I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3247 
To establish a social and behavioral sciences research program at the 
Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2009 
Mr. BAIRD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
To establish a social and behavioral sciences research pro-
gram at the Department of Energy, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES RE-
SEARCH PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a so-
cial and behavioral sciences research program to identify 
and understand social and behavioral factors that influ-
ence energy consumption and acceptance and adoption 
rates of new energy technologies, and to promote the utili-
zation of the results of social and behavioral research to 
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improve the design, development, demonstration, and ap-
plication of energy technologies. 
(b) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary shall appoint or des-
ignate a Director of Social and Behavioral Research to 
carry out the program established under this section. 
(c) DUTIES
OF
THE
DIRECTOR.—The Director 
shall— 
(1) develop a research plan in accordance with 
section 2; 
(2) implement the research program under this 
section; 
(3) work with the relevant Department of En-
ergy program offices to integrate the results of social 
and behavioral research into their work; 
(4) develop tools, practices, and information to 
apply and integrate the results of social and behav-
ioral research into programs that— 
(A) design, develop, and demonstrate tech-
nologies that supply energy and improve energy 
efficiency; and 
(B) provide information on energy con-
sumption to consumers; and 
(5) assist the Secretary in awarding research 
grants under section 3. 
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SEC. 2. RESEARCH PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director, in consultation with 
the Advisory Committee established under section 4, shall 
develop a research plan and, not later than 9 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, transmit such plan to 
the Congress. Prior to finalizing the research plan, the Di-
rector shall publish a draft of the proposed research plan 
in the Federal Register with a public comment period of 
not less than 30 days. 
(b) CONTENTS OF RESEARCH PLAN.—The research 
plan shall— 
(1) set forth priorities and a schedule for car-
rying out the research program under section 1 and 
the research grant program under section 3; 
(2) address social and behavioral factors that 
influence— 
(A) patterns of energy consumption by in-
dividuals, households, and businesses; and 
(B) decisions to implement energy con-
servation measures, 
including the factors that influence decisions to 
adopt energy efficient technologies and practices; 
(3) include a description of the mechanisms the 
Department will use to integrate the findings of so-
cial and behavioral research into other relevant De-
partment programs; and 
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(4) include responses to comments received dur-
ing the public comment period. 
(c) REVIEW AND REVISION.—The Director shall re-
view the research plan every 5 years and revise the plan 
as appropriate. 
SEC. 3. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH GRANTS. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
grants to support social and behavioral research consistent 
with the research plan developed under section 2. 
(b) AWARDS.—Grant awards under this section may 
be for a period up to 3 years. The Secretary shall award 
grants through a competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed 
process. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 
through 2015. 
SEC. 4. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
an Advisory Committee composed of experts in relevant 
fields— 
(1) to advise the Secretary and the Director on 
priority areas for research; 
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(2) to assist the Director in the development of 
the research plan under section 2; and 
(3) to provide other assistance and advice as re-
quested by the Secretary or the Director. 
(b) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Section 
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Committee estab-
lished under subsection (a) until 3 years after the date 
the Advisory Committee is established. 
Æ 
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