
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC7141]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                    CHAPTER 84--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 
               SUBCHAPTER II--ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT
 
Sec. 7141. Office of Minority Economic Impact


(a) Establishment; appointment of Director; compensation

    There shall be established within the Department 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 Director shall be compensated at the rate provided 
for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5.

(b) Advice to Secretary on effect of energy policies, regulations, and 
        other actions of Department respecting minority participation in 
        energy programs

    The Director shall have the duty and responsibility to advise the 
Secretary on the effect of energy policies, regulations, and other 
actions of the Department and its components on minorities 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 national energy programs, 
        policies, and regulations of Department on minorities

    The Director shall conduct an ongoing research program, with the 
assistance of the Administrator of the Energy Information 
Administration, and such other Federal agencies as the Director 
determines appropriate, to determine the effects (including the socio-
economic and environmental effects) of national energy programs, 
policies, and regulations of the Department on minorities. In conducting 
such program, the Director shall, from time to time, develop 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 consumption and use patterns of 
    minorities relative to other population categories;
        (2) evaluate the percentage of disposable income spent on energy 
    by minorities relative to other population categories; and
        (3) determines 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 minority educational 
        institutions and business enterprises to foster participation in 
        research, development, demonstration, and contract activities of 
        Department

    The Director may provide the management any \1\ technical assistance 
he considers appropriate to minority educational institutions and 
minority business enterprises to enable these enterprises and 
institutions to participate in the research, development, demonstration, 
and contract activities of the Department. In carrying out his functions 
under this section, the Director may enter into contracts, in accordance 
with section 7256 of this title and other applicable provisions of law, 
with any person, including minority educational institutions, minority 
business enterprises, and organizations the primary purpose of which is 
to assist the development of minority communities. The management and 
technical assistance may include--
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``and''.
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        (1) a national information clearinghouse which will develop and 
    disseminate information on the aspects of energy programs to 
    minority business enterprises, minority educational 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 encourage, promote, and 
    assist minority business enterprises in establishing and expanding 
    energy-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 enterprises in the 
    commercial application of energy-related technologies.

(e) Loans to minority business enterprises; restriction 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 enterprises in 
participating fully in research, development, demonstration, and 
contract activities of the Department to the extent he considers 
appropriate. He shall limit the use of financial assistance to providing 
funds necessary for such enterprises to bid for and obtain contracts or 
other agreements, and shall limit the amount of the financial assistance 
to any recipient to not more than 75 percent of such costs.
    (2) The Secretary shall determine the rate of interest on loans 
under this section in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury.
    (3) The Secretary shall deposit into the Treasury as miscellaneous 
receipts amounts received in connection with the repayment and 
satisfaction of such loans.

(f) Definitions

    As used in this section, the term--
        (1) ``minority'' means any individual who is a citizen of the 
    United States and who is a Negro, Puerto Rican, American Indian, 
    Eskimo, Oriental, or Aleut or is a Spanish speaking individual of 
    Spanish descent;
        (2) ``minority business enterprise'' means a firm, corporation, 
    association, or partnership which is at least 50 percent owned or 
    controlled by a minority or group of minorities; and
        (3) ``minority educational institution'' means an educational 
    institution with an enrollment in which a substantial proportion (as 
    determined by the Secretary) of the students are minorities.

(g) Authorization of appropriations

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 
the functions of the Office not to exceed $3,000,000 for fiscal year 
1979, not to exceed $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, and not to exceed 
$6,000,000 for fiscal year 1981. Of the amounts so appropriated each 
fiscal year, not less than 50 percent shall be available for purposes of 
financial assistance under subsection (e) of this section.

(Pub. L. 95-91, title II, Sec. 211, as added Pub. L. 95-619, title VI, 
Sec. 641, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3284.)
