Union Calendar No. 46
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 655
[Report No. 104–95]
A BILL
To authorize the hydrogen research, development,
and demonstration programs of the Department
of Energy, and for other purposes.
MARCH 30, 1995
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 46
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 655
[Report No. 104–95]
To authorize the hydrogen research, development, and demonstration
programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 24, 1995
Mr. WALKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science
MARCH 30, 1995
Additional sponsors: Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. WELDON of Florida,
Mr. BAKER of California, Mr. GRAHAM, Mrs. SEASTRAND, and Mr.
GUTKNECHT
MARCH 30, 1995
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 24, 1995]
A BILL
To authorize the hydrogen research, development, and dem-
onstration programs of the Department of Energy, and
for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Hydrogen Future Act
of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) fossil fuels, the main energy source of the
present, have provided this country with tremendous
supply but are limited and polluting;
(2) additional basic research and development
are needed to encourage private sector investment in
development of new and better energy sources and en-
abling technologies;
(3) hydrogen holds tremendous promise as a fuel,
because it can be extracted from water and can be
burned much more cleanly than conventional fuels;
(4) hydrogen production efficiency is a major
technical barrier to society collectively benefiting from
one of the great energy sources of the future;
(5) an aggressive, results-oriented, multiyear re-
search initiative on efficient hydrogen fuel production
and use should continue; and
(6) the current Federal effort to develop hydrogen
as a fuel is inadequate.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to provide for a basic research, development,
and demonstration program leading to the produc-
tion, storage, transport, and use of hydrogen for in-
dustrial, residential, transportation, and utility ap-
plications; and
(2) to provide for advice from academia and the
private sector in the implementation of the Depart-
ment of Energy hydrogen research, development, and
demonstration program to ensure that economic bene-
fits of the program accrue to the United States.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘demonstration’’ means a valida-
tion of the technical feasibility of a theory or process;
(2) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Energy; and
(3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of
Energy.
SEC. 5. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Pursuant to this sec-
tion, the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Devel-
opment, and Demonstration Act of 1990 and the Energy
Policy Act of 1992, and in accordance with the purposes
of this Act, the Secretary shall provide for a hydrogen en-
ergy research, development, and demonstration program re-
lating to production, storage, transportation, and use of hy-
drogen, with the goal of enabling the private sector to dem-
onstrate the technical feasibility of using hydrogen for in-
dustrial, residential, transportation, and utility applica-
tions. In establishing priorities for Federal funding under
this section, the Secretary shall survey private sector hydro-
gen activities and take steps to ensure that activities under
this section do not displace or compete with the privately
funded hydrogen activities of United States industry.
(b) SCHEDULE.—Within 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the later of this Act or an Act providing ap-
propriations for programs authorized by this Act, the Sec-
retary shall solicit proposals from all interested parties (in-
cluding the Department’s laboratories) for carrying out the
research, development, and demonstration activities author-
ized under this section. Within 180 days after such solicita-
tion, if the Secretary identifies proposals worthy of Federal
assistance, financial assistance shall be awarded under this
section competitively, using peer review of proposals with
appropriate protection of proprietary information. The
Secretary shall use appropriations authorized by this Act
that are not allocated for such awards to carry out research,
development, and demonstration activities in accordance
with the purposes of this Act.
(1) the Secretary must certify that providing
such financial assistance is consistent with the Agree-
ment on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures de-
scribed in section 771(8) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19
U.S.C. 1677(8)); and
(2) industry participants must certify that they
have made reasonable efforts to obtain non-Federal
funding for the entire cost of the project, and that
such non-Federal funding could not be reasonably
obtained.
(e) DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS.—The Secretary shall
not carry out any activities under this section that unneces-
sarily duplicate activities carried out elsewhere by the Fed-
eral Government or the private sector.
SEC. 6. HIGHLY INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.
Of the amounts made available for carrying out section
5, up to 5 percent shall be used to support research on high-
ly innovative energy technologies. Such amounts shall not
be subject to the cost sharing requirements in section 5(c).
SEC. 7. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
The Secretary shall foster the exchange of generic,
nonproprietary information and technology, developed pur-
suant to section 5, among industry, academia, and the Fed-
eral Government. The Secretary shall ensure that economic
benefits of such exchange of information and technology will
accrue to the United States economy.
SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
Within 18 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall trans-
mit to the Congress a detailed report on the status and
progress of the Department’s hydrogen research and devel-
opment program. Such report shall include an analysis of
the effectiveness of such program, to be prepared and sub-
mitted by the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel estab-
lished under section 108 of the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydro-
gen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of
1990. Such Panel shall also make recommendations for im-
provements to such program if needed, including rec-
ommendations for additional legislation.
SEC. 9. COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.
(a) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.—The Secretary shall coordinate all hydrogen research
and development activities within the Department, and
with the activities of other Federal agencies involved in
similar research and development, including the Depart-
ment of Defense, the Department of Transportation, and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Further,
the Secretary shall pursue opportunities for cooperation
with such Federal entities.
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with
the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel established under
section 108 of the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research,
Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990 as necessary
in carrying out this Act.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) GENERAL AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized
to be appropriated, to carry out the purposes of this Act—
(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1996;
(2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1997; and
(3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1998.
(b) RELATED AUTHORIZATIONS.—(1) For each of the
fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998, the total amount which
may be obligated for Energy Supply Research and Develop-
ment Activities shall not exceed the total amount obligated
for such activities in fiscal year 1995.
(2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not authorize
the appropriation of any Federal funds.
Amend the title to read as follows: ‘‘A bill to author-
ize basic research, development, and demonstration on
hydrogen as a fuel, and for other purposes.’’.