I
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4138
To authorize the hydrogen research, development, and demonstration
programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 24, 1996
Mr. WALKER (for himself and Mr. BROWN of California) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science
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 1996’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of titles II and III—
(1) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Energy; and
(2) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of Energy.
TITLE I—HYDROGEN
SEC. 101. PURPOSES AND DEFINITIONS.
(a) Section 102(b)(1) of Public Law 101–566 (42
U.S.C. 12401(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(1) to direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a
research, development, and demonstration program lead-
ing to the production, storage, transport, and use of hy-
drogen for industrial, residential, transportation, and util-
ity applications;’’.
(b) Section 102(c) of Public Law 101–566 (42 U.S.C.
12401(c)) is amended—
(1) in subsection (1) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and in-
serting ‘‘;’’;
(2) by redesignating subsection (2) as sub-
section (3); and
(3) by inserting before subsection (3) (as redes-
ignated) the following new subsection:
‘‘(2) ‘Department’ means the Department of Energy;
and’’.
SEC. 102. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
(a) Section 103 of Public Law 101–566 (42 U.S.C.
12402) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 103. Report to Congress
‘‘(a) Not later than January 1, 1999, the Secretary
shall transmit to Congress a detailed report on the status
and progress of the programs authorized under this Act.
‘‘(b) A report under subsection (a) shall include, in
addition to any views and recommendations of the Sec-
retary—
‘‘(1) an analysis of the effectiveness of the pro-
grams authorized under this chapter, to be prepared
and submitted to the Secretary by the Hydrogen
Technical Advisory Panel established under section
108 of this Act; and
‘‘(2) recommendations of the Hydrogen Tech-
nical Advisory Panel for any improvements in the
program that are needed, including recommenda-
tions for additional legislation.’’.
(b) Section 108(d) of Public Law 101–566 (42
U.S.C. 12407(d)) is amended—
(1) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(1);
(2) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of paragraph
(2) and inserting a period; and
(3) by striking paragraph (3).
SEC. 103. HYDROGEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Section 104 of Public Law 101–566 (42 U.S.C.
12403) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 104. Hydrogen research and development
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall conduct a hydrogen research
and development program relating to production, storage,
transportation, and use of hydrogen, with the goal of ena-
bling the private sector to demonstrate the technical fea-
sibility of using hydrogen for industrial, residential, trans-
portation, and utility applications.
‘‘(b) In conducting the program authorized by this
section, the Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) give particular attention to developing an
understanding and resolution of critical technical is-
sues preventing the introduction of hydrogen into
the marketplace;
‘‘(2) initiate or accelerate existing research in
critical technical issues that will contribute to the
development of more economic hydrogen production
and use, including, but not limited to, critical tech-
nical issues with respect to production (giving prior-
ity to those production techniques that use renew-
able energy resources as their primary source of en-
ergy for hydrogen production), liquefaction, trans-
mission, distribution, storage, and use (including use
of hydrogen in surface transportation); and
‘‘(3) survey private sector hydrogen activities
and take steps to ensure that research and develop-
ment activities under this section do not displace or
compete with the privately funded hydrogen research
and development activities of United States industry.
‘‘(c) The Secretary is authorized to evaluate any rea-
sonable new or improved technology, including basic re-
search on highly innovative energy technologies, that could
lead or contribute to the development of economic hydro-
gen production, storage, and utilization.
‘‘(d) The Secretary is authorized to evaluate any rea-
sonable new or improved technology that could lead or
contribute to, or demonstrate the use of, advanced renew-
able energy systems or hybrid systems for use in isolated
communities that currently import diesel fuel as the pri-
mary fuel for electric power production.
‘‘(e) The Secretary is authorized to arrange for tests
and demonstrations and to disseminate to researchers and
developers information, data, and other materials nec-
essary to support the research and development activities
authorized under this section and other efforts authorized
under this chapter, consistent with section 106 of this Act.
‘‘(f) The Secretary shall carry out the research and
development activities authorized under this section only
through the funding of research and development propos-
als submitted by interested persons according to such pro-
cedures as the Secretary may require and evaluated on
a competitive basis using peer review. Such fundfing shall
from that individual’s residence at the time of selection
or assignment to his or her duty station. The Department
may pay such travel expenses to the same extent for such
an individual’s return to the former place of residence
from his or her duty station, upon separation from the
Federal service followed an agreed period of service. The
Department may also pay a per diem allowance at a rate
not to exceed the daily amounts prescribed under section
5702 of title 5 to such an individual, in lieu of transpor-
tation expenses of the immediate family and household
goods and personal effects, for the period of his or her
employment with the Department. Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, the employer’s contribution to any
retirement, life insurance, or health benefit plan for an
individual appointed for a term of one year or less, which
could be extended for no more than one additional year,
may be made or reimbursed from appropriations available
to the Department.
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