H.R. 3246 (111^th): Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009

GovTrack’s Bill Summary

We don’t have a summary available yet.

Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/1/hr3246.

Background

DoE currently funds a wide range of research activities on passenger vehicles and heavy-duty trucks through its Vehicle Technologies program. Over the last decade, federal research priorities shifted between passenger and heavy duty vehicles, as well as diesel-hybrids, hydrogen-fueled, and battery-powered drive systems. The DoE has addressed
research needs through two public-private research programs: The 21st Century Truck Partnership (21CTP), which conducts research and development through collaborations with the heavy-duty trucking industry, and the FreedomCar and the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative programs, which engages in pre-competitive, high-risk research needed to develop technologies that will apply to a range of affordable passenger cars and light trucks.

Some Members may have concerns with the cost of the bill, as well as the possible duplicative nature of the new programs and subsidizes authorized. Furthermore, with concerns over a growing deficit, Members may want to ensure that authorized recipients and projects do not "double dip" with previously funded initiatives.

Summary

H.R. 3246 authorizes funds for research and development for a broad range of technologies and manufacturing processes for new vehicles, medium and heavy duty commercial and transit vehicles, Class 8 long haul trucks, and non-road vehicles.

The bill creates a new program at the Department of Energy (DoE) to conduct basic and applied research, development, and commercial application activities on materials, technologies and manufacturing processes to decrease and/or eliminate vehicle dependence on petroleum. The bill specifies that among the technologies to be studied are hybridization, full electrification, batteries, waste heat recovery, vehicle weight reduction, and anything that the Secretary determines worthy of research.

H.R. 3246 requires that private manufacturers (as well as the private fuel producers and energy supplies) be partnered with and collaborated with where possible.  The bill requires the Secretary to determine whether a wide range of companies that manufacture or assemble vehicles or components in the United States are represented in ongoing public private partnership activities, including firms that have not traditionally participated in federally sponsored research and development activities, and where possible, partner with such firms that conduct significant and relevant research and development activities in the U.S.

H.R. 3246 also encourages the DoE to leverage the capabilities and resources of industry-led stakeholder organizations, etc. for education and research purposes. H.R. 3246 requires that there be interagency coordination on all research, development, and commercial application, and federal demonstration of new technologies. The bill also requires the DoE to conduct research and development in the areas of sensing and communication technologies, and manufacturing technologies (to reduce waste streams, recycle and manufacture used batteries, etc.)

H.R. 3246 requires the DoE to conduct research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities on advanced technologies for medium- to heavy-duty commercial and transit vehicles (including energy efficiency, waste heat recovery, energy emissions control systems, etc.) The bill requires that the Secretary appoint a full-time Director to coordinate research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities to medium- and heavy-duty commercial and transit vehicle technologies. The Director would regularly conduct workshops, site visits, demonstrations, conferences, etc. to share information on research and development.

The bill also authorizes a new competitive grant program to demonstrate advanced technologies on long haul Class 8 trucks to improve their fuel efficiency.

H.R. 3246 requires the Secretary of Energy to commence a pilot program of research and development to improve efficiency for heavy duty non-road equipment.

The bill authorizes $2.85 billion over five years for these research and development programs.

Cost

H.R. 3246 authorizes appropriations totaling $2.85 billion over the 2010-2014 period for the Department of Energy. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $2.43 billion over the 2010-2014 period and $423 million after 2014. Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.

So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.

We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile.