,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #beih ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ca1 #bjbe,mr4 ,heinrich 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,daines1 ,mr4 ,warnock1 and ,mr4 ,justice7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to expand research relating to the use of forest products1 to support research and technologies of the ,forest ,service1 and to establish a mass timber science and education program to respond to the emerging research needs of architects1 developers1 and the forest products industry4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,forest ,bioeconomy ,act4 #b4 ,bioeconomy research and technology transfer 7a7 ,forest products research ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture 7referred to in this section as the ,secretary71 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,energy1 shall expand research relating to the use of wood-- 7#a7 to facilitate the establishment of new markets1 including nontraditional markets1 for material produced from forest management projects that typically has little or no commercial value2 7#b7 to increase the economic viability of manufacturing products using material described in paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 as a feedstock for the production of renewable fuel1 including sustainable aviation fuel4 7b7 ,office of ,technology ,transfer 7#a7 ,establishment ,there is established within the ,forest ,service an ,office of ,technology ,transfer 7referred to this subsection as the ,office74 7#b7 ,mission ,the mission of the ,office shall be-- 7,a7 to expand the commercial impact of the research investments of the ,forest ,service2 and 7,b7 to provide for the commercialization of technologies that support the mission of the ,forest ,service4 7#c7 ,chief ,commercialization ,officer 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,office shall be headed by an officer1 who shall-- 7i7 be known as the ,chief ,commercialization ,officer2 and 7ii7 report to the ,deputy ,chief of the ,forest ,service for ,research and ,development4 7,b7 ,qualifications ,an individual appointed to the position of ,chief ,commercialization ,officer shall be an individual who1 by reason of professional background and experience1 is specially qualified to advise the ,chief of the ,forest ,service and the ,deputy ,chief of the ,forest ,service for ,research and ,development on technology transfer at the ,forest ,service4 7,c7 ,duties ,the ,chief ,commercialization ,officer shall-- 7i7 oversee the expenditure of funds allocated for technology transfer within the ,forest ,service2 7ii7 represent the ,forest ,service on-- 7,i7 the ,federal ,laboratory ,consortium for ,technology ,transfer established by section #aa7;e7 of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgaj7;e772 and 7,,ii7 other similar interagency coordinating entities2 7iii7 coordinate with-- 7,i7 other technology transfer and commercialization offices within the ,department of ,agriculture2 and 7,,ii7 other similar ,federal entities1 as appropriate2 7iv7 oversee efforts to engage with private sector entities1 including venture capital companies1 on issues relating to technology transfer and commercialization2 and 7v7 coordinate efforts to patent or otherwise protect under title #ce1 ,united ,states ,code1 any inventions arising from a ,forest ,service laboratory4 7#d7 ,technology ,transfer ,working ,group 7,a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary shall establish within the ,forest ,service a ,technology ,transfer ,working ,group1 which shall consist of-- 7i7 the ,deputy ,chief of the ,forest ,service for ,research and ,development2 7ii7 the ,chief ,commercialization ,officer appointed under paragraph 7#c72 7iii7 representatives from each research station within the ,forest ,service2 and 7iv7 representatives from other ,forest ,service entities with relevant expertise1 as appropriate4 7,b7 ,duties ,the ,technology ,transfer ,working ,group established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall-- 7i7 assist with the coordination of technology transfer and commercialization opportunities occurring at ,forest ,service laboratories2 7ii7 develop and disseminate guidance to researchers at ,forest ,service laboratories on technology transfer and commercialization requirements under the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgja et seq47 and associated agreements to implement those requirements2 and 7iii7 develop and disseminate to the public and prospective technology partners information about opportunities and procedures for technology transfer with the ,forest ,service4 7,c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,technology ,transfer ,working ,group established under subparagraph 7,a7 shall submit to ,congress a report that describes-- 7i7 the number of cooperative research and development agreements entered into by the ,forest ,service under section #ab of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgaj;a7 during the preceding #e years2 7ii7 the number of agreements with partnership intermediaries entered into by the ,forest ,service under section #bc of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgae7 during the preceding #e years2 7iii7 the number of licenses and other use authorizations issued by the ,forest ,service for patents held by the ,forest ,service during the preceding #e years2 and 7iv7 recommendations for legislative1 programmatic1 or regulatory changes to support the mission of the ,office4 7#e7 ,key performance indicators ,beginning with the first year after the report under paragraph 7#d77;,c7 is submitted1 and each year thereafter1 the ,president shall include in the budget of the ,united ,states ,government submitted to ,congress under section #aaje of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code-- 7,a7 the number of cooperative research and development agreements entered into by the ,forest ,service under section #ab of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgaj;a7 during the preceding year2 7,b7 the number of agreements with partnership intermediaries entered into by the ,forest ,service under section #bc of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgae7 during the preceding year2 and 7,c7 the number of licenses or other use authorizations issued by the ,forest ,service for patents held by the ,forest ,service during the preceding year4 7#f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this subsection #e1jjj1jjj for each fiscal year4 7c7 ,national ,forest ,foundation activities ,section #djb7;b77#c7 of the ,national ,forest ,foundation ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ehc;j7b77#c77 is amended by striking cooperative forestry and inserting technology transfer1 commercialization1 cooperative forestry14 7d7 ,small business voucher pilot program 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,energy and the ,administrator of the ,small ,business ,administration1 shall establish an innovation voucher pilot program to accelerate product development1 demonstration1 and commercialization in the forest products sector4 7#b7 ,vouchers ,under the pilot program established under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall provide vouchers to small business concerns 7as defined in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb77 to be used at research facilities of the ,forest ,service for research1 development1 demonstration1 technology transfer1 skills training and workforce development1 or commercial application activities4 7#c7 ,cost sharing 7,a7 ,basic research ,the ,secretary may require up to #bj percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph 7#b7 for a research or development activity that is of a basic or fundamental nature1 at the discretion of the ,secretary1 to be provided by a non-,federal source4 7,b7 ,applied research ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,d71 the ,secretary shall require not less than #bj percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph 7#b7 for a research or development activity that is not of a basic or fundamental nature1 at the discretion of the ,secretary1 to be provided by a non-,federal source4 7,c7 ,demonstration and commercial application ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,d71 the ,secretary shall require not less than #ej percent of the cost of a voucher provided under paragraph 7#b7 for a demonstration or commercial application activity to be provided by a non-,federal source4 7,d7 ,reduction in cost-share ,the ,secretary may reduce a non-,federal share required under subparagraph 7,b7 or 7,c7 if the ,secretary determines the reduction to be necessary and appropriate1 taking into account any technological risk relating to the activity4 7#d7 ,termination ,the authorities provided under this subsection 7except for paragraph 7#e77 shall expire on ,september #cj1 #bjca4 7#e7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the termination of the pilot program under paragraph 7#d71 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report describing the outcomes of the pilot program1 including any recommendations to improve the pilot program4 #c4 ,joint mass timber science and education program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,mass timber ,the term mass timber includes-- 7,a7 cross-laminated timber2 7,b7 nail laminated timber2 7,c7 glue laminated timber2 7,d7 dowel laminated timber2 7,e7 laminated strand lumber2 and 7,f7 laminated veneer lumber4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,deputy ,chief of the ,forest ,service for ,research and ,development4 7#c7 ,tall wood building ,the term tall wood building means a building designed to be-- 7,a7 constructed with mass timber2 and 7,b7 7i7 in the case of a residential building1 more than #d stories in height2 or 7ii7 in the case of a commercial building1 more than #e stories in height4 7b7 ,mass timber science and education program ,the ,secretary shall establish a mass timber science and education program to respond to the emerging research needs of architects1 real estate developers1 and the forest products industry4 7c7 ,coordination ,the ,secretary shall coordinate with research programs at colleges and universities in administering the mass timber science and education program established under subsection 7b7 to supplement the current research and educational efforts of colleges and universities4 7d7 ,purposes ,the mass timber science and education program established under subsection 7b7 shall have the following principal purposes3 7#a7 ,to provide practical research responsive to the needs of architects1 real estate developers1 and the forest products industry1 including assessments of carbon impacts in the originating forests and the end use of mass timber in the built environment4 7#b7 ,to develop focused1 strategic lines of new research responsive to the needs described in paragraph 7#a71 including research relating to flammability and performance during a fire1 structural characteristics1 energy use and savings1 acoustics1 and slab construction composed of hybrid materials4 7#c7 ,to solicit competitive funding proposals from scientists selected through a rigorous peer-review process designed to ensure the best projects are funded4 7#d7 ,to disseminate research findings so that architects1 real estate developers1 and the forest products industry are aware of1 understand1 and can use the information to make sound decisions and implement projects4 7#e7 ,to develop and facilitate the voluntary adoption of a curriculum for building structures using mass timber for use in schools of engineering and architecture that includes-- 7,a7 structural design2 and 7,b7 the possibilities1 benefits1 and limitations of using mass timber in construction4 7e7 ,mass timber strategy ,not later than ,september #cj1 #bjbf1 the ,secretary shall submit to the relevant committees of ,congress a strategy to carry out the mass timber science and education program established under subsection 7b7 that includes-- 7#a7 an assessment of the current state of knowledge about mass timber and tall wood buildings2 7#b7 an integrated approach to improve knowledge sharing on the manufacturing and use of mass timber products2 7#c7 an approach for mass timber project monitoring and evaluation2 and 7#d7 an approach for setting research priorities for the program4 7f7 ,stakeholder advisory group 7#a7 ,membership ,the ,secretary shall appoint a stakeholder advisory group of technical experts that consists1 at a minimum1 of-- 7,a7 a ,forest ,service scientist2 7,b7 a researcher from a college or university2 7,c7 a representative of a trade association2 7,d7 an architect or real estate developer2 7,e7 a representative of an agency or unit of a local government that is responsible for the issuance of permits for building construction 7commonly known as a local approving agency72 7,f7 a representative of a forest products company2 and 7,g7 a representative of a nongovernmental organization with experience-- 7i7 designing or constructing tall wood buildings2 or 7ii7 complying with or revising related building codes4 7#b7 ,duties ,the stakeholder advisory group shall meet at least annually-- 7,a7 to consider immediate and long-term science needs relating to the use of mass timber and the construction of tall wood buildings2 7,b7 to suggest to the ,secretary appropriate topic areas1 specific issues within those topic areas1 and information transfer needs for which the ,secretary shall solicit proposals described in subsection 7d77#c72 and 7,c7 to assist the ,secretary in drafting the strategy required under subsection 7e74 7g7 ,availability of appropriations ,from amounts appropriated for ,forest ,service research1 excluding funding made available for the ,forest ,inventory and ,analysis program1 the ,secretary may use not more than #d1jjj1jjj to carry out the activities described in this section4