I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3915 
To amend the America COMPETES Act to reauthorize the Advanced 
Research Projects Agency-Energy, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2019 
Mr. LUCAS (for himself, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BAIRD, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N 
of Puerto Rico, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. BACON, and Mr. WOODALL) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To amend the America COMPETES Act to reauthorize the 
Advanced Research Projects Agency-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 ‘‘ARPA–E Reauthoriza-
tion and Reform Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY–EN-
ERGY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 5012(b) of the Amer-
ica COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(b)) is amended 
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by striking ‘‘development of energy technologies’’ and in-
serting ‘‘development of transformative science and tech-
nology solutions to address energy, environmental, eco-
nomic, and national security challenges’’. 
(b) GOALS.—Section 5012(c) of the America COM-
PETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(c)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1)(A) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(A) to enhance the economic and energy 
security of the United States through the devel-
opment of energy technologies that— 
‘‘(i) reduce imports of energy from 
foreign sources; 
‘‘(ii) reduce energy-related emissions, 
including greenhouse gases; 
‘‘(iii) improve the energy efficiency of 
all economic sectors; 
‘‘(iv) provide transformative solutions 
to improve the management, clean-up, and 
disposal of— 
‘‘(I) low-level radioactive waste; 
‘‘(II) spent nuclear fuel; and 
‘‘(III) 
high-level 
radioactive 
waste; 
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‘‘(v) improve efficiency and reduce the 
environmental impact of all forms of en-
ergy production; 
‘‘(vi) improve the resiliency, reliability, 
and security of the electric grid; and 
‘‘(vii) address other challenges within 
the mission of the Department as deter-
mined by the Secretary; and’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘energy technology 
projects’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘advanced 
technology 
projects’’. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Section 5012(e)(3)(A) of 
the 
America 
COMPETES 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
16538(e)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘energy’’. 
(d) REPORTS AND ROADMAPS.—Section 5012(h) of 
the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(h)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(h) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—As part of the annual 
budget request submitted for each fiscal year, the 
Director shall provide to the relevant authorizing 
and appropriations committees of Congress a report 
that— 
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‘‘(A) describes projects supported by 
ARPA–E during the previous fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) identifies and includes an analysis of 
projects supported by ARPA–E during the pre-
vious fiscal year that demonstrate duplication of 
other activities funded by the Department; and 
‘‘(C) describes current, proposed, and 
planned projects to be carried out pursuant to 
subsection (e)(3)(D). 
‘‘(2) STRATEGIC VISION ROADMAP.—Beginning 
with the report submitted with respect to fiscal year 
2020, and every 4 fiscal years thereafter, the report 
required under paragraph (1) shall include a road-
map describing the strategic vision that ARPA–E 
will use to guide the choices of ARPA–E for future 
technology investments over the following 4 fiscal 
years.’’. 
(e) COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.—Section 
5012(i)(1) of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 
16538(i)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Director shall ensure that— 
‘‘(A) the activities of ARPA–E are coordi-
nated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, 
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programs and laboratories within the Depart-
ment and other relevant research agencies; and 
‘‘(B) ARPA–E does not provide funding 
for a project unless the prospective grantee 
demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure pri-
vate financing or indicates that the project is 
not independently commercially viable.’’. 
(f) EVALUATION.—Section 5012(l) of the America 
COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(l)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of the ARPA–E Reau-
thorization and Reform Act of 2019, the Secretary 
is authorized to enter into a contract with a third 
party entity to conduct an evaluation of how well 
ARPA–E is achieving the goals and mission of 
ARPA–E.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘shall’’ and inserting 
‘‘may’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘the recommendation of 
the National Academy of Sciences’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘a recommendation’’. 
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(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Para-
graph (2) of section 5012(o) of the America COMPETES 
Act (42 U.S.C. 16538(o)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
Subject to paragraph (4), there are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Director of ARPA–E— 
‘‘(A) $392,800,000 for fiscal year 2020; 
‘‘(B) $419,600,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
‘‘(C) $446,400,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
‘‘(D) $473,200,000 for fiscal year 2023; 
and 
‘‘(E) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.’’. 
(h) 
TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
5012(g)(3)(A)(iii) of the America COMPETES Act (42 
U.S.C. 16538(g)(3)(A)(iii)) is amended by striking ‘‘sub-
part’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘subparagraph’’. 
Æ 
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