PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 8, 2011
Department of Energy Administrative Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to submit annually to Congress a five-fiscal year future-years DOE program that reflects estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the President's proposed budget.
Revises the Secretary's authority to enter into transactions for research, development, or demonstration projects other than procurement contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, grants, and certain arrangements.
Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress regarding DOE use of authorities under this Act, including the ability to attract nontraditional government contractors. Defines "nontraditional government contractor" as the same as a nontraditional defense contractor under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, namely an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least one year before a DOD solicitation of sources for a procurement or transaction, any: (1) DOD contract or subcontract subject to full coverage under specified cost accounting standards, or (2) other DOD contract in excess of $ 500,000 under which the contractor is required to submit certified cost or pricing data. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide protections for five years against dissemination of information developed in any authorized DOE transaction; (2) recruit and directly appoint highly qualified scientists, engineers, or critical technical personnel into the competitive service in the event of a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need for particular positions; (3) fix the compensation of, and appoint individuals to, critical positions to implement DOE functions; and (4) approve the reemployment of a civilian retiree to a particular position without reduction or termination of annuity if necessary to implement a critical function for which DOE has encountered exceptional difficulty in recruiting or retaining qualified candidates. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to declare the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory a National Laboratory under such Act.
People & committees
Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · D–NM
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-147.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 112-147.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-253.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3616-3617)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3615-3616)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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