[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4084 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4084
To support the lab-embedded entrepreneurship program under the
Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 26, 2022
Mr. Lujan (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support the lab-embedded entrepreneurship program under the
Department of Energy, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Leveraging our National Laboratories
to Develop Tomorrow's Technology Leaders Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. LAB-EMBEDDED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered program.--The term ``covered program'' means a
program described in subsection (c).
(2) Eligible entity.--
(A) In general.--The term ``eligible entity''
means--
(i) a National Laboratory; and
(ii) an entity described in subparagraph
(B) in partnership with a National Laboratory.
(B) Entity described.--An entity referred to in
subparagraph (A)(ii) is--
(i) a nonprofit organization;
(ii) an institution of higher education;
and
(iii) any other entity that the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(3) Entrepreneurial fellow.--The term ``entrepreneurial
fellow'' means an individual participating in a covered
program.
(4) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(5) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Lab-Embedded
Entrepreneurship Program authorized under subsection (b).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(b) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a program, to be known
as the ``Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program'', under which the
Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of
establishing or maintaining a covered program.
(c) Covered Programs.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
the program shall use the grant funds to establish or maintain a lab-
embedded entrepreneurship program to provide entrepreneurial fellows
with access to National Laboratory research facilities, expertise, and
mentorship--
(1) to perform research and development; and
(2) to gain expertise that may be required or beneficial
for the commercial application of research ideas.
(d) Entrepreneurial Fellows.--
(1) In general.--In participating in a covered program, an
entrepreneurial fellow shall be provided by an eligible entity
with--
(A) opportunities for entrepreneurial training,
professional development, and exposure to leaders from
academia, industry, government, and finance, who may
serve as advisors to or partners of an entrepreneurial
fellow;
(B) financial and technical support for research,
development, and commercial application activities;
(C) fellowship awards to cover costs of living,
health insurance, and travel stipends for the duration
of the fellowship;
(D) market and customer discovery opportunities;
(E) engagement with external stakeholders; and
(F) any other resources determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(2) Priority.--In carrying out a covered program, an
eligible entity shall give priority to supporting
entrepreneurial fellows with respect to professional
development and development of a relevant technology.
(3) Intellectual property.--In participating in a covered
program, an entrepreneurial fellow shall retain all rights
relating to intellectual property developed by the
entrepreneurial fellow through activities carried out under the
covered program.
(e) Partnerships.--An eligible entity described in subparagraph
(A)(i) of subsection (a)(2) that receives a grant under the program may
carry out a covered program in partnership with 1 or more entities
described in subparagraph (B) of that subsection.
(f) Metrics.--The Secretary shall develop metrics to assess the
effectiveness of each covered program in achieving the purposes of the
program.
(g) Coordination; Interagency Collaboration.--The Secretary shall--
(1) oversee the planning and coordination of grants awarded
under the program; and
(2) collaborate with other Federal agencies, including the
Department of Defense, regarding opportunities for Federal
agencies to partner with covered programs.
(h) Best Practices.--The Secretary shall identify and disseminate
to eligible entities best practices for achieving the purposes of the
program.
(i) Assessments; Reports.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than biennially
thereafter, the Secretary shall--
(1) conduct an assessment of each covered program based on
the metrics developed under subsection (f); and
(2) submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives a report summarizing
the findings of those assessments.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $25,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
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