[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 138 (Tuesday, August 4, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4881-S4882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, ACTING THROUGH THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, TO HELP FACILITATE THE 
ADOPTION OF COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 240, S. 384.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 384) to require the Secretary of Commerce, 
     acting through the Director of the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology, to help facilitate the adoption of 
     composite technology in infrastructure in the United States, 
     and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following

     SECTION 1. FACILITATING THE ADOPTION OF COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY 
                   IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

       (a) Research.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
     Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology, shall implement the recommendations contained in 
     the December 2017 report entitled ``Road Mapping Workshop 
     Report on Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Composites in 
     Sustainable Infrastructure'', as appropriate, to help 
     facilitate the adoption of composite technology in 
     infrastructure in the United States. In implementing such 
     recommendations, the Secretary, acting through the Director 
     shall, with respect to the use of composite technology in 
     infrastructure--
       (1) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, develop a design for a data clearinghouse to 
     identify, gather, validate, and disseminate existing design 
     criteria, tools, guidelines, and standards in a timely 
     manner;
       (2) not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, establish the data clearinghouse 
     described in paragraph (1);
       (3) develop methods and resources required for testing and 
     evaluating safe and appropriate uses of composite materials 
     for infrastructure, including--
       (A) conditioning protocols, procedures and models;
       (B) screening and acceptance tools; and
       (C) minimum allowable design data sets that can be 
     converted into design tools; and
       (4) work with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, to 
     identify environmental impacts and recyclability of composite 
     materials.
       (b) Standards Coordination.--The Secretary, acting through 
     the Director, shall assure that the appropriate Institute 
     staff consult regularly with standards developers, members of 
     the composites industry, institutions of higher education, 
     and other stakeholders in order to facilitate the adoption of 
     standards for use of composite materials in infrastructure 
     that are based on the research and testing results and other 
     information developed by the Institute.
       (c) Pilot Program.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, commencing not later than 1 year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology shall, in 
     consultation with the Industry-University Cooperative 
     Research Centers Program of the National Science Foundation, 
     conduct a pilot program to assess the feasibility and 
     advisability of adopting composite technology in sustainable 
     infrastructure.
       (2) Duration.--The Director shall carry out the pilot 
     program during the 4-year period beginning on the date of the 
     commencement of the pilot program.
       (3) Reports.--
       (A) Preliminary report.--Not later than the date that is 2 
     years after the date of the commencement of the pilot 
     program, the Director shall submit 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 on the preliminary findings of the 
     Director with respect to the pilot program.
       (B) Final report.--Not later than the date that is 90 days 
     after the date of the completion of the pilot program, the 
     Director shall submit to the committees referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) a report on the findings of the Director 
     with respect to the pilot program.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
amendment be withdrawn, the Capito substitute amendment at the desk be 
agreed to, and the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time 
and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
withdrawn.
  The amendment (No. 2567) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to, 
as follows:

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. FACILITATING THE ADOPTION OF COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY 
                   IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

       (a) Research.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
     Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology, shall implement the recommendations contained in 
     the December 2017 report entitled ``Road Mapping Workshop 
     Report on

[[Page S4882]]

     Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Composites in Sustainable 
     Infrastructure'', as appropriate, to help facilitate the 
     adoption of composite technology in infrastructure in the 
     United States. In implementing such recommendations, the 
     Secretary, acting through the Director shall, with respect to 
     the use of composite technology in infrastructure--
       (1) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, develop a design for a data clearinghouse to 
     identify, gather, validate, and disseminate existing design 
     criteria, tools, evaluation methods and services, guidelines, 
     and standards in a timely manner;
       (2) not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, establish the data clearinghouse 
     described in paragraph (1);
       (3) when it would not duplicate or displace building 
     product-specific private sector developed methods and 
     resources, develop methods and resources for testing and 
     evaluating safe and appropriate uses of composite materials 
     for infrastructure, including--
       (A) conditioning protocols, procedures and models;
       (B) screening and acceptance tools; and
       (C) minimum allowable design data sets that can be 
     converted into design tools; and
       (4) work with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, to 
     identify environmental impacts and recyclability of composite 
     materials.
       (b) Standards Coordination.--The Secretary, acting through 
     the Director, shall assure that the appropriate Institute 
     staff consult regularly with standards developers, evaluation 
     and accreditation bodies, members of the composites industry, 
     institutions of higher education, and other stakeholders in 
     order to facilitate the adoption of standards for use of 
     composite materials in infrastructure that are based on the 
     research and testing results and other information developed 
     by the Institute.
       (c) Pilot Program.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, commencing not later than 1 year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology shall, in 
     consultation with the Industry-University Cooperative 
     Research Centers Program of the National Science Foundation, 
     conduct a pilot program to assess the feasibility and 
     advisability of adopting composite technology in sustainable 
     infrastructure.
       (2) Duration.--The Director shall carry out the pilot 
     program during the 4-year period beginning on the date of the 
     commencement of the pilot program.
       (3) Reports.--
       (A) Preliminary report.--Not later than the date that is 2 
     years after the date of the commencement of the pilot 
     program, the Director shall submit 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 on the preliminary findings of the 
     Director with respect to the pilot program.
       (B) Final report.--Not later than the date that is 90 days 
     after the date of the completion of the pilot program, the 
     Director shall submit to the committees referred to in 
     subparagraph (A) a report on the findings of the Director 
     with respect to the pilot program.

  The bill (S. 384), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

                          ____________________