“Once again, we’ve come with a good set of bipartisan bills that prepare out nation for the future,” said Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). “We have Ms. Hart’s metals bill, which will help our nation save energy and help the steel and aluminum industry remain competitive while helping our nation become less dependent of foreign sources of energy. We have Mrs. Biggert’s computing bills, which will revitalize our high performance computing efforts, enabling our scientists and computing industry to excel as they face new challenges abroad. And we have Mr. Ehlers’ manufacturing bill, which will help our smaller manufacturers stay up-to-date and competitive.”

By a vote of 19-13, the Committee passed H.R. 3598, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2004. The bill, which is sponsored by Environment, Technology, and Standards Subcommittee Chairman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), would help improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers by providing grants to help develop new manufacturing technologies; establishing a fellowship program for manufacturing sciences postdoctoral and senior research fellows; and reauthorizing and strengthening the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to help small and medium-sized manufacturers respond the to extraordinary challenges they face from globalization.

“Today’s action clearly shows how important MEP is to Congress and to America,” said Ehlers. “This bill fosters innovation, which is critical to ensure that America’s manufacturing sector can not only survive, but thrive in today’s global economy. Manufacturing is the base of our economic strength, and we must meet and exceed the manufacturing challenges from other countries. This bill will help us do that.”

The Committee approved the following amendments:

• By a voice vote, a substitute amendment by Mr. Ehlers that made changes to the legislation to reflect negotiations with the Administration;
  
• By a voice vote, an amendment by Representative Mark Udall (D-CO), as amended by Chairman Boehlert, that would authorize appropriations for the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) laboratories;
  
• By a voice vote, an amendment by Ranking Minority Member Bart Gordon (D-TN) that would ensure that new manufacturing programs do not eat into the base MEP program; and
  
• By a voice vote, an amendment by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), as amended by Chairman Boehlert, that would prohibit a general competition among MEP centers in any year that the MEP program receives at least $106,000,000.
  

The Committee defeated the following amendments:

• By a vote of 15-15, an amendment by Mr. Udall that would have established a Presidential Council on Manufacturing to advise the Interagency Committee on manufacturing issues;
  
• By a vote of 15-18, an amendment by Mr. Udall that would have authorized manufacturing activities in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program;
  
• By a voice vote, an amendment by Representative Nick Smith (R-MI) that would have reduced the rate of increase in the MEP authorization from $5 million per year to the rate of inflation;
  
• By a vote of 14-18, an amendment by Representative Michael Honda (D-CA) that would have authorized $169 million for the Advanced Technology Program (ATP);
  
• By a vote of 13-16, an amendment by Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL) that would have required a study on outsourcing, foreign investment, and reemployment;
  
• By a vote of 10-12, an amendment by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) that would have reauthorized the Enterprise Integration Act, which expires in 2005;
  
• By a vote of 11-15, an amendment by Representative John Larson (D-CT) that would have created an Undersecretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Technology;
  
• By a vote of 14-16, an amendment by Representative David Wu (D-OR) that would have allowed the federal cost-share for fiscal-year (FY) 2005 for the MEP program to increase from one-third to one-half on a case-by-case basis; and
  
• By a vote of 14-16, an amendment by Mr. Larson that would have reauthorized the Industries Future program within the Department of Energy (DOE).
  

H.R. 3890, sponsored by Representative Melissa Hart (R-PA), was passed by a voice vote. The bill would reauthorize through 2009 the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 and would make minor modifications to the law including provisions that would: include the potential for technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a consideration in research planning; repeal a section related to programs at NIST that have been inactive; and requires and updated management plan for the program and a report to Congress on that plan.

Hart said, “The Metals Initiative has helped push private research investments to pursue public goals. This bill is right for the industry, good for energy consumption and good for the environment.”

The Committee adopted by voice vote a substitute amendment by Ms. Hart and an amendment by Representative Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) that would limit authorization levels in FY 2005 to no more than appropriated levels in FY 2004.

By a voice vote, the Committee passed H.R. 4218, the High-Performance Computing Revitalization Act of 2004. The bill, which is sponsored by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Representative Lincoln Davis (D-TN), would strengthen U.S. supercomputing capabilities by requiring NSF and DOE to ensure U.S. researchers access to high-performance computers, and prescribing a comprehensive, balanced approach to the nation’s computing strategy. It would also place responsibility with the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to ensure a coordinated, on-going effort among the federal agencies that have a role in high-performance computing. The bill was endorsed by the Bush Administration at a May 13, 2004 Full Committee hearing.

“High-performance computers are central to maintaining U.S. leadership in many scientific fields,” said Biggert. “That’s why we must commit to providing sustained support for high-performance computers at our federal civilian science agencies.”

Davis said, “H.R. 4218 revitalizes national high end computing efforts. It calls for more effective planning, prioritization, and inter-agency coordination of efforts to ensure that scientists have access to the most advanced computing systems in the world. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, future home of the world’s most powerful supercomputer, will cause today’s supercomputing dreams to become tomorrow’s reality.”

The Committee also approved by voice vote H.R. 4516, the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004. Sponsored by Biggert and Davis, the bill would establish a research and development program within DOE to develop more-advanced computers and would authorized DOE to establish supercomputer user facilities that would be available for use to U.S. researchers on a competitive, peer-review basis.

Biggert said, “By renewing our commitment to high-end computing research and development at the Department of Energy, the United States can regain its distinction as home to the world’s most powerful computer.”

“In response to the need for greater resources and focus on high-end computing H.R. 4516 authorizes activities at the Department of Energy to advance high-end computing,” said Davis. “DOE has taken a leadership position in attempting to advance high-end computing as is evident from the recent award to Oak Ridge National Laboratory to lead a partnership to build the world’s most powerful supercomputer by 2007.”

By a voice vote, the Committee agreed to a substitute amendment to H.R. 4516 offered by Mrs. Biggert.

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