Congress: 108 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 5342.
Sponsor: Sherman, Brad (D-California)
United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Policy and International Affairs to establish a grant program for joint ventures: (1) composed of either Israeli and United States private business entities, or of Israeli and United States academic persons; and (2) selected by the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundations (BSF), and the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation or BSF using criteria established by the International Energy Advisory Board (established by this Act). Requires such ventures to carry out projects that encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, and commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources. Establishes in the Department of Energy an International Energy Advisory Board to: (1) establish criteria for such grant recipients; and (2) determine the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by BIRD and by BSF for each fiscal year.
Creates a federal grant program administered through the Department of Energy to fund joint research ventures between U.S. and Israeli private companies or academic institutions. Grants, selected by existing U.S.-Israel science foundations, must focus on alternative energy, energy efficiency, and renewable energy development. A new advisory board in the Energy Department will set eligibility criteria and determine annual funding levels.
This establishes direct U.S. government funding for Israeli energy research partnerships, deepening bilateral scientific and economic ties. The bill channels federal resources into collaboration with Israel's energy sector without geographic or political restrictions.