cluding the interactive electronic linkage of Manu-
facturing Outreach Centers to the programs of the
Technology Administration and other appropriate
Federal, State, and local agencies;
‘‘(B) establishing criteria and procedures, con-
sistent with the requirements of this title, for—
‘‘(i) the selection of organizations to re-
ceive Department of Commerce services or fi-
nancial assistance as part of the Outreach Pro-
gram, including qualifications and training of
technology extension agents;
‘‘(ii) access to services provided by partici-
pants in the Outreach Program and to informa-
tion available through the outreach network
servicing the Outreach Program; and
‘‘(iii) the annual evaluation of the Out-
reach Program in achieving the purposes of this
title; and
‘‘(C) evaluating the need for and the benefits of
a National Conference of States on Technology Ex-
tension, similar in structure to the National Con-
ference on Weights and Measures, and, if the Sec-
retary determines that such a Conference is advis-
able, developing, in consultation with the States and
other interested parties, a plan for the establish-
ment, operation, funding, and evaluation of such a
Conference.
‘‘(2) Within 1 year after the date of enactment of
this title, the Secretary, in consultation with the Under
Secretary, the Director, and the Department of Commerce
Technology Advisory Board, shall prepare and submit to
the Congress a 5-year plan for implementing the Outreach
Program and the outreach network and clearinghouse es-
tablished under subsections (d) and (e), respectively. Such
5-year plan shall identify appropriate methods for expand-
ing the Outreach Program in a geographically balanced
manner. Such 5-year plan shall include a detailed imple-
mentation plan and cost estimates and shall take into con-
sideration and build on the report submitted under para-
graph (1). In the preparation of such 5-year plan, the Sec-
retary shall provide an opportunity for public comment,
and the plan submitted to Congress shall include a sum-
mary of comments received. Such plan may not be imple-
mented until 90 days after its submission to the Congress.
‘‘(3) Beginning with first year after submission of the
5-year plan under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall an-
nually report to the Congress, at the time of the Presi-
dent’s annual budget request to Congress, on—
‘‘(A) progress made in achieving the purposes
of the Outreach Program described in subsection (a)
using criteria and procedures established under
paragraph (1)(B)(iii);
‘‘(B) changes proposed to the 5-year plan;
‘‘(C) performance in adhering to schedules; and
‘‘(D) any 
recommendations 
for 
legislative
changes necessary to enhance the Outreach Pro-
gram.
The report under this paragraph submitted at the end of
the fourth year of operation of the Outreach Program
shall include recommendations on whether to terminate
the Outreach Program or extend it for an additional pe-
riod not to exceed 5 years.’’.
SEC. 5. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY DEVEL-
OPMENT PROGRAM.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by sections 2, 3, and 4 of this
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following
new section:
‘‘SEC. 304. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, through the
Under Secretary and the Director, shall establish an Ad-
vanced Manufacturing Technology Development Program
which shall include projects to develop advanced manufac-
turing systems, networks, electronic data exchange, and
which shall be complementary with advanced manufactur-
ing technology development programs supported by other
Federal agencies.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Advanced Manu-
facturing Technology Development Program is to create
collaborative multiyear technology development programs
involving United States companies and, as appropriate, co-
operating with other Federal agencies and laboratories,
the States, worker organizations, universities and colleges,
independent research organizations, and other interested
persons, in order to develop, refine, test, and transfer de-
sign and manufacturing technologies and associated appli-
cations, including advanced computer integration and elec-
tronic networks for manufacturing information exchange.
‘‘(c) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The Advanced Manu-
facturing Technology Development Program shall in-
clude—
‘‘(1) the advanced manufacturing research and
development activities at the Institute; and
‘‘(2) one or more technology development
testbeds within the United States, selected in ac-
cordance with procedures, including cost sharing, es-
tablished for the Advanced Technology Program es-
tablished under section 28 of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n),
whose purpose shall be to develop, refine, and test
advanced 
manufacturing, 
data 
exchange, 
and
networking technologies and associated applications
and to facilitate the transfer of such technologies
and applications to United States manufacturers.
‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES.—The Advanced
Manufacturing Technology Development Program, under
the coordination of the Secretary, through the Director,
shall—
‘‘(1) test and, as appropriate, facilitate and
support the development of the equipment, computer
software, and systems integration necessary for the
successful operation within the United States of ad-
vanced design and manufacturing systems and asso-
ciated electronic networks;
‘‘(2) establish at the Institute and the tech-
nology development testbed or testbeds—
‘‘(A) prototype advanced computer-inte-
grated manufacturing systems;
‘‘(B) prototype electronic networks linking
manufacturing systems; and
‘‘(C) prototype clean manufacturing sys-
tems;
‘‘(3) assist United States companies to develop
voluntary consensus standards relevant to advanced
computer-integrated manufacturing operations, in-
cluding standards for networks, electronic data
interchange, and digital product data specifications;
‘‘(4) help to make high-performance computing
and networking technologies an integral part of de-
sign and production processes where appropriate;
‘‘(5) conduct research to identify and overcome
technical barriers to the successful and cost-effective
operation of advanced manufacturing systems and
networks and to promote and facilitate electronic
data exchange;
‘‘(6) facilitate the efforts of United States com-
panies to develop and test new applications for man-
ufacturing systems, networks, and information ex-
change;
‘‘(7) involve in the Advanced Manufacturing
Technology Development Program, to the maximum
extent practicable, both those United States manu-
facturers which make manufacturing technology and
related computer equipment and software, and Unit-
ed States companies which buy such technology,
equipment and software;
‘‘(8) identify training needs, as appropriate, for
managers, engineers, and employees of United
States manufacturers in the operation and applica-
tions of advanced manufacturing technologies and
networks, with particular emphasis on training for
production workers in the effective use of advanced
manufacturing technology;
‘‘(9) work with United States companies, uni-
versities, independent research organizations, and
other interested parties to develop standards, tools,
and techniques for the use of advanced computer-
based training systems, including multi-media and
interactive learning technologies;
‘‘(10) involve small businesses in its activities;
‘‘(11) exchange information and personnel, as
appropriate, between the technology development
testbeds and the outreach network created under
section 303(d); and
‘‘(12) coordinate its activities with the National
High-Performance Computing Program described in
section 101 of the High-Performance Computing Act
of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) to ensure that both pro-
grams are complementary and compatible.
‘‘(e) TESTBED AWARDS.—(1) In selecting applicants
to receive awards under subsection (c)(2) of this section,
the Secretary shall give preferential consideration to appli-
cants that have existing computer expertise in manufac-
turing applications and the ability to diffuse such expertise
to United States companies, and that, in the case of joint
research and development ventures, include both suppliers
and users of advanced manufacturing technology. In the
case of systems described in subsection (d)(2)(C), the Sec-
retary shall also give preferential consideration to appli-
cants that have existing program expertise in clean manu-
facturing, including the areas of concurrent engineering,
materials research, and environmental science, and which
have a technology transfer mechanism in place to transfer
testbed results of a clean manufacturing program to in-
dustry participants.
‘‘(2) An industry-led joint research and development
venture applying for an award under subsection (c)(2) of
this section may include one or more State research orga-
nizations, universities, Federal laboratories, independent
research organizations, or Regional Centers for the Trans-
fer of Manufacturing Technology (as created under section
25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act) and other organizations as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
‘‘(f) ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE.—(1) Within 6 months
after the date of enactment of this title, and before any
request for proposals is issued, the Secretary shall hold
one or more workshops to solicit advice from United
States companies and from other Federal agencies, par-
ticularly the Department of Defense, the Department of
Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration, regarding the specific missions and activities of
the testbeds.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent pos-
sible, coordinate activities under this section with activities
of other Federal agencies and initiatives relating to com-
puter-aided acquisition and logistics support, electronic
data interchange, flexible computer-integrated manufac-
turing, and enterprise integration.
‘‘(3) The Secretary may request and accept funds,
facilities, equipment, or personnel from other Federal
agencies in order to carry out this section.
‘‘(g) ANTITRUST SAVINGS CLAUSE.—This section
shall not be construed to modify, impair, or supersede the
operation of the antitrust laws. For purposes of this sub-
section, the term ‘antitrust laws’ has the meaning given
it in subsection (a) of the first section of the Clayton Act
(15 U.S.C. 12(a)), except that such term includes the Act
of June 19, 1936 (49 Stat. 1526; 15 U.S.C. 13 et seq.),
commonly known as the Robinson Patman Act, and sec-
tion 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C.
45) to the extent that such section 5 applies to unfair
methods of competition.’’.
SEC. 6. MISCELLANEOUS AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 4 of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3703) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraphs:
‘‘(14) ‘Director’ means the Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology.
‘‘(15) ‘Institute’ means the National Institute
of Standards and Technology.
‘‘(16) ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy.
‘‘(17) ‘Advanced manufacturing technology’
means—
‘‘(A) numerically-controlled machine tools,
robots, automated process control equipment,
computerized flexible manufacturing systems,
associated computer software, and other tech-
nology for improving manufacturing and indus-
trial production of goods, including bio-
technology products, which advance the state-
of-the-art; or
‘‘(B) novel manufacturing techniques and
processes not previously generally available that
improve manufacturing quality, productivity,
and practices, including engineering design,
quality assurance, concurrent engineering, con-
tinuous process production technology, inven-
tory management, upgraded worker skills, com-
munications with customers and suppliers, and
promotion of sustainable economic growth.
‘‘(18) ‘Modern technology’ means the best avail-
able proven technology, techniques, and processes
appropriate to enhancing the productivity of manu-
facturers or to promoting sustainable economic
growth.
‘‘(19) ‘Sustainable economic growth’ means eco-
nomic growth that enhances the national quality of
life and preserves environmental integrity.
‘‘(20) The term ‘United States company’ means
an entity which the Secretary finds, based on a dem-
onstration by such entity—
‘‘(A) maintains substantial employment in
the United States;
‘‘(B) agrees, with respect to a technology
arising from assistance provided under this Act
or the Manufacturing Technology and Exten-
sion Act of 1995, to promote the manufacture
within the United States of products resulting
from that technology;
‘‘(C) agrees to procure parts and materials
for such products from competitive United
States suppliers; and
‘‘(D) either—
‘‘(i) is a United States-owned com-
pany; or
‘‘(ii) is a company incorporated in the
United States that has a parent company
incorporated in a country which the Sec-
retary finds—
‘‘(I) affords to United States-
owned companies opportunities com-
parable to those afforded to any other
company to participate in programs
and to have access to resources and
information equivalent to the opportu-
nities authorized under this Act or the
Manufacturing Technology and Ex-
tension Act of 1995 to foreign-owned
entities engaged in commerce in the
United States;
‘‘(II) has a standards develop-
ment and conformity assessment proc-
ess that is open and transparent, and
that results in standards that are fair
and reasonable and do not discrimi-
nate against United States products
and production processes;
‘‘(III) affords to United States-
owned companies local investment op-
portunities comparable to those af-
forded any other company; and
‘‘(IV) affords adequate and effec-
tive protection for the intellectual
property rights of United States-
owned companies.
‘‘(21) The term ‘United States manufacturer’
means a United States company which the Secretary
finds, based on a demonstration by such company,
makes substantial investments in the United States
in research, development, and manufacturing (in-
cluding the manufacture of major components or
subassemblies in the United States).
‘‘(22) The term ‘United States-owned company’
has the meaning given such term in section 28(j)(2)
of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n(j)(2).
‘‘(23) 
‘Independent 
research 
organizations’
means nonprofit organizations organized primarily
for the purpose of conducting or managing research
activities.’’.
(b) REDESIGNATIONS.—The Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.)
is amended—
(1) by inserting immediately after section 4 the
following new title heading:
‘‘TITLE 
I—DEPARTMENT 
OF
COMMERCE 
AND 
RELATED
PROGRAMS’’;
(2) by redesignating sections 5 through 10 as
sections 101 through 106, respectively;
(3) by redesignating sections 16 through 22, as
sections 107 through 113, respectively;
(4) by inserting immediately after section 113
(as redesignated by paragraph (3) of this sub-
section) the following new title heading:
‘‘TITLE II—FEDERAL
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER’’;
(5) by redesignating sections 11 through 15 as
sections 201 through 205, respectively;
(6) by redesignating section 23 as section 206;
(7) in section 4—
(A) by striking ‘‘section 5’’ each place it
appears and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section
101’’;
(B) in paragraphs (4) and (6), by striking
‘‘section 6’’ and ‘‘section 8’’ each place they ap-
pear and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section 102’’
and ‘‘section 104’’, respectively; and
(C) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘section
6’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section 102’’;
(8) in section 105 (as redesignated by para-
graph (2) of this subsection) by striking ‘‘section 6’’
each place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof
‘‘section 102’’;
(9) in section 106(d) (as redesignated by para-
graph (2) of this subsection) by striking ‘‘7, 9, 11,
15, 17, or 20’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘103,
105, 108, 111, 201, or 205’’;
(10) in section 201(i) (as redesignated by para-
graph (5) of this subsection) by inserting ‘‘loan,
lease, or’’ after ‘‘may’’; and by inserting ‘‘Actions
taken under this subsection shall not be subject to
Federal requirements on the disposal of property.’’
after ‘‘activities.’’;
(11) in section 202(b) (as redesignated by para-
graph (5) of this subsection) by striking ‘‘section
14’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section 204’’;
(12) in section 204(a)(1) (as redesignated by
paragraph (5) of this subsection) by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 12’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section 202’’;
(13) in section 113 (as redesignated by para-
graph (3) of this subsection) by striking ‘‘sections
11, 12, and 13’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘sec-
tions 201, 202, and 203’’;
(14) in section 206 (as redesignated by para-
graph (6) of this subsection)—
(A) by striking ‘‘section 11(b)’’ in sub-
section (a)(2) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘sec-
tion 201(b)’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘section 6(d)’’ in sub-
section (b) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘section
102(d)’’; and
(15) by adding at the end of section 201 (as re-
designated by paragraph (5) of this subsection) the
following new subsection:
‘‘(j) ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MECHA-
NISMS.—In addition to the technology transfer mecha-
nisms set forth in this section and section 202 of this Act,
the heads of Federal departments and agencies also may
transfer technologies through the technology transfer and
extension programs of the Department of Commerce and
the Department of Defense.’’.
SEC. 7. MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS.
Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k), is amended—
(1) by amending the section heading to read as
follows: ‘‘MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS’’;
(2) in subsection (c)(5), by striking ‘‘which are
designed’’ and all that follows through ‘‘operation of
a Center’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘to a maxi-
mum of one-third Federal funding. Each Center
which receives financial assistance under this section
shall be evaluated during its sixth year of operation,
and at such subsequent times as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate, by an evaluation panel appointed
by the Secretary in the same manner as was the
evaluation panel previously appointed. The Secretary
shall not provide funding for additional years of the
Center’s operation unless the evaluation is positive
and the Secretary finds that continuation of funding
furthers the goals of the Department. Such addi-
tional Federal funding shall not exceed one-third of
the cost of the Center’s operations’’;
(3) by striking subsection (d); and
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections:
‘‘(d) If a Center receives a positive evaluation during
its third year of operation, the Director may, any time
after that evaluation, contract with the Center to provide
additional technology extension or transfer services above
and beyond the baseline activities of the Center. Such ad-
ditional services may include, but are not limited to, the
development and operation of the following:
‘‘(1) Programs to assist United States compa-
nies that are engaged in manufacturing and their
employees, including front-line production workers,
in the Center’s region to learn and apply the tech-
nologies, techniques, and processes associated with
systems management technology, electronic data ex-
change, or improving manufacturing productivity.
‘‘(2) Services focused on the testing, develop-
ment, and application of manufacturing and process
technologies within specific technical fields such as
advanced materials or electronics fabrication for the
purpose of assisting United States companies that
are engaged in manufacturing, both within the Cen-
ter’s original service region and in other regions, to
improve manufacturing quality, product design,
workforce training, and production efficiency in
those specific technical fields.
‘‘(3) Industry-led demonstration programs that
involve United States manufacturing technology con-
sortia to provide ongoing research, technology trans-
fer, and worker training assistance to their mem-
bers. An award under this paragraph shall be for no
more than $500,000 per year, and shall be subject
to renewal after a 1-year demonstration period.
‘‘(e) In addition to any assistance provided or con-
tracts entered into with a Center under this section, the
Director is authorized to make separate and smaller
awards, through a competitive process, to nonprofit orga-
nizations which wish to work with a Center. Such awards
shall be for the purpose of enabling those organizations
to provide outreach services, in collaboration with the Cen-
ter, to United States manufacturers located in parts of
the region served by the Center which are not easily acces-
sible to the Center and which are not served by any other
manufacturing outreach center. Organizations which re-
ceive such awards shall be known as Local Manufacturing
Offices. In reviewing applications, the Director shall con-
sider the needs of rural as well as urban manufacturers.
No single award for a Local Manufacturing Office shall
be for more than three years, awards shall be renewable
through the competitive awards process, and no award
shall be made unless the applicant provides matching
funds at least equal to the amount received under this sec-
tion.
‘‘(f) In carrying out this section, the Director shall
coordinate his efforts with the plans for the National
Technology Outreach Program established under section
303 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act
of 1980.’’.
SEC. 8. STATE TECHNOLOGY EXTENSION PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 26(a) of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278l(a)), is amended—
(1) by inserting immediately after ‘‘(a)’’ the fol-
lowing new sentence: ‘‘There is established within
the Institute a State Technology Extension Pro-
gram.’’; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘through that Program’’ imme-
diately after ‘‘technical assistance’’.
(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES.—Section 26 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278l) is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new subsection:
‘‘(c) In addition to the general authorities listed in
subsection (b) of this section, the State Technology Exten-
sion Program also may, through merit-based competitive
review processes—
‘‘(1) make awards to States and conduct work-
shops, pursuant to section 5121(b) of the Omnibus
Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, in order to
help States improve their planning and coordination
of technology extension activities;
‘‘(2) support technology demonstration projects
to help States provide technical assistance and serv-
ices to United States manufacturers that will im-
prove their productivity and competitiveness;
‘‘(3) support State efforts to develop and test
innovative ways to help United States manufacturers
improve their technical capabilities;
‘‘(4) support State efforts designed to help
United States manufacturers in rural as well as
urban areas adopt modern manufacturing tech-
nologies;
‘‘(5) support State efforts to assist interested
United States manufacturers in the defense industry
to adapt to modern or advanced manufacturing tech-
nologies as they convert to nondefense or dual-use
purposes;
‘‘(6) support worker technology education pro-
grams in the States at institutions such as research
universities, community colleges, labor education
centers, labor-management committees, and worker
organizations in production technologies critical to
the Nation’s future, with an emphasis on high-per-
formance work systems, the skills necessary to use
modern or advanced manufacturing systems well;
‘‘(7) help States develop programs to train per-
sonnel who in turn can provide technical skills to
managers and workers of United States manufactur-
ers; and
‘‘(8) support State efforts to assist United
States manufacturers to develop on-the-job training
in modern and advanced manufacturing tech-
nologies, techniques, and processes and to promote
the development and adoption of modern and ad-
vanced manufacturing technologies.’’.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Commerce for carrying out the amendments
made by this Act—
(1) $146,600,000 for fiscal year 1996; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of
the fiscal years 1997 through 2000.
Æ
HR 1844 IH——2