[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND MANUFACTURING STIMULATION 
                              ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 17, 2007

  Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today as an original co-sponsor of 
the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007. 
This bill provides a three-year authorization for the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is one of three 
agencies targeted by the President's American Competitiveness 
Initiative (ACI). The ACI aims to double the federal investment in 
physical science research over the next 10 years. This investment will 
ensure that American remains technologically competitive in the complex 
global marketplace.
  NIST plays a unique role in that its scientists and engineers have a 
100-year plus history of working directly with American industries to 
address their needs for measurement methods, tools, data, and 
technology. These are the building blocks that allow industry to grow 
and prosper. To cite just a few examples, NIST's labs develop chemical, 
biochemical, and chemical engineering measurements, data, models, and 
reference standards, provide measurement science for the electronics 
and electrical industries, and research and develop test methods and 
standards to improve the usability, reliability and security of 
computers and computer networks for work and home.
  The Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007 
supports the President's ACI by authorizing NIST's labs at a rate that 
would double the budget over the next 10 years. The bill also supports 
the competitiveness of American's small and medium-sized manufacturers 
by authorizing the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. 
Finally, the bill ensures that new research findings will find their 
way quickly to the marketplace by authorizing the Technology Innovation 
Program to provide grants to accelerate the development of high-risk 
technologies.
  I thank Mr. Ehlers and Mr. Gingrey for their extensive input in 
developing this bill and my Democratic colleagues for incorporating our 
priorities into this bipartisan legislation. I look forward to working 
on this bill with all of my colleagues on the Science and Technology 
Committee.

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