Overview
Title
To provide for Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint research and development activities, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill is about getting the Energy Department and Small Business team up to do cool science projects together, without needing new money, and they need to tell people in charge how it's going after two years.
Summary AI
H.R. 788 aims to facilitate joint research and development activities between the Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration. The bill calls for these agencies to create agreements promoting collaborative projects that advance their shared goals, while ensuring small businesses are involved in these initiatives. It also requires a report to Congress within two years about the progress and future potential of the collaboration. Additionally, the bill specifies that no extra funding is authorized for its implementation, adhering to existing budget constraints.
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
H. R. 788, known as the “DOE and SBA Research Act,” aims to foster collaboration between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) on research and development activities. The bill proposes the formation of agreements, such as memorandums of understanding, to promote joint initiatives that align with both agencies’ priorities. Notably, the bill emphasizes the inclusion of small businesses in these collaborative efforts and mandates a detailed report to Congress within two years, highlighting achievements and exploring future opportunities for collaboration. Importantly, the bill makes clear that no additional funds are authorized for these activities but mandates adherence to existing research security laws.
Summary of Significant Issues
The bill presents several notable issues that may merit consideration:
Inclusion of Small Businesses: While the bill encourages involving small businesses in research and development projects, it fails to provide specific criteria or guidelines for prioritization. This lack of clarity could lead to favoritism and diminish transparency, potentially impacting small business stakeholders negatively.
Reimbursable Agreements: The bill allows for reimbursable agreements to enhance the effectiveness of joint activities. However, it lacks clear oversight measures or expenditure limits, which could raise concerns about potential wasteful spending due to insufficient financial management.
Research Security Clarity: The reference to compliance with existing research security laws in the bill is somewhat vague, as it broadly points to another act without defining application specifics. This could lead to enforcement ambiguities and operational challenges.
Accountability and Oversight: There is a notable absence of accountability mechanisms or oversight provisions in the bill to ensure the joint activities achieve desired outcomes and maintain program efficacy.
Impact on the Public
The bill promises potential benefits for both the energy sector and small businesses through collaborative innovation, potentially leading to significant technological advancements that could benefit the public at large. However, the lack of specific guidelines and oversight mechanisms raises concerns about the bill's ability to deliver its intended outcomes efficiently and fairly. Clearer guidelines and accountability measures could help ensure that public resources are used effectively and that the anticipated advancements are realized.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Small Businesses: The bill holds potential for small businesses to engage in federal research and development projects, which could provide invaluable opportunities for growth and innovation. However, the ambiguity surrounding their inclusion criteria may result in uneven access to these opportunities.
Federal Agencies: For agencies like DOE and SBA, the bill signifies an opportunity to pool resources and expertise to tackle shared challenges. Yet, the absence of defined oversight could lead to inefficiencies and inhibit the achievement of collaborative goals.
In summary, the “DOE and SBA Research Act” seeks to harness the collective strengths of the DOE and SBA in promoting research initiatives that align with governmental priorities. While the bill outlines a promising framework for collaboration, attention to its shortcomings regarding transparency, financial oversight, and enforcement clarity is essential to realizing its full potential.
Issues
The bill in Section 2 does not provide specific guidelines or criteria on how small businesses will be prioritized or evaluated for inclusion, which may lead to potential favoritism or lack of transparency in the implementation process and could be a concern for small business stakeholders.
Section 2 grants the ability to enter into reimbursable agreements without specifying oversight measures or limits, which may result in wasteful spending if not properly managed, raising financial and accountability concerns.
The language in Section 2, subsection (f), regarding research security, refers broadly to another act without detailing how it will be specifically applied in this context. This could lead to ambiguity in enforcement, raising potential legal or operational issues.
There are no accountability measures or oversight mentioned in Section 2 to ensure that the joint research and development activities meet their stated goals effectively, which can raise ethical concerns about the efficacy of the program.
The section headers in the bill indicate a need for review, as Section 1 merely provides a short title and lacks substantive content to audit for issues like spending or ambiguous language.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the act provides its short title, which is “DOE and SBA Research Act.”
2. Department of Energy and Small Business Administration joint research and development activities Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Department of Energy and the Small Business Administration are required to work together on research and development projects through agreements like memorandums of understanding. These efforts should involve small businesses where appropriate and might include the creation of reimbursable agreements to enhance effectiveness. Additionally, a report is due to Congress within two years detailing achievements, future opportunities, and continued coordination. These activities must comply with existing research security laws.
3. Compliance with CUTGO Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section states that no extra funds are approved for spending to implement this Act or its amendments.