[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11874-11875]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION ACT OF 2014

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 5029) to provide for the establishment of a body to 
identify and coordinate international science and technology 
cooperation that can strengthen the domestic science and technology 
enterprise and support United States foreign policy goals.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5029

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``International Science and 
     Technology Cooperation Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
                   PARTNERSHIPS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science 
     and Technology Policy shall establish a body under the 
     National Science and Technology Council with the 
     responsibility to identify and coordinate international 
     science and technology cooperation that can strengthen the 
     United States science and technology enterprise, improve 
     economic and national security, and support United States 
     foreign policy goals.
       (b) NSTC Body Leadership.--The body established under 
     subsection (a) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials 
     from the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the 
     Department of State.
       (c) Responsibilities.--The body established under 
     subsection (a) shall--
       (1) coordinate interagency international science and 
     technology cooperative research and training activities and 
     partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and 
     work with other National Science and Technology Council 
     committees to help plan and coordinate the international 
     component of national science and technology priorities;
       (2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning, 
     as appropriate, international science and technology 
     cooperative research and training activities and partnerships 
     supported or managed by Federal agencies with the foreign 
     policy goals of the United States;
       (3) identify opportunities for new international science 
     and technology cooperative research and training partnerships 
     that advance both the science and technology and the foreign 
     policy priorities of the United States;
       (4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and 
     recommendations from non-Federal science and technology 
     stakeholders, including universities, scientific and 
     professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations 
     and institutions; and
       (5) identify broad issues that influence the ability of 
     United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with 
     foreign counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and 
     access to scientific information.
       (d) Report to Congress.--The Director of the Office of 
     Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a report, to be 
     updated annually, to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
     Technology and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
     of Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate. The report shall also be made 
     available to the public on the reporting agency's website. 
     The report shall contain a description of--
       (1) the priorities and policies established under 
     subsection (c)(2);
       (2) the ongoing and new partnerships established since the 
     last update to the report;
       (3) the means by which stakeholder input was received, as 
     well as summary views of stakeholder input; and
       (4) the issues influencing the ability of United States 
     scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign 
     counterparts.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. 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. 5029, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Science and technology research addresses the major challenges facing 
our Nation. These include energy production, public health, national 
security, and economic development.
  H.R. 5029, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Act 
of 2014, will improve our collaboration efforts with international 
partners on scientific issues.
  I thank the ranking member, Mr. Lipinski of Illinois, for his 
initiative on this issue and, as I mentioned a while ago, for his 
initiative on so many bills that are being considered today.
  Better collaboration with our international partners will strengthen 
the U.S. scientific activities and will additionally promote the free 
exchange of ideas in other nations.
  While many Federal agencies are engaged with international partners 
on science and technology projects, there is a need to coordinate these 
projects across the Federal Government and to identify opportunities 
for additional collaborations. Interagency coordination ensures that 
tax dollars are used efficiently and that U.S. priorities are 
consistently addressed when working with our international partners on 
science and technology issues.
  The International Science and Technology Cooperation Act directs the 
National Science and Technology Council to identify and coordinate the 
U.S.

[[Page 11875]]

interagency strategy for international science and technology 
cooperation. Further, this council will make recommendations for how to 
improve U.S. engagement in science and technology cooperation with our 
global partners. This will help ensure that the U.S. maintains its 
leadership in science and technology research and discovery.
  The bill strengthens U.S. science and technology activities, improves 
economic and national security, and supports U.S. foreign policy goals. 
For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5029.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The U.S. has a great tradition of using science diplomacy to 
strengthen our ties with allies and to open the door to building better 
relationships across the globe. That is why I introduced H.R. 5029, the 
International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2014.
  Scientific issues know no boundaries and deal with problems and 
opportunities of the highest importance to the entire world. 
Improvements in such areas as energy security, infectious diseases, 
space exploration, telecommunications and the Internet, and many more 
are due, in part, to international cooperation--to the benefit of all 
nations involved. By collaborating with international partners on 
science, we strengthen the U.S. scientific enterprise, which helps us 
get the best return on our research investment.
  This bipartisan bill would improve international science cooperation 
by requiring the National Science and Technology Council at the White 
House to maintain a body that would identify and coordinate U.S. 
interagency strategy for international science and technology 
cooperation. Many Federal agencies already work with international 
counterparts on science and technological issues, but until recently, 
there was no coordinating body to identify new partnerships and to 
fully leverage existing collaborations. While the administration is 
taking steps to formulate a strategy for international science 
cooperation, this bill will ensure that the process moves forward with 
the appropriate congressional oversight, which is something I think we 
can all agree on.
  The U.S. scientific enterprise is admired across the world. In 
addition to helping our own researchers solve problems of national and 
global importance more efficiently, international cooperation helps to 
demonstrate the value of the free flow of ideas, which is the 
foundation of American democracy.
  There is one other thing I wanted to raise. If anyone has any 
questions about the importance of collaboration when it comes to 
scientific endeavors, I certainly recommend the documentary ``Particle 
Fever,'' which is about the work at CERN, in Switzerland, on the Large 
Hadron Collider. As a physicist searches for the Higgs boson--it sounds 
like it would be an incredibly boring documentary to watch, but it is 
just fascinating to see and to see the international cooperation that 
goes on as they do this search. It is a great example of what 
international collaboration can do in the scientific enterprise.
  I want to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for working 
with me to improve the bill we have before us and to bring it to the 
floor. When this bill was considered in the 111th Congress, it passed 
the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. I am hopeful that we 
will pass it again today and see action in the Senate as well. I urge 
my colleagues to support this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Homeland Security 
Committee and former member of the Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee, I thank you for the opportunity to rise and speak in support 
of H.R. 5029, the ``International Science and Technology Cooperation 
Act of 2014.''
  I would like to thank the Chairman Smith and Ranking Eddie Bernice 
Johnson of the Science, Space, and Technology House Committee for their 
work in advancing scientific cooperation around the globe that will 
benefit our domestic efforts to remain competitive and strong in a wide 
range of scientific fields.
  The United States federal science agencies are already effective in 
collaborating with international agencies and organizations on Science 
and Technology (S&T), but this bill would ensure that there is a group 
that coordinates and looks for new opportunities to get involved with 
our international partners.
  International cooperation in Science and Technology will help us 
answer scientific questions, and conduct elaborate research and 
development more quickly and efficiently.
  According to the International Science and Technology Strategy for 
the United States Department of Defense, the non-U.S. component of 
global research and development is more than 60 percent of the total 
global investment and is expected to continue to outpace the U.S. 
contribution.
  International collaboration would help us address global challenges 
on a broader scale and would give mutual enhancement of resources for 
both the United States and its partners.
  A few enhancements would allow access to unique research laboratories 
and facilities, risk reduction through multiple technical approaches to 
solve difficult technical problems, improve the warfighting 
capabilities of all involved, and potentially enhance interoperability 
during coalition operations.
  Our partnerships with Service-sponsored international offices in the 
U.K., Japan, Singapore, and Australia, along with our partners in South 
America, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom in the Technical 
Cooperative Program, and the NATO Research and Technology Organization, 
give us a broad range of resources to work with across the world.
  We must continue to enhance and strengthen our foreign relationships 
in S&T to broker new research, identify mutually advantageous 
opportunities, and exchange information with potential partners 
regarding research interests.
  The International Space Station, which was built 16 years ago, and 
continues to operate under the collaboration of several countries 
around the world, is one of many portrayals that show how international 
relationships can produce profound research and discoveries.
  The European Council for Nuclear Research which conducts in-depth 
studies on Earth's fundamental matter and particles is another prime 
example of how foreign collaboration is beneficial and effective in 
producing elaborate research.
  The Center for Disease Control's World Health Organization is also 
one of the best illustrations of foreign collaboration used to advance 
the efforts in finding cures for diseases and conducting vital research 
and studies for global health concerns.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in my support for H.R. 
5029, and understand the importance of our international relationships 
involving Science and Technology, so that when successful, may lead to 
cooperative research, development and technology programs.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5029.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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