[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 77 (Thursday, June 15, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5964-S5966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWINE (for himself and Mr. Kohl):
  S. 3527. A bill to require the Under Secretary of Technology of the 
Department of Commerce to establish an Advanced Multidisciplinary 
Computing Software Institute; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3527

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Blue Collar Computing and 
     Business Assistance Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Computational science, the use of advanced computing 
     capabilities to understand and solve complex problems, 
     including the development of new products and processes, is 
     now critical to scientific leadership, economic 
     competitiveness, and national security.
       (2) Advances in computational science and high performance 
     computing provide a competitive advantage because they allow 
     businesses to run faster simulations of complex systems or to 
     develop more precise computer models.
       (3) The Federal Government is one of the investors in 
     research aimed at the development of new computational 
     science and high-performance computing capabilities.
       (4) As determined by the Council on Competitiveness, the 
     Nation's small businesses and manufacturers must ``Out 
     Compute to Out Compete''. However, new computational science 
     technologies are not being transferred effectively from the 
     research organizations to small businesses and manufacturers.
       (5) Small businesses and manufacturers are especially well-
     positioned to benefit from increased availability and 
     utilization of high-performance computing technologies and 
     software.
       (6) Current cost and technology barriers associated with 
     high-performance computing and software algorithms often 
     inhibit small businesses and manufacturers from successfully 
     making use of these technologies.
       (7) The establishment of an advanced multidisciplinary 
     computing software institute will help make existing high 
     performance computing resources more accessible to small 
     businesses and manufacturers. This will create new 
     opportunities for economic growth, jobs, and product 
     development.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide grants 
     for the creation of an Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing 
     Software Institute that will--

[[Page S5965]]

       (1) develop and compile high-performance computing software 
     and algorithms suitable for applications in small business 
     and manufacturing;
       (2) effectively carry out the transfer of new computational 
     science and high-performance computing technologies to small 
     businesses and manufacturers; and
       (3) actively assist small businesses and manufacturers in 
     utilizing such technologies.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Advanced multidisciplinary computing software center; 
     center.--The term ``Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing 
     Software Center'' or ``Center'' is a center created by an 
     eligible entity with a grant awarded under section 4.
       (2) Advanced multidisciplinary computing software 
     institute.--The term ``Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing 
     Software Institute'' means a network of up to 5 Advanced 
     Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers located 
     throughout the United States.
       (3) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
     organization'' means any organization if such organization is 
     described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 and is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such 
     Code.
       (4) Small business or manufacturer.--The term ``small 
     business or manufacturer'' means a small business concern as 
     that term is defined by section 3(a) of the Small Business 
     Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)), including a small manufacturing 
     concern.
       (5) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
     the Under Secretary of Technology of the Department of 
     Commerce.

     SEC. 4. GRANTS.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary of Technology of the 
     Department of Commerce shall award grants to establish up to 
     5 Advanced Multidisciplinary Computing Software Centers at 
     eligible entities throughout the United States. Each Center 
     shall--
       (1) conduct general outreach to small businesses and 
     manufacturers in all industry sectors within a geographic 
     region assigned by the Under Secretary; and
       (2) conduct technology transfer, development, and 
     utilization programs relating to a specific industry sector, 
     for all firms in that sector nationwide, as assigned by the 
     Under Secretary.
       (b) Eligible Entities.--For the purposes of this section, 
     an eligible entity is any--
       (1) nonprofit organization;
       (2) consortia of nonprofit organizations; or
       (3) partnership between a for-profit and a nonprofit 
     organization.
       (c) Application.--
       (1) In general.--Each eligible entity that desires to 
     receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to 
     the Under Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and 
     accompanied by such additional information as the Under 
     Secretary may reasonably require.
       (2) Publication in federal register.--The Under Secretary 
     shall publish the requirements described in paragraph (1) in 
     the Federal Register no later than 6 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (3) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       (A) An application that conforms to the requirements set by 
     the Under Secretary under paragraph (1).
       (B) A proposal for the allocation of the legal rights 
     associated with any invention that may result from the 
     activities of the proposed Center.
       (4) Selection criteria.--Each application submitted under 
     paragraph (1) shall be evaluated by the Under Secretary on 
     the basis of merit review. In carrying out this merit review 
     process, the Under Secretary shall consider--
       (A) the extent to which the eligible entity--
       (i) has a partnership with nonprofit organizations, 
     businesses, software vendors, and academia recognized for 
     relevant expertise in their selected industry sector;
       (ii) makes use of State-funded academic supercomputing 
     centers and universities or colleges with expertise in the 
     computational needs of the industry assigned to the eligible 
     entity under subsection (a)(1);
       (iii) has a history of working with businesses;
       (iv) has experience providing educational programs aimed at 
     helping organizations adopt the use of high-performance 
     computing and computational science;
       (v) has partnerships with education or training 
     organizations that can help educate future workers on the 
     application of computational science to industry needs;
       (vi) is accessible to businesses, academia, incubators, or 
     other economic development organizations via high-speed 
     networks; and
       (vii) is capable of partnering with small businesses and 
     manufacturers for the purpose of enhancing the ability of 
     such entities to compete in the global marketplace;
       (B) the ability of the eligible entity to enter 
     successfully into collaborative agreements with small 
     businesses and manufacturers in order to experiment with new 
     high performance computing and computational science 
     technologies; and
       (C) such other factors as identified by the Under 
     Secretary.
       (d) Amount.--A grant awarded under this section shall not 
     exceed $5,000,000 for any year of the grant period.
       (e) Duration.--
       (1) In general.--Except for a renewal under paragraph (2), 
     the duration of any grant awarded under subsection (a) may 
     not exceed 5 years.
       (2) Renewal.--Any grant awarded under subsection (a) may be 
     renewed at the discretion of the Under Secretary.
       (f) Matching Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
     under subsection (a) shall provide at least 50 percent of the 
     capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required 
     to create and maintain a Center.
       (2) Funding from other federal, state, or local government 
     agencies.--The funds provided by the eligible entity under 
     paragraph (1) may consist of amounts received by the eligible 
     entity from a Federal department or agency, other than the 
     Department of Commerce, or a State or local government 
     agency.
       (g) Limitation on Administrative Expenses.--The Under 
     Secretary may establish a reasonable limitation on the 
     portion of each grant awarded under subsection (a) that may 
     be used for administrative expenses or other overhead costs.
       (h) Fees and Alternative Funding Sources Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--A Center established pursuant to this Act 
     may, according to regulations established by the Under 
     Secretary--
       (A) collect a nominal fee from a small business or 
     manufacturer for a service provided pursuant to this Act, if 
     such fee is utilized for the budget and operation of the 
     Center; and
       (B) accept funds from any other Federal department or 
     agency for the purpose of covering capital costs or operating 
     budget expenses.
       (2) Condition.--Any Center that is supported with funds 
     that originally came from a Federal department or agency, 
     other than the Department of Commerce, may be selected, and 
     if selected shall be operated, according to the provisions of 
     this section.

     SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

       An eligible entity that receives a grant under section 4(a) 
     shall use the funds for the benefit of businesses in the 
     industry sector designated by the Under Secretary under such 
     subsection, and the eligible entity shall use such funds to--
       (1) create a repository of nonclassified, nonproprietary 
     new and existing federally-funded software and algorithms;
       (2) test and validate software in the repository;
       (3) determine when and how the industry sector it serves 
     could benefit from resources in the repository;
       (4) work with software vendors to commercialize repository 
     software and algorithms from the repository;
       (5) make software available to small businesses and 
     manufacturers where it has not been commercialized by a 
     software vendor;
       (6) help software vendors, small businesses, and 
     manufacturers test or utilize the software on high-
     performance computing systems; and
       (7) maintain a research and outreach team that will work 
     with small businesses and manufacturers to aid in the 
     identification of software or computational science 
     techniques which can be used to solve challenging problems, 
     or meet contemporary business needs of such organizations.

     SEC. 6. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS.

       (a) Report.--Each eligible entity who receives a grant 
     under section 4(a) shall submit to the Under Secretary on an 
     annual basis, a report describing the goals of the Center 
     established by the eligible entity and the progress the 
     eligible entity has achieved towards meeting the purposes of 
     this Act.
       (b) Evaluation.--The Under Secretary shall establish a peer 
     review committee, consisting of representatives from industry 
     and academia, to review the goals and progress made by each 
     Center during the grant period.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009, 
     2010, and 2011 to carry out the provisions of this Act.
       (b) Availability.--Funds provided for the establishment and 
     operation of Centers under this Act shall remain available 
     until expended.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, the manufacturing sector is under siege from 
cheap imports, unfair trade agreements, and escalating heath care and 
energy costs. Instead of working to alleviate this burden, the Bush 
administration has turned its back on manufacturing; focusing instead 
on tax cuts for the rich and their heirs. Indeed, the administration 
has slashed funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, MEP, 
and the Advanced Technology Program, ATP, in this year's budget. MEP 
helps manufacturers streamline operations, integrate new technologies, 
shorten production times, and lower costs. ATP provides grants to 
support research and development of high risk, cutting edge 
technologies. Both MEP and ATP help manufacturers survive and compete 
with countries like China.
  I today offer, with Senator DeWine, some more help for beleaguered 
manufacturers. The Blue Collar Computing and Business Assistance Act of 
2006 was

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drafted from recommendations made by the Council on Competitiveness 
regarding high performance computing. The legislation would provide 
grants for the creation of five Advanced Computing Software Centers 
throughout the United States that would transfer high performance 
computing technologies to small businesses and manufacturers.
  High Performance Computing will allow manufacturers to visualize and 
simulate parts and products before they can be created which will cut 
the time and cost required to experiment with new materials. General 
Motors, for example, uses high performance computing to simulate 
collisions, saving millions of dollars in development costs and 
substantially shortening design cycle times.
  Presently, only large companies like GM have the resources to reap 
the benefits of high performance computing. This bill would provide 
grants to small and medium manufacturers to implement this technology 
and create new opportunities for economic growth, job creation and 
product development and allow manufacturers and businesses to harness 
the full potential of high performance computing.
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