    [House Hearing, 116 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                       A REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
                          OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
                        FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET REQUEST

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                    SUBCOMMITTEE ON RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

                  COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                 APRIL 9, 2019

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 116-11

                                   __________

     Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

           Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    35-877PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2019

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                  COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY

                 HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas, Chairwoman
    ZOE LOFGREN, California              FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma,
    DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois                Ranking Member
    SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon             MO BROOKS, Alabama
    AMI BERA, California,                BILL POSEY, Florida
        Vice Chair                       RANDY WEBER, Texas
    CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania             BRIAN BABIN, Texas
    LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas               ANDY BIGGS, Arizona
    HALEY STEVENS, Michigan              ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
    KENDRA HORN, Oklahoma                RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina
    MIKIE SHERRILL, New Jersey           MICHAEL CLOUD, Texas
    BRAD SHERMAN, California             TROY BALDERSON, Ohio
    STEVE COHEN, Tennessee               PETE OLSON, Texas
    JERRY McNERNEY, California           ANTHONY GONZALEZ, Ohio
    ED PERLMUTTER, Colorado              MICHAEL WALTZ, Florida
    PAUL TONKO, New York                 JIM BAIRD, Indiana
    BILL FOSTER, Illinois                JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER, Washington
    DON BEYER, Virginia                  JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON, Puerto
    CHARLIE CRIST, Florida                   Rico
    SEAN CASTEN, Illinois                VACANCY
    KATIE HILL, California
    BEN McADAMS, Utah
    JENNIFER WEXTON, Virginia
                                     ------

                    Subcommittee on Research and Technology

                    HON. HALEY STEVENS, Michigan, Chairwoman
    DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois            JIM BAIRD, Indiana, Ranking Member
    MIKIE SHERRILL, New Jersey           ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
    BRAD SHERMAN, California             NEAL DUNN, Florida
    PAUL TONKO, New York                 TROY BALDERSON, Ohio
    BEN McADAMS, Utah                    ANTHONY GONZALEZ, Ohio
    STEVE COHEN, Tennessee               JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER, Washington
    BILL FOSTER, Illinois

                             C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                                 April 9, 2019

                                                                       Page
    Hearing Charter..................................................     2

                               Opening Statements

    Statement by Representative Haley Stevens, Chairwoman,
      Subcommittee on Research and Technology, Committee on Science,
      Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives...........     8
        Written Statement............................................    10

    Statement by Representative Jim Baird, Ranking Member,
      Subcommittee on Research and Technology, Committee on Science,
      Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives...........    12
        Written Statement............................................    13
    Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman,
      Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of
      Representatives................................................    15
        Written Statement............................................    16

    Statement by Representative Frank D. Lucas, Ranking Member,
      Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of
      Representatives................................................    18
        Written Statement............................................    19

                                    Witness:

    Hon. Dr. Walter G. Copan, Undersecretary of Commerce for Science
      and Technology and Director of NIST
        Oral Statement...............................................    21
        Written Statement............................................    24

    Discussion.......................................................    32

                 Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions

    Hon. Dr. Walter G. Copan, Undersecretary of Commerce for Science
      and Technology and Director of NIST............................    48

                       A REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
                          OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
                        FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET REQUEST

                                  ----------

                             TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

                      House of Representatives,
               Subcommittee on Research and Technology,
                   Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
                                                       Washington, D.C.

        The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in
    room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Haley
    Stevens [Chairwoman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. The hearing will come to order. Without
    objection, the Chair is authorized to declare recess at any
    time.
        Good morning, and welcome to this hearing to review the
    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Fiscal
    Year 2020 Budget Request. Dr. Copan, welcome to the Committee
    and to what I hope will be a meaningful dialog about the
    critical national asset that is NIST. It was great to recently
    have you in Michigan's 11th District in Plymouth at our
    Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, and it is a delight
    to have you here today.
        NIST works with industry, academia, and other government
    agencies to advance science, support technological innovation,
    and increase competitiveness of U.S. companies. NIST's
    recognized excellence in measurement science and standards has
    underpinned U.S. leadership in areas as diverse as additive
    manufacturing, spectrum sharing, smart grid, biotechnology,
    cybersecurity, forensic science, and infrastructure resiliency.
    And that list goes on for quite a while. The agency has also
    played and will continue to play a key role in U.S.
    advancements in artificial intelligence and quantum science. I
    am happy to see increases for these two important areas of
    research in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal for NIST.
        Most Americans--and possibly most Members of Congress--
    don't know about NIST or understand the nature or impact of
    their work, but we all benefit from it. NIST's reference
    materials, technical standards, measurement services, and
    technical guidance have been used to validate the performance
    of the smoke alarms in our homes, ensure our law enforcement
    officers have body armor that they can rely on, develop the
    first widely used measurement standard for breast cancer
    diagnosis, and protect us all from bad actors in cyber space.
    These are just a few tangible examples of NIST's work that
    benefit everyday Americans.
        For U.S. manufacturers of all sizes and sectors, NIST's
    measurement services and standards are essential to their
    ability to compete, grow, and create jobs. To say this is a
    disappointing budget request is an understatement. The
    Administration is once again proposing to zero out the
    Manufacturing Extension Partnership program even though in
    2018, MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership) resulted in $16
    billion in sales, $1.7 billion in cost savings, $4 billion in
    new client investments, and more than 122,000 jobs created and
    retained at a total cost to the Federal Government of $140
    million. I'll say, that's some ROI (return on investment).
        The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, an MEP center
    that's located in Plymouth, has helped create small and medium-
    sized manufacturing jobs. They've serviced manufacturing
    clientele and retained nearly 11,000 jobs. MEP also leads the
    Nation in getting ready for cybersecurity services. This is
    something we have seen at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology
    Center. It has been critical to helping manufacturers protect
    their operations on the factory floor and the devices that they
    produce as the industrial Internet of Things (IOT) continues to
    grow exponentially.
        This budget would also result in the layoff of 400 NIST
    staff, including 17 percent of its scientists and engineers, a
    loss that would be hard and likely impossible to recover from.
    NIST scientists have won five Nobel Prizes. They are the best
    and brightest. They could work anywhere, for probably double
    that salary, but they have chosen NIST because of its
    excellence, because of its delivery and their commitment to the
    public good. This request may be one of the more callous
    examples of this Administration's slash-and-burn approach to
    the Federal budget, but it is also one of the most troubling.
    To save $300 million, the Administration is putting on the line
    billions of dollars of economic growth for U.S. companies, not
    to mention our national security, our health, and our
    environment. It is hard for me to overstate the return on
    investment for our Nation from the money that we put into
    NIST's work.
        Finally, for those of us who have visited the NIST campus
    in Gaithersburg, we understand why NIST has more than $300
    million in deferred maintenance and is undertaking major
    renovations of some of their laboratories. We cannot expect
    NIST's scientists, as bright as they are, to do cutting-edge
    research with outdated equipment, leaking pipes, and crumbling
    buildings. I encourage all of my colleagues--in fact, I implore
    my colleagues to visit either of the NIST campuses and see for
    yourself both the incredible work that they do and how
    desperate their facilities situation has become.
        I have had the privilege of visiting NIST in Gaithersburg
    several times throughout my career, and I am encouraged and I
    am inspired, and I am ready to do more.
        I understand hard decisions have to be made in every
    budget, but the proposed $300 million cut to NIST would cause
    irreversible damage to our Nation.
        Dr. Copan, I look forward to your testimony, and I thank
    you for being here. It is my hope that in our conversation
    today we will bring attention to the important work at NIST and
    the likely impacts of the proposed budget cuts. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Chairwoman Stevens follows:]
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. The Chair now recognizes Mr. Baird for
    an opening statement.
        Mr. Baird. Well, good morning, Chairwoman Stevens. I really
    want to thank you for convening today's hearing on the Fiscal
    Year 2020 Budget Request for the National Institute of
    Standards and Technology. And, Dr. Copan, I appreciate the
    opportunity to visit with you again.
        Article 1 of Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution grants the
    Congress the power to fix the standard of weight and measure.
    And Congress created NIST and its predecessor agencies to
    fulfill that important Federal responsibility. Since 1901, NIST
    has been at the forefront of setting those standards for the
    United States and the world. Almost every Federal agency and
    U.S. industry sector uses the standards and the measurements
    and the certification services that NIST labs provide. I think
    many of our constituents may not appreciate how fundamental
    this work is to our economy and to the national security. From
    genetic sequencing to cybersecurity, NIST is at the forefront
    of advancing innovation.
        As new technologies develop and evolve, NIST's services are
    critical. The President's budget request prioritizes
    investments in three critical technology areas: Quantum
    information science, microelectronics, and artificial
    intelligence. These investments will launch discoveries and
    advances that will significantly affect America's economy in
    the coming decades. I look forward to hearing more about them
    today.
        NIST also works with small and medium manufacturers to help
    them compete in the emerging global marketplace for advanced
    manufacturing. By working with industry and universities like
    my alma mater Purdue, NIST is helping U.S. manufacturers adopt
    new technologies and processes to overcome shared technical
    obstacles. The adoption of new technologies is speeding up and
    improving development, driving efficiencies in production, and
    enabling new business models. I look forward to discussing what
    the next steps should be for the public-private sector
    partnership in manufacturing.
        Finally, NIST plays a critical role in our Nation's
    cybersecurity. NIST provides mandatory guidelines and standards
    to help reduce cyber risk to Federal agencies and critical
    infrastructure. NIST also provides voluntary standards for the
    private sector.
        One of the great challenges of the 21st century is
    cybersecurity. It is imperative that we do everything we can to
    protect our citizens and their privacy. The President's budget
    request prioritizes NIST's cybersecurity work, and I hope to
    learn more about those efforts today.
        We have a constitutional obligation and a responsibility to
    ensure every taxpayer dollar spent is used as effectively and
    efficiently as possible. I appreciate that today's hearing
    gives us the opportunity to fulfill that duty, and I thank Dr.
    Copan for being here today and yield back the balance of my
    time.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Baird follows:]
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you. The Chair now recognizes the
    Chairwoman of the Full Committee, Ms. Johnson, for an opening
    statement.
        Chairwoman Johnson. Thank you very much and good morning
    and welcome to Dr. Copan before this Committee, really for the
    first time, so--and in this hearing today, we will review the
    Administration's Fiscal Year 2020 budget request for the
    National Institute of Standards and Technology.
        In short, it is a myopic and harmful request given NIST's
    critical role in our Nation's economic competitiveness and
    national security. Once again, the Administration is proposing
    deep cuts to NIST's important work across nearly the entire
    portfolio of the agency, from its basic measurement science to
    its industrial partnerships. The consequences of the 35-day
    partial government shutdown that closed NIST's doors this past
    winter may be instructive if this budget proposal is enacted.
        The shutdown of NIST's neutron research facility, according
    to NIST's own briefing materials, had repercussions on
    important industrial research and delayed the Ph.D. work of
    many graduate students who represent our future capacity to
    lead and innovate. Yet this budget proposes to cut--to shut
    down two of the facility's instruments and reduce maintenance
    funding, ensuring that the entire facility will have more
    frequent shutdowns.
        The shutdown resulted in lost opportunities and delays in
    research critical to U.S. competitiveness, including research
    in advanced computing and communications. Yet this budget
    proposes to eliminate programs addressing multiple information
    technologies and data challenges.
        The shutdown resulted in NIST's inability to participate in
    and contribute to important international dialog addressing
    emerging technology issues that will shape the future economy
    such as cybersecurity, Internet of Things, and digital
    connectivity. Yet this budget proposes to lay off 17 percent of
    NIST's scientists and engineers, the very U.S. experts who are
    needed to participate in the international discussions. Those
    are just three examples out of many.
        It should be puzzling to all of us that the Administration
    can be so devoted to ``cut, cut, cut'' that they don't stop to
    think about the consequences of the cuts, even when the
    evidence is laid bare before them. NIST gets much more--much
    less recognition and support than it deserves, among both the
    general public and the political leadership in Washington.
        While this hearing is to examine the troubling consequences
    of the 2020 budget request, it is also an opportunity to bring
    positive attention to NIST's mission and the critical work of
    NIST's dedicated scientists and engineers. I thank you, Dr.
    Copan, for being here this morning, and I look forward to the
    discussion. Thank you, and I yield back.
        [The prepared statement of Chairwoman Johnson follows:]
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. The Chair now recognizes the Ranking
    Member of the Full Committee, Mr. Lucas, for an opening
    statement.
        Mr. Lucas. Thank you, Chairwoman Stevens and Ranking Member
    Baird, for holding this hearing today. And thank you, Dr.
    Copan, for being here to testify on the National Institute of
    Standards and Technology's priorities for Fiscal Year 2020.
        Many Americans may not know just how important and far-
    reaching this work is and how much it impacts our lives and
    businesses. For example, NIST keeps the official time for the
    United States with cutting-edge atomic clocks. This may seem
    trivial, but this precise and accurate time keeps our GPS
    system working. NIST conducts research and develops standards
    for building codes and new materials. In my home State of
    Oklahoma, NIST has provided critical research and guidance for
    constructing tornado-resistant buildings and infrastructures.
        NIST also plays an important role in cybersecurity. NIST
    sets mandatory guidelines and standards for Federal agencies
    and provides voluntary standards for private industry. The NIST
    Cybersecurity Framework is considered the gold standard for
    cyber protection. Private industry trusts NIST because it has a
    track record of providing high-quality, reliable measurement
    and standards service and information. The world-class
    scientists and facilities at NIST help give United States
    industry a competitive edge that we must maintain.
        The President's budget request prioritizes funding at NIST
    in three new areas that are critical to national security and
    the economy, including the National Quantum Initiative,
    microelectronics, and artificial intelligence, and I look
    forward to hearing more about these new efforts.
        This Committee has a long, bipartisan record of support for
    NIST and its contributions to research and development. Our
    challenge is to set funding priorities that ensure America
    remains a leader in science and technology, while being able to
    balance the government's budget.
        I'll remind my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, the
    President's budget proposal is just the start of the budget
    process. Under the Constitution, the President proposes but
    Congress decides how much will be funded. It is our job to
    ensure taxpayer dollars are properly spent, and this hearing is
    the next step in that process.
        Thank you, and I yield back, Madam Chair.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Lucas follows:]
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. If there are any Members who wish to
    submit additional opening statements, your statements will be
    added to the record at this point.
        At this time, I would like to introduce our witness. Dr.
    Walter G. Copan was confirmed as Undersecretary of Commerce for
    Standards and Technology and NIST Director in October 2017.
    Prior to joining NIST, Dr. Copan founded and served in
    leadership positions for several innovation and technology
    transfer organizations and companies. Dr. Copan was formerly
    Managing Director of Technology Commercialization and
    Partnerships at the Department of Energy's Brookhaven National
    Laboratory and Principal Licensing Executive for Technology
    Transfer at Department of Energy--DOE's--National Renewable
    Energy Laboratory.
        Dr. Copan received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry,
    bachelor-of-science degree in chemistry, and bachelor-of-arts
    degree in music from Case Western Reserve University.
        Dr. Copan, as you should know, you will have 5 minutes for
    your spoken testimony. Your written testimony will be included
    in the record for the hearing. When you've completed your
    spoken testimony, we will begin the questions. Each Member will
    have 5 minutes to question the panel--or you. And with that,
    Dr. Copan, your 5 minutes begins.

                 TESTIMONY OF HON. DR. WALTER G. COPAN,

                UNDERSECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR STANDARDS

                  AND TECHNOLOGY, AND DIRECTOR OF NIST

        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much. Chairwoman Stevens, Ranking
    Member Baird, Chair Johnson, and Ranking Member Lucas, thank
    you so much for being here, together with the Committee
    Members. I'm Dr. Walter Copan, 16th Director of the National
    Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, and I am deeply
    honored to serve our Nation at this world-leading science and
    technology institute and to advance its mission for our
    economy, for innovation, and for U.S. industrial
    competitiveness.
        In this role I serve as the President's principal advisor
    on standards policy, and standards are more important than ever
    before, essential to commerce and to global trade. Thank you
    again for the opportunity to testify today before you on the
    proposed fiscal budget for 2020 for NIST. I'm deeply grateful
    to this Committee for your continued work on behalf of NIST,
    its people, programs, and facilities.
        NIST, as has already been said, plays a unique role as the
    measurement science institute of the United States. Advances in
    precision measurement enable advancing the frontiers of science
    itself, as well as engineering and manufacturing. As one of
    America's great women of science, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Grace
    Hopper said, ``One accurate measurement is worth a thousand
    expert opinions.'' This is why NIST is such a vital partner to
    U.S. industry, to academia, and to all of government.
        The Fiscal Year 2020 budget request continues this
    Administration's effort to manage fiscal spending and to put
    the Nation on a sustainable path. The budget request for NIST
    aligns with the Administration's key priorities. The
    Administration requests $686.8 million for NIST in Fiscal Year
    2020. This will support the Administration's efforts to lead
    the industries of the future by prioritizing Federal investment
    in key technology areas: Artificial intelligence, quantum
    science and engineering, advanced manufacturing,
    microelectronics, and advanced communications, including 5G,
    while maintaining NIST's core measurement science standards,
    technology, and cybersecurity capabilities.
        NIST is the best in the world in its metrology mission, as
    evidenced by the unanimous agreement of the nations of the
    world to redefine the International System of Units in
    Versailles, France last November. NIST's leadership in this
    monumental achievement for universally accurate measurements,
    now based on the unchanging constants of nature, is rooted in
    our core values of excellence and perseverance, integrity, and
    inclusivity.
        The budget requests $611.7 million for the Scientific and
    Technical Research Services account. This funds the NIST
    research programs, the frontiers of measurement science, which
    enable technology development in our manufacturing progress.
    NIST research and services are central to U.S. innovation,
    economic, and national security. Studies show that for every
    single dollar invested in NIST creates over $50 of direct value
    for the American economy.
        Let me highlight some of our proposed investment increases:
    $8 million increase for artificial intelligence to expand our
    ongoing research, measurements, and standards supporting the
    market adoption of AI technologies; increase of $10 million for
    microelectronics to advance measurement science standards and
    new materials; an increase of $10 million for quantum science
    and engineering and industry consortium collaborations to
    accelerate quantum R&D (research and development) and its
    applications. This aligns with the White House strategy for
    quantum information science and with the National Quantum
    Initiative Act, which was championed by this Committee and
    passed by Congress earlier this year. NIST has a critically
    important role in this initiative.
        NIST is the Department of Commerce's lead agency for
    cybersecurity, and the FY 2020 request maintains strong support
    for cybersecurity and privacy, including the full funding for
    the NIST Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
        With this budget, NIST will focus on critical priority
    areas of science and technology such as the standards
    accelerating deployment of next-generation communications
    technologies, including 5G, and NIST's work is essential for
    interoperable secure systems, self-driving vehicles, the
    Internet of Things, drones, trusted AI applications.
        The Fiscal Year 2020 budget request for the NIST
    Manufacturing USA program is $15.2 million. The request
    continues to fund the National Institute for Innovation and
    Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals in Delaware, as well as
    program coordination for Manufacturing USA network.
        In addition, the FY 2020 request includes $59.9 million for
    construction, including maintenance, improvements, and
    renovation of NIST facilities. It also requests $288 million
    for needed renovations to Building 1 in Boulder, Colorado, to
    be funded through a new General Services Administration (GSA)
    capital revolving fund.
        In conclusion, NIST's broad technical portfolio, scientific
    and engineering depth positions the agency to contribute
    effectively to emerging national needs. With NIST's brilliant
    dedicated staff, unique facilities, and trusted, objective,
    nonregulatory role, we are positioned to continue delivering
    high-leverage impact for our economy, quality-of-life, and
    national security. Thank you again for this opportunity.
        [The prepared statement of Dr. Copan follows:]
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you, Dr. Copan.
        At this point we will begin our first round of questions,
    and the Chair recognizes herself for 5 minutes.
        Dr. Copan, our Committee recently held a hearing on the
    importance of the Manufacturing USA program started in the
    Obama Administration. In addition to housing one of the
    institutes, NIST has played a leading role among the
    Manufacturing USA institutes writ large. And based on the
    feedback that we received during the hearing and over time from
    various stakeholders, the Committee is looking at reauthorizing
    the program and updating it where necessary. What
    recommendations, if any, do you have for continuing to
    strengthening the Manufacturing USA program so that it can meet
    its statutory goals? And I'm also particularly interested in
    your views of the interagency work as it relates to R&D and
    technology transfer throughout the supply chain and workforce
    development. Thank you.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Chairwoman Stevens.
    Manufacturing USA has been an outstanding program for the
    country, and it represents really one of our leading public-
    private partnerships. It brings together industry, academia,
    and government to address the main challenges of the future. We
    have seen that the institutes have delivered great value. There
    is uncertainty currently in terms of future funding for the
    institutes and for maintaining their mission, but the program
    of engagement and also the open competition process that was
    utilized for funding and initiating the National Institute for
    Innovation and Manufacturing of Biopharmaceuticals, which is
    closely engaged with NIST and located in Delaware, has been an
    outstanding example of delivering value to the business
    community, as well as to ensure the retooling of the American
    workforce.
        I encourage this Committee to continue its work in looking
    to the future of the reauthorization of the Manufacturing USA
    program, the RAMI (Revitalize American Manufacturing and
    Innovation Act of 2013) legislation as well, and we look
    forward to engaging with you to ensure that you have the
    information required so that the best decisions are made.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Dr. Copan, I'm also particularly
    interested in NIST's scientific and technical research
    services, in particular your lab programs, advanced
    communications networks and scientific data systems, which the
    current budget proposes a 41.2 percent decrease in funding,
    advanced manufacturing and material measurement, cybersecurity
    and privacy, exploratory measurement sciences, biosciences,
    fundamental measurement, quantum science and measurement and
    dissemination.
        And in part with your labs I was recently at the Canadian
    Embassy, and they were reflecting on their partnership with
    several European countries in artificial intelligence. And I
    got a little elbow nudge saying, well, we're waiting for the
    United States to jump in and to show us the way.
        And the current, you know, budget kind of doesn't do enough
    for what I'd like to see us doing in the advanced
    communications network, with AI and the IOT space, I think this
    is a real role for leadership. But I don't think our labs are
    getting enough attention in NIST. And what I'd love for you to
    reflect on here is how you're working if at all throughout the
    Federal Government with other agencies informing interagency
    collaborations.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much for that question, Chairwoman
    Stevens. NIST indeed is a great collaborator across the entire
    Federal network. With artificial intelligence we're actually
    the co-leads of the National Science and Technology Council's
    expert committee on AI, and also have leading engagements
    around the industrial and other applications, such as the
    Internet of Things. The collaborations are very strong. We have
    an opportunity, I believe, for the Nation to step forward and
    to demonstrate leadership because the collaborations are there.
    I believe that NIST has generally taken a bit of a low-key
    approach, and some of the comments made by the Members this
    morning have reinforced that perception.
        But I believe we do have the chance because we are rooted
    in the integrity of science and the ability of using
    measurements to assure the trustworthiness of artificial
    intelligence systems to advance U.S. leadership globally in
    artificial intelligence, AI, and advanced communications, and a
    series of other important fields that you've mentioned. Thank
    you.
        Chairwoman Stevens. And with my remaining time, I would
    just like to commend you for your recent report on the return
    on investment, which I think showcased some of this interagency
    work and the collaboration that we're seeing throughout our
    government as it pertains to scientific advancement and the
    work of NIST, and thank you for your leadership and your
    phenomenal team.
        Now, I'd like to recognize Mr. Baird for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Baird. Thank you, Madam Chair.
        Dr. Copan, since 1901--and we made reference to this
    earlier in her questioning and comments--NIST has been at the
    forefront of setting standards for the United States and the
    world. I understand that over 400 NIST staff regularly
    participate in international standards activities, as technical
    experts and in leadership roles. So I guess my question has two
    parts. Would you mind elaborating on what the value is to have
    our own NIST experts participate in those kind of programs? And
    then how does this affect our broader U.S. effort to lead in
    emerging technologies like the quantum and the AI that you made
    reference to, please?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Ranking Member Baird. The
    role that NIST plays in setting standards is both a national
    and a global role. NIST coordinates with other agencies across
    the Federal Government to ensure that the Federal Government's
    standards needs are addressed with one voice in a coordinated
    way. NIST also works as a partner to U.S. industry to ensure
    that in national, as well as international negotiations, that
    the U.S. positions are well-coordinated and articulated to
    ensure that U.S. industries' needs are at the forefront of the
    standards-setting process.
        Documentary standards are a negotiation process that affect
    both the key players across industry, as well as the key
    players across international boundaries. We are now seeing for
    the first time a highly organized international competition for
    standards setting. NIST's role in this process, is of course,
    to continue to provide the leadership that's established
    through our technical leadership within each of the science and
    technology committees where we have a role but also to provide
    the underpinning technical excellence that's needed to guide
    the standards negotiators who may be leading committees on
    behalf of the United States' interest.
        And so with this changing dynamic internationally, it's
    important for us to remember that of course this is a free-
    market society, and each company has freedom to negotiate for
    its own internal corporate strategic needs and goals. And so it
    winds up being a challenge for us sometimes to ensure that
    those industry players actually do speak together with one
    voice, that the outcomes that are most important for U.S.
    leadership in these emerging fields are ultimately achieved,
    and within the international standards process, we have seen
    other nations now taking a much more aggressive position for
    committee leadership to try to dominate committees that are in
    their nation's best interest. And so it's important for U.S.
    industry to remain highly engaged. And recommendations have
    come from the ROI Initiative that Chairman Stevens had
    referenced, talks about encouraging U.S. industry once again to
    fully engage in this process. Thank you.
        Mr. Baird. One additional question, as we all know, the
    world is becoming more and more interconnected, as you made
    reference to, and the relative insecurity of many devices
    present enormous challenges. And that's why I've cosponsored
    H.R. 1668, the Internet of Cybersecurity and Improvement Act of
    2019. So if you could, how does this budget proposal support
    NIST's examination of the IOT capabilities and the growing
    measurement and security challenges created by the convergence
    of digital technologies with the physical world?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Ranking Member Baird.
    Cybersecurity is obviously a top priority for NIST. It's a top
    priority for the Nation, and thank you so much for your
    leadership in that effort. The budget proposal for NIST for
    2020 maintains our core capabilities for cybersecurity, as well
    as our commitments to advance the privacy framework and the
    privacy agenda for this Nation in an open, transparent, and
    collaborative process with stakeholders from the public and the
    private sectors.
        The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is one of
    the leading centers globally for the Internet of Things and for
    its assessment for the evaluation of vulnerabilities and for
    the determination of interoperability and standards challenges
    and opportunities, together with the players across multiple
    U.S. industry sectors. Thank you.
        Mr. Baird. Thank you very much, and I yield back my time.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you. And before we move to our
    next round of questioning, I'd just like to welcome the
    students that I think made their way into the Committee
    hearing. Do you mind identifying yourself quickly and where you
    all are from?
        Voice. We're from Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Wonderful. Well, welcome to the
    committee of the future. This is the Science, Space, and
    Technology Committee. It is the Subcommittee for Research and
    Technology. You are dipping into the future with us, and you
    are seizing hold of a vision of that future, so thank you, and
    welcome to the hearing.
        I now recognize our Chairwoman, Ms. Johnson, for 5 minutes
    of questioning.
        Chairwoman Johnson. Thank you very much. And I will add my
    welcome for the students as well.
        Dr. Copan, what analyses did the Administration use in
    deciding what programs to prioritize or eliminate?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you very much for that question,
    Chairwoman Johnson. The analysis that was utilized to make
    these decisions I don't have the exact insight. I know that
    there have been very clear statements made by the
    Administration, and NIST certainly was at the table in defining
    the key industries of the future and the requirements to invest
    for ongoing U.S. competitiveness. And so it's been the NIST
    response to the budget proposal from the Administration to do
    the very best that we could in laying out our priorities to
    meet also our legislative mandates in stepping up to ensuring
    that the core initiatives for the Nation around artificial
    intelligence, around the future of the U.S. microelectronics
    industry, for the future of quantum science, which represents
    both a great opportunity as well as a threat to our secure
    communications and cryptography. And so the NIST response quite
    clearly had to reflect those national priorities in our budget
    response.
        Chairwoman Johnson. What is the state of the facilities of
    NIST's campuses, and what is the impact of NIST's ability to
    carry out its mission with this proposed direction of the
    Administration?
        Dr. Copan. This Administration has very clearly made a
    strong point about the importance of U.S. infrastructure and
    investment in the infrastructure requirements of the future.
    And I believe that the U.S. science and technology
    infrastructure is an essential element of U.S. leadership. The
    ability to carry out state-of-the-art research in state-of-the-
    art facilities or at least facilities that are trustworthy in
    their performance is an essential element that we're looking
    forward to the future of NIST.
        The budget request for NIST is a significant reduction from
    our previous levels, but we will certainly be as responsive as
    we can to make the most of the investments in the facilities,
    and I'm encouraged by the opportunity to finance the $288
    million that's needed for our Building 1 reconstruction in
    Boulder, Colorado, with a creative financing approach through
    the GSA revolving fund that's been proposed.
        Chairwoman Johnson. OK. What would be the impact of the
    proposed budget on U.S. leadership in international standards
    development, including for emerging technologies?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you very much for that question. NIST is
    committed to do the very best it can with the budget that we
    are ultimately allocated through this process, and we're so
    grateful for the work of this Committee to ask the questions
    about these issues. We have had certainly publicized challenges
    that have been created through failures of NIST's
    infrastructure, our water systems, our electrical systems,
    flooding in buildings, and so on. We have a very resilient
    team, and so they have worked in a very cost-effective way
    within the funding that's been made available.
        The NIST maintenance budget itself, just according to
    government standards, would be on the order of $140-150 million
    per year just to maintain the systems, and that does not even
    refer to the rebuilding process that we've just described the
    needs for. And so I look forward to the work of this Committee.
        As Chairwoman Stevens had encouraged the Committee Members,
    we invite you to come out to make a visit to Gaithersburg or to
    Boulder, see the leading-edge science that's done in our
    facilities and how we can make the most of the facilities in
    sometimes challenging conditions to still carry out leading-
    edge science for this Nation for our global leadership.
        Chairwoman Johnson. Well, thank you. Now, has NIST done any
    recent workforce planning, and do you face some graying of your
    technical workforce? And how are you planning to deal with
    that?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you. And I'm glad that we have the next
    generation of NIST scientists in this room with us today. This
    is wonderful because we look to the next generation. NIST's
    workforce planning focuses around the industries, the trends of
    the future. Measurement science is at the core of our ability
    to lead. And, as I indicated in my opening remarks, to measure
    ultimately enables the United States to lead.
        And so the workforce requirements that we've identified for
    both NIST and for the Nation focus on the requirements of our
    country for communications technologies, for cybersecurity, for
    advanced materials, and for the people involved in the field of
    artificial intelligence. NIST has issued a report on the future
    of cybersecurity education in this country, and that's tied
    with the curriculum and the expectations of the NIST
    cybersecurity education program.
        And the other elements that we see that are so important
    are the future of our advanced telecommunications, as well as
    the chip designs of the future. We've issued a workforce on
    those electronic systems as well.
        Chairwoman Johnson. Thank you. I yield back my time.
        Chairwoman Stevens. I now recognize Mr. Marshall for 5
    minutes.
        Mr. Marshall. Yes, thank you, Chairwoman. I think first I
    just want to compliment all my fellow minority Members for
    making it to these hearings, and it looks like that once again
    the dais kind of tilted over here toward our right, so I
    appreciate the participation.
        My first question, Dr. Copan, would be to do with
    cybersecurity framework, which has been a success. In September
    2018, NIST announced the launch of its privacy framework
    effort. It's intended to complement the cybersecurity framework
    to help organizations manage privacy risk. Maybe got two or
    three questions. You can bundle them together here. How is the
    development of the privacy framework progressing? What's NIST
    heard from government, industry, academia regarding the
    usefulness or necessity of guidance like the privacy framework?
    Is it something government and industry have asked for or
    suggestions that might be helpful in managing their privacy
    risk?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Congressman. This is a key
    area of NIST's focus currently. NIST launched its work in the
    development of the privacy framework actually at the
    encouragement of the private sector, who was being challenged
    with a patchwork of regulations that they were seeing to manage
    across the United States, as well as globally. And the success
    that we've had in the cybersecurity framework was seen as an
    excellent model. It's one where the private sector, government,
    public-sector entities could collaborate and look to the
    aspirations of the future to have a framework that truly
    represents best practices and not a regulatory approach, a
    checkbox kind of mindset. Industry has appreciated so much the
    approach of having a framework that looks always to managing
    the risk environment, the threat environment.
        And so after the launch of the privacy framework activities
    in which I've been personally involved and delighted to
    support, NIST has had several public engagement opportunities
    to bring feedback together. On February 27, we issued a
    framework outline and initial summary of feedback received from
    public--private sector stakeholders. We are planning our
    follow-up workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, May 13 and 14. We had
    originally planned that during February, but a certain thing
    called a government funding lapse kind of got in the way.
        But we are pleased that we're back on track. We're looking
    to make a lot of progress this year, and we're anticipating a
    working draft of this framework for public feedback within the
    next several months.
        Mr. Marshall. Great. Let's talk about microelectronics for
    a second. As a physician, I've always been curious about the
    microelectronics, and it's been actually like 20 years ago,
    that they introduced these little cameras that they could drop
    into someone's mouth and it would go through the stomach and
    the small intestines and of course through the colon as well.
    Anybody who's had the pleasure of an EGD
    (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) or a colonoscopy, this was great
    promise, but yet it's still not really taken hold. It's still
    not the gold standard. We're still doing of course
    colonoscopies and EGDs. So you've got $10 million for the
    microelectronics. Maybe just share a little bit more about it
    and its importance to United States' security and economic
    competitiveness and access to trusted and assured
    microelectronics.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much for that question in follow
    up, Congressman. Microelectronics have been a core of U.S.
    industrial leadership, and I'm pleased to indicate that NIST
    has been involved from the very beginning of the NIST
    electronic industry initiatives to enable industry to measure,
    to create the kind of standards that are necessary to have the
    advances in medicine, in communications, in computational
    technologies, and so on. Our budget proposal would really
    increase our ongoing efforts in the development of
    measurements.
        New materials are absolutely critical to achieve the kind
    of device miniaturization and high degrees of performance and
    also to be able to have the kind of connectivity that's
    necessary and the ability to do remote medicine, for example,
    and to have patients in other parts of the Nation who can take
    advantage of 5G communications technologies that connect with
    microelectronics systems and enable intelligent personalized
    medical procedures to be carried out.
        It's so important to have a rigorous standardization
    process as well, and NIST works closely with industry to ensure
    that in all aspects from the manufacturing process to the
    standards of commerce and how these systems will be used, and
    now we're working on standardization for all radiological
    devices and for magnetic resonance imaging because there's been
    so much repeated testing that's been done because of that lack
    of standardization. We look forward to that work continuing
    under this increased funding. Thank you.
        Mr. Marshall. Thank you so much. I yield back.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you. The Chair now recognizes Mr.
    Foster for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Foster. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for
    coming here to try to clear some things up for us. I'd like to
    talk briefly about the budget cuts to some centers. You're
    planning to end your $15 million Centers for Excellence
    program, which currently sponsors three centers dedicated to
    advanced materials, as you just mentioned the importance of,
    also community resilience and forensic science.
        And so I'm very concerned about this, you know,
    particularly the Advanced Materials Center for Excellence,
    which is located near my district in Illinois. The center was
    awarded in December 2013 to the Center for Hierarchical
    Materials Design, which is a partnership, which I'm going to
    also return to, between the DOE national labs, Argonne and
    Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, and
    others. And not only does this center employ people living near
    my district, but the research has the potential to
    revolutionize materials science. The current research spans
    metals, polymers, biological materials with applications in
    areas such as electronics, energy, aerospace, health care, and
    so on. Do you view these as unimportant technologies? What is
    the motivation for shutting these down?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Congressman, for that
    question. Indeed, the centers that you're talking about,
    including CHiMaD (Center for Hierarchical Materials Design) in
    Illinois, has been an absolutely outstanding example of public-
    private partnerships. It's delivered tremendous value through
    what's called a Materials Genome Initiative that's enabled the
    effective creation of the application of artificial
    intelligence machine learning to the much more rapid design of
    materials. We are very pleased with the work of these programs.
    We do see that they will have ongoing benefit, including in the
    microelectronics area that I just described.
        But under these budget proposals, difficult decisions need
    to be made. And in order to be able to carry out the priority
    needs of the industries of the future, these tough choices
    unfortunately have resulted in these proposed changes. And so
    we look forward to working with this Committee on the budget
    implications, anything that we can do to provide insights on
    the work that's planned and the ramifications, and we look
    forward to the ongoing efforts of the Committee on behalf of
    the budget process to be brought to completion.
        Mr. Foster. Yes. Now, when you see the budget jerked around
    this way, a program ramped up and then abruptly cutoff, do you
    have a feeling from what sort of violence that does to the
    attitudes of the incoming workforce to know that they may be
    starting down a road that will be slammed shut without warning
    by a future Administration such as we're facing?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much for that question. It is
    indeed challenging. NIST has a wonderful global reputation, and
    we look forward to continuing to be able to provide the kind of
    leadership opportunities for science and technology for the
    brightest and best of American talent in the future. It does
    create challenges certainly, and we work hard at NIST to keep
    people focused on their mission and regardless of budget ups
    and downs--and some of our people have been through these
    journeys during previous cycles, as you've intimated. And they
    look forward to the hard work of this Committee to make sure
    that the right choices are ultimately made and that the long-
    term strategic goals of this Nation are ultimately addressed
    regardless of Administration, regardless of political cycle,
    that we can ensure that American leadership is secured.
        Mr. Foster. Yes, but sometimes obviously the wrong choices
    can be made at the top-line level in the budgets from which you
    cannot--no amount of brilliance, you know, down deeper in the
    budget can recover from.
        Dr. Copan. Thanks for that question. We count on the
    brilliance of Congress to work on budget issues. We recognize,
    as I believe our Ranking Member had indicated early on, that
    the budget proposal is the beginning of the journey, and we
    look forward to the fiscal accountability, as well as to the
    needs of the Nation ultimately to be exercised as a result of
    the process.
        Mr. Foster. OK. I'm pretty sure I can read between the
    lines of what you're saying, and we're on your side in this.
    And I just wish you luck in all your negotiations upwards in
    the org chart. Thanks much, and I yield back.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you.
        Chairwoman Stevens. The Chair now recognizes Mr. Gonzalez
    for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Gonzalez. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Dr. Copan.
    Great to see a fellow Clevelander. Welcome. Great to see you,
    high school students. You're probably more brilliant than us,
    despite what Dr. Copan just said, so you'll see that as this
    unfolds.
        So I think there's a lot to be excited about with the
    current state of the economy, right? GDP is around 3 percent,
    unemployment all-time low, wages finally starting to rise. We
    can go through a whole litany of data that would suggest that
    in the present moment the economy is doing better than it has
    in a very, very long time.
        This Committee is largely about balancing present with
    future priorities, one of the reasons I love this Committee so
    much, and when I look at the state of the global economy and
    who our main competitors are and what we are going to be
    competing on, it's China and cutting-edge technologies. That is
    the race that we have to win. They know they have to win that.
    They're investing like crazy. They're focused. They're very
    diligent about it and cheating in a lot of ways, but, if
    nothing else, they're focused.
        My concern when I look at the budget is I'm worried that
    maybe we're pulling back when I think we should be pressing
    forward on some of these cutting-edge technologies. So my first
    question would just be a basic one. With respect to the budget
    for NIST, were you consulted, was NIST consulted, and how much
    on this particular budget?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you very much, Congressman Gonzalez, and
    thank you for representing Ohio and northeastern Ohio in
    particular. The budget process is one that I don't have full
    transparency to in terms of the way in which the initial work
    has been carried out. I know that as the proposal came to NIST,
    we have done our very best to be able to respond to work with
    the Department of Commerce. Secretary Ross certainly has been
    involved in those negotiations and been looking after the
    broader interests of the Department of Commerce. And of course
    we're in the midst of preparing for the decennial census, which
    is another challenge for budget realities.
        Mr. Gonzalez. Thank you. And then specifically on the
    manufacturing side, this proposal would eliminate the MEP
    program I believe. And, as you know, in northeast Ohio we take
    pride in our manufacturing base. We're excited about it, and we
    want to make sure that we're always at the cutting edge. So if
    this were to go through or if not, how would you make sure that
    we aren't losing our edge in the manufacturing sector?
        Dr. Copan. Thanks so much for that question. And indeed, as
    the United States is looking at this particular budget and
    fiscal responsibility and the U.S. deficit, we also are facing
    unprecedented global challenge. And you mentioned China in
    particular. I indicated earlier the highly organized way in
    which China is working to achieve strategic advantage for its
    companies and its national interests.
        U.S. manufacturing is the heartbeat of this Nation, and as
    people make things, they learn things, and we've seen that in
    Manufacturing USA, we've seen that in our Manufacturing
    Extension Partnerships. The Manufacturing Extension
    Partnerships has been a long-term success for this Nation.
    Fritz Hollings just passed away, and it was a great gift that
    he gave to the U.S. in his legacy that he leaves with the MEP.
        We would anticipate that under this budget scenario that
    the MEP centers, if they do indeed lose Federal funding, would
    have to work closely with NIST to try to transition to an
    entirely different funding model. They would need to find
    funding from the private sector to find new ways of increasing
    their funding base from their client companies. States, of
    course, and economic development organizations, the non-profit
    sector has an important role to play there, but we realize that
    if the budget would go through in this particular case, that
    there would be an important transition process to ensure that
    the long-term impacts of the MEP, such an important part of the
    U.S. manufacturing sector, could continue to deliver value for
    the Nation.
        Mr. Gonzalez. Great. And then with my final question, with
    respect to standards and codifying standards internationally,
    what is NIST doing to ensure that the 5G standards are
    developed in a collaborative manner? And how is it working with
    international, interagency partners to ensure that we don't get
    locked into a Chinese 5G standard?
        Dr. Copan. Yes, thanks so much for that question. 5G is
    absolutely essential. NIST is highly involved in that, and in
    the budget scenario, even though the overall budget bucket that
    includes advanced communications technologies has been reduced
    in the budget response, our work in continuing 5G to maintain
    U.S. leadership, to work with U.S. industry players, and to
    ensure that U.S. industry interests are represented in the
    global standards fora is an absolute top priority for us, and
    we would look forward to continuing that close engagement for
    American leadership.
        Mr. Gonzalez. Great. Thank you, Dr. Copan, and I yield
    back.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you so much. It's certainly a
    great day when we can dive a little bit deep. And for me it's
    fair to say I came here for the Manufacturing Extension
    Partnership centers. We're so admiring of what MEP has been
    able to do across the country, and we also recognize that words
    matter, that budgets matter. And while I don't expect MEP to be
    eradicated, I will repeat what I said in my opening remarks,
    which is $16 billion in sales, $1.7 billion in cost savings, $4
    billion in new client investments, and more than 122,000 jobs
    created or retained at a total cost of $140 million. This is a
    best practice in our country. And so I will bellow here in this
    Committee and anywhere that folks will listen about how
    important the Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers are
    to regional economies like mine in southeastern Michigan and
    many of my colleagues.
        I also appreciate the dialog that I have with my Ranking
    Member, Mr. Baird, who is what I consider a budget expert but
    also a believer and a fan and doer for the sciences and
    workforce development and advanced manufacturing growth. So
    rest assured we have a great partnership here and a commitment
    to progress.
        And now I would like to recognize Ms. Herrera Beutler for 5
    minutes.
        Ms. Herrera Beutler. Thank you. Just a couple quick
    clarifications. This is the first time on this Subcommittee.
    I'm new to the Committee, but I'm not new to Congress. I
    actually serve on the Appropriations Committee. And just for
    clarity's sake, there has been a recommendation from the
    Administration, and that recommendation from the Administration
    is bound under current law, meaning that the law that Congress
    passed is what they're writing their budget to.
        The majority here in the House, which would be the
    Democratic party, has the authority to put forward a new budget
    with higher levels with which you can then draw your budget. Am
    I correct in that?
        Dr. Copan. I believe that how you've described it is
    accurate, yes.
        Ms. Herrera Beutler. Yes. So as someone who has yet--you
    know, I serve on Appropriations, and we are waiting for a
    budget direction from the majority party as to how to allocate
    our Subcommittee assignments, including the Department of
    Commerce and including NIST under that umbrella. We stand ready
    to make sure that we are appropriately allocating funding,
    manufacturing extended partnerships, and all the like. I mean,
    I think manufacturing is one of the things that's helping drive
    our economy. We want to see that continue.
        And you know, I've heard a lot of comments about the
    budget, but I just wanted to remind folks that the majority
    here in the House has the authority to say thank you but no
    thank you to the recommendation from this Administration or
    any. You know, having served under the last Administration,
    they put forward recommendations based on current law that we
    took some of and we didn't take some of.
        So before everybody gets all panicked about this, I would
    just remind the majority they have the authority to increase
    your budget, and I think many of this on this side of the aisle
    support making sure that you can continue to do this work
    because we're seeing the benefit of it in our districts, in our
    regions.
        And what I really love is the commitment to the public-
    private partnership because I think that's one of the areas
    where we get the science out of the academia, we get it out of
    the theoretical and into practice. And there's so many in the
    private sector within the innovating sector I would say who are
    just raring to go. And you play such an important role, so
    thank you.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you.
        Ms. Herrera Beutler. I just wanted to get that
    clarification on record.
        And in that vein, you know, my district in southwest
    Washington I often refer to as a silicone forest. We used to
    have a lot more development in our timber and timber
    manufacturing, which I'd like to see continue, but now we have
    a growing silicone forest essentially where we're manufacturing
    chips and wafers and technology. And I feel like, you know, you
    all responding and meeting some of those needs. I wanted to ask
    about the Return on Investment Initiative for Unleashing
    American Innovation. That's a long one--which is focused on
    coordinating and improving technology transfer programs across
    Federal agencies. So what role--this is--again, I'm learning
    here--does NIST play in promoting the transfer of technology
    from federally funded R&D to the private sector?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much for that question, for the
    comments that you've laid out in terms of clarifying the budget
    process and the expectations. And I'm delighted that the work
    that NIST has been doing across the country and also in
    Washington has delivered such benefit. It's also an important
    part of retooling industry with new technologies and keeping
    the United States' manufacturers at the leading edge.
        NIST plays a very important role in the U.S. innovation
    system because we do have oversight for some of the important
    legislation and policy about Federal technology transfers. For
    example, the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 truly enabled our Nation's
    universities and many of our Federal labs to partner with
    industry to hold intellectual property and to ensure that it
    resulted in value for the economy through licensing, through
    new company startups. And so that legislation had an
    underpinning well before the digital economy.
        There are many things that are changing about public-
    private partnerships. We need much faster, much more agile and
    flexible tools to enable industry, academia, and government
    entities to engage.
        You are aware of my background in this field of innovation
    and tech transfer, and I'm highly passionate to see the value
    ROI created from our Nation's investment in basic science. And
    no matter how much we invest that we'll get more value from
    that by streamlining regulation, by removing known barriers or
    those uncertainties for the private-sector investment, and
    ultimately to enable so much more value to come for our economy
    and for our people from this investment.
        We've seen China and other nations have dramatically higher
    trajectories later of their intellectual property filings, as
    well as their work in standardization. These are areas that we
    are very focused upon in the United States, and so we need the
    Federal labs actually to have more access to intellectual
    property protections not only in this country but around the
    world to enable U.S. industry to compete globally.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you so much. How lucky we are to
    have an appropriator on our Committee who seems to intend to
    reject the cuts to MEP. The majority certainly is eager to make
    the intended investments to advance our scientific and research
    agenda.
        And a district that, you know, is south of Olympia and
    Aberdeen and just north of Portland might not seem to have too
    much in common with metro Detroit, but they're both export
    destinations, and they're both regions that are contingent on a
    robust supply chain and technology sectors. And when I look to
    our audience, the reason why we have these debates and
    discussions and why sometimes things in the budget become
    upsetting like a cut to the Special Olympics or a cut to an
    educational research program is because this is why we're doing
    this is, we're doing this for the students. We're doing this
    for the next generation. We're doing this to leave this place
    better than we found it. So thank you.
        I now yield to or recognize Mr. Balderson for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Balderson. Thank you, Madam Chair. And Dr. Copan, thank
    you for being here this morning and welcome, students, also.
        I had the chance to ask about the Manufacturing Extension
    Partnership, which has had some discussion here this morning.
    And we've also had discussions in previous Committee hearings.
    This program has helped businesses in my district, which is
    also located in central Ohio----
        Dr. Copan. Yes.
        Mr. Balderson [continuing]. Innovate and adapt to changing
    marketplace, as well as improve their products overall. Can you
    speak to how NIST is leading the way in leveraging the public-
    private partnership as a way of sparking innovation and
    improving the American industrial competitiveness?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much, Congressman Balderson. Thank
    you for your service to the Nation and to Ohio. The public-
    private partnership model that we're talking about in this
    Committee, the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships is a great
    example of leveraging Federal investment with other funding
    sources to create much higher value for the economy to address
    issues of workforce. I described earlier some of the work that
    we do across NIST to look to the workforce needs and to help
    prepare the workforce requirements so that, as industries
    change and as manufacturing sectors evolve, that we have the
    right skills with the right people at the right time for this
    Nation.
        We're looking forward to a very exciting time of artificial
    intelligence, and many of our MEP centers, as well as
    Manufacturing USA, are pioneers in the use of robotics
    technologies, additive manufacturing, digital manufacturing
    concepts that are so important to the supply chain of the
    Department of Defense.
        It's interesting actually, as we look at Manufacturing USA,
    which is a sister public-private partnership that has an
    intertwined mission with Manufacturing Extension Partnerships,
    that was actually set up after--in a similar vein in Germany at
    the Fraunhofer Institutes under the Marshall Plan. And the
    United States has recreated its new version of the public-
    private partnership as Manufacturing USA in this Nation.
        And to follow up on the point that was raised earlier about
    follow-on legislation and the importance of that program to
    U.S. manufacturers across the Nation and even the access to
    facilities such as America Makes in Youngstown and its partner
    facilities in other parts of the Nation, it's so important to
    revitalize our manufacturing communities across the Nation,
    provide them the opportunities to rebuild workforce, as well as
    to address new and entrepreneurial opportunities that are
    created by industry change.
        Mr. Balderson. Well, thank you very much for that answer.
    And I look forward to working with you on another Committee
    that I serve on, Small Business. Representative Crow from
    Colorado is the Chairman, I'm the Ranking Member for the
    Innovation and Workforce Development. And this is something
    that's a passion of mine and making sure that those jobs are
    out there and we educate and train these young adults that are
    sitting behind you right now.
        My last and final question, as we seek out a higher return
    on investment for basic research at the Federal level, can you
    share with us how you and your team ensure that NIST
    partnerships and research lead industry to develop market-ready
    products that will produce this return on taxpayers'
    investment?
        Dr. Copan. Thank you again, Congressman Balderson. The ROI
    initiative is in part looking at some of the structural and
    workforce--some of the strategic elements that are so important
    for the United States to continue to get value from its Federal
    investment in science and technology, at our national
    laboratories, at our universities, and in collaborations with
    industry. So we look forward to this process going forward.
        The Green Paper on the Return on Investment Initiative is
    expected to be released within the next several weeks, and we
    look forward to continued robust engagement with the community
    of practice.
        Many of the technologies that come out of the Federal labs
    and universities are relatively early-stage, and so as we look
    to translational research to get those ready for the commercial
    marketplace, that requires getting industry working side-by-
    side with our labs and with our universities. And so having the
    right kind of incentives, having the right kind of structures
    that make it feasible for entrepreneurs to spin out a company
    that's based on an emerging technology from our universities
    and our Federal labs is absolutely an essential part of this
    initiative.
        There are many elements. I look forward to working with
    you. We work closely across the Federal sector and with the
    Small Business Administration as well. The SBIR (Small Business
    Innovation Research) program has been a proven strong value for
    the Nation's entrepreneurs and represents yet another example
    of public-private partnership where strong recommendations have
    come out of the ROI Initiative.
        Mr. Balderson. Thank you.
        Chairwoman Stevens. Thank you. And now three Midwesterners
    remain: Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. We got sworn in, the 116th
    Congress, in an interesting time in the middle of a government
    shutdown, a partial government shutdown, which we recognize
    affected and impacted NIST greatly, furloughed workforce,
    people working without pay, and I would like to take a minute
    in this hearing to recommit to your workforce, how much they
    mean to us, how much their talents mean to our economy, and our
    intentions to advance scientific research innovations and grow
    regional economies.
        Sometimes being in Congress is like being on a boat. There
    are two sides of the aisle. It rocks back and forth through
    great debate and discourse, but yet we're still all on the same
    boat looking up, looking for that North Star, looking for
    progress, looking to create the most good.
        And so before I bring this Committee hearing to a close, I
    would like to thank our sole witness, Dr. Copan, for testifying
    before us here today and shouldering all of the questions. You
    did a fabulous job.
        The record will remain open for 2 weeks for additional
    statements from Members or for any other additional questions
    the Committee may ask of our witness. The witness is excused,
    and the hearing is now adjourned.
        Dr. Copan. Thank you so much. Thank you all.
        [Whereupon, at 11:13 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

                                   Appendix I

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                       Answers to Post-Hearing Questions
    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

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