REPORT ON ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM FOR AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.

SEC. 3169. REPORT ON ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM FOR AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. (a) Report.—Not later than October 1, 1998, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Congress a report assessing how the Department of Energy could carry out a transition from a no-year funding system to a limited-period funding system. (b) Matters Covered.—The report shall cover the following matters: (1) A conceptual proposal on how the no-year funding system could be phased out. (2) An estimate of the cost of making the transition to a limited-period funding system. (3) A description of the programmatic effects that could occur if the no-year funding system is eliminated. (4) A delineation of activities for which the no-year funding system should be retained. (c) Definitions.—In this section: (1) The term “no-year funding system” means a funding system in which funds are available to the Department of Energy until expended. (2) The term “limited-period funding system” means a funding system in which funds are available to the Department of Energy for a limited period of time.