In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform 
Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROMOTING DISCLOSURE OF CAMPAIGN SPENDING.

    (a) Requiring Intermediaries and Conduits To Report on Bundled 
Contributions.--Section 315(a)(8) of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(8)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(8)'' and inserting ``(8)(A)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) Any person acting as an intermediary or conduit for the 
collection or delivery of contributions on behalf of a candidate shall 
file reports with the Commission (at the same time and in the same 
manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of 
a candidate is required to file reports under section 304(a)(4)) on the 
contributions collected or delivered and on related activities 
conducted on the candidate's behalf.''.
    (b) Treatment of Certain Communications as Independent Expenditures 
for Reporting Purposes.--Section 301(17) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431(17)) 
is amended by striking ``identified candidate'' and inserting the 
following: ``identified candidate, or any payment for any communication 
made during the 90-day period ending on the date of an election which 
includes the name or likeness of a candidate,''.
    (c) Mandatory Electronic Filing for Persons Meeting Certain 
Threshold.--Section 304(a)(11)(A) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)(A)) 
is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the 
following: ``, except that in the case of any person reporting an 
amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount 
exceeding a threshold established by the Commission, the person shall 
file all reports required under this Act by such electronic means, 
format, or method.''.

SEC. 3. ENHANCING ENFORCEMENT ABILITIES OF FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.

    (a) Permitting FEC To Impose Filing Fee for Reports.--Section 307 
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437d) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f)(1) The Commission shall require each political committee 
filing a report under this title to include with the report a payment 
(in an amount established by the Commission) if the amount of 
contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report 
exceeds a threshold established by the Commission.
    ``(2) In establishing the amount of payment required to be included 
with a report under paragraph (1), the Commission shall take into 
account the costs to the Commission which are associated with the 
submission of reports under this title.
    ``(3) The Commission may waive the application of paragraph (1) 
with respect to a political committee if the Commission determines that 
the payment required would result in a financial hardship to the 
committee.
    ``(4) The Commission may charge a nominal fee for the distribution 
of documents to the public.
    ``(5) The amount appropriated to the Commission for a fiscal year 
pursuant to the authorization under section 314 may not be adjusted to 
take into account any amounts anticipated to be received by the 
Commission during the year pursuant to this subsection.''.
    (b) Revised Standard for Referral of Certain Violations to Attorney 
General.--Section 309(a)(5)(C) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(5)(C)) is 
amended by striking ``by an affirmative vote of 4 of its members, 
determined that there is probable cause to believe'' and inserting 
``believes''.
    (c) Permitting Random Audits.--Section 311(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
438(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(b)'' and inserting ``(b)(1)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Commission shall conduct 
random audits of the reports of political committees during the 1-year 
period which begins on the date of a general election, in accordance 
with such criteria as the Commission may establish.''.

SEC. 4. REDUCED BROADCAST RATES FOR CANDIDATES.

    (a) In General.--Section 315(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 315(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``the lowest unit 
charge'' and inserting ``the applicable percentage of the lowest unit 
charge''.
    (b) Applicable Percentage Defined.--Section 315(c) of such Act (47 
U.S.C. 315(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) the term `applicable percentage' means--
                    ``(A) 70 percent, in the case of a small broadcast 
                station (as determined by the Commission in accordance 
                with ratings, market area analysis, and such other 
                criteria as the Commission may establish), or
                    ``(B) 50 percent, in the case of any other 
                candidate and any other broadcast station.''.

SEC. 5. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.

    Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

               ``restrictions on use of non-federal funds

    ``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
no funds which are not subject to the limitations and prohibitions of 
this Act may be expended or disbursed by any person for any activity 
which significantly affects an election for Federal office or which 
promotes or identifies (in whole or in part) any candidate for election 
for Federal office, including any get-out-the-vote drive which 
identifies or targets supporters of a candidate for election for 
Federal office, or any voter registration drive or development or 
maintenance of voter files which occurs during an even-numbered year.
    ``(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to 
any of the following activities:
            ``(1) The construction, maintenance, or operation of 
        buildings or broadcast facilities for political parties.
            ``(2) State or local political party conventions.
            ``(3) State or local political party administration.
            ``(4) Generic campaign activity to promote a political 
        party.
            ``(5) Any activity which would be described in clause (i), 
        (iii), or (v) of section 301(9)(B) if payment for the activity 
        were an expenditure under such section.''.

SEC. 6. APPOINTMENT AND SERVICE OF MEMBERS OF FEDERAL ELECTION 
              COMMISSION.

    (a) Appointment of Additional, Independent Commissioner.--
            (1) In general.--Section 306(a)(1) of the Federal Election 
        Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``(a)(1)'' and inserting 
                ``(a)(1)(A)'';
                    (B) in the first sentence, by striking ``6 members 
                appointed by the President,'' and inserting the 
                following: ``7 members appointed by the President, of 
                whom one shall be a political independent nominated for 
                appointment by the other members serving on the 
                Commission,''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
    ``(B) In subparagraph (A), the term `political independent' means 
an individual who at no time after January 1992--
            ``(i) has held elective office as a member of the 
        Democratic or Republican party;
            ``(ii) has received any wages or salary from the Democratic 
        or Republican party or from a Democratic or Republican party 
        office-holder or candidate; or
            ``(iii) has provided substantial volunteer services or made 
        any substantial contribution to the Democratic or Republican 
        party or to a Democratic or Republican party office-holder or 
        candidate.''.
            (2) Deadline for initial appointment.--The members of the 
        Federal Election Commission shall provide the President with a 
        nominee for appointment to the Commission under section 
        306(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as 
        amended by paragraph (1)) not later than 90 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Limiting Commissioners to Single Term.--Section 306(a)(2)(A) of 
such Act (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``terms'' and 
inserting ``a single term''.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring after January 1999.

A: Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to provide for:  (1) intermediaries and conduits to report on bundled contributions in the same time and manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of the candidate; (2) certain communications to be treated as independent expenditures; and (3) mandatory electronic filing for persons reporting contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount exceeding a threshold established by the Federal Election Commission. 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Commission to require each political committee filing a report to include with the report a filing fee when the amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report exceeds a threshold established by the Commission. 
Revises the standard for referral of certain violations to the Attorney General. 
Requires the Commission to conduct random audits of the reports of political committees. 
(Sec. 4) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for reduced broadcast media rates for candidates. 
(Sec. 5) Amends FECA to set forth restrictions on the use of non-Federal funds. 
(Sec. 6) Revises requirements for the composition of the Commission and terms of Commissioners and replaces them with new requirements, including one that Commissioners serve no more than a single term.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Empowerment Zone Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Designation of health empowerment zones.
Sec. 5. Assistance to those seeking designation.
Sec. 6. Benefits of designation.
Sec. 7. Definition.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Numerous studies and reports, including the National 
        Healthcare Disparities Report and Unequal Treatment, the 2002 
        Institute of Medicine Report, document the extensiveness to 
        which health disparities exist across the country.
            (2) These studies have found that, on average, racial and 
        ethnic minorities are disproportionately afflicted with chronic 
        and acute conditions--such as cancer, diabetes, and 
        hypertension--and suffer worse health outcomes, worse health 
        status, and higher mortality rates than their White 
        counterparts.
            (3) Several recent studies also show that health 
        disparities are a function of not only access to health care, 
        but also the social determinants of health--including the 
        environment, the physical structure of communities, nutrition 
        and food options, educational attainment, employment, race, 
        ethnicity, geography, and language preference--that directly 
        and indirectly affect the health, health care, and wellness of 
        individuals and communities.
            (4) Integrally involving and fully supporting the 
        communities most affected by health inequities in the 
        assessment, planning, launch, and evaluation of health 
        disparity elimination efforts is among the leading 
        recommendations made to adequately address and ultimately 
        reduce health disparities.
            (5) Recommendations also include supporting the efforts of 
        community stakeholders from a broad cross section--including, 
        but not limited to local businesses, local departments of 
        commerce, education, labor, urban planning, and transportation, 
        and community-based and other nonprofit organizations--to find 
        areas of common ground around health disparity elimination and 
        collaborate to improve the overall health and wellness of a 
        community and its residents.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF HEALTH EMPOWERMENT ZONES.

    (a) In General.--At the request of an eligible community 
partnership, the Secretary may designate an eligible area as a health 
empowerment zone.
    (b) Eligibility Criteria.--
            (1) Eligible community partnership.--A community 
        partnership is eligible to submit a request under this section 
        if the partnership--
                    (A) demonstrates widespread public support from key 
                individuals and entities in the eligible area, 
                including State and local governments, nonprofit 
                organizations, and community and industry leaders, for 
                designation of the eligible area as a health 
                empowerment zone; and
                    (B) includes representatives of--
                            (i) a broad cross section of stakeholders 
                        and residents from communities in the eligible 
                        area experiencing disproportionate disparities 
                        in health status and health care; and
                            (ii) organizations, facilities, and 
                        institutions that have a history of working 
                        within and serving such communities.
            (2) Eligible area.--An area is eligible to be designated as 
        a health empowerment zone under this section if one or more 
        communities in the area experience disproportionate disparities 
        in health status and health care. In determining whether a 
        community experiences such disparities, the Secretary shall 
        consider the data collected by the Department of Health and 
        Human Services focusing on the following areas:
                    (A) Access to high-quality health services.
                    (B) Arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic back 
                conditions.
                    (C) Cancer.
                    (D) Chronic kidney disease.
                    (E) Diabetes.
                    (F) Injury and violence prevention.
                    (G) Maternal, infant, and child health.
                    (H) Medical product safety.
                    (I) Mental health and mental disorders.
                    (J) Nutrition and overweight.
                    (K) Disability and secondary conditions.
                    (L) Educational and community-based health 
                programs.
                    (M) Environmental health.
                    (N) Family planning.
                    (O) Food safety.
                    (P) Health communication.
                    (Q) Health disease and stroke.
                    (R) HIV/AIDS.
                    (S) Immunization and infectious diseases.
                    (T) Occupational safety and health.
                    (U) Oral health.
                    (V) Physical activity and fitness.
                    (W) Public health infrastructure.
                    (X) Respiratory diseases.
                    (Y) Sexually transmitted diseases.
                    (Z) Substance abuse.
                    (AA) Tobacco use.
                    (BB) Vision and hearing.
    (c) Procedure.--
            (1) Request.--A request under subsection (a) shall--
                    (A) describe the bounds of the area to be 
                designated as a health empowerment zone and the process 
                used to select those bounds;
                    (B) demonstrate that the partnership submitting the 
                request is an eligible community partnership described 
                in subsection (b)(1);
                    (C) demonstrate that the area is an eligible area 
                described in subsection (b)(2);
                    (D) include a comprehensive assessment of 
                disparities in health status and health care experience 
                by one or more communities in the area;
                    (E) set forth--
                            (i) a vision and a set of values for the 
                        area; and
                            (ii) a comprehensive and holistic set of 
                        goals to be achieved in the area through 
                        designation as a health empowerment zone; and
                    (F) include a strategic plan for achieving the 
                goals described in subparagraph (E)(ii).
            (2) Approval.--Not later than 60 days after the receipt of 
        a request for designation of an area as a health empowerment 
        zone under this section, the Secretary shall approve or 
        disapprove the request.
    (d) Minimum Number.--The Secretary--
            (1) shall designate not more than 110 health empowerment 
        zones under this section; and
            (2) shall designate at least one health empowerment zone in 
        each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each 
        territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO THOSE SEEKING DESIGNATION.

    At the request of any organization or entity seeking to submit a 
request under section 4(a), the Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance, and may award a grant, to assist such organization or 
entity--
            (1) to form an eligible community partnership described in 
        subsection (b)(1);
            (2) to complete a health assessment, including an 
        assessment of health disparities under subsection (c)(1)(D); or
            (3) to prepare and submit a request, including a strategic 
        plan, in accordance with section 4.

SEC. 6. BENEFITS OF DESIGNATION.

    (a) Priority.--In awarding any competitive grant, a Federal 
official shall give priority to any applicant that--
            (1) meets the eligibility criteria for the grant;
            (2) proposes to use the grant for activities in a health 
        empowerment zone; and
            (3) demonstrates that such activities will directly and 
        significantly further the goals of the strategic plan approved 
        for such zone under section 4.
    (b) Grants for Initial Implementation of Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Upon designating an eligible area as a 
        health empowerment zone at the request of an eligible community 
        partnership, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability 
        of appropriations, make a grant to the community partnership 
        for implementation of the strategic plan for such zone.
            (2) Grant period.--A grant under paragraph (1) for a health 
        empowerment zone shall be for a period of 2 years and may be 
        renewed, except that the total period of grants under paragraph 
        (1) for such zone may not exceed 10 years.
            (3) Limitation.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall not give less priority to an applicant or 
        reduce the amount of a grant because the Secretary rendered 
        technical assistance or made a grant to the same applicant 
        under section 5.
            (4) Reporting.--The Secretary shall require each recipient 
        of a grant under this subsection to report to the Secretary not 
        less than every 6 months on the progress in implementing the 
        strategic plan for the health empowerment zone.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health 
Resources and Services Administration and the Director of the Office of 
Minority Health, and in cooperation with the Director of the Office of 
Community Services and the Director of the National Center for Minority 
Health and Health Disparities.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.

A: Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), at the request of a broad-based community partnership, to designate a community that experiences disproportionate disparities in health status and health care as a health empowerment zone. Requires federal officials to give priority in awarding competitive grants to grants used in or benefiting a health empowerment zone.

Directs the Secretary to provide: (1) technical assistance (or grants) to entities seeking to form a community partnership or obtain a health empowerment zone designation for a community; and (2) grants to community partnerships for implementation of the strategic plan for a health empowerment zone.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Research and Development 
Coordination Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
              DEMONSTRATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 6 of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy 
Research and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5905) is amended--
            (1) by striking the section heading and all that follows 
        through the end of subsection (a) and inserting the following:

``SEC. 6. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING.

    ``(a) Comprehensive Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        National Energy Research Coordination Council established under 
        section 18, shall submit to Congress, along with the annual 
        submission of the budget by the President under section 1105 of 
        title 31, United States Code, a comprehensive plan for energy 
        research, development, and demonstration programs across the 
        Federal Government.
            ``(2) Relationship to other reviews.--The plan--
                    ``(A) shall be based on the most recent Quadrennial 
                Energy Review prepared under section 801 of the 
                Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7321); 
                and
                    ``(B) may take into account key energy developments 
                since the most recent Quadrennial Energy Review.
            ``(3) Revisions.--The plan shall be appropriately revised 
        annually in accordance with section 15(a).
            ``(4) Goals.--The plan shall be designed to achieve 
        solutions to problems in energy supply, transmission, and use 
        (including associated environmental problems) in--
                    ``(A) the immediate and short-term (the period up 
                to 5 years after submission of the plan);
                    ``(B) the medium-term (the period from 5 years to 
                15 years after submission of the plan); and
                    ``(C) the long-term (the period beyond 15 years 
                after submission of the plan).''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``(b)(1)'' and all that 
        follows through the end of paragraph (1) and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(b) Department of Energy Program.--
            ``(1) Program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Based on the comprehensive plan 
                developed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
                develop and submit to Congress, along with the annual 
                budget submission for the Department, a detailed 
                description of an energy research, development, and 
                demonstration program to implement the aspects of the 
                comprehensive plan appropriate to the Department.
                    ``(B) Updates.--The program shall be updated and 
                transmitted to Congress annually as a part of the 
                report required under section 15.''.
    (b) Reports.--Section 15 of the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research 
and Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5914) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``this Act'' and 
                inserting ``this Act and the plan under this Act'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``nuclear and 
                nonnuclear''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``nonnuclear'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``nonnuclear'' and inserting ``energy''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``objections'' 
                and inserting ``objectives''; and
            (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) Administration.--Section 3003 of the Federal Reports 
Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C. 1113 note; Public Law 
104-66) shall not apply to this section.''.

SEC. 3. COORDINATION AND REDUCTION OF DUPLICATION OF ENERGY RESEARCH, 
              DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.

    The Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 18. COORDINATION AND REDUCTION OF DUPLICATION OF ENERGY 
              RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Annual budget submission.--The term `annual budget 
        submission' means the budget proposal of the President 
        transmitted under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code.
            ``(2) Chairpersons.--The term `Chairpersons' means --
                    ``(A) the Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy; and
                    ``(B) the Secretary.
            ``(3) Comprehensive plan.--The term `comprehensive plan' 
        means the comprehensive plan for energy research, development, 
        and demonstration developed under sections 6(a) and 15(a).
            ``(4) Council.--The term `Council' means the National 
        Energy Research Coordination Council established under 
        subsection (b).
            ``(5) Energy program agency.--The term `energy program 
        agency' means an executive department or agency for which the 
        annual expenditure budget for energy research, development, and 
        demonstration activities, including activities described in 
        section 6(b), exceeds $10,000,000.
    ``(b) National Energy Research Coordination Council.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Department a National Energy Research Coordination Council to 
        coordinate the development and funding of energy research, 
        development, and demonstration activities for all energy 
        program agencies.
            ``(2) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of--
                    ``(A) the Director of the Office of Science and 
                Technology Policy and the Secretary, who shall jointly 
                serve as Chairpersons of the Council;
                    ``(B) the Director of the Office of Management and 
                Budget;
                    ``(C) the head of any energy program agency; and
                    ``(D) such other officers or employees of executive 
                departments and agencies as the President may, from 
                time to time, designate.
    ``(c) National Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration 
Program Budget.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Chairpersons shall--
                    ``(A) in coordination with the Council, establish 
                for each fiscal year a consolidated budget proposal to 
                implement the comprehensive plan, taking into account--
                            ``(i) applicable recommendations of the 
                        National Academy of Sciences under this Act; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the need to avoid unnecessary 
                        duplication of programs across Federal 
                        agencies;
                    ``(B) provide budget guidance, coordination, and 
                review in the development of energy research, 
                development, and demonstration budget requests 
                submitted to the Office of Management and Budget by 
                each energy program agency; and
                    ``(C) submit to the President and Congress the 
                consolidated budget proposal under subparagraph (A) as 
                part of the annual budget submission.
            ``(2) Timing and format of budget requests.--The head of 
        each energy program agency shall ensure timely budget 
        development and submission to the Chairpersons of energy 
        research, development, and demonstration budget requests, in 
        such format as may be determined by the Chairpersons with the 
        concurrence of the Director of the Office of Management and 
        Budget.
    ``(d) Coordination of Implementation.--The Chairpersons, in 
consultation with the Council, shall--
            ``(1) establish objectives and priorities for energy 
        research, development, and demonstration functions under this 
        Act;
            ``(2) review the implementation of the comprehensive plan 
        in all energy program agencies;
            ``(3) make such recommendations to the President as the 
        Chairpersons determine are appropriate regarding changes in the 
        organization, management, and budgets of energy program 
        agencies--
                    ``(A) to implement the policies, objectives, and 
                priorities established under paragraph (1) and the 
                comprehensive plan; and
                    ``(B) to avoid unnecessary duplication of programs 
                across Federal agencies; and
            ``(4) notify the head of an energy program agency if the 
        policies or activities of the energy program agency are not in 
        compliance with the responsibilities of the energy program 
        agency under the comprehensive plan.
    ``(e) Reports From the National Academy of Sciences.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Council, may enter into appropriate arrangements with the 
        National Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall 
        prepare reports that evaluate and provide recommendations with 
        respect to specific areas of energy research, development, and 
        demonstration, including areas described in section 6(b) and 
        fundamental science and engineering research supporting those 
        areas.
            ``(2) Submission to congress.--The Secretary shall submit 
        to Congress a copy of each report prepared under this 
        subsection.
    ``(f) Independent Administration of Council.--
            ``(1) Location.--The physical location of the Council shall 
        be separate and distinct from the headquarters of the 
        Department.
            ``(2) Budget.--The Secretary shall submit the budget of the 
        Council as a separate and distinct element of the budget 
        submission of the Department for a fiscal year.
            ``(3) Personnel.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
                the Council has necessary administrative support and 
                personnel of the Department to carry out this section.
                    ``(B) Council personnel.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Chairpersons shall 
                        select, appoint, employ, and fix the 
                        compensation of such officers and employees of 
                        the Council as are necessary to carry out the 
                        functions of the Council.
                            ``(ii) Authority.--Each officer or employee 
                        of the Council--
                                    ``(I) shall be responsible to and 
                                subject to the authority, direction, 
                                and control of the Chairpersons, acting 
                                through an Executive Director appointed 
                                by the Chairpersons or the designee of 
                                the Executive Director; and
                                    ``(II) shall not be responsible to, 
                                or subject to the authority, direction, 
                                or control of, any other officer, 
                                employee, or agent of the Department or 
                                Office of Science and Technology 
                                Policy.
                    ``(C) Prohibition on dual office holding.--An 
                individual may not concurrently hold or carry out the 
                responsibilities of--
                            ``(i) a position within the Council; and
                            ``(ii) a position within the Department or 
                        Office of Science and Technology Policy that is 
                        not within the Council.
    ``(g) GAO Review of Effectiveness of Council.--Not later than 3 
years after the date of enactment of this section and every 3 years 
thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to Congress a management assessment of the Council, including an 
assessment of whether the Council is--
            ``(1) adequately staffed with personnel with necessary 
        skills;
            ``(2) properly coordinating and disseminating policy and 
        budget information to the energy program agencies and managers 
        on an effective and timely basis; and
            ``(3) aligning the overall energy research, development, 
        and demonstration budget so as to achieve the comprehensive 
        plan and avoid unnecessary duplication of programs across 
        Federal agencies.''.

A:
Energy Research and Development Coordination Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974 to direct the Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress, along with the President's annual budget proposal, a comprehensive plan for federal energy research, development, and demonstration programs based on the most recent Quadrennial Energy Review.

Requires the plan to be designed to solve problems in energy supply, transmission, and use (including associated environmental problems) in the immediate and short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress, along with the annual budget proposal of the Department of Energy (DOE), a detailed description of an energy research, development, and demonstration program to implement the aspects of the comprehensive plan appropriate to the DOE.

Establishes a National Energy Research Coordination Council within the DOE to coordinate the development and funding of energy research, development, and demonstration activities for all energy program agencies.

Requires the Chairpersons of the Council to establish a consolidated budget proposal each fiscal year to implement the comprehensive plan for federal energy research, development, and demonstration programs.

Requires the physical location of the Council to be separate and distinct from DOE headquarters.
****