Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007/Title IX/Subtitle B

Subtitle B—International Clean Energy Foundation

SEC. 921. DEFINITIONS.

In this subtitle:

(1) BOARD- The term `Board' means the Board of Directors of the Foundation established pursuant to section 922(c).

(2) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER- The term `Chief Executive Officer' means the chief executive officer of the Foundation appointed pursuant to section 922(b).

(3) FOUNDATION- The term `Foundation' means the International Clean Energy Foundation established by section 922(a).

SEC. 922. ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF FOUNDATION.

(a) Establishment-

(1) IN GENERAL- There is established in the executive branch a foundation to be known as the `International Clean Energy Foundation' that shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this subtitle. The Foundation shall be a government corporation, as defined in section 103 of title 5, United States Code.

(2) BOARD OF DIRECTORS- The Foundation shall be governed by a Board of Directors in accordance with subsection (c).

(3) INTENT OF CONGRESS- It is the intent of Congress, in establishing the structure of the Foundation set forth in this subsection, to create an entity that serves the long-term foreign policy and energy security goals of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

(b) Chief Executive Officer-

(1) IN GENERAL- There shall be in the Foundation a Chief Executive Officer who shall be responsible for the management of the Foundation.

(2) APPOINTMENT- The Chief Executive Officer shall be appointed by the Board, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall be a recognized leader in clean and efficient energy technologies and climate change and shall have experience in energy security, business, or foreign policy, chosen on the basis of a rigorous search.

(3) RELATIONSHIP TO BOARD- The Chief Executive Officer shall report to, and be under the direct authority of, the Board.

(4) COMPENSATION AND RANK-

(A) IN GENERAL- The Chief Executive Officer shall be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code.

(B) AMENDMENT- Section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`Chief Executive Officer, International Clean Energy Foundation.'.

(C) AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES- The Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for the management of the Foundation and shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the Foundation.

(D) AUTHORITY TO APPOINT OFFICERS- In consultation and with approval of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall appoint all officers of the Foundation.

(c) Board of Directors-

(1) ESTABLISHMENT- There shall be in the Foundation a Board of Directors.

(2) DUTIES- The Board shall perform the functions specified to be carried out by the Board in this subtitle and may prescribe, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, regulations, and procedures governing the manner in which the business of the Foundation may be conducted and in which the powers granted to it by law may be exercised.

(3) MEMBERSHIP- The Board shall consist of—

(A) the Secretary of State (or the Secretary's designee), the Secretary of Energy (or the Secretary's designee), and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (or the Administrator's designee); and

(B) four other individuals with relevant experience in matters relating to energy security (such as individuals who represent institutions of energy policy, business organizations, foreign policy organizations, or other relevant organizations) who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, of whom—

(i) one individual shall be appointed from among a list of individuals submitted by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(ii) one individual shall be appointed from among a list of individuals submitted by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(iii) one individual shall be appointed from among a list of individuals submitted by the Majority Leader of the Senate; and

(iv) one individual shall be appointed from among a list of individuals submitted by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(4) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER- The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation shall serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member of the Board.

(5) TERMS-

(A) OFFICERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- Each member of the Board described in paragraph (3)(A) shall serve for a term that is concurrent with the term of service of the individual's position as an officer within the other Federal department or agency.

(B) OTHER MEMBERS- Each member of the Board described in paragraph (3)(B) shall be appointed for a term of 3 years and may be reappointed for a term of an additional 3 years.

(C) VACANCIES- A vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

(D) ACTING MEMBERS- A vacancy in the Board may be filled with an appointment of an acting member by the Chairperson of the Board for up to 1 year while a nominee is named and awaits confirmation in accordance with paragraph (3)(B).

(6) CHAIRPERSON- There shall be a Chairperson of the Board. The Secretary of State (or the Secretary's designee) shall serve as the Chairperson.

(7) QUORUM- A majority of the members of the Board described in paragraph (3) shall constitute a quorum, which, except with respect to a meeting of the Board during the 135-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall include at least 1 member of the Board described in paragraph (3)(B).

(8) MEETINGS- The Board shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, who shall call a meeting no less than once a year.

(9) COMPENSATION-

(A) OFFICERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-

(i) IN GENERAL- A member of the Board described in paragraph (3)(A) may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of the member's service on the Board.

(ii) TRAVEL EXPENSES- Each such member of the Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

(B) OTHER MEMBERS-

(i) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in clause (ii), a member of the Board described in paragraph (3)(B)—

(I) shall be paid compensation out of funds made available for the purposes of this subtitle at the daily equivalent of the highest rate payable under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which the member is engaged in the actual performance of duties as a member of the Board; and

(II) while away from the member's home or regular place of business on necessary travel in the actual performance of duties as a member of the Board, shall be paid per diem, travel, and transportation expenses in the same manner as is provided under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

(ii) LIMITATION- A member of the Board may not be paid compensation under clause (i)(II) for more than 90 days in any calendar year.

SEC. 923. DUTIES OF FOUNDATION.

The Foundation shall—

(1) use the funds authorized by this subtitle to make grants to promote projects outside of the United States that serve as models of how to significantly reduce the emissions of global greenhouse gases through clean and efficient energy technologies, processes, and services;

(2) seek contributions from foreign governments, especially those rich in energy resources such as member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and private organizations to supplement funds made available under this subtitle;

(3) harness global expertise through collaborative partnerships with foreign governments and domestic and foreign private actors, including nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies, by leveraging public and private capital, technology, expertise, and services towards innovative models that can be instituted to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions;

(4) create a repository of information on best practices and lessons learned on the utilization and implementation of clean and efficient energy technologies and processes to be used for future initiatives to tackle the climate change crisis;

(5) be committed to minimizing administrative costs and to maximizing the availability of funds for grants under this subtitle; and

(6) promote the use of American-made clean and efficient energy technologies, processes, and services by giving preference to entities incorporated in the United States and whose technology will be substantially manufactured in the United States.

SEC. 924. ANNUAL REPORT.

(a) Report Required- Not later than March 31, 2008, and each March 31 thereafter, the Foundation shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of this subtitle during the prior fiscal year.

(b) Contents- The report required by subsection (a) shall include—

(1) the total financial resources available to the Foundation during the year, including appropriated funds, the value and source of any gifts or donations accepted pursuant to section 925(a)(6), and any other resources;

(2) a description of the Board's policy priorities for the year and the basis upon which competitive grant proposals were solicited and awarded to nongovernmental institutions and other organizations;

(3) a list of grants made to nongovernmental institutions and other organizations that includes the identity of the institutional recipient, the dollar amount, and the results of the program; and

(4) the total administrative and operating expenses of the Foundation for the year, as well as specific information on—

(A) the number of Foundation employees and the cost of compensation for Board members, Foundation employ-ees, and personal service contractors;

(B) costs associated with securing the use of real property for carrying out the functions of the Foundation;

(C) total travel expenses incurred by Board members and Foundation employees in connection with Foundation activities; and

(D) total representational expenses.

SEC. 925. POWERS OF THE FOUNDATION; RELATED PROVISIONS.

(a) Powers- The Foundation—

(1) shall have perpetual succession unless dissolved by a law enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act;

(2) may adopt, alter, and use a seal, which shall be judicially noticed;

(3) may make and perform such contracts, grants, and other agreements with any person or government however designated and wherever situated, as may be necessary for carrying out the functions of the Foundation;

(4) may determine and prescribe the manner in which its obligations shall be incurred and its expenses allowed and paid, including expenses for representation;

(5) may lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire, improve, and use such real property wherever situated, as may be necessary for carrying out the functions of the Foundation;

(6) may accept money, funds, services, or property (real, personal, or mixed), tangible or intangible, made available by gift, bequest grant, or otherwise for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this title from domestic or foreign private individuals, charities, nongovernmental organizations, corporations, or governments;

(7) may use the United States mails in the same manner and on the same conditions as the executive departments;

(8) may contract with individuals for personal services, who shall not be considered Federal employees for any provision of law administered by the Office of Personnel Management;

(9) may hire or obtain passenger motor vehicles; and

(10) shall have such other powers as may be necessary and incident to carrying out this subtitle.

(b) Principal Office- The Foundation shall maintain its principal office in the metropolitan area of Washington, District of Columbia.

(c) Applicability of Government Corporation Control Act-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Foundation shall be subject to chapter 91 of subtitle VI of title 31, United States Code, except that the Foundation shall not be authorized to issue obligations or offer obligations to the public.

(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 9101(3) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(R) the International Clean Energy Foundation.'.

(d) Inspector General-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Inspector General of the Department of State shall serve as Inspector General of the Foundation, and, in acting in such capacity, may conduct reviews, investigations, and inspections of all aspects of the operations and activities of the Foundation.

(2) AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD- In carrying out the responsibilities under this subsection, the Inspector General shall report to and be under the general supervision of the Board.

(3) REIMBURSEMENT AND AUTHORIZATION OF SERVICES-

(A) REIMBURSEMENT- The Foundation shall reimburse the Department of State for all expenses incurred by the Inspector General in connection with the Inspector General's responsibilities under this subsection.

(B) AUTHORIZATION FOR SERVICES- Of the amount authorized to be appropriated under section 927(a) for a fiscal year, up to $500,000 is authorized to be made available to the Inspector General of the Department of State to conduct reviews, investigations, and inspections of operations and activities of the Foundation.

SEC. 926. GENERAL PERSONNEL AUTHORITIES.

(a) Detail of Personnel- Upon request of the Chief Executive Officer, the head of an agency may detail any employee of such agency to the Foundation on a reimbursable basis. Any employee so detailed remains, for the purpose of preserving such employee's allowances, privileges, rights, seniority, and other benefits, an employee of the agency from which detailed.

(b) Reemployment Rights-

(1) IN GENERAL- An employee of an agency who is serving under a career or career conditional appointment (or the equivalent), and who, with the consent of the head of such agency, transfers to the Foundation, is entitled to be reemployed in such employee's former position or a position of like seniority, status, and pay in such agency, if such employee—

(A) is separated from the Foundation for any reason, other than misconduct, neglect of duty, or malfeasance; and

(B) applies for reemployment not later than 90 days after the date of separation from the Foundation.

(2) SPECIFIC RIGHTS- An employee who satisfies paragraph (1) is entitled to be reemployed (in accordance with such paragraph) within 30 days after applying for reemployment and, on reemployment, is entitled to at least the rate of basic pay to which such employee would have been entitled had such employee never transferred.

(c) Hiring Authority- Of persons employed by the Foundation, no more than 30 persons may be appointed, compensated, or removed without regard to the civil service laws and regulations.

(d) Basic Pay- The Chief Executive Officer may fix the rate of basic pay of employees of the Foundation without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 of title 5, United States Code (relating to the classification of positions), subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title (relating to General Schedule pay rates), except that no employee of the Foundation may receive a rate of basic pay that exceeds the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of such title.

(e) Definitions- In this section—

(1) the term `agency' means an executive agency, as defined by section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and

(2) the term `detail' means the assignment or loan of an employee, without a change of position, from the agency by which such employee is employed to the Foundation.

SEC. 927. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) Authorization of Appropriations- To carry out this subtitle, there are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.

(b) Allocation of Funds-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Foundation may allocate or transfer to any agency of the United States Government any of the funds available for carrying out this subtitle. Such funds shall be available for obligation and expenditure for the purposes for which the funds were authorized, in accordance with authority granted in this subtitle or under authority governing the activities of the United States Government agency to which such funds are allocated or transferred.

(2) NOTIFICATION- The Foundation shall notify the appropriate congressional committees not less than 15 days prior to an allocation or transfer of funds pursuant to paragraph (1).