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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1263 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1263

     To provide for the establishment of a Clean Energy Technology 
   Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to assist United States 
    businesses with exporting clean energy technology products and 
                               services.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 7, 2015

  Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
     To provide for the establishment of a Clean Energy Technology 
   Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to assist United States 
    businesses with exporting clean energy technology products and 
                               services.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Energy Technology 
Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING AND EXPORT ASSISTANCE 
              FUND.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Clean energy technology.--The term ``clean energy 
        technology'' means a technology related to the production, use, 
        transmission, storage, control, or conservation of energy that 
        will contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse 
        gas concentrations through reduction, avoidance, or 
        sequestration of energy-related emissions and--
                    (A) reduce the need for additional energy supplies 
                by using existing energy supplies with greater 
                efficiency or by transmitting, distributing, or 
                transporting energy with greater effectiveness through 
                the infrastructure of the United States; or
                    (B) diversify the sources of energy supply of the 
                United States to strengthen energy security and to 
                increase supplies with a favorable balance of 
                environmental effects if the entire technology system 
                is considered.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.
    (b) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a Clean 
        Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund (in 
        this section referred to as the ``Fund''), to be administered 
        through the International Trade Administration.
            (2) Use of fund.--The Secretary shall administer the Fund--
                    (A) to promote policies that will reduce production 
                costs and encourage innovation, investment, and 
                productivity in the clean energy technology sector; and
                    (B) to implement a national clean energy technology 
                export strategy.
            (3) Purpose.--The purpose of the Fund is to ensure that 
        United States clean energy technology firms, including clean 
        energy technology parts suppliers and engineering and design 
        firms, have the information and assistance they need to be 
        competitive and create clean energy technology sector jobs in 
        the United States.
    (c) Assistance.--The Secretary, consistent with the National Export 
Initiative (established by Executive Order 13534 (75 Fed. Reg. 
12,433)), shall use amounts in the Fund to provide information, tools, 
and other assistance to United States businesses to promote clean 
energy technology manufacturing and facilitate the export of clean 
energy technology products and services. Such assistance shall 
include--
            (1) developing critical analysis of policies to reduce 
        production costs and promote innovation, investment, and 
        productivity in the clean energy technology sector;
            (2) helping educate companies about how to tailor their 
        activities to specific markets with respect to their product 
        slate, financing, marketing, assembly, and logistics;
            (3) helping United States companies learn about the export 
        process and export opportunities in foreign markets;
            (4) helping United States companies to navigate foreign 
        markets; and
            (5) helping United States companies provide input regarding 
        clean energy technology manufacturing and trade policy 
        developments and trade promotion.
    (d) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report indicating how funds made available to carry 
        out this section will be used to--
                    (A) focus on small- and medium-sized United States 
                businesses;
                    (B) encourage the creation and maintenance of the 
                greatest number of clean energy technology jobs in the 
                United States; and
                    (C) encourage the domestic production of clean 
                energy technology products and services, including 
                materials, components, equipment, parts, and supplies 
                related in any way to the product or service.
            (2) Report on effectiveness of program.--Not later than 
        January 1, 2019, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        report assessing the extent to which assistance provided under 
        this section--
                    (A) has been successful in--
                            (i) developing critical analysis of 
                        policies to reduce production costs and promote 
                        innovation, investment, and productivity in the 
                        clean energy technology sector;
                            (ii) increasing the competitiveness of 
                        United States clean energy technology firms in 
                        emerging markets;
                            (iii) assisting United States businesses, 
                        specifically small- and medium-sized firms, 
                        with exporting clean energy technology products 
                        and services;
                            (iv) creating jobs directly related to the 
                        clean energy technology sector in the United 
                        States, including specific information as to 
                        the nature, location, and duration of those 
                        jobs and the methodology used by the Secretary 
                        to compile such information; and
                            (v) helping United States companies provide 
                        input regarding clean energy technology 
                        manufacturing and trade policy developments and 
                        trade promotion; and
                    (B) should be continued.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 
        2019 to carry out this section.
            (2) Limitation.--No assistance provided using funds 
        appropriated pursuant to this section shall be provided in the 
        form of a monetary grant.
                                 <all>
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