[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 63 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2439-S2440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 160--RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF DEFENSE 
LABORATORIES TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL DOMINANCE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED 
      FORCES AND SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF APRIL 25, 2019, AS 
             ``DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE LABORATORY DAY 2019''

  Mr. JONES (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Reed, Ms. 
Duckworth, Mr. Wicker, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Peters, Mr. Tillis, and Mr. 
Brown) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services:

[[Page S2440]]

  


                              S. Res. 160

       Whereas the national network of laboratories, research and 
     development centers, and engineering centers that are owned 
     and funded by the Department of Defense (referred to in this 
     preamble as the ``defense laboratories'') should be commended 
     as reservoirs of technical talent available to support--
       (1) immediate, tactical military innovation; and
       (2) foundational research, science, and engineering to 
     address long-term challenges;
       Whereas the national security innovation emanating from the 
     defense laboratories will be predicated on--
       (1) a sufficient pipeline of trained and experienced 
     scientists and engineers eligible for a security clearance; 
     and
       (2) the facilities, infrastructure, instrumentation, and 
     support capabilities needed--
          (A) to attract and retain those scientists and 
     engineers; and
          (B) to bolster the activities of those scientists and 
     engineers to meet the technology problems of the Department 
     of Defense;
       Whereas research and development supported by the 
     Department of Defense has--
       (1) led to new products and processes for state-of-the-art 
     Armed Forces weapons and technology; and
       (2) technically informed new approaches and concepts of 
     operation that will be needed to keep the Armed Forces ahead 
     of future adversaries of the United States;
       Whereas defense laboratories--
       (1) are critical elements of the innovation ecosystem; and
       (2) compose indispensable elements in the technology 
     transfer community when leveraged with partners in--
          (A) State and local governments;
          (B) regional organizations;
          (C) academia; and
          (D) nonprofit research institutions;
       Whereas defense laboratories have earned prestigious 
     national and international awards for research and technology 
     transfer efforts, providing a foundation of technological 
     leadership for--
       (1) the Armed Forces; and
       (2) the United States;
       Whereas the innovations that are produced at defense 
     laboratories fuel economic growth by creating new industries, 
     companies, and jobs; and
       Whereas April 25, 2019, is an appropriate day to designate 
     as ``Department of Defense Laboratory Day 2019'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of April 25, 2019, as 
     ``Department of Defense Laboratory Day 2019'' in celebration 
     of all of the work and accomplishments of the national 
     network of laboratories, research and development centers, 
     and engineering centers that are owned and funded by the 
     Department of Defense (referred to in this resolution as the 
     ``defense laboratories'');
       (2) recognizes that a key to maintaining the innovation and 
     competitiveness of the United States in a global economy is 
     to continue to support federally sponsored research and 
     development;
       (3) acknowledges that the knowledge base, technologies, and 
     techniques generated in the national network of defense 
     laboratories serve as a foundation for additional efforts 
     relating to the Armed Forces in the defense industrial base;
       (4) commits to find ways to increase investment in the 
     national network of defense laboratories in order to increase 
     support of--
       (A) federally sponsored research and development;
       (B) critical scientific, technical, engineering, and 
     mathematics (referred to in this resolution as ``STEM'') 
     personnel;
       (C) STEM development activities; and
       (D) necessary supporting infrastructure and facilities;
       (5) encourages defense laboratories, Federal agencies, and 
     Congress to hold an outreach event on April 25, 2019, 
     ``Department of Defense Laboratory Day 2019'', to make the 
     public more aware of the important contributions that defense 
     laboratories make to national defense and economic 
     prosperity; and
       (6) recognizes the outstanding dedication, qualifications, 
     service, and accomplishments of the scientists, engineers, 
     technicians, and support staff of the defense laboratories.

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