[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 16, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2048-H2053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADVANCING AMERICA'S NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2013
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 967) to amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991
to authorize activities for support of networking and information
technology research, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
[[Page H2049]]
H.R. 967
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 ``Advancing America's
Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM PLANNING AND COORDINATION.
(a) Periodic Reviews.--Section 101 of the High-Performance
Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Periodic Reviews.--The agencies identified in
subsection (a)(3)(B) shall--
``(1) periodically assess the contents and funding levels
of the Program Component Areas and restructure the Program
when warranted, taking into consideration any relevant
recommendations of the advisory committee established under
subsection (b); and
``(2) ensure that the Program includes large-scale, long-
term, interdisciplinary research and development activities,
including activities described in section 104.''.
(b) Development of Strategic Plan.--Section 101 of such Act
(15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended further by adding after
subsection (d), as added by subsection (a) of this Act, the
following new subsection:
``(e) Strategic Plan.--
``(1) In general.--The agencies identified in subsection
(a)(3)(B), working through the National Science and
Technology Council and with the assistance of the National
Coordination Office described under section 102, shall
develop, within 12 months after the date of enactment of the
Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology
Research and Development Act of 2013, and update every 3
years thereafter, a 5-year strategic plan to guide the
activities described under subsection (a)(1).
``(2) Contents.--The strategic plan shall specify near-term
and long-term objectives for the Program, the anticipated
time frame for achieving the near-term objectives, the
metrics to be used for assessing progress toward the
objectives, and how the Program will--
``(A) foster the transfer of research and development
results into new technologies and applications for the
benefit of society, including through cooperation and
collaborations with networking and information technology
research, development, and technology transition initiatives
supported by the States;
``(B) encourage and support mechanisms for
interdisciplinary research and development in networking and
information technology, including through collaborations
across agencies, across Program Component Areas, with
industry, with Federal laboratories (as defined in section 4
of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15
U.S.C. 3703)), and with international organizations;
``(C) address long-term challenges of national importance
for which solutions require large-scale, long-term,
interdisciplinary research and development;
``(D) place emphasis on innovative and high-risk projects
having the potential for substantial societal returns on the
research investment;
``(E) strengthen all levels of networking and information
technology education and training programs to ensure an
adequate, well-trained workforce; and
``(F) attract more women and underrepresented minorities to
pursue postsecondary degrees in networking and information
technology.
``(3) National research infrastructure.--The strategic plan
developed in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be
accompanied by milestones and roadmaps for establishing and
maintaining the national research infrastructure required to
support the Program, including the roadmap required by
subsection (a)(2)(E).
``(4) Recommendations.--The entities involved in developing
the strategic plan under paragraph (1) shall take into
consideration the recommendations--
``(A) of the advisory committee established under
subsection (b); and
``(B) of the stakeholders whose input was solicited by the
National Coordination Office, as required under section
102(b)(3).
``(5) Report to congress.--The Director of the National
Coordination Office shall transmit the strategic plan
required under paragraph (1) to the advisory committee, the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives.''.
(c) Additional Responsibilities of Director.--Section
101(a)(2) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ``education,'' before
``and other activities'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as
subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new
subparagraph:
``(E) encourage and monitor the efforts of the agencies
participating in the Program to allocate the level of
resources and management attention necessary to ensure that
the strategic plan under subsection (e) is developed and
executed effectively and that the objectives of the Program
are met;''.
(d) Advisory Committee.--Section 101(b)(1) of such Act (15
U.S.C. 5511(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) after the first sentence, by inserting the following:
``The co-chairs of the advisory committee shall meet the
qualifications of committee membership and may be members of
the President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology.''; and
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``high-performance''
and inserting ``high-end''.
(e) Report.--Section 101(a)(3) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5511(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (vii) through (xi) as clauses
(viii) through (xii), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
``(vii) the Department of Homeland Security;'';
(2) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) by striking ``is submitted,'' and inserting ``is
submitted, the levels for the previous fiscal year,''; and
(B) by striking ``each Program Component Area;'' and
inserting ``each Program Component Area and research area
supported in accordance with section 104;'';
(3) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) by striking ``each Program Component Area,'' and
inserting ``each Program Component Area and research area
supported in accordance with section 104,'';
(B) by striking ``is submitted,'' and inserting ``is
submitted, the levels for the previous fiscal year,''; and
(C) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
(4) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (G);
and
(5) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new
subparagraphs:
``(E) include a description of how the objectives for each
Program Component Area, and the objectives for activities
that involve multiple Program Component Areas, relate to the
objectives of the Program identified in the strategic plan
required under subsection (e);
``(F) include--
``(i) a description of the funding required by the National
Coordination Office to perform the functions specified under
section 102(b) for the next fiscal year by category of
activity;
``(ii) a description of the funding required by such Office
to perform the functions specified under section 102(b) for
the current fiscal year by category of activity; and
``(iii) the amount of funding provided for such Office for
the current fiscal year by each agency participating in the
Program; and''.
(f) Definition.--Section 4 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5503) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as
paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated,
the following new paragraph:
``(1) `cyber-physical systems' means physical or engineered
systems whose networking and information technology functions
and physical elements are deeply integrated and are actively
connected to the physical world through sensors, actuators,
or other means to perform monitoring and control
functions;'';
(3) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by striking
``high-performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and
information technology'';
(4) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated--
(A) by striking ``high-performance computing'' and
inserting ``networking and information technology''; and
(B) by striking ``supercomputer'' and inserting ``high-end
computing'';
(5) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by striking
``network referred to as'' and all that follows through the
semicolon and inserting ``network, including advanced
computer networks of Federal agencies and departments;''; and
(6) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking
``National High-Performance Computing Program'' and inserting
``networking and information technology research and
development program''.
SEC. 3. LARGE-SCALE RESEARCH IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended by adding
at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 104. LARGE-SCALE RESEARCH IN AREAS OF NATIONAL
IMPORTANCE.
``(a) In General.--The Program shall encourage agencies
identified in section 101(a)(3)(B) to support large-scale,
long-term, interdisciplinary research and development
activities in networking and information technology directed
toward application areas that have the potential for
significant contributions to national economic
competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits.
Such activities, ranging from basic research to the
demonstration of technical solutions, shall be designed to
advance the development of research discoveries. The advisory
committee established under section 101(b) shall make
recommendations to the Program for candidate research and
development areas for support under this section.
``(b) Characteristics.--
``(1) In general.--Research and development activities
under this section shall--
``(A) include projects selected on the basis of
applications for support through a competitive, merit-based
process;
``(B) involve collaborations among researchers in
institutions of higher education and industry, and may
involve nonprofit research institutions and Federal
laboratories, as appropriate;
``(C) when possible, leverage Federal investments through
collaboration with related State initiatives; and
``(D) include a plan for fostering the transfer of research
discoveries and the results of technology demonstration
activities, including from institutions of higher education
and Federal laboratories, to industry for commercial
development.
``(2) Cost-sharing.--In selecting applications for support,
the agencies shall give special consideration to projects
that include cost sharing from non-Federal sources.
``(3) Agency collaboration.--If 2 or more agencies
identified in section 101(a)(3)(B), or other appropriate
agencies, are working on large-scale research and development
activities in the same area of national importance, then
[[Page H2050]]
such agencies shall strive to collaborate through joint
solicitation and selection of applications for support and
subsequent funding of projects.
``(4) Interdisciplinary research centers.--Research and
development activities under this section may be supported
through interdisciplinary research centers that are organized
to investigate basic research questions and carry out
technology demonstration activities in areas described in
subsection (a). Research may be carried out through existing
interdisciplinary centers, including those authorized under
section 7024(b)(2) of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law
110-69; 42 U.S.C. 1862o-10).''.
SEC. 4. CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS.
(a) Additional Program Characteristics.--Section 101(a)(1)
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (I)--
(A) by striking ``improving the security'' and inserting
``improving the security, reliability, and resilience''; and
(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting a
semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(J) provide for increased understanding of the scientific
principles of cyber-physical systems and improve the methods
available for the design, development, and operation of
cyber-physical systems that are characterized by high
reliability, safety, and security; and
``(K) provide for research and development on human-
computer interactions, visualization, and big data.''.
(b) Workshop.--Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is
amended further by adding after section 104, as added by
section 3 of this Act, the following new section:
``SEC. 105. UNIVERSITY/INDUSTRY WORKSHOP.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Advancing America's Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2013,
the Director of the National Coordination Office shall
convene a workshop, with participants from institutions of
higher education, Federal laboratories, and industry, to
explore mechanisms for carrying out collaborative research
and development activities for cyber-physical systems,
including the related technologies required to enable these
systems, and to develop grand challenges in cyber-physical
systems research and development.
``(b) Functions.--The workshop participants shall--
``(1) develop options for models for research and
development partnerships among institutions of higher
education, Federal laboratories, and industry, including
mechanisms for the support of research and development
carried out under these partnerships;
``(2) develop options for grand challenges in cyber-
physical systems research and development that would be
addressed through such partnerships;
``(3) propose guidelines for assigning intellectual
property rights and for the transfer of research results to
the private sector; and
``(4) make recommendations for how Federal agencies
participating in the Program can help support research and
development partnerships in cyber-physical systems, including
through existing or new grant programs.
``(c) Participants.--The Director of the National
Coordination Office shall ensure that participants in the
workshop are individuals with knowledge and expertise in
cyber-physical systems and that participants represent a
broad mix of relevant stakeholders, including academic and
industry researchers, cyber-physical systems and technologies
manufacturers, cyber-physical systems and technologies users,
and, as appropriate, Federal government regulators.
``(d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of the Advancing America's Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2013,
the Director of the National Coordination Office shall
transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a
report describing the findings and recommendations resulting
from the workshop required under this section.''.
SEC. 5. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES FOR RESEARCH.
Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended further by
adding after section 105, as added by section 4(b) of this
Act, the following new section:
``SEC. 106. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES FOR RESEARCH.
``(a) Interagency Working Group.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of the Advancing America's
Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development Act of 2013, the Director of the National
Coordination Office, working through the National Science and
Technology Council, shall convene an interagency working
group to examine--
``(1) the research and development needed--
``(A) to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of cloud
computing environments;
``(B) to increase the trustworthiness of cloud applications
and infrastructure; and
``(C) to enhance the foundations of cloud architectures,
programming models, and interoperability; and
``(2) how Federal science agencies can facilitate the use
of cloud computing for federally funded science and
engineering research, including--
``(A) making recommendations on changes in funding
mechanisms, budget models, and policies needed to remove
barriers to the adoption of cloud computing services for
research and for data preservation and sharing; and
``(B) providing guidance to organizations and researchers
on opportunities and guidelines for using cloud computing
services for federally supported research and related
activities.
``(b) Consultation.--In carrying out the tasks in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), the working group
shall consult with academia, industry, Federal laboratories,
and other relevant organizations and institutions, as
appropriate.
``(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Advancing America's Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2013,
the Director of the National Coordination Office shall
transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report
describing the findings and any recommendations of the
working group.
``(d) Termination.--The interagency working group shall
terminate upon transmittal of the report required under
subsection (c).''.
SEC. 6. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE.
Section 102 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5512) is amended to read
as follows:
``SEC. 102. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE.
``(a) Office.--The Director shall continue a National
Coordination Office with a Director and full-time staff.
``(b) Functions.--The National Coordination Office shall--
``(1) provide technical and administrative support to--
``(A) the agencies participating in planning and
implementing the Program, including such support as needed in
the development of the strategic plan under section 101(e);
and
``(B) the advisory committee established under section
101(b);
``(2) serve as the primary point of contact on Federal
networking and information technology activities for
government organizations, academia, industry, professional
societies, State computing and networking technology
programs, interested citizen groups, and others to exchange
technical and programmatic information;
``(3) solicit input and recommendations from a wide range
of stakeholders during the development of each strategic plan
required under section 101(e) through the convening of at
least 1 workshop with invitees from academia, industry,
Federal laboratories, and other relevant organizations and
institutions;
``(4) conduct public outreach, including the dissemination
of findings and recommendations of the advisory committee, as
appropriate; and
``(5) promote access to and early application of the
technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from Program
activities to agency missions and systems across the Federal
Government and to United States industry.
``(c) Source of Funding.--
``(1) In general.--The operation of the National
Coordination Office shall be supported by funds from each
agency participating in the Program.
``(2) Specifications.--The portion of the total budget of
such Office that is provided by each agency for each fiscal
year shall be in the same proportion as each such agency's
share of the total budget for the Program for the previous
fiscal year, as specified in the report required under
section 101(a)(3).''.
SEC. 7. IMPROVING NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION.
Section 201(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5521(a)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as
paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new
paragraph:
``(2) the National Science Foundation shall use its
existing programs, in collaboration with other agencies, as
appropriate, to improve the teaching and learning of
networking and information technology at all levels of
education and to increase participation in networking and
information technology fields, including by women and
underrepresented minorities;''.
SEC. 8. CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
(a) Section 3.--Section 3 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5502) is
amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING'' and inserting ``NETWORKING AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``high-performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and
information technology'';
(B) in subparagraphs (A), (F), and (G), by striking ``high-
performance computing'' each place it appears and inserting
``networking and information technology''; and
(C) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``high-performance''
and inserting ``high-end''; and
(3) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``high-performance computing and'' and
inserting ``networking and information technology and''; and
(B) by striking ``high-performance computing network'' and
inserting ``networking and information technology''.
(b) Title I.--The heading of title I of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5511) is amended by striking ``HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING''
and inserting ``NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY''.
(c) Section 101.--Section 101 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511)
is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``HIGH-PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING'' and inserting ``NETWORKING AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT'';
[[Page H2051]]
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``National High-
Performance Computing'' and inserting ``Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development'';
(B) in paragraph (1) of such subsection--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``National High-Performance Computing Program'' and inserting
``networking and information technology research and
development program'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-performance
computing, including networking'' and inserting ``networking
and information technology'';
(iii) in subparagraphs (B) and (G), by striking ``high-
performance'' each place it appears and inserting ``high-
end''; and
(iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``high-performance
computing and networking'' and inserting ``high-end
computing, distributed, and networking''; and
(C) in paragraph (2) of such subsection--
(i) in subparagraphs (A) and (C)--
(I) by striking ``high-performance computing'' each place
it appears and inserting ``networking and information
technology''; and
(II) by striking ``development, networking,'' each place it
appears and inserting ``development,''; and
(ii) in subparagraphs (F) and (G), as redesignated by
section 2(c)(1) of this Act, by striking ``high-performance''
each place it appears and inserting ``high-end'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``high-performance computing'' both places
it appears and inserting ``networking and information
technology''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), in the second sentence, by striking
``2'' and inserting ``3''; and
(4) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technology''.
(d) Section 201.--Section 201(a)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5521(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and all that follows through ``networking;'' and
inserting ``networking and information research and
development;''.
(e) Section 202.--Section 202(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5522(a)) is amended by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technology''.
(f) Section 203.--Section 203(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5523(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``high-performance
computing and networking'' and inserting ``networking and
information technology''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``high-performance''
and inserting ``high-end''.
(g) Section 204.--Section 204 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5524)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-performance
computing systems and networks'' and inserting ``networking
and information technology systems and capabilities'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``interoperability of
high-performance computing systems in networks and for common
user interfaces to systems'' and inserting ``interoperability
and usability of networking and information technology
systems''; and
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technology''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``High-Performance
Computing and Network'' and inserting ``Networking and
Information Technology''; and
(B) by striking ``sensitive''.
(h) Section 205.--Section 205(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5525(a)) is amended by striking ``computational'' and
inserting ``networking and information technology''.
(i) Section 206.--Section 206(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5526(a)) is amended by striking ``computational research''
and inserting ``networking and information technology
research''.
(j) Section 207.--Section 207(b) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5527(b)) is amended by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technology''.
(k) Section 208.--Section 208 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5528)
is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``HIGH-PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING'' and inserting ``NETWORKING AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY''; and
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``High-performance
computing and associated'' and inserting ``Networking and
information'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technologies'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``high-performance'' and
inserting ``high-end'';
(D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``high-performance
computers and associated'' and inserting ``networking and
information''; and
(E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``high-performance
computing and associated'' and inserting ``networking and
information''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 967, the bill now
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis) for
her work on this bill. And I'm pleased to join the Science Committee's
ranking member, Ms. Johnson, as a cosponsor of H.R. 967, the Advancing
America's Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development Act of 2013. This bill had broad bipartisan support in the
last Congress, and I hope it will receive that same level of support
today.
In the digital age, protecting our Nation's computer networking
systems is more important than ever. This bill provides the coordinated
research and development efforts necessary to improve cyber and data
security nationwide. And better network security promotes U.S.
competitiveness, enhances national security, and creates high-tech
jobs.
The NITRD program is an extension of the High-Performance Computing
Act of 1991. It represents the Federal Government's main R&D investment
portfolio for unclassified networking, computing, software,
cybersecurity, and related information technologies. Currently, 15
Federal agencies are contributing members of NITRD, with an additional
20 or so participating in the program.
This bill serves as the mechanism for interagency coordination of R&D
to ensure no duplication of research efforts among Federal agencies or
the private sector. It rebalances R&D portfolios to focus less on
short-term goals and more on large-scale, long-term interdisciplinary
research.
While this bill does not authorize specific funding amounts, NITRD
spending totals over $3.7 billion annually. Over $1.1 billion of this
is from the National Science Foundation and over $550 million is from
the Department of Energy. The bill updates the underlying High-
Performance Computing statute and codifies work undertaken by the
National Coordination Office, housed within NSF, to oversee the 15
different agencies.
The NITRD program has eight strategic priorities for its research:
cybersecurity; autonomous, robotic systems; high-end computing and
applications; exascale computing; human-computer interaction; large-
scale networking, workforce development; and software design and
productivity.
Technologies that come from these research priorities are applied by
the commercial sector and the government to protect and enhance
emergency communications, the power grid, air traffic control networks,
and national defense systems. Networking and information technology
support and boost American competitiveness, enhance national security,
and help strengthen the economy.
American job creators also recognize the importance of networking and
information technology research and development. Many industry partners
and stakeholders have written letters in support of this bill. They
include the National Association of Manufacturers, TechAmerica,
Computing Research Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers-USA, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, and the
U.S. Public Policy Council of the Association for Computing Machinery.
Cybersecurity provisions in the bill include research necessary to
detect, prevent, and recover from actions that can compromise or
threaten computer-based systems.
I again thank my Science Committee colleague, Representative Lummis,
the chairwoman of the Energy Subcommittee, for her initiative on this
issue. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 967, the Advancing America's Networking and
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2013. H.R. 967
is a good, bipartisan bill which I was pleased to join Mrs. Lummis from
Wyoming and Mr. Hall from Texas in introducing.
[[Page H2052]]
H.R. 967 is largely based on a 2009 House-passed bill that was
introduced by then-Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall. But the
current bill also includes some updates from the 2009 bill that reflect
changes to the network and information technology landscape as well as
policy and management recommendations made by an outside panel of
experts charged with evaluating the NITRD program.
The NITRD program, as it is known, involves a collaboration of 15
Federal research and development agencies, each contributing its own
unique expertise and effort to ensure that we make most effective use
of our Federal R&D resources and remain a leader in these fields. H.R.
967 requires that all 15 agencies come together to develop and
periodically update a strategic plan for Federal investments in NIT
R&D.
H.R. 967 calls for increased support for large-scale, long-term
interdisciplinary research in NIT that will help us tackle national
challenges such as improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our
health care and energy delivery service systems. The bill also promotes
partnerships between the Federal Government, academia, and industry to
foster technology transfer.
In particular, I'd like to highlight H.R. 967's role in ensuring that
the education of the future NIT workforce remains an important
component of the NITRD program. I am hearing every day from small and
large companies alike that the demand for skilled IT professionals is
much higher than the supply. We hear this same message from university
faculty, who tell us their computer science graduates are snatched up
the moment they graduate, regardless of the health of the overall job
market. This gap between supply and demand exists despite the fact that
these jobs are among the highest-paying and the most stable jobs in our
economy today.
It is imperative that we encourage more young Americans to pursue
studies in the NIT fields. In particular, because of the stark gender
and racial gaps we see in computer science programs, it is imperative
that we encourage more young women and students of color to enter these
fields. We simply won't be able to remain a global leader in these
important fields without more than 50 percent of our Nation's
brainpower sitting on the sidelines.
H.R. 967 doesn't go quite as far as I'd like it to go in addressing
these education challenges, but it still sends an important message
about the need to educate more of our students in our NIT fields and
provides the necessary authority for the agencies to play an important
and appropriate role here.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that the NITRD program
serves as a coordinating and planning umbrella for all unclassified
Federal cybersecurity R&D. Our committee addressed specific needs in
cybersecurity R&D separately in H.R. 756; but in doing so, we made sure
that both the intellectual and financial resources for cybersecurity
R&D are appropriately integrated with the rest of the Federal NIT
portfolio. Information security R&D should not take place in its own
silo. IT bears on all networking and information technologies.
{time} 1330
In closing, NIT technologies cut across every sector of our economy
and our national defense infrastructure. Our relatively modest 20-year
investment in the NITRD program has contributed immeasurably to our
economic and national security by enabling innovation and job creation
in NIT and providing American students with the skills to fill these
jobs. Let's reauthorize this program today and ensure that it remains
strong.
I want to thank my friend Ms. Lummis for reintroducing our bipartisan
bill once again in this Congress. I'd also like to thank my staff--and
in particular Dahlia Sokolov--for their hard work on this bill.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 967, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Wyoming (Ms. Lummis), who is the sponsor of this legislation and
who also chairs the Energy Subcommittee, the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee.
Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to start out by thanking Chairman
Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for their support in bringing this
bipartisan legislation to the floor.
I have found, since being on the Science Committee, that it is an
acronym-rich environment. Mr. Speaker, I'm an acronym-challenged
individual, so I'll be talking about the Network and Information
Technology Research and Development program. In the future, I'm just
going to call it ``the program.'' It's the Federal Government's main
research and development effort in unclassified network, computing,
software, cybersecurity, and related information technologies.
Research conducted under this program has led to scientific growth
and innovation in several areas, including visualization technologies
in science, engineering, and medicine; computer-based education and
training; and near-real-time weather forecasts, which is really
important in my State of Wyoming.
Currently, 15 Federal agencies are contributing members to the
program, and even more participate.
H.R. 967, the bill in front of us, does two things: it updates the
High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, and it reauthorizes the program
to advance our Nation's networking and information technology research
and development.
It's the digital age, Mr. Speaker. Advances in networking and
information technology continue to transform our quality of life, our
economy, U.S. competitiveness, and our national security. This bill
provides the coordination necessary for the United States to respond to
rapid changes in these areas, it encourages innovation, and it protects
our economy.
My home State of Wyoming is best known for its stunning mountains and
open spaces. But not long ago, Wyoming also became home to a
supercomputing center. It houses one of the world's most powerful
supercomputers. Mr. Speaker, it makes a mind-boggling number of
computations every second. It's sponsored by the University Coalition
on Atmospheric Research, which sponsors the National Center on
Atmospheric Research, and so it's partially funded by the National
Science Foundation, which is the taxpayers. So they help fund it. These
computations enable world-leading research projects in areas including
atmospheric and geosciences. So this bill facilities work in these
fields, ranging from research being conducted at the supercomputing
center to big data--and I mean big data--and cybersecurity as well.
H.R. 967 implements several recommendations from the 2007 and 2010
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology assessments
to improve government coordination and planning with input from policy
and technical experts. It adjusts research and development portfolios
so we're focusing less on short-term goals and more on really long-term
goals.
Now, specific to cybersecurity, the program includes research and
development to detect, prevent, and recover from actions that
compromise or threaten computer and network-based systems. Now, you
heard from Congressman McCaul just moments ago some of the specific
examples of the real threats that are directed at computer networks. So
reauthorizing this program is an important step.
I thank the chairman, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding and
for her work on this legislation. I'd also like to thank Chairman Smith
and Chairwoman Lummis for all their work on this bill.
It's been nearly 4 years since we last reauthorized and updated the
NITRD program, and it's time we get this job done. The House, again, on
this bill has passed legislation since that time, but we need to get
this done today here and get this through the Senate and to the
President's desk.
The NITRD program evolved from the High Performance Computing Act of
1991, which funded the development of Mosaic--the first commercial Web
browser which made the Internet user friendly and led to its explosion
in the 1990s. This innovation was created by a team of programmers at
the National
[[Page H2053]]
Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois.
As a brief aside, I was just at the NCSA in Urbana-Champaign at the
University of Illinois for the launch of the Blue Waters supercomputer,
one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, which is also
there at the University of Illinois. But Marc Andreessen, one of the
lead programmers on the original project that created Mosaic and the
founder of Netscape, summed up the importance of Federal investment in
this research by saying:
If it had been left to private industry, it wouldn't have
happened, at least, not until years later.
Innovative breakthroughs like the Mosaic Web browser changed our
everyday lives and established the United States as the world leader in
networking and information technologies, and the Federal Government
played an important role in that. But today we find ourselves in a
world in which we can no longer take U.S. supremacy for granted. As we
heard during committee consideration of the bill, China, Japan,
Germany, and several other countries are increasing their investments
in NIT R&D as well as their capacity to convert R&D into new commercial
technologies. We must prioritize cutting-edge, large-scale R&D and
effective technology transfer policies, focused on the most advanced
areas of network and information technology, in order to preserve our
lead in these sectors.
H.R. 967, the Advancing America's Network and Information Technology
Research and Development Act, achieves these ends through the
development of a coordinated Federal R&D investment strategy. This bill
requires Federal agencies involved in the R&D program to develop 5-year
plans specifying near- and long-term objectives and to assess and
evaluate progress periodically to ensure we maintain U.S. leadership in
these fields.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation will focus our scientific community
towards the innovative, large-scale, and collaborative R&D we need to
remain a leader in networking and information technologies. This is a
good, bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am very supportive
of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time
as well.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 967, 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. SMITH of Texas. Mr. 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, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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