[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12180-12184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF
2009
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 2020) 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:
H.R. 2020
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[[Page 12181]]
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Networking and Information
Technology Research and Development Act of 2009''.
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 established under section 102, shall
develop, within 12 months after the date of enactment of the
Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development Act of 2009, 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 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) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as
subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and
(2) 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 by inserting after ``an
advisory committee on high-performance computing,'' the
following: ``in which the co-chairs shall be members of the
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and
with the remainder of the committee''.
(e) Report.--Section 101(a)(3) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5511(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) 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;'';
(2) 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;
(3) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (G);
and
(4) 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 (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'';
(4) 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
(5) 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 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
[[Page 12182]]
7024(b)(2) of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 110-69; 42
U.S.C. 1862o-10).''.
SEC. 4. CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.
(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), 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 information
management.''.
(b) Task Force.--Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is
amended further by adding after section 104, as added by
section 3, the following new section:
``SEC. 105. UNIVERSITY/INDUSTRY TASK FORCE.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of the Networking and Information
Technology Research and Development Act of 2009, the Director
of the National Coordination Office established under section
102 shall convene a task force to explore mechanisms for
carrying out collaborative research and development
activities for cyber-physical systems, including the related
technologies required to enable these systems, through a
consortium or other appropriate entity with participants from
institutions of higher education, Federal laboratories, and
industry.
``(b) Functions.--The task force shall--
``(1) develop options for a collaborative model and an
organizational structure for such entity under which the
joint research and development activities could be planned,
managed, and conducted effectively, including mechanisms for
the allocation of resources among the participants in such
entity for support of such activities;
``(2) propose a process for developing a research and
development agenda for such entity, including objectives and
milestones;
``(3) define the roles and responsibilities for the
participants from institutions of higher education, Federal
laboratories, and industry in such entity;
``(4) propose guidelines for assigning intellectual
property rights and for the transfer of research results to
the private sector; and
``(5) make recommendations for how such entity could be
funded from Federal, State, and non-governmental sources.
``(c) Composition.--In establishing the task force under
subsection (a), the Director of the National Coordination
Office shall appoint an equal number of individuals from
institutions of higher education and from industry with
knowledge and expertise in cyber-physical systems, of which 2
may be selected from Federal laboratories.
``(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Networking and Information Technology
Research and Development Act of 2009, 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 and Technology of the House of
Representatives a report describing the findings and
recommendations of the task force.''.
SEC. 5. 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) Establishment.--The Director shall establish 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. 6. 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. 7. 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), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``high-performance computing'' and inserting
``networking and information technology'';
(3) in subparagraphs (A) and (F) of paragraph (1), by
striking ``high-performance computing'' each place it appears
and inserting ``networking and information technology''; and
(4) 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'';
(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''; and
(iii) in subparagraphs (B), (C), and (G), by striking
``high-performance'' each place it appears and inserting
``high-end''; 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)(1), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-performance computing''
both places it appears and inserting ``networking and
information technology''; 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)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5523(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``high-performance
computing and networking'' and inserting ``networking and
information technology''.
(g) Section 204.--Section 204(a)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
5524(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-performance
computing systems and networks'' and inserting ``networking
and information technology systems and capabilities''; and
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``high-performance
computing'' and inserting ``networking and information
technology''.
(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 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
[[Page 12183]]
``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 (4), by striking ``high-performance
computers and associated'' and inserting ``networking and
information''; and
(D) 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
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-
Balart) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2020, the bill now
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
H.R. 2020 is a good bipartisan bill which I and Mr. Hall introduced
along with a number of our committee colleagues. H.R. 2020 continues to
improve and update a program that was originally created in the High-
Performance Computing Act of 1991.
The NITRD program, as it is known, involves a collaboration of more
than one dozen Federal research and development agencies for a current
total Federal investment of approximately $3.5 billion. This may sound
like a lot, but the European Union is investing $7 billion over the
next 5 years in cyberphysical systems alone.
To ensure we make the most effective use of our own resources and to
remain a leader in these fields, it is critical that these many
agencies come together to develop common goals and well-defined
strategies.
H.R. 2020 strengthens the interagency planning, coordination and
prioritization for NITRD by requiring the development and periodic
update of the strategic plan, informed by both industry and academia.
This plan is meant to create a vision for networking and information
technology, R&D, across the Federal Government, and provides specific
metrics for measuring progress toward that vision.
Next, the bill calls for an increased support of large-scale, long-
term interdisciplinary research in networking and information
technology that will help us tackle national challenges. These large-
scale, long-term investments can provide substantial benefits to
society, such as improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our
health care and energy delivery systems.
Finally, H.R. 2020 promotes partnerships between the Federal
Government, academia, and industry to foster technological transfer. It
makes certain that the existing independent advisory committee will
have the technical knowledge necessary to guide the program, and it
ensures that the education of the future NITRD force remains an
important component of the program.
{time} 1445
Many organizations support this legislation, including IBM,
Association of Computing Machinery, Computing Research Association,
IEEE-USA, and Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
Our nearly 20-year investment in the NITRD program has helped create
jobs across all sectors of our economy and contributed immeasurably to
our economic and national security.
Given how rapidly these fields evolve, a comprehensive look at the
NITRD program by Congress is timely. I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 2020.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 2020, the Network and
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2009. The NITRD
program is the main Federal R&D investment portfolio in unclassified
networking, computing, software, cybersecurity, and related information
technology.
Networking and information technology, that technology that is vital
but obviously sometimes drives us all crazy, sometimes outright batty,
but it plays a critical role in our everyday lives, often in ways we do
not even realize. Federal R&D investment in NIT has produced such
computer breakthroughs as ARPAnet, the forerunner of the modern
Internet, communications protocols to transmit data over networks,
supercomputing, the Web browser, and the computer mouse, just to name a
few. Multidisciplinary innovations include the decoding of the human
genome, modeling and simulation of complex physical systems for
aircraft, automobiles, power grids and pharmaceuticals, near real-time
weather forecasting and climate models, and unmanned aerial vehicles
and search and rescue robots.
Cybersecurity is one of the biggest security challenges facing our
Nation today. It goes throughout all of our Federal agencies and even
onto our private computer systems. This is just one area that the NITRD
program helps to coordinate our Federal R&D, but it indicates just how
imperative it is that we continue to support critical and collaborative
research efforts such as this.
This bipartisan bill, and I again thank the chairman and also the
ranking member for this, this bill authorizes one of the few formal
interagency R&D activities within the Federal Government and one that
has been viewed as a model of interagency cooperation and coordination.
It is a culmination of recommendations from the 2007 PCAST Report on
the program, feedback from numerous organizations, and hearing witness
testimony. Technology has changed since this program was initiated in
the early 1990s. This legislation updates the underlying statute to
reflect those changes and helps prepare us for future innovative
opportunities in NIT.
I want to thank the chairman for working on this important measure in
such a bipartisan manner. Madam Speaker, he tends to do that. He is one
of those Members that always tries to listen to all members of his
committee.
I encourage my colleagues to join me, along with Chairman Gordon,
Ranking Member Hall, and other members of the Science and Technology
Committee in supporting H.R. 2020.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Florida for his kind remarks and associating with his description of
this very good bill.
I also want to say a special thanks to a former staff member of our
committee, Jim Wilson, who was the staff director for the Research,
Science and Education Committee. One of his last pieces of work before
he left our committee was to put the framework for this bill together,
and then working together with the good bipartisan staff that we have
now, we have even a better bill. I thank him and I thank our current
staff.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support
of H.R. 2020: the Networking and Information Technology Research and
Development Act of 2009.
Advanced computer networks are the wave of the future.
As technology has improved, we are better able to predict the paths
of hurricanes, the force of tsunamis, or even the trajectory of comets.
Advanced computing is a broad area of active research. The Texas
Advanced Computing Center, in Austin, has scientists who are using
supercomputers to simulate airflow and manage shock waves for next-
generation, hypersonic aircraft.
Other researchers there have been working to understand the process
by which enzymes
[[Page 12184]]
convert plant matter into energy, with the goal of creating more
efficient enzymes. Then we could more quickly convert waste to energy.
High speed computers have also enabled scientists to develop
realistic models of the human lung.
Teams of Texas researchers are working to develop a new tool to
image, understand, and diagnose how air flows through the thousands of
branching passageways of the lung, and how abnormalities can lead to
illness.
There are so many useful applications for high speed computers and
advanced networks.
The federal government invests more than $3 billion on the Networking
and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) program.
It is essential that such a large investment is spent wisely.
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
recently provided recommendations on how to improve our federal efforts
in computer network research.
A key recommendation was to support high-risk, multi-disciplinary
research. I support this suggestion.
For far too long, federal investments have been made in ``safe
research,'' or research that has a certainty of getting a result.
The negative consequence is that science moves along at an
incremental snail's pace.
Investments in high-risk research may never come to fruition or
payoff. However we must support research of this nature.
Scientists must be unfettered to think more creatively. Then, they
have the freedom to tackle big questions that sometimes take more time
and more experimentation to answer.
As a previous chair of the Research and Science Education
Subcommittee, I have long been a strong supporter of this kind of
research.
I support H.R. 2020 and urge my colleagues to support it also.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2020, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________