[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S11959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMERCIALIZATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES

  Mr. ABRAHAM. The Federal Government has spent millions of dollars 
during the past decade to support research laboratories, universities 
and the private sector to develop technologies to reduce the Nation's 
reliance on imported oil through the use of renewable energy sources, 
and to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of cleaning up 
federally-owned sites which are contaminated with hazardous waste. This 
research is extremely valuable and is directed at addressing some of 
the most serious challenges facing our Nation. Unfortunately, these 
national research and development initiatives often do not provide 
maximum benefit to the Federal Government or to the private sector, 
since the technologies are not demonstrated to be effective on a 
commercial scale. It is my hope that as we continue to pursue these 
issues, the Federal Government can do more to help give the lessons 
learned from this research broader application.
  A new program which recently has come to my attention--Acceleration 
Demonstration of Federally Sponsored Research for Renewable Energy 
Production and Environmental Remediation--seeks to remedy this problem. 
It seems to me that through a cooperative effort with the Department of 
Energy, its laboratories and other federally-sponsored research 
institutions, non-profit research and business development 
organizations could help commercialize existing federal research so 
that Americans could benefit more widely from these Federal 
initiatives.
  Mr. BURNS. I agree with my colleague from Michigan. Commercialization 
of Federal research, particularly through non-profit organizations, 
could play a significant role in expanding the benefits from this 
research and get the most from our Federal research investments.
  Mr. DASCHLE. The Senator is right. The Federal Government should do 
more to help commercialize the results of federally-sponsored research. 
DOE should consider what steps it can undertake to better achieve this 
objective.
  Mr. DOMENICI. The Department of Energy has a number of programs by 
which it might be able to team with non-Federal entities to 
commercialize technologies developed by the Department. I would 
encourage the Department of Energy to review the proposal mentioned by 
my colleagues and, to the extent appropriate within existing Department 
of Energy technology transfer programs, consider it for possible 
funding.
  Mr. REID. That is correct. Funding is available under this bill for 
DOE in the Acceleration Demonstration of Federally Sponsored Research 
for Renewable Energy Production and Environmental Remediation programs 
account that can be awarded for commercialization of renewable fuels 
and environmental cleanup technologies on a competitive basis. I would 
urge DOE to seriously consider supporting this work in fiscal year 1998 
up to the $5 million level.
  Mr. BURNS. That is my view as well.

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