted from the private sector 
                under section 2(c)(7), if allocated to a 
                Center, shall not be considered in the 
                calculation of the Federal share under 
                subsection (c) of this section.
  [(e) MEP Advisory Board.--
          [(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
        Advisory Board (in this subsection referred to as the 
        ``MEP Advisory Board'').
          [(2) Membership.--
                  [(A) In general.--The MEP Advisory Board 
                shall consist of 10 members broadly 
                representative of stakeholders, to be appointed 
                by the Director. At least 2 members shall be 
                employed by or on an advisory board for the 
                Centers, and at least 5 other members shall be 
                from United States small businesses in the 
                manufacturing sector. No member shall be an 
                employee of the Federal Government.
                  [(B) Term.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (C) or (D), the term of office of 
                each member of the MEP Advisory Board shall be 
                3 years.
                  [(C) Classes.--The original members of the 
                MEP Advisory Board shall be appointed to 3 
                classes. One class of 3 members shall have an 
                initial term of 1 year, one class of 3 members 
                shall have an initial term of 2 years, and one 
                class of 4 members shall have an initial term 
                of 3 years.
                  [(D) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill 
                a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of 
                the term for which his predecessor was 
                appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 
                of such term.
                  [(E) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person 
                who has completed two consecutive full terms of 
                service on the MEP Advisory Board shall 
                thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
                the one-year period following the expiration of 
                the second such term.
          [(3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not 
        less than 2 times annually, and provide to the 
        Director--
                  [(A) advice on Manufacturing Extension 
                Partnership programs, plans, and policies;
                  [(B) assessments of the soundness of 
                Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and 
                strategies; and
                  [(C) assessments of current performance 
                against Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
                program plans.
          [(4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.--
                  [(A) In general.--In discharging its duties 
                under this subsection, the MEP Advisory Board 
                shall function solely in an advisory capacity, 
                in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
                Committee Act.
                  [(B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal 
                Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the 
                MEP Advisory Board.
          [(5) Report.--The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit 
        an annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to 
        Congress within 30 days after the submission to 
        Congress of the President's annual budget request in 
        each year. Such report shall address the status of the 
        program established pursuant to this section and 
        comment on the relevant sections of the programmatic 
        planning document and updates thereto transmitted to 
        Congress by the Director under subsections (c) and (d) 
        of section 23.
  [(f) Competitive Grant Program.--
          [(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, 
        within the Centers program under this section and 
        section 26 of this Act, a program of competitive awards 
        among participants described in paragraph (2) for the 
        purposes described in paragraph (3).
          [(2) Participants.--Participants receiving awards 
        under this subsection shall be the Centers, or a 
        consortium of such Centers.
          [(3) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this 
        subsection is to add capabilities to the MEP program, 
        including the development of projects to solve new or 
        emerging manufacturing problems as determined by the 
        Director, in consultation with the Director of the 
        Hollings MEP program, the Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership Advisory Board, and small and medium-sized 
        manufacturers. One or more themes for the competition 
        may be identified, which may vary from year to year, 
        depending on the needs of manufacturers and the success 
        of previous competitions. Centers may be reimbursed for 
        costs incurred under the program. These themes--
                  [(A) shall be related to projects designed to 
                increase the viability both of traditional 
                manufacturing sectors and other sectors, such 
                as construction, that increasingly rely on 
                manufacturing through the use of manufactured 
                components and manufacturing techniques, 
                including supply chain integration and quality 
                management;
                  [(B) shall be related to projects related to 
                the transfer of technology based on the 
                technological needs of manufacturers and 
                available technologies from institutions of 
                higher education, laboratories, and other 
                technology producing entities; and
                  [(C) may extend beyond these traditional 
                areas to include projects related to 
                construction industry modernization.
          [(4) Applications.--Applications for awards under 
        this subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at 
        such time, and containing such information as the 
        Director shall require, in consultation with the 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.
          [(5) Selection.--
                  [(A) In general.--Awards under this section 
                shall be peer reviewed and competitively 
                awarded. The Director shall endeavor to select 
                at least one proposal in each of the 9 
                statistical divisions of the United States (as 
                designated by the Bureau of the Census). The 
                Director shall select proposals to receive 
                awards that will--
                          [(i) create jobs or train newly hired 
                        employees;
                          [(ii) promote technology transfer and 
                        commercialization of environmentally 
                        focused materials, products, and 
                        processes;
                          [(iii) increase energy efficiency; 
                        and
                          [(iv) improve the competitiveness of 
                        industries in the region in which the 
                        Center or Centers are located.
                  [(B) Additional selection criteria.--The 
                Director may select proposals to receive awards 
                that will--
                          [(i) encourage greater cooperation 
                        and foster partnerships in the region 
                        with similar Federal, State, and 
                        locally funded programs to encourage 
                        energy efficiency and building 
                        technology; and
                  [(ii) collect data and analyze the increasing 
                connection between manufactured products and 
                manufacturing techniques, the future of 
                construction practices, and the emerging 
                application of products from the green energy 
                industries.
          [(6) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards 
        under this subsection shall not be required to provide 
        a matching contribution.
          [(7) Global marketplace projects.--In making awards 
        under this subsection, the Director, in consultation 
        with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory 
        Board and the Secretary of Commerce, may--
                  [(A) take into consideration whether an 
                application has significant potential for 
                enhancing the competitiveness of small and 
                medium-sized United States manufacturers in the 
                global marketplace; and
                  [(B) give a preference to applications for 
                such projects to the extent the Director deems 
                appropriate, taking into account the broader 
                purposes of this subsection.
          [(7) Duration.--Awards under this section shall last 
        no longer than 3 years.
          [(8) Eligible participants.--In addition to 
        manufacturing firms eligible to participate in the 
        Centers program, awards under this subsection may be 
        used by the Centers to assist small- or medium-sized 
        construction firms. Centers may be reimbursed under the 
        program for working with such eligible participants.
          [(9) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to 
        any amounts otherwise authorized or appropriated to 
        carry out this section, there are authorized to be 
        appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce $7,000,000 
        for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2013 to carry 
        out this subsection.
  [(g) Innovative Services Initiative.--
          [(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, 
        within the Centers program under this section, an 
        innovative services initiative to assist small- and 
        medium-sized manufacturers in--
                  [(A) reducing their energy usage, greenhouse 
                gas emissions, and environmental waste to 
                improve profitability;
                  [(B) accelerating the domestic 
                commercialization of new product technologies, 
                including components for renewable energy and 
                energy efficiency systems; and
                  [(C) identification of and diversification to 
                new markets, including support for 
                transitioning to the production of components 
                for renewable energy and energy efficiency 
                systems.
          [(2) Market demand.--The Director may not undertake 
        any activity to accelerate the domestic 
        commercialization of a new product technology under 
        this subsection unless an analysis of market demand for 
        the new product technology has been conducted.
  [(h) Reports.--
          [(1) In general.--In submitting the 3-year 
        programmatic planning document and annual updates under 
        section 23, the Director shall include an assessment of 
        the Director's governance of the program established 
        under this section.
          [(2) Criteria.--In conducting the assessment, the 
        Director shall use the criteria established pursuant to 
        the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award under 
        section 17(d)(1)(C) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
        Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711a(d)(1)(C)).
  [(i) Designation.--
          [(1) Hollings manufacturing extension partnership.--
        The program under this section shall be known as the 
        ``Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership''.
          [(2) Hollings manufacturing extension centers.--The 
        Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing 
        Technology created and supported under subsection (a) 
        shall be known as the ``Hollings Manufacturing 
        Extension Centers'' (in this Act referred to as the 
        ``Centers'').
  [(j) Community College Defined.--In this section, the term 
``community college'' means an institution of higher education 
(as defined under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest degree that is 
predominately awarded to students is an associate's degree.
  [(k) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.--
The Director shall--
          [(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small 
        manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from 
        effectively competing in the global market;
          [(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the 
        Centers to address such obstacles; and
          [(3) facilitate improved communication between the 
        Centers to assist such manufacturers in implementing 
        appropriate, targeted solutions to such obstacles.]

SEC. 24. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

  (a) In General.--The Institute shall contract with the 
National Research Council to perform and report on assessments 
of the technical quality and impact of the work conducted at 
Institute laboratories.
  (b) Schedule.--Two laboratories shall be assessed under 
subsection (a) each year, and each laboratory shall be assessed 
at least once every 3 years.
  (c) Summary Report.--Beginning in the year after the first 
assessment is conducted under subsection (a), and once every 
two years thereafter, the Institute shall contract with the 
National Research Council to prepare a report that summarizes 
the findings common across the individual assessment reports.
  (d) Additional Assessments.--The Institute, at the discretion 
of the Director, also may contract with the National Research 
Council to conduct additional assessments of Institute programs 
and projects that involve collaboration across the Institute 
laboratories and centers and assessments of selected scientific 
and technical topics.
  (e) Consultation With Visiting Committee on Advanced 
Technology.--The National Research Council may consult with the 
Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology established under 
section 10 in performing the assessments under this section.
  (f) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after the completion of 
each assessment, the Institute shall transmit the report on 
such assessment to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.

  (a) Establishment and Purpose.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Director 
        and, if appropriate, through other officials, shall 
        provide assistance for the creation and support of 
        manufacturing extension centers, to be known as the 
        ``Hollings Manufacturing Extension Centers'', for the 
        transfer of manufacturing technology and best business 
        practices (in this Act referred to as the ``Centers''). 
        The program under this section shall be known as the 
        ``Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership''.
          (2) Affiliations.--Such Centers shall be affiliated 
        with any United States-based public or nonprofit 
        institution or organization, or group thereof, that 
        applies for and is awarded financial assistance under 
        this section.
          (3) Objective.--The objective of the Centers is to 
        enhance competitiveness, productivity, and 
        technological performance in United States 
        manufacturing through--
                  (A) the transfer of manufacturing technology 
                and techniques developed at the Institute to 
                Centers and, through them, to manufacturing 
                companies throughout the United States;
                  (B) the participation of individuals from 
                industry, institutions of higher education, 
                State governments, other Federal agencies, and, 
                when appropriate, the Institute in cooperative 
                technology transfer activities;
                  (C) efforts to make new manufacturing 
                technology and processes usable by United 
                States-based small and medium-sized companies;
                  (D) the active dissemination of scientific, 
                engineering, technical, and management 
                information about manufacturing to industrial 
                firms, including small and medium-sized 
                manufacturing companies;
                  (E) the utilization, when appropriate, of the 
                expertise and capability that exists in Federal 
                laboratories other than the Institute;
                  (F) the provision to community colleges and 
                area career and technical education schools of 
                information about the job skills needed in 
                small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses 
                in the regions they serve; and
                  (G) promoting and expanding certification 
                systems offered through industry, associations, 
                and local colleges, when appropriate.
  (b) Activities.--The activities of the Centers shall 
include--
          (1) the establishment of automated manufacturing 
        systems and other advanced production technologies, 
        based on Institute-supported research, for the purpose 
        of demonstrations and technology transfer;
          (2) the active transfer and dissemination of research 
        findings and Center expertise to a wide range of 
        companies and enterprises, particularly small and 
        medium-sized manufacturers; and
          (3) the facilitation of collaborations and 
        partnerships between small and medium-sized 
        manufacturing companies and community colleges and area 
        career and technical education schools to help such 
        colleges and schools better understand the specific 
        needs of manufacturers and to help manufacturers better 
        understand the skill sets that students learn in the 
        programs offered by such colleges and schools.
  (c) Operations.--
          (1) Financial support.--The Secretary may provide 
        financial support to any Center created under 
        subsection (a). The Secretary may not provide to a 
        Center more than 50 percent of the capital and annual 
        operating and maintenance funds required to create and 
        maintain such Center.
          (2) Regulations.--The Secretary shall implement, 
        review, and update the sections of the Code of Federal 
        Regulations related to this section at least once every 
        3 years.
          (3) Application.--
                  (A) In general.--Any nonprofit institution, 
                or consortium thereof, or State or local 
                government, may submit to the Secretary an 
                application for financial support under this 
                section, in accordance with the procedures 
                established by the Secretary.
                  (B) Cost sharing.--In order to receive 
                assistance under this section, an applicant for 
                financial assistance under subparagraph (A) 
                shall provide adequate assurances that non-
                Federal assets obtained from the applicant and 
                the applicant's partnering organizations will 
                be used as a funding source to meet not less 
                than 50 percent of the costs incurred. For 
                purposes of the preceding sentence, the costs 
                incurred means the costs incurred in connection 
                with the activities undertaken to improve the 
                competitiveness, management, productivity, and 
                technological performance of small and medium-
                sized manufacturing companies.
                  (C) Agreements with other entities.--In 
                meeting the 50 percent requirement, it is 
                anticipated that a Center will enter into 
                agreements with other entities such as private 
                industry, institutions of higher education, and 
                State governments to accomplish programmatic 
                objectives and access new and existing 
                resources that will further the impact of the 
                Federal investment made on behalf of small and 
                medium-sized manufacturing companies.
                  (D) Legal rights.--Each applicant under 
                subparagraph (A) shall also submit a proposal 
                for the allocation of the legal rights 
                associated with any invention which may result 
                from the proposed Center's activities.
          (4) Merit review.--The Secretary shall subject each 
        such application to merit review. In making a decision 
        whether to approve such application and provide 
        financial support under this section, the Secretary 
        shall consider, at a minimum, the following:
                  (A) The merits of the application, 
                particularly those portions of the application 
                regarding technology transfer, training and 
                education, and adaptation of manufacturing 
                technologies to the needs of particular 
                industrial sectors.
                  (B) The quality of service to be provided.
                  (C) Geographical diversity and extent of 
                service area.
                  (D) The percentage of funding and amount of 
                in-kind commitment from other sources.
          (5) Evaluation.--
                  (A) In general.--Each Center that receives 
                financial assistance under this section shall 
                be evaluated during its third year of operation 
                by an evaluation panel appointed by the 
                Secretary.
                  (B) Composition.--Each such evaluation panel 
                shall be composed of private experts, none of 
                whom shall be connected with the involved 
                Center, and Federal officials.
                  (C) Chair.--An official of the Institute 
                shall chair the panel.
                  (D) Performance measurement.--Each evaluation 
                panel shall measure the involved Center's 
                performance against the objectives specified in 
                this section.
                  (E) Positive evaluation.--If the evaluation 
                is positive, the Secretary may provide 
                continued funding through the sixth year.
                  (F) Probation.--The Secretary shall not 
                provide funding unless the Center has received 
                a positive evaluation. A Center that has not 
                received a positive evaluation by the 
                evaluation panel shall be notified by the panel 
                of the deficiencies in its performance and 
                shall be placed on probation for one year, 
                after which time the panel shall reevaluate the 
                Center. If the Center has not addressed the 
                deficiencies identified by the panel, or shown 
                a significant improvement in its performance, 
                the Director shall conduct a new competition to 
                select an operator for the Center or may close 
                the Center.
                  (G) Additional financial support.--After the 
                sixth year, a Center may receive additional 
                financial support under this section if it has 
                received a positive evaluation through an 
                independent review, under procedures 
                established by the Institute.
                  (H) Eight-year review.--A Center shall 
                undergo an independent review in the 8th year 
                of operation. Each evaluation panel shall 
                measure the Center's performance against the 
                objectives specified in this section. A Center 
                that has not received a positive evaluation as 
                a result of an independent review shall be 
                notified by the Program of the deficiencies in 
                its performance and shall be placed on 
                probation for one year, after which time the 
                Program shall reevaluate the Center. If the 
                Center has not addressed the deficiencies 
                identified by the review, or shown a 
                significant improvement in its performance, the 
                Director shall conduct a new competition to 
                select an operator for the Center or may close 
                the Center.
                  (I) Recompetition.--If a recipient of a 
                Center award has received financial assistance 
                for 10 consecutive years, the Director shall 
                conduct a new competition to select an operator 
                for the Center consistent with the plan 
                required in this Act. Incumbent Center 
                operators in good standing shall be eligible to 
                compete for the new award.
                  (J) Reports.--
                          (i) Plan.--Not later than 180 days 
                        after the date of enactment of the 
                        America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
                        2015, the Director shall transmit to 
                        the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                        Technology of the House of 
                        Representatives and the Committee on 
                        Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
                        of the Senate a plan as to how the 
                        Institute will conduct reviews, 
                        assessments, and reapplication 
                        competitions under this paragraph.
                          (ii) Independent assessment.--The 
                        Director shall contract with an 
                        independent organization to perform an 
                        assessment of the implementation of the 
                        reapplication competition process under 
                        this paragraph within 3 years after the 
                        transmittal of the report under clause 
                        (i). The organization conducting the 
                        assessment under this clause may 
                        consult with the MEP Advisory Board.
                          (iii) Comparison of centers.--Not 
                        later than 2 years after the date of 
                        enactment of the America COMPETES 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2015, the 
                        Director shall transmit to the 
                        Committee on Science, Space, and 
                        Technology of the House of 
                        Representatives and the Committee on 
                        Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
                        of the Senate a report providing 
                        information on the first and second 
                        years of operations for centers 
                        operating from new competitions or 
                        recompetition as compared to 
                        longstanding centers. The report shall 
                        provide detail on the engagement in 
                        services provided by Centers and the 
                        characteristics of services provided, 
                        including volume and type of services, 
                        so that the Committees can evaluate 
                        whether the cost-sharing ratio has an 
                        effect on the services provided at 
                        Centers.
          (6) Patent rights.--The provisions of chapter 18 of 
        title 35, United States Code, shall apply, to the 
        extent not inconsistent with this section, to the 
        promotion of technology from research by Centers under 
        this section except for contracts for such specific 
        technology extension or transfer services as may be 
        specified by statute or by the Director.
          (7) Protection of center client confidential 
        information.--Section 552 of title 5, United States 
        Code, shall apply to the following information obtained 
        by the Federal Government on a confidential basis in 
        connection with the activities of any participant 
        involved in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership:
                  (A) Information on the business operation of 
                any participant in a Hollings Manufacturing 
                Extension Partnership program or of a client of 
                a Center.
                  (B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of 
                a Center.
          (8) Advisory boards.--Each Center's advisory boards 
        shall institute a conflict of interest policy, approved 
        by the Director, that ensures the Board represents 
        local small and medium-sized manufacturers in the 
        Center's region. Board Members may not serve as a 
        vendor or provide services to the Center, nor may they 
        serve on more than one Center's oversight board 
        simultaneously.
  (d) Acceptance of Funds.--
          (1) In general.--In addition to such sums as may be 
        appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate 
        the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the 
        Secretary and Director also may accept funds from other 
        Federal departments and agencies and, under section 
        2(c)(7), from the private sector for the purpose of 
        strengthening United States manufacturing.
          (2) Allocation of funds.--
                  (A) Funds accepted from other federal 
                departments or agencies.--The Director shall 
                determine whether funds accepted from other 
                Federal departments or agencies shall be 
                counted in the calculation of the Federal share 
                of capital and annual operating and maintenance 
                costs under subsection (c).
                  (B) Funds accepted from the private sector.--
                Funds accepted from the private sector under 
                section 2(c)(7), if allocated to a Center, may 
                not be considered in the calculation of the 
                Federal share under subsection (c) of this 
                section.
  (e) MEP Advisory Board.--
          (1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
        Advisory Board (in this subsection referred to as the 
        ``MEP Advisory Board'').
          (2) Membership.--
                  (A) In general.--The MEP Advisory Board shall 
                consist of not fewer than 10 members broadly 
                representative of stakeholders, to be appointed 
                by the Director. At least 2 members shall be 
                employed by or on an advisory board for the 
                Centers, at least 1 member shall represent a 
                community college, and at least 5 other members 
                shall be from United States small businesses in 
                the manufacturing sector. No member shall be an 
                employee of the Federal Government.
                  (B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (C) or (D), the term of office of each member 
                of the MEP Advisory Board shall be 3 years.
                  (C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill 
                a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of 
                the term for which his predecessor was 
                appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 
                of such term.
                  (D) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person 
                who has completed two consecutive full terms of 
                service on the MEP Advisory Board shall 
                thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
                the one-year period following the expiration of 
                the second such term.
          (3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not 
        less than 2 times annually and shall provide to the 
        Director--
                  (A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing 
                Extension Partnership programs, plans, and 
                policies;
                  (B) assessments of the soundness of Hollings 
                Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and 
                strategies; and
                  (C) assessments of current performance 
                against Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
                Partnership program plans.
          (4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.--
                  (A) In general.--In discharging its duties 
                under this subsection, the MEP Advisory Board 
                shall function solely in an advisory capacity, 
                in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
                Committee Act.
                  (B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal 
                Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the 
                MEP Advisory Board.
          (5) Report.--The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit an 
        annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to 
        Congress within 30 days after the submission to 
        Congress of the President's annual budget request in 
        each year. Such report shall address the status of the 
        program established pursuant to this section and 
        comment on the relevant sections of the programmatic 
        planning document and updates thereto transmitted to 
        Congress by the Director under subsections (c) and (d) 
        of section 23.
  (f) Competitive Grant Program.--
          (1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, 
        within the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
        Partnership, under this section and section 26, a 
        program of competitive awards among participants 
        described in paragraph (2) for the purposes described 
        in paragraph (3).
          (2) Participants.--Participants receiving awards 
        under this subsection shall be the Centers, or a 
        consortium of such Centers.
          (3) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this 
        subsection is to add capabilities to the Hollings 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership, including the 
        development of projects to solve new or emerging 
        manufacturing problems as determined by the Director, 
        in consultation with the Director of the Hollings 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, the MEP 
        Advisory Board, and small and medium-sized 
        manufacturers. One or more themes for the competition 
        may be identified, which may vary from year to year, 
        depending on the needs of manufacturers and the success 
        of previous competitions. Centers may be reimbursed for 
        costs incurred under the program.
          (4) Applications.--Applications for awards under this 
        subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at such 
        time, and containing such information as the Director 
        shall require, in consultation with the MEP Advisory 
        Board.
          (5) Selection.--Awards under this subsection shall be 
        peer reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director 
        shall endeavor to have broad geographic diversity among 
        selected proposals. The Director shall select proposals 
        to receive awards that will--
                  (A) improve the competitiveness of industries 
                in the region in which the Center or Centers 
                are located;
                  (B) create jobs or train newly hired 
                employees; and
                  (C) promote the transfer and 
                commercialization of research and technology 
                from institutions of higher education, national 
                laboratories, and nonprofit research 
                institutes.
          (6) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards under 
        this subsection shall not be required to provide a 
        matching contribution.
          (7) Global marketplace projects.--In making awards 
        under this subsection, the Director, in consultation 
        with the MEP Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take 
        into consideration whether an application has 
        significant potential for enhancing the competitiveness 
        of small and medium-sized United States manufacturers 
        in the global marketplace.
          (8) Duration.--Awards under this subsection shall 
        last no longer than 3 years.
  (g) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.--
The Director shall--
          (1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small 
        manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from 
        effectively competing in the global market;
          (2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the 
        Centers to address such obstacles; and
          (3) facilitate improved communication between the 
        Centers to assist such manufacturers in implementing 
        appropriate, targeted solutions to such obstacles.
  (h) Definitions.--In this section--
          (1) the term ``area career and technical education 
        school'' has the meaning given such term in section 3 
        of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
        Improvement Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302); and
          (2) the term ``community college'' means an 
        institution of higher education (as defined under 
        section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest degree that is 
        predominately awarded to students is an associate's 
        degree.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 28. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PROGRAM.

  (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Institute 
a program linked to the purpose and functions of the Institute, 
to be known as the ``Technology Innovation Program'' for the 
purpose of assisting United States businesses and institutions 
of higher education or other organizations, such as national 
laboratories and nonprofit research institutions, to support, 
promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through 
high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national 
need.
  (b) External Funding.--
          (1) In general.--The Director shall award 
        competitive, merit-reviewed grants, cooperative 
        agreements, or contracts to--
                  (A) eligible companies that are small-sized 
                businesses or medium-sized businesses; or
                  (B) joint ventures.
          (2) Single company awards.--No award given to a 
        single company shall exceed $3,000,000 over 3 years.
          (3) Joint venture awards.--No award given to a joint 
        venture shall exceed $9,000,000 over 5 years.
          (4) Federal cost share.--The Federal share of a 
        project funded by an award under the program shall not 
        be more than 50 percent of total project costs.
          (5) Prohibitions.--Federal funds awarded under this 
        program may be used only for direct costs and not for 
        indirect costs, profits, or management fees of a 
        contractor. Any business that is not a small-sized or 
        medium-sized business may not receive any funding under 
        this program.
  (c) Award Criteria.--The Director shall only provide 
assistance under this section to an entity--
          (1) whose proposal has scientific and technical merit 
        and may result in intellectual property vesting in a 
        United States entity that can commercialize the 
        technology in a timely manner;
          (2) whose application establishes that the proposed 
        technology has strong potential to address critical 
        national needs through transforming the Nation's 
        capacity to deal with major societal challenges that 
        are not currently being addressed, and generate 
        substantial benefits to the Nation that extend 
        significantly beyond the direct return to the 
        applicant;
          (3) whose application establishes that the research 
        has strong potential for advancing the state-of-the-art 
        and contributing significantly to the United States 
        science and technology knowledge base;
          (4) whose proposal explains why Technology Innovation 
        Program support is necessary, including evidence that 
        the research will not be conducted within a reasonable 
        time period in the absence of financial assistance 
        under this section;
          (5) whose application demonstrates that reasonable 
        efforts have been made to secure funding from 
        alternative funding sources and no other alternative 
        funding sources are reasonably available to support the 
        proposal; and
          (6) whose application explains the novelty of the 
        technology and demonstrates that other entities have 
        not already developed, commercialized, marketed, 
        distributed, or sold similar technologies.
  (d) Competitions.--The Director shall solicit proposals at 
least annually to address areas of critical national need for 
high-risk, high-reward projects.
  (e) Intellectual Property Rights Ownership.--
          (1) In general.--Title to any intellectual property 
        developed by a joint venture from assistance provided 
        under this section may vest in any participant in the 
        joint venture, as agreed by the members of the joint 
        venture, notwithstanding section 202 (a) and (b) of 
        title 35, United States Code. The United States may 
        reserve a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable 
        paid-up license, to have practice for or on behalf of 
        the United States in connection with any such 
        intellectual property, but shall not in the exercise of 
        such license publicly disclose proprietary information 
        related to the license. Title to any such intellectual 
        property shall not be transferred or passed, except to 
        a participant in the joint venture, until the 
        expiration of the first patent obtained in connection 
        with such intellectual property.
          (2) Licensing.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
        construed to prohibit the licensing to any company of 
        intellectual property rights arising from assistance 
        provided under this section.
          (3) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
        term ``intellectual property'' means an invention 
        patentable under title 35, United States Code, or any 
        patent on such an invention, or any work for which 
        copyright protection is available under title 17, 
        United States Code.
  (f) Program Operation.--Not later than 9 months after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Director shall 
promulgate regulations--
          (1) establishing criteria for the selection of 
        recipients of assistance under this section;
          (2) establishing procedures regarding financial 
        reporting and auditing to ensure that awards are used 
        for the purposes specified in this section, are in 
        accordance with sound accounting practices, and are not 
        funding existing or planned research programs that 
        would be conducted within a reasonable time period in 
        the absence of financial assistance under this section; 
        and
          (3) providing for appropriate dissemination of 
        Technology Innovation Program research results.
  [(g) Continuation of ATP Grants.--The Director shall, through 
the Technology Innovation Program, continue to provide support 
originally awarded under the Advanced Technology Program, in 
accordance with the terms of the original award and consistent 
with the goals of the Technology Innovation Program.]
  (h) Coordination With Other State and Federal Technology 
Programs.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall, as 
appropriate, coordinate with other senior State and Federal 
officials to ensure cooperation and coordination in State and 
Federal technology programs and to avoid unnecessary 
duplication of efforts.
  (i) Acceptance of Funds From Other Federal Agencies.--In 
addition to amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the 
Secretary and the Director may accept funds from other Federal 
agencies to support awards under the Technology Innovation 
Program. Any award under this section which is supported with 
funds from other Federal agencies shall be selected and carried 
out according to the provisions of this section. Funds accepted 
from other Federal agencies shall be included as part of the 
Federal cost share of any project funded under this section.
  (j) TIP Advisory Board.--
          (1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Institute a TIP Advisory Board.
          (2) Membership.--
                  (A) In general.--The TIP Advisory Board shall 
                consist of 10 members appointed by the 
                Director, at least 7 of whom shall be from 
                United States industry, chosen to reflect the 
                wide diversity of technical disciplines and 
                industrial sectors represented in Technology 
                Innovation Program projects. No member shall be 
                an employee of the Federal Government.
                  (B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (C) or (D), the term of office of each member 
                of the TIP Advisory Board shall be 3 years.
                  (C) Classes.--The original members of the TIP 
                Advisory Board shall be appointed to 3 classes. 
                One class of 3 members shall have an initial 
                term of 1 year, one class of 3 members shall 
                have an initial term of 2 years, and one class 
                of 4 members shall have an initial term of 3 
                years.
                  (D) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill 
                a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of 
                the term for which his predecessor was 
                appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 
                of such term.
                  (E) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person 
                who has completed 2 consecutive full terms of 
                service on the TIP Advisory Board shall 
                thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
                the 1-year period following the expiration of 
                the second such term.
          (3) Purpose.--The TIP Advisory Board shall meet not 
        less than 2 times annually, and provide the Director--
                  (A) advice on programs, plans, and policies 
                of the Technology Innovation Program;
                  (B) reviews of the Technology Innovation 
                Program's efforts to accelerate the research 
                and development of challenging, high-risk, 
                high-reward technologies in areas of critical 
                national need;
                  (C) reports on the general health of the 
                program and its effectiveness in achieving its 
                legislatively mandated mission; and
                  (D) guidance on investment areas that are 
                appropriate for Technology Innovation Program 
                funding;
          (4) Advisory capacity.--In discharging its duties 
        under this subsection, the TIP Advisory Board shall 
        function solely in an advisory capacity, in accordance 
        with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
  (k) Definitions.--In this section--
          (1) the term ``eligible company'' means a small-sized 
        or medium-sized business that is incorporated in the 
        United States and does a majority of its business in 
        the United States, and that either--
                  (A) is majority owned by citizens of the 
                United States; or
                  (B) is owned by a parent company incorporated 
                in another country and the Director finds 
                that--
                          (i) the company's participation in 
                        the Technology Innovation Program would 
                        be in the economic interest of the 
                        United States, as evidenced by--
                                  (I) investments in the United 
                                States in research and 
                                manufacturing;
                                  (II) significant 
                                contributions to employment in 
                                the United States; and
                                  (III) agreement with respect 
                                to any technology arising from 
                                assistance provided under this 
                                section to promote the 
                                manufacture within the United 
                                States of products resulting 
                                from that technology; and
                          (ii) the company is incorporated in a 
                        country which--
                                  (I) affords to United States-
                                owned companies opportunities, 
                                comparable to those afforded to 
                                any other company, to 
                                participate in any joint 
                                venture similar to those 
                                receiving funding under this 
                                section;
                                  (II) affords to United 
                                States-owned companies local 
                                investment opportunities 
                                comparable to those afforded 
                                any other company; and
                                  (III) affords adequate and 
                                effective protection for 
                                intellectual property rights of 
                                United States-owned companies;
          (2) the term ``high-risk, high-reward research'' 
        means research that--
                  (A) has the potential for yielding 
                transformational results with far-ranging or 
                wide-ranging implications;
                  (B) addresses critical national needs within 
                the National Institute of Standards and 
                Technology's areas of technical competence; and
                  (C) is too novel or spans too diverse a range 
                of disciplines to fare well in the traditional 
                peer-review process;
          (3) the term ``institution of higher education'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 101 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); and
          (4) the term ``joint venture'' means a joint venture 
        that--
                  (A) includes either--
                          (i) at least 2 separately owned for-
                        profit companies that are both 
                        substantially involved in the project 
                        and both of which are contributing to 
                        the cost-sharing required under this 
                        section, with the lead entity of the 
                        joint venture being one of those 
                        companies that is a small-sized or 
                        medium-sized business; or
                          (ii) at least 1 small-sized or 
                        medium-sized business and 1 institution 
                        of higher education or other 
                        organization, such as a national 
                        laboratory or nonprofit research 
                        institute, that are both substantially 
                        involved in the project and both of 
                        which are contributing to the cost-
                        sharing required under this section, 
                        with the lead entity of the joint 
                        venture being either that small-sized 
                        or medium-sized business or that 
                        institution of higher education; and
                  (B) may include additional for-profit 
                companies, institutions of higher education, 
                and other organizations, such as national 
                laboratories and nonprofit research institutes, 
                that may or may not contribute non-Federal 
                funds to the project[; and].
          [(5) the term ``TIP Advisory Board'' means the 
        advisory board established under subsection (j).]

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ORGANIZATION ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE II--ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                           principal officers

  Sec. 202. (a) There shall be in the Department a Deputy 
Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be 
compensated at the rate provided for level II of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code. The 
Deputy Secretary shall act for and exercise the functions of 
the Secretary during the absence or disability of the Secretary 
or in the event the office of Secretary becomes vacant. The 
Secretary shall designate the order in which the Under 
Secretary and other officials shall act for and perform the 
functions of the Secretary during the absence or disability of 
both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary or in the event of 
vacancies in both of those offices.
  (b)(1) There shall be in the Department an [Under Secretary 
for Science] Under Secretary for Science and Energy, who shall 
be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate.
  (2) The Under Secretary shall be compensated at the rate 
provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 
5314 of title 5, United States Code.
  (3) The [Under Secretary for Science] Under Secretary for 
Science and Energy shall be appointed from among persons who--
          (A) have extensive background in scientific or 
        engineering fields; and
          (B) are well qualified to manage the civilian 
        research and development programs of the Department.
  (4) The [Under Secretary for Science] Under Secretary for 
Science and Energy shall--
          (A) serve as the Science and Technology Advisor to 
        the Secretary;
          (B) monitor the research and development programs of 
        the Department in order to advise the Secretary with 
        respect to any undesirable duplication or gaps in the 
        programs;
          (C) advise the Secretary with respect to the well-
        being and management of the multipurpose laboratories 
        under the jurisdiction of the Department;
          (D) advise the Secretary with respect to education 
        and training activities required for effective short- 
        and long-term basic and applied research activities of 
        the Department;
          (E) advise the Secretary with respect to grants and 
        other forms of financial assistance required for 
        effective short- and long-term basic and applied 
        research activities of the Department;
          (F) advise the Secretary with respect to long-term 
        planning, coordination, and development of a strategic 
        framework for Department research and development 
        activities; [and]
          (G) carry out such additional duties assigned to the 
        Under Secretary by the Secretary relating to basic and 
        applied research, including supervision or support of 
        research activities carried out by any of the Assistant 
        Secretaries designated by section 203 of this Act, as 
        the Secretary considers advantageous[.];
          (H) establish appropriate linkages between offices 
        under the jurisdiction of the Under Secretary; and
          (I) perform such functions and duties as the 
        Secretary shall prescribe, consistent with this 
        section.
  (c)(1) There shall be in the Department an Under Secretary 
for Nuclear Security, who shall be appointed by the President, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under 
Secretary shall be compensated at the rate provided for at 
level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 
5, United States Code.
  (2) The Under Secretary for Nuclear Security shall be 
appointed from among persons who--
          (A) have extensive background in national security, 
        organizational management, and appropriate technical 
        fields; and
          (B) are well qualified to manage the nuclear weapons, 
        nonproliferation, and materials disposition programs of 
        the National Nuclear Security Administration in a 
        manner that advances and protects the national security 
        of the United States.
  (3) The Under Secretary for Nuclear Security shall serve as 
the Administrator for Nuclear Security under section 3212 of 
the National Nuclear Security Administration Act. In carrying 
out the functions of the Administrator, the Under Secretary 
shall be subject to the authority, direction, and control of 
the Secretary. Such authority, direction, and control may be 
delegated only to the Deputy Secretary of Energy, without 
redelegation.
  (d)(1) There shall be in the Department an Under Secretary, 
who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate, and who shall perform such functions 
and duties as the Secretary shall prescribe, consistent with 
this section.
  (2) The Under Secretary shall be compensated at the rate 
provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 
5314 of title 5, United States Code.
  (e)(1) There shall be in the Department a General Counsel, 
who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate, and who shall perform such functions 
and duties as the Secretary shall prescribe.
  (2) The General Counsel shall be compensated at the rate 
provided for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
5315 of title 5, United States Code.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                           office of science

  Sec. 209. (a) There shall be within the Department an Office 
of Science to be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed 
by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate, and who shall be compensated at the rate provided for 
level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 
5, United States Code.
  (b) It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Director--
          (1) to advise the Secretary with respect to the 
        physical research program transferred to the Department 
        from the Energy Research and Development 
        Administration;
          (2) to monitor the Department's energy research and 
        development programs in order to advise the Secretary 
        with respect to any undesirable duplication or gaps in 
        such programs;
          (3) to advise the Secretary with respect to the well-
        being and management of the multipurpose laboratories 
        under the jurisdiction of the Department, excluding 
        laboratories that constitute part of the nuclear 
        weapons complex;
          (4) to advise the Secretary with respect to education 
        and training activities required for effective short- 
        and long-term basic and applied research activities of 
        the Department;
          (5) to advise the Secretary with respect to grants 
        and other forms of financial assistance required for 
        effective short- and long-term basic and applied 
        research activities of the Department; and
          (6) to carry out such additional duties assigned to 
        the Office by the Secretary.
  (c) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Science shall be 
the delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and major 
scientific tools to transform the understanding of nature and 
to advance the energy, economic, and national security of the 
United States. In support of this mission, the Director shall 
carry out programs on basic energy sciences, advanced 
scientific computing research, high energy physics, biological 
and environmental research, fusion energy sciences, and nuclear 
physics, including as provided under subtitle A of title V of 
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, through 
activities focused on--
          (1) fundamental scientific discoveries through the 
        study of matter and energy;
          (2) science in the national interest, including--
                  (A) advancing an agenda for American energy 
                security through research on energy production, 
                storage, transmission, efficiency, and use; and
                  (B) advancing our understanding of the 
                Earth's climate through research in atmospheric 
                and environmental sciences; and
          (3) National Scientific User Facilities to deliver 
        the 21st century tools of science, engineering, and 
        technology and provide the Nation's researchers with 
        the most advanced tools of modern science including 
        accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources 
        and neutron sources, and facilities for studying 
        materials science.
  (d) Coordination With Other Department of Energy Programs.--
The Under Secretary for Science and Energy shall ensure the 
coordination of Office of Science activities and programs with 
other activities of the Department.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HIGH-END COMPUTING REVITALIZATION ACT OF 2004

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

  In this Act:
          [(1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means a High-End 
        Software Development Center established under section 
        3(d).
          [(2) High-end computing system.--The term ``high-end 
        computing system'' means a computing system with 
        performance that substantially exceeds that of systems 
        that are commonly available for advanced scientific and 
        engineering applications.
          [(3) Leadership system.--The term ``Leadership 
        System'' means a high-end computing system that is 
        among the most advanced in the world in terms of 
        performance in solving scientific and engineering 
        problems.
          [(4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
          [(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of Energy, acting through the Director of the 
        Office of Science of the Department of Energy.]
          (1) Co-design.--The term ``co-design'' means the 
        joint development of application algorithms, models, 
        and codes with computer technology architectures and 
        operating systems to maximize effective use of high-end 
        computing systems.
          (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
          (3) Exascale.--The term ``exascale'' means computing 
        system performance at or near 10 to the 18th power 
        floating point operations per second.
          (4) High-end computing system.--The term ``high-end 
        computing system'' means a computing system with 
        performance that substantially exceeds that of systems 
        that are commonly available for advanced scientific and 
        engineering applications.
          (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 
        2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
          (6) Leadership system.--The term ``leadership 
        system'' means a high-end computing system that is 
        among the most advanced in the world in terms of 
        performance in solving scientific and engineering 
        problems.
          (7) National laboratory.--The term ``National 
        Laboratory'' means any one of the seventeen 
        laboratories owned by the Department.
          (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of Energy.
          (9) Software technology.--The term ``software 
        technology'' includes optimal algorithms, programming 
        environments, tools, languages, and operating systems 
        for high-end computing systems.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HIGH-END COMPUTING RESEARCH AND 
                    DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall--
          (1) carry out a [program] coordinated program across 
        the Department of research and development (including 
        development of software and hardware) to advance high-
        end computing systems; [and]
          (2) develop and deploy high-end computing systems for 
        advanced scientific and engineering applications[.]; 
        and
          (3) partner with universities, National Laboratories, 
        and industry to ensure the broadest possible 
        application of the technology developed in this program 
        to other challenges in science, engineering, medicine, 
        and industry.
  (b) Program.--The program shall--
          (1) support both individual investigators and 
        multidisciplinary teams of investigators;
          (2) conduct research in multiple architectures, which 
        may include [vector, reconfigurable logic, streaming, 
        processor-in-memory, and multithreading architectures] 
        computer technologies that show promise of substantial 
        reductions in power requirements and substantial gains 
        in parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, 
        memory and storage, bandwidth, and reliability;
          (3) conduct research on software for high-end 
        computing systems, including research on algorithms, 
        programming environments, tools, languages, and 
        operating systems for high-end computing systems, in 
        collaboration with architecture development efforts;
          (4) provide for sustained access by the research 
        community in the United States to high-end computing 
        systems and to Leadership Systems, including provision 
        of technical support for users of such systems;
          (5) support technology transfer to the private sector 
        and others in accordance with applicable law; and
          (6) ensure that the high-end computing activities of 
        the Department of Energy are coordinated with relevant 
        activities in industry and with other Federal agencies, 
        including the National Science Foundation, the Defense 
        Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Nuclear 
        Security Administration, the National Security Agency, 
        the National Institutes of Health, the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National 
        Institutes of Standards and Technology, and the 
        Environmental Protection Agency.
  (c) Leadership Systems Facilities.--
          (1) In general.--As part of the program carried out 
        under this Act, the Secretary shall establish and 
        operate 1 or more Leadership Systems facilities to--
                  (A) conduct advanced scientific and 
                engineering research and development using 
                Leadership Systems; and
                  (B) develop potential advancements in high-
                end computing system hardware and software.
          (2) Administration.--In carrying out this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall provide to Leadership Systems, on a 
        competitive, merit-reviewed basis, access to 
        researchers in United States industry, institutions of 
        higher education, national laboratories, and other 
        Federal agencies.
  [(d) High-End Software Development Center.--
          [(1) In general.--As part of the program carried out 
        under this Act, the Secretary shall establish at least 
        1 High-End Software Development Center.
          [(2) Duties.--A Center shall concentrate efforts to 
        develop, test, maintain, and support optimal 
        algorithms, programming environments, tools, languages, 
        and operating systems for high-end computing systems.
          [(3) Proposals.--In soliciting proposals for the 
        Center, the Secretary shall encourage staffing 
        arrangements that include both permanent staff and a 
        rotating staff of researchers from other institutions 
        and industry to assist in coordination of research 
        efforts and promote technology transfer to the private 
        sector.
          [(4) Use of expertise.--The Secretary shall use the 
        expertise of a Center to assess research and 
        development in high-end computing system architecture.
          [(5) Selection.--The selection of a Center shall be 
        determined by a competitive proposal process 
        administered by the Secretary.]
  (d) Exascale Computing Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        coordinated research program to develop exascale 
        computing systems to advance the missions of the 
        Department.
          (2) Execution.--The Secretary shall, through 
        competitive merit review, establish two or more 
        National Laboratory-industry-university partnerships to 
        conduct integrated research, development, and 
        engineering of multiple exascale architectures, and--
                  (A) conduct mission-related co-design 
                activities in developing such exascale 
                platforms;
                  (B) develop those advancements in hardware 
                and software technology required to fully 
                realize the potential of an exascale production 
                system in addressing Department target 
                applications and solving scientific problems 
                involving predictive modeling and simulation 
                and large-scale data analytics and management; 
                and
                  (C) explore the use of exascale computing 
                technologies to advance a broad range of 
                science and engineering.
          (3) Administration.--In carrying out this program, 
        the Secretary shall--
                  (A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed 
                basis, access for researchers in United States 
                industry, institutions of higher education, 
                National Laboratories, and other Federal 
                agencies to these exascale systems, as 
                appropriate; and
                  (B) conduct outreach programs to increase the 
                readiness for the use of such platforms by 
                domestic industries, including manufacturers.
          (4) Reports.--
                  (A) Integrated strategy and program 
                management plan.--The Secretary shall submit to 
                Congress, not later than 90 days after the date 
                of enactment of the America COMPETES 
                Reauthorization Act of 2015, a report outlining 
                an integrated strategy and program management 
                plan, including target dates for prototypical 
                and production exascale platforms, interim 
                milestones to reaching these targets, 
                functional requirements, roles and 
                responsibilities of National Laboratories and 
                industry, acquisition strategy, and estimated 
                resources required, to achieve this exascale 
                system capability. The report shall include the 
                Secretary's plan for Departmental organization 
                to manage and execute the Exascale Computing 
                Program, including definition of the roles and 
                responsibilities within the Department to 
                ensure an integrated program across the 
                Department. The report shall also include a 
                plan for ensuring balance and prioritizing 
                across ASCR subprograms in a flat or slow-
                growth budget environment.
                  (B) Status reports.--At the time of the 
                budget submission of the Department for each 
                fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit a 
                report to Congress that describes the status of 
                milestones and costs in achieving the 
                objectives of the exascale computing program.
                  (C) Exascale merit report.--At least 18 
                months prior to the initiation of construction 
                or installation of any exascale-class computing 
                facility, the Secretary shall transmit a plan 
                to the Congress detailing--
                          (i) the proposed facility's cost 
                        projections and capabilities to 
                        significantly accelerate the 
                        development of new energy technologies;
                          (ii) technical risks and challenges 
                        that must be overcome to achieve 
                        successful completion and operation of 
                        the facility; and
                          (iii) an independent assessment of 
                        the scientific and technological 
                        advances expected from such a facility 
                        relative to those expected from a 
                        comparable investment in expanded 
                        research and applications at terascale-
                        class and petascale-class computing 
                        facilities, including an evaluation of 
                        where investments should be made in the 
                        system software and algorithms to 
                        enable these advances.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                       ATOMIC ENERGY ACT OF 1954

TITLE I--ATOMIC ENERGY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 4. RESEARCH

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


  Sec. 33. Research for Others.--Where the Commission finds 
private facilities or laboratories are inadequate to the 
purpose, it is authorized to conduct for other persons, through 
its own facilities, such of those activities and studies of the 
types specified in section 31 as it deems appropriate to the 
development of atomic energy. To the extent the Commission 
determines that private facilities or laboratories are 
inadequate to the purpose, and that the Commission's 
facilities, or scientific or technical resources have the 
potential of lending significant assistance to other persons in 
the fields of protection of public health and safety, the 
Commission may also assist other persons in these fields by 
conducting for such persons, through the Commission's own 
facilities, research and development or training activities and 
studies. The Commission is authorized to determine and make 
such charges as in its discretion may be desirable for the 
conduct of the activities and studies referred to in this 
section. For purposes of this section, with respect to 
international research projects, the term ``private facilities 
or laboratories'' shall refer to facilities or laboratories 
located in the United States.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                       ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Energy 
Policy Act of 2005''.
  (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is 
as follows:

     * * * * * * *

                   TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

     * * * * * * *

                      Subtitle A--Energy Efficiency

     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 912. Next Generation Lighting Initiative.]
     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 915. Secondary electric vehicle battery use program.]
     * * * * * * *

       Subtitle B--Distributed Energy and Electric Energy Systems

     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 925. Electric transmission and distribution programs.]
Sec. 925. Electric transmission and distribution research and 
          development.

                      Subtitle C--Renewable Energy

     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 934. Concentrating solar power research program.
[Sec. 935. Renewable energy in public buildings.]

                       Subtitle E--Nuclear Energy

     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 953. Advanced fuel cycle initiative.]
Sec. 953. Fuel cycle research and development.
     * * * * * * *
Sec. 958. Nuclear energy enabling technologies.
     * * * * * * *

           Subtitle I--Research Administration and Operations

     * * * * * * *
[Sec. 993. Strategy and plan for science and energy facilities and 
          infrastructure.]
Sec. 993. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                     Subtitle A--Energy Efficiency

[SEC. 911. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

  [(a) In General.--
          [(1) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct 
        programs of energy efficiency research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application, including 
        activities described in this subtitle. Such programs 
        shall take into consideration the following objectives:
                  [(A) Increasing the energy efficiency of 
                vehicles, buildings, and industrial processes.
                  [(B) Reducing the demand of the United States 
                for energy, especially energy from foreign 
                sources.
                  [(C) Reducing the cost of energy and making 
                the economy more efficient and competitive.
                  [(D) Improving the energy security of the 
                United States.
                  [(E) Reducing the environmental impact of 
                energy-related activities.
          [(2) Programs.--Programs under this subtitle shall 
        include research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application of--
                  [(A) advanced, cost-effective technologies to 
                improve the energy efficiency and environmental 
                performance of vehicles, including--
                          [(i) hybrid and electric propulsion 
                        systems;
                          [(ii) plug-in hybrid systems;
                          [(iii) advanced combustion engines;
                          [(iv) weight and drag reduction 
                        technologies;
                          [(v) whole-vehicle design 
                        optimization; and
                          [(vi) advanced drive trains;
                  [(B) cost-effective technologies, for new 
                construction and retrofit, to improve the 
                energy efficiency and environmental performance 
                of buildings, using a whole-buildings approach, 
                including onsite renewable energy generation;
                  [(C) advanced technologies to improve the 
                energy efficiency, environmental performance, 
                and process efficiency of energy-intensive and 
                waste-intensive industries;
                  [(D) advanced control devices to improve the 
                energy efficiency of electric motors, including 
                those used in industrial processes, heating, 
                ventilation, and cooling; and
                  [(E) technologies to improve the energy 
                efficiency of appliances and mechanical systems 
                for buildings in cold climates, including 
                combined heat and power units and increased use 
                of renewable resources, including fuel.
  [(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out energy 
efficiency and conservation research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application activities, including 
activities authorized under this subtitle--
          [(1) $783,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
          [(2) $865,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
          [(3) $952,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
  [(c) Allocations.--From amounts authorized under subsection 
(b), the following sums are authorized:
          [(1) For activities under section 912, $50,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.
          [(2) For activities under section 915, $7,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.
          [(3) For activities under subsection (a)(2)(A)--
                  [(A) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $270,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $310,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(4) For activities under subsection (a)(2)(D), 
        $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
  [(d) Extended Authorization.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out section 912 
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013.
  [(e) Limitations.--None of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated under this section may be used for--
          [(1) the issuance or implementation of energy 
        efficiency regulations;
          [(2) the weatherization program established under 
        part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and 
        Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.);
          [(3) a State energy conservation plan established 
        under part D of title III of the Energy Policy and 
        Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.); or
          [(4) a Federal energy management measure carried out 
        under part 3 of title V of the National Energy 
        Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8251 et seq.).

[SEC. 912. NEXT GENERATION LIGHTING INITIATIVE.

  [(a) Definitions.--In this section:
          [(1) Advanced solid-state lighting.--The term 
        ``advanced solid-state lighting'' means a 
        semiconducting device package and delivery system that 
        produces white light using externally applied voltage.
          [(2) Industry alliance.--The term ``Industry 
        Alliance'' means an entity selected by the Secretary 
        under subsection (d).
          [(3) Initiative.--The term ``Initiative'' means the 
        Next Generation Lighting Initiative carried out under 
        this section.
          [(4) Research.--The term ``research'' includes 
        research on the technologies, materials, and 
        manufacturing processes required for white light 
        emitting diodes.
          [(5) White light emitting diode.--The term ``white 
        light emitting diode'' means a semiconducting package, 
        using either organic or inorganic materials, that 
        produces white light using externally applied voltage.
  [(b) Initiative.--The Secretary shall carry out a Next 
Generation Lighting Initiative in accordance with this section 
to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities related to advanced solid-state lighting 
technologies based on white light emitting diodes.
  [(c) Objectives.--The objectives of the Initiative shall be 
to develop advanced solid-state organic and inorganic lighting 
technologies based on white light emitting diodes that, 
compared to incandescent and fluorescent lighting technologies, 
are longer lasting, are more energy-efficient and cost-
competitive, and have less environmental impact.
  [(d) Industry Alliance.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
competitively select an Industry Alliance to represent 
participants who are private, for-profit firms, open to large 
and small businesses, that, as a group, are broadly 
representative of United States solid-state lighting research, 
development, infrastructure, and manufacturing expertise as a 
whole.
  [(e) Research.--
          [(1) Grants.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
        research activities of the Initiative through 
        competitively awarded grants to--
                  [(A) researchers, including Industry Alliance 
                participants;
                  [(B) small businesses;
                  [(C) National Laboratories; and
                  [(D) institutions of higher education.
          [(2) Industry alliance.--The Secretary shall annually 
        solicit from the Industry Alliance--
                  [(A) comments to identify solid-state 
                lighting technology needs;
                  [(B) an assessment of the progress of the 
                research activities of the Initiative; and
                  [(C) assistance in annually updating solid-
                state lighting technology roadmaps.
          [(3) Availability to public.--The information and 
        roadmaps under paragraph (2) shall be available to the 
        public.
  [(f) Development, Demonstration, and Commercial 
Application.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        development, demonstration, and commercial application 
        program for the Initiative through competitively 
        selected awards.
          [(2) Preference.--In making the awards, the Secretary 
        may give preference to participants in the Industry 
        Alliance.
  [(g) Cost Sharing.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall require cost sharing in accordance with section 
988.
  [(h) Intellectual Property.--The Secretary may require (in 
accordance with section 202(a)(ii) of title 35, United States 
Code, section 152 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 
2182), and section 9 of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research 
and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5908)) that for any new 
invention developed under subsection (e)--
          [(1) that the Industry Alliance participants who are 
        active participants in research, development, and 
        demonstration activities related to the advanced solid-
        state lighting technologies that are covered by this 
        section shall be granted the first option to negotiate 
        with the invention owner, at least in the field of 
        solid-state lighting, nonexclusive licenses and 
        royalties on terms that are reasonable under the 
        circumstances;
          [(2)(A) that, for 1 year after a United States patent 
        is issued for the invention, the patent holder shall 
        not negotiate any license or royalty with any entity 
        that is not a participant in the Industry Alliance 
        described in paragraph (1); and
          [(B) that, during the year described in subparagraph 
        (A), the patent holder shall negotiate nonexclusive 
        licenses and royalties in good faith with any 
        interested participant in the Industry Alliance 
        described in paragraph (1); and
          [(3) such other terms as the Secretary determines are 
        required to promote accelerated commercialization of 
        inventions made under the Initiative.
  [(i) National Academy Review.--The Secretary shall enter into 
an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct 
periodic reviews of the Initiative.]

SEC. 911. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

  (a) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of 
energy efficiency research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application, including activities described in this 
subtitle. Such programs shall prioritize activities that 
industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of 
technical challenges or regulatory uncertainty, and take into 
consideration the following objectives:
          (1) Increasing energy efficiency.
          (2) Reducing the cost of energy.
          (3) Reducing the environmental impact of energy-
        related activities.
  (b) Programs.--Programs under this subtitle shall include 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application of--
          (1) innovative, affordable technologies to improve 
        the energy efficiency and environmental performance of 
        vehicles, including weight and drag reduction 
        technologies, technologies, modeling, and simulation 
        for increasing vehicle connectivity and automation, and 
        whole-vehicle design optimization;
          (2) cost-effective technologies, for new construction 
        and retrofit, to improve the energy efficiency and 
        environmental performance of buildings, using a whole-
        buildings approach;
          (3) advanced technologies to improve the energy 
        efficiency, environmental performance, and process 
        efficiency of energy-intensive and waste-intensive 
        industries;
          (4) technologies to improve the energy efficiency of 
        appliances and mechanical systems for buildings in 
        extreme climates, including cogeneration, 
        trigeneration, and polygeneration units;
          (5) advanced battery technologies; and
          (6) fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 914. BUILDING STANDARDS.

  (a) Definition of High Performance Building.--In this 
section, the term ``high performance building'' means a 
building that integrates and optimizes all major high-
performance building attributes, including energy efficiency, 
durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.
  (b) Assessment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with the National Institute of Building Sciences to--
          (1) conduct an assessment (in cooperation with 
        industry, standards development organizations, and 
        other entities, as appropriate) of whether the current 
        voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for 
        high performance buildings are consistent with the 
        current technological state of the art, including 
        relevant results from the research, development and 
        demonstration activities of the Department;
          (2) determine if additional research is required, 
        based on the findings of the assessment; and
          (3) recommend steps for the Secretary to accelerate 
        the development of voluntary consensus-based standards 
        for high performance buildings that are based on the 
        findings of the assessment.
  [(c) Grant and Technical Assistance Program.--Consistent with 
subsection (b) and section 12(d) of the National Technology 
Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note), the 
Secretary shall establish a grant and technical assistance 
program to support the development of voluntary consensus-based 
standards for high performance buildings.]

[SEC. 915. SECONDARY ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY USE PROGRAM.

  [(a) Definitions.--In this section:
          [(1) Battery.--The term ``battery'' means an energy 
        storage device that previously has been used to provide 
        motive power in a vehicle powered in whole or in part 
        by electricity.
          [(2) Associated equipment.--The term ``associated 
        equipment'' means equipment located where the batteries 
        will be used that is necessary to enable the use of the 
        energy stored in the batteries.
  [(b) Program.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish and 
        conduct a program of research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application of energy 
        technology for the secondary use of batteries, if the 
        Secretary finds that there are sufficient numbers of 
        batteries to support the program.
          [(2) Administration.--The program shall be--
                  [(A) designed to demonstrate the use of 
                batteries in secondary applications, including 
                utility and commercial power storage and power 
                quality;
                  [(B) structured to evaluate the performance, 
                including useful service life and costs, of 
                such batteries in field operations, and the 
                necessary supporting infrastructure, including 
                reuse and disposal of batteries; and
                  [(C) coordinated with ongoing secondary 
                battery use programs at the National 
                Laboratories and in industry.
  [(c) Solicitation.--
          [(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        solicit proposals to demonstrate the secondary use of 
        batteries and associated equipment and supporting 
        infrastructure in geographic locations throughout the 
        United States.
          [(2) Additional solicitations.--The Secretary may 
        make additional solicitations for proposals if the 
        Secretary determines that the solicitations are 
        necessary to carry out this section.
  [(d) Selection of Proposals.--
          [(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        closing date established by the Secretary for receipt 
        of proposals under subsection (c), the Secretary shall 
        select up to five proposals that may receive financial 
        assistance under this section once the Department 
        receives appropriated funds to carry out this section.
          [(2) Factors.--In selecting proposals, the Secretary 
        shall consider--
                  [(A) the diversity of battery type;
                  [(B) geographic and climatic diversity; and
                  [(C) life-cycle environmental effects of the 
                approaches.
          [(3) Limitation.--No one project selected under this 
        section shall receive more than 25 percent of the funds 
        made available to carry out the program under this 
        section.
          [(4) Non-federal involvement.--In selecting 
        proposals, the Secretary shall consider the extent of 
        involvement of State or local government and other 
        persons in each demonstration project to optimize use 
        of Federal resources.
          [(5) Other criteria.--In selecting proposals, the 
        Secretary may consider such other criteria as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate.
  [(e) Conditions.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall require that--
          [(1) relevant information be provided to--
                  [(A) the Department;
                  [(B) the users of the batteries;
                  [(C) the proposers of a project under this 
                section; and
                  [(D) the battery manufacturers; and
          [(2) the costs of carrying out projects and 
        activities under this section are shared in accordance 
        with section 988.]

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 917. ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS.

  (a) Grants.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of the National Forests, Parks, Public Land, and 
Reclamation Projects Authorization Act of 2008, the Secretary 
shall make grants to nonprofit institutions, State and local 
governments, cooperative extension services, or institutions of 
higher education (or consortia thereof), to establish a 
geographically dispersed network of Advanced Energy Technology 
Transfer Centers, to be located in areas the Secretary 
determines have the greatest need of the services of such 
Centers. In making awards under this section, the Secretary 
shall--
          (1) give priority to applicants already operating or 
        partnered with an outreach program capable of 
        transferring knowledge and information about advanced 
        energy efficiency methods and technologies;
          (2) ensure that, to the extent practicable, the 
        program enables the transfer of knowledge and 
        information--
                  (A) about a variety of technologies; and
                  (B) in a variety of geographic areas; and
          (3) give preference to applicants that would 
        significantly expand on or fill a gap in existing 
        programs in a geographical region[; and].
          [(4) consider the special needs and opportunities for 
        increased energy efficiency for manufactured and site-
        built housing, including construction, renovation, and 
        retrofit.]
  (b) Activities.--Each Center shall operate a program to 
encourage demonstration and commercial application of advanced 
energy methods and technologies through education and outreach 
to building and industrial professionals, and to other 
individuals and organizations with an interest in efficient 
energy use. Funds awarded under this section may be used for 
the following activities:
          [(1) Developing and distributing informational 
        materials on technologies that could use energy more 
        efficiently.]
          [(2)] (1) Carrying out demonstrations of advanced 
        energy methods and technologies.
          [(3)] (2) Developing and conducting seminars, 
        workshops, long-distance learning sessions, and other 
        activities to aid in the dissemination of knowledge and 
        information on technologies that could use energy more 
        efficiently.
          [(4)] (3) Providing or coordinating onsite energy 
        evaluations, including instruction on the commissioning 
        of building heating and cooling systems, for a wide 
        range of energy end-users.
          [(5)] (4) Examining the energy efficiency needs of 
        energy end-users to develop recommended research 
        projects for the Department.
          [(6) Hiring experts in energy efficient technologies 
        to carry out activities described in paragraphs (1) 
        through (5).]
  (c) Application.--A person seeking a grant under this section 
shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. The 
Secretary may award a grant under this section to an entity 
already in existence if the entity is otherwise eligible under 
this section. The application shall include, at a minimum--
          (1) a description of the applicant's outreach 
        program, and the geographic region it would serve, and 
        of why the program would be capable of transferring 
        knowledge and information about advanced energy 
        technologies that increase efficiency of energy use;
          (2) a description of the activities the applicant 
        would carry out, of the technologies that would be 
        transferred, and of any other organizations that will 
        help facilitate a regional approach to carrying out 
        those activities;
          (3) a description of how the proposed activities 
        would be appropriate to the specific energy needs of 
        the geographic region to be served;
          (4) an estimate of the number and types of energy 
        end-users expected to be reached through such 
        activities; and
          (5) a description of how the applicant will assess 
        the success of the program.
  (d) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary shall award grants 
under this section on the basis of the following criteria, at a 
minimum:
          (1) The ability of the applicant to carry out the 
        proposed activities.
          (2) The extent to which the applicant will coordinate 
        the activities of the Center with other entities as 
        appropriate, such as State and local governments, 
        utilities, institutions of higher education, and 
        National Laboratories.
          (3) The appropriateness of the applicant's outreach 
        program for carrying out the program described in this 
        section.
          (4) The likelihood that proposed activities could be 
        expanded or used as a model for other areas.
  (e) Cost-Sharing.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall require cost-sharing in accordance with the 
requirements of section 988 for commercial application 
activities.
  (f) Duration.--
          (1) Initial grant period.--A grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a period of 5 years.
          (2) Initial evaluation.--Each grantee under this 
        section shall be evaluated during its third year of 
        operation under procedures established by the Secretary 
        to determine if the grantee is accomplishing the 
        purposes of this section described in subsection (a). 
        The Secretary shall terminate any grant that does not 
        receive a positive evaluation. If an evaluation is 
        positive, the Secretary may extend the grant for 3 
        additional years beyond the original term of the grant.
          (3) Additional extension.--If a grantee receives an 
        extension under paragraph (2), the grantee shall be 
        evaluated again during the second year of the 
        extension. The Secretary shall terminate any grant that 
        does not receive a positive evaluation. If an 
        evaluation is positive, the Secretary may extend the 
        grant for a final additional period of 3 additional 
        years beyond the original extension.
          (4) Limitation.--No grantee may receive more than 11 
        years of support under this section without reapplying 
        for support and competing against all other applicants 
        seeking a grant at that time.
  [(g) Prohibition.--None of the funds awarded under this 
section may be used for the construction of facilities.]
  (g) Prohibition.--None of the funds awarded under this 
section may be used for the construction of facilities or the 
deployment of commercially available technologies.
  (h) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
          (1) Advanced energy methods and technologies.--The 
        term ``advanced energy methods and technologies'' means 
        all methods and technologies that promote energy 
        efficiency and conservation, including distributed 
        generation technologies, and life-cycle analysis of 
        energy use.
          (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means an Advanced 
        Energy Technology Transfer Center established pursuant 
        to this section.
          (3) Distributed generation.--The term ``distributed 
        generation'' means an electric power generation 
        technology, including photovoltaic, small wind, and 
        micro-combined heat and power, that serves electric 
        consumers at or near the site of production.
          (4) Cooperative extension.--The term ``Cooperative 
        Extension'' means the extension services established at 
        the land-grant colleges and universities under the 
        Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914.
          (5) Land-grant colleges and universities.--The term 
        ``land-grant colleges and universities'' means--
                  (A) 1862 Institutions (as defined in section 
                2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
                Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601));
                  (B) 1890 Institutions (as defined in section 
                2 of that Act); and
                  (C) 1994 Institutions (as defined in section 
                2 of that Act).
  [(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to amounts 
otherwise authorized to be appropriated in section 911, there 
are authorized to be appropriated for the program under this 
section such sums as may be appropriated.]

       Subtitle B--Distributed Energy and Electric Energy Systems

[SEC. 921. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out programs of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application on distributed energy resources and systems 
reliability and efficiency, to improve the reliability and 
efficiency of distributed energy resources and systems, 
integrating advanced energy technologies with grid 
connectivity, including activities described in this subtitle. 
The programs shall address advanced energy technologies and 
systems and advanced grid reliability technologies.
  [(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
          [(1) Distributed energy and electric energy systems 
        activities.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary to carry out distributed energy and 
        electric energy systems activities, including 
        activities authorized under this subtitle--
                  [(A) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $255,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $273,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(2) Power delivery research initiative.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
        out the Power Delivery Research Initiative under 
        subsection 925(e) such sums as may be necessary for 
        each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.
  [(c) Micro-Cogeneration Energy Technology.--From amounts 
authorized under subsection (b), $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 and 2008 shall be available to carry out activities 
under section 923.
  [(d) High-Voltage Transmission Lines.--From amounts 
authorized under subsection (b), $2,000,000 for fiscal year 
2007 shall be available to carry out activities under section 
925(g).]

SEC. 921. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out programs of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application on distributed energy resources and systems 
reliability and efficiency, to improve the reliability and 
efficiency of distributed energy resources and systems, 
integrating advanced energy technologies with grid 
connectivity, including activities described in this subtitle. 
The programs shall address advanced energy technologies and 
systems and advanced grid security, resiliency, and reliability 
technologies.
  (b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall seek to--
          (1) leverage existing programs;
          (2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout 
        the Department to promote collaboration and 
        crosscutting approaches;
          (3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that 
        does not duplicate other activities within the 
        Department or other Federal Government activities; and
          (4) identify programs that may be more effectively 
        left to the States, industry, nongovernmental 
        organizations, institutions of higher education, or 
        other stakeholders.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 925. [ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.]  ELECTRIC 
                    TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH AND 
                    DEVELOPMENT.

  [(a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive 
research, development, and demonstration program to ensure the 
reliability, efficiency, and environmental integrity of 
electrical transmission and distribution systems, which shall 
include--
          [(1) advanced energy delivery technologies, energy 
        storage technologies, materials, and systems, giving 
        priority to new transmission technologies, including 
        composite conductor materials and other technologies 
        that enhance reliability, operational flexibility, or 
        power-carrying capability;
          [(2) advanced grid reliability and efficiency 
        technology development;
          [(3) technologies contributing to significant load 
        reductions;
          [(4) advanced metering, load management, and control 
        technologies;
          [(5) technologies to enhance existing grid 
        components;
          [(6) the development and use of high-temperature 
        superconductors to--
                  [(A) enhance the reliability, operational 
                flexibility, or power-carrying capability of 
                electric transmission or distribution systems; 
                or
                  [(B) increase the efficiency of electric 
                energy generation, transmission, distribution, 
                or storage systems;
          [(7) integration of power systems, including systems 
        to deliver high-quality electric power, electric power 
        reliability, and combined heat and power;
          [(8) supply of electricity to the power grid by small 
        scale, distributed and residential-based power 
        generators;
          [(9) the development and use of advanced grid design, 
        operation, and planning tools;
          [(10) any other infrastructure technologies, as 
        appropriate; and
          [(11) technology transfer and education.]
  (a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a comprehensive 
research, development, and demonstration program to ensure the 
reliability, efficiency, and environmental integrity of 
electrical transmission and distribution systems, which shall 
include innovations for--
          (1) advanced energy delivery technologies, energy 
        storage technologies, materials, and systems;
          (2) advanced grid reliability and efficiency 
        technology development;
          (3) technologies contributing to significant load 
        reductions;
          (4) advanced metering, load management, and control 
        technologies;
          (5) technologies to enhance existing grid components;
          (6) the development and use of high-temperature 
        superconductors to--
                  (A) enhance the reliability, operational 
                flexibility, or power-carrying capability of 
                electric transmission or distribution systems; 
                or
                  (B) increase the efficiency of electric 
                energy generation, transmission, distribution, 
                or storage systems;
          (7) integration of power systems, including systems 
        to deliver high-quality electric power, electric power 
        reliability, and combined heat and power;
          (8) supply of electricity to the power grid by small 
        scale, distributed, and residential-based power 
        generators;
          (9) the development and use of advanced grid design, 
        operation, and planning tools; and
          (10) any other infrastructure technologies, as 
        appropriate.
  (b) Program Plan.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
        consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies, 
        shall prepare and submit to Congress a 5-year program 
        plan to guide activities under this section.
          (2) Consultation.--In preparing the program plan, the 
        Secretary shall consult with--
                  (A) utilities;
                  (B) energy service providers;
                  (C) manufacturers;
                  (D) institutions of higher education;
                  (E) other appropriate State and local 
                agencies;
                  (F) environmental organizations;
                  (G) professional and technical societies; and
                  (H) any other persons the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
  [(c) Implementation.--The Secretary shall consider 
implementing the program under this section using a consortium 
of participants from industry, institutions of higher 
education, and National Laboratories.]
  (c) Implementation.--
          (1) Consortium.--The Secretary shall consider 
        implementing the program under this section using a 
        consortium of participants from industry, institutions 
        of higher education, and National Laboratories.
          (2) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable 
        the Secretary shall seek to--
                  (A) leverage existing programs;
                  (B) consolidate and coordinate activities, 
                throughout the Department to promote 
                collaboration and crosscutting approaches;
                  (C) ensure activities are undertaken in a 
                manner that does not duplicate other activities 
                within the Department or other Federal 
                Government activities; and
                  (D) identify programs that may be more 
                effectively left to the States, industry, 
                nongovernmental organizations, institutions of 
                higher education, or other stakeholders.
  (d) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the submission of 
the plan under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report--
          (1) describing the progress made under this section; 
        and
          (2) identifying any additional resources needed to 
        continue the development and commercial application of 
        transmission and distribution of infrastructure 
        technologies.
  (e) Power Delivery Research Initiative.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        research, development, and demonstration initiative 
        specifically focused on power delivery using components 
        incorporating high temperature superconductivity.
          (2) Goals.--The goals of the Initiative shall be--
                  (A) to establish world-class facilities to 
                develop high temperature superconductivity 
                power applications in partnership with 
                manufacturers and utilities;
                  (B) to provide technical leadership for 
                establishing reliability for high temperature 
                superconductivity power applications, including 
                suitable modeling and analysis;
                  (C) to facilitate the commercial transition 
                toward direct current power transmission, 
                storage, and use for high power systems using 
                high temperature superconductivity; and
                  (D) to facilitate the integration of very low 
                impedance high temperature superconducting 
                wires and cables in existing electric networks 
                to improve system performance, power flow 
                control, and reliability.
          (3) Inclusions.--The Initiative shall include--
                  (A) feasibility analysis, planning, research, 
                and design to construct demonstrations of 
                superconducting links in high power, direct 
                current, and controllable alternating current 
                transmission systems;
                  (B) public-private partnerships to 
                demonstrate deployment of high temperature 
                superconducting cable into testbeds simulating 
                a realistic transmission grid and under varying 
                transmission conditions, including actual grid 
                insertions; and
                  (C) testbeds developed in cooperation with 
                National Laboratories, industries, and 
                institutions of higher education to--
                          (i) demonstrate those technologies;
                          (ii) prepare the technologies for 
                        commercial introduction; and
                          (iii) address cost or performance 
                        roadblocks to successful commercial 
                        use.
  (f) Transmission and Distribution Grid Planning and 
Operations Initiative.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        research, development, and demonstration initiative 
        specifically focused on tools needed to plan, operate, 
        and expand the transmission and distribution grids in 
        the presence of competitive market mechanisms for 
        energy, load demand, customer response, and ancillary 
        services.
          (2) Goals.--The goals of the Initiative shall be--
                  (A)(i) to develop and use a geographically 
                distributed center, consisting of institutions 
                of higher education, and National Laboratories, 
                with expertise and facilities to develop the 
                underlying theory and software for power system 
                application; and
                  (ii) to ensure commercial development in 
                partnership with software vendors and 
                utilities;
                  (B) to provide technical leadership in 
                engineering and economic analysis for the 
                reliability and efficiency of power systems 
                planning and operations in the presence of 
                competitive markets for electricity;
                  (C) to model, simulate, and experiment with 
                new market mechanisms and operating practices 
                to understand and optimize those new methods 
                before actual use; and
                  (D) to provide technical support and 
                technology transfer to electric utilities and 
                other participants in the domestic electric 
                industry and marketplace.
  (g) High-voltage Transmission Lines.--As part of the program 
described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall award a grant 
to a university research program to design and test, in 
consultation with the Tennessee Valley Authority, state-of-the-
art optimization techniques for power flow through existing 
high voltage transmission lines.

                      Subtitle C--Renewable Energy

[SEC. 931. RENEWABLE ENERGY.

  [(a) In General.--
          [(1) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct 
        programs of renewable energy research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application, including 
        activities described in this subtitle. Such programs 
        shall take into consideration the following objectives:
                  [(A) Increasing the conversion efficiency of 
                all forms of renewable energy through improved 
                technologies.
                  [(B) Decreasing the cost of renewable energy 
                generation and delivery.
                  [(C) Promoting the diversity of the energy 
                supply.
                  [(D) Decreasing the dependence of the United 
                States on foreign energy supplies.
                  [(E) Improving United States energy security.
                  [(F) Decreasing the environmental impact of 
                energy-related activities.
                  [(G) Increasing the export of renewable 
                generation equipment from the United States.
          [(2) Programs.--
                  [(A) Solar energy.--The Secretary shall 
                conduct a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                solar energy, including--
                          [(i) photovoltaics;
                          [(ii) solar hot water and solar space 
                        heating;
                          [(iii) concentrating solar power;
                          [(iv) lighting systems that integrate 
                        sunlight and electrical lighting in 
                        complement to each other in common 
                        lighting fixtures for the purpose of 
                        improving energy efficiency;
                          [(v) manufacturability of low cost, 
                        high quality solar systems; and
                          [(vi) development of products that 
                        can be easily integrated into new and 
                        existing buildings.
                  [(B) Wind energy.--The Secretary shall 
                conduct a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                wind energy, including--
                          [(i) low speed wind energy;
                          [(ii) offshore wind energy;
                          [(iii) testing and verification 
                        (including construction and operation 
                        of a research and testing facility 
                        capable of testing wind turbines); and
                          [(iv) distributed wind energy 
                        generation.
                  [(C) Geothermal.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                geothermal energy. The program shall focus on 
                developing improved technologies for reducing 
                the costs of geothermal energy installations, 
                including technologies for--
                          [(i) improving detection of 
                        geothermal resources;
                          [(ii) decreasing drilling costs;
                          [(iii) decreasing maintenance costs 
                        through improved materials;
                          [(iv) increasing the potential for 
                        other revenue sources, such as mineral 
                        production; and
                          [(v) increasing the understanding of 
                        reservoir life cycle and management.
                  [(D) Hydropower.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                cost competitive technologies that enable the 
                development of new and incremental hydropower 
                capacity, adding to the diversity of the energy 
                supply of the United States, including:
                          [(i) Fish-friendly large turbines.
                          [(ii) Advanced technologies to 
                        enhance environmental performance and 
                        yield greater energy efficiencies.
                  [(E) Miscellaneous projects.--The Secretary 
                shall conduct research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application 
                programs for--
                          [(i) ocean energy, including wave 
                        energy;
                          [(ii) the combined use of renewable 
                        energy technologies with one another 
                        and with other energy technologies, 
                        including the combined use of wind 
                        power and coal gasification 
                        technologies;
                          [(iii) renewable energy technologies 
                        for cogeneration of hydrogen and 
                        electricity; and
                          [(iv) kinetic hydro turbines.
  [(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out renewable 
energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities, including activities authorized under 
this subtitle--
          [(1) $632,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
          [(2) $743,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
          [(3) $852,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
          [(4) $963,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
  [(c) Bioenergy.--From the amounts authorized under subsection 
(b), there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
section 932--
          [(1) $213,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which 
        $100,000,000 shall be for section 932(d);
          [(2) $377,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which 
        $125,000,000 shall be for section 932(d);
          [(3) $398,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which 
        $150,000,000 shall be for section 932(d); and
          [(4) $419,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which 
        $150,000,000 shall be for section 932(d).
  [(d) Solar Power.--From amounts authorized under subsection 
(b), there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
activities under subsection (a)(2)(A)--
          [(1) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which 
        $40,000,000 shall be for activities under section 935;
          [(2) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which 
        $50,000,000 shall be for activities under section 935; 
        and
          [(3) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which 
        $50,000,000 shall be for activities under section 935.
  [(e) Administration.--Of the funds authorized under 
subsection (c), not less than $5,000,000 for each fiscal year 
shall be made available for grants to--
          [(1) part B institutions;
          [(2) Tribal Colleges or Universities (as defined in 
        section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1059c(b))); and
          [(3) Hispanic-serving institutions.
  [(f) Rural Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, shall demonstrate the use of renewable energy 
technologies to assist in delivering electricity to rural and 
remote locations including --
          [(1) advanced wind power technology, including 
        combined use with coal gasification;
          [(2) biomass; and
          [(3) geothermal energy systems.
  [(g) Analysis and Evaluation.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct 
        analysis and evaluation in support of the renewable 
        energy programs under this subtitle. These activities 
        shall be used to guide budget and program decisions, 
        and shall include--
                  [(A) economic and technical analysis of 
                renewable energy potential, including resource 
                assessment;
                  [(B) analysis of past program performance, 
                both in terms of technical advances and in 
                market introduction of renewable energy; and
                  [(C) any other analysis or evaluation that 
                the Secretary considers appropriate.
          [(2) Funding.--The Secretary may designate up to 1 
        percent of the funds appropriated for carrying out this 
        subtitle for analysis and evaluation activities under 
        this subsection.

[SEC. 932. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.

  [(a) Definitions.--In this section:
          [(1) Biomass.--The term ``biomass'' means--
                  [(A) any organic material grown for the 
                purpose of being converted to energy;
                  [(B) any organic byproduct of agriculture 
                (including wastes from food production and 
                processing) that can be converted into energy; 
                or
                  [(C) any waste material that can be converted 
                to energy, is segregated from other waste 
                materials, and is derived from--
                          [(i) any of the following forest-
                        related resources: mill residues, 
                        precommercial thinnings, slash, brush, 
                        or otherwise nonmerchantable material; 
                        or
                          [(ii) wood waste materials, including 
                        waste pallets, crates, dunnage, 
                        manufacturing and construction wood 
                        wastes (other than pressure-treated, 
                        chemically-treated, or painted wood 
                        wastes), and landscape or right-of-way 
                        tree trimmings, but not including 
                        municipal solid waste, gas derived from 
                        the biodegradation of municipal solid 
                        waste, or paper that is commonly 
                        recycled.
          [(2) Lignocellulosic feedstock.--The term 
        ``lignocellulosic feedstock'' means any portion of a 
        plant or coproduct from conversion, including crops, 
        trees, forest residues, and agricultural residues not 
        specifically grown for food, including from barley 
        grain, grapeseed, rice bran, rice hulls, rice straw, 
        soybean matter, and sugarcane bagasse.
  [(b) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for bioenergy, including--
          [(1) biopower energy systems;
          [(2) biofuels;
          [(3) bioproducts;
          [(4) integrated biorefineries that may produce 
        biopower, biofuels, and bioproducts;
          [(5) cross-cutting research and development in 
        feedstocks; and
          [(6) economic analysis.
  [(c) Biofuels and Bioproducts.--The goals of the biofuels and 
bioproducts programs shall be to develop, in partnership with 
industry and institutions of higher education--
          [(1) advanced biochemical and thermochemical 
        conversion technologies capable of making fuels from 
        lignocellulosic feedstocks that are price-competitive 
        with gasoline or diesel in either internal combustion 
        engines or fuel cell-powered vehicles;
          [(2) advanced biotechnology processes capable of 
        making biofuels and bioproducts with emphasis on 
        development of biorefinery technologies using enzyme-
        based processing systems;
          [(3) advanced biotechnology processes capable of 
        increasing energy production from lignocellulosic 
        feedstocks, with emphasis on reducing the dependence of 
        industry on fossil fuels in manufacturing facilities; 
        and
          [(4) other advanced processes that will enable the 
        development of cost-effective bioproducts, including 
        biofuels.
  [(d) Integrated Biorefinery Demonstration Projects.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        program to demonstrate the commercial application of 
        integrated biorefineries. The Secretary shall ensure 
        geographical distribution of biorefinery demonstrations 
        under this subsection. The Secretary shall not provide 
        more than $100,000,000 under this subsection for any 
        single biorefinery demonstration. In making awards 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall encourage--
                  [(A) the demonstration of a wide variety of 
                lignocellulosic feedstocks;
                  [(B) the commercial application of biomass 
                technologies for a variety of uses, including--
                          [(i) liquid transportation fuels;
                          [(ii) high-value biobased chemicals;
                          [(iii) substitutes for petroleum-
                        based feedstocks and products; and
                          [(iv) energy in the form of 
                        electricity or useful heat; and
                  [(C) the demonstration of the collection and 
                treatment of a variety of biomass feedstocks.
          [(2) Proposals.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        solicit proposals for demonstration of advanced 
        biorefineries. The Secretary shall select only 
        proposals that--
                  [(A) demonstrate that the project will be 
                able to operate profitably without direct 
                Federal subsidy after initial construction 
                costs are paid; and
                  [(B) enable the biorefinery to be easily 
                replicated.
  [(e) University Biodiesel Program.--The Secretary shall 
establish a demonstration program to determine the feasibility 
of the operation of diesel electric power generators, using 
biodiesel fuels with ratings as high as B100, at electric 
generation facilities owned by institutions of higher 
education. The program shall examine--
          [(1) heat rates of diesel fuels with large quantities 
        of cellulosic content;
          [(2) the reliability of operation of various fuel 
        blends;
          [(3) performance in cold or freezing weather;
          [(4) stability of fuel after extended storage; and
          [(5) other criteria, as determined by the Secretary.
  [(g) Biorefinery Energy Efficiency.--The Secretary shall 
establish a program of research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application for increasing energy efficiency and 
reducing energy consumption in the operation of biorefinery 
facilities.
  [(h) Retrofit Technologies for the Development of Ethanol 
From Cellulosic Materials.--The Secretary shall establish a 
program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application on technologies and processes to enable 
biorefineries that exclusively use corn grain or corn starch as 
a feedstock to produce ethanol to be retrofitted to accept a 
range of biomass, including lignocellulosic feedstocks.]

SEC. 931. RENEWABLE ENERGY.

  (a) In General.--
          (1) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs 
        of renewable energy research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application, including 
        activities described in this subtitle. Such programs 
        shall prioritize discovery research and development and 
        take into consideration the following objectives:
                  (A) Increasing the conversion efficiency of 
                all forms of renewable energy through improved 
                technologies.
                  (B) Decreasing the cost of renewable energy 
                generation and delivery.
                  (C) Promoting the diversity of the energy 
                supply.
                  (D) Decreasing the dependence of the United 
                States on foreign mineral resources.
                  (E) Decreasing the environmental impact of 
                renewable energy-related activities.
                  (F) Increasing the export of renewable 
                generation technologies from the United States.
          (2) Programs.--
                  (A) Solar energy.--The Secretary shall 
                conduct a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                solar energy, including innovations in--
                          (i) photovoltaics;
                          (ii) solar heating;
                          (iii) concentrating solar power;
                          (iv) lighting systems that integrate 
                        sunlight and electrical lighting in 
                        complement to each other; and
                          (v) development of technologies that 
                        can be easily integrated into new and 
                        existing buildings.
                  (B) Wind energy.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                wind energy, including innovations in--
                          (i) low speed wind energy;
                          (ii) testing and verification 
                        technologies;
                          (iii) distributed wind energy 
                        generation; and
                          (iv) transformational technologies 
                        for harnessing wind energy.
                  (C) Geothermal.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                geothermal energy, including technologies for--
                          (i) improving detection of geothermal 
                        resources;
                          (ii) decreasing drilling costs;
                          (iii) decreasing maintenance costs 
                        through improved materials;
                          (iv) increasing the potential for 
                        other revenue sources, such as mineral 
                        production; and
                          (v) increasing the understanding of 
                        reservoir life cycle and management.
                  (D) Hydropower.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                a program of research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application for 
                technologies that enable the development of new 
                and incremental hydropower capacity, including:
                          (i) Advanced technologies to enhance 
                        environmental performance and yield 
                        greater energy efficiencies.
                          (ii) Ocean energy, including wave 
                        energy.
                  (E) Miscellaneous projects.--The Secretary 
                shall conduct research, development, 
                demonstration, and commercial application 
                programs for--
                          (i) the combined use of renewable 
                        energy technologies with one another 
                        and with other energy technologies, 
                        including the combined use of renewable 
                        power and fossil technologies;
                          (ii) renewable energy technologies 
                        for cogeneration of hydrogen and 
                        electricity; and
                          (iii) kinetic hydro turbines.
  (b) Rural Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture, shall give priority to demonstrations that assist 
in delivering electricity to rural and remote locations 
including--
          (1) advanced renewable power technology, including 
        combined use with fossil technologies;
          (2) biomass; and
          (3) geothermal energy systems.
  (c) Analysis and Evaluation.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct analysis 
        and evaluation in support of the renewable energy 
        programs under this subtitle. These activities shall be 
        used to guide budget and program decisions, and shall 
        include--
                  (A) economic and technical analysis of 
                renewable energy potential, including resource 
                assessment;
                  (B) analysis of past program performance, 
                both in terms of technical advances and in 
                market introduction of renewable energy;
                  (C) assessment of domestic and international 
                market drivers, including the impacts of any 
                Federal, State, or local grants, loans, loan 
                guarantees, tax incentives, statutory or 
                regulatory requirements, or other government 
                initiatives; and
                  (D) any other analysis or evaluation that the 
                Secretary considers appropriate.
          (2) Funding.--The Secretary may designate up to 1 
        percent of the funds appropriated for carrying out this 
        subtitle for analysis and evaluation activities under 
        this subsection.
          (3) Submittal to congress.--This analysis and 
        evaluation shall be submitted to the Committee on 
        Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources of the Senate at least 30 days before each 
        annual budget request is submitted to Congress.

SEC. 932. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.

  (a) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for bioenergy, including innovations in--
          (1) biopower energy systems;
          (2) biofuels;
          (3) bioproducts;
          (4) integrated biorefineries that may produce 
        biopower, biofuels, and bioproducts; and
          (5) cross-cutting research and development in 
        feedstocks.
  (b) Biofuels and Bioproducts.--The goals of the biofuels and 
bioproducts programs shall be to develop, in partnership with 
industry and institutions of higher education--
          (1) advanced biochemical and thermochemical 
        conversion technologies capable of making fuels from 
        lignocellulosic feedstocks that are price-competitive 
        with fossil-based fuels and fully compatible with 
        either internal combustion engines or fuel cell-powered 
        vehicles;
          (2) advanced conversion of biomass to biofuels and 
        bioproducts as part of integrated biorefineries based 
        on either biochemical processes, thermochemical 
        processes, or hybrids of these processes; and
          (3) other advanced processes that will enable the 
        development of cost-effective bioproducts, including 
        biofuels.
  (c) Retrofit Technologies for the Development of Ethanol From 
Cellulosic Materials.--The Secretary shall establish a program 
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for technologies and processes to enable 
biorefineries that exclusively use corn grain or corn starch as 
a feedstock to produce ethanol to be retrofitted to accept a 
range of biomass, including lignocellulosic feedstocks.
  (d) Limitations.--None of the funds authorized for carrying 
out this section may be used to fund commercial biofuels 
production for defense purposes.
  (e) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) Biomass.--The term ``biomass'' means--
                  (A) any organic material grown for the 
                purpose of being converted to energy;
                  (B) any organic byproduct of agriculture 
                (including wastes from food production and 
                processing) that can be converted into energy; 
                or
                  (C) any waste material that can be converted 
                to energy, is segregated from other waste 
                materials, and is derived from--
                          (i) any of the following forest-
                        related resources: mill residues, 
                        precommercial thinnings, slash, brush, 
                        or otherwise nonmerchantable material;
                          (ii) wood waste materials, including 
                        waste pallets, crates, dunnage, 
                        manufacturing and construction wood 
                        wastes (other than pressure-treated, 
                        chemically treated, or painted wood 
                        wastes), and landscape or right-of-way 
                        tree trimmings, but not including 
                        municipal solid waste, gas derived from 
                        the biodegradation of municipal solid 
                        waste, or paper that is commonly 
                        recycled; or
                          (iii) solids derived from waste water 
                        treatment processes.
          (2) Lignocellulosic feedstock.--The term 
        ``lignocellulosic feedstock'' means any portion of a 
        plant or coproduct from conversion, including crops, 
        trees, forest residues, grasses, and agricultural 
        residues not specifically grown for food, including 
        from barley grain, grapeseed, rice bran, rice hulls, 
        rice straw, soybean matter, cornstover, and sugarcane 
        bagasse.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


[SEC. 934. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER RESEARCH PROGRAM.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of 
research and development to evaluate the potential for 
concentrating solar power for hydrogen production, including 
cogeneration approaches for both hydrogen and electricity.
  [(b) Administration.--The program shall take advantage of 
existing facilities to the extent practicable and shall 
include--
          [(1) development of optimized technologies that are 
        common to both electricity and hydrogen production;
          [(2) evaluation of thermochemical cycles for hydrogen 
        production at the temperatures attainable with 
        concentrating solar power;
          [(3) evaluation of materials issues for the 
        thermochemical cycles described in paragraph (2);
          [(4) cogeneration of solar thermal electric power and 
        photo-synthetic-based hydrogen production;
          [(5) system architectures and economics studies; and
          [(6) coordination with activities under the Next 
        Generation Nuclear Plant Project established under 
        subtitle C of title VI on high temperature materials, 
        thermochemical cycles, and economic issues.
  [(c) Assessment.--In carrying out the program under this 
section, the Secretary shall--
          [(1) assess conflicting guidance on the economic 
        potential of concentrating solar power for electricity 
        production received from the National Research Council 
        in the report entitled ``Renewable Power Pathways: A 
        Review of the U.S. Department of Energy's Renewable 
        Energy Programs'' and dated 2000 and subsequent reviews 
        of that report funded by the Department; and
          [(2) provide an assessment of the potential impact of 
        technology used to concentrate solar power for 
        electricity before, or concurrent with, submission of 
        the budget for fiscal year 2008.
  [(d) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide to Congress 
a report on the economic and technical potential for 
electricity or hydrogen production, with or without 
cogeneration, with concentrating solar power, including the 
economic and technical feasibility of potential construction of 
a pilot demonstration facility suitable for commercial 
production of electricity or hydrogen from concentrating solar 
power.

[SEC. 935. RENEWABLE ENERGY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

  [(a) Demonstration and Technology Transfer Program.--The 
Secretary shall establish a program for the demonstration of 
innovative technologies for solar and other renewable energy 
sources in buildings owned or operated by a State or local 
government, and for the dissemination of information resulting 
from such demonstration to interested parties.
  [(b) Limit on Federal Funding.--Notwithstanding section 988, 
the Secretary shall provide under this section no more than 40 
percent of the incremental costs of the solar or other 
renewable energy source project funded.
  [(c) Requirements.--As part of the application for awards 
under this section, the Secretary shall require all 
applicants---
          [(1) to demonstrate a continuing commitment to the 
        use of solar and other renewable energy sources in 
        buildings they own or operate; and
          [(2) to state how they expect any award to further 
        their transition to the significant use of renewable 
        energy.]

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                       Subtitle E--Nuclear Energy

SEC. 951. NUCLEAR ENERGY.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of 
civilian nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application, including activities described in 
this subtitle. Programs under this subtitle shall take into 
consideration the following objectives:
          [(1) Enhancing nuclear power's viability as part of 
        the United States energy portfolio.
          [(2) Providing the technical means to reduce the 
        likelihood of nuclear proliferation.
          [(3) Maintaining a cadre of nuclear scientists and 
        engineers.
          [(4) Maintaining National Laboratory and university 
        nuclear programs, including their infrastructure.
          [(5) Supporting both individual researchers and 
        multidisciplinary teams of researchers to pioneer new 
        approaches in nuclear energy, science, and technology.
          [(6) Developing, planning, constructing, acquiring, 
        and operating special equipment and facilities for the 
        use of researchers.
          [(7) Supporting technology transfer and other 
        appropriate activities to assist the nuclear energy 
        industry, and other users of nuclear science and 
        engineering, including activities addressing 
        reliability, availability, productivity, component 
        aging, safety, and security of nuclear power plants.
          [(8) Reducing the environmental impact of nuclear 
        energy-related activities.
  [(b) Authorization of Appropriations for Core Programs.--
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
carry out nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application activities, including activities 
authorized under this subtitle, other than those described in 
subsection (c)--
          [(1) $330,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
          [(2) $355,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
          [(3) $495,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
  [(c) Nuclear Infrastructure and Facilities.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 
activities under section 955--
          [(1) $135,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
          [(2) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
          [(3) $145,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
  [(d) Allocations.--From amounts authorized under subsection 
(a), the following sums are authorized:
          [(1) For activities under section 953--
                  [(A) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $155,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(2) For activities under section 954--
                  [(A) $43,600,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $50,100,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(3) For activities under section 957, $6,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.]
  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of 
civilian nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, 
and commercial application, including activities described in 
this subtitle. Such programs shall take into consideration the 
following objectives:
          (1) Enhancing nuclear power's viability as part of 
        the United States energy portfolio.
          (2) Reducing used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste 
        products generated by civilian nuclear energy.
          (3) Supporting technological advances in areas that 
        industry by itself is not likely to undertake because 
        of technical and financial uncertainty.
          (4) Providing the technical means to reduce the 
        likelihood of nuclear proliferation.
          (5) Maintaining a cadre of nuclear scientists and 
        engineers.
          (6) Maintaining National Laboratory and university 
        nuclear programs, including their infrastructure.
          (7) Supporting both individual researchers and 
        multidisciplinary teams of researchers to pioneer new 
        approaches in nuclear energy, science, and technology.
          (8) Developing, planning, constructing, acquiring, 
        and operating special equipment and facilities for the 
        use of researchers.
          (9) Supporting technology transfer and other 
        appropriate activities to assist the nuclear energy 
        industry, and other users of nuclear science and 
        engineering, including activities addressing 
        reliability, availability, productivity, component 
        aging, safety, and security of nuclear power plants.
          (10) Reducing the environmental impact of nuclear 
        energy-related activities.
          (11) Researching and developing technologies and 
        processes to meet Federal and State requirements and 
        standards for nuclear power systems.
  [(e)] (b) Limitation.--None of the funds authorized under 
this section may be used to decommission the Fast Flux Test 
Facility.
  (c) Program Objectives Study.--In furtherance of the program 
objectives listed in subsection (a) of this section, the 
Government Accountability Office shall, within one year after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, transmit to the 
Congress a report on the results of a study on the scientific 
and technical merit of major Federal and State requirements and 
standards, including moratoria, that delay or impede the 
further development and commercialization of nuclear power, and 
how the Department can assist in overcoming such delays or 
impediments.

SEC. 952. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

  (a) Nuclear Energy Research Initiative.--The Secretary shall 
carry out a Nuclear Energy Research Initiative for research and 
development related to nuclear energy.
  (b) Nuclear Energy Systems Support Program.--The Secretary 
shall carry out a Nuclear Energy Systems Support Program to 
support research and development activities addressing 
reliability, availability, productivity, component aging, 
safety, and security of existing nuclear power plants.
  [(c) Nuclear Power 2010 Program.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        Nuclear Power 2010 Program, consistent with 
        recommendations of the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory 
        Committee of the Department in the report entitled ``A 
        Roadmap to Deploy New Nuclear Power Plants in the 
        United States by 2010'' and dated October 2001.
          [(2) Administration.--The Program shall include--
                  [(A) use of the expertise and capabilities of 
                industry, institutions of higher education, and 
                National Laboratories in evaluation of advanced 
                nuclear fuel cycles and fuels testing;
                  [(B) consideration of a variety of reactor 
                designs suitable for both developed and 
                developing nations;
                  [(C) participation of international 
                collaborators in research, development, and 
                design efforts, as appropriate; and
                  [(D) encouragement for participation by 
                institutions of higher education and industry.
  [(d) Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative.--
          [(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative to 
        develop an overall technology plan for and to support 
        research and development necessary to make an informed 
        technical decision about the most promising candidates 
        for eventual commercial application.
          [(2) Administration.--In conducting the Initiative, 
        the Secretary shall examine advanced proliferation-
        resistant and passively safe reactor designs, including 
        designs that--
                  [(A) are economically competitive with other 
                electric power generation plants;
                  [(B) have higher efficiency, lower cost, and 
                improved safety compared to reactors in 
                operation on the date of enactment of this Act;
                  [(C) use fuels that are proliferation 
                resistant and have substantially reduced 
                production of high-level waste per unit of 
                output; and
                  [(D) use improved instrumentation.
  [(e) Reactor Production of Hydrogen.--The Secretary shall 
carry out research to examine designs for high-temperature 
reactors capable of producing large-scale quantities of 
hydrogen.]
  (c) Reactor Concepts.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        program of research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application to advance nuclear power systems 
        as well as technologies to sustain currently deployed 
        systems.
          (2) Designs and technologies.--In conducting the 
        program under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        examine advanced reactor designs and nuclear 
        technologies, including those that--
                  (A) have higher efficiency, lower cost, and 
                improved safety compared to reactors in 
                operation as of the date of enactment of the 
                America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015;
                  (B) utilize passive safety features;
                  (C) minimize proliferation risks;
                  (D) substantially reduce production of high-
                level waste per unit of output;
                  (E) increase the life and sustainability of 
                reactor systems currently deployed;
                  (F) use improved instrumentation;
                  (G) are capable of producing large-scale 
                quantities of hydrogen or process heat;
                  (H) minimize water usage or use alternatives 
                to water as a cooling mechanism; or
                  (I) use nuclear energy as part of an 
                integrated energy system.
          (3) International cooperation.--In carrying out the 
        program under this subsection, the Secretary shall seek 
        opportunities to enhance the progress of the program 
        through international cooperation through such 
        organizations as the Generation IV International Forum 
        or any other international collaboration the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
          (4) Exceptions.--No funds authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out the activities described in 
        this subsection shall be used to fund the activities 
        authorized under sections 641 through 645.
  (d) Small Modular Reactor Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        small modular reactor program to promote research, 
        development, demonstration, and commercial application 
        of small modular reactors, including through cost-
        shared projects for commercial application of reactor 
        systems designs.
          (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with 
        and utilize the expertise of the Secretary of the Navy 
        in establishing and carrying out such program.
          (3) Additional activities.--Activities may also 
        include development of advanced computer modeling and 
        simulation tools, by Federal and non-Federal entities, 
        which demonstrate and validate new design capabilities 
        of innovative small modular reactor designs.
          (4) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, 
        the term ``small modular reactor'' means a nuclear 
        reactor meeting generally accepted industry standards--
                  (A) with a rated capacity of less than 300 
                electrical megawatts;
                  (B) with respect to which most parts can be 
                factory assembled and shipped as modules to a 
                reactor plant site for assembly; and
                  (C) that can be constructed and operated in 
                combination with similar reactors at a single 
                site.

SEC. 953. [ADVANCED FUEL CYCLE INITIATIVE]  FUEL CYCLE RESEARCH AND 
                    DEVELOPMENT.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director 
of the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, shall 
conduct an advanced fuel recycling technology research, 
development, and demonstration program (referred to in this 
section as the ``program'') to evaluate proliferation-resistant 
fuel recycling and transmutation technologies that minimize 
environmental and public health and safety impacts as an 
alternative to aqueous reprocessing technologies deployed as of 
the date of enactment of this Act in support of evaluation of 
alternative national strategies for spent nuclear fuel and the 
Generation IV advanced reactor concepts.]
  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a fuel cycle 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application program (referred to in this section as the 
``program'') on fuel cycle options that improve uranium 
resource utilization, maximize energy generation, minimize 
nuclear waste creation, improve safety, mitigate risk of 
proliferation, and improve waste management in support of a 
national strategy for spent nuclear fuel and the reactor 
concepts research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application program under section 952(c).
  (b) Fuel Cycle Options.--Under this section the Secretary may 
consider implementing the following initiatives:
          (1) Open cycle.--Developing fuels, including the use 
        of nonuranium materials and alternate claddings, for 
        use in reactors that increase energy generation, 
        improve safety performance and margins, and minimize 
        the amount of nuclear waste produced in an open fuel 
        cycle.
          (2) Recycle.--Developing advanced recycling 
        technologies, including advanced reactor concepts to 
        improve resource utilization, reduce proliferation 
        risks, and minimize radiotoxicity, decay heat, and mass 
        and volume of nuclear waste to the greatest extent 
        possible.
          (3) Advanced storage methods.--Developing advanced 
        storage technologies for both onsite and long-term 
        storage that substantially prolong the effective life 
        of current storage devices or that substantially 
        improve upon existing nuclear waste storage 
        technologies and methods, including repositories.
          (4) Fast test reactor.--Investigating the potential 
        research benefits of a fast test reactor user facility 
        to conduct experiments on fuels and materials related 
        to fuel forms and fuel cycles that will increase fuel 
        utilization, reduce proliferation risks, and reduce 
        nuclear waste products.
          (5) Advanced reactor innovation.--Developing an 
        advanced reactor innovation testbed where national 
        laboratories, universities, and industry can address 
        advanced reactor design challenges to enable 
        construction and operation of privately funded reactor 
        prototypes to resolve technical uncertainty for United 
        States-based designs for future domestic and 
        international markets.
          (6) Other technologies.--Developing any other 
        technology or initiative that the Secretary determines 
        is likely to advance the objectives of the program.
  (c) Additional Advanced Recycling and Crosscutting 
Activities.--In addition to and in support of the specific 
initiatives described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of 
subsection (b), the Secretary may support the following 
activities:
          (1) Development and testing of integrated process 
        flow sheets for advanced nuclear fuel recycling 
        processes.
          (2) Research to characterize the byproducts and waste 
        streams resulting from fuel recycling processes.
          (3) Research and development on reactor concepts or 
        transmutation technologies that improve resource 
        utilization or reduce the radiotoxicity of waste 
        streams.
          (4) Research and development on waste treatment 
        processes and separations technologies, advanced waste 
        forms, and quantification of proliferation risks.
          (5) Identification and evaluation of test and 
        experimental facilities necessary to successfully 
        implement the advanced fuel cycle initiative.
          (6) Advancement of fuel cycle-related modeling and 
        simulation capabilities.
          (7) Research to understand the behavior of high-
        burnup fuels.
  [(b)] (d) Annual Review.--The program shall be subject to 
annual review by the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee 
of the Department or other independent entity, as appropriate.
  [(c)] (e) International Cooperation.--In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary is encouraged to seek opportunities to 
enhance the progress of the program through international 
cooperation.
  [(d)] (f) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit, as part of 
the annual budget submission of the Department, a report on the 
activities of the program.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 958. NUCLEAR ENERGY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a program to 
support the integration of activities undertaken through the 
reactor concepts research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application program under section 952(c) and the 
fuel cycle research and development program under section 953, 
and support crosscutting nuclear energy concepts. Activities 
commenced under this section shall be concentrated on broadly 
applicable research and development focus areas.
  (b) Activities.--Activities conducted under this section may 
include research involving--
          (1) advanced reactor materials;
          (2) advanced radiation mitigation methods;
          (3) advanced proliferation and security risk 
        assessment methods;
          (4) advanced sensors and instrumentation;
          (5) high performance computation modeling, including 
        multiphysics, multidimensional modeling simulation for 
        nuclear energy systems, and continued development of 
        advanced modeling simulation capabilities through 
        national laboratory, industry, and university 
        partnerships for operations and safety performance 
        improvements of light water reactors for currently 
        deployed and near-term reactors and advanced reactors 
        and for the development of small modular reactors; and
          (6) any crosscutting technology or transformative 
        concept aimed at establishing substantial and 
        revolutionary enhancements in the performance of future 
        nuclear energy systems that the Secretary considers 
        relevant and appropriate to the purpose of this 
        section.
  (c) Report.--The Secretary shall submit, as part of the 
annual budget submission of the Department, a report on the 
activities of the program conducted under this section, which 
shall include a brief evaluation of each activity's progress.

                       Subtitle F--Fossil Energy

[SEC. 961. FOSSIL ENERGY.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs 
in fossil energy, including activities under this subtitle, 
with the goal of improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and 
environmental performance of fossil energy production, 
upgrading, conversion, and consumption. Such programs take into 
consideration the following objectives:
          [(1) Increasing the energy conversion efficiency of 
        all forms of fossil energy through improved 
        technologies.
          [(2) Decreasing the cost of all fossil energy 
        production, generation, and delivery.
          [(3) Promoting diversity of energy supply.
          [(4) Decreasing the dependence of the United States 
        on foreign energy supplies.
          [(5) Improving United States energy security.
          [(6) Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-
        related activities.
          [(7) Increasing the export of fossil energy-related 
        equipment, technology, and services from the United 
        States.
  [(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out fossil energy 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities, including activities authorized under 
this subtitle--
          [(1) $611,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
          [(2) $626,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
          [(3) $641,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
  [(c) Allocations.--From amounts authorized under subsection 
(a), the following sums are authorized:
          [(1) For activities under section 962--
                  [(A) $367,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $376,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $394,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(2) For activities under section 964--
                  [(A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                  [(B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
                  [(C) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
          [(3) For activities under section 966--
                  [(A) $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
                  [(B) $450,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
                and 2009.
          [(4) For the Office of Arctic Energy under section 
        3197 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (42 U.S.C. 
        7144d) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 
        through 2009.
  [(d) Extended Authorization.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Arctic Energy 
established under section 3197 of the Floyd D. Spence National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (42 U.S.C. 
7144d) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2012.
  [(e) Limitations.--
          [(1) Uses.--None of the funds authorized under this 
        section may be used for Fossil Energy Environmental 
        Restoration or Import/Export Authorization.
          [(2) Institutions of higher education.--Of the funds 
        authorized under subsection (c)(2), not less than 20 
        percent of the funds appropriated for each fiscal year 
        shall be dedicated to research and development carried 
        out at institutions of higher education.]

SEC. 961. FOSSIL ENERGY.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application programs 
in fossil energy, including activities under this subtitle, 
with the goal of improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and 
environmental performance of fossil energy production, 
upgrading, conversion, and consumption. Such programs shall 
take into consideration the following objectives:
          (1) Increasing the energy conversion efficiency of 
        all forms of fossil energy through improved 
        technologies.
          (2) Decreasing the cost of all fossil energy 
        production, generation, and delivery.
          (3) Promoting diversity of energy supply.
          (4) Decreasing the dependence of the United States on 
        foreign energy supplies.
          (5) Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-
        related activities.
          (6) Increasing the export of fossil energy-related 
        equipment, technology, and services from the United 
        States.
  (b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall seek to--
          (1) leverage existing programs;
          (2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout 
        the Department to promote collaboration and 
        crosscutting approaches;
          (3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that 
        does not duplicate other activities within the 
        Department or other Federal Government activities; and
          (4) identify programs that may be more effectively 
        left to the States, industry, nongovernmental 
        organizations, institutions of higher education, or 
        other stakeholders.
  (c) Limitations.--
          (1) Uses.--None of the funds authorized for carrying 
        out this section may be used for Fossil Energy 
        Environmental Restoration.
          (2) Institutions of higher education.--Not less than 
        20 percent of the funds appropriated for carrying out 
        section 964 of this Act for each fiscal year shall be 
        dedicated to research and development carried out at 
        institutions of higher education.
          (3) Use for regulatory assessments or 
        determinations.--The results of any research, 
        development, demonstration, or commercial application 
        projects or activities of the Department authorized 
        under this subtitle may not be used for regulatory 
        assessments or determinations by Federal regulatory 
        authorities.
  (d) Assessments.--
          (1) Constraints against bringing resources to 
        market.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act 
        of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress an 
        assessment of the technical, institutional, policy, and 
        regulatory constraints to bringing new domestic fossil 
        resources to market.
          (2) Technology capabilities.--Not later than 2 years 
        after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES 
        Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall 
        transmit to Congress a long-term assessment of existing 
        and projected technological capabilities for expanded 
        production from domestic unconventional oil, gas, and 
        methane reserves.

SEC. 962. COAL AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--In addition to the programs authorized under 
title IV, the Secretary shall conduct a program of technology 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application for coal and power systems, including programs to 
facilitate production and generation of coal-based power 
through--
          (1) innovations for existing plants (including 
        mercury removal);
          (2) gasification systems;
          (3) advanced combustion systems;
          (4) turbines for synthesis gas derived from coal;
          (5) carbon capture and sequestration research and 
        development;
          (6) coal-derived chemicals and transportation fuels;
          (7) liquid fuels derived from low rank coal water 
        slurry;
          (8) solid fuels and feedstocks;
          (9) advanced coal-related research;
          (10) advanced separation technologies; [and]
          (11) fuel cells for the operation of synthesis gas 
        derived from coal[.];
          (12) specific additional programs to address water 
        use and reuse;
          (13) the testing, including the construction of 
        testing facilities, of high temperature materials for 
        use in advanced systems for combustion or use of coal; 
        and
          (14) innovations to application of existing coal 
        conversion systems designed to increase efficiency of 
        conversion, flexibility of operation, and other 
        modifications to address existing usage requirements.
  (b) Transformational Coal Technology Program.--
          (1) In general.--As part of the program established 
        under subsection (a), the Secretary may carry out a 
        program designed to undertake research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application of 
        technologies, including the accelerated development 
        of--
                  (A) chemical looping technology;
                  (B) supercritical carbon dioxide power 
                generation cycles;
                  (C) pressurized oxycombustion, including new 
                and retrofit technologies; and
                  (D) other technologies that are characterized 
                by the use of--
                          (i) alternative energy cycles;
                          (ii) thermionic devices using waste 
                        heat;
                          (iii) fuel cells;
                          (iv) replacement of chemical 
                        processes with biotechnology;
                          (v) nanotechnology;
                          (vi) new materials in applications 
                        (other than extending cycles to higher 
                        temperature and pressure), such as 
                        membranes or ceramics;
                          (vii) carbon utilization, such as in 
                        construction materials, using low 
                        quality energy to reconvert back to a 
                        fuel, or manufactured food;
                          (viii) advanced gas separation 
                        concepts; and
                          (ix) other technologies, including--
                                  (I) modular, manufactured 
                                components; and
                                  (II) innovative production or 
                                research techniques, such as 
                                using 3-D printer systems, for 
                                the production of early 
                                research and development 
                                prototypes.
          (2) Cost share.--In carrying out the program 
        described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall enter 
        into partnerships with private entities to share the 
        costs of carrying out the program. The Secretary may 
        reduce the non-Federal cost share requirement if the 
        Secretary determines that the reduction is necessary 
        and appropriate considering the technological risks 
        involved in the project.
  [(b)] (c) Cost and Performance Goals.--
          [(1) In general.--In carrying out programs authorized 
        by this section, during each of calendar years 2008, 
        2010, 2012, and 2016, and during each fiscal year 
        beginning after September 30, 2021, the Secretary shall 
        identify cost and performance goals for coal-based 
        technologies that would permit the continued cost-
        competitive use of coal for the production of 
        electricity, chemical feedstocks, and transportation 
        fuels.]
          (1) In general.--In carrying out programs authorized 
        by this section, the Secretary shall identify cost and 
        performance goals for coal-based technologies that 
        would permit the continued cost-competitive use of coal 
        for the production of electricity, chemical feedstocks, 
        transportation fuels, and other marketable products.
          (2) Administration.--In establishing the cost and 
        performance goals, the Secretary shall--
                  (A) consider activities and studies 
                undertaken as of the date of enactment of this 
                Act by industry in cooperation with the 
                Department in support of the identification of 
                the goals;
                  (B) consult with interested entities, 
                including--
                          (i) coal producers;
                          (ii) industries using coal;
                          (iii) organizations that promote coal 
                        and advanced coal technologies;
                          (iv) environmental organizations;
                          (v) organizations representing 
                        workers; and
                          (vi) organizations representing 
                        consumers;
                  (C) not later than 120 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, publish in the Federal 
                Register proposed draft cost and performance 
                goals for public comments; and
                  (D) not later than 180 days after the date of 
                enactment of this Act and every 4 years 
                thereafter, submit to Congress a report 
                describing the final cost and performance goals 
                for the technologies that includes--
                          (i) a list of technical milestones; 
                        and
                          (ii) an explanation of how programs 
                        authorized in this section will not 
                        duplicate the activities authorized 
                        under the Clean Coal Power Initiative 
                        authorized under title IV.
  [(c)] (d) Powder River Basin and Fort Union Lignite Coal 
Mercury Removal.--
          (1) In general.--In addition to the programs 
        authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
        establish a program to test and develop technologies to 
        control and remove mercury emissions from subbituminous 
        coal mined in the Powder River Basin, and Fort Union 
        lignite coals, that are used for the generation of 
        electricity.
          (2) Efficacy of mercury removal technology.--In 
        carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall examine the efficacy of mercury removal 
        technologies on coals described in that paragraph that 
        are blended with other types of coal.
  [(d)] (e) Fuel Cells.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        program of research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application on fuel cells for low-cost, 
        high-efficiency, fuel-flexible, modular power systems.
          (2) Demonstrations.--The demonstrations referred to 
        in paragraph (1) shall include solid oxide fuel cell 
        technology for commercial, residential, and 
        transportation applications, and distributed generation 
        systems, using improved manufacturing production and 
        processes.

SEC. 963. CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
                    DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a 10-year 
carbon capture and sequestration research, development, and 
demonstration program to develop carbon dioxide capture and 
sequestration technologies related to industrial sources of 
carbon dioxide for use--
          (1) in new coal utilization facilities; and
          (2) on the fleet of coal-based units in existence on 
        the date of enactment of this Act.
  (b) Objectives.--The objectives of the program under 
subsection (a) shall be--
          (1) to develop carbon dioxide capture technologies, 
        including adsorption and absorption techniques and 
        chemical processes, to remove the carbon dioxide from 
        gas streams containing carbon dioxide potentially 
        amenable to sequestration;
          (2) to develop technologies that would directly 
        produce concentrated streams of carbon dioxide 
        potentially amenable to sequestration;
          (3) to increase the efficiency of the overall system 
        to reduce the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions 
        released from the system per megawatt generated;
          (4) in accordance with the carbon dioxide capture 
        program, to promote a robust carbon sequestration 
        program and continue the work of the Department, in 
        conjunction with the private sector, through regional 
        carbon sequestration partnerships; and
          (5) to expedite and carry out large-scale testing of 
        carbon sequestration systems in a range of geologic 
        formations that will provide information on the cost 
        and feasibility of deployment of sequestration 
        technologies.
  (c) Programmatic Activities.--
          (1) Fundamental science and engineering research and 
        development and demonstration supporting carbon capture 
        and sequestration technologies and carbon use 
        activities.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall carry 
                out fundamental science and engineering 
                research (including laboratory-scale 
                experiments, numeric modeling, and simulations) 
                to develop and document the performance of new 
                approaches to capture and sequester, or use 
                carbon dioxide to lead to an overall reduction 
                of carbon dioxide emissions.
                  (B) Program integration.--The Secretary shall 
                ensure that fundamental research carried out 
                under this paragraph is appropriately applied 
                to energy technology development activities, 
                the field testing of carbon sequestration, and 
                carbon use activities, including--
                          (i) development of new or advanced 
                        technologies for the capture and 
                        sequestration of carbon dioxide;
                          (ii) development of new or advanced 
                        technologies that reduce the cost and 
                        increase the efficacy of advanced 
                        compression of carbon dioxide required 
                        for the sequestration of carbon 
                        dioxide;
                          (iii) modeling and simulation of 
                        geologic sequestration field 
                        demonstrations;
                          (iv) quantitative assessment of risks 
                        relating to specific field sites for 
                        testing of sequestration technologies;
                          (v) research and development of new 
                        and advanced technologies for carbon 
                        use, including recycling and reuse of 
                        carbon dioxide; and
                          (vi) research and development of new 
                        and advanced technologies for the 
                        separation of oxygen from air.
          (2) Field validation testing activities.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall promote, 
                to the maximum extent practicable, regional 
                carbon sequestration partnerships to conduct 
                geologic sequestration tests involving carbon 
                dioxide injection and monitoring, mitigation, 
                and verification operations in a variety of 
                candidate geologic settings, including--
                          (i) operating oil and gas fields;
                          (ii) depleted oil and gas fields;
                          (iii) unmineable coal seams;
                          (iv) deep saline formations;
                          (v) deep geologic systems that may be 
                        used as engineered reservoirs to 
                        extract economical quantities of heat 
                        from geothermal resources of low 
                        permeability or porosity; and
                          (vi) deep geologic systems containing 
                        basalt formations.
                  (B) Objectives.--The objectives of tests 
                conducted under this paragraph shall be--
                          (i) to develop and validate 
                        geophysical tools, analysis, and 
                        modeling to monitor, predict, and 
                        verify carbon dioxide containment;
                          (ii) to validate modeling of geologic 
                        formations;
                          (iii) to refine sequestration 
                        capacity estimated for particular 
                        geologic formations;
                          (iv) to determine the fate of carbon 
                        dioxide concurrent with and following 
                        injection into geologic formations;
                          (v) to develop and implement best 
                        practices for operations relating to, 
                        and monitoring of, carbon dioxide 
                        injection and sequestration in geologic 
                        formations;
                          (vi) to assess and ensure the safety 
                        of operations related to geologic 
                        sequestration of carbon dioxide;
                          (vii) to allow the Secretary to 
                        promulgate policies, procedures, 
                        requirements, and guidance to ensure 
                        that the objectives of this 
                        subparagraph are met in large-scale 
                        testing and deployment activities for 
                        carbon capture and sequestration that 
                        are funded by the Department of Energy; 
                        and
                          (viii) to provide information to 
                        States, the Environmental Protection 
                        Agency, and other appropriate entities 
                        to support development of a regulatory 
                        framework for commercial-scale 
                        sequestration operations that ensure 
                        the protection of human health and the 
                        environment.
          (3) Large-scale carbon dioxide sequestration 
        testing.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                not less than 7 initial large-scale 
                sequestration tests, not including the 
                FutureGen project, for geologic containment of 
                carbon dioxide to collect and validate 
                information on the cost and feasibility of 
                commercial deployment of technologies for 
                geologic containment of carbon dioxide. These 7 
                tests may include any Regional Partnership 
                projects awarded as of the date of enactment of 
                the Department of Energy Carbon Capture and 
                Sequestration Research, Development, and 
                Demonstration Act of 2007.
                  (B) Diversity of formations to be studied.--
                In selecting formations for study under this 
                paragraph, the Secretary shall consider a 
                variety of geologic formations across the 
                United States, and require characterization and 
                modeling of candidate formations, as determined 
                by the Secretary.
                  (C) Source of carbon dioxide for large-scale 
                sequestration tests.--In the process of any 
                acquisition of carbon dioxide for sequestration 
                tests under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                shall give preference to sources of carbon 
                dioxide from industrial sources. To the extent 
                feasible, the Secretary shall prefer tests that 
                would facilitate the creation of an integrated 
                system of capture, transportation and 
                sequestration of carbon dioxide. The preference 
                provided for under this subparagraph shall not 
                delay the implementation of the large-scale 
                sequestration tests under this paragraph.
                  (D) Definition.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, the term ``large-scale'' means the 
                injection of more than 1,000,000 tons of carbon 
                dioxide from industrial sources annually or a 
                scale that demonstrates the ability to inject 
                and sequester several million metric tons of 
                industrial source carbon dioxide for a large 
                number of years.
          (4) Preference in project selection from meritorious 
        proposals.--In making competitive awards under this 
        subsection, subject to the requirements of section 989, 
        the Secretary shall--
                  (A) give preference to proposals from 
                partnerships among industrial, academic, and 
                government entities; and
                  (B) require recipients to provide assurances 
                that all laborers and mechanics employed by 
                contractors and subcontractors in the 
                construction, repair, or alteration of new or 
                existing facilities performed in order to carry 
                out a demonstration or commercial application 
                activity authorized under this subsection shall 
                be paid wages at rates not less than those 
                prevailing on similar construction in the 
                locality, as determined by the Secretary of 
                Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 
                chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, and 
                the Secretary of Labor shall, with respect to 
                the labor standards in this paragraph, have the 
                authority and functions set forth in 
                Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (15 
                Fed. Reg. 3176; 5 U.S.C. Appendix) and section 
                3145 of title 40, United States Code.
          (5) Cost sharing.--Activities under this subsection 
        shall be considered research and development activities 
        that are subject to the cost sharing requirements of 
        section 988(b).
          [(6) Program review and report.--During fiscal year 
        2011, the Secretary shall--
                  [(A) conduct a review of programmatic 
                activities carried out under this subsection; 
                and
                  [(B) make recommendations with respect to 
                continuation of the activities.]
          (6) Advisory committee.--
                  (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                the Secretary shall establish an advisory 
                committee to undertake, not less frequently 
                than once every 3 years, a review and prepare a 
                report on the progress being made by the 
                Department of Energy to achieve the goals 
                described in subsections (a) and (b) of section 
                962 and subsection (b) of this section.
                  (B) Membership requirements.--Members of the 
                advisory committee established under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be appointed by the 
                Secretary.
  [(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section--
          [(1) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
          [(2) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
          [(3) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
          [(4) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
          [(5) $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.]
  (d) Study of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to 
Congress the results of a study to assess the cost and 
feasibility of engineering, permitting, building, maintaining, 
regulating, and insuring a national system of carbon dioxide 
pipelines.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subtitle I--Research Administration and Operations

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 988. COST SHARING.

  (a) Applicability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, in carrying out a research, development, demonstration, or 
commercial application program or activity that is initiated 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall require cost-sharing in accordance with this section.
  (b) Research and Development.--
          (1) In general.--[Except as provided in paragraphs 
        (2) and (3)] Except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), 
        and (4) and subsection (f), the Secretary shall require 
        not less than 20 percent of the cost of a research or 
        development activity described in subsection (a) to be 
        provided by a non-Federal source.
          (2) Exclusion.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a 
        research or development activity described in 
        subsection (a) that is of a basic or fundamental 
        nature, as determined by the appropriate officer of the 
        Department.
          (3) Reduction.--The Secretary may reduce or eliminate 
        the requirement of paragraph (1) for a research and 
        development activity of an applied nature if the 
        Secretary determines that the reduction is necessary 
        and appropriate.
          (4) Exemption for institutions of higher education 
        and other nonprofit institutions.--
                  (A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not 
                apply to a research or development activity 
                performed by an institution of higher education 
                or nonprofit institution (as defined in section 
                4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation 
                Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)).
                  (B) Termination date.--The exemption under 
                subparagraph (A) shall apply during the 6-year 
                period beginning on the date of enactment of 
                this paragraph.
  (c) Demonstration and Commercial Application.--
          (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) 
        and subsection (f), the Secretary shall require that 
        not less than 50 percent of the cost of a demonstration 
        or commercial application activity described in 
        subsection (a) to be provided by a non-Federal source.
          (2) Reduction of non-federal share.--The Secretary 
        may reduce the non-Federal share required under 
        paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines the reduction 
        to be necessary and appropriate, taking into 
        consideration any technological risk relating to the 
        activity.
  (d) Calculation of Amount.--In calculating the amount of a 
non-Federal contribution under this section, the Secretary--
          (1) may include allowable costs in accordance with 
        the applicable cost principles, including--
                  (A) cash;
                  (B) personnel costs;
                  (C) the value of a service, other resource, 
                or third party in-kind contribution determined 
                in accordance with the applicable circular of 
                the Office of Management and Budget;
                  (D) indirect costs or facilities and 
                administrative costs; or
                  (E) any funds received under the power 
                program of the Tennessee Valley Authority 
                (except to the extent that such funds are made 
                available under an annual appropriation Act); 
                and
          (2) shall not include--
                  (A) revenues or royalties from the 
                prospective operation of an activity beyond the 
                time considered in the award;
                  (B) proceeds from the prospective sale of an 
                asset of an activity; or
                  (C) other appropriated Federal funds.
  (e) Repayment of Federal Share.--The Secretary shall not 
require repayment of the Federal share of a cost-shared 
activity under this section as a condition of making an award.
  (f) Exclusions.--This section shall not apply to--
          (1) a cooperative research and development agreement 
        under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
        1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.);
          (2) a fee charged for the use of a Department 
        facility; or
          (3) an award under--
                  (A) the small business innovation research 
                program under section 9 of the Small Business 
                Act (15 U.S.C. 638); or
                  (B) the small business technology transfer 
                program under that section.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 993. [STRATEGY AND PLAN FOR SCIENCE AND ENERGY FACILITIES AND 
                    INFRASTRUCTURE.]  STRATEGY FOR FACILITIES AND 
                    INFRASTRUCTURE.

  (a) Facility and Infrastructure Policy.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and 
        implement a strategy for facilities and infrastructure 
        supported primarily from the Office of Science, the 
        Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the 
        Office of Fossil Energy, or the Office of Nuclear 
        Energy, Science and Technology Programs at all National 
        Laboratories and single-purpose research facilities.
          (2) Strategy.--The strategy shall provide cost-
        effective means for--
                  (A) maintaining existing facilities and 
                infrastructure;
                  (B) closing unneeded facilities;
                  (C) making facility modifications; and
                  (D) building new facilities.
  (b) Report.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall prepare and 
        submit, along with the budget request of the President 
        submitted to Congress for fiscal year [2008] 2018, a 
        report describing the strategy developed under 
        subsection (a).
          (2) Contents.--For each National Laboratory and 
        single-purpose research facility that is primarily used 
        for science and energy research, the report shall 
        contain--
                  (A) the current priority list of proposed 
                facilities and infrastructure projects, 
                including cost and schedule requirements;
                  (B) a current 10-year plan that demonstrates 
                the reconfiguration of its facilities and 
                infrastructure to meet its missions and to 
                address its long-term operational costs and 
                return on investment;
                  (C) the total current budget for all 
                facilities and infrastructure funding; and
                  (D) the current status of each facility and 
                infrastructure project compared to the original 
                baseline cost, schedule, and scope.

[SEC. 994. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND COORDINATION PLAN.

  [(a) In General.--The Secretary shall periodically review all 
of the science and technology activities of the Department in a 
strategic framework that takes into account both the frontiers 
of science to which the Department can contribute and the 
national needs relevant to the Department's statutory missions.
  [(b) Coordination Analysis and Plan.--As part of the review 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop a 
coordination plan to improve coordination and collaboration in 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities across Department organizational 
boundaries.
  [(c) Plan Contents.--The plan shall describe--
          [(1) cross-cutting scientific and technical issues 
        and research questions that span more than one program 
        or major office of the Department;
          [(2) how the applied technology programs of the 
        Department are coordinating their activities, and 
        addressing those questions;
          [(3) ways in which the technical interchange within 
        the Department, particularly between the Office of 
        Science and the applied technology programs, can be 
        enhanced, including ways in which the research agendas 
        of the Office of Science and the applied programs can 
        interact and assist each other;
          [(4) a description of how the Secretary will ensure 
        that the Department's overall research agenda include, 
        in addition to fundamental, curiosity-driven research, 
        fundamental research related to topics of concern to 
        the applied programs, and applications in Departmental 
        technology programs of research results generated by 
        fundamental, curiosity-driven research.
  [(d) Plan Transmittal.--Not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and every 4 years thereafter, 
the Secretary shall transmit to Congress the results of the 
review under subsection (a) and the coordination plan under 
subsection (b).]

SEC. 994. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND COORDINATION PLAN.

  (a) In General.--The Secretary shall periodically review all 
of the science and technology activities of the Department in a 
strategic framework that takes into account the frontiers of 
science to which the Department can contribute, the national 
needs relevant to the Department's statutory missions, and 
global energy dynamics.
  (b) Coordination Analysis and Plan.--As part of the review 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop a plan to 
improve coordination and collaboration in research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application 
activities across Department organizational boundaries.
  (c) Plan Contents.--The plan shall describe--
          (1) cross-cutting scientific and technical issues and 
        research questions that span more than one program or 
        major office of the Department;
          (2) how the applied technology programs of the 
        Department are coordinating their activities, and 
        addressing those questions;
          (3) ways in which the technical interchange within 
        the Department, particularly between the Office of 
        Science and the applied technology programs, can be 
        enhanced, including limited ways in which the research 
        agendas of the Office of Science and the applied 
        programs can better interact and assist each other;
          (4) a description of how the Secretary will ensure 
        that the Department's overall research agenda include, 
        in addition to fundamental, curiosity-driven research, 
        fundamental research related to topics of concern to 
        the applied programs, and applications in Departmental 
        technology programs of research results generated by 
        fundamental, curiosity-driven research;
          (5) critical assessments of any ongoing programs that 
        have experienced sub-par performance or cost over-runs 
        of 10 percent or more over one or more years; and
          (6) activities that may be more effectively left to 
        the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, 
        institutions of higher education, or other 
        stakeholders.
  (d) Plan Transmittal.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2015, and every 4 years thereafter, the Secretary shall 
transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate the results of the review under 
subsection (a) and the coordination plan under subsection (b).

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT

SEC. 1001. IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.

  (a) Technology Transfer Coordinator.--The Secretary shall 
appoint a Technology Transfer Coordinator to be the principal 
advisor to the Secretary on all matters relating to technology 
transfer and commercialization.
  (b) Qualifications.--The Coordinator shall be an individual 
who, by reason of professional background and experience, is 
specially qualified to advise the Secretary on matters 
pertaining to technology transfer at the Department.
  (c) Duties of the Coordinator.--The Coordinator shall 
oversee--
          (1) the activities of the Technology Transfer Working 
        Group established under subsection (d);
          (2) the expenditure of funds allocated for technology 
        transfer within the Department;
          (3) the activities of each technology partnership 
        ombudsman appointed under section 11 of the Technology 
        Transfer Commercialization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
        7261c); and
          (4) efforts to engage private sector entities, 
        including venture capital companies.
  (d) Technology Transfer Working Group.--The Secretary shall 
establish a Technology Transfer Working Group, which shall 
consist of representatives of the National Laboratories and 
single-purpose research facilities, to--
          (1) coordinate technology transfer activities 
        occurring at National Laboratories and single-purpose 
        research facilities;
          (2) exchange information about technology transfer 
        practices, including alternative approaches to 
        resolution of disputes involving intellectual property 
        rights and other technology transfer matters; and
          (3) develop and disseminate to the public and 
        prospective technology partners information about 
        opportunities and procedures for technology transfer 
        with the Department, including opportunities and 
        procedures related to alternative approaches to 
        resolution of disputes involving intellectual property 
        rights and other technology transfer matters.
  (e) Technology Commercialization Fund.--The Secretary shall 
establish an Energy Technology Commercialization Fund, using 
0.9 percent of the amount made available to the Department for 
applied energy research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application for each fiscal year based on future 
planned activities and the amount of the appropriations for the 
fiscal year, to be used to provide matching funds with private 
partners to promote promising energy technologies for 
commercial purposes.
  (f) Technology Transfer Responsibility.--Nothing in this 
section affects the technology transfer responsibilities of 
Federal employees under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
  (g) Early-Stage Technology Demonstration.--The Secretary 
shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to use 
funds authorized to support technology transfer within the 
Department to carry out early-stage and pre-commercial 
technology demonstration activities to remove technology 
barriers that limit private sector interest and demonstrate 
potential commercial applications of any research and 
technologies arising from National Laboratory activities.
  [(g)] (h) Planning and Reporting.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        submit to Congress a technology transfer execution 
        plan.
          (2) Updates.--Each year after the submission of the 
        plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress an updated execution plan and reports that 
        describe progress toward meeting goals set forth in the 
        execution plan and the funds expended under subsection 
        (e).

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                              ----------                              


AMERICA COMPETES ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 5012. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY--ENERGY.

  (a) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) ARPA-E.--The term ``ARPA-E'' means the Advanced 
        Research Projects Agency--Energy established by 
        subsection (b).
          (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the 
        Director of ARPA-E appointed under subsection (d).
          (3) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Energy 
        Transformation Acceleration Fund established under 
        subsection (n)(1).
  (b) Establishment.--There is established the Advanced 
Research Projects Agency--Energy within the Department to 
overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in 
the development of energy technologies.
  (c) Goals.--
          [(1) In general.--The goals of ARPA-E shall be--
                  [(A) to enhance the economic and energy 
                security of the United States through the 
                development of energy technologies that result 
                in--
                          [(i) reductions of imports of energy 
                        from foreign sources;
                          [(ii) reductions of energy-related 
                        emissions, including greenhouse gases; 
                        and
                          [(iii) improvement in the energy 
                        efficiency of all economic sectors; and
                  [(B) to ensure that the United States 
                maintains a technological lead in developing 
                and deploying advanced energy technologies.]
          (1) In general.--The goals of ARPA-E shall be to 
        enhance the economic and energy security of the United 
        States and to ensure that the United States maintains a 
        technological lead through the development of advanced 
        energy technologies.
          (2) Means.--ARPA-E shall achieve the goals 
        established under paragraph (1) through energy 
        technology projects by--
                  (A) identifying and promoting revolutionary 
                advances in fundamental and applied sciences;
                  (B) translating scientific discoveries and 
                cutting-edge inventions into technological 
                innovations; and
                  (C) accelerating transformational 
                technological advances in areas that industry 
                by itself is not likely to undertake because of 
                technical and financial uncertainty.
  (d) Director.--
          (1) Appointment.--There shall be in the Department of 
        Energy a Director of ARPA-E, who shall be appointed by 
        the President, by and with the advice and consent of 
        the Senate.
          (2) Qualifications.--The Director shall be an 
        individual who, by reason of professional background 
        and experience, is especially qualified to advise the 
        Secretary on, and manage research programs addressing, 
        matters pertaining to long-term and high-risk 
        technological barriers to the development of energy 
        technologies.
          (3) Relationship to secretary.--The Director shall 
        report to the Secretary.
          (4) Relationship to other programs.--No other 
        programs within the Department shall report to the 
        Director.
  (e) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the Director 
shall include--
          (1) approving all new programs within ARPA-E;
          (2) developing funding criteria and assessing the 
        success of programs through the establishment of 
        technical milestones;
          (3) administering the Fund through awards to 
        institutions of higher education, companies, research 
        foundations, trade and industry research 
        collaborations, or consortia of such entities, which 
        may include federally-funded research and development 
        centers, to achieve the goals described in subsection 
        (c) through targeted acceleration of--
                  (A) novel early-stage energy research with 
                possible technology applications;
                  (B) development of techniques, processes, and 
                technologies, and related testing and 
                evaluation;
                  (C) research and development of advanced 
                manufacturing process and technologies for the 
                domestic manufacturing of novel energy 
                technologies; and
                  (D) coordination with nongovernmental 
                entities for demonstration of technologies and 
                research applications to facilitate technology 
                transfer;
          (4) terminating programs carried out under this 
        section that are not achieving the goals of the 
        programs; and
          (5) pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(C)--
                  (A) ensuring that applications for funding 
                disclose the extent of current and prior 
                efforts, including monetary investments as 
                appropriate, in pursuit of the technology area 
                for which funding is being requested;
                  (B) adopting measures to ensure that, in 
                making awards, program managers adhere to the 
                purposes of subsection (c)(2)(C); and
                  (C) providing as part of the annual report 
                required by subsection (h)(1) a summary of the 
                instances of and reasons for ARPA-E funding 
                projects in technology areas already being 
                undertaken by industry.
  (f) Awards.--In carrying out this section, the Director may 
provide awards in the form of grants, contracts, cooperative 
agreements, cash prizes, and other transactions.
  (g) Personnel.--
          (1) In general.--The Director shall establish and 
        maintain within ARPA-E a staff with sufficient 
        qualifications and expertise to enable ARPA-E to carry 
        out the responsibilities of ARPA-E under this section 
        in conjunction with other operations of the Department.
          (2) Program directors.--
                  (A) In general.--The Director shall designate 
                employees to serve as program directors for the 
                programs established pursuant to the 
                responsibilities established for ARPA-E under 
                subsection (e).
                  (B) Responsibilities.--A program director of 
                a program shall be responsible for--
                          (i) establishing research and 
                        development goals for the program, 
                        including through the convening of 
                        workshops and conferring with outside 
                        experts, and publicizing the goals of 
                        the program to the public and private 
                        sectors;
                          (ii) soliciting applications for 
                        specific areas of particular promise, 
                        especially areas that the private 
                        sector or the Federal Government are 
                        not likely to undertake alone;
                          (iii) building research 
                        collaborations for carrying out the 
                        program;
                          (iv) selecting on the basis of merit 
                        each of the projects to be supported 
                        under the program after considering--
                                  (I) the novelty and 
                                scientific and technical merit 
                                of the proposed projects;
                                  (II) the demonstrated 
                                capabilities of the applicants 
                                to successfully carry out the 
                                proposed project;
                                  (III) the consideration by 
                                the applicant of future 
                                commercial applications of the 
                                project, including the 
                                feasibility of partnering with 
                                1 or more commercial entities; 
                                and
                                  (IV) such other criteria as 
                                are established by the 
                                Director;
                          (v) identifying innovative cost-
                        sharing arrangements for ARPA-E 
                        projects, including through use of the 
                        authority provided under section 
                        988(b)(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 
                        2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)(3));
                          (vi) monitoring the progress of 
                        projects supported under the program;
                          (vii) identifying mechanisms for 
                        commercial application of successful 
                        energy technology development projects, 
                        including through establishment of 
                        partnerships between awardees and 
                        commercial entities; and
                          (viii) recommending program 
                        restructure or termination of research 
                        partnerships or whole projects.
                  (C) Term.--The term of a program manager 
                shall be not more than 3 years and may be 
                renewed.
          (3) Hiring and management.--
                  (A) In general.--The Director shall have the 
                authority to--
                          (i) make appointments of scientific, 
                        engineering, and professional personnel 
                        without regard to the civil service 
                        laws;
                          (ii) fix the basic pay of such 
                        personnel at a rate to be determined by 
                        the Director at rates not in excess of 
                        Level II of the Executive Schedule (EX-
                        II) without regard to the civil service 
                        laws; and
                          (iii) pay any employee appointed 
                        under this subpart payments in addition 
                        to basic pay, except that the total 
                        amount of additional payments paid to 
                        an employee under this subpart for any 
                        12-month period shall not exceed the 
                        least of the following amounts:
                                  (I) $25,000.
                                  (II) The amount equal to 25 
                                percent of the annual rate of 
                                basic pay of the employee.
                                  (III) The amount of the 
                                limitation that is applicable 
                                for a calendar year under 
                                section 5307(a)(1) of title 5, 
                                United States Code.
                  (B) Number.--The Director shall appoint not 
                more than 120 personnel under this section.
                  (C) Private recruiting firms.--The Secretary, 
                or the Director serving as an agent of the 
                Secretary, may contract with private recruiting 
                firms for the hiring of qualified technical 
                staff to carry out this section.
                  (D) Additional staff.--The Director may use 
                all authorities in existence on the date of 
                enactment of this Act that are provided to the 
                Secretary to hire administrative, financial, 
                and clerical staff as necessary to carry out 
                this section.
  (h) Reports and Roadmaps.--
          (1) Annual Report.--As part of the annual budget 
        request submitted for each fiscal year, the Director 
        shall provide to the relevant authorizing and 
        appropriations committees of Congress a report 
        describing projects supported by ARPA-E during the 
        previous fiscal year.
          (2) Strategic vision roadmap.--Not later than October 
        1, 2010, and October 1, 2013, the Director shall 
        provide to the relevant authorizing and appropriations 
        committees of Congress a roadmap describing the 
        strategic vision that ARPA-E will use to guide the 
        choices of ARPA-E for future technology investments 
        over the following 3 fiscal years.
  (i) Coordination and Nonduplication.--
          (1) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
        the Director shall ensure that the activities of ARPA-E 
        are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the efforts 
        of, programs and laboratories within the Department and 
        other relevant research agencies. ARPA-E shall not 
        provide funding for a project unless the prospective 
        grantee demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure 
        private financing or indicates that the project is not 
        independently commercially viable.
          (2) Technology transfer coordinator.--To the extent 
        appropriate, the Director may coordinate technology 
        transfer efforts with the Technology Transfer 
        Coordinator appointed under section 1001 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391).
  (j) Federal Demonstration of Technologies.--The Director 
shall seek opportunities to partner with purchasing and 
procurement programs of Federal agencies to demonstrate energy 
technologies resulting from activities funded through ARPA-E.
  (k) Advice.--
          (1) Advisory committees.--The Director may seek 
        advice on any aspect of ARPA-E from--
                  (A) an existing Department of Energy advisory 
                committee; and
                  (B) a new advisory committee organized to 
                support the programs of ARPA-E and to provide 
                advice and assistance on--
                          (i) specific program tasks; or
                          (ii) overall direction of ARPA-E.
          (2) Additional sources of advice.--In carrying out 
        this section, the Director may seek advice and review 
        from--
                  (A) the President's Committee of Advisors on 
                Science and Technology; and
                  (B) any professional or scientific 
                organization with expertise in specific 
                processes or technologies under development by 
                ARPA-E.
  (l) ARPA-E Evaluation.--
          (1) In general.--After ARPA-E has been in operation 
        for 6 years, and once every 6 years thereafter, the 
        Secretary shall offer to enter into a contract with the 
        National Academy of Sciences under which the National 
        Academy shall conduct an evaluation of how well ARPA-E 
        is achieving the goals and mission of ARPA-E.
          (2) Inclusions.--The evaluation shall include--
                  (A) the recommendation of the National 
                Academy of Sciences on whether ARPA-E should be 
                continued or terminated; and
                  (B) a description of lessons learned from 
                operation of ARPA-E, and the manner in which 
                those lessons may apply to the operation of 
                other programs of the Department.
          (3) Availability.--On completion of the evaluation, 
        the evaluation shall be made available to Congress and 
        the public.
  (m) Existing Authorities.--The authorities granted by this 
section are--
          (1) in addition to existing authorities granted to 
        the Secretary; and
          (2) are not intended to supersede or modify any 
        existing authorities.
  (n) Protection of Proprietary Information.--
          (1) In general.--The following categories of 
        information collected by the Advanced Research Projects 
        Agency-Energy from recipients of financial assistance 
        awards shall be considered privileged and confidential 
        and not subject to disclosure pursuant to section 552 
        of title 5, United States Code:
                  (A) Plans for commercialization of 
                technologies developed under the award, 
                including business plans, technology to market 
                plans, market studies, and cost and performance 
                models.
                  (B) Investments provided to an awardee from 
                third parties, such as venture capital, hedge 
                fund, or private equity firms, including 
                amounts and percentage of ownership of the 
                awardee provided in return for such 
                investments.
                  (C) Additional financial support that the 
                awardee plans to invest or has invested into 
                the technology developed under the award, or 
                that the awardee is seeking from third parties.
                  (D) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new 
                products or services resulting from the 
                research conducted under the award.
          (2) Effect of subsection.--Nothing in this subsection 
        affects--
                  (A) the authority of the Secretary to use 
                information without publicly disclosing such 
                information; or
                  (B) the responsibility of the Secretary to 
                transmit information to Congress as required by 
                law.
  [(n)] (o) Funding.--
          (1) Fund.--There is established in the Treasury of 
        the United States a fund, to be known as the ``Energy 
        Transformation Acceleration Fund'', which shall be 
        administered by the Director for the purposes of 
        carrying out this section.
          (2) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subject to 
        paragraphs (4) and (5), there are authorized to be 
        appropriated to the Director for deposit in the Fund, 
        without fiscal year limitation--
                  (A) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
                  (B) such sums as are necessary for each of 
                fiscal years 2009 and 2010;
                  (C) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
                  (D) $306,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
                  (E) $312,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
          (3) Separate budget and appropriation.--
                  (A) Budget request.--The budget request for 
                ARPA-E shall be separate from the rest of the 
                budget of the Department.
                  (B) Appropriations.--Appropriations to the 
                Fund shall be separate and distinct from the 
                rest of the budget for the Department.
          (4) Allocation.--Of the amounts appropriated for a 
        fiscal year under paragraph (2)--
                  (A) not more than 50 percent of the amount 
                shall be used to carry out subsection 
                (e)(3)(D);
                  (B) at least 5 percent of the amount shall be 
                used for technology transfer and outreach 
                activities, consistent with the goal described 
                in subsection (c)(2)(D) and within the 
                responsibilities of program directors described 
                in subsection (g)(2)(B)(vii); and
                  (C) no funds may be used for construction of 
                new buildings or facilities during the 5-year 
                period beginning on the date of enactment of 
                this Act.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT ACT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


           DIVISION C--OTHER NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATIONS

TITLE XXXI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Part E--Department of Energy Science Education Programs

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subpart A--Science Education Enhancement

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 3164. SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

  (a) Programs.--The Secretary is authorized to establish 
programs to enhance the quality of mathematics, science, and 
engineering education. Any such programs shall be operated at 
or through the support of Department research and development 
facilities, shall use the scientific resources of the 
Department, and shall be consistent with the overall Federal 
plan for education and human resources in science and 
technology developed by the Federal Coordinating Council for 
Science, Engineering, and Technology.
  (b) Organization of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics 
Education Programs.--
          (1) Director of science, engineering, and mathematics 
        education.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
        the Secretary, acting through the [Under Secretary for 
        Science] Under Secretary for Science and Energy 
        (referred to in this subsection as the ``Under 
        Secretary''), shall appoint a Director of Science, 
        Engineering, and Mathematics Education (referred to in 
        this subsection as the ``Director'') with the principal 
        responsibility for administering science, engineering, 
        and mathematics education programs across all functions 
        of the Department.
          (2) Qualifications.--The Director shall be an 
        individual, who by reason of professional background 
        and experience, is specially qualified to advise the 
        Under Secretary on all matters pertaining to science, 
        engineering, and mathematics education at the 
        Department.
          (3) Duties.--The Director shall--
                  (A) oversee all science, engineering, and 
                mathematics education programs of the 
                Department;
                  (B) represent the Department as the principal 
                interagency liaison for all science, 
                engineering, and mathematics education 
                programs, unless otherwise represented by the 
                Secretary or the Under Secretary;
                  (C) prepare the annual budget and advise the 
                Under Secretary on all budgetary issues for 
                science, engineering, and mathematics education 
                programs of the Department;
                  (D) increase, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, the participation and advancement 
                of women and underrepresented minorities at 
                every level of science, technology, 
                engineering, and mathematics education; and
                  (E) perform other such matters relating to 
                science, engineering, and mathematics education 
                as are required by the Secretary or the Under 
                Secretary.
          (4) Staff and other resources.--The Secretary shall 
        assign to the Director such personnel and other 
        resources as the Secretary considers necessary to 
        permit the Director to carry out the duties of the 
        Director.
          (5) Assessment.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall offer to 
                enter into a contract with the National Academy 
                of Sciences under which the National Academy, 
                not later than 5 years after, and not later 
                than 10 years after, the date of enactment of 
                this paragraph, shall assess the performance of 
                the science, engineering, and mathematics 
                education programs of the Department.
                  (B) Considerations.--An assessment under this 
                paragraph shall be conducted taking into 
                consideration, where applicable, the effect of 
                science, engineering, and mathematics education 
                programs of the Department on student academic 
                achievement in science and mathematics.
          (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
        necessary to carry out this subsection.
  (c) Relationship to Other Department Activities.--The 
programs described in subsection (a) shall supplement and be 
coordinated with current activities of the Department, but 
shall not supplant them.
  (d) Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund.--
The Secretary shall establish a Science, Engineering, and 
Mathematics Education Fund, using not less than 0.3 percent of 
the amount made available to the Department for research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application for each 
fiscal year, to carry out sections 3165, 3166, and 3167.
  (e) Annual Plan for Allocation of Education Funding.--The 
Secretary shall submit to Congress as part of the annual budget 
submission for a fiscal year a report describing the manner in 
which the Department has complied with subsection (d) for the 
prior fiscal year and the manner in which the Department 
proposes to comply with subsection (d) during the following 
fiscal year, including--
          (1) the total amount of funding for research, 
        development, demonstration, and commercial application 
        activities for the corresponding fiscal year;
          (2) the amounts set aside for the Science, 
        Engineering, and Mathematics Education Fund under 
        subsection (d) from funding for research activities, 
        development activities, demonstration activities, and 
        commercial application activities for the corresponding 
        fiscal year; and
          (3) a description of how the funds set aside under 
        subsection (d) were allocated for the prior fiscal year 
        and will be allocated for the following fiscal year.
  (f) Programs for Students From Under-Represented Groups.--In 
carrying out a program under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall give priority to activities that are designed to 
encourage students from under-represented groups to pursue 
scientific and technical careers.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


UNITED STATES ENERGY STORAGE COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2007

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE VI--ACCELERATED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subtitle D--Energy Storage for Transportation and Electric Power

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 641. ENERGY STORAGE COMPETITIVENESS.

  (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``United 
States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007''.
  (b) Definitions.--In this section:
          (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Energy 
        Storage Advisory Council established under subsection 
        (e).
          (2) Compressed air energy storage.--The term 
        ``compressed air energy storage'' means, in the case of 
        an electricity grid application, the storage of energy 
        through the compression of air.
          (3) Electric drive vehicle.--The term ``electric 
        drive vehicle'' means--
                  (A) a vehicle that uses an electric motor for 
                all or part of the motive power of the vehicle, 
                including battery electric, hybrid electric, 
                plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell, and plug-in 
                fuel cell vehicles and rail transportation 
                vehicles; or
                  (B) mobile equipment that uses an electric 
                motor to replace an internal combustion engine 
                for all or part of the work of the equipment.
          (4) Islanding.--The term ``islanding'' means a 
        distributed generator or energy storage device 
        continuing to power a location in the absence of 
        electric power from the primary source.
          (5) Flywheel.--The term ``flywheel'' means, in the 
        case of an electricity grid application, a device used 
        to store rotational kinetic energy.
          (6) Microgrid.--The term ``microgrid'' means an 
        integrated energy system consisting of interconnected 
        loads and distributed energy resources (including 
        generators and energy storage devices), which as an 
        integrated system can operate in parallel with the 
        utility grid or in an intentional islanding mode.
          (7) Self-healing grid.--The term ``self-healing 
        grid'' means a grid that is capable of automatically 
        anticipating and responding to power system 
        disturbances (including the isolation of failed 
        sections and components), while optimizing the 
        performance and service of the grid to customers.
          (8) Spinning reserve services.--The term ``spinning 
        reserve services'' means a quantity of electric 
        generating capacity in excess of the quantity needed to 
        meet peak electric demand.
          (9) Ultracapacitor.--The term ``ultracapacitor'' 
        means an energy storage device that has a power density 
        comparable to a conventional capacitor but is capable 
        of exceeding the energy density of a conventional 
        capacitor by several orders of magnitude.
  (c) Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a research, 
development, and demonstration program to support the ability 
of the United States to remain globally competitive in energy 
storage systems for electric drive vehicles, stationary 
applications, and electricity transmission and distribution.
  (d) Coordination.--In carrying out the activities of this 
section, the Secretary shall coordinate relevant efforts with 
appropriate Federal agencies, including the Department of 
Transportation.
  (e) Energy Storage Advisory Council.--
          (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        establish an Energy Storage Advisory Council.
          (2) Composition.--
                  (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                the Council shall consist of not less than 15 
                individuals appointed by the Secretary, based 
                on recommendations of the National Academy of 
                Sciences.
                  (B) Energy storage industry.--The Council 
                shall consist primarily of representatives of 
                the energy storage industry of the United 
                States.
                  (C) Chairperson.--The Secretary shall select 
                a Chairperson for the Council from among the 
                members appointed under subparagraph (A).
          (3) Meetings.--
                  (A) In general.--The Council shall meet not 
                less than once a year.
                  (B) Federal advisory committee act.--The 
                Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 
                shall apply to a meeting of the Council.
          (4) Plans.--No later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act and every 5 years thereafter, the 
        Council, in conjunction with the Secretary, shall 
        develop a 5-year plan for integrating basic and applied 
        research so that the United States retains a globally 
        competitive domestic energy storage industry for 
        electric drive vehicles, stationary applications, and 
        electricity transmission and distribution.
          (5) Review.--The Council shall--
                  (A) assess, every 2 years, the performance of 
                the Department in meeting the goals of the 
                plans developed under paragraph (4); and
                  (B) make specific recommendations to the 
                Secretary on programs or activities that should 
                be established or terminated to meet those 
                goals.
  (f) Basic Research Program.--
          (1) Basic research.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        basic research program on energy storage systems to 
        support electric drive vehicles, stationary 
        applications, and electricity transmission and 
        distribution, including--
                  (A) materials design;
                  (B) materials synthesis and characterization;
                  (C) electrode-active materials, including 
                electrolytes and bioelectrolytes;
                  (D) surface and interface dynamics;
                  (E) modeling and simulation; and
                  (F) thermal behavior and life degradation 
                mechanisms.
          (2) Nanoscience centers.--The Secretary, in 
        cooperation with the Council, shall coordinate the 
        activities of the nanoscience centers of the Department 
        to help the energy storage research centers of the 
        Department maintain a globally competitive posture in 
        energy storage systems for electric drive vehicles, 
        stationary applications, and electricity transmission 
        and distribution.
          (3) Funding.--For activities carried out under this 
        subsection, in addition to funding activities at 
        National Laboratories, the Secretary shall award funds 
        to, and coordinate activities with, a range of 
        stakeholders including the public, private, and 
        academic sectors.
  (g) Applied Research Program.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
        applied research program on energy storage systems to 
        support electric drive vehicles, stationary 
        applications, and electricity transmission and 
        distribution technologies, including--
                  (A) ultracapacitors;
                  (B) flywheels;
                  (C) batteries and battery systems (including 
                flow batteries);
                  (D) compressed air energy systems;
                  (E) power conditioning electronics;
                  (F) manufacturing technologies for energy 
                storage systems;
                  (G) thermal management systems; and
                  (H) hydrogen as an energy storage medium.
          (2) Funding.--For activities carried out under this 
        subsection, in addition to funding activities at 
        National Laboratories, the Secretary shall provide 
        funds to, and coordinate activities with, a range of 
        stakeholders, including the public, private, and 
        academic sectors.
  (h) Energy Storage Research Centers.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish, 
        through competitive bids, not more than 4 energy 
        storage research centers to translate basic research 
        into applied technologies to advance the capability of 
        the United States to maintain a globally competitive 
        posture in energy storage systems for electric drive 
        vehicles, stationary applications, and electricity 
        transmission and distribution.
          (2) Program management.--The centers shall be managed 
        by the [Under Secretary for Science] Under Secretary 
        for Science and Energy of the Department.
          (3) Participation agreements.--As a condition of 
        participating in a center, a participant shall enter 
        into a participation agreement with the center that 
        requires that activities conducted by the participant 
        for the center promote the goal of enabling the United 
        States to compete successfully in global energy storage 
        markets.
          (4) Plans.--A center shall conduct activities that 
        promote the achievement of the goals of the plans of 
        the Council under subsection (e)(4).
          (5) National laboratories.--A national laboratory (as 
        defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
        (42 U.S.C. 15801)) may participate in a center 
        established under this subsection, including a 
        cooperative research and development agreement (as 
        defined in section 12(d) of the Stevenson-Wydler 
        Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
        3710a(d))).
          (6) Disclosure.--Section 623 of the Energy Policy Act 
        of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13293) may apply to any project 
        carried out through a grant, contract, or cooperative 
        agreement under this subsection.
          (7) Intellectual property.--In accordance with 
        section 202(a)(ii) of title 35, United States Code, 
        section 152 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 
        2182), and section 9 of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy 
        Research and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5908), 
        the Secretary may require, for any new invention 
        developed under this subsection, that--
                  (A) if an industrial participant is active in 
                a energy storage research center established 
                under this subsection relating to the 
                advancement of energy storage technologies 
                carried out, in whole or in part, with Federal 
                funding, the industrial participant be granted 
                the first option to negotiate with the 
                invention owner, at least in the field of 
                energy storage technologies, nonexclusive 
                licenses, and royalties on terms that are 
                reasonable, as determined by the Secretary;
                  (B) if 1 or more industry participants are 
                active in a center, during a 2-year period 
                beginning on the date on which an invention is 
                made--
                          (i) the patent holder shall not 
                        negotiate any license or royalty 
                        agreement with any entity that is not 
                        an industrial participant under this 
                        subsection; and
                          (ii) the patent holder shall 
                        negotiate nonexclusive licenses and 
                        royalties in good faith with any 
                        interested industrial participant under 
                        this subsection; and
                  (C) the new invention be developed under such 
                other terms as the Secretary determines to be 
                necessary to promote the accelerated 
                commercialization of inventions made under this 
                subsection to advance the capability of the 
                United States to successfully compete in global 
                energy storage markets.
  (i) Energy Storage Systems Demonstrations.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        program of new demonstrations of advanced energy 
        storage systems.
          (2) Scope.--The demonstrations shall--
                  (A) be regionally diversified; and
                  (B) expand on the existing technology 
                demonstration program of the Department.
          (3) Stakeholders.--In carrying out the 
        demonstrations, the Secretary shall, to the maximum 
        extent practicable, include the participation of a 
        range of stakeholders, including--
                  (A) rural electric cooperatives;
                  (B) investor owned utilities;
                  (C) municipally owned electric utilities;
                  (D) energy storage systems manufacturers;
                  (E) electric drive vehicle manufacturers;
                  (F) the renewable energy production industry;
                  (G) State or local energy offices;
                  (H) the fuel cell industry; and
                  (I) institutions of higher education.
          (4) Objectives.--Each of the demonstrations shall 
        include 1 or more of the following:
                  (A) Energy storage to improve the feasibility 
                of microgrids or islanding, or transmission and 
                distribution capability, to improve reliability 
                in rural areas.
                  (B) Integration of an energy storage system 
                with a self-healing grid.
                  (C) Use of energy storage to improve security 
                to emergency response infrastructure and ensure 
                availability of emergency backup power for 
                consumers.
                  (D) Integration with a renewable energy 
                production source, at the source or away from 
                the source.
                  (E) Use of energy storage to provide 
                ancillary services, such as spinning reserve 
                services, for grid management.
                  (F) Advancement of power conversion systems 
                to make the systems smarter, more efficient, 
                able to communicate with other inverters, and 
                able to control voltage.
                  (G) Use of energy storage to optimize 
                transmission and distribution operation and 
                power quality, which could address overloaded 
                lines and maintenance of transformers and 
                substations.
                  (H) Use of advanced energy storage for peak 
                load management of homes, businesses, and the 
                grid.
                  (I) Use of energy storage devices to store 
                energy during nonpeak generation periods to 
                make better use of existing grid assets.
  (j) Vehicle Energy Storage Demonstration.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
        program of electric drive vehicle energy storage 
        technology demonstrations.
          (2) Consortia.--The technology demonstrations shall 
        be conducted through consortia, which may include--
                  (A) energy storage systems manufacturers and 
                suppliers of the manufacturers;
                  (B) electric drive vehicle manufacturers;
                  (C) rural electric cooperatives;
                  (D) investor owned utilities;
                  (E) municipal and rural electric utilities;
                  (F) State and local governments;
                  (G) metropolitan transportation authorities; 
                and
                  (H) institutions of higher education.
          (3) Objectives.--The program shall demonstrate 1 or 
        more of the following:
                  (A) Novel, high capacity, high efficiency 
                energy storage, charging, and control systems, 
                along with the collection of data on 
                performance characteristics, such as battery 
                life, energy storage capacity, and power 
                delivery capacity.
                  (B) Advanced onboard energy management 
                systems and highly efficient battery cooling 
                systems.
                  (C) Integration of those systems on a 
                prototype vehicular platform, including with 
                drivetrain systems for passenger, commercial, 
                and nonroad electric drive vehicles.
                  (D) New technologies and processes that 
                reduce manufacturing costs.
                  (E) Integration of advanced vehicle 
                technologies with electricity distribution 
                system and smart metering technology.
                  (F) Control systems that minimize emissions 
                profiles in cases in which clean diesel engines 
                are part of a plug-in hybrid drive system.
  (k) Secondary Applications and Disposal of Electric Drive 
Vehicle Batteries.--The Secretary shall carry out a program of 
research, development, and demonstration of--
          (1) secondary applications of energy storage devices 
        following service in electric drive vehicles; and
          (2) technologies and processes for final recycling 
        and disposal of the devices.
  (l) Cost Sharing.--The Secretary shall carry out the programs 
established under this section in accordance with section 988 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352).
  (m) Merit Review of Proposals.--The Secretary shall carry out 
the programs established under subsections (i), (j), and (k) in 
accordance with section 989 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 16353).
  (n) Coordination and Nonduplication.--To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate activities under 
this section with other programs and laboratories of the 
Department and other Federal research programs.
  (o) Review by National Academy of Sciences.--On the business 
day that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall offer to enter into an arrangement with the 
National Academy of Sciences to assess the performance of the 
Department in carrying out this section.
  (p) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out--
          (1) the basic research program under subsection (f) 
        $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2018;
          (2) the applied research program under subsection (g) 
        $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2018; 
        and;
          (3) the energy storage research center program under 
        subsection (h) $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2009 through 2018;
          (4) the energy storage systems demonstration program 
        under subsection (i) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2009 through 2018;
          (5) the vehicle energy storage demonstration program 
        under subsection (j) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal 
        years 2009 through 2018; and
          (6) the secondary applications and disposal of 
        electric drive vehicle batteries program under 
        subsection (k) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 
        through 2018.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                             MINORITY VIEWS

     The Competes Act of 2007 was landmark bipartisan 
legislation that was based on the recommendations of the 
esteemed National Academies and was vetted with dozens of 
stakeholder organizations through a multi-month, transparent 
process. The Competes Reauthorization Act of 2010 went through 
a similar, transparent, bipartisan process. In contrast, H.R. 
1806 was kept behind closed doors until less than a week before 
the full committee markup. There were no legislative hearings 
or subcommittee markups. Neither the agencies that are being 
authorized nor the stakeholder community at large had any 
opportunity to see it or to provide feedback. Bipartisan 
negotiations were limited to a few pages in the science, 
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) title.
    H.R. 1806 violates every one of the basic principles that 
underlay the original Competes Act. The Competes Acts of 2007 
and 2010 sought to ensure America's continued scientific 
preeminence and to grow our innovation economy. In contrast, 
H.R. 1806 is preoccupied with questioning the motives of the 
National Science Foundation and the integrity of the scientists 
it funds. In addition, it would put up multiple roadblocks to 
progress in clean energy research and development (R&D), under 
the guise of preventing ``picking winners and losers'', even as 
H.R 1806 picks its own winners and losers.
    The Competes Acts of 2007 and 2010 focused on reinforcing 
America's commitment to the sciences across the board. In 
contrast, H.R. 1806 seeks to pit different scientific 
disciplines against one another and to prevent research in 
fields to which the Majority is ideologically opposed.
    The Competes Acts of 2007 and 2010 sought to provide 
sustainable increases for R and D. In contrast, H.R. 1806 would 
flat fund R&D overall and impose severe cuts in certain fields. 
The Competes Acts of 2007 and 2010 sought to attract a new 
generation of STEM researchers across all fields. In contrast, 
H.R. 1806 would impose funding cuts and policies that will 
discourage an entire generation of American students and 
researchers.
    The Competes Acts of 2007 and 2010 received hundreds of 
endorsements from scientific organizations, universities, 
companies, and industry organizations. This time, even though 
they had only a few days to respond, a large number of 
significant organizations wrote to the Committee expressing 
concern or outright opposition to H.R. 1806. By the date of the 
markup we had already received 32 such letters representing 
well over 300 scientific organizations, universities, private 
companies, and retired military leaders.
    Among those organizations expressing serious concern are 
the American Physical Society, the Computing Research 
Association, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the 
American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Energy 
Sciences Coalition. It is notable that the very scientists and 
engineers for whom H.R. 1806 was supposedly written want 
nothing to do with it.
    We even received a letter from the widely respected 
Secretary of Energy. This may well be the first time in the 
history of this Committee that a sitting Cabinet member has 
provided formal opposition to a piece of legislation that we 
are considering, certainly at this stage of the legislative 
process. That should be a strong indication of just how bad 
this bill really is.
    There are a few positive and bipartisan provisions in H.R. 
1806. We disagree with the funding levels provided to NIST in 
Title IV; however, the policy language in that title was 
arrived at through bipartisan negotiations in the 113th 
Congress. The provisions of Title II, the STEM Education Title, 
likewise reflect bipartisan discussions prior to the 
introduction of that title. The DOE Technology Transfer Title 
and supercomputing research provisions incorporate bipartisan 
bills that moved through the Committee earlier in the year. 
Finally, a few Democratic amendments improving the bill were 
accepted during the April 22 markup. However, even with these 
improvements, the Democratic Members of the Committee voted 
unanimously in opposition to the legislation as reported.
    The Democratic Members of the Committee introduced an 
alternative bill, H.R. 1898, and offered it as an amendment at 
the April 22 markup. Every Democratic Committee Member is an 
original cosponsor of that bill. H.R. 1898 continues the spirit 
and intent of the original Competes Act. While the amendment 
was voted down along partisan lines, the Democratic Members 
continue to hope that a bipartisan compromise may be possible. 
The Competes Act is too important to be subject to the worst of 
partisan politics.
National Science Foundation
    H.R. 1806 arbitrarily provides increases to the natural 
sciences and engineering at the expense of the social, 
behavioral, and economic sciences (SBE), geosciences, 
prestigious fellowships for American graduate students, EPSCoR, 
international collaboration, and STEM education. The bill 
slashes funding for the SBE research by 55 percent from the FY 
2015 level, even though NSF is the primary source of federal 
support for SBE sciences. Understanding human factors is 
essential to our economic and national security, public health, 
and the wellbeing of our society as we know it, and this severe 
cut will do lasting harm. H.R. 1806 cuts funding for the 
geosciences directorate (GEO) by 8 percent. GEO, in addition to 
funding work directly on climate sciences, has a broad 
portfolio that includes ocean sciences, natural hazards 
research, space weather, and the polar programs, every one of 
which is essential to this nation's national and economic 
security and wellbeing. The bill cuts EPSCoR and NSF graduate 
research fellowships by 11 percent. We do not agree with any of 
these cuts.
    H.R. 1806 flat funds the Education and Human Resources 
directorate (EHR), despite the repeated rhetoric on the 
importance of STEM education and the significantly increased 
administrative burden placed on EHR as a result of several 
other provisions in the bill. That administrative burden 
compounds the loss of purchasing power inherent in flat 
funding.
    Therefore, flat funding in this bill represents a cut, not 
just due to the impact of inflation. EHR funds rigorous 
research that improves STEM education and opportunities for all 
Americans. It must be fully funded. Finally, with respect to 
funding, H.R. 1806 flat funds the agency's operations account, 
putting into severe jeopardy the cost and schedule of NSF's new 
headquarters being built in Alexandria, Virginia.
    A couple of the significant policy concerns in the NSF 
title were positively addressed during the markup; however 
concerns remain. Overall, ``heavy-handed oversight'' is a more 
fitting term than ``authorization'' to describe the NSF title, 
which does not follow the spirit of Competes. There is room for 
improvement throughout the NSF title, but a few provisions 
stand out as being the most flawed. Specifically, Sec. 106 
represents a misguided and potentially dangerous attempt to 
impose a level of political review on NSF's gold-standard 
merit-review system, thus encouraging researchers, peer-
reviewers, and NSF program officers alike to play it safe, 
discouraging high-risk research and out-of-the-box thinking 
that is essential to the progress of science.
    In another provision that is a solution in search of a 
problem, Sec. 116 would require public shaming of all NSF-
funded investigators who are found to be guilty of research 
misconduct, independent of the nature or severity of the 
offense. This same provision also suggests that NSF should 
police misconduct in scientific publications, something that is 
impossible for them to do. Similarly, in another poorly 
conceived provision on research reproducibility, Sec. 117 
largely ignores the expert advice of NSF officials on the 
actual nature of the reproducibility challenges (including how 
much these challenges vary across fields), the proactive steps 
NSF is already taking with input from their expert advisory 
committees, and how the Academies might best be helpful on this 
topic.

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

    H.R. 1806 cuts OSTP's budget by $1 million--nearly 20 
percent--seemingly as retaliation for OSTP being uncooperative, 
in the Majority's view, in the Majority's 2-year campaign to 
undercover supposed evidence of OSTP's culpability in the early 
troubles with the Healthcare.gov website and the more recent 
news of potential issues with privacy protections on 
Healthcare.gov. The Majority keeps looking for the smoking gun 
that doesn't exist, and OSTP is apparently being punished as a 
result. For the same reasons, Sec. 306 requires that the White 
House Chief Technology Officer, currently an advisor to the 
President, be a Senate-confirmed position within OSTP. The bill 
lays out a very prescriptive description of duties, many of 
which overlap with duties of the Chief Information Officer, 
codified in the E-Government Act of 2002. In fact, it was this 
very provision that triggered a referral to the Oversight and 
Government Reform Committee, which was apparently not consulted 
in the drafting on this section. There may be good reasons to 
codify the CTO position, but we cannot support the approach in 
Sec. 306, nor the 20 percent cut to OSTP's budget at a time 
when Congress and the Administration alike are asking OSTP to 
take on more and more responsibilities, including a number that 
are mandated in this bill.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

    Our major concern with the NIST title has to do with 
funding. H.R. 1806 cuts funding for the very successfully 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program and does not 
fund the new manufacturing institutes requested by the 
Administration under the recently enacted National Networking 
for Manufacturing Innovation. We would like to see both of 
these important manufacturing programs fully funded.

Department of Energy (DOE)

    H.R. 1806 makes significant cuts to critical Department of 
Energy R&D programs First, the legislation would cut Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) R&D by 29 percent, or 
$496 million, below FY15 appropriated levels, and 50 percent 
below the President's FY 2016 request level. It would cut ARPA-
E by 50 percent, or $140 million, below FY 2015 levels, and 57 
percent below the FY 2016 request level. In addition, H.R. 1806 
would cut the Office of Science's Biological and Environmental 
Research Program (BER) by 7.1 percent, or $62.4 million, below 
FY 2015 levels, and 10.2 percent below the FY 2016 request 
level. We support full funding for all of these offices.
    In addition to these harmful cuts, there are a number of 
equally harmful policy directives in the current bill text. The 
bill would:
      Bar the results of any DOE-supported fossil R&D 
activity from being ``used for regulatory assessments or 
determinations by Federal regulatory authorities.'' This could 
essentially ban the EPA or FERC from using the most up-to-date 
research results when they set rules to protect our air, land, 
and water and prevent health hazards associated with fossil 
fuel use. See Section 661, which adds a Section 961(b)(3) into 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
      Eliminate existing authorization for integrated 
biorefinery demonstration projects and R&D in offshore wind, 
next generation lighting, hybrid and electric propulsion 
systems, plug-in hybrid systems, advanced combustion engines, 
and secondary EV battery use. Most of these changes are made 
through cut-and-replace (or in the case of lighting and 
secondary batteries, just cut) amendments to the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 throughout Title II, Subtitle C.
     Remove ``reductions of energy-related emissions, 
including greenhouse gases''' from goals of ARPA-E, and also 
could limit its ability to work with universities and national 
laboratories to carry out early-stage, high-risk research due 
to an assumption that every awardee must seek private financing 
first. See Section 671, which amends Section 5012(c)(1) and 
(0(1) of the America COMPETES Act.
     Repeal the statute establishing a program to 
support renewable energy demonstration projects in State and 
local government buildings. See Section 650.
     Prohibit DOE from continuing to support a joint 
initiative with the Department of Defense and the Department of 
Agriculture to establish a cost-competitive drop-in biofuels 
production capability for military and commercial applications. 
See Section 648, which adds a Section 932(d) into the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005.
     Strike existing authorization for DOE to provide 
grants or technical assistance to support the development of 
standards for high performance buildings, and for Advanced 
Energy Technology Transfer Centers to develop and distribute 
informational materials on how to use energy more efficiently. 
See Sections 643 and 646.
     Prevent BER from carrying out climate science-
related initiatives that are identified by GAO as ``overlapping 
or duplicative'' with initiatives of other Federal agencies. 
While these efforts should be, and are, coordinated across the 
government, this language ignores the value of independent 
replication of research results. Further, GAO has noted in a 
recent report that its own use of the term ``duplicative'' did 
not mean that a particular federal effort wasn't valuable. See 
Section 505(d).
          BER would also be required to 
        ``prioritize fundamental research on biological systems 
        and genomics science'' over climate and environmental 
        research, even when an independent merit review process 
        determines that research opportunities in the latter 
        areas may warrant more funding than the former in any 
        given year. It is also unclear how cutting-edge 
        biological research for environmental applications, 
        such as cleaning up weapons-related waste sites like 
        Hanford, WA, would be affected. See Section 505(b).

What's Missing

    Finally, while there are many Democratic priorities not 
addressed in H.R. 1806, there are a few omissions that we find 
most troubling. First, H.R. 1806 fails to do anything 
substantive and meaningful on broadening participation in STEM 
to women and underrepresented minorities. Increasing the 
participation of women and minorities in STEM is an economic 
imperative for our nation. Ranking Member Johnson offered H.R. 
467, the STEM Opportunities Act, as an amendment during markup, 
and it was voted down along party lines without any substantive 
response as to why it was being rejected. Rep. Edwards offered 
a narrowly targeted amendment that would help ensure that 
Minority Serving Institutes are equal partners in NSF-funded 
research partnerships with major research universities. 
Chairman Smith refused to accept the amendment but did pledge 
to work with Ms. Edwards on a compromise. Even if Ms. Edwards' 
amendment were to be incorporated in some meaningful way, H.R. 
1806 would still fail to address in any significant way the 
issue of broadening participation in STEM.
    Second, H.R. 1806 also lacks an Innovation title that 
builds and strengthens programs and activities at the 
Department of Commerce that would help build innovation 
capacity and increase competitiveness and job creation in 
regions across our nation, including by supporting 
collaborations among state and local governments, the private 
sector, and research institutions. Such a title is included in 
the Democratic alternative, H.R. 1898. Similarly, H.R. 1806 
falls short in authorizing innovative models to accelerate the 
development of new energy technologies, such as Energy 
Innovation Hubs, which bring together leading researchers from 
universities, the private sector, and national laboratories to 
tackle significant energy science and technology issues.

Groups Concerned about H.R. 1806

    Below is a list of organizations or groups that have 
written letters or released statements expressing concern or 
opposition to H.R. 1806:

 Alliance to Save Energy
 American Academy of Political and Social Science
 American Anthropological Association
 American Association for the Advancement of Science
 American Association of Petroleum Geologists
 American Association of Physics Teachers
 American Educational Research Association
 American Geophysical Union
 American Geosciences Institute
 American Institute of Biological Sciences
 American Institute of Physics
 American Physical Society
 American Political Science Association
 American Psychological Association
 American Society for Microbiology
 Association for the Sciences of Limnology and 
        Oceanography
 Association of American Universities
 Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
 AVS: Science & Technology of Materials, Interfaces, 
        and Processing
 Clay Minerals Society
 Coalition for National Science Funding
 Computing Research Association
 Consortium for Ocean Leadership
 Consortium of Social Science Associations
 Council for Sustainable Energy
 Council of Undergraduate Research
 Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz
 Ecological Society of America
 Energy Sciences Coalition
 Environment America
 Environmental Defense Fund
 Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain 
        Sciences
 Geological Society of America
 IEEE
 Iris Consortium
 League of Conservation Voters
 Learning and Education Academic Research Network
 National Association of Geoscience Teachers
 National Association of Marine Laboratories
 National Cave and Karst Research Institute
 National Ground Water Association
 Natural Resources Defense Council
 Paleontological Research Institution
 Princeton University
 Research!America
 Seismological Society of America
 Sierra Club
 Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
 Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists
 Soil Science Society Of America
 STEM Education Coalition
 Taskforce on American Innovation
 The Optical Society
 Truman National Security Project--Operation Free
 Union of Concerned Scientists
 United States Permafrost Association
 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

                                             Eddie Bernice Johnson.

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

    The America COMPETES Act has been a key public policy 
initiative promoting U.S. innovation and competitiveness since 
its passage in 2007 and its renewal is vital to ensuring that 
our country's leadership in a global marketplace is maintained.
    An innovative workforce needs people who create, problem-
solve, and think outside the box. Sharpening our focus on 
innovation requires updating our approach to educating our 
nation's students. We need to find new ways to engage more 
students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
(STEM) so that innovative companies like Intel and NIKE--both 
major employers in my district--have the skilled applicants 
they need to fill high-skilled, high-paying jobs.
    Not only must we engage more students in STEM, but we must 
also make sure those pursuing a career in the STEM fields have 
the ability to think creatively and be truly innovative. That 
comes from educating and using both halves of the brain. 
Research shows that integrating arts and design, broadly 
defined, into STEM education, can achieve both these goals. 
STEAM, as this approach has come to be known, can engage more 
students and lead to a more innovative workforce.
    Look at patents, for example, which are indicative of 
innovation and leadership. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office 
has said it is ``interested in making sure that we are 
encouraging more innovation and more invention in this country 
. . . we've spent a long time thinking about how science and 
art intersect because that is the lifeblood of the agency . . . 
STEAM is critical to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.''
    The Director of Worldwide Education for Adobe said, ``by 
embracing STEAM, we can help bridge the creativity gap within 
the global economy and help ensure the success of the next 
generation.''
    During Committee consideration of the bill, I offered an 
amendment that represents an important step toward updating the 
federal approach to STEM by laying the groundwork for the 
increased adoption of arts and design into federal STEM 
education programs. My amendment would have added a Sense of 
Congress expressing the potential of this approach to improve 
the federal approach to STEM education, and would have directed 
the National Science Foundation and the National Research 
Council to work together to evaluate the potential benefits of 
integrating arts and design with STEM education.
    Maintaining our position as the most innovative country on 
Earth, and making sure we have a cutting-edge, next generation 
workforce is something we should all agree on. Although the 
amendment was not included in the final bill, as Congress moves 
forward with legislation that seeks to further American 
innovation and competitiveness, STEAM should be a part of those 
efforts.

                                                  Suzanne Bonamici.

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