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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 784 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 784

  To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish microlabs to improve 
            regional engagement with national laboratories.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 18, 2015

  Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Gardner) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish microlabs to improve 
            regional engagement with national laboratories.

    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 ``Microlab Technology 
Commercialization Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Microlab.--The term ``microlab'' means a small 
        laboratory established by the Secretary under section 3.
            (2) National laboratory.--The term ``national laboratory'' 
        means--
                    (A) a National Laboratory, as defined in section 2 
                of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801); and
                    (B) a national security laboratory, as defined in 
                section 3281 of the National Nuclear Security 
                Administration Act (50 U.S.C. 2471).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MICROLAB PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the directors 
of national laboratories, may establish a microlab program under which 
the Secretary establishes microlabs that are located in close proximity 
to national laboratories and that are accessible to the public for the 
purposes of--
            (1) enhancing collaboration with regional research groups, 
        such as institutions of higher education and industry groups;
            (2) accelerating technology transfer from national 
        laboratories to the marketplace; and
            (3) promoting regional workforce development through 
        science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (``STEM'') 
        instruction and training.
    (b) Criteria.--In determining the placement of microlabs under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider--
            (1) the commitment of a national laboratory to establishing 
        a microlab;
            (2) the existence of a joint research institute or a new 
        facility that--
                    (A) is not on the main site of a national 
                laboratory;
                    (B) is in close proximity to a national laboratory; 
                and
                    (C) has the capability to house a microlab;
            (3) whether employees of a national laboratory and persons 
        from academia, industry, and government are available to be 
        assigned to the microlab; and
            (4) cost-sharing or in-kind contributions from State and 
        local governments and private industry.
    (c) Timing.--If the Secretary, in collaboration with the directors 
of national laboratories, elects to establish a microlab program under 
this section, the Secretary, in collaboration with the directors of 
national laboratories, shall--
            (1) not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, begin the process of determining the placement of 
        microlabs under subsection (a); and
            (2) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, implement the microlab program under this section.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

    (a) Initial Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
implementation of the microlab program under section 3, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a report that provides an update on the implementation 
of the microlab program under section 3.
    (b) Progress Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
implementation of the microlab program under section 3, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives a report on the microlab program under section 3, 
including findings and recommendations of the Secretary.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.
                                 <all>
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