INDUSTRY

Legislation designed to increase support for scientific research and encourage young scientists and researchers to pursue high-risk/high-reward research cleared the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Committee today, along with several other bills aimed at boosting U.S. competitiveness. H.R. 1068, amending the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, cleared the committee today. Research and Science Education Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird (D-WA) introduced the bill with co-sponsor Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), who proposed similar legislation in both the 108th and 109th Congress. "The [U.S] is still highly competitive in high-performance computing capabilities, but we need to improve our planning and coordination of information technology,” said Chairman Baird. “This bill will help develop and deploy the high-end systems necessary to ensure the research community has access to the most up-to-date and advanced computing systems.” The measure is designed to improve planning and coordination for interagency research and development in information technology under the research program established by the High Performance Computing Act of 1991. It would also require the development of a roadmap to provide for the sustained deployment of high performance computers for use by the research community and a plan to support the research and development efforts needed for the next generation of high-performance computers. You’ve heard me say this time and again, when this Committee sees good ideas with broad bipartisan support, we are going to move those ideas forward. The legislation we considered and passed today fits that bill,” said Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). Ranking Member Ralph Hall (R-TX) said, “We have before us today four bills that were passed by this Committee in the last Congress, and I am pleased that they were approved again today. The continued bipartisan support for these bills reflects their broad appeal and the fact that they are good bills that are good for the country.” Today, the Committee approved H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act (as amended). This bill is one piece in a package of innovation bills reintroduced earlier this year by Chairman Gordon based upon the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences report, “Rising Above the Gathering Storm.” “This bill invests in our nation’s capacity to innovate,” said Chairman Gordon. “It is through measures like this one that we guarantee a science infrastructure to support a continuing high standard of living in our nation in the decades ahead.” -- administers awards to outstanding early-career researchers in academia and in nonprofit research organizations; -- provides graduate research assistantships in areas of national need; -- and establishes a national coordination office to prioritize university and national research infrastructure needs.