[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 94 (Tuesday, July 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

                                 ______


                      HON. GEORGE J. HOCHBRUECKNER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 19, 1994

  Mr. HOCHBRUECKNER. Mr. Speaker, defense diversification is a very 
important issue in my district as well as in the Nation. I sit on the 
Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Research and Technology. 
University-based research not only provides new technology designed to 
keep the military one step ahead, but it also provides innovations for 
technology transfer that helps maintain a strong economy. Military 
procurement and other areas of spending have been severely curtailed in 
recent years, and many of us have felt its impact in our communities as 
factories shut down, bases closed, and service men and women return to 
civilian life. I am confident, however, that our economy will rebound 
from these spending decisions through defense diversification.
  Chairman Murtha and his Defense Subcommittee of the Appropriations 
Committee had the impossible task of setting priorities for a 
Department whose budget has grown smaller with each passing year. He 
rearranged some priorities this year to address these pressing needs 
and deserves our thanks. The decisions made by the committee were not 
final ones and some of the funding levels will be looked at again in 
the House-Senate conference. Chairman Murtha deserves special 
commendation for providing increases in university-based research 
projects in past appropriation bills. It is important to realize that 
of all the research funding the Government provides to our 
universities, the Department of Defense provides approximately 41 
percent of all engineering funding and 58 percent of all computer 
science funding. Our universities train new generations of top 
scientists because of this ongoing partnership between them and the 
Department of Defense. This research not only brings new technology to 
the military, but provides needed financial support for new scientists 
to conduct research for their Ph.D.'s, or post-doctoral work, thus 
training our next generation of scientists.
  University-based research provides the foundation for new technology 
that keeps our military prepared and ready. One of my priorities is the 
way in which new DOD research focuses on technology. Defense 
contractors need assistance in shifting from technology exclusively 
developed for the Pentagon, to technology that can be used in all areas 
of industry. At the University at Stony Brook, which is located in my 
district, researchers have several DOD sponsored projects that focus on 
advanced computers. This work will not only help to keep our Nation's 
defense technology up to date, but will eventually help small 
businesses on Long -island create new high tech products. This 
research, and that of other New York State institutions, has already 
helped small electronic firms in my State and hopefully will help major 
industries produce new products to help them retain their major role in 
the Long Island economy.
  I understand that the issue of university-based research will be 
raised in the House-Senate conference on the fiscal year 1995 Defense 
appropriations bill. I have confidence in Chairman Murtha's ability to 
find a way to address this problem. The level of funding the House 
approved contains such a drastic cut in the university-based research 
account that ongoing experiments would have to cease and many 
researchers would loose their financial support. Chairman Murtha set 
priorities in this budget to ensure that scientific achievement would 
not have to end. I am confident that our achievement in science will 
not be discontinued and that we will vote on a new level of funding 
when the conference report is put before the full House.

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