[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2617-2618]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF FEDERAL LABORATORY EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Federal Laboratory Educational Partners Act of 2003, a bill that would 
permit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other 
Department of Energy laboratories to use revenue from their inventions 
to support science education activities. The bill is cosponsored by my 
colleague from Colorado, Representative Bob Beauprez. I greatly 
appreciate his support.
  The Federal Laboratory Educational Partners Act would amend the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980. Under the 
Stevenson-Wydler Act, federal labs can use licensing royalties, 
sometimes called Bayh-Dole revenues, for five purposes. These include 
rewarding laboratories' scientific employees; furthering scientific 
exchange among laboratories; educating and training laboratories' 
employees consistent with the labs' research and development missions; 
covering expenses incidental to the laboratories' administration and 
licensing of intellectual property; and conducting scientific research 
and development, again consistent with the labs' research and 
development missions.
  My bill would amend the fifth purpose to add educational assistance 
as another permitted use of licensing royalties.
  Federal laboratories, especially the Department of Energy's national 
laboratories, with their high concentrations of scientists and 
engineers, are uniquely positioned to aid surrounding communities in 
improving the learning experience of their students. Currently, NREL 
conducts some science education activities using funds provided by 
private sources, including funds from companies that operate the lab--
the midwest Research Institute, Battelle, and Bechtel. But enabling 
NREL to use licensing revenues would give the lab greater flexibility.
  Even without the expansion of permitted uses of licensing revenues 
that this bill would enable, NREL has conducted a number of science 
education programs with private funds and some funds from the 
Department of Energy and other federal agencies.
  For instance, NREL initiated the Coalition for Learning Opportunities 
and United Tutors (CLOUT) program in 1998. CLOUT began as a pilot 
program matching 200 volunteers with fourth graders in 17 Denver public 
schools who needed help with reading. The program has grown to be a 
great success.
  Another example is NREL's Junior Solar Sprint, which celebrated its 
twelfth year in 2002. This annual event gives students the chance to 
design, build, and race vehicles whose only energy source is sunlight. 
Each team starts with a motor and a silicon solar cell, and teams are 
awarded design trophies based on technology, craftsmanship, and 
innovation.
  A third example is NREL's Columbine Spirit Scholarship at the 
Colorado School of Mines.

[[Page 2618]]

It was established in 1999 by the contractors that operate NREL, MRI, 
Battelle and Bechtel. The three companies gave an initial $25,000 to 
endow the fund, which is used to award scholarships to graduates of 
Columbine and other Jefferson County high schools through the Colorado 
School of Mines Foundation. The scholarship is offered first to 
Columbine graduates who are pursuing degrees in disciplines related to 
the laboratory's research and development mission.
  These three examples help us understand the importance of science 
education activities associated with federal laboratories and what they 
can mean for their surrounding communities. But because of the 
narrowness of current provisions in law, NREL and other labs are not 
able to utilize licensing revenues to support any of the activities 
outlined above or any other science education programs. As a result, 
NREL and other labs must depend on private funds for the bulk of its 
science education activities, which unnecessarily restricts what these 
labs can do in this area. My bill would expand the law to allow greater 
flexibility.
  Licensing revenues have grown markedly over the years as the 
technologies NREL has created have gained wide acceptance. It makes 
sense to me that we should give the labs a bit more freedom to spend 
these funds, especially on pursuits as worthwhile as science education 
which can expose young people to the excitement and relevance of 
careers in science and technology.
  Research is an investment in the future. I believe the integration of 
research and science education to take advantage of the unique 
resources and facilities of the Department of Energy's national 
laboratories and research facilities should be a high priority.

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