Smart Cities and Communities Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3386 | Sponsor: Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. (D-WA)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Smart Cities and Communities Act of 2021
This bill establishes programs for the implementation and use of smart technologies and systems in communities of various sizes. A smart city or community is one in which innovative, advanced, and trustworthy information, communication, and energy technologies are applied to (1) improve the health and quality of life of residents; (2) increase efficiency of operations and services; (3) promote economic growth; and (4) create a community that is safer and more secure, equitable, sustainable, resilient, livable, and workable.
The Department of Commerce shall establish a regional demonstration grant program focused on facilitating adoption, and allowing measurement and validation of performance, of advanced smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of communities, including small- and medium-sized cities and rural and tribal communities. Commerce shall also convene a Cybersecurity Working Group to develop tools for evaluating the cybersecurity of smart city or community technologies.
The Department of Labor shall establish the TechHire Workforce Training and Development Pilot Program to furnish competitive grants for technology-based job training and education programs that provide an industry-recognized certificate or certification.
The Department of Energy (DOE) shall implement a pilot program to improve the access of cities and communities to the expertise and infrastructure of the national laboratories to promote smart city technologies. DOE shall also expand its Technologist in Residence pilot program to include partnerships between national laboratories and cities or communities respecting research and development related to smart cities or communities.
The bill requires strong federal encouragement and support for private sector-led standards-related activities.
The bill requires the establishment of a strategic international smart cities and communities trade program.

To promote the use of smart technologies and systems in communities, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Cities and 
Communities Act of 2021''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
TITLE I--ENHANCING FEDERAL COORDINATION AND INVESTMENT IN SMART CITY OR 
                           COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Sec. 101. Coordination of activities among Federal agencies.
Sec. 102. Smart city and community resource guide.
        TITLE II--PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Sec. 201. Technology demonstration grant program.
Sec. 202. Cybersecurity Working Group.
Sec. 203. TechHire Workforce Training and Development Program.
Sec. 204. GAO study on innovative financing.
Sec. 205. Technical assistance, smart city voucher, and technologist in 
                            residence programs.
         TITLE III--IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY

Sec. 301. Standards and interoperability framework.
         TITLE IV--INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND BEST PRACTICES

Sec. 401. Development of global smart city or community best practices.
Sec. 402. Trade program.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to promote smart technologies and 
systems to improve community livability, services, communication, 
safety, mobility, energy productivity, and resilience to natural and 
manmade disasters, to reduce civic costs, traffic congestion, and air 
pollution, and to promote equity, economic growth, and opportunities 
for communities of all sizes by--
            (1) improving Federal Government coordination and outreach 
        with respect to smart city or community technologies;
            (2) promoting the quality and performance of smart city or 
        community technologies while protecting--
                    (A) the security of data and systems; and
                    (B) privacy;
            (3) demonstrating the value and utility of smart, local 
        government-owned and -operated services through the development 
        and implementation of performance standards;
            (4) providing assistance to local governments interested in 
        implementing smart city or community technologies;
            (5) developing a workforce skilled in smart city or 
        community technologies; and
            (6) expanding international cooperation and trade in smart 
        city or community technologies.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Interagency 
        Council on Smart Cities established under section 
        101(a)(1)(A)(i).
            (2) Data.--The term ``data'' includes information and 
        images.
            (3) Equity; equitable.--The terms ``equity'' and 
        ``equitable'' mean the consistent and systematic fair, just, 
        and impartial treatment of individuals who--
                    (A) belong to underserved communities; and
                    (B) have been denied systematic fair, just, and 
                impartial treatment based on race, ethnicity, religion, 
                income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, 
                or disability status.
            (4) Local workforce development board; state workforce 
        development board.--The terms ``local workforce development 
        board'' and ``State workforce development board'' have the 
        meanings given the terms ``local board'' and ``State board'', 
        respectively, in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (5) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the 
        Secretary, acting in coordination with--
                    (A) the Secretary of Energy;
                    (B) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
                    (C) the Secretary of Transportation;
                    (D) the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation; and
                    (E) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate--
                            (i) the Secretary of Health and Human 
                        Services;
                            (ii) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
                            (iii) the Secretary of Labor; and
                            (iv) the Secretary of State.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'', unless otherwise 
        specified, means the Secretary of Commerce.
            (7) Smart city or community.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``smart city or 
                community'' means a community in which innovative, 
                advanced, and trustworthy information, communications, 
                and energy technologies and related mechanisms are 
                applied--
                            (i) to improve the health and quality of 
                        life of residents;
                            (ii) to increase the efficiency and cost 
                        effectiveness of civic operations and services;
                            (iii) to promote economic growth; and
                            (iv) to create a community that is safer 
                        and more secure, equitable, sustainable, 
                        resilient, livable, and workable.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``smart city or 
                community'' includes a local jurisdiction that--
                            (i) gathers and incorporates data from 
                        systems, devices, and sensors embedded in civic 
                        systems and infrastructure to improve the 
                        effectiveness and efficiency of civic 
                        operations and services;
                            (ii) aggregates and analyzes gathered data;
                            (iii) communicates the analysis performed 
                        under clause (ii), and the data described in 
                        that clause, in a variety of formats;
                            (iv) makes corresponding improvements to 
                        civic systems and services based on gathered 
                        data;
                            (v) coordinates with relevant public and 
                        private sector entities (including entities 
                        providing electric, water, telecommunications, 
                        energy, and transportation services) to 
                        leverage the activities carried out by those 
                        entities;
                            (vi) integrates measures--
                                    (I) to ensure the resilience of 
                                civic systems against cybersecurity 
                                threats and physical vulnerabilities 
                                and breaches;
                                    (II) to protect the private data of 
                                residents; and
                                    (III) to measure the impact of 
                                smart city or community technologies on 
                                the effectiveness, equity, and 
                                efficiency of civic operations and 
                                services; and
                            (vii) promotes regional coordination of the 
                        activities described in clauses (i) through 
                        (vi).
            (8) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) a State;
                    (B) the District of Columbia;
                    (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
                    (D) any other territory or possession of the United 
                States.
            (9) Working group.--The term ``Working Group'' means the 
        Cybersecurity Working Group established under section 
        202(b)(1).

TITLE I--ENHANCING FEDERAL COORDINATION AND INVESTMENT IN SMART CITY OR 
                           COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

SEC. 101. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES AMONG FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Coordination.--
            (1) Coordination of activities.--
                    (A) Federal council.--
                            (i) Establishment.--The Secretaries shall 
                        establish a council of Federal agencies, to be 
                        known as the ``Interagency Council on Smart 
                        Cities'', to promote the coordination of the 
                        activities and funding from Federal agencies 
                        relating to smart cities or communities.
                            (ii) Membership.--The Council shall--
                                    (I) be led by the Office of Science 
                                and Technology Policy;
                                    (II) be co-chaired by the Director 
                                of the Office of Science and Technology 
                                Policy and the Secretary; and
                                    (III) include--
                                            (aa) the Secretary of 
                                        Energy;
                                            (bb) the Secretary of 
                                        Housing and Urban Development;
                                            (cc) the Secretary of 
                                        Transportation;
                                            (dd) the Director of the 
                                        National Science Foundation; 
                                        and
                                            (ee) the heads of such 
                                        other Federal agencies as the 
                                        Secretary determines to be 
                                        appropriate, including--

                                                    (AA) the Secretary 
                                                of Homeland Security;

                                                    (BB) the Secretary 
                                                of Labor; and

                                                    (CC) the Secretary 
                                                of State.

                    (B) Prioritization.--For purposes of coordinating 
                Federal activities under subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretaries shall prioritize the conduct of Federal 
                activities that would--
                            (i) demonstrate smart city or community 
                        technologies in repeatable ways that can 
                        rapidly be scaled;
                            (ii) encourage public, private, regional, 
                        national, and international sharing of data and 
                        best practices;
                            (iii) encourage private sector innovation 
                        by promoting industry-driven technology 
                        standards, open platforms, technology-neutral 
                        requirements, and interoperability;
                            (iv) promote--
                                    (I) a skilled workforce;
                                    (II) an open and competitive global 
                                market for smart city or community 
                                technologies;
                                    (III) inclusion of all citizens, 
                                including minority or disadvantaged 
                                groups;
                                    (IV) protocols and standards that 
                                allow for the measurement and 
                                validation of the cost savings and 
                                performance improvements associated 
                                with the installation and use of smart 
                                city or community technologies and 
                                practices; and
                                    (V) equitable distribution of 
                                benefits gained from the use of smart 
                                technologies;
                            (v) foster the growth of the smart city or 
                        community technology industry and workforce in 
                        the United States;
                            (vi) encourage the adoption of smart city 
                        or community technologies by communities;
                            (vii) safeguard cybersecurity, including by 
                        promoting industry practices relating to 
                        cybersecurity; and
                            (viii) safeguard privacy and, in 
                        consultation with cities, communities, and 
                        industry entities, establish parameters and 
                        best practices for the full life cycle 
                        management of all types of smart city or 
                        community data, including--
                                    (I) best practices for the 
                                collection, storage, disposal, 
                                ownership, and sharing of data; and
                                    (II) best practices for data 
                                transparency and data use limitations.
                    (C) Considerations.--The Secretaries shall--
                            (i) ensure that the Federal activities 
                        described in subparagraph (B) relating to 
                        safeguarding cybersecurity take into account 
                        existing Federal, State, and local frameworks, 
                        guidelines, and best practices when considering 
                        the application of those frameworks, 
                        guidelines, and best practices to smart city 
                        technologies;
                            (ii) ensure that the Federal activities 
                        described in subparagraph (B) take into 
                        consideration software quality, especially as 
                        software quality impacts reproducibility, 
                        maintainability, reliability, and security of 
                        systems, especially high-confidence systems;
                            (iii) conduct privacy impact assessments 
                        for Federal activities that could negatively 
                        affect privacy; and
                            (iv) ensure the privacy of individuals by 
                        providing guidelines for--
                                    (I) the use of technologies with 
                                inherent privacy and security 
                                considerations;
                                    (II) screening vendors and partners 
                                to prevent the inclusion of 
                                organizations and individuals that have 
                                been involved in, or affiliated with, 
                                illegal or unethical uses of data;
                                    (III) contractually obligating 
                                vendors and partners to maintain legal 
                                and ethical data standards with respect 
                                to privacy and data security; and
                                    (IV) monitoring for compliance with 
                                the requirements of this clause.
            (2) Strategy.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretaries, acting through 
                the Council, in consultation with industry entities, 
                cities, and communities, shall develop a multiyear 
                strategy for--
                            (i) the coordination of activities and 
                        funding under paragraph (1)(A);
                            (ii) the development of partnerships with 
                        the private sector relating to smart cities or 
                        communities; and
                            (iii) the promotion of international 
                        cooperation with respect to smart city or 
                        community technologies and standards.
                    (B) Requirement.--The Secretaries shall coordinate 
                with the heads of any applicable Federal agencies to 
                leverage private sector and non-Federal public 
                investment in smart city or community technologies 
                consistent with the strategy developed under 
                subparagraph (A).
            (3) Assessment.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor, 
                in consultation with the heads of other applicable 
                Federal agencies, shall coordinate with such private 
                and public organizations and units of local government 
                as the Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate 
                regarding the preparation of a smart city or community 
                technology workforce needs assessment.
                    (B) Submission.--On completion of the assessment 
                prepared under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Labor 
                shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
                and the Council the completed assessment.
            (4) Coordination of funds.--In promoting the coordination 
        of Federal funding relating to smart city or community 
        activities under paragraph (1)(A) and in accordance with the 
        strategy developed under paragraph (2)(A), each of the 
        Secretaries shall--
                    (A) track, with respect to the appropriate Federal 
                agency, the expenditures and planned expenditures of 
                Federal funds for smart city- or community-related 
                activities, together with leveraged non-Federal 
                matching funds; and
                    (B) coordinate with the head of any other 
                applicable Federal agency that allocates funds for 
                smart city or community activities--
                            (i) to achieve greater benefits from 
                        activities using Federal funds;
                            (ii) to produce integrated projects 
                        relating to those activities; and
                            (iii) to leverage complementary investments 
                        of other Federal agencies in those activities.
    (b) Submission of Information and Biennial Report.--During the 6-
year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act--
            (1) the head of each applicable Federal agency shall submit 
        to the Secretary information for inclusion in the report 
        submitted under paragraph (2); and
            (2) not less frequently than once every 2 years, the 
        Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Commerce, Science, 
        and Transportation and Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report, based on the information described in 
        paragraph (1), that includes--
                    (A) an update of the status of relevant smart city 
                or community technology developments and applications, 
                including broadband infrastructure;
                    (B) a description of any related program or 
                activity that is funded by the Federal agency during 
                the period covered by the report;
                    (C) the budget of the Federal agency for supporting 
                smart city or community activities, as described in 
                subsection (a)(4)(A);
                    (D) any non-Federal cost-share contributed for 
                activities for which Federal assistance is provided 
                under this section;
                    (E) a description of the strategy developed under 
                subsection (a)(2)(A), including a description of how 
                the relevant programs are progressing under that 
                strategy;
                    (F) a description of outreach activities conducted 
                under section 102(d), including the amount and type of 
                assistance required by cities and communities to 
                overcome barriers to implementing smart city or 
                community technologies, and any Federal actions 
                necessary to meet those needs;
                    (G) a description of projects funded under section 
                201, including a description of--
                            (i) project outcomes and performance;
                            (ii) the use of leveraged non-Federal 
                        funds;
                            (iii) the equitable distribution of Federal 
                        funds; and
                            (iv) how each project fulfills the 
                        priorities described in subsection (a)(1)(B); 
                        and
                    (H) such other information as the Secretary 
                determines to be necessary.

SEC. 102. SMART CITY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE.

    (a) Publication.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the 
        heads of any other applicable Federal agencies, shall create, 
        publish, and maintain, for a period of not less than 6 years 
        beginning on the date that is 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, a resource guide designed to assist 
        States, communities, and cities in the United States in 
        developing and implementing smart city or community programs.
            (2) Information included.--The Secretaries, in coordination 
        with cities, communities, and industry entities, shall 
        determine which information shall be included in the guide 
        under paragraph (1).
    (b) Requirements.--The guide published under subsection (a)(1)--
            (1) shall be maintained electronically on a website;
            (2) shall be provided as an electronic reference guide 
        available to the public free of charge; and
            (3) may include--
                    (A) a compilation of existing related programs of 
                the Federal Government available to communities, 
                including technical assistance, education, training, 
                research and development, analysis, and funding;
                    (B) available examples of local governments 
                engaging private sector entities in order to implement 
                smart city or community solutions, including public-
                private partnership models, such as the use of energy 
                savings performance contracts and utility energy 
                service contracts or other innovative models, that 
                could be used to leverage private sector funding to 
                increase energy productivity and reduce water, 
                transportation, and other costs to cities and 
                communities, including the results of the study 
                conducted under section 204;
                    (C) available examples of proven methods for local 
                governments and utilities to facilitate the integration 
                of smart technologies with new and existing 
                infrastructure and systems;
                    (D) best practices and lessons learned from 
                technology demonstrations, including return on 
                investment, equitable distribution of benefits, and 
                performance information to help cities and communities 
                decide how to initiate integration of smart 
                technologies;
                    (E) Federal, State, and local best practices for 
                safeguarding cybersecurity and ensuring appropriate 
                data management and data privacy;
                    (F) technical specifications for wireless or wired 
                broadband infrastructure to support smart city or 
                community technologies; and
                    (G) such other topics as are requested by industry 
                entities or local governments or determined to be 
                necessary by the Secretaries.
    (c) Existing Guides.--In creating, publishing, and maintaining the 
guide under subsection (a)(1), the Secretaries shall consider Federal, 
State, and local guides published before, on, or after the date of 
enactment of this Act relating to smart city or community goals, 
activities, and best practices--
            (1) to prevent duplication of efforts by the Federal 
        Government; and
            (2) to leverage existing complementary efforts.
    (d) Outreach.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of 
any applicable Federal agencies and in consultation with applicable 
private sector entities, shall conduct outreach to States, cities, and 
communities--
            (1) to provide interested States, cities, and communities 
        with the guide published under subsection (a)(1);
            (2) to promote the consideration of smart city or community 
        technologies and encourage States and local governments to 
        contribute smart city or community program and activity data to 
        the guide published under subsection (a)(1);
            (3) to identify--
                    (A) barriers to smart city or community technology 
                adoption;
                    (B) opportunities to increase the equitable 
                distribution of benefits from the use of smart city or 
                community technology;
                    (C) any necessary research, development, and 
                assistance, including in Tribal, rural, and underserved 
                communities; and
                    (D) local government programs that could be 
                included in the guide under subsection (a)(1);
            (4) to respond to requests for assistance, advice, or 
        consultation from cities and communities; and
            (5) for other purposes, as identified by the Secretaries.

        TITLE II--PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

SEC. 201. TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a smart city or 
community regional demonstration grant program under which the 
Secretary shall conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced 
smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of 
communities, including small- and medium-sized cities and rural and 
Tribal communities.
    (b) Goals.--The goals of the program established under subsection 
(a) are--
            (1) to demonstrate--
                    (A) potential benefits of concentrated investments 
                in smart city or community technologies that are 
                repeatable and scalable across cities of different 
                sizes; and
                    (B) the efficiency, equity, reliability, and 
                resilience of civic infrastructure and services;
            (2) to facilitate the adoption of advanced smart city or 
        community technologies and collaboration between small- and 
        medium- to large-sized cities; and
            (3) to demonstrate protocols and standards that allow for 
        the measurement and validation of the cost savings and 
        performance improvements associated with the installation and 
        use of smart city or community technologies and practices.
    (c) Demonstration Projects.--
            (1) Eligibility.--Subject to paragraph (2), a unit of local 
        government shall be eligible to receive a grant for a 
        demonstration project under this section.
            (2) Application; cooperation.--To qualify for a 
        demonstration project under this section, a unit of local 
        government shall--
                    (A) submit to the Secretary an application for a 
                grant for a demonstration project at such time and 
                containing such information as the Secretary may 
                require; and
                    (B) agree to follow applicable best practices 
                identified by the Secretaries, in consultation with 
                industry entities and institutions of higher education, 
                to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented smart 
                city or community technologies to ensure that--
                            (i) technologies and interoperability can 
                        be assessed;
                            (ii) best practices can be shared; and
                            (iii) data can be shared in a public, 
                        interoperable, and transparent format.
            (3) Federal share of cost of technology investments.--The 
        Secretary--
                    (A) subject to subparagraph (B), shall provide to a 
                unit of local government selected under this section 
                for the conduct of a demonstration project a grant in 
                an amount equal to not more than 50 percent of the 
                total cost of technology investments to incorporate and 
                assess qualifying smart city or community technologies 
                in the applicable jurisdiction; and
                    (B) may waive the cost-share requirement of 
                subparagraph (A) as the Secretary determines to be 
                appropriate.
    (d) Requirement.--In conducting demonstration projects under this 
section, the Secretary shall--
            (1) develop competitive, technology-neutral requirements;
            (2) seek to award grants and distribute benefits from smart 
        city technologies in an equitable manner;
            (3) seek to leverage ongoing or existing civic 
        infrastructure investments; and
            (4) take into consideration the non-Federal cost share as a 
        competitive criterion in applicant selection in order to 
        leverage non-Federal investment.
    (e) Public Availability of Data and Reports.--The Secretary shall 
ensure that reports, public data sets, schematics, diagrams, and other 
works created using a grant provided under this section are--
            (1) available on a royalty-free, non-exclusive basis; and
            (2) open to the public to reproduce, publish, or otherwise 
        use, without cost.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out subsection (c) $100,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

SEC. 202. CYBERSECURITY WORKING GROUP.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the work conducted by the Internet Policy Task Force 
        and the Digital Economy Leadership Team of the Department of 
        Commerce to foster an enabling environment for Internet of 
        Things technology to grow and thrive, allow the private sector 
        to lead, and promote technology-neutral standards and 
        consensus-based multi-stakeholder approaches to policymaking at 
        local, Tribal, State, Federal, and international levels on 
        issues ranging from the security to the competitiveness of the 
        United States is valuable and should be continued; and
            (2) the work conducted by the Department of Commerce and 
        the National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
        to create resources for communities seeking to adopt smart 
        cities or communities technology is valuable and should be 
        continued.
    (b) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Council, shall convene a multistakeholder working group, to be 
        known as the ``Cybersecurity Working Group'', to develop tools 
        for communities to use to evaluate the cybersecurity of smart 
        city or community technologies.
            (2) Membership.--
                    (A) In general.--In appointing members to the 
                Working Group, the Secretary shall consider 
                appointing--
                            (i) representatives of consumer groups and 
                        civil liberties organizations;
                            (ii) representatives of small units of 
                        local government, as determined by the 
                        Secretary;
                            (iii) representatives of large units of 
                        local government, as determined by the 
                        Secretary;
                            (iv) manufacturers of smart city or 
                        community devices, equipment, and software;
                            (v) individuals with expertise in 
                        communications networks;
                            (vi) Federal, State, and local law 
                        enforcement officials;
                            (vii) individuals with other expertise 
                        necessary to carry out the duties of the 
                        Working Group; and
                            (viii) such representatives of the Council 
                        as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
                    (B) Representation.--In appointing members to the 
                Working Group, the Secretary shall ensure that the 
                Working Group includes an equitable multidisciplinary 
                cross section of smart city or community stakeholders.
            (3) Duties.--The Working Group shall--
                    (A) leverage and build on previous activities 
                carried out by the Department of Commerce relating to 
                Internet of Things technology;
                    (B) develop tools for communities to evaluate the 
                cybersecurity of smart city or community technology 
                being considered by the communities for adoption in 
                those communities;
                    (C) develop tools for communities to protect 
                against cybersecurity threats relevant to the 
                technology the community has chosen to adopt;
                    (D)(i) assess--
                            (I) whether Internet of Things 
                        cybersecurity standards should exist; and
                            (II) whether the standards described in 
                        subclause (I) should be voluntary or mandatory; 
                        and
                    (ii) identify which entity is appropriate to devise 
                the standards described in clause (i)(I); and
                    (E) submit to the Council a report that describes 
                the findings of the Working Group.

SEC. 203. TECHHIRE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, based on findings from the needs assessment 
conducted under section 101(a)(3), the Secretary of Labor, in 
consultation with the Secretary, shall establish a pilot program, to be 
known as the ``TechHire Workforce Training and Development Pilot 
Program'', under which the Secretary of Labor, during the 5-year period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, shall provide to 
eligible entities, on a competitive basis, grants for technology-based 
job training and education programs that provide an industry-recognized 
certificate or certification.
    (b) Requirements.--A job training and education program that is 
carried out with a grant under this section shall--
            (1) provide technology-based training across 2 or more 
        sectors;
            (2) focus on equitable smart city or community 
        technologies, systems, and infrastructure which may span across 
        all sectors of the economy;
            (3) address privacy and cybersecurity considerations; and
            (4) address smart city or community workforce needs 
        identified by the Secretary of Labor, after consultation with 
        other applicable Federal agencies.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an entity shall be a public organization or an 
organization described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code 
that--
            (1) includes an advisory board, which may be--
                    (A)(i) a local workforce development board;
                    (ii) a State workforce development board; or
                    (iii) an appropriate subgroup of a local workforce 
                development board or a State workforce development 
                board; or
                    (B) a board of proportional participation, as 
                determined by the Secretary of Labor, of relevant 
                organizations, including--
                            (i) relevant industry organizations, 
                        including public and private employers;
                            (ii) labor organizations;
                            (iii) one or more units of local government 
                        that are actively pursuing smart city or 
                        community programs; or
                            (iv) postsecondary education organizations;
            (2) demonstrates experience in implementing and operating 
        job training and education programs;
            (3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support 
        individuals who plan to work in a relevant sector on the 
        successful completion of relevant job training and education 
        programs;
            (4)(A) provides students who complete the training and 
        education program with an industry-recognized certificate or 
        certification; or
            (B) uses a curriculum that has received extensive feedback 
        from employers;
            (5) demonstrates the quality of the proposed program of job 
        training and education, including the training services that 
        lead to an industry-recognized certificate or certification; 
        and
            (6) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates 
        of job training and education programs to quality jobs relevant 
        to the job training and education programs.
    (d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary of Labor an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
of Labor may require.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants 
under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall prioritize applicants 
that--
            (1)(A) are a local workforce development board or State 
        workforce development board; or
            (B) demonstrate a strong partnership with a local workforce 
        development board or State workforce development board;
            (2) house the job training and education program in--
                    (A) an institution of higher education (as defined 
                in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001)), including a community college, that 
                includes basic science, technology, and mathematics 
                education in the curriculum of the institution of 
                higher education; or
                    (B) an apprenticeship program registered with the 
                Department of Labor or a State;
            (3) work with the Secretary of Defense or veterans 
        organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and 
        veterans to careers in a relevant sector;
            (4) include in the application an entity that receives 
        State funding or is operated by a State agency;
            (5) include an apprenticeship program registered with the 
        Department of Labor or a State as part of the job training and 
        education program;
            (6) provide support services and career coaching;
            (7) provide entry-level technology workforce training aimed 
        at matching workers with well-paying jobs; or
            (8) propose to serve--
                    (A) young adults between the ages of 16 and 24; or
                    (B) individuals with barriers to employment (as 
                defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)).
    (f) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under this section, 
the Secretary of Labor shall consider equity and regional diversity.
    (g) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not submit, 
either individually or as part of a joint application, more than 1 
application for a grant under this section during any 1 fiscal year.
    (h) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of a single grant 
provided under this section for any 1 year shall not exceed $5,000,000.
    (i) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a job 
training and education program carried out using a grant under this 
section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost.
    (j) Reduction of Duplication.--Before submitting an application for 
a grant under this section, each applicant shall--
            (1) consult with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies; 
        and
            (2) coordinate the proposed activities of the applicant 
        with existing State and local programs.
    (k) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Labor, in consultation 
with the Secretary, may provide technical assistance to eligible 
entities under subsection (c) to leverage the existing job training and 
education programs of the Department of Labor and other relevant 
programs at appropriate Federal agencies.
    (l) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the 
Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, and make publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Labor, a report on the 
program established under this section, including a description of--
            (1) any entity that receives a grant under this section;
            (2) activities carried out using the grants under this 
        section;
            (3) best practices used to leverage the investment of the 
        Federal Government under this section; and
            (4) an assessment of the results achieved by the program 
        established under this section, including the equitable 
        distribution of benefits and the rate of employment for 
        participants after completing a job training and education 
        program carried out using a grant under this section.
    (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.

SEC. 204. GAO STUDY ON INNOVATIVE FINANCING.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to 
identify--
            (1) financial and procurement mechanisms currently 
        available to public and private entities to fund smart city or 
        community activities and associated demonstration projects, 
        including ``pay for performance'' financing that could deliver 
        measurable and verifiable market and non-market values to smart 
        cities or communities;
            (2) new and innovative financial and procurement mechanisms 
        under development or used experimentally that may be available, 
        in the near term, to public and private entities to fund smart 
        city or community activities and associated demonstration 
        projects;
            (3) barriers to creative financing solutions for smart city 
        or community activities and associated demonstration projects, 
        including procurement barriers faced by State and local 
        governments; and
            (4) ways to leverage private sector investments in smart 
        cities and communities.

SEC. 205. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, SMART CITY VOUCHER, AND TECHNOLOGIST IN 
              RESIDENCE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Technical Assistance Program.--The Secretary of Energy 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a 
program to provide technical assistance to cities and communities 
seeking to incorporate smart city or community technologies.
    (b) Smart City Voucher Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot 
        program (referred to in this section as the ``pilot program'') 
        under which the Secretary shall provide assistance, including 
        through vouchers, to cities and communities (including cities 
        or communities partnered with a small business concern (as 
        defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
        632))) to improve, for the purposes of promoting smart city or 
        community technologies and commercialization--
                    (A) the access of cities and communities to the 
                expertise, competencies, and infrastructure of National 
                Laboratories; and
                    (B) the products, services, and capabilities of 
                those cities and communities.
            (2) Voucher.--A voucher provided under the pilot program 
        may be redeemed at any National Laboratory or laboratory of the 
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
        program in collaboration with the Director of each National 
        Laboratory.
            (4) Cost sharing.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
                U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to financial assistance 
                provided under this section.
                    (B) Exception.--The Secretary may waive section 988 
                of that Act (42 U.S.C. 16352) in providing financial 
                assistance under the pilot program to cities or 
                communities that partner with a small business concern 
                that is socially or economically disadvantaged, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Technologist in Residence Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall expand the 
        Technologist in Residence pilot program of the Department of 
        Energy to include partnerships between National Laboratories 
        and cities or communities with respect to research and 
        development relating to smart cities or communities.
            (2) Requirements.--For purposes of the partnerships entered 
        into under paragraph (1), technologists in residence shall work 
        with an assigned city or community to develop an assessment of 
        smart city or community technologies available and appropriate 
        to meet the smart city or community objectives of the city or 
        community.
    (d) Guidance.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Commerce, shall issue guidance with respect to--
            (1) the scope of the programs established under subsections 
        (a) through (c); and
            (2) requests for proposals from cities and communities 
        interested in participating in those programs.
    (e) Considerations.--In establishing the programs under subsections 
(a) through (c), the Secretary shall seek to address the needs of 
small- and medium-sized cities, counties, and Tribal governments.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.

         TITLE III--IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY

SEC. 301. STANDARDS AND INTEROPERABILITY FRAMEWORK.

    (a) Participation.--To strengthen the public-private partnership 
approach to smart city-related or community-related standards 
development and interoperability, the Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall 
strongly encourage and support participation by Federal Government 
experts in private sector-led, standards-related activities that 
convene smart city or community stakeholders, including representatives 
of applicable Federal agencies.
    (b) Activities.--To promote innovation and economic competitiveness 
and to achieve interoperability of smart city or community devices and 
systems, while strengthening the United States approach to private 
sector-led standardization activities and the participation of Federal 
representatives under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation 
with private and public sector stakeholders, shall--
            (1) survey and review domestic and international smart city 
        or community performance standards, existing architectures, 
        applications, and deployments, and interoperability standards;
            (2) make consensus-based recommendations--
                    (A) to identify gaps in the smart city or community 
                performance standards and interoperability standards 
                under paragraph (1);
                    (B) to harmonize existing standards and deployment 
                efforts and enable greater interoperability across 
                smart city or community technologies;
                    (C) to coordinate domestic and international 
                performance standards and interoperability standards to 
                promote uniform performance standards and 
                interoperability standards worldwide, including with 
                respect to the need for testing and demonstration; and
                    (D) for guidelines to enable interoperability in 
                the collection, storage, ownership, and sharing of 
                data;
            (3) based on the recommendations under paragraph (2), 
        develop a consensus-based framework that includes protocols and 
        model standards for the management and exchange of information, 
        including existing guidelines, best practices, and industry 
        consensus standards;
            (4) ensure that cybersecurity and privacy are core elements 
        of the recommended performance standards and interoperability 
        standards; and
            (5) lead international coordination efforts to develop 
        industry-led, technology-neutral, voluntary, consensus-based 
        global smart city or community performance standards and 
        interoperability standards.

         TITLE IV--INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND BEST PRACTICES

SEC. 401. DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL SMART CITY OR COMMUNITY BEST PRACTICES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries may carry out activities--
            (1) to enable cities and communities in the United States 
        and other countries to work together toward shared smart city- 
        or community-related goals;
            (2) to promote smart city or community solutions that 
        provide measurable benefits to local governments and residents;
            (3) to enable an open, global marketplace for smart city or 
        community technologies based on voluntary, consensus-based, and 
        technology-neutral standards; and
            (4) to connect innovators from industry and academia to 
        local governments to catalyze the emergence of open and 
        advanced technologies that--
                    (A) meet community needs; and
                    (B) advance innovation and open competition.
    (b) Eligible Activities.--The activities described in subsection 
(a) may include grants, contracts, challenges, prize competitions, 
public-private partnerships, and other innovative mechanisms.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretaries to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
            (2) Limitation on use of funds.--Funds made available under 
        paragraph (1) may not be used to provide assistance to--
                    (A) a foreign country; or
                    (B) a foreign company (excluding any United States 
                subsidiary of a foreign holding company).

SEC. 402. TRADE PROGRAM.

    The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, such 
other members of the Council as the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate, and private stakeholders, shall establish a strategic 
international smart cities and communities trade program, which shall 
include trade missions--
            (1) to promote the export of United States smart cities or 
        communities technologies;
            (2) to stimulate job growth in the United States;
            (3) to identify potential partners and strategies for 
        companies in the United States in target foreign market 
        sectors;
            (4) to organize events with local governments, businesses, 
        associations, academia, and other stakeholders to promote smart 
        city or community partnerships;
            (5) to assist in the development of competitive strategies 
        and foreign market access for smart city or community 
        technology business interests of the United States;
            (6) to assist in developing appropriate Federal policy 
        relating to interests of businesses in the United States and 
        businesses in international smart cities or communities;
            (7) to assist in achieving commitments of the United 
        Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
            (8) to assist in lowering the cost to consumers of smart 
        cities or communities technologies;
            (9) to leverage expertise in infrastructure to deliver 
        solutions that can help make communities more efficient, 
        equitable, livable, and sustainable; and
            (10) to work with the United States Agency for 
        International Development, the United States International 
        Development Finance Corporation, and the Export-Import Bank of 
        the United States to identify opportunities to finance 
        international investment in smart cities or communities 
        technology companies of the United States.
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