Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6933, the Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022.

As the ranking member of the House Science Committee, I am proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to support innovative research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities for the Department of Energy.

To give just a few examples, last summer, the full House passed H.R. 3593, our comprehensive reauthorization of the Office of Science. Additionally, the committee passed bipartisan legislation authorizing cutting-edge R&D activities across a variety of fields such as biomanufacturing, abandoned well remediation, microelectronics, and low-emissions manufacturing.

However, directing the Department to conduct these activities is only a part of our job. Congress must be an active partner for the Department of Energy in ensuring we get the best return on our Federal research and development investments. This legislation institutes a basic, commonsense reporting requirement that facilitates congressional oversight of the Department of Energy's financial awards.

As a bit of background, for each research, development, demonstration, or commercial application award the Department of Energy issues, it must require that a non-Federal source pay a certain percentage of the cost of the project. However, the Department has the authority to reduce or eliminate this requirement under certain circumstances and fund a larger percentage of the project's cost.

This authority to modify these cost-share requirements is useful for supporting the development of novel technologies and encouraging new potential partner organizations to compete for awards. However, the Department must wield this authority carefully and be a responsible steward of the taxpayers' dollars.

The Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022 requires the Department to submit quarterly reports to Congress on the use of its authority to modify or eliminate the statutory cost-share requirement for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities that it funds. This legislation requires the Department to make these reports public, increasing public awareness and transparency regarding the Department's funding decisions.

The reports will be an important tool for Congress in monitoring the Department's energy technology programs and holding it accountable for its fiscal decisions. Additionally, these reports can inform future legislation on research and development programs and any potential adjustments to the cost-share requirements.

This basic reporting requirement in no way impedes the Department's ability to continue to use its authority to waive the cost-share requirement. Again, it simply provides Congress and the public with more data on how and when the Department exercises its authority.

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Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte).

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Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022 institutes a simple reporting requirement to assist Congress in monitoring the Department of Energy's financial awards under its research, development, demonstration, and commercial applications programs.

The reports required by this bill will provide valuable information to Congress on how the Department administers the statutory cost-share requirement. They will also assist Congress in fulfilling its responsibilities to oversee our Federal agencies' use of taxpayers' resources.

This legislation is a simple improvement to support accounting at the Department of Energy for its spending decisions and helps maximize the value of our R&D dollars.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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