Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Young Kim (CA-39) joined Reps. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-03) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (OK-03) of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology to introduce the Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act (H.R. 4863).
This legislation requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a nonprofit “Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation” to foster collaboration with researchers, institutions of higher education, private industry and other nonprofits with the goal of addressing energy and environmental challenges at the Department of Energy (DOE).
The Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation would boost DOE’s mission by:
- Supplementing DOE-supported research and development with private sector funding;
- Facilitating the commercialization of key energy technologies;
- Contributing to energy workforce development; and
- Enabling information exchange and sharing best practices.
“Securing continued U.S. energy independence requires unleashing American innovation and public-private collaboration to address energy and environmental challenges,” said Congresswoman Young Kim. “The Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act will help provide exactly that by directing the Department of Energy to establish a foundation to foster public-private partnerships, deploy smart energy technologies and provide workforce development opportunities. I’m proud to work with Rep Stansbury, Ranking Member Lucas, Chairwoman Johnson, Reps. Gonzalez and Leger Fernández on this important, bipartisan initiative.”
“Our National Laboratories generate billions of dollars for our local economies and are cornerstones of our communities. But, our Labs hold the potential to foster even more economic activity and help tackle some of our nation’s and communities’ biggest challenges by fostering innovation, technology transfer, and bringing this science and technology to market,” said Congresswoman Stansbury. “I am proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to support growing our STEM economy in New Mexico and across the nation, and I am grateful to work with Chairwoman Johnson, Ranking Member Lucas, and Representatives Young Kim, Gonzalez, and Leger Fernández for bringing this issue forward.”
Rep. Kim recently cosponsored and supported the House passage of the Science for the Future Act, which supports the modernization of the Department’s basic research programs and facilities. This legislation builds on her efforts to encourage the Foundation to connect energy researchers with resources and developing procedures that streamline cooperation between the Department, the Foundation, and the Department’s National Laboratories.
The full text of the Partnerships for Energy Security Act is available HERE. A summary of the bill is HERE.
