[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H6270-H6272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION ACT OF 2009

  Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill, H.R. 1736, to provide for the establishment of a committee to 
identify and coordinate international science and technology 
cooperation that can strengthen the domestic science and technology 
enterprise and support United States foreign policy goals, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1736

       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 ``International Science and 
     Technology Cooperation Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
                   PARTNERSHIPS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science 
     and Technology Policy shall establish a committee under the 
     National Science and Technology Council with the 
     responsibility to identify and coordinate international 
     science

[[Page H6271]]

     and technology cooperation that can strengthen the United 
     States science and technology enterprise, improve economic 
     and national security, and support United States foreign 
     policy goals.
       (b) Committee Leadership.--The committee established under 
     subsection (a) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials 
     from the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the 
     Department of State.
       (c) Responsibilities.--The committee established under 
     subsection (a) shall--
       (1) plan and coordinate interagency international science 
     and technology cooperative research and training activities 
     and partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and 
     work with other National Science and Technology Council 
     committees to help plan and coordinate the international 
     component of national science and technology priorities;
       (2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning, 
     as appropriate, international science and technology 
     cooperative research and training activities and partnerships 
     supported or managed by Federal agencies with the foreign 
     policy goals of the United States;
       (3) identify opportunities for new international science 
     and technology cooperative research and training partnerships 
     that advance both the science and technology and the foreign 
     policy priorities of the United States;
       (4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and 
     recommendations from non-Federal science and technology 
     stakeholders, including universities, scientific and 
     professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations 
     and institutions, through workshops and other appropriate 
     venues;
       (5) work with international science and technology 
     counterparts, both non-governmental and governmental (in 
     coordination with the Department of State), to establish and 
     maintain international science and technology cooperative 
     research and training partnerships, as identified under 
     paragraph (3); and
       (6) address broad issues that influence the ability of 
     United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with 
     foreign counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and 
     access to scientific information.
       (d) Report to Congress.--The Director of the Office of 
     Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a report 
     annually to Congress at the time of the President's budget 
     request containing a description of the priorities and 
     policies established under subsection (c)(2), the ongoing and 
     new partnerships established in the previous fiscal year, and 
     how stakeholder input, as required under subsection (c)(4), 
     was received.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Baird) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 1736, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  It is fitting that H.R. 1736 is coming to the floor of the House in 
the same week as the Foreign Relations Authorization Act because 
science and technology can play a truly unique role in improving our 
foreign relations.

                              {time}  1415

  Science is a universal language built on a foundation of prior 
discoveries and advancements that have originated from all corners of 
the globe.
  Science diplomacy presents a unique and essential opportunity to 
develop its sustained friendships and collaborations into the future. 
International surveys consistently show that the people in other 
nations admire our scientific and technological achievements and 
opportunities more than almost any other feature of the United States. 
What is more, in countless nations, many of the political, economic, 
and social leaders have at one time or another studied in our Nation or 
have worked for an American business.
  From a diplomatic perspective, the benefit of these connections is 
valuable beyond measure. The scientists, their students and, of course, 
the science, itself, all benefit from this scholarly exchange, but so 
do our national security and economic prosperity. The intellectual 
input of the foreign scientists helps build that discovery that leads 
to new technologies and to new intellectual property in the United 
States, and the exchange of scientists and their students helps to 
build mutual trust and understanding between people who may otherwise 
be inclined to avoid or even fear each other.
  The science side of scientific diplomacy receives comparable benefits 
from international collaborations. While the U.S. continues to lead the 
world overall in scientific and technological achievements, by no means 
do we have a monopoly on knowledge or talent. Our scientists, students, 
industry, and academic institutions are all dramatically enhanced by 
interactions with international peers.
  Science diplomacy is also central to meeting shared global challenges 
and opportunities. Climate change, ocean acidification, drug resistant 
diseases, economic crises, energy shortages, poverty, food and 
nutrition, Internet and telecommunications, space exploration, and 
conflict resolution are all being addressed and advanced thanks to 
international scientific collaboration.
  In an Internet-connected world, everyone is impacted by these 
challenges. Everyone has a stake in the solutions, and we can only 
succeed if the brightest minds from around the world work together 
effectively. Ideally, science diplomacy is not just about U.S. 
scientists working collaboratively with others; it is about all 
scientists working together with all scientists regardless of physical 
location or of national boundaries.
  H.R. 1736 would reconstitute a Committee on International Science, 
Engineering and Technology, CISET, under the National Science and 
Technology Council, which is the interagency coordinating council 
managed by the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
  A renewed and reinvigorated CISET would strengthen interagency 
coordination among the technical agencies and between the technical 
agencies and the Department of State. Its purpose would be to ensure 
that the richness of S&T resources within our technical agencies are 
brought to bear on our foreign policy wherever appropriate and that our 
own domestic agencies are working closely with the State Department to 
leverage scientific and technical expertise and resources around the 
world in pursuit of solutions to global challenges and opportunities. I 
would urge its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OLSON. I rise in support of H.R. 1736, the International Science 
and Technology Cooperation Act of 2009, and I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I join my colleague today in supporting H.R. 1736, the 
International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2009.
  Our Nation has a long history of engaging with international partners 
on a variety of scientific issues, and this is an area of great 
importance to our Nation. H.R. 1736 incorporates many recommendations 
made by the National Science Board in its report ``International 
Science and Engineering Partnerships: A Priority for U.S. Foreign 
Policy and our Nation's Innovation Agenda.''
  The primary purpose of this legislation is simply to build a stronger 
coordination link between the scientific activities of our Federal 
agencies and the Department of State in order to strengthen the U.S. 
science and technology enterprise, to improve U.S. economic and 
national security, and to support U.S. foreign policy goals as 
appropriate. This will be achieved through the creation of a committee 
under the National Science and Technology Council. The Office of 
Science and Technology Policy and the Department of State will cochair 
the committee.
  International S&T cooperation takes several forms. It provides a 
researcher's access to other researchers and to research sites around 
the globe. It enables partnerships to share the burden of the cost of 
expensive world-class facilities in the U.S. and abroad. It provides 
the ability to address global issues of importance to the United 
States, such as nonproliferation and infectious diseases, and it helps 
foster positive relationships with other nations.
  H.R. 1736 will promote these important scientific activities by 
making sure that the Department of State is working in tandem with OSTP 
and with other Federal agencies. We will help ensure that our foreign 
policy goals are not compromised. In fact, more often than not, they 
may be enhanced by S&T cooperation. For these reasons, I encourage my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1736.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BAIRD. I thank the gentleman for his support and for his 
comments.

[[Page H6272]]

  Madam Speaker, this is a bill that has had a number of hearings and 
on which we have focused a great deal of attention in our committee. 
Having had the privilege recently to travel internationally and to meet 
with science leaders around the world, I know personally of the 
importance.
  I also want to acknowledge that President Obama mentioned the 
importance of scientific exchanges and collaboration in his recent 
speech in Cairo and in other recent speeches as has his head of OSTP, 
John Holdren.
  Finally, I want to thank Chairman Berman, Chairman Gordon, Dr. Ehlers 
from Michigan, and Mr. Carnahan for their work.
  I want to, at this point, insert an exchange of letters between 
Chairman Berman and Chairman Gordon into the Record.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                     Washington, DC, May 21, 2009.
     Hon. Bart Gordon,
     Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, House of 
         Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 
     1736, the International Science and Technology Cooperation 
     Act of 2009.
       This bill contains provisions within the Rule X 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the 
     interest of permitting your Committee to proceed 
     expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, 
     I am willing to waive this Committee's right to mark up this 
     bill. I do so with the understanding that by waiving 
     consideration of the bill, the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
     does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the 
     subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its 
     Rule X jurisdiction.
       Further, I request your support for the appointment of 
     Foreign Affairs Committee conferees during any House-Senate 
     conference convened on this legislation. I would ask that you 
     place this letter into the Committee Report on H.R. 1736.
       I look forward to working with you as we move this 
     important measure through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Howard L. Berman,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Science and 
           Technology,
                                     Washington, DC, May 21, 2009.
     Hon. Howard L. Berman,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of 
         Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Berman: Thank you for your May 21, 2009 
     letter regarding H.R. 1736, the International Science and 
     Technology Cooperation Act of 2009. Your support for this 
     legislation and your assistance in ensuring its timely 
     consideration are greatly appreciated.
       I agree that provisions in the bill are within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. I 
     acknowledge that by forgoing a sequential referral, your 
     Committee is not relinquishing its jurisdiction and I will 
     fully support your request to be represented in a House-
     Senate conference on those provisions over which the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs has jurisdiction in H.R. 1736. A 
     copy of our letters will be placed in the legislative report 
     on H.R. 1736 and the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of the bill on the House floor.
       I value your cooperation and look forward to working with 
     you as we move ahead with this important legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bart Gordon,
                                                         Chairman.

  I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge the hardworking staff 
who contributed to this legislation, namely Dahlia Sokolov on the 
majority staff, Mele Williams on the minority staff, and also my 
personal staff as well. They have done an outstanding job on this piece 
of legislation.
  H.R. 1736 is a good bill. It doesn't cost anything. It just makes 
sure we apply our existing activities and resources as wisely as 
possible to the benefit of our security and prosperity. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1736.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, looking around, I have no further requests 
for time on my side of the aisle.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BAIRD. Having no further requests, again, I thank the gentleman, 
and urge passage of the bill.
  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1736, the 
international Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2009. This bill 
would, formally establish a committee on the President's National 
Science and Technology Council to identify and support opportunities to 
strengthen U.S. foreign policy through cooperation in the fields of 
science and technology. The President recently announced new 
initiatives to promote science and technology partnerships between the 
United States and Muslim-majority countries. I applaud these efforts, 
and I would note that an across-the-board commitment to integrating 
science into our diplomatic portfolio would reap enormous benefits.
  We should marshal the scientific and technical capacity and expertise 
in our federal agencies to contribute more directly to our foreign 
policy goals. In conversations with experts like Dr. Norm Neureiter of 
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, I have found 
strong support for a NSTC committee dedicated to planning and 
coordinating these kinds of interagency efforts. Such a committee would 
be a critical component in effectively implementing a broader vision of 
U.S. engagement in international science and science diplomacy. I look 
forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the 
administration to more fully develop robust and lasting capacity in 
these areas.
  Mr. BAIRD. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1736, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________