[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 19, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 
                  STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 2004

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Technology Administration and National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act of 2004.
  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a 
lynchpin to commercial activities of the private sector and the health 
and safety of all Americans--from its small-scale measurement 
activities that support the development of nanotechnology energy to its 
investigation of the collapse of the World Trade Center.
  Lynchpins are noted for their reliability and criticality, and as 
such they are frequently overlooked until they break. That is the 
situation NIST finds itself in today. FY04 budget cuts are causing 
drastic cutbacks in NIST programs and causing NIST to lay off its 
employees. These reductions in NIST's budget and in its workforce 
threaten future U.S. competitiveness and the health and safety of 
Americans.
  The bill I'm introducing today is an attempt to reverse this downward 
spiral. This bill would put NIST back on a positive growth track. It 
authorizes funding for NIST's standards support activities based on the 
FY05 budget request, and also includes funding for NIST's role in the 
implementation of the Help America Vote Act. The bill then provides a 
5% increase for these support activities in FY06, FY07 and FY08. The 
bill also provides full funding for NIST to renovate its existing 
laboratory infrastructure. Many of NIST's labs are over fifty years old 
and are not suitable to house NIST's high-quality research equipment. 
This is especially true at NIST's Boulder, Colorado facility. This bill 
also provides full funding for the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) 
and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program.
  The Science Committee has repeatedly heard from industry about the 
importance of funding for NIST's laboratory activities and for the ATP 
and the MEP programs. My bill is based on these recommendations.
  Less than three weeks ago, the Science Committee held a hearing on 
NIST. Panelists included representatives from a chemical industry 
company, an information technology association, a biometric company, a 
nanotechnology company, and a fire safety association. They were all 
unanimous in their support for NIST and the need to increase its 
funding.
  As one witness succinctly stated when asked about what other 
countries were doing in the standards area and what it meant to U.S. 
competitiveness: ``So the question becomes where do we want to place 
ourselves as a nation. Do we want to be the lead dog on the sled or do 
we want to be somewhere else in the line? And my perspective is that 
our nation's interest is served better and our future is served better 
and our people are served better if we are the lead dog on the sled.''
  I urge my colleagues on the Science Committee and my colleagues in 
the House to support this legislation to help the U.S. remain the lead 
dog on the sled.

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