[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10731-H10734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION ACT OF 1998

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1274) to authorize 
appropriations for the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate Amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Administration 
     Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM CENTER 
                   EXTENSION.

       Section 25(c)(5) of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(c)(5)) is amended by striking 
     ``, which are designed'' and all that follows through 
     ``operation of a Center.'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``. 
     After the sixth year, a Center may receive additional 
     financial support under this section if it has received a 
     positive evaluation through an independent review, under 
     procedures established by the Institute. Such an independent 
     review shall be required at least every two years after the 
     sixth year of operation. Funding received for a fiscal year 
     under this section after the sixth year of operation shall 
     not exceed one third of the capital and annual operating and 
     maintenance costs of the Center under the program.''.

     SEC. 3. MALCOLM BALDRIGE QUALITY AWARD.

       (a) Additional Awards.--Section 17(c)(3) of the Stevenson-
     Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
     3711a(c)(3)) is amended by inserting ``, unless the Secretary 
     determines that a third award is merited and can be given at 
     no additional cost to the Federal Government'' after ``in any 
     year''.
       (b) Categories.--Section 17(c)(1) of the Stevenson-Wydler 
     Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711a(c)(1)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) Health care providers.
       ``(E) Education providers.''.

     SEC. 4. NOTICE.

       (a) Redesignation.--Section 31 of the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology Act is redesignated as section 32.
       (b) Notice.--The National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by 
     inserting after section 30 the following new section:


                                ``notice

       ``Sec. 31. (a) Notice of Reprogramming.--If any funds 
     authorized for carrying out this Act are subject to a 
     reprogramming action that requires notice to be provided to 
     the Appropriations Committees of the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate, notice of such action shall concurrently be 
     provided to the Committee on Science of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate.
       ``(b) Notice of Reorganization.--
       ``(1) Requirement.--The Secretary shall provide notice to 
     the Committees on Science and Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate, not later 
     than 15 days before any major reorganization of any program, 
     project, or activity of the Institute.
       ``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     term ``major reorganization'' means any reorganization of the 
     Institute that involves the reassignment of more than 25 
     percent of the employees of the Institute.''.

     SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.

       With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense of 
     Congress that the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology should--
       (1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
     related problems in its computer systems to ensure that those 
     systems continue to operate effectively in the year 2000 and 
     beyond; and
       (2) develop contingency plans for those systems that the 
     Institute is unable to correct in time.

     SEC. 6. ENHANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) Educationally useful federal equipment.--The term 
     ``educationally useful Federal equipment'' means computers 
     and related peripheral tools and research equipment that is 
     appropriate for use in schools.
       (2) School.--The term ``school'' means a public or private 
     educational institution that serves any of the grades of 
     kindergarten through grade 12.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--
       (1) In general.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
     Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology should, to the greatest extent practicable and in 
     a manner consistent with applicable Federal law (including 
     Executive Order No. 12999), donate educationally useful 
     Federal equipment to schools in order to enhance the science 
     and mathematics programs of those schools.
       (2) Reports.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director 
     of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall 
     prepare and submit to the President a report. The President 
     shall submit the report to Congress at the same time as the 
     President submits a budget request to Congress under section 
     1105(a) of title 31, United States Code.
       (B) Contents of report.--The report prepared by the 
     Director under this paragraph shall describe any donations of 
     educationally useful Federal equipment to schools made during 
     the period covered by the report.

     SEC. 7. TEACHER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT INSTITUTE 
                   PROGRAM.

       The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 
     U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 19 
     the following:
       ``Sec. 19A. (a) The Director shall establish within the 
     Institute a teacher science and technology enhancement 
     program to provide for professional development of 
     mathematics and science teachers of elementary, middle, and 
     secondary schools (as those terms are defined by the 
     Director), including providing for the improvement of those 
     teachers with respect to the understanding of science and the 
     impacts of science on commerce.
       ``(b) In carrying out the program under this section, the 
     Director shall focus on the areas of--
       ``(1) scientific measurements;
       ``(2) tests and standards development;
       ``(3) industrial competitiveness and quality;
       ``(4) manufacturing;
       ``(5) technology transfer; and
       ``(6) any other area of expertise of the Institute that the 
     Director determines to be appropriate.
       ``(c) The Director shall develop and issue procedures and 
     selection criteria for participants in the program.
       ``(d) The program under this section shall be conducted on 
     an annual basis during the summer months, during the period 
     of time when a majority of elementary, middle, and secondary 
     schools have not commenced a school year.
       ``(e) The program shall provide for teachers' participation 
     in activities at the laboratory facilities of the Institute, 
     or shall utilize other means of accomplishing the goals of 
     the program as determined by the Director, which may include 
     the Internet, video conferencing and recording, and workshops 
     and conferences.''.

     SEC. 8. OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of Commerce an Office of Space Commercialization 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Office'').
       (b) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director, 
     who shall be a senior executive and shall be compensated at a 
     level in the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of 
     title 5, United States Code, as determined by the Secretary 
     of Commerce.
       (c) Functions of the Office; Duties of the Director.--The 
     Office shall be the principal unit for the coordination of 
     space-related issues, programs, and initiatives within the 
     Department of Commerce. The primary responsibilities of the 
     Director, in carrying out the functions of the Office, shall 
     include--
       (1) promoting commercial provider investment in space 
     activities by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating 
     information on space markets, and conducting workshops and 
     seminars to increase awareness of commercial space 
     opportunities;
       (2) assisting United States commercial providers in the 
     efforts of those providers to conduct business with the 
     United States Government;
       (3) acting as an industry advocate within the executive 
     branch of the Federal Government to ensure that the Federal 
     Government meets the space-related requirements of the 
     Federal Government, to the fullest extent feasible, using 
     commercially available space goods and services;
       (4) ensuring that the United States Government does not 
     compete with United States commercial providers in the 
     provision of space hardware and services otherwise available 
     from United States commercial providers;
       (5) promoting the export of space-related goods and 
     services;
       (6) representing the Department of Commerce in the 
     development of United States policies and in negotiations 
     with foreign countries to ensure free and fair trade 
     internationally in the area of space commerce; and
       (7) seeking the removal of legal, policy, and institutional 
     impediments to space commerce.

     SEC. 9. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE 
                   TECHNOLOGY.

       Section 5 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act 
     of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3704) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(f) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 
     Technology.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Under 
     Secretary, shall establish for fiscal year 1999 a program to 
     be known as the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 
     Technology (referred to in this subsection as the `program'). 
     The purpose of the program shall be to strengthen the 
     technological competitiveness of those States that have 
     historically received less Federal research and development 
     funds than those received by a majority of the States.
       ``(2) Arrangements.--In carrying out the program, the 
     Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall--
       ``(A) enter into such arrangements as may be necessary to 
     provide for the coordination of the program through the State 
     committees established under the Experimental Program to 
     Stimulate Competitive Research of the National Science 
     Foundation; and

[[Page H10732]]

       ``(B) cooperate with--
       ``(i) any State science and technology council established 
     under the program under subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) representatives of small business firms and other 
     appropriate technology-based businesses.
       ``(3) Grants and cooperative agreements.--In carrying out 
     the program, the Secretary, acting through the Under 
     Secretary, may make grants or enter into cooperative 
     agreements to provide for--
       ``(A) technology research and development;
       ``(B) technology transfer from university research;
       ``(C) technology deployment and diffusion; and
       ``(D) the strengthening of technological capabilities 
     through consortia comprised of--
       ``(i) technology-based small business firms;
       ``(ii) industries and emerging companies;
       ``(iii) universities; and
       ``(iv) State and local development agencies and entities.
       ``(4) Requirements for making awards.--
       ``(A) In general.--In making awards under this subsection, 
     the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall 
     ensure that the awards are awarded on a competitive basis 
     that includes a review of the merits of the activities that 
     are the subject of the award.
       ``(B) Matching requirement.--The non-Federal share of the 
     activities (other than planning activities) carried out under 
     an award under this subsection shall be not less than 25 
     percent of the cost of those activities.
       ``(5) Criteria for states.--The Secretary, acting through 
     the Under Secretary, shall establish criteria for achievement 
     by each State that participates in the program. Upon the 
     achievement of all such criteria, a State shall cease to be 
     eligible to participate in the program.
       ``(6) Coordination.--To the extent practicable, in carrying 
     out this subsection, the Secretary, acting through the Under 
     Secretary, shall coordinate the program with other programs 
     of the Department of Commerce.
       ``(7) Report.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of the Technology Administration Act of 1998, the 
     Under Secretary shall prepare and submit a report that meets 
     the requirements of this paragraph to the Secretary. Upon 
     receipt of the report, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of 
     the report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of 
     the House of Representatives.
       ``(B) Requirements for report.--The report prepared under 
     this paragraph shall contain with respect to the program--
       ``(i) a description of the structure and procedures of the 
     program;
       ``(ii) a management plan for the program;
       ``(iii) a description of the merit-based review process to 
     be used in the program;
       ``(iv) milestones for the evaluation of activities to be 
     assisted under the program in fiscal year 1999;
       ``(v) an assessment of the eligibility of each State that 
     participates in the Experimental Program to Stimulate 
     Competitive Research of the National Science Foundation to 
     participate in the program under this subsection; and
       ``(vi) the evaluation criteria with respect to which the 
     overall management and effectiveness of the program will be 
     evaluated.''.

     SEC. 10. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY MEDAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 
                   TECHNOLOGY.

       In the administration of section 16 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
     Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3711), 
     Environmental Technology shall be established as a separate 
     nomination category with appropriate unique criteria for that 
     category.

     SEC. 11. INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC RESEARCH CENTER.

       The Congress finds that the International Arctic Research 
     Center is an internationally-supported effort to conduct 
     important weather and climate studies, and other research 
     projects of benefit to the United States. It is, therefore, 
     the sense of the Congress that, as with similar research 
     conducted in the Antarctic, the United States should provide 
     similar support for this important effort.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barcia) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H.R. 1274.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1274, the Technology 
Administration Act of 1998. This is legislation that I introduced on 
April 10 of 1997. The bill is a bipartisan effort to address a number 
of important legislative issues facing the Technology Administration 
and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  NIST is the Nation's oldest Federal laboratory. It was established by 
Congress in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards, and subsequently 
renamed NIST. As part of the Department of Commerce, NIST's mission is 
to promote economic growth by working with industry to develop and 
apply technology measurements and standards, this bill is applicable. 
As the Nation's arbiter of standards, NIST enables our Nation's 
businesses to engage each other in commerce and participate in the 
global marketplace.

                              {time}  1345

  The precise measurements required for establishing standards 
associated with today's increasingly complex technologies required NIST 
laboratories to maintain the most sophisticated equipment and the most 
talented scientists in the world. To date NIST has succeeded and the 
science conducted by the institute is a vital component of the Nation's 
civilian research and technology development base.
  H.R. 1274 takes a number of important steps to address critical 
issues associated with two NIST programs, the Malcolm Baldrige Quality 
Awards program and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program.
  First, the bill authorizes the expansion of the Malcolm Baldrige 
Quality Awards program into the field of health care and education. I 
believe this expansion will allow the benefits of the total quality 
management approach, inherent in the administration of the Baldrige 
Award winning companies, to spill over into these two vital segments of 
our Nation's economy.
  Second, H.R. 1274 lifts the six-year sunset requirement for the MEP 
centers. The required sunset, which disallows Federal funding of 
centers after the sixth year of their existence, has annually been 
lifted through the appropriations process. The annual nature of the 
reprieve, however, has added a degree of uncertainty to the operation 
of the centers, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program.
  The bill also contains a new program to enable NIST to assist 
elementary through secondary school math and science teachers to better 
understand science by giving them access to NIST laboratories and 
scientists during the summer months. And through this new initiative, 
teachers will get an opportunity to learn from some of the leading 
scientists in the world by observing and participating in NIST's 
cutting edge laboratory research. What a good idea.
  The bill also officially establishes the Office of Space 
Commercialization at Technology Administration. While the office 
already exists, it has been without a charter for over a decade. 
Finally, the office will be getting the legislative authorization that 
it requires.
  In addition, the bill establishes for one year the Experimental 
Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology, EPSCOT is the acronym. 
Since it is clear that EPSCOT will receive funding in fiscal year 1999, 
I believe it is appropriate to create guidelines for the program. That 
being said, the establishment should not be viewed as an endorsement of 
the program beyond fiscal year 1999.
  Section 9 of the bill specifies that EPSCOT be established only for 
fiscal year 1999. In the absence of future legislation, EPSCOT cannot 
be viewed as an authorized program beyond October 1, 1999. Finally, Mr. 
Speaker, the bill contains a number of good government provisions, 
including a requirement that the Department of Commerce consult with 
Congress before reprogramming funds for conducting a major 
reorganization of NIST or TA programs, and it includes a sense of 
Congress on the year 2000 computer problem.
  As a strong proponent of addressing this impending year 2000 crisis, 
I am pleased that this provision has not only been included in the 
Technology Administration bill, but all authorizations of the Committee 
on Science. I am hopeful that with continued pressure from the 
Committee on Science and Congress, the administration will fix the 
problem before it is too late. And I want to point out that we just 
earlier today had a bill, the Year 2000 Preparedness Act, which we have 
had under suspension, which was bipartisan in nature and a very 
important measure with regard to the Year 2000.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and to 
vote to send it to the President for his signature.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H10733]]

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1274, the Technology 
Administration Act of 1998. This bill is the result of compromise 
between the House and Senate and addresses some of the more pressing 
problems at the Technology Administration and the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology.
  I would like to briefly mention two key provisions in the bill. As 
most Members are aware, the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships 
program is a Federal/State/private partnership to assist small and 
medium-sized businesses. The MEP is one of the most successful 
government industry partnerships of its kind. However, the original 
language establishing the program called for terminating the Federal 
funding share after an MEP center had been in operation for 6 years. 
Numerous witnesses appearing before the Subcommittee on Technology have 
stated that terminating funding after 6 years would not allow MEP 
centers to meet the objectives of the program. House Resolution 1274 
finally resolves this issue by amending the original language to lift 
the six-year cap on Federal funding and to limit Federal funds to no 
more than one-third of the center's cost.
  This is a major step forward in the program and will ensure the long-
term financial stability of the overall program.
  In addition, H.R. 1274 expands the highly successful Malcolm Baldrige 
Quality Program to include two new categories in health care and 
education. The Baldrige Quality Award has become a benchmark for 
quality programs throughout the Nation and is strongly supported by the 
private sector through direct financial contributions and manpower. The 
Baldrige Quality Program has already completed pilot programs in these 
two new areas, and the expansion of the award program was strongly 
endorsed both by the Baldrige Foundation board and education and health 
care professionals.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill. And on a final note, I 
want to say what a pleasure and privilege it has been to have the 
opportunity of working with the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella) this past year. If we look at the track record of our 
subcommittee, I think it is clear to anyone who would review that that 
we have had a very active and certainly achieved a very extensive 
legislative record in the subcommittee. And that is due in no small 
part to the tremendous bipartisan leadership we have seen by the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella). Her leadership style, her 
energy and the ambitious agenda that have tackled this past year are 
certainly a compliment to her style of leadership on that subcommittee 
and the other members who serve on that subcommittee.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Again, I think this is an example of a bipartisan effort where the 
American people benefit. For me also it has been a great pleasure to 
work with the distinguished ranking member the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Barcia). We have looked at each issue. We have looked it from all 
points of view and have worked together in concert working with other 
members of the subcommittee and the full committee to achieve what we 
felt was important. Again, I thank him.
  Nothing happens without a lot of people working on it. I would 
certainly like to thank the chairman of the full committee, the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), who came to the rescue 
when there was a possibility that this bill could fall through the 
cracks. I appreciate very much what he did on our behalf and on behalf 
of the Nation, also our ranking member on the full committee, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Brown). I mentioned the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Barcia), and also the staffs.
  We are lucky. We have some terrific staff people who follow through 
inch by inch on each one of these projects that we are involved in. On 
my side of the aisle Richard Russell, Barry Beringer, Mike Bell; on Mr. 
Barcia's side, I know Mike Quear and Jim Turner have been very helpful. 
They have worked in a bipartisan basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and 
vote to send it to the President for his signature.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1274, 
the Technology Administration Act of 1997. The bill includes a variety 
of provisions that will allow the Technology Administration (TA) and 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to move 
forward with their missions.
  The bill establishes in law the requirement that the Department of 
Commerce must consult with Congress before reprogramming funding for, 
or from, any NIST or TA programs. The bill further requires that 
Commerce must consult with Congress before conducting a major 
reorganization. I view these two new changes to permanent law as vital 
to the Science Committee's ability to continue its oversight on the 
programs of TA and NIST.
  The bill also includes a Sense of Congress on the Year 2000 computer 
problem. This Sense of Congress is intended to continue the pressure on 
the Department of Commerce to fix its Year 2000 problem before it is 
too late. The Science Committee has included similar provisions in all 
its House-passed authorizations, and I think they send a powerful 
signal to the Administration that Congress is taking this issue very 
seriously.
  The bill also authorizes two new awards for the Malcolm Baldridge 
Quality Awards Program. These new awards in healthcare and education 
were included in H.R. 1274, as passed by the House last year.
  Additionally, the bill lifts the six-year sunset requirement on 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program centers. Again, 
similar language passed the House last year.
  The bill contains language establishing the Office of Space 
Commercialization. The office has existed for a decade, but has been 
without a legislative charter. The language will not expand the 
office's responsibilities, but will give it a clear statutorily defined 
mission. This language passed the House last April as part of H.R. 
1275, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization 
Bill.
  The bill also contains a new program to bring science and math 
teachers into NIST's laboratories during the summer months. The program 
is intended to improve teacher understanding of science through direct 
experience working along side or observing some of the world's best 
scientists at one of our leading national laboratories. The program 
will require no new facilities and the bill includes no new 
authorizations of funds for the program, it will be carried out within 
NIST's existing laboratory budget.
  The bill also creates for one year the Experimental Program to 
Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCOT). EPSCOT was funded last year 
and has been included in both the House and Senate Commerce, Justice, 
States Appropriations bills. It will receive funding in Fiscal Year 
(FY) 1999. The language in H.R. 1274 creates guidelines for the 
program. It also specifies that the program is only established for FY 
1999.
  Finally, I would like to remark on what is not in the bill. The bill 
contains no authorization's of appropriations. While H.R. 1274 passed 
the House last year in advance of the FY 1998 appropriations process, 
and included authorization for TA and NIST for FY 1998 and 1999 
totaling over a billion dollars, the bill, however, returned from the 
Senate after the FY 1999 appropriations process had all but concluded, 
and therefore the authorizations have been removed from the bill.
  Additionally, this bill does not in any way authorize the Advanced 
Technology Program (ATP). ATP was reformed and authorized in H.R. 1274 
when it passed the House in 1997. In negotiations with the Senate, no 
agreement could be reached on a reasonable funding and reform package, 
and, therefore, all provisions dealing with ATP were stripped from the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend Technology Subcommittee 
Chairwoman Morella for her hard work on this measure, and I urge all my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1274 and vote to send it to the President 
for his signature.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a co-sponsor to this bill, 
I rise to speak on behalf of H.R. 1274, which authorizes the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the fiscal years of 
1998 and 1999.
  The National Institute of Standards and Technology is a subdivision 
of the Department of Commerce charged with assisting private industry 
in advancing their manufacturing processes, ensuring the reliability 
and stability of new products and services, and facilitating the 
commercialization of breakthrough technology developed with the support 
of government labs and programs.
  One of the most important programs run by NIST is the Advanced 
Technology Program (ATP), which I have strongly supported in the past. 
That program attempts to assist private industries perform the research 
and development (R&D) necessary for success in the

[[Page H10734]]

long-term. It does so by creating a partnership between a private 
company and NIST, in which each shares part of the cost of this 
incredibly important, and expensive, R&D.
  However, I would like to make it very clear that ATP is not corporate 
welfare. ATP requires that the technology being developed have a broad 
application, so that its impact will bring benefits to all of society. 
Furthermore, no ATP funds can be used for product development--all 
grant monies are used to support technologies that are essential for 
the development of new products and processes and have diverse 
applications. That way, all manufacturers, and therefore, all 
consumers, benefit from this research. Furthermore, to receive an ATP 
award, a company must pass a series of rigorous competitions which are 
designed to select proposals that have the highest potential for 
further innovation, and the broadest applicability to United States 
industry as a whole.
  ATP is not the only important program at NIST. As their name implies, 
NIST assists private industry develop standards that can be used across 
an entire market segment. For instance, NIST is instrumental in 
ensuring that industries that are developing new communications 
devices, like wireless phones, do so on common ground. The benefit is 
that all of our wireless phones can speak with each other, and we are 
not forced to work with proprietary systems that incompatible and, 
therefore, unprofitable.
  Furthermore, NIST, on its own, engages in important research that 
will change our lives. For instance, NIST has recently begun to develop 
new technologies that can be used to improve our satellite's remote 
sensing capabilities so that we can better gauge our environmental 
phenomena. That same technology can also be used by doctors to improve 
the treatment of their patients, because they can view the human body 
in new and wondrous ways.
  I urge all of you to vote for this bill, and continue to support our 
government's scientific partnership with private industry.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 
1274.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________