[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 192 (Tuesday, December 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S18016-S18017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PRESSLER (for himself and Mr. Burns):
  S. 1445. A bill to authorize appropriations for the National Science 
Foundation, and for other purposes.


       THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1995

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, today, as chairman of the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, I am introducing the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1995. The bill provides a 3-
year authorization for the science and education programs of the 
National Science Foundation [NSF]. Our economy, our quality of life, 
and our national security are increasingly dependent on our leadership 
in science and technology. Since its beginnings in 1950, the NSF has 
played a central role in maintaining that leadership through its 
research programs. In fact, NSF remains the principal source of funding 
for fundamental research at our Nation's academic institutions.
  While America is still doing well in science and technology, our 
leadership position is slipping. For example, while the U.S. leads the 
world in total dollars spent on research and development, both Japan 
and Germany currently outspend the United States as a percentage of 
GNP. Similarly, a recent study by the White House Office of Science and 
Technology Policy revealed the U.S. leads in 27 critical technologies, 
but Europe and Japan are catching up in many of those areas.
  There is little question that meeting these challenges in science and 
technology requires a strong and robust NSF. To that end, the 
legislation I am introducing today provides $3.2 billion for each of 
fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998 to allow NSF to continue its efforts 
to keep America at the forefront of basic research. In a fiscal 
environmental in which we are looking to eliminate entire agencies, 
this authorization bill reflects a strong commitment to basic science. 
The annual funding is only slightly below NSF's fiscal year 1995 
funding level. Moreover, the bill's funding authorizations for both the 
overall agency and its 

[[Page S 18017]]
major individual accounts correspond to the appropriations levels 
approved for NSF by the Senate in September.
  Mr. President, of the total NSF authorization, the bill authorizes 
$2.3 billion for the research and related activities account, the main 
source of NSF's research grants. This is roughly the same as the fiscal 
year 1995 funding level. NSF's research programs support important work 
in advanced materials, biotechnology, global climate studies, general 
science and math, and high performance computing. Many of the products 
and services we take for granted are the direct result of research 
funded by NSF grants.

  Within the Research Account, let me make special mention of one 
program: the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research 
[EPSCoR] at NSF. This program has been particularly helpful in 
strengthening the research capabilities of colleges in States that 
historically have been unable to effectively compete for Federal 
research opportunities. EPSCoR has been so successful at NSF that it 
has also been adopted at five other Federal science agencies, including 
NASA.
  To allow EPSCoR to continue its important work in our rural States, 
my bill provides an annual authorization of $46 million for the 
program. This is a 24-percent increase over its fiscal year 1995 level 
of $37 million. Unfortunately, when it comes to many Federal science 
programs, my home State of South Dakota and other rural States have had 
little, if any, involvement--either as participants or beneficiaries. 
These States, too, must be part of the technological revolution. In 
that regard, the National Science Foundation, through EPSCoR and other 
programs, has done a tremendous job of including rural States in that 
revolution.
  I should mention the bill funds EPSCoR out of the Research Account 
rather than its current funding source, the Education Account. This 
change is intended to encourage greater coordination and interaction 
between EPSCoR and the larger research programs.
  To further build on the successful EPSCoR concept, my bill authorizes 
$10 million a year for a new pilot program to provide research grants 
to partnerships formed by EPSCoR institutions and large research 
universities. This program will enable small schools participating in 
EPSCoR to graduate from the smaller EPSCoR science projects into larger 
mainstream programs by joining with a big brother research university 
like MIT. The large schools participating in the program stand to gain 
as well. The program would enable large schools to become more 
competitive by combining their talent, experience, and resources with 
those of their rural counterparts. In short, Mr. President, if 
approved, this program will help broaden and strengthen America's 
science and technology base.
  My bill also provides $599 million for the education account at NSF 
to help develop a new generation of scientists and engineers to tackle 
future scientific challenges and to ensure a technologically literate 
Nation. NSF's programs support educational activities reaching students 
at all levels in South Dakota and all across the Nation. Science 
education must be a national priority if we are to remain competitive 
in our increasingly global and technologically oriented marketplace. My 
bill's full funding for NSF's education programs indicates the high 
priority I place on science education.
  Finally, I note that my bill authorizes $100 million for the 
facilities program at NSF. Good science requires good research 
facilities. The NSF facilities program provides funding to enable our 
research institutions to renovate old facilities and buy up-to-date lab 
equipment so our scientists will have the proper tools and environment 
to conduct their studies.
  Mr. President, we in South Dakota are especially grateful for the 
work of NSF. Currently, NSF is supporting more than 50 research and 
education projects in South Dakota educational institutions ranging 
from elementary school to graduate school. These activities have been 
crafted to reflect the special expertise of those schools and 
universities as well as the particular needs of our region.
  For instance, NSF is supporting research at the South Dakota School 
of Mines and Technology designed to better understand and predict 
weather and climate to help our agriculture community. NSF also is 
funding several projects in South Dakota to improve the teaching of 
math and science at our schools. In September, for example, NSF began 
funding for a project designed to create degree programs in science, 
engineering, and mathematics at our tribal colleges. This important 
work must be allowed to continue.
  Mr. President, my bill will enable these and other NSF projects to 
move forward and to keep America strong in science and technology. I 
look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important 
legislation enacted.
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, today I stand with Senator Pressler as a 
cosponsor of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1995 
(S. 1445). The National Science Foundation is an independent Federal 
agency that provides grants for basic research to colleges, 
universities, and nonprofit organizations. NSF supports research in the 
basic science and mathematic areas in addition to supporting 
precollege, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as post-
doctoral associates. The foundation's support for basic research and 
science education is one major reason for our world leadership in 
science and technology.
  The bill authorizes the National Science Foundation to spend $3.2 
billion in fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998, which is 95 percent of 
the administration's budget request. The bill authorizes the 
Foundation's research and related activities at $2.3 billion and its 
education and human resources activities at $599 million each year.
  Our authorization includes a total of $56 million for the 
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research [EPSCoR] and 
related activities that have provided needed assistance for 
universities in rural States such as my State of Montana. The primary 
purpose of EPSCoR is to serve as a change agent and catalyst to develop 
a competitive research base in our rural areas. The development of this 
strong research base will in turn improve the quality of education we 
provide to our citizens at all levels, and generate spin-off 
technologies.
  The Bill also authorizes the National Science Foundation to spend 
$100 million each year for Academic Research Infrastructure. This 
activity provides grants to universities to upgrade and improve 
research and lab equipment and renovate facilities. Good research 
requires good facilities and good lab equipment. Full funding for this 
account will help to rebuild the U.S. academic institutions to 
facilitate the conduct of leading-edge research.
  Finally, this bill supports the Foundation's science education 
programs. Strengthening the math and science literacy of our young 
people is the only way to insure their involvement in our increasingly 
technological world. I am especially interested in activities aimed at 
K through 12 education. I also think it is important to take advantage 
of communications technology to make our educational system more 
effective, such as the distance learning/teacher enhancement projects 
at Montana State University developed to improve the skills of teachers 
in remote areas of the Northwest. In that connection, I sponsored 
language in the bill which establishes a pilot program at the 
Foundation to provide, in a competitive basis, financial support for 
States with two or more tribally-controlled community colleges. This 
assistance will establish interactive telecommunication systems at 
these colleges to enhance and improve their educational programs and 
curricula. These are the kinds of activities that we need to stress if 
our Nation is to remain competitive.
  Again, I would like to state my support for the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 1995 and look forward to working with 
my colleagues to enact this legislation during this Congress.
                                 ______