[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 91 (Tuesday, July 9, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 
                         TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 9, 2002

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, today, I and Representatives M. Udall, R. 
Hall, Weiner, Honda, Rivers, Larson, Israel, Matheson, Woolsey, Baca, 
E.B. Johnson, Costello, and Lofgren are introducing the Technology 
Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
of 2003. This bill provides a 3-year authorization for the Technology 
Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  For the Technology Administration the bill provides the 
Administration's FY03 request. The legislation then provides for 
inflationary increases in FY04 and FY05.
  For the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the bill 
provides full funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
program (MEP). The bill authorizes $110 million in FY03, which will 
fully fund MEP Centers in 400 locations in all fifty states and Puerto 
Rico. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership program is strongly 
supported by small-and medium-sized manufacturers throughout the United 
States. It is a proven and successful industry/government partnership. 
Both the National Association of Manufacturers and the National 
Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing endorse the Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership program and this level of funding. In FY04 and 
FY05 the bill provides for inflationary increases for MEP funding.
  The bill also provides funding for the Advanced Technology Program 
and addresses Administration concerns about the program. First this 
bill provides a stable funding base for the ATP by providing sufficient 
funds to allow for $60.7 million in new awards to be made in each 
fiscal year. In addition, the bill authorizes four policy changes to 
the ATP that were proposed by Secretary Evans. The bill makes 
Secretary's proposed changes to (1) allow universities to lead joint 
ventures, (2) allow universities and non-profit laboratories to be 
invested with intellectual property, (3) stress that ATP does not 
support product development, and (4) allows for private-sector experts 
to participate in the ATP project review process.
  The bill also provides the Administration's request for the standards 
supporting activities performed by NIST. In addition, the bill provides 
$12 million for NIST to continue its investigative work on the collapse 
of buildings in the World Trade Center complex. The bill also provides 
$10 million to upgrade the Large Fire Facility at NIST's Gaithersburg 
campus. One of the most important recommendations of the Building 
Performance Assessment Team that did a preliminary investigation on the 
structural causes of the collapse of buildings at the World Trade 
Center complex was that current standards do not require actual fire 
testing of structural components. In other words, we can't evaluate how 
buildings will perform under actual fire conditions. Currently no place 
in the United States can perform this type of testing. The funding for 
the renovation of the Large Fire Facility will allow this type of 
testing to be done. Finally the bill provides much needed funding for 
the renovation of the NIST facilities in Boulder, CO. The bill provides 
the Administration FY03 request for this activity and in FY04 and FY05 
provides funding in accordance with NIST's 10-year construction plan.
  This bill also incorporates legislation that enhances NIST's 
measurement and standards activities. Title III of the bill is the text 
of the H.R. 2733, the Enterprise Integration Act of 2002. This 
authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology to work 
with major manufacturing industries on an initiative of standards 
development for enterprise integration. Title IV of the bill 
incorporates the provisions of H.R. 3683, the Fair Play in Sport Act of 
2002. These provisions were drafted by Representative Matheson, and 
will utilize the National Institute of Standards and Technology's 
unique measurement capabilities to assist the United States Anti-Doping 
Agency in their mission.
  This bill represents tough choices in a difficult budget scenario. In 
developing this legislation we realized that tough choices needed to be 
made and priorities set. As authorization legislation, this bill 
represents our priorities and funding allocations to our colleagues on 
the Appropriations Committee as they begin their difficult task this 
year. We also hope that this bill will signal the Administration of our 
views as they prepare the fiscal year 2004 budget request.
  This is a solid authorization bill and I would urge my colleagues in 
the House to cosponsor this legislation.

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