instruction:
In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Wind Energy Research and Development 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. WIND ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a program 
of research and development to--
            (1) improve the energy efficiency, reliability, and 
        capacity of wind turbines;
            (2) optimize the design and adaptability of wind energy 
        systems to the broadest practical range of atmospheric 
        conditions; and
            (3) reduce the cost of construction, generation, and 
        maintenance of wind energy systems.
    (b) Program.--The program under this section shall focus on 
research and development of--
            (1) new materials and designs to make larger, lighter, less 
        expensive, and more reliable rotor blades;
            (2) technologies to improve gearbox performance and 
        reliability;
            (3) automation, materials, and assembly of large-scale 
        components to reduce manufacturing costs;
            (4) low-cost transportable towers greater than 100 meters 
        in height to capitalize on improved wind conditions at higher 
        elevations;
            (5) advanced computational modeling tools to improve--
                    (A) the reliability of aeroelastic simulations of 
                wind energy systems;
                    (B) understanding of the interaction between each 
                wind turbine component;
                    (C) siting of wind energy systems to maximize 
                efficiency and minimize variable generation;
                    (D) integration of wind energy systems into the 
                existing electric grid to ensure reliability; and
                    (E) understanding of the wake effect between upwind 
                and downwind turbine operations;
            (6) advanced control systems and blade sensors to improve 
        performance and reliability under a wide variety of wind 
        conditions;
            (7) advanced generators, including--
                    (A) medium-speed and low-speed generators;
                    (B) direct-drive technology; and
                    (C) the use of advanced magnets in generator 
                rotors;
            (8) wind technology for offshore applications;
            (9) methods to assess and mitigate the effects of wind 
        energy systems on radar and electromagnetic fields;
            (10) wind turbines with a maximum electric power production 
        capacity of 100 kilowatts or less;
            (11) technical processes to enable--
                    (A) scalability of transmission from remotely 
                located renewable resource rich areas; and
                    (B) optimization of advanced infrastructure design, 
                including high voltage transmission; and
            (12) other research areas as determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 3. WIND ENERGY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a wind 
energy demonstration program. In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that--
            (1) the program is of sufficient size and geographic 
        diversity to measure wind energy system performance under the 
        full productive range of wind conditions in the United States;
            (2) demonstration projects carried out under this program 
        are--
                    (A) conducted in collaboration with industry and, 
                as appropriate, with academic institutions; and
                    (B) located in various geographic areas 
                representing various wind class regimes; and
            (3) data collected from demonstration projects carried out 
        under this program is useful for carrying out section 2(b).
    (b) Cost-Sharing.--The Secretary shall carry out the program under 
this section in compliance with section 988(a) through (d) and section 
989 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(a) through (d) 
and 16353).

SEC. 4. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

    In carrying out this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall--
            (1) coordinate with the Office of Minority Economic Impact 
        and with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
        Utilization; and
            (2) provide special consideration to applications submitted 
        by institutions, businesses, or entities containing majority 
        representation by individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of 
        the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1885a or 1885b).

SEC. 5. COMPETITIVE AWARDS.

    Awards under section 2 and section 3 shall be made on a competitive 
basis with an emphasis on technical merit.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.

    To the maximum extent practicable the Secretary of Energy shall 
coordinate activities under this Act with other programs of the 
Department of Energy and other Federal research programs.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
to carry out this Act $200,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 
through 2014.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 9, 2009.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.
answer:
Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out a research and development program to: (1) improve the energy efficiency, reliability, and capacity of wind turbines; (2) optimize the design and adaptability of wind energy systems to the broadest practical range of atmospheric conditions; and (3) reduce the cost of construction, generation, and maintenance of such systems.





Directs the Secretary to conduct a wind energy demonstration program to measure wind energy system performance under the full productive range of wind conditions in the United States.

Requires awards under such programs to be made on a competitive basis with an emphasis on technical merit.

Requires the Secretary, in carrying out this Act, to: (1) coordinate with the Office of Minority Economic Impact and with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; and (2) provide special consideration to applications submitted by institutions, businesses, or entities containing majority representation of women, minorities, or persons with disabilities in science and engineering.

Authorizes appropriations.


question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sunshine in Academic Admissions 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Citizens and taxpayers have a right to know whether 
        federally funded institutions of higher education are treating 
        student applications differently depending on the student's 
        race, color, or national origin, and, if so, the way in which 
        these factors are weighted and the consequences to students and 
        prospective students of these decisions.
            (2) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 codified this 
        right, forbidding in statute discrimination on the basis of 
        race, color, or national origin by federally funded 
        institutions, which includes nearly all colleges and 
        universities.
            (3) This prohibition has largely been ignored by the 
        Supreme Court, which has allowed racially discriminatory 
        admissions.
            (4) However, in Fisher v. University of Texas, the United 
        States Supreme Court in 2013 affirmed that strict scrutiny 
        should be applied to university admissions programs to ensure 
        diversity is not defined as ``mere racial balancing,'' but has 
        a compelling state interest to achieve diversity. The Fisher 
        case clarified that any such discrimination is only permitted 
        if it is necessary to achieve the educational benefits of a 
        racially diverse student body.
            (5) Therefore, colleges and universities must reevaluate 
        their use of racially selective admissions policies. The costs 
        of such policies cannot outweigh the supposed benefits. If a 
        less discriminatory means could achieve similar results, the 
        discrimination is not permissible.
            (6) In order to ensure that these limitations are followed, 
        colleges and federally funded institutions of higher education 
        must make public through annual reports their use of race, 
        color, and national origin, for admissions decisions so that 
        Federal and State enforcement agencies and interested persons 
        can monitor the schools.
            (7) Additionally, college and universities must provide 
        evidence sufficient to demonstrate that any such discrimination 
        does not exceed the limits imposed by the Fisher case.
            (8) Academic ``mismatch'' refers to a significant 
        discrepancy in academic qualifications between various groups 
        within a student body, and is encouraged when universities 
        lower their academic standards to artificially achieve a 
        particular composition.
            (9) Mismatch works a harm because it sets particular 
        students up for lower than average achievement, higher dropout 
        rates, less competitive majors and, perhaps most damaging, a 
        disproportionately large student loan burden.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON CONSIDERATION OF RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN 
              STUDENT ADMISSIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, each institution of 
higher education participating in programs under title IV of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 shall submit to the Secretary of Education a 
report in accordance with this section.
    (b) Contents of Report.--
            (1) Disclosure of consideration of race, color, or national 
        origin in student admissions.--The report shall include a 
        statement indicating whether race, color, or national origin is 
        given weight in the student admissions process of the 
        institution or any department of the institution.
            (2) Additional disclosures.--If the disclosure under 
        paragraph (1) states that race, color, or national origin is 
        given weight in the student admissions process of an 
        institution or department, then the report shall include the 
        following information with respect to the institution or 
        department:
                    (A) The racial, color, and national origin groups 
                for which membership is considered a plus factor or a 
                minus factor and, in addition, how membership in a 
                group is determined for individual students.
                    (B) A description of how group membership is 
                considered, including the weight given to such 
                consideration and whether targets, goals, or quotas are 
                used.
                    (C) A statement explaining why group membership is 
                given weight, including the determination of the 
                desired level claimed and, with respect to the 
                diversity rationale, its relationship to the particular 
                educational mission of the institution or department.
                    (D) A description of the consideration that has 
                been given to racially neutral or less discriminatory 
                alternatives as a means for achieving the same goals 
                for which group membership is considered.
                    (E) A description of how frequently the need to 
                give weight to group membership is reassessed and how 
                that reassessment is conducted.
                    (F) An identification of the factors other than 
                race, color, or national origin that are collected in 
                the admissions process. If the factors described in the 
                preceding sentence include grades or class rank in high 
                school, scores on standardized tests (including the ACT 
                and SAT), legacy status, sex, State residency, economic 
                status, or other quantifiable criteria, then all raw 
                admissions data for applicants regarding these factors, 
                along with each individual applicant's race, color, and 
                national origin and the admissions decision made by the 
                school regarding that applicant, shall accompany the 
                report in computer-readable form, with the name of the 
                individual student redacted but with appropriate links, 
                so that it is possible for the Secretary of Education 
                or other interested persons to determine through 
                statistical analysis the weight being given to race, 
                color, and national origin, relative to other factors.
                    (G) An analysis, and also the underlying data 
                needed to perform an analysis, of whether there is a 
                correlation--
                            (i) between membership in a group favored 
                        on account of race, color, or national origin 
                        and the likelihood of enrollment in a 
                        remediation program, relative to membership in 
                        other groups;
                            (ii) between such membership and graduation 
                        rates, relative to membership in other groups; 
                        and
                            (iii) between such membership and the 
                        likelihood of defaulting on education loans, 
                        relative to membership in other groups.
    (c) Public Availability.--The institution shall make the report 
publicly available.

SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow or permit 
preference or discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national 
origin.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002), except that the term does not include an 
institution of higher education outside the United States.
answer:
Sunshine in Academic Admissions Act This bill requires each institution of higher education that participates in a program under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to submit an annual report to the Department of Education that states whether the institution gives weight to race, color, or national origin in the admissions process and, if yes, provides certain additional disclosures.  The institution must make the report publicly available. 


question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Roads for America Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) An individual who is 65 years of age needs 4 times the 
        amount of light to see at night as compared to an individual 
        who is 25 years of age.
            (2) The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety projects that by 
        2030 1 in every 4 drivers will be 65 years of age or older.
            (3) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of traffic 
        signs provides added decision time for older drivers.
            (4) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of traffic 
        signs also provides for faster response time by emergency 
        medical technicians and police and fire personnel by increasing 
        their ability to read and understand signs and reduce travel 
        time to a site.
            (5) More than 50 percent of traffic accidents resulting in 
        fatalities occur at night, and increased retroreflectivity of 
        traffic signs addresses this issue.
            (6) In 2007, the following deadlines were established in 
        the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in response to a 
        statutory requirement from Congress:
                    (A) By January 22, 2012, roadway owners must adopt 
                a plan to ensure that their signs meet minimum levels 
                of retroreflectivity.
                    (B) By January 22, 2015, regulatory and warning 
                signs and post-mounted signs must meet minimum levels 
                of retroreflectivity.
                    (C) By January 22, 2018, overhead and street name 
                signs must meet minimum levels of retroreflectivity.
            (7) The Federal Highway Administration has estimated that 
        the cost for making these retroreflectivity improvements for 
        signage throughout the United States is $37,000,000 over a 10-
        year period.
            (8) At no point must a roadway owner replace a sign that 
        meets the minimum levels of retroreflectivity.
            (9) The United States is currently experiencing the worst 
        economic conditions since the Great Depression.
            (10) As a result, local governments across the United 
        States are experiencing one of the most economically 
        challenging times in history, with available revenues unable to 
        match the costs of services demanded by the public.
            (11) To compensate for depressed revenue collections during 
        the economic downturn, counties and cities are adopting severe 
        cost-cutting measures, such as laying off and furloughing 
        employees (including public safety personnel), cancelling or 
        postponing planned capital improvements, deferring necessary 
        maintenance, cutting equipment inventories, and in some cases 
        declaring bankruptcy.
            (12) The costs of employee benefits continue to rise and 
        local governments have to devote more resources to keep up with 
        inflation.
            (13) States are passing along the costs of services to 
        local governments as a method to balance their budgets.
            (14) The outlook for recovery appears to be at least 5 
        years away given that, even when the economy recovers, local 
        governments experience a delay in increased tax collections due 
        to the nature of property tax collections.

SEC. 3. RETROREFLECTIVITY LEVEL STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO TRAFFIC SIGNS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall modify the 
target compliance dates for minimum retroreflectivity level standards 
set forth in section 2A.08 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control 
Devices for Streets and Highways, 2009 Edition (incorporated by 
reference in subpart F of part 655 of title 23, Code of Federal 
Regulations) so that the following target compliance dates apply:
            (1) A target compliance date of January 22, 2012, for 
        implementation and continued use of an assessment or management 
        method that is designed to maintain traffic sign 
        retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels.
            (2) A target compliance date of January 22, 2018, for 
        replacement of regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide 
        (except street name) signs that are identified using the 
        assessment or management method as failing to meet the 
        established minimum levels.
            (3) A target compliance date of January 22, 2021, for 
        replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs that 
        are identified using the assessment or management method as 
        failing to meet the established minimum levels.
    (b) Effect on Proposed Regulations.--The Secretary shall revise the 
notice of proposed amendments published in the Federal Register on 
August 31, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 54156), to incorporate the target 
compliance dates specified in subsection (a).
    (c) Funding.--The Secretary may use funds available to the 
Secretary to carry out this section notwithstanding any funding 
limitation enacted before the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Highway Signs and Pavement Markings.--Section 148(a)(3)(B)(xi) 
of title 23, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
                            ``(xi) Installation, replacement, and 
                        upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings, 
                        including any upgrade of materials and the 
                        implementation of any assessment or management 
                        method designed to meet a State-established 
                        performance standard, Federal regulation, or 
                        requirement contained in the Manual on Uniform 
                        Traffic Control Devices relating to minimum 
                        levels of retroreflectivity.''.
    (b) Maintaining Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity.--
            (1) Definition.--Section 148(a) of such title is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) Project to maintain minimum levels of 
        retroreflectivity.--The term `project to maintain minimum 
        levels of retroreflectivity' means a project undertaken 
        pursuant to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 
        requiring public agencies to use an assessment or management 
        method that is designed to maintain highway sign or pavement 
        marking retroreflectivity at or above prescribed minimum 
        levels.''.
            (2) Eligible projects.--Section 148(d)(1) of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (A);
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                subparagraph (C); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following:
                    ``(B) any project to maintain minimum levels of 
                retroreflectivity on a public road, whether or not such 
                project is included in the State strategic highway 
                safety plan; or''.
            (3) Increased federal share.--The first sentence of section 
        120(c)(1) of such title is amended by inserting ``maintaining 
        minimum levels of retroreflectivity of highway signs or 
        pavement markings,'' after ``signalization,''.
    (c) Standards for Projects To Upgrade Highway Signs and Pavement 
Markings.--Section 148 of such title is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(i) Standards for Projects To Upgrade Highway Signs and Pavement 
Markings.--The Secretary shall issue standards for the use of funds 
apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(5) for highway safety 
improvement projects to upgrade highway signs and pavement markings in 
order to meet or exceed minimum maintained levels of retroreflectivity. 
Such standards shall ensure that the projects are carried out so as to 
meet defined criteria, consistent with other safety upgrades, using a 
systematic approach. Such standards shall permit the use of the funds 
for an initial upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings in the 
State, but shall prohibit the funds from being used for maintenance 
activities.''.
answer:

Safe Roads for America Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to modify the target compliance dates for the following minimum retroreflectivity level standards: (1) implementation and continued use of an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels; (2) replacement of regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide (except street name) signs identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels; and (3) replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels.

 Requires the Secretary to revise the notice of proposed amendments published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2011, to incorporate the new target compliance dates.

Includes measures designed to meet a state-established performance standard, federal regulation, or requirement contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices relating to minimum levels of retroreflectivity as projects for purposes of the highway safety improvement program.

Allows a maximum 100% federal share of the costs of construction related to maintaining minimum levels of retroreflectivity of highway signs or pavement markings.

Directs the Secretary to issue standards for the use of funds apportioned to a state for highway safety improvement projects to upgrade highway signs and pavement markings in order to meet or exceed minimum maintained levels of retroreflectivity. Requires such standards to prohibit fund use for maintenance activities.