Rogers / 1 Senator Simitz

S.S.____

A BILL
To extend and redistribute funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the purpose of
promoting the research, installation, and advancement of renewable energy.
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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 Energy Extension Act of 2017.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
1) By 2030, scientists predict that the world demands for electricity will double and fuel demands will increase 60%.
2) Fossil fuels, the most relied on fuel source, release carbon dioxide amounts that are anticipated to cause thousands
of premature deaths due to ozone-related illnesses by 2030, particularly in children and the elderly.
3) With greenhouse gas emissions increasing at rate of 2.5% per year, the world needs to reduce carbon emissions by
at least 50% of 1990 levels by 2050 to avoid permanent damage to the planets climate and organisms.
4) Solar remains the most abundant and renewable source of energy, providing 173,000 terawatts, enough to satisfy
the worlds need 10,000 times over.
5) Californias wind plants alone replace the products of fossil fuels that would have put 2.5 billion pounds of carbon
dioxide and 15 million pounds of other pollutants into the atmosphere.
6) In the past seven years of research, the cost of crystalline silicon solar cells has decreased 86% while the cost of
the photovoltaic solar systems themselves have dropped 77%.
7) Renewable energies are more labor-intensive, creating a greater number of jobs per dollar invested, and conducive
of indigenous financial benefits that result from a lack of fuel imports than coal and oil.
8) After one year under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, grid-connected solar power capacity
nearly tripled the 2008 amount.
9) The Stimulus Package caused a 0.9 percent increase in economic activity and 3 million rise in employment levels.
SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
A) Congress will continue financing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with a grant of $35
billion. 65% of the generated sum shall go directly toward funding for environmentally compatible energy sources
while the remaining 35% will be distributed equally among the programs original categories, which include but are
not limited to social welfare provisions, healthcare, infrastructure maintenance, and education investment.
Corporations, private businesses, and other technological institutes may then compete for project grants, money
delegated with specific intention and restrictions, from the energy delegation. In order to best promote renewable
energy, these grants shall emphasize solar and wind resources, particularly in regard to making each cost-effective,
efficient, and expansive. All grants shall be awarded based on judged capability, resources, and intent. Further, fund
recipients must submit reports on the first of each month to inform the Department of Energy of progress and verify
that the money is going toward its intended purpose.
B) The U.S. Department of the Treasury will administer the actual financial changes. After the initial alteration, the
Department of Energy will determine the recipients of the government funds and oversee the operations of funded
bodies while the Department of Justice shall address the punishments of negligent companies. The actual sum
supplied by the government will come from two sources. Government tax breaks for oil companies, such as
deductions for drilling expenses, and all other fossil fuel subsidies shall be discontinued. From this approximately
$37.5 billion sum, $35 billion shall be diverted for the purpose of the bill.
C) The redistribution of spending shall go into effect before the close of the next fiscal year. Awarding of these funds
will not be limited to within the year of enactment, but shall be distributed as seen fit over the next ten years or until
all available funds are utilized. If funded entities do not supply the required reports or are discovered to be using
money for reasons other than their assignment, they shall return the entirety of their awarded sum in addition to a
150% fine of that total. To prevent further misallocation, aforementioned violating entities will be prohibited from
bidding for federal grants and contracts for fifteen years following.