42 U.S.C. § 7140 — Leasing Liaison Committee; establish-

Page 7058 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 7140 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘determine’’. 2 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘and’’. 2005—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 109–58 added par. (6) and struck out former par. (6) which read as follows: ‘‘to carry out such additional duties assigned to the Office by the Secretary relating to basic and applied research, including but not limited to supervision or support of research activities carried out by any of the Assistant Secretaries designated by section 7133 of this title, as the Secretary considers advantageous.’’ 1998—Pub. L. 105–245 substituted ‘‘Office of Science’’ for ‘‘Office of Energy Research’’ in section catchline and in subsec. (a). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title I, § 10113(f), Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1468, provided that: ‘‘In order to improve the advice and guidance provided to the Office of Science, the Undersecretary for Science shall seek to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the robust participa- tion of institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) located in eligible jurisdictions (as defined in section 2203(b)(3)(A) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 13503(b)(3)(A))) on the Office of Science Fed- eral Advisory Committee.’’ § 7140. Leasing Liaison Committee; establish- ment; composition There is established a Leasing Liaison Com- mittee which shall be composed of an equal number of members appointed by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior. (Pub. L. 95–91, title II, § 210, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 577.) § 7141. Office of Minority Economic Impact (a) Establishment; appointment of Director; com- pensation There shall be established within the Depart- ment an Office of Minority Economic Impact. The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Direc- tor shall be compensated at the rate provided for level IV of the Executive Schedule under sec- tion 5315 of title 5. (b) Advice to Secretary on effect of energy poli- cies, regulations, and other actions of De- partment respecting minority participation in energy programs The Director shall have the duty and responsi- bility to advise the Secretary on the effect of energy policies, regulations, and other actions of the Department and its components on mi- norities and minority business enterprises and on ways to insure that minorities are afforded an opportunity to participate fully in the energy programs of the Department. (c) Research programs respecting effects of na- tional energy programs, policies, and regula- tions of Department on minorities The Director shall conduct an ongoing re- search program, with the assistance of the Ad- ministrator of the Energy Information Adminis- tration, and such other Federal agencies as the Director determines appropriate, to determine the effects (including the socio-economic and environmental effects) of national energy pro- grams, policies, and regulations of the Depart- ment on minorities. In conducting such pro- gram, the Director shall, from time to time, de- velop and recommend to the Secretary policies to assist, where appropriate, such minorities and minority business enterprises concerning such effects. In addition, the Director shall, to the greatest extent practicable— (1) determine the average energy consump- tion and use patterns of minorities relative to other population categories; (2) evaluate the percentage of disposable in- come spent on energy by minorities relative to other population categories; and (3) determines 1 how programs, policies, and actions of the Department and its components affect such consumption and use patterns and such income. (d) Management and technical assistance to mi- nority educational institutions and business enterprises to foster participation in re- search, development, demonstration, and contract activities of Department The Director may provide the management any 2 technical assistance he considers appro- priate to minority educational institutions and minority business enterprises to enable these enterprises and institutions to participate in the research, development, demonstration, and con- tract activities of the Department. In carrying out his functions under this section, the Direc- tor may enter into contracts, in accordance with section 7256 of this title and other applicable provisions of law, with any person, including mi- nority educational institutions, minority busi- ness enterprises, and organizations the primary purpose of which is to assist the development of minority communities. The management and technical assistance may include— (1) a national information clearinghouse which will develop and disseminate informa- tion on the aspects of energy programs to mi- nority business enterprises, minority edu- cational institutions and other appropriate minority organizations; (2) market research, planning economic and business analysis, and feasibility studies to identify and define economic opportunities for minorities in energy research, production, conservation, and development; (3) technical assistance programs to encour- age, promote, and assist minority business en- terprises in establishing and expanding en- ergy-related business opportunities which are located in minority communities and that can provide jobs to workers in such communities; and (4) programs to assist minority business en- terprises in the commercial application of en- ergy-related technologies. (e) Loans to minority business enterprises; re- striction on use of funds; interest; deposits into Treasury (1) The Secretary, acting through the Office, may provide financial assistance in the form of loans to any minority business enterprise under such rules as he shall prescribe to assist such en- terprises in participating fully in research, de- velopment, demonstration, and contract activi-