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

This Act may be cited as the ''New Bridging Industry and Government
Through Hi-Tech Research on Energy Efficiency Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Congress enacted legislation to dramatically increase
Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards (hereafter in this
section referred to as ''CAFE standards''), mandating a fleet-
wide fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
(2) The new CAFE standards represent a 27 percent increase
over current CAFE standards.
(3) The new CAFE standards require Chrysler, Ford, and
General Motors to increase their research and development
investments at an estimated cost of $85,000,000,000.
(4) Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors currently invest a
total of approximately $16,000,000,000 each year to research
and develop safer, more efficient, and alternatively fueled
automobiles.
(5) Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors employ more than
65,000 Americans to research and develop new technologies.
(6) These required investments will place a large cost
burden on an already struggling industry, representing an
estimated additional $7,000,000,000 per year above current
research and development investments.
(7) Investments of finite funds in new energy efficiency
initiatives should not detract from current investments in
improved vehicle safety technology.
(8) Energy availability is a national security issue of the
utmost importance.
(9) A significant portion of United States energy use comes
from imported petroleum products from unstable regions.
(10) Clean diesel technology is a more efficient way to
utilize petroleum products to reduce emissions in the short-
term while alternative energy sources are developed.
(11) Harmonization of biodiesel composition standards will
enable more widespread use of clean diesel technology
throughout the country.
(12) Electric vehicle propulsion can help reduce dependence
on petroleum-based energy.
(13) Energy storage is critical in making electric vehicles
commercially viable.
(14) Technical challenges remain before adequate energy
storage for electric vehicles becomes a reality.
(15) There is no current domestic production of advanced
battery technology applicable to hybrid or electric vehicles.
(16) Domestic research, development, demonstration, and
production of advanced battery and electric vehicle technology
will create many high-paying jobs.
(17) Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles represent the long-term
goal of nearly emission-free transportation.
(18) Increased availability of hydrogen fuel is crucial to
increase the viability of leap-ahead hydrogen vehicle
technology.
(19) The United States Government currently invests Federal
funds across numerous agencies into research and development of
advanced fuel and efficiency enhancing technology, spending
approximately $400,000,000 in fiscal year 2007 and
approximately $1,100,000,000 in fiscal year 2008.
(20) Expanding and coordinating these currently disparate
efforts would yield greater gains in the development of viable
efficient alternative fuel technologies.
(21) The Federal Government can and should concert its
efforts in order to adequately provide relief from the large
cost burden placed on the auto industry by requiring extensive
research and development of advanced technology.

SEC. 3. ADVANCED BATTERY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

(a) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term ''battery''
means an electrochemical energy storage system powered directly by
electrical current.
(b) Research and Development Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a
program for making grants to National Laboratories and
institutions of higher education for research, development, and
demonstration of high-efficiency advanced battery technologies.
Such grants may be used for--
(A) exploratory research;
(B) battery system devlopment;
(C) vehicle technology demonstration and
validation; and
(D) United States advanced battery production
capability development.
(2) Priority consideration.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary of Energy shall give priority
consideration to National Laboratories and institutions of
higher education that partner with original equipment
maunfacturers of vehicles that will use the high-efficiency
advanced battery technologies being researched, developed, or
demonstrated.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for carrying out this section
$150,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT.

(a) Permanent Extension.--Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to credit for increasing research activities) is
amended by striking subsection (h).
(b) Refundability.--Section 41 of such Code, as amended by
subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
''(h) Portion of Credit Treated as Refundable.--
''(1) In general.--For purposes of this title, so much of
the credit which would be allowed under this section for any
taxable year (determined without regard to this subsection)
that is attributable to expenditures for technology designed to
meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards shall be treated
as allowed under subpart C and not under this section.
''(2) Special rule for partnerships.--In the case of a
partnership that elects to have this subsection apply--
''(A) paragraph (1) shall apply at the partnership
level (and not at the partner level),
''(B) the amount of the credit determined under
paragraph (1) shall be treated as an overpayment of
tax,
''(C) the partnership shall be treated as the
person who made the overpayment of tax, and the
Secretary shall refund the amount of such overpayment
to the partnership, and
''(D) the amount of credits under this section that
would otherwise be separately stated to the partners of
the partnership pursuant to section 702(a) shall be
reduced by the amount determined under paragraph
(1).''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 45C(b)(1) of such Code is
amended by striking subparagraph (D).
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to amounts paid or incurred after December 31, 2007.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY GROUP ON CAFE STANDARDS.

(a) Establishment and Membership.--
(1) In general.--There is established an Interagency
Working Group on Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards
comprised of 1 representative of the following:
(A) the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce,
Defense, Energy, Interior, Labor, and Transportation,
appointed by the respective Secretaries of such
Departments;
(B) the Environmental Protection Agency, appointed
by the Administrator of such agency;
(C) the National Science Foundation and the Office
of Management and Budget, appointed by the respective
Directors of such agencies;
(D) 3 representatives of the automobile
manufacturing industry, appointed by the President; and
(E) members representing such additional Federal
agencies as the President shall appoint.
(2) Chairperson.--The Interagency Working Group established
under subsection (a)(1) shall be chaired by the representative
of the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the
Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, or
the Environmental Protection Agency, as determined by the
membership. The chairperson shall serve for a term of 1 year.
(b) Purpose and Duties.--
(1) Purpose.--The purpose of the Interagency Working Group
is to ensure Federal agencies' work to research and develop
advanced fuel technology is coordinated and concerted in order
to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
(2) Duties.--The Interagency Working Group established
under subsection (a)(1) shall--
(A) meet not less than 4 times annually to examine
the status of efforts by auto companies to meet the
corporate automobile fuel economy standards required
under section 32902 of title 49, United States Code;
(B) propose policy recommendations for solutions to
meet such standards;
(C) formulate a recommended budget for all Federal
spending on research and development of advanced fuel
technologies and submit such recommended budget to the
President and to Congress;
(D) review agency priorities and technical issues
for Federally funded technology research and
development;
(E) promote communications among the government,
private sector, and academia on research and
development requirements and programs; and
(F) submit a report of its activities to Congress
annually.

SEC. 6. HARMONIZATION OF BIOFUELS PRODUCTION STANDARDS.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency shall work with national and international standard setting
organizations, along with other government organizations, to harmonize
standards for the production of biofuels from a variety of feedstocks
and the blending of such fuels with petroleum-based fuels at various
concentrations.
(b) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency shall transmit to the Congress a
report on progress made under subsection (a).

SEC. 7. HYDROGEN FUELING PUMPS.

(a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish
a program for making grants with the goal of establishing at least 100
publicly available hydrogen fueling pumps at retail gas stations by
2013 in at least 2 selected regions.
(b) Required Contribution.--As a condition of receiving a grant
under subsection (a), the owner or operator of a gas station shall be
required to contribute, or obtain funding from a State or local
government entity for, at least 10 percent of the cost of the hydrogen
fueling pump.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for carrying out this
section $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.

SEC. 8. FEDERAL ACQUISITION OF HYDROGEN FUEL CELL VEHICLES.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the
General Services Administration for the acquisition of hydrogen fuel
cell vehicles for use by Federal agencies $50,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2012 through 2014.
A:
New Bridging Industry and Government Through Hi-Tech Research on Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a program for making grants to National Laboratories and institutions of higher education for research, development, and demonstration of high-efficiency advanced battery technologies. Allows such grants to be used for: (1) exploratory research; (2) battery system development; (3) vehicle technology demonstration and validation; and (4) U.S. advanced battery production capability development.

Defines "battery" to mean an electrochemical energy storage system powered directly by electrical current.

Requires the Secretary to give priority consideration to National Laboratories and institutions of higher education that partner with original equipment manufacturers of vehicles that will use the technologies.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and revise the credit for increasing research activities.

Establishes an Interagency Working Group on Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards to ensure that federal agencies' work to research and develop advanced fuel technology is coordinated and concerted in order to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work with national and international standard setting organizations to harmonize standards for the production of biofuels from a variety of feedstocks and the blending of such fuels with petroleum-based fuels at various concentrations.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program for making grants with the goal of establishing at least 100 publicly available hydrogen fueling pumps at retail gas stations by 2013 in at least two selected regions.

Authorizes funds to be appropriated to the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) for the acquisition of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for use by federal agencies for each of FY2012-FY2014.