[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4649 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4649
To promote the use of smart technologies and systems in communities,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 23, 2025
Ms. DelBene (for herself and Ms. Clarke of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and
Technology, Education and Workforce, and Foreign Affairs, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote the use of smart technologies and systems in communities,
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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Cities and
Communities Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
TITLE I--ENHANCING FEDERAL COORDINATION AND INVESTMENT IN SMART CITY OR
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Sec. 101. Coordination of activities among Federal agencies.
Sec. 102. Smart city and community resource guide.
TITLE II--PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
Sec. 201. Technology demonstration grant program.
Sec. 202. Cybersecurity Working Group.
Sec. 203. TechHire Workforce Training and Development Program.
Sec. 204. GAO study on innovative financing.
Sec. 205. Technical assistance, smart city voucher, and technologist in
residence programs.
TITLE III--IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY
Sec. 301. Standards and interoperability framework.
TITLE IV--INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND BEST PRACTICES
Sec. 401. Development of global smart city or community best practices.
Sec. 402. Trade program.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to promote smart technologies and
systems to improve community livability, services, communication,
safety, mobility, energy productivity, and resilience to natural and
manmade disasters, to reduce civic costs, traffic congestion, and air
pollution, and to promote equity, economic growth, and opportunities
for communities of all sizes by--
(1) improving Federal Government coordination and outreach
with respect to smart city or community technologies;
(2) promoting the quality and performance of smart city or
community technologies while protecting--
(A) the security of data and systems; and
(B) privacy;
(3) demonstrating the value and utility of smart, local
government-owned and -operated services through the development
and implementation of performance standards;
(4) providing assistance to local governments interested in
implementing smart city or community technologies;
(5) developing a workforce skilled in smart city or
community technologies; and
(6) expanding international cooperation and trade in smart
city or community technologies.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Interagency
Council on Smart Cities established under section
101(a)(1)(A)(i).
(2) Data.--The term ``data'' includes information and
images.
(3) Equity; equitable.--The terms ``equity'' and
``equitable'' mean the consistent and systematic fair, just,
and impartial treatment of individuals who--
(A) belong to underserved communities; and
(B) have been denied systematic fair, just, and
impartial treatment based on race, ethnicity, religion,
income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation,
or disability status.
(4) Local workforce development board; state workforce
development board.--The terms ``local workforce development
board'' and ``State workforce development board'' have the
meanings given the terms ``local board'' and ``State board'',
respectively, in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(5) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary, acting in coordination with--
(A) the Secretary of Energy;
(B) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
(C) the Secretary of Transportation;
(D) the Director of the National Science
Foundation; and
(E) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate--
(i) the Secretary of Health and Human
Services;
(ii) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
(iii) the Secretary of Labor; and
(iv) the Secretary of State.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'', unless otherwise
specified, means the Secretary of Commerce.
(7) Smart city or community.--
(A) In general.--The term ``smart city or
community'' means a community in which innovative,
advanced, and trustworthy information, communications,
and energy technologies and related mechanisms are
applied--
(i) to improve the health and quality of
life of residents;
(ii) to increase the efficiency and cost
effectiveness of civic operations and services;
(iii) to promote economic growth; and
(iv) to create a community that is safer
and more secure, equitable, sustainable,
resilient, livable, and workable.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``smart city or
community'' includes a local jurisdiction that--
(i) gathers and incorporates data from
systems, devices, and sensors embedded in civic
systems and infrastructure to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of civic
operations and services;
(ii) aggregates and analyzes gathered data;
(iii) communicates the analysis performed
under clause (ii), and the data described in
that clause, in a variety of formats;
(iv) makes corresponding improvements to
civic systems and services based on gathered
data;
(v) coordinates with relevant public and
private sector entities (including entities
providing electric, water, telecommunications,
energy, and transportation services) to
leverage the activities carried out by those
entities;
(vi) integrates measures--
(I) to ensure the resilience of
civic systems against cybersecurity
threats and physical vulnerabilities
and breaches;
(II) to protect the private data of
residents; and
(III) to measure the impact of
smart city or community technologies on
the effectiveness, equity, and
efficiency of civic operations and
services; and
(vii) promotes regional coordination of the
activities described in clauses (i) through
(vi).
(8) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) a State;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
(D) any other territory or possession of the United
States.
(9) Working group.--The term ``Working Group'' means the
Cybersecurity Working Group established under section
202(b)(1).
TITLE I--ENHANCING FEDERAL COORDINATION AND INVESTMENT IN SMART CITY OR
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
SEC. 101. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES AMONG FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) Coordination.--
(1) Coordination of activities.--
(A) Federal council.--
(i) Establishment.--The Secretaries shall
establish a council of Federal agencies, to be
known as the ``Interagency Council on Smart
Cities'', to promote the coordination of the
activities and funding from Federal agencies
relating to smart cities or communities.
(ii) Membership.--The Council shall--
(I) be led by the Office of Science
and Technology Policy;
(II) be co-chaired by the Director
of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy and the Secretary; and
(III) include--
(aa) the Secretary of
Energy;
(bb) the Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development;
(cc) the Secretary of
Transportation;
(dd) the Director of the
National Science Foundation;
and
(ee) the heads of such
other Federal agencies as the
Secretary determines to be
appropriate, including--
(AA) the Secretary
of Homeland Security;
(BB) the Secretary
of Labor; and
(CC) the Secretary
of State.
(B) Prioritization.--For purposes of coordinating
Federal activities under subparagraph (A), the
Secretaries shall prioritize the conduct of Federal
activities that would--
(i) demonstrate smart city or community
technologies in repeatable ways that can
rapidly be scaled;
(ii) encourage public, private, regional,
national, and international sharing of data and
best practices;
(iii) encourage private sector innovation
by promoting industry-driven technology
standards, open platforms, technology-neutral
requirements, and interoperability;
(iv) promote--
(I) a skilled workforce;
(II) an open and competitive global
market for smart city or community
technologies;
(III) inclusion of all citizens,
including minority or disadvantaged
groups;
(IV) protocols and standards that
allow for the measurement and
validation of the cost savings and
performance improvements associated
with the installation and use of smart
city or community technologies and
practices; and
(V) equitable distribution of
benefits gained from the use of smart
technologies;
(v) foster the growth of the smart city or
community technology industry and workforce in
the United States;
(vi) encourage the adoption of smart city
or community technologies by communities;
(vii) safeguard cybersecurity, including by
promoting industry practices relating to
cybersecurity; and
(viii) safeguard privacy and, in
consultation with cities, communities, and
industry entities, establish parameters and
best practices for the full life cycle
management of all types of smart city or
community data, including--
(I) best practices for the
collection, storage, disposal,
ownership, and sharing of data; and
(II) best practices for data
transparency and data use limitations.
(C) Considerations.--The Secretaries shall--
(i) ensure that the Federal activities
described in subparagraph (B) relating to
safeguarding cybersecurity take into account
existing Federal, State, and local frameworks,
guidelines, and best practices when considering
the application of those frameworks,
guidelines, and best practices to smart city
technologies;
(ii) ensure that the Federal activities
described in subparagraph (B) take into
consideration software quality, especially as
software quality impacts reproducibility,
maintainability, reliability, and security of
systems, especially high-confidence systems;
(iii) conduct privacy impact assessments
for Federal activities that could negatively
affect privacy; and
(iv) ensure the privacy of individuals by
providing guidelines for--
(I) the use of technologies with
inherent privacy and security
considerations;
(II) screening vendors and partners
to prevent the inclusion of
organizations and individuals that have
been involved in, or affiliated with,
illegal or unethical uses of data;
(III) contractually obligating
vendors and partners to maintain legal
and ethical data standards with respect
to privacy and data security; and
(IV) monitoring for compliance with
the requirements of this clause.
(2) Strategy.--
(A) In general.--The Secretaries, acting through
the Council, in consultation with industry entities,
cities, and communities, shall develop a multiyear
strategy for--
(i) the coordination of activities and
funding under paragraph (1)(A);
(ii) the development of partnerships with
the private sector relating to smart cities or
communities; and
(iii) the promotion of international
cooperation with respect to smart city or
community technologies and standards.
(B) Requirement.--The Secretaries shall coordinate
with the heads of any applicable Federal agencies to
leverage private sector and non-Federal public
investment in smart city or community technologies
consistent with the strategy developed under
subparagraph (A).
(3) Assessment.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor,
in consultation with the heads of other applicable
Federal agencies, shall coordinate with such private
and public organizations and units of local government
as the Secretary of Labor determines to be appropriate
regarding the preparation of a smart city or community
technology workforce needs assessment.
(B) Submission.--On completion of the assessment
prepared under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Labor
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
and the Council the completed assessment.
(4) Coordination of funds.--In promoting the coordination
of Federal funding relating to smart city or community
activities under paragraph (1)(A) and in accordance with the
strategy developed under paragraph (2)(A), each of the
Secretaries shall--
(A) track, with respect to the appropriate Federal
agency, the expenditures and planned expenditures of
Federal funds for smart city- or community-related
activities, together with leveraged non-Federal
matching funds; and
(B) coordinate with the head of any other
applicable Federal agency that allocates funds for
smart city or community activities--
(i) to achieve greater benefits from
activities using Federal funds;
(ii) to produce integrated projects
relating to those activities; and
(iii) to leverage complementary investments
of other Federal agencies in those activities.
(b) Submission of Information and Biennial Report.--During the 6-
year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act--
(1) the head of each applicable Federal agency shall submit
to the Secretary information for inclusion in the report
submitted under paragraph (2); and
(2) not less frequently than once every 2 years, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation and Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives a report, based on the information described in
paragraph (1), that includes--
(A) an update of the status of relevant smart city
or community technology developments and applications,
including broadband infrastructure;
(B) a description of any related program or
activity that is funded by the Federal agency during
the period covered by the report;
(C) the budget of the Federal agency for supporting
smart city or community activities, as described in
subsection (a)(4)(A);
(D) any non-Federal cost-share contributed for
activities for which Federal assistance is provided
under this section;
(E) a description of the strategy developed under
subsection (a)(2)(A), including a description of how
the relevant programs are progressing under that
strategy;
(F) a description of outreach activities conducted
under section 102(d), including the amount and type of
assistance required by cities and communities to
overcome barriers to implementing smart city or
community technologies, and any Federal actions
necessary to meet those needs;
(G) a description of projects funded under section
201, including a description of--
(i) project outcomes and performance;
(ii) the use of leveraged non-Federal
funds;
(iii) the equitable distribution of Federal
funds; and
(iv) how each project fulfills the
priorities described in subsection (a)(1)(B);
and
(H) such other information as the Secretary
determines to be necessary.
SEC. 102. SMART CITY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE.
(a) Publication.--
(1) In general.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the
heads of any other applicable Federal agencies, shall create,
publish, and maintain, for a period of not less than 6 years
beginning on the date that is 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, a resource guide designed to assist
States, communities, and cities in the United States in
developing and implementing smart city or community programs.
(2) Information included.--The Secretaries, in coordination
with cities, communities, and industry entities, shall
determine which information shall be included in the guide
under paragraph (1).
(b) Requirements.--The guide published under subsection (a)(1)--
(1) shall be maintained electronically on a website;
(2) shall be provided as an electronic reference guide
available to the public free of charge; and
(3) may include--
(A) a compilation of existing related programs of
the Federal Government available to communities,
including technical assistance, education, training,
research and development, analysis, and funding;
(B) available examples of local governments
engaging private sector entities in order to implement
smart city or community solutions, including public-
private partnership models, such as the use of energy
savings performance contracts and utility energy
service contracts or other innovative models, that
could be used to leverage private sector funding to
increase energy productivity and reduce water,
transportation, and other costs to cities and
communities, including the results of the study
conducted under section 204;
(C) available examples of proven methods for local
governments and utilities to facilitate the integration
of smart technologies with new and existing
infrastructure and systems;
(D) best practices and lessons learned from
technology demonstrations, including return on
investment, equitable distribution of benefits, and
performance information to help cities and communities
decide how to initiate integration of smart
technologies;
(E) Federal, State, and local best practices for
safeguarding cybersecurity and ensuring appropriate
data management and data privacy;
(F) technical specifications for wireless or wired
broadband infrastructure to support smart city or
community technologies; and
(G) such other topics as are requested by industry
entities or local governments or determined to be
necessary by the Secretaries.
(c) Existing Guides.--In creating, publishing, and maintaining the
guide under subsection (a)(1), the Secretaries shall consider Federal,
State, and local guides published before, on, or after the date of
enactment of this Act relating to smart city or community goals,
activities, and best practices--
(1) to prevent duplication of efforts by the Federal
Government; and
(2) to leverage existing complementary efforts.
(d) Outreach.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of
any applicable Federal agencies and in consultation with applicable
private sector entities, shall conduct outreach to States, cities, and
communities--
(1) to provide interested States, cities, and communities
with the guide published under subsection (a)(1);
(2) to promote the consideration of smart city or community
technologies and encourage States and local governments to
contribute smart city or community program and activity data to
the guide published under subsection (a)(1);
(3) to identify--
(A) barriers to smart city or community technology
adoption;
(B) opportunities to increase the equitable
distribution of benefits from the use of smart city or
community technology;
(C) any necessary research, development, and
assistance, including in Tribal, rural, and underserved
communities; and
(D) local government programs that could be
included in the guide under subsection (a)(1);
(4) to respond to requests for assistance, advice, or
consultation from cities and communities; and
(5) for other purposes, as identified by the Secretaries.
TITLE II--PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
SEC. 201. TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a smart city or
community regional demonstration grant program under which the
Secretary shall conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced
smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of
communities, including small- and medium-sized cities and rural and
Tribal communities.
(b) Goals.--The goals of the program established under subsection
(a) are--
(1) to demonstrate--
(A) potential benefits of concentrated investments
in smart city or community technologies that are
repeatable and scalable across cities of different
sizes; and
(B) the efficiency, equity, reliability, and
resilience of civic infrastructure and services;
(2) to facilitate the adoption of advanced smart city or
community technologies and collaboration between small- and
medium- to large-sized cities; and
(3) to demonstrate protocols and standards that allow for
the measurement and validation of the cost savings and
performance improvements associated with the installation and
use of smart city or community technologies and practices.
(c) Demonstration Projects.--
(1) Eligibility.--Subject to paragraph (2), a unit of local
government shall be eligible to receive a grant for a
demonstration project under this section.
(2) Application; cooperation.--To qualify for a
demonstration project under this section, a unit of local
government shall--
(A) submit to the Secretary an application for a
grant for a demonstration project at such time and
containing such information as the Secretary may
require; and
(B) agree to follow applicable best practices
identified by the Secretaries, in consultation with
industry entities and institutions of higher education,
to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented smart
city or community technologies to ensure that--
(i) technologies and interoperability can
be assessed;
(ii) best practices can be shared; and
(iii) data can be shared in a public,
interoperable, and transparent format.
(3) Federal share of cost of technology investments.--The
Secretary--
(A) subject to subparagraph (B), shall provide to a
unit of local government selected under this section
for the conduct of a demonstration project a grant in
an amount equal to not more than 50 percent of the
total cost of technology investments to incorporate and
assess qualifying smart city or community technologies
in the applicable jurisdiction; and
(B) may waive the cost-share requirement of
subparagraph (A) as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate.
(d) Requirement.--In conducting demonstration projects under this
section, the Secretary shall--
(1) develop competitive, technology-neutral requirements;
(2) seek to award grants and distribute benefits from smart
city technologies in an equitable manner;
(3) seek to leverage ongoing or existing civic
infrastructure investments; and
(4) take into consideration the non-Federal cost share as a
competitive criterion in applicant selection in order to
leverage non-Federal investment.
(e) Public Availability of Data and Reports.--The Secretary shall
ensure that reports, public data sets, schematics, diagrams, and other
works created using a grant provided under this section are--
(1) available on a royalty-free, non-exclusive basis; and
(2) open to the public to reproduce, publish, or otherwise
use, without cost.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out subsection (c) $100,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
SEC. 202. CYBERSECURITY WORKING GROUP.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the work conducted by the Internet Policy Task Force
and the Digital Economy Leadership Team of the Department of
Commerce to foster an enabling environment for Internet of
Things technology to grow and thrive, allow the private sector
to lead, and promote technology-neutral standards and
consensus-based multi-stakeholder approaches to policymaking at
local, Tribal, State, Federal, and international levels on
issues ranging from the security to the competitiveness of the
United States is valuable and should be continued; and
(2) the work conducted by the Department of Commerce and
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
to create resources for communities seeking to adopt smart
cities or communities technology is valuable and should be
continued.
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Council, shall convene a multistakeholder working group, to be
known as the ``Cybersecurity Working Group'', to develop tools
for communities to use to evaluate the cybersecurity of smart
city or community technologies.
(2) Membership.--
(A) In general.--In appointing members to the
Working Group, the Secretary shall consider
appointing--
(i) representatives of consumer groups and
civil liberties organizations;
(ii) representatives of small units of
local government, as determined by the
Secretary;
(iii) representatives of large units of
local government, as determined by the
Secretary;
(iv) manufacturers of smart city or
community devices, equipment, and software;
(v) individuals with expertise in
communications networks;
(vi) Federal, State, and local law
enforcement officials;
(vii) individuals with other expertise
necessary to carry out the duties of the
Working Group; and
(viii) such representatives of the Council
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(B) Representation.--In appointing members to the
Working Group, the Secretary shall ensure that the
Working Group includes an equitable multidisciplinary
cross section of smart city or community stakeholders.
(3) Duties.--The Working Group shall--
(A) leverage and build on previous activities
carried out by the Department of Commerce relating to
Internet of Things technology;
(B) develop tools for communities to evaluate the
cybersecurity of smart city or community technology
being considered by the communities for adoption in
those communities;
(C) develop tools for communities to protect
against cybersecurity threats relevant to the
technology the community has chosen to adopt;
(D)(i) assess--
(I) whether Internet of Things
cybersecurity standards should exist; and
(II) whether the standards described in
subclause (I) should be voluntary or mandatory;
and
(ii) identify which entity is appropriate to devise
the standards described in clause (i)(I); and
(E) submit to the Council a report that describes
the findings of the Working Group.
SEC. 203. TECHHIRE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, based on findings from the needs assessment
conducted under section 101(a)(3), the Secretary of Labor, in
consultation with the Secretary, shall establish a pilot program, to be
known as the ``TechHire Workforce Training and Development Pilot
Program'', under which the Secretary of Labor, during the 5-year period
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, shall provide to
eligible entities, on a competitive basis, grants for technology-based
job training and education programs that provide an industry-recognized
certificate or certification.
(b) Requirements.--A job training and education program that is
carried out with a grant under this section shall--
(1) provide technology-based training across 2 or more
sectors;
(2) focus on equitable smart city or community
technologies, systems, and infrastructure which may span across
all sectors of the economy;
(3) address privacy and cybersecurity considerations; and
(4) address smart city or community workforce needs
identified by the Secretary of Labor, after consultation with
other applicable Federal agencies.
(c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be a public organization or an
organization described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code
that--
(1) includes an advisory board, which may be--
(A)(i) a local workforce development board;
(ii) a State workforce development board; or
(iii) an appropriate subgroup of a local workforce
development board or a State workforce development
board; or
(B) a board of proportional participation, as
determined by the Secretary of Labor, of relevant
organizations, including--
(i) relevant industry organizations,
including public and private employers;
(ii) labor organizations;
(iii) one or more units of local government
that are actively pursuing smart city or
community programs; or
(iv) postsecondary education organizations;
(2) demonstrates experience in implementing and operating
job training and education programs;
(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support
individuals who plan to work in a relevant sector on the
successful completion of relevant job training and education
programs;
(4)(A) provides students who complete the training and
education program with an industry-recognized certificate or
certification; or
(B) uses a curriculum that has received extensive feedback
from employers;
(5) demonstrates the quality of the proposed program of job
training and education, including the training services that
lead to an industry-recognized certificate or certification;
and
(6) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates
of job training and education programs to quality jobs relevant
to the job training and education programs.
(d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary of Labor an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
of Labor may require.
(e) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants
under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall prioritize applicants
that--
(1)(A) are a local workforce development board or State
workforce development board; or
(B) demonstrate a strong partnership with a local workforce
development board or State workforce development board;
(2) house the job training and education program in--
(A) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)), including a community college, that
includes basic science, technology, and mathematics
education in the curriculum of the institution of
higher education; or
(B) an apprenticeship program registered with the
Department of Labor or a State;
(3) work with the Secretary of Defense or veterans
organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and
veterans to careers in a relevant sector;
(4) include in the application an entity that receives
State funding or is operated by a State agency;
(5) include an apprenticeship program registered with the
Department of Labor or a State as part of the job training and
education program;
(6) provide support services and career coaching;
(7) provide entry-level technology workforce training aimed
at matching workers with well-paying jobs; or
(8) propose to serve--
(A) young adults between the ages of 16 and 24; or
(B) individuals with barriers to employment (as
defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)).
(f) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under this section,
the Secretary of Labor shall consider equity and regional diversity.
(g) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not submit,
either individually or as part of a joint application, more than 1
application for a grant under this section during any 1 fiscal year.
(h) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of a single grant
provided under this section for any 1 year shall not exceed $5,000,000.
(i) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a job
training and education program carried out using a grant under this
section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost.
(j) Reduction of Duplication.--Before submitting an application for
a grant under this section, each applicant shall--
(1) consult with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies;
and
(2) coordinate the proposed activities of the applicant
with existing State and local programs.
(k) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Labor, in consultation
with the Secretary, may provide technical assistance to eligible
entities under subsection (c) to leverage the existing job training and
education programs of the Department of Labor and other relevant
programs at appropriate Federal agencies.
(l) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the
Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, and make publicly
available on the website of the Department of Labor, a report on the
program established under this section, including a description of--
(1) any entity that receives a grant under this section;
(2) activities carried out using the grants under this
section;
(3) best practices used to leverage the investment of the
Federal Government under this section; and
(4) an assessment of the results achieved by the program
established under this section, including the equitable
distribution of benefits and the rate of employment for
participants after completing a job training and education
program carried out using a grant under this section.
(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2030.
SEC. 204. GAO STUDY ON INNOVATIVE FINANCING.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to
identify--
(1) financial and procurement mechanisms currently
available to public and private entities to fund smart city or
community activities and associated demonstration projects,
including ``pay for performance'' financing that could deliver
measurable and verifiable market and non-market values to smart
cities or communities;
(2) new and innovative financial and procurement mechanisms
under development or used experimentally that may be available,
in the near term, to public and private entities to fund smart
city or community activities and associated demonstration
projects;
(3) barriers to creative financing solutions for smart city
or community activities and associated demonstration projects,
including procurement barriers faced by State and local
governments; and
(4) ways to leverage private sector investments in smart
cities and communities.
SEC. 205. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, SMART CITY VOUCHER, AND TECHNOLOGIST IN
RESIDENCE PROGRAMS.
(a) Technical Assistance Program.--The Secretary of Energy
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a
program to provide technical assistance to cities and communities
seeking to incorporate smart city or community technologies.
(b) Smart City Voucher Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot
program (referred to in this section as the ``pilot program'')
under which the Secretary shall provide assistance, including
through vouchers, to cities and communities (including cities
or communities partnered with a small business concern (as
defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
632))) to improve, for the purposes of promoting smart city or
community technologies and commercialization--
(A) the access of cities and communities to the
expertise, competencies, and infrastructure of National
Laboratories; and
(B) the products, services, and capabilities of
those cities and communities.
(2) Voucher.--A voucher provided under the pilot program
may be redeemed at any National Laboratory or laboratory of the
Department of Energy.
(3) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program in collaboration with the Director of each National
Laboratory.
(4) Cost sharing.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to financial assistance
provided under this section.
(B) Exception.--The Secretary may waive section 988
of that Act (42 U.S.C. 16352) in providing financial
assistance under the pilot program to cities or
communities that partner with a small business concern
that is socially or economically disadvantaged, as
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Technologist in Residence Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall expand the
Technologist in Residence pilot program of the Department of
Energy to include partnerships between National Laboratories
and cities or communities with respect to research and
development relating to smart cities or communities.
(2) Requirements.--For purposes of the partnerships entered
into under paragraph (1), technologists in residence shall work
with an assigned city or community to develop an assessment of
smart city or community technologies available and appropriate
to meet the smart city or community objectives of the city or
community.
(d) Guidance.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Commerce, shall issue guidance with respect to--
(1) the scope of the programs established under subsections
(a) through (c); and
(2) requests for proposals from cities and communities
interested in participating in those programs.
(e) Considerations.--In establishing the programs under subsections
(a) through (c), the Secretary shall seek to address the needs of
small- and medium-sized cities, counties, and Tribal governments.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2030.
TITLE III--IMPROVING PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY
SEC. 301. STANDARDS AND INTEROPERABILITY FRAMEWORK.
(a) Participation.--To strengthen the public-private partnership
approach to smart city-related or community-related standards
development and interoperability, the Secretary, acting through the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall
strongly encourage and support participation by Federal Government
experts in private sector-led, standards-related activities that
convene smart city or community stakeholders, including representatives
of applicable Federal agencies.
(b) Activities.--To promote innovation and economic competitiveness
and to achieve interoperability of smart city or community devices and
systems, while strengthening the United States approach to private
sector-led standardization activities and the participation of Federal
representatives under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation
with private and public sector stakeholders, shall--
(1) survey and review domestic and international smart city
or community performance standards, existing architectures,
applications, and deployments, and interoperability standards;
(2) make consensus-based recommendations--
(A) to identify gaps in the smart city or community
performance standards and interoperability standards
under paragraph (1);
(B) to harmonize existing standards and deployment
efforts and enable greater interoperability across
smart city or community technologies;
(C) to coordinate domestic and international
performance standards and interoperability standards to
promote uniform performance standards and
interoperability standards worldwide, including with
respect to the need for testing and demonstration; and
(D) for guidelines to enable interoperability in
the collection, storage, ownership, and sharing of
data;
(3) based on the recommendations under paragraph (2),
develop a consensus-based framework that includes protocols and
model standards for the management and exchange of information,
including existing guidelines, best practices, and industry
consensus standards;
(4) ensure that cybersecurity and privacy are core elements
of the recommended performance standards and interoperability
standards; and
(5) lead international coordination efforts to develop
industry-led, technology-neutral, voluntary, consensus-based
global smart city or community performance standards and
interoperability standards.
TITLE IV--INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND BEST PRACTICES
SEC. 401. DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL SMART CITY OR COMMUNITY BEST PRACTICES.
(a) In General.--The Secretaries may carry out activities--
(1) to enable cities and communities in the United States
and other countries to work together toward shared smart city-
or community-related goals;
(2) to promote smart city or community solutions that
provide measurable benefits to local governments and residents;
(3) to enable an open, global marketplace for smart city or
community technologies based on voluntary, consensus-based, and
technology-neutral standards; and
(4) to connect innovators from industry and academia to
local governments to catalyze the emergence of open and
advanced technologies that--
(A) meet community needs; and
(B) advance innovation and open competition.
(b) Eligible Activities.--The activities described in subsection
(a) may include grants, contracts, challenges, prize competitions,
public-private partnerships, and other innovative mechanisms.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretaries to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
(2) Limitation on use of funds.--Funds made available under
paragraph (1) may not be used to provide assistance to--
(A) a foreign country; or
(B) a foreign company (excluding any United States
subsidiary of a foreign holding company).
SEC. 402. TRADE PROGRAM.
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, such
other members of the Council as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate, and private stakeholders, shall establish a strategic
international smart cities and communities trade program, which shall
include trade missions--
(1) to promote the export of United States smart cities or
communities technologies;
(2) to stimulate job growth in the United States;
(3) to identify potential partners and strategies for
companies in the United States in target foreign market
sectors;
(4) to organize events with local governments, businesses,
associations, academia, and other stakeholders to promote smart
city or community partnerships;
(5) to assist in the development of competitive strategies
and foreign market access for smart city or community
technology business interests of the United States;
(6) to assist in developing appropriate Federal policy
relating to interests of businesses in the United States and
businesses in international smart cities or communities;
(7) to assist in achieving commitments of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
(8) to assist in lowering the cost to consumers of smart
cities or communities technologies;
(9) to leverage expertise in infrastructure to deliver
solutions that can help make communities more efficient,
equitable, livable, and sustainable; and
(10) to work with the United States Agency for
International Development, the United States International
Development Finance Corporation, and the Export-Import Bank of
the United States to identify opportunities to finance
international investment in smart cities or communities
technology companies of the United States.
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