United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act

UNITED STATES-ISRAEL ENERGY COOPERATION ACT

Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today in support of S. 1862, the United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act of 2005, which I introduced on October 7, 2005. This bill is designed to promote binational collaboration in research, development, and commercialization of alternative and renewable energy technologies.

Israel is a strong ally of the United States and our two nations have a long history of mutual interest and successful collaboration in scientific research and technology development. Examples include the numerous successes of the programs under the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, BSF, and the U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, BIRD.

We also share an enduring interest in the development and commercialization of alternative energy technologies that offer the promise of enhancing the energy security of both of our countries as well as that of other nations. Israel and the United States have strong capabilities in renewable and alternative technologies based on extensive research and development efforts. In 1996, the United States and Israel entered into an agreement fostering energy cooperation as a means of sharing the benefits of our capabilities.

Today, we are facing increasing concerns about adequate supplies and increasing prices for both petroleum products and natural gas. In this context, it is especially important that we redouble our efforts to cooperate in the development of alternative energy systems. This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Energy to support collaborative research, development, and commercialization projects in alternative renewable energy.

The program will provide grants for joint venture projects between U.S. and Israeli institutions meeting the program qualifications established by the Secretary of Energy. The bill authorizes funding of $20 million for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2012. Technologies include: solar, biomass, energy efficiency, wind, and other types as determined by the Secretary. Proposals may be submitted either to the Secretary or to either of the binational research foundations, BSF and BIRD. This provision enables utilization of the established practices of those existing foundations for implementation of at least half of the funds granted for collaborative projects. To assure sound management of this grants program, this bill calls on the Secretary of Energy to establish an Advisory Board, including representatives of both the United States and Israel.

I thank the American Jewish Congress, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, and others for all their efforts and input on this bill.

In light of increasing concerns about the security of affordable energy supplies, I urge consideration of this bill as a means of capitalizing on considerable capabilities of the United States and Israel to move toward broader use of these clean and indigenous energy resources. I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this important bill.

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