[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3400 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3400

   To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to authorize 
 appropriations for fiscal years 2003 through 2007 for the coordinated 
 Federal program on networking and information technology research and 
                  development, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 4, 2001

Mr. Smith of Michigan (for himself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
  Mr. Boehlert, and Mr. Hall of Texas) introduced the following bill; 
             which was referred to the Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to authorize 
 appropriations for fiscal years 2003 through 2007 for the coordinated 
 Federal program on networking and information technology research and 
                  development, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Networking and Information 
Technology Research Advancement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Information technology is an enabling technology that 
        contributes to other scientific disciplines. Advances in 
        nanotechnology, bioinformatics, intelligent networks, wireless 
        networking, robotics, artificial intelligence, and other fields 
        depend on further advances in information technology research 
        and development. In turn, advances in networking and 
        information technology depend on research in a wide range of 
        fields, such as computer science and engineering, mathematics, 
        and many others, and in the development of electronic 
        components such as semiconductors and fiber optics that are 
        faster, denser, and cheaper. Research in fields such as 
        materials sciences, physics, chemistry, and photonics lays the 
        foundation for building these advanced components.
            (2) Federal investment in information technology research 
        and development over the past 50 years has led to technological 
        innovations that have transformed our society and stimulated 
        economic growth.
            (3) A 1999 report from the President's Information 
        Technology Advisory Committee entitled ``Information Technology 
        Research: Investing in Our Future'' states that--
                    (A) Federal support for research in information 
                technology is inadequate;
                    (B) Federal investment in information technology 
                research and development should give a higher priority 
                to long-term, basic research; and
                    (C) Federal information technology research 
                management should develop a long-term and coherent 
                strategy for sustained attention to national goals.
            (4) Long-term, basic research is necessary to create 
        technological breakthroughs in information technology. The 
        Federal Government is uniquely positioned to support long-term 
        fundamental research.
            (5) Advances in networking and information technology have 
        permeated and dramatically improved product design and 
        development processes, production efficiency, and distribution 
        systems of a wide range of manufacturing and other industries. 
        From the aeronautical and automotive industries to farming, 
        advances in networking and information technology have allowed 
        United States industry to compete more effectively and better 
        utilize limited resources through improved quality control and 
        other means. Therefore, research in networking and information 
        technology that advances the field also advances productivity 
        and economic growth for the United States economy.
            (6) Information technology encompasses ways to develop, 
        store and retrieve, organize and use, make sense of, compute, 
        and communicate information to further a number of societal 
        goals, including increasing economic growth through product 
        development and increased efficiency of services and 
        manufacturing, advancing scientific research, and education.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 4 of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 
5503) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by striking ``high-performance computing'' and 
                inserting ``networking and information technology''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``(including vector supercomputers 
                and large scale parallel systems)'';
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking ``packet switched'';
            (3) by striking paragraphs (5) and (6); and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(5) `Program' means the Networking and Information 
        Technology Research and Development Program described in 
        section 101; and
            ``(6) `Program Component Areas' means the major subject 
        areas under which are grouped related individual projects and 
        activities carried out under the Program and which are 
        developed according to section 101(a)(3)(B) and identified in 
        the annual report required under section 101(a)(3)(A).''.

SEC. 4. NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Amendments.--Section 101 of the High-Performance Computing Act 
of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``national high-
        performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and 
        information technology research and development'';
            (2) by striking ``high-performance computing'' each place 
        it appears other than in subsection (a)(1)(F) and inserting 
``networking and information technology'';
            (3) in the subsection heading of subsection (a), by 
        striking ``National High-Performance Computing'' and inserting 
        ``Networking and Information Technology Research and 
        Development'';
            (4) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``National High-Performance 
                Computing'' and inserting ``Networking and Information 
                Technology Research and Development'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``and'' at the end of 
                        subparagraph (A);
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
                        the following new subparagraph:
            ``(B) establish Program Component Areas that implement the 
        goals established under subparagraph (A); and'';
                    (C) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (2)(H);
                    (D) by striking subparagraph (I) of paragraph (2) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(I) provide for improving the security of networked 
        information systems, including research required to establish 
        security standards and practices for computing systems and 
        networks; and
            ``(J) provide for long-term basic research on networking 
        and information technology, with priority given to research 
        that helps address issues related to--
                    ``(i) high end computing and software;
                    ``(ii) network stability, fragility, reliability, 
                security (including privacy), and scalability; and
                    ``(iii) the social and economic consequences of 
                information technology.'';
                    (E) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3), by 
                inserting ``, including establishing the process by 
                which Program Component Areas are defined'' after ``of 
                the Program'';
                    (F) by amending subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) 
                to read as follows:
            ``(A) provide a detailed description of the Program 
        Component Areas, including--
                    ``(i) a description of any changes in the Program 
                Component Areas from the preceding report and the 
                reasons for such changes; and
                    ``(ii) a description of activities within each 
                Program Component Area that contribute to the 
                improvement of the security of networked information 
                systems;'';
                    (G) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking ``specific 
                activities'' and all that follows through ``the 
                Network'' and inserting ``each Program Component 
                Area'';
                    (H) in paragraph (4)(D), by inserting ``for each 
                Program Component Area and for all activities that 
                contribute to the improvement of the security of 
                networked information systems'' after ``budget 
                submission applies''; and
                    (I) in paragraph (4)(F), by inserting ``, and the 
                extent to which the Program incorporates the 
                recommendations of the Advisory Committee established 
                under subsection (b)'' after ``for the Program'';
            (5) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
                subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively;
                    (B) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``Advisory 
                Committee.--'';
                    (C) in paragraph (1)(C), as so redesignated by this 
                paragraph, by inserting ``, including funding levels 
                for the Program Component Areas'' after ``of the 
                Program'';
                    (D) in paragraph (1)(D), as so redesignated by this 
                paragraph, by striking ``computing'' and inserting 
                ``networking and information''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) In addition to the duties outlined in paragraph (1), the 
advisory committee shall conduct periodic evaluations of the funding, 
management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the 
Program, and shall report not less frequently than once every two 
fiscal years to the Committee on Science of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on its findings and recommendations. The 
first report shall be due within one year after the date of the 
enactment of this paragraph.''; and
            (6) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking ``Program or'' and 
        inserting ``Program Component Areas or''.
    (b) Repeals.--Sections 102 and 103 of the High-Performance 
Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5512 and 5513) are repealed.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The heading of title I of the High-
Performance Computing Act of 1991 is amended to read as follows:

     ``TITLE I--NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND 
                         DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM''.

SEC. 5. AGENCY ACTIVITIES.

    (a) National Science Foundation Activities.--Section 201 of the 
High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5521) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 201. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) General Responsibilities.--As part of the Program described 
in title I, the National Science Foundation shall--
            ``(1) generate fundamental scientific and technical 
        knowledge with the potential of advancing networking and 
        information technology and its applications; and
            ``(2) provide computing and networking infrastructure 
        support for all science and engineering disciplines, and 
        support basic research and human resource development in all 
        aspects of networking and information technology and advanced 
        high speed computer networking.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--From sums otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Science Foundation for the purposes of the Program 
$704,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; $774,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
$851,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, $937,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, 
and $1,030,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.
    (b) National Aeronautics and Space Administration Activities.--
Section 202 of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 
5522) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 202. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) General Responsibilities.--As part of the Program described 
in title I, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall 
conduct basic and applied research in networking and information 
technology, with emphasis on--
            ``(1) computational fluid, thermal, and aerodynamics;
            ``(2) scientific data dissemination and tools to enable 
        data to be fully analyzed and combined from multiple sources 
        and sensors;
            ``(3) remote exploration and experimentation; and
            ``(4) tools for collaboration in systems design, analysis, 
        and testing.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--From sums otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the purposes 
of the Program $199,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, $219,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2004, $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, $265,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2006, and $292,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.
    (c) Department of Energy Activities.--Section 203 of the High-
Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5523) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking all after ``the 
        Secretary of Energy shall'' and inserting ``conduct basic and 
        applied research in networking and information technology, with 
        emphasis on--
            ``(1) supporting fundamental research in the physical 
        sciences and engineering, and energy applications;
            ``(2) providing supercomputer access and advanced 
        communication capabilities to scientific researchers; and
            ``(3) developing tools for distributed scientific 
        collaboration.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``(1)'';
                    (B) by striking ``$93,000,000'' and all that 
                follows through ``fiscal year 1996'' and inserting 
                ``$193,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, $212,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 2004, $234,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
                $258,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $283,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 2007''; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (2).
    (d) Department of Commerce Activities.--Section 204 of the High-
Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5524) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) 
        and inserting the following:
            ``(1) the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        shall--
                    ``(A) conduct basic and applied measurement 
                research needed to support various computing systems 
                and networks;
                    ``(B) develop and propose voluntary standards and 
                guidelines, and develop measurement techniques and test 
                methods, for the interoperability of computing systems 
                in networks and for common user interfaces to systems;
                    ``(C) be responsible for developing benchmark tests 
                and standards for computing systems and software; and
                    ``(D) encourage the development, deployment, and 
                implementation of voluntary guidelines and standards 
                for--
                            ``(i) robust security technology; and
                            ``(ii) best practices and interoperability 
                        relating to the security of commercial and 
                        government computer networks; and
            ``(2) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
        shall conduct basic and applied research in networking and 
        information technology, with emphasis on--
                    ``(A) improving weather forecasting and climate 
                prediction;
                    ``(B) collection and dissemination of environmental 
                information; and
                    ``(C) development of more accurate models of the 
                atmosphere-ocean system.''; and
            (2) by striking subsections (c) and (d) and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--From sums otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated, there are authorized to be 
appropriated--
            ``(1) to the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        for the purposes of the Program $24,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2003, $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $29,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2005, $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $35,000,000 
        for fiscal year 2007; and
            ``(2) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration for the purposes of the Program $22,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2003, $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $26,000,000 
        for fiscal year 2005, $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and 
        $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.
    (e) Environmental Protection Agency Activities.--Section 205 of the 
High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5525) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 205. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) General Responsibilities.--As part of the Program described 
in title I, the Environmental Protection Agency shall conduct basic and 
applied research directed toward the advancement and dissemination of 
computational techniques and software tools with an emphasis on 
modeling of--
            ``(1) ecosystems;
            ``(2) human effects;
            ``(3) atmospheric dynamics and chemistry; and
            ``(4) pollutant transport.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--From sums otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Environmental Protection Agency for the purposes of the Program 
$4,000,000 for fiscal year 2003, $4,400,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
$4,800,000 for fiscal year 2005, $5,300,000 for fiscal year 2006, and 
$5,800,000 for fiscal year 2007.''.

SEC. 6. REPORTS.

    (a) International Benchmarking Studies.--
            (1) Study.--Not later than 3 months after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National 
        Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct 
        an assessment of the state of research on networking and 
        information technology in the United States. The study shall 
        use the methodology and approach developed by the Committee on 
        Science, Engineering, and Public Policy of the National 
        Academies and documented in its 2000 report entitled 
        ``Experiments in International Benchmarking of U.S. Research 
        Fields''.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the 
        House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
        and Transportation of the Senate, the Director of the Office of 
        Science and Technology Policy, and the advisory committee 
        established under section 101(b) of the High-Performance 
        Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511(b)) (in this section 
        referred to as the ``advisory committee'') a report setting 
        forth the findings of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
            (3) Advisory committee recommendations.--Not later than 3 
        months after receipt of the report transmitted under paragraph 
        (2), the advisory committee shall provide recommendations to 
        the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on 
        appropriate changes to the Program established by section 
        101(a) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 
        5511(a)) to address issues raised by the study conducted under 
        paragraph (1).
            (4) Annual report.--The first annual report required by 
        section 101(a)(3)(A) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 
        1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(3)(A)) that is due after the expiration 
        of 9 months after receipt by the Director of the Office of 
        Science and Technology Policy of the report transmitted under 
        paragraph (2) shall include a description of activities under 
        the Program established by section 101(a) of the High-
        Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)) that 
        address issues raised by the study conducted under paragraph 
        (1), including strategies for--
                    (A) raising or maintaining the position of the 
                United States relative to other nations in the research 
                priority areas addressed by the report transmitted 
                under paragraph (2); and
                    (B) promoting international research cooperation to 
                leverage international niches of excellence identified 
                by the report transmitted under paragraph (2).
            (5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for 
        carrying out the study under this subsection $850,000.
    (b) Information Technology Workforce Study.--
            (1) Data collection.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall on a continuing basis collect data on the 
        information technology workforce, including information on--
                    (A) the size and nature of the information 
                technology workforce by occupation category, level of 
                education and training, personnel demographics, and 
                industry characteristics;
                    (B) the long-term employability of information 
                technology professionals;
                    (C) various forms of employee compensation, 
                including salaries, bonuses, and stock options;
                    (D) the role of foreign workers in the information 
                technology workforce;
                    (E) the previous and subsequent immigration and 
                employment status of workers who are aliens having the 
                status of a nonimmigrant described in section 
                101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality 
                Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)); and
                    (F) other relevant issues.
            (2) Analysis.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National 
        Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to analyze 
        the data collected under paragraph (1) and publish a biennial 
        update to the ``Building a Workforce in the Information 
        Economy'' report, issued in October of 2000.
            (3) Transmittal to congress.--Biennial updates required 
        under paragraph (2) shall be transmitted to the Committee on 
        Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and to the 
        National Coordination Office for Information Technology 
        Research and Development, not later than 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act and biennially thereafter.
                                 <all>