S 838 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize funding for eligible joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses and academic persons, to establish the International Energy Advisory Board, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 12, 2007

Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mr. BINGAMAN, and Ms. LANDRIEU) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize funding for eligible joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses and academic persons, to establish the International Energy Advisory Board, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) it is in the highest national security interests of the United States to develop alternative renewable energy sources;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the State of Israel is a steadfast ally of the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the special relationship between the United States and Israel is manifested in a variety of cooperative scientific research and development programs, such as--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) those programs have made possible many scientific, technological, and commercial breakthroughs in the fields of life sciences, medicine, bioengineering, agriculture, biotechnology, communications, and others;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) on February 1, 1996, the Secretary of Energy and the Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure signed an agreement to establish a framework for collaboration between the United States and Israel in energy research and development activities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) Israeli scientists and engineers are at the forefront of research and development in the field of alternative renewable energy sources; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) enhanced cooperation between the United States and Israel for the purpose of research and development of alternative renewable energy sources would be in the national interests of both countries.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Authority- Pursuant to the responsibilities described in section 102(10), (14), and (17) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7112(10), (14), and (17)) and section 103(9) of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5813(9)), the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, shall award grants to eligible entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Application-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS- To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary containing such information and assurances as the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- The Secretary, in consultation with the Directors of the BIRD and BSF, may review any application submitted by any eligible entity and select any eligible entity meeting criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board, for a grant under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Amount of Grant- The amount of each grant awarded for a fiscal year under this section shall be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Private Funds- The Secretary may accept contributions of funds from private sources to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy- The Secretary shall carry out this section through the existing programs at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Research Administration-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The requirements of sections 988 and 989 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352 and 16353) shall apply to any grant made under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) REPAYMENT-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- Any funds repaid to the BIRD by a grantee for a grant made under this section shall be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) transferred to the Secretary;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) deposited by the Secretary into the Energy Research and Development Activities Fund established in subparagraph (B); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) available to the Secretary for use for alternative renewable energy research and development activities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) REVOLVING FUND- There is established in the Treasury of the United States a revolving fund known as the Energy Research and Development Activities Fund. Any amounts deposited in the Fund pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall be available to the Secretary, without fiscal year limitation or further appropriation, for the purpose described in clause (iii) of such subparagraph.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Report- Not later than 180 days after the completion of work supported by a grant under this section, each recipient shall submit a report to the Secretary--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) documenting how the recipient used the grant funds; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) evaluating the level of success of each project funded by the grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY ADVISORY BOARD.

(a) Establishment- There is established in the Department of Energy an International Energy Advisory Board.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Duties- The Advisory Board shall advise the Secretary on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) criteria for the recipients of grants awarded under section 3(a);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BSF, for each fiscal year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Membership-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) COMPOSITION- The Advisory Board shall be composed of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) 1 member appointed by the Secretary of Commerce;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) 2 members appointed by the Secretary of Energy; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) 2 members who shall be Israeli citizens, appointed by the Secretary of Energy after consultation with appropriate officials in the Israeli Government.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENTS- The initial appointments under paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) TERM- Each member of the Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of 4 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) VACANCIES- A vacancy on the Advisory Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) BASIC PAY-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) COMPENSATION- A member of the Advisory Board shall serve without pay.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES- Each member of the Advisory Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions of subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) QUORUM- Three members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) CHAIRPERSON- The Chairperson of the Advisory Board shall be designated by the Secretary of Energy at the time of the appointment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) MEETINGS- The Advisory Board shall meet at least once annually at the call of the Chairperson.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Termination- Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Board.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) ADVISORY BOARD- The term `Advisory Board' means the International Energy Advisory Board established by section 4(a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) BIRD- The term `BIRD' means the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) BSF- The term `BSF' means the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term `eligible entity' means a joint venture comprised of both Israeli and United States private business entities or a joint venture comprised of both Israeli academic persons (who reside and work in Israel) and United States academic persons, that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) carries out an eligible project; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) is selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, using the criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) ELIGIBLE PROJECT- The term `eligible project' means a project to encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, or commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, or renewable energy sources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. TERMINATION.

The grant program authorized under section 3 and the Advisory Board shall terminate upon the expiration of the 7-year period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

The Secretary is authorized to expend not more than $20,000,000 to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2014 from funds previously authorized to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink