I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5505 
To provide for the establishment of clean technology consortia to enhance 
the economic, environmental, and energy security of the United States 
by promoting domestic development, manufacture, and deployment of 
clean technologies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 19, 2019 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. TONKO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. 
MCNERNEY, and Ms. HAALAND) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of clean technology con-
sortia to enhance the economic, environmental, and en-
ergy security of the United States by promoting domestic 
development, manufacture, and deployment of clean tech-
nologies, 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 ‘‘Consortia-Led Energy 
and Advanced Manufacturing Networks Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CLEAN
TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘clean 
technology’’ means a technology, production process, 
or methodology that— 
(A) produces energy from solar, wind, geo-
thermal, biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or another 
renewable energy source (as defined in section 
609 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies 
Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 918c)); 
(B) more efficiently transmits, distributes, 
or stores energy; 
(C) enhances energy efficiency for build-
ings and industry, including combined heat and 
power; 
(D) enables the development of a Smart 
Grid (as described in section 1301 of the En-
ergy Independence and Security Act of 2007 
(42 U.S.C. 17381)), including integration of re-
newable energy sources and distributed genera-
tion, demand response, demand side manage-
ment, and systems analysis; 
(E) produces an advanced or sustainable 
material with energy or energy efficiency appli-
cations; 
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(F) improves energy efficiency for trans-
portation, including electric vehicles; or 
(G) enhances water security through im-
proved water management, conservation, dis-
tribution, or end use applications. 
(2) ADVANCED
MANUFACTURING.—The term 
‘‘advanced manufacturing’’— 
(A) means a manufacturing process that 
makes extensive use of computer, high preci-
sion, or information technologies integrated 
with a high performance workforce in a produc-
tion system capable of furnishing a hetero-
geneous mix of products in small or large vol-
umes with either the efficiency of mass produc-
tion or the flexibility of custom manufacturing 
in order to respond quickly to customer de-
mands; and 
(B) includes both new ways to manufac-
ture existing products and the manufacture of 
new products emerging from new advanced 
technologies. 
(3) CLUSTER.—The term ‘‘cluster’’ means a 
network of entities directly involved in the research, 
development, finance, and commercial application of 
clean technologies and advanced manufacturing 
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whose geographic proximity facilitates the use and 
sharing of skilled human resources, infrastructure, 
research facilities, educational and training institu-
tions, venture capital, and input suppliers. 
(4) CONSORTIUM.—The term ‘‘consortium’’ 
means a clean technology consortium established in 
accordance with this Act. 
(5) PROJECT.—The term ‘‘project’’ means an 
activity with respect to which a consortium provides 
support under this Act. 
(6) QUALIFYING
ENTITY.—The term ‘‘quali-
fying entity’’ means— 
(A) an institution of higher education that 
has entered into a partnership agreement with 
a private-sector entity; 
(B) a Federal or State entity with a focus 
on developing clean technologies or clusters, as 
determined by the Secretary; 
(C) a nongovernmental organization with 
expertise in translational research, clean tech-
nology, or cluster development; or 
(D) any other entity determined appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
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(8) TRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH.—The term 
‘‘translational research’’ means the coordination of 
basic or applied research with technical applications 
to enable promising discoveries or inventions to 
achieve commercial application. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGY CON-
SORTIA PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish and 
carry out a program to establish clean technology con-
sortia to enhance the economic, environmental, and energy 
security of the United States by promoting domestic devel-
opment, manufacture, and deployment of clean, state-of- 
the-art technologies. 
(b) PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
program established under subsection (a) by leveraging 
the expertise and resources of private research commu-
nities, institutions of higher education, industry, venture 
capital, National Laboratories (as defined in section 2 of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)), and 
other participants in technology innovation— 
(1) to support collaborative, cross-disciplinary 
research and development in clean technologies and 
advanced manufacturing; and 
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(2) to develop and accelerate the commercial 
application of innovative clean technologies and ad-
vanced manufacturing practices. 
(c) ROLE
OF
THE
SECRETARY.—The Secretary 
shall— 
(1) carry out and oversee all aspects of the pro-
gram established under subsection (a); 
(2) select recipients of grants for the establish-
ment and operation of consortia through a competi-
tive selection process; and 
(3) coordinate the innovation activities of con-
sortia with activities carried out by the Secretary of 
Energy, the Secretary of Defense, other Federal 
agency heads, industry, and institutions of higher 
education, including by annually— 
(A) issuing guidance regarding national 
clean technology and advanced manufacturing 
development priorities and strategic objectives; 
and 
(B) convening a conference relating to 
clean technology and advanced manufacturing, 
which shall bring together representatives of 
Federal agencies, industry, institutions of high-
er education, and other entities to share re-
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search and commercialization results, program 
plans, and opportunities for collaboration. 
(d) PURPOSES OF CONSORTIA.—The purposes of the 
consortia shall include— 
(1) promoting new innovative clean technologies 
that have demonstrated interest and potential for 
commercialization; 
(2) expanding advanced manufacturing capabili-
ties, networks, supply chains, and assets, in the area 
of clean technologies, that contribute to regional and 
national manufacturing competitiveness and poten-
tial for growth; 
(3) promoting job creation and entrepreneur-
ship through the establishment of new companies, 
the expansion of existing companies, and commer-
cialization of clean technologies; 
(4) providing technical or financial assistance to 
companies looking to invest in clean technologies, 
new products or services, or enhanced processes that 
will grow sales and jobs; 
(5) determining opportunities and challenges 
that companies are facing and how to improve their 
use or production of clean technologies; 
(6) assisting individual small- and medium-sized 
enterprises with adopting and utilizing new clean 
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technologies and related business and advanced 
manufacturing practices; 
(7) accelerating investment in and deployment 
of clean technologies through public-private partner-
ships; 
(8) encouraging partnering between and among 
emerging and established clean technology and ad-
vanced manufacturing enterprises; or 
(9) demonstrating a comprehensive and success-
ful model for commercialization of clean technologies 
for promotion and emulation. 
SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To receive a grant under this Act, 
a consortium shall submit to the Secretary an application 
in such manner, at such time, and containing such infor-
mation as the Secretary determines to be necessary. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—A consortium shall be eligible to 
receive a grant under this Act if— 
(1) the consortium consists of— 
(A) one or more research universities that 
can demonstrate a significant annual clean 
technology research budget, entrepreneurial 
support programs, and technology licensing ex-
pertise; and 
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(B) a total of three or more qualifying en-
tities 
that 
can 
demonstrate 
expertise 
in 
translational research, clean technology, and 
cluster development; 
(2) the members of the consortium have estab-
lished a binding agreement that documents— 
(A) the structure of the partnership agree-
ment; 
(B) a governance and management struc-
ture that enables cost-effective implementation 
of the program; 
(C) a conflicts-of-interest policy, including 
procedures, consistent with those of the Depart-
ment of Commerce, to ensure that employees 
and designees for consortium activities who are 
in decision-making capacities disclose all mate-
rial conflicts of interest, including financial, or-
ganizational, and personal conflicts of interest; 
(D) an accounting structure that meets the 
requirements of the Secretary and that may be 
audited under this Act; and 
(E) the existence of an external advisory 
committee; 
(3) the consortium receives funding from non- 
Federal sources, such as a State and participants of 
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the consortium, that may be used to support 
projects; 
(4) the consortium is part of an existing cluster 
or demonstrates high potential to develop a new 
cluster; and 
(5) the consortium operates as a nonprofit or-
ganization or as a public-private partnership under 
an operating agreement led by a nonprofit organiza-
tion. 
(c) DISQUALIFICATION.—The Secretary may dis-
qualify an application from a consortium under this Act 
if the Secretary determines that the conflicts-of-interest 
policy of the consortium is inadequate. 
(d) EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this Act, a consortium shall establish an 
external advisory committee, the members of which 
shall have extensive and relevant scientific, technical, 
industry, financial, or research management exper-
tise. 
(2) DUTIES.—An external advisory committee 
shall— 
(A) review the proposed plans, programs, 
project selection criteria, and projects of the 
consortium; and 
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(B) ensure that projects selected by the 
consortium meet the applicable conflicts-of-in-
terest policy of the consortium. 
(3) MEMBERS.—An external advisory com-
mittee shall consist of— 
(A) representatives of the members of the 
consortium; and 
(B) such representatives of industry, in-
cluding entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, 
as the members of the consortium determine to 
be necessary. 
(4) SECRETARY
AS
MEMBER.—The Secretary 
shall join the external advisory committee of a con-
sortium that receives a grant under this Act. 
SEC. 5. GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis— 
(1) not later than 2 years after the date of en-
actment of this Act, to at least 1 consortium; and 
(2) not later than 10 years after such date of 
enactment, to not fewer than 6 consortia. 
(b) TERMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The initial term of a grant 
awarded under this Act shall not exceed 5 years. 
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(2) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend 
the term of a grant awarded under this Act for a 
period of not more than 5 additional years. 
(c) AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded to a con-
sortium under this Act shall not exceed the lesser 
of— 
(A) $30,000,000 per fiscal year; or 
(B) the collective contributions of non-Fed-
eral entities to the consortium, as described 
under section 4(b)(3). 
(2) FLEXIBILITY.—In determining the amount 
of a grant under this section, the Secretary shall 
consider— 
(A) the translational research capacity of 
the consortium; 
(B) the financial, human, and facility re-
sources of the qualifying entities; and 
(C) the cluster of which the consortium is 
a part. 
(3) INCREASES IN AMOUNTS.—Subject to para-
graph (1), a consortium may request an increase in 
the amount of a grant awarded under this Act at the 
time the consortium requests an extension of an ini-
tial grant. 
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(d) USE OF AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (3), a 
consortium awarded a grant under this Act shall use 
the amounts to support translational research, tech-
nology development, manufacturing innovation, and 
commercialization activities relating to clean tech-
nology. 
(2) PROJECT SELECTION.—As a condition of 
receiving a grant under this Act, a consortium 
shall— 
(A) develop and make available to the pub-
lic on the website of the Department of Com-
merce proposed plans, programs, project selec-
tion criteria, and terms for individual project 
awards; 
(B) establish policies— 
(i) to prevent resources provided to 
the consortium from being used to displace 
private sector investment otherwise likely 
to occur, including investment from private 
sector entities that are members of the 
consortium; 
(ii) to facilitate the participation of 
private entities that invest in clean tech-
nologies to perform due diligence on award 
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proposals, to participate in the award re-
view process, and to provide guidance to 
projects supported by the consortium; and 
(iii) to facilitate the participation of 
parties with a demonstrated history of 
commercial application of clean tech-
nologies in the development of consortium 
projects; 
(C) oversee project solicitations, review 
proposed projects, and select projects for 
awards; and 
(D) monitor project implementation. 
(3) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—A con-
sortium may use not more than 10 percent of 
the amounts awarded to the consortium for ad-
ministrative expenses. 
(B) PROHIBITION ON USE.—A consortium 
may not use any amounts awarded to the con-
sortium under this Act to construct a new 
building or facility. 
(e) AUDITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A consortium that receives a 
grant under this Act shall carry out, in accordance 
with such requirements as the Secretary may pre-
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scribe, an annual audit to determine whether the 
grant has been used in accordance with this Act. 
(2) REPORT.—The consortium shall submit a 
copy of each audit under paragraph (1) to the Sec-
retary and the Comptroller General of the United 
States. 
(3) GAO REVIEW.—As a condition of receiving 
a grant under this Act, a consortium shall allow the 
Comptroller General of the United States, on the re-
quest of the Comptroller General, full access to the 
books, records, and personnel of the consortium. 
(4) REPORTS
TO
CONGRESS.—The Secretary 
shall submit to Congress annually a report that in-
cludes— 
(A) a copy of each audit carried out under 
paragraph (1); and 
(B) any recommendations of the Secretary 
relating to the clean technology consortia pro-
gram. 
(f) REVOCATION OF AWARDS.—The Secretary shall 
have the authority— 
(1) to review grants awarded under this Act; 
and 
(2) to revoke a grant awarded under this Act 
if the Secretary determines that a consortium has 
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used the grant in a manner that is not consistent 
with this Act. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $100,000,000. 
Æ 
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