H.R. 4906 – ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2010

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4906

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 22, 2010

Mr. Gordon of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology

A BILL

To reauthorize the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the ARPA–E Reauthorization Act of 2010.

ARPA-E amendments

Section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (c)(2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (A), by inserting and applied after advances in fundamental;

(B)

by striking and at the end of subparagraph (B);

(C)

by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) and inserting ; and; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(D)

promoting the commercial application of advanced energy technologies.

;

(2)

in subsection (e)(3), by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:

(C)

research and development of advanced manufacturing process and technologies for the domestic manufacturing of novel energy technologies; and

;

(3)

by redesignating subsections (f) through (m) as subsections (g), (h), (i), (j), (l), (m), (n), and (o), respectively;

(4)

by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:

(f)

Awards

In carrying out this section, the Director shall initiate and execute awards in the form of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, cash prizes, and other transactions.

;

(5)

in subsection (g), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section—

(A)

by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively;

(B)

by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following new paragraph:

(1)

In general

The Director shall establish and maintain within ARPA–E a staff, including legal counsel, contracting personnel, and program directors, with sufficient qualifications and expertise to enable ARPA–E to carry out its responsibilities under this section separate and distinct from the operations of the rest of the Department.

;

(C)

in paragraph (2)(A), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking each of;

(D)

in paragraph (2)(B), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph—

(i)

in clause (iv), by striking , with advice under subsection (j) as appropriate,;

(ii)

by redesignating clauses (v) and (vi) as clauses (vi) and (viii), respectively;

(iii)

by inserting after clause (iv) the following new clause:

(v)

identifying innovative cost-sharing arrangements for ARPA–E projects, including through use of the authority under section 988(b)(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(b)(3));

;

(iv)

in clause (vi), as so redesignated by clause (ii) of this subparagraph, by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; and

(v)

by inserting after clause (vi), as so redesignated by clause (ii) of this subparagraph, the following new clause:

(vii)

identifying mechanisms for commercial application of successful energy technology development projects, including through establishment of partnerships between awardees and commercial entities; and

;

(E)

in paragraph (2)(C), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by inserting up to after shall be;

(F)

in paragraph (3), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively;

(G)

by striking program managers each place it appears and inserting program directors;

(H)

by striking program manager each place it appears and inserting program director; and

(I)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)

Fellowships

The Director is authorized to select exceptional early career and senior scientific, legal, business, and technical personnel to serve as fellows to work at ARPA–E for terms not to exceed two years. Responsibilities of fellows may include—

(A)

supporting program managers in program creation, design, implementation, and management;

(B)

exploring technical fields for future ARPA–E program areas;

(C)

assisting the Director in the creation of the strategic vision for ARPA–E referred to in subsection (h)(2);

(D)

preparing energy technology and economic analyses; and

(E)

any other appropriate responsibilities identified by the Director.

;

(6)

in subsection (h)(2), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section—

(A)

by striking 2008 and inserting 2010; and

(B)

by striking 2011 and inserting 2013;

(7)

by amending subsection (j), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section, to read as follows:

(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.

;

(8)

by inserting after such subsection (j) the following new subsection:

(k)

Events

The Director is authorized to convene, organize, and sponsor events that further the objectives of ARPA–E, including events that assemble awardees, the most promising applicants for ARPA–E funding, and a broad range of ARPA–E stakeholders (which may include members of relevant scientific research and academic communities, government officials, financial institutions, private investors, entrepreneurs, and other private entities), for the purposes of—

(1)

demonstrating projects of ARPA–E awardees;

(2)

demonstrating projects of finalists for ARPA–E awards and other energy technology projects;

(3)

facilitating discussion of the commercial application of energy technologies developed under ARPA–E and other government-sponsored research and development programs; or

(4)

such other purposes as the Director considers appropriate.

;

(9)

in subsection (m)(1), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section, by striking 4 years and inserting 6 years;

(10)

in section (m)(2)(B), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section, by inserting , and how those lessons may apply to the operation of other programs within the Department of Energy after ARPA-E;

(11)

by amending subsection (o)(2), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section, to read as follows:

(2)

Authorization of appropriations

Subject to paragraph (4), 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 2011;

(B)

$500,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;

(C)

$700,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;

(D)

$900,000,000 for fiscal year 2014;

(E)

$1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; and

(F)

such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020.

; and

(12)

in subsection (o), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section, by—

(A)

striking paragraph (4); and

(B)

redesignated paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).

ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2010

Legislative Activity

Bill Text