I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3915 

To amend the America COMPETES Act to reauthorize the Advanced 

Research Projects Agency-Energy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 23, 2019 

Mr. LUCAS (for himself, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BAIRD, Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N

of Puerto Rico, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. BACON, and Mr. WOODALL) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To amend the America COMPETES Act to reauthorize the 

Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘ARPA–E Reauthoriza5 tion and Reform Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY–EN7 ERGY. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 5012(b) of the Amer9 ica COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(b)) is amended 


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1 by striking ‘‘development of energy technologies’’ and in2 serting ‘‘development of transformative science and tech3 nology solutions to address energy, environmental, eco4 nomic, and national security challenges’’. 

5 (b) GOALS.—Section 5012(c) of the America COM6 PETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(c)) is amended— 

7 (1) by striking paragraph (1)(A) and inserting 

8 the following: 

9 ‘‘(A) to enhance the economic and energy 

10 security of the United States through the devel11 opment of energy technologies that— 

12 ‘‘(i) reduce imports of energy from 

13 foreign sources; 

14 ‘‘(ii) reduce energy-related emissions, 

15 including greenhouse gases; 

16 ‘‘(iii) improve the energy efficiency of 

17 all economic sectors; 

18 ‘‘(iv) provide transformative solutions 

19 to improve the management, clean-up, and 

20 disposal of— 

21 ‘‘(I) low-level radioactive waste; 

22 ‘‘(II) spent nuclear fuel; and 

23 ‘‘(III) high-level radioactive 

24 waste; 


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1 ‘‘(v) improve efficiency and reduce the 

2 environmental impact of all forms of en3 ergy production; 

4 ‘‘(vi) improve the resiliency, reliability, 

5 and security of the electric grid; and 

6 ‘‘(vii) address other challenges within 

7 the mission of the Department as deter8 mined by the Secretary; and’’; and 

9 (2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 

10 subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘energy technology 

11 projects’’ and inserting ‘‘advanced technology 

12 projects’’. 

13 (c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Section 5012(e)(3)(A) of 

14 the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 

15 16538(e)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘energy’’. 

16 (d) REPORTS AND ROADMAPS.—Section 5012(h) of 

17 the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(h)) is 

18 amended to read as follows: 

19 ‘‘(h) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the annual 

21 budget request submitted for each fiscal year, the 

22 Director shall provide to the relevant authorizing 

23 and appropriations committees of Congress a report 

24 that— 


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1 ‘‘(A) describes projects supported by 

2 ARPA–E during the previous fiscal year; 

3 ‘‘(B) identifies and includes an analysis of 

4 projects supported by ARPA–E during the pre5 vious fiscal year that demonstrate duplication of 

6 other activities funded by the Department; and 

7 ‘‘(C) describes current, proposed, and 

8 planned projects to be carried out pursuant to 

9 subsection (e)(3)(D). 

10 ‘‘(2) STRATEGIC VISION ROADMAP.—Beginning 

11 with the report submitted with respect to fiscal year 

12 2020, and every 4 fiscal years thereafter, the report 

13 required under paragraph (1) shall include a road14 map describing the strategic vision that ARPA–E 

15 will use to guide the choices of ARPA–E for future 

16 technology investments over the following 4 fiscal 

17 years.’’. 

18 (e) COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.—Section 

19 5012(i)(1) of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 

20 16538(i)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the maximum extent 

22 practicable, the Director shall ensure that— 

23 ‘‘(A) the activities of ARPA–E are coordi24 nated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, 


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1 programs and laboratories within the Depart2 ment and other relevant research agencies; and 

3 ‘‘(B) ARPA–E does not provide funding 

4 for a project unless the prospective grantee 

5 demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure pri6 vate financing or indicates that the project is 

7 not independently commercially viable.’’. 

8 (f) EVALUATION.—Section 5012(l) of the America 

9 COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(l)) is amended— 

10 (1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 

11 following: 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 

13 after the date of enactment of the ARPA–E Reau14 thorization and Reform Act of 2019, the Secretary 

15 is authorized to enter into a contract with a third 

16 party entity to conduct an evaluation of how well 

17 ARPA–E is achieving the goals and mission of 

18 ARPA–E.’’; and 

19 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

20 (A) by striking ‘‘shall’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘may’’; and 

22 (B) by striking ‘‘the recommendation of 

23 the National Academy of Sciences’’ and insert24 ing ‘‘a recommendation’’. 


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1 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Para2 graph (2) of section 5012(o) of the America COMPETES 

3 Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(o)) is amended to read as follows: 

4 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

5 Subject to paragraph (4), there are authorized to be 

6 appropriated to the Director of ARPA–E— 

7 ‘‘(A) $392,800,000 for fiscal year 2020; 

8 ‘‘(B) $419,600,000 for fiscal year 2021; 

9 ‘‘(C) $446,400,000 for fiscal year 2022; 

10 ‘‘(D) $473,200,000 for fiscal year 2023; 

11 and 

12 ‘‘(E) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.’’. 

13 (h) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Section 

14 5012(g)(3)(A)(iii) of the America COMPETES Act (42 

15 U.S.C. 16538(g)(3)(A)(iii)) is amended by striking ‘‘sub16 part’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘subparagraph’’. 

Æ 


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