‘‘(3) $24,255,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(4) $25,467,750 for fiscal year 2023; and 
‘‘(5) $26,741,138 for fiscal year 2024.’’. 
SEC. 12. WASTE GAS UTILIZATION. 
Subtitle F of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16291 et seq.) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 969E. WASTE GAS UTILIZATION. 
‘‘The Secretary shall carry out a program of research, 
development, and demonstration for waste gas utilization. 
The program shall— 
‘‘(1) identify and evaluate novel uses for light 
hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane, propane, 
butane, pentane, and hexane, produced during oil 
and shale gas production, including the production 
of chemicals or transportation fuels; 
‘‘(2) develop advanced gas conversion tech-
nologies that are modular and compact, and may le-
verage advanced manufacturing technologies; 
‘‘(3) support demonstration activities at oper-
ating oil and gas facilities to test the performance 
and cost-effectiveness of new gas conversion tech-
nologies; and 
‘‘(4) assess and monitor potential changes in 
life cycle greenhouse gas emissions that may result 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00035
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
from the use of technologies developed under this 
program.’’. 
SEC. 13. NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY 
REFORMS. 
(a) SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC, 
ENGINEERING, 
AND
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
PER-
SONNEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Energy Technology Laboratory shall have the au-
thority to— 
(A) make appointments to positions in the 
Laboratory to assist in meeting a specific 
project or research need, without regard to civil 
service laws, of individuals who— 
(i) have an advanced scientific or en-
gineering background; or 
(ii) have a business background and 
can assist in specific technology-to-market 
needs; 
(B) fix the basic pay of any employee ap-
pointed under this section at a rate not to ex-
ceed level II of the Executive Schedule; and 
(C) pay any employee appointed under this 
section payments in addition to basic pay, ex-
cept that the total amount of additional pay-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00036
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
ments paid to an employee under this sub-
section for any 12-month period shall not ex-
ceed the least of— 
(i) $25,000; 
(ii) the amount equal to 25 percent of 
the annual rate of basic pay of that em-
ployee; and 
(iii) the amount of the limitation that 
is applicable for a calendar year under sec-
tion 5307(a)(1) of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term of any em-
ployee appointed under this section shall not ex-
ceed 3 years. 
(B) FULL-TIME
EMPLOYEES.—Not more 
than 10 full-time employees appointed under 
this subsection may be employed at the Na-
tional Energy Technology Laboratory at any 
given time. 
(b) DISCRETIONARY
RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOP-
MENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
mechanisms under which the Director of the Na-
tional Energy Technology Laboratory may use an 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
amount that is, in total, not less than 2 percent and 
not more than 4 percent of all funds available to the 
Laboratory for the following purposes: 
(A) To fund innovative research that is 
conducted at the Laboratory and supports the 
mission of the Department. 
(B) To fund technology development pro-
grams that support the transition of tech-
nologies developed by the Laboratory into the 
commercial market. 
(C) To fund workforce development activi-
ties to strengthen external engineering and 
manufacturing partnerships to ensure safe, effi-
cient, productive, and useful fossil energy tech-
nology production. 
(D) To fund the revitalization, recapitaliza-
tion, or minor construction of the Laboratory 
infrastructure. 
(2) 
PRIORITIZATION.—The 
Director 
shall 
prioritize innovative experiments and proposals pro-
posed by scientists and researchers at the National 
Energy Technology Laboratory. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORT ON USE OF AUTHORITY.— 
Not later than March 1 of each year, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate a report on the use of the authority 
under this subsection during the preceding fiscal 
year. 
(c) LABORATORY OPERATIONS.—The Secretary shall 
delegate human resources operations of the National En-
ergy Technology Laboratory to the Director of the Na-
tional Energy Technology Laboratory. 
(d) REVIEW.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report assessing 
the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s manage-
ment and research. The report shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the quality of science and 
research at the National Energy Technology Labora-
tory relative to similar work at other national lab-
oratories; 
(2) a review of the effectiveness of authorities 
provided in subsections (a) and (b); and 
(3) recommendations for policy changes within 
the Department and legislative changes to provide 
the National Energy Technology Laboratory the nec-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
essary tools and resources to advance its research 
mission. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:26 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3607.IH
H3607
pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS