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Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990

Public Law 101-566 · S. 639 · 101st Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 15, 1990 · Energy

Sponsor: Sen. Spark Matsunaga (D-HI)

Cosponsors (5): Sen. Daniel Inouye,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to prepare and submit to specified congressional committees a comprehensive five-year management plan for a research and development program designed to identify and address areas of research critical to the realization of a domestic hydrogen fuel production capability within the shortest time practicable, consistent with market conditions. Requires the Secretary to send the Congress annual plan descriptions including plan modifications.

Directs the Secretary to establish a program consistent with the plan. Lists research areas and priority criteria, including a description of the role of the private sector.

Directs the Secretary to conduct demonstrations of critical technologies to evaluate technical and nontechnical parameters to determine commercial applicability of hydrogen technology and to prepare a comprehensive large-scale hydrogen demonstration plan.

Directs the Secretary, with the advice and help of the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel (composed of industry, academic, and governmental interests), to implement a program in the interest of accelerating broader application of hydrogen technologies by transferring critical technologies to the private sector and by increasing the participation of private sector interests in near commercial applications through joint ventures and other arrangements. Lists the Secretary's duties in connection with the program.

Establishes a Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel to advise the Secretary on programs under this Act.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1994.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.

  1. Nov 15, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-566.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 9, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 23, 1990FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Walker demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Roe moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  9. Oct 16, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
  10. Jul 23, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  11. Jun 20, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  12. Mar 30, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Energy Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  13. Mar 17, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Energy Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  15. Mar 16, 1989IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.