[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 555 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 555

      Congratulating the Optical Society on its 100th anniversary.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 13, 2016

 Mr. Schumer submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
         the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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                               RESOLUTION


 
      Congratulating the Optical Society on its 100th anniversary.

Whereas the Optical Society is the leading professional association in optics 
        and photonics, supporting research and collaboration in the science of 
        light;
Whereas the Optical Society was founded in 1916 in Rochester, New York, as the 
        research catalyst for the science of light and has since become the 
        leading voice for advancing the study and application of optics and 
        photonics;
Whereas, today, the Optical Society connects 270,000 scientists, students, 
        engineers, and business leaders in 177 countries around the world;
Whereas, over the course of the 100-year history of the Optical Society, 34 
        members of the society have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, 
        Chemistry, Physiology, or Medicine;
Whereas optics and photonics is the science of light, serving as the backbone 
        for modern national security applications, industrial controls, 
        telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, health care, and consumer 
        and business products;
Whereas a 2012 National Research Council study, entitled ``Optics and Photonics: 
        Essential Technologies for our Nation'', outlined the utility of optics 
        and photonics and their role in facilitating economic growth, 
        recognizing their extraordinary impact on communications, information 
        processing and data storage, defense and national security, energy, 
        health and medicine, advanced manufacturing, and strategic materials;
Whereas the United States Government has recognized the importance of photonics, 
        the contributions of photonics to economic development, and the benefits 
        of public-private partnerships by recently announcing a consortium 
        working with the Department of Defense known as the American Institute 
        for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics; and
Whereas optics and photonics create more than $3,000,000,000,000 in revenue 
        annually in the United States and support more than 7,400,000 jobs: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the Optical Society on its 100th 
        anniversary;
            (2) reaffirms the critical role that optics and photonics 
        have played over the last 100 years and continue to play in the 
        economy of the United States and the lives of the people of the 
        United States; and
            (3) recognizes the importance of continued investment in 
        fundamental optics and photonics research.
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