To grant the consent of the Congress to the SMART Research and Development Compact.

Summary: SMART Research and Development Compact - Grants the consent of the Congress to the SMART Research and Development Compact (to promote the contribution of the Mid-Atlantic region to the Nation's research and development in science and technology and to create multi-State organization for strengthening the Mid-Atlantic region for tomorrow (SMART)) if it is entered into by two or more of the following States: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``SMART Research and 
Development Compact''.
    (b) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The shared borders, similar economic, environmental, 
        and socioeconomic traits as well as the common historical 
        attributes between the residents of Delaware, Maryland, New 
        Jersey, and Pennsylvania, bind the 4 States into a common Mid-
        Atlantic region.
            (2) This region presents a rich framework of approximately 
        618 colleges and universities, including approximately 38 
        leading engineering colleges with a variety of technical 
        expertise and ingenious research and development programs 
        within every field of science and technology.
            (3) This region contains a variety of federally owned and 
        generated laboratories or organizations assigned with the task 
        of performing needed research and development in most of our 
        Nation's technical areas, highlighted by defense, 
        transportation, health, energy, and communications.
            (4) This region possesses a great wealth of private 
        manufacturers, laboratories, and nonprofit organizations in 
        each of the scientific and technological pursuits, such as 
        homeland security, defense, aerospace, manufacturing, 
        information systems, materials, chemicals, medical 
        applications, and pharmaceuticals.
            (5) Increased cooperation between the above-mentioned 
        institutions and the 4 State governments may effectively 
        enhance the region's contribution to the United States in all 
        fields of science and technology and promote academic, private 
        and public research and development, technical enterprise, and 
        intellectual vitality.
            (6) An organization assigned with the task of linking 
        various institutions across different jurisdictions and 
        promoting working partnerships may further assist the United 
        States by providing a model for the rest of the Nation for the 
        effective use of limited national, State, and local funding 
        resources.

SEC. 2. CONSENT TO COMPACT.

    The Congress consents to the SMART Research and Development Compact 
if that compact is entered into by two or more of the following States: 
the State of Delaware, the State of Maryland, the State of New Jersey, 
and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The compact reads substantially 
as follows:

                ``SMART RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPACT

                              ``ARTICLE I.

    ``The purpose of this compact is to promote the contribution of the 
Mid-Atlantic region to the Nation's research and development in science 
and technology, and to create a multi-State organization that shall be 
known as the SMART (Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow) 
Organization (hereinafter in this compact referred to as the 
`Organization'). The purpose of the Organization is to oversee and help 
facilitate the acquisition of research and development funding, and to 
enhance the cooperation, formation of partnerships, and sharing of 
information among businesses, academic institutions, Federal and State 
governmental agencies, laboratories, federally owned and operated 
laboratories, and nonprofit entities, within Delaware, Maryland, New 
Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

                             ``ARTICLE II.

    ``This compact takes effect upon ratification by two or more of the 
following States: the State of Delaware, the State of Maryland, the 
State of New Jersey, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pursuant to 
the consent of Congress.

                             ``ARTICLE III.

    ``The States, which are parties to this compact (hereinafter 
referred to as `party States'), do hereby establish and create the 
Organization as a joint organization which shall be known as the SMART 
Organization.
    ``The leadership of the Organization shall consist of a Board of 
Directors that shall include a representative from each party State, 
appointed as provided by the law of that State, and representatives 
from each technology class described in Article IV from the party 
States. Board Members may include any business, academic institution, 
nonprofit agency, Federal or State governmental agency, laboratory, and 
federally owned and operated laboratory within the party States.
    ``The leadership of the Organization shall oversee and direct the 
projects, administration, and policies of the Organization. The Board 
of Directors may create and utilize the services of technology-
designated Working Groups to identify goals and sources of funding, 
establish research and development projects, detect new technology 
advances for the region to pursue, and facilitate cooperation among 
regional entities. The Board of Directors and Working Groups in the 
Organization shall serve without compensation and shall hold regular 
quarterly meetings and such special meetings as their business may 
require.
    ``The Organization shall adopt bylaws and any other such rules or 
procedures as may be needed. The Organization may hold hearings and 
conduct studies and surveys to carry out its purpose. The Organization 
may acquire by gift or otherwise and hold and dispose of such money and 
property as may be provided for the proper performance of its 
functions, may cooperate with other public or private groups, whether 
local, State, regional, or national, having an interest in economic or 
technology development, and may exercise such other powers as may be 
appropriate to accomplish its functions and duties in connection with 
the development of the Organization and to carry out the purpose of 
this compact.

                             ``ARTICLE IV.

    ``Not including State Representatives, the Organization Board of 
Directors and Technology Working Groups may represent and originate 
from the following technology classes: information technology, sensors, 
rotorcraft technology, manufacturing technology, fire/EMS, financial 
technology, alternative fuels, nanotechnology, electronics, 
environmental, telecommunications, chemical and biological, biomedical, 
opto-electric, Materials/Aerospace, and defense systems including 
directed energy, missile defense, future combat systems, and unmanned 
aerial vehicles. The SMART Organization may at any time, upon approval 
by the Board of Directors, designate and assign new technology classes 
and may at any time remove an existing class from this Article and the 
Organization's activities.

                              ``ARTICLE V.

    ``The Board of Directors shall appoint a full-time paid executive 
director, who shall be a person familiar with the nature of the 
procedures and the significance of scientific funding, research and 
development, economic development, and the informational, educational, 
and publicity methods of stimulating general interest in such 
developments. The duties of the executive director are to carry out the 
goals and directives of the Board of Directors and administer the 
actions of each Working Group as chairman. The executive director may 
hire a staff and shall be the administrative head of the Organization, 
whose term of office shall be at the pleasure of the Board of 
Directors.

                             ``ARTICLE VI.

    ``This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each 
party State until 6 months after the party State gives notice of its 
intent to withdraw to the other party States.''.

SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL.

    The Congress expressly reserves the right to alter, amend, or 
repeal this Act.