I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2051 
To provide for Federal coordination of activities supporting sustainable 
chemistry, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2019 
Mr. LIPINSKI (for himself and Mr. MOOLENAAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subse-
quently 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 Federal coordination of activities supporting 
sustainable chemistry, 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 ‘‘Sustainable Chemistry 
Research and Development Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) Congress recognized the importance and 
value of sustainable chemistry and the role of the 
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Federal Government in section 114 of the American 
Innovation and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 
114–329); 
(2) sustainable chemistry and materials trans-
formation is a key value contributor to business 
competitiveness across many industrial and con-
sumer sectors; 
(3) companies across hundreds of supply chains 
critical to the American economy are seeking to re-
duce costs and open new markets through innova-
tions in manufacturing and materials, and are in 
need of new innovations in chemistry, including sus-
tainable chemistry; 
(4) sustainable chemistry can improve the effi-
ciency with which natural resources are used to meet 
human needs for chemical products while avoiding 
environmental harm, reduce or eliminate the emis-
sions of and exposures to hazardous substances, 
minimize the use of resources, and benefit the econ-
omy, people, and the environment; and 
(5) a recent report by the Government Account-
ability Office (GAO–18–307) found that the Federal 
Government could play an important role in helping 
realize the full innovation and market potential of 
sustainable 
chemistry 
technologies, 
including 
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through a coordinated national effort on sustainable 
chemistry and standardized tools and definitions to 
support sustainable chemistry research, development, 
demonstration, and commercialization. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL COORDINATING ENTITY FOR SUSTAIN-
ABLE CHEMISTRY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy shall convene an 
interagency entity (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Entity’’) 
under the National Science and Technology Council with 
the responsibility to coordinate Federal programs and ac-
tivities in support of sustainable chemistry, including 
those described in sections 5 and 6. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH EXISTING GROUPS.—In 
convening the Entity, the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall consider overlap and possible 
coordination with existing committees, subcommittees, or 
other groups of the National Science and Technology 
Council, such as— 
(1) the Committee on Environment, Natural 
Resources, and Sustainability; 
(2) the Committee on Technology; 
(3) the Committee on Science; or 
(4) related groups or subcommittees. 
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(c) CO-CHAIRS.—The Entity shall be co-chaired by 
representatives from the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
and the National Science Foundation. 
(d) AGENCY PARTICIPATION.—The Entity shall in-
clude representatives, including subject matter experts, 
from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, the National 
Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the De-
partment of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the 
National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administra-
tion, and other related Federal agencies, as appropriate. 
SEC. 4. ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY. 
(a) ROADMAP.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Entity shall— 
(1) develop a working framework of attributes 
characterizing sustainable chemistry, as described in 
subsection (b); 
(2) assess the state of sustainable chemistry in 
the United States as a key benchmark from which 
progress under the activities described in this Act 
can be measured, including assessing key sectors of 
the United States economy, key technology plat-
forms, and barriers to innovation; 
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(3) coordinate and support Federal research, 
development, demonstration, technology transfer, 
commercialization, education, and training efforts in 
sustainable chemistry, including budget coordination 
and support for public-private partnerships, as ap-
propriate; 
(4) identify methods by which the Federal 
agencies can facilitate the development of incentives 
for development, consideration and use of sustain-
able chemistry processes and products, including in-
novative financing mechanisms; 
(5) identify major scientific challenges, road-
blocks, or hurdles to transformational progress in 
improving the sustainability of the chemical sciences; 
and 
(6) identify other opportunities for expanding 
Federal efforts in support of sustainable chemistry. 
(b) ATTRIBUTES
CHARACTERIZING
SUSTAINABLE 
CHEMISTRY.—The Entity shall develop a working frame-
work of attributes characterizing sustainable chemistry for 
the purposes of carrying out the Act. In developing this 
framework, the Entity shall— 
(1) seek advice and input from stakeholders as 
described in subsection (c); 
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(2) consider existing definitions of or frame-
works characterizing sustainable or green chemistry 
already in use at Federal agencies; 
(3) consider existing definitions of or frame-
works characterizing sustainable or green chemistry 
already in use by international organizations of 
which the United States is a member, such as the 
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Devel-
opment; and 
(4) consider any other appropriate existing defi-
nitions of or frameworks characterizing sustainable 
or green chemistry. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the duties de-
scribed in subsections (a) and (b), the Entity shall consult 
and coordinate with stakeholders qualified to provide ad-
vice and information to guide Federal activities related to 
sustainable chemistry through workshops, requests for in-
formation, and other mechanisms as necessary. The stake-
holders shall include representatives from— 
(1) business and industry (including trade asso-
ciations and small- and medium-sized enterprises 
from across the value chain); 
(2) the scientific community (including the Na-
tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Med-
icine, scientific professional societies, and academia); 
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(3) the defense community; 
(4) State, tribal, and local governments, includ-
ing nonregulatory State or regional sustainable 
chemistry programs, as appropriate; 
(5) nongovernmental organizations; and 
(6) other appropriate organizations. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Entity shall 
submit a report to the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works, the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives. In ad-
dition to the elements described in subsections (a) 
and (b), the report shall include— 
(A) a summary of federally funded, sus-
tainable chemistry research, development, dem-
onstration, technology transfer, commercializa-
tion, education, and training activities; 
(B) a summary of the financial resources 
allocated to sustainable chemistry initiatives; 
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(C) an assessment of the current state of 
sustainable chemistry in the United States, in-
cluding the role that Federal agencies are play-
ing in supporting it; 
(D) an analysis of the progress made to-
ward achieving the goals and priorities of this 
Act, and recommendations for future program 
activities; 
(E) an assessment of the benefits of ex-
panding existing, federally supported, regional 
innovation and manufacturing hubs to include 
sustainable chemistry and the value of directing 
the creation of 1 or more dedicated sustainable 
chemistry centers of excellence or hubs; and 
(F) an evaluation of steps taken and fu-
ture strategies to avoid duplication of efforts, 
streamline interagency coordination, facilitate 
information sharing, and spread best practices 
among participating agencies. 
(2) SUBMISSION
TO
GAO.—The Entity shall 
also submit the report described in paragraph (1) to 
the Comptroller General of the United States for 
consideration in future Congressional inquiries. 
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SEC. 5. AGENCY ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE 
CHEMISTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The agencies participating in the 
Entity shall carry out activities in support of sustainable 
chemistry, as appropriate to the specific mission and pro-
grams of each agency. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The activities described in sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) incorporate sustainable chemistry into exist-
ing research, development, demonstration, tech-
nology transfer, commercialization, education, and 
training programs, that the agency determines to be 
relevant, including consideration of— 
(A) merit-based competitive grants to indi-
vidual investigators and teams of investigators, 
including, to the extent practicable, early career 
investigators for research and development; 
(B) grants to fund collaborative research 
and development partnerships among univer-
sities, industry, and nonprofit organizations; 
(C) coordination of sustainable chemistry 
research, development, demonstration, and tech-
nology transfer conducted at Federal labora-
tories and agencies; 
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(D) incentive prize competitions and chal-
lenges in coordination with such existing Fed-
eral agency programs; and 
(E) grants, loans, and loan guarantees to 
aid in the technology transfer and commer-
cialization of sustainable chemicals, materials, 
processes, and products; 
(2) collect and disseminate information on sus-
tainable chemistry research, development, technology 
transfer, and commercialization, including informa-
tion on accomplishments and best practices; 
(3) within education and training programs, ex-
pand the education and training of undergraduate 
and graduate students and professional scientists 
and engineers, and other professionals involved in 
materials specification in sustainable chemistry and 
engineering, including through partnerships with in-
dustry as described in section 6; 
(4) as relevant to an agency’s programs, exam-
ine methods by which the Federal agencies, in col-
laboration and consultation with the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, can facilitate the 
development or recognition of validated, standard-
ized tools for performing sustainability assessments 
of chemistry processes or products; 
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