IB 
Union Calendar No. 253 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2051 
[Report No. 116–312, Part I] 
To provide for Federal coordination of activities supporting sustainable 
chemistry, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2019 
Mr. LIPINSKI (for himself and Mr. MOOLENAAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
NOVEMBER 26, 2019 
Additional sponsors: Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Mr. TONKO, 
Ms. STEVENS, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. COX 
of 
California, 
Ms. 
JOHNSON
of 
Texas, 
Ms. 
SHERRILL, 
Mr. 
FLEISCHMANN, Ms. KENDRA S. HORN of Oklahoma, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. 
BYRNE, Ms. SLOTKIN, and Mr. SUOZZI 
NOVEMBER 26, 2019 
Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with an 
amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
NOVEMBER 26, 2019 
Committee on the Budget discharged; committed to the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 3, 2019] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:53 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To provide for Federal coordination of activities supporting 
sustainable chemistry, and for other purposes. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sustainable Chemistry 
Research and Development Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) Congress recognized the importance and 
value of sustainable chemistry and the role of the Fed-
eral Government in section 114 of the American Inno-
vation and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114– 
329); 
(2) sustainable chemistry and materials trans-
formation is a key value contributor to business com-
petitiveness across many industrial and consumer sec-
tors; 
(3) companies across hundreds of supply chains 
critical to the American economy are seeking to re-
duce costs and open new markets through innovations 
in manufacturing and materials, and are in need of 
new innovations in chemistry, including sustainable 
chemistry; 
(4) sustainable chemistry can improve the effi-
ciency with which natural resources are used to meet 
human needs for chemical products while avoiding 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
environmental harm, reduce or eliminate the emis-
sions of and exposures to hazardous substances, mini-
mize the use of resources, and benefit the economy, 
people, and the environment; and 
(5) a recent report by the Government Account-
ability Office (GAO–18–307) found that the Federal 
Government could play an important role in helping 
realize the full innovation and market potential of 
sustainable chemistry technologies, including through 
a coordinated national effort on sustainable chemistry 
and standardized tools and definitions to support sus-
tainable chemistry research, development, demonstra-
tion, and commercialization. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL COORDINATING ENTITY FOR SUSTAIN-
ABLE CHEMISTRY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office 
of Science and Technology Policy shall convene an inter-
agency entity (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Entity’’) under 
the National Science and Technology Council with the re-
sponsibility to coordinate Federal programs and activities 
in support of sustainable chemistry, including those de-
scribed in sections 5 and 6. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH EXISTING GROUPS.—In con-
vening the Entity, the Director of the Office of Science and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
Technology Policy shall consider overlap and possible co-
ordination with existing committees, subcommittees, or 
other groups of the National Science and Technology Coun-
cil, such as— 
(1) the Committee on Environment; 
(2) the Committee on Technology; 
(3) the Committee on Science; or 
(4) related groups or subcommittees. 
(c) CO-CHAIRS.—The Entity shall be co-chaired by the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy and a representa-
tive from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology, the National 
Science Foundation, or the Department of Energy, as se-
lected by the Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy. 
(d) AGENCY PARTICIPATION.—The Entity shall in-
clude representatives, including subject matter experts, from 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, the National Science 
Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Department of 
Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the National Insti-
tutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, the Food and Drug Administration, and other related 
Federal agencies, as appropriate. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(e) TERMINATION.—The Entity shall terminate on the 
date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 4. ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY. 
(a) ROADMAP.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Entity shall— 
(1) consult with relevant stakeholders including 
representatives from industry, academia, the Federal 
Government, and international entities to develop 
and update as needed a consensus definition of ‘‘sus-
tainable chemistry’’ to guide the activities under this 
Act; 
(2) develop a working framework of attributes 
characterizing and metrics for assessing sustainable 
chemistry, as described in subsection (b); 
(3) assess the state of sustainable chemistry in 
the United States as a key benchmark from which 
progress under the activities described in this Act can 
be measured, including assessing key sectors of the 
United States economy, key technology platforms, 
commercial priorities, and barriers to innovation; 
(4) coordinate and support Federal research, de-
velopment, demonstration, technology transfer, com-
mercialization, education, and training efforts in sus-
tainable chemistry, including budget coordination 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
chemistry already in use by international organiza-
tions of which the United States is a member, such 
as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 
Development; and 
(4) consider any other appropriate existing defi-
nitions of or frameworks characterizing and metrics 
for assessing sustainable chemistry. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the duties de-
scribed in subsections (a) and (b), the Entity shall consult 
with stakeholders qualified to provide advice and informa-
tion to guide Federal activities related to sustainable chem-
istry through workshops, requests for information, and other 
mechanisms as necessary. The stakeholders shall include 
representatives from— 
(1) business and industry (including trade asso-
ciations and small- and medium-sized enterprises 
from across the value chain); 
(2) the scientific community (including the Na-
tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medi-
cine, scientific professional societies, and academia); 
(3) the defense community; 
(4) State, tribal, and local governments, includ-
ing nonregulatory State or regional sustainable chem-
istry programs, as appropriate; 
(5) nongovernmental organizations; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(6) other appropriate organizations. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Entity shall 
submit a report to the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works, the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives. In addition 
to the elements described in subsections (a) and (b), 
the report shall include— 
(A) a summary of federally funded, sustain-
able chemistry research, development, demonstra-
tion, technology transfer, commercialization, 
education, and training activities; 
(B) a summary of the financial resources 
allocated to sustainable chemistry initiatives; 
(C) an assessment of the current state of 
sustainable chemistry in the United States, in-
cluding the role that Federal agencies are play-
ing in supporting it; 
(D) an analysis of the progress made to-
ward achieving the goals and priorities of this 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
Act, and recommendations for future program 
activities; 
(E) an assessment of the benefits of expand-
ing existing, federally supported, regional inno-
vation and manufacturing hubs, centers, and in-
stitutes to include sustainable chemistry and the 
value of directing the creation of 1 or more dedi-
cated sustainable chemistry centers of excellence, 
hubs, or institutes; and 
(F) an evaluation of steps taken and future 
strategies to avoid duplication of efforts, stream-
line interagency coordination, facilitate informa-
tion sharing, and spread best practices among 
participating agencies. 
(2) SUBMISSION TO GAO.—The Entity shall also 
submit the report described in paragraph (1) to the 
Comptroller General of the United States for consider-
ation in future Congressional inquiries. 
SEC. 5. AGENCY ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE 
CHEMISTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The agencies participating in the 
Entity shall carry out activities in support of sustainable 
chemistry, as appropriate to the specific mission and pro-
grams of each agency. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The activities described in subsection 
(a) shall— 
(1) incorporate sustainable chemistry into exist-
ing research, development, demonstration, technology 
transfer, commercialization, education, and training 
programs, that the agency determines to be relevant, 
including consideration of— 
(A) merit-based competitive grants to indi-
vidual investigators and teams of investigators, 
including, to the extent practicable, early career 
investigators for research and development; 
(B) grants to fund collaborative research 
and development partnerships among univer-
sities, industry, and nonprofit organizations; 
(C) coordination of sustainable chemistry 
research, development, demonstration, and tech-
nology transfer conducted at Federal laboratories 
and agencies; 
(D) incentive prize competitions and chal-
lenges in coordination with such existing Federal 
agency programs; and 
(E) grants, loans, and loan guarantees to 
aid in the technology transfer and commer-
cialization of sustainable chemicals, materials, 
processes, and products; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(2) collect and disseminate information on sus-
tainable chemistry research, development, technology 
transfer, and commercialization, including informa-
tion on accomplishments and best practices; 
(3) raise awareness of sustainable chemistry con-
cepts through public outreach activities; 
(4) expand the education and training of stu-
dents at all levels of education, professional scientists 
and engineers, and other professionals involved in all 
aspects of sustainable chemistry and engineering ap-
propriate to that level of education and training, in-
cluding through— 
(A) partnerships with industry as described 
in section 6; 
(B) support for the integration of sustain-
able chemistry principles into elementary, sec-
ondary, undergraduate, and graduate chemistry 
and chemical engineering curriculum and re-
search training, as appropriate to that level of 
education and training; and 
(C) support for integration of sustainable 
chemistry principles into existing or new profes-
sional development opportunities for profes-
sionals including teachers, faculty, and individ-
uals involved in laboratory research, (product 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:25 Nov 26, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2051.RH
H2051
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS