(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 101. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Purposes.
Sec. 104. Definitions.
TITLE II—MANUFACTURING
Subtitle A—Manufacturing Technology and Extension
Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Findings, purpose, and statement of policy.
Sec. 203. Role of the Department of Commerce.
Sec. 204. National Technology Outreach Program.
Sec. 205. Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Program.
Sec. 206. Miscellaneous and conforming amendments.
Sec. 207. Manufacturing Technology Centers.
Sec. 208. State Technology Extension Program.
Subtitle B—National Science Foundation Manufacturing Programs
Sec. 211. Role of the National Science Foundation in manufacturing.
Sec. 212. Engineering and Cooperative Research Centers.
Sec. 213. Manufacturing traineeships and fellowships.
Sec. 214. Total quality management.
TITLE III—CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES
Subtitle A—Benchmarking Science and Technology
Sec. 301. Benchmarking United States science and technology against foreign
capabilities.
Subtitle B—Advanced Technology Program
Sec. 321. Development of program plan.
Sec. 322. Large scale research and development consortia.
Sec. 323. Technical amendments.
Sec. 324. Country qualification notice.
Sec. 325. Recoupment.
Subtitle C—Civilian Technology Loan Program
Sec. 331. Loan and loan guarantee authority.
Sec. 332. Operating plan and effective date.
Sec. 333. Terms and conditions.
Sec. 334. Technical assistance for lenders and borrowers.
Sec. 335. Outreach to economically depressed areas.
Sec. 336. Socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Sec. 337. Definitions.
Subtitle D—Civilian Technology Development Program
Sec. 341. Short title.
Sec. 342. Definitions.
Sec. 343. Establishment and purpose.
Sec. 344. Advisory Committee.
Sec. 345. Organization and licensing.
Sec. 346. Capital and management requirements.
Sec. 347. Financing for licensees.
Sec. 348. Issuance and guarantee of trust certificates.
Sec. 349. Venture capital for qualified business concerns.
Sec. 350. Operation.
Sec. 351. Regulations; liability.
Sec. 352. Technical assistance for licensees and qualified business concerns.
Sec. 353. Performance measures; Annual report.
Sec. 354. Reports, investigations, and examinations.
Sec. 355. Revocation and suspension of licenses; cease and desist orders.
Sec. 356. Injunctive relief.
Sec. 357. Conflicts of interest.
Sec. 358. Removal or suspension of directors and officers.
Sec. 359. Violations.
Sec. 360. Civil penalties.
Sec. 361. Antitrust savings clause.
TITLE IV—MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 401. Department of Commerce Technology Advisory Board.
Sec. 402. International standardization.
Sec. 403. Malcolm Baldrige Award amendments.
Sec. 404. Cooperative research and development agreements.
Sec. 405. Competitiveness assessments and evaluations.
Sec. 406. Study of semiconductor lithography technologies.
Sec. 407. American workforce quality partnerships.
Sec. 408. Severability.
Sec. 409. Sunset.
Sec. 410. Use of domestic products.
Sec. 411. National Quality Program.
Sec. 412. Definitions.
Sec. 413. Fastener Quality Act amendments.
TITLE V—AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS
Sec. 501. Technology Administration.
Sec. 502. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Sec. 503. Additional activities of the Technology Administration.
Sec. 504. National Science Foundation.
Sec. 505. Availability of appropriations.
Sec. 506. Prohibitions.
SEC. 102. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the creation, development, and adoption of
advanced technologies are significant determinants
of sustainable economic growth, productivity im-
provement, and competitive standing;
(2) over the last decade, the rate of advanced
technology adoption in the United States has been
about half that of some prominent foreign nations
and has contributed to a relative decline in United
States industrial competitiveness;
(3) maintaining a highly competitive manufac-
turing base in the United States is essential for eco-
nomic prosperity and national welfare and requires
continuous development and adoption of advanced
manufacturing technologies that will enable United
States manufacturers to develop innovative products
rapidly and manufacture goods of the highest quality
at competitive prices;
(4) there is general agreement on which fields
of technology are critical for economic competitive-
ness through the first decade of the next century,
but the United States Government must pursue a
comprehensive strategy to ensure that the appro-
priate research, development, and applications activi-
ties and other reforms occur so these technologies
are readily available to United States manufacturers
for incorporation into products made in the United
States;
(5) technology-based products of the twenty-
first century must be developed incorporating the
values of sustainable development, including low en-
ergy and material use, safety, recyclability, and
minimal pollution;
(6) the cost of and difficulty in obtaining in-
vestment capital for small high technology compa-
nies are significant deterrents to their formation, de-
velopment, and growth;
(7) standardization of weights and measures,
including development and promotion of product and
quality standards, has a significant role to play in
competitiveness;
(8) strategic technology planning for sustain-
able economic growth, the support of critical civilian
technology research, development, and application,
and advancement of manufacturing technology re-
search, development, and adoption are appropriate
Government roles; and
(9) programs established under this Act, and
the amendments made by this Act, shall be funded
as a result of shifting the total Federal investment
in research and development to achieve a balance be-
tween support for defense and civilian activities, and
shall not be financed through additional deficit
spending.
SEC. 103. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) promote and facilitate the creation, develop-
ment, and adoption of technologies by United States
companies throughout the Nation that will contrib-
ute significantly to United States competitiveness,
employment, and sustainable economic growth;
(2) improve the competitiveness of United
States manufacturers, particularly small businesses,
by developing a nationwide technology outreach pro-
gram to improve access to information, expertise,
technology, and management practices required to
compete throughout the world;
(3) promote the development and rapid applica-
tion of advanced manufacturing technologies and
processes by United States manufacturers, with em-
phasis on environmentally sound practices and sus-
tainable economic growth;
(4) stimulate long-term investment in United
States companies engaged in development or utiliza-
tion of critical or other advanced technologies;
(5) establish mechanisms to ensure synergistic
linkages between Federal, State, and local initiatives
aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of United
States companies;
(6) enhance and expand the core programs of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
including the Advanced Technology Program;
(7) monitor and assess foreign technology capa-
bilities relative to those of the United States in order
to assist United States companies and policymakers
in identifying and responding to competitive oppor-
tunities and challenges; and
(8) facilitate cooperation among Federal agen-
cies with the goal of achieving an integrated national
effort to improve United States competitiveness, em-
ployment, and sustainable growth.
SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘advanced manufacturing tech-
nology’’ has the meaning given such term in section
4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980, as amended by section 206(a) of this
Act;
(2) the term ‘‘critical technologies’’ means tech-
nologies identified as critical technologies pursuant
to section 603(d) of the National Science and Tech-
(10) the term ‘‘United States’’ means the sev-
eral States, the District of Columbia, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or pos-
session of the United States;
(11) the term ‘‘United States company’’ has the
meaning given such term in section (4) of the Ste-
venson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980,
as amended by section 206(a) of this Act;
(12) the term ‘‘United States manufacturer’’
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of
1980, as amended by section 206(a) of this Act; and
(13) the term ‘‘Under Secretary’’ means the
Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology.
TITLE II—MANUFACTURING
Subtitle A—Manufacturing
Technology and Extension
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Manufacturing
Technology and Extension Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 202. FINDINGS, PURPOSE, AND STATEMENT OF POL-
ICY.
The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following new title:
‘‘TITLE III—MANUFACTURING
TECHNOLOGY
‘‘SEC. 301. FINDINGS, PURPOSE, AND STATEMENT OF POL-
ICY.
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds and declares the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(1) United States manufacturers, especially
small businesses, require the adoption and imple-
mentation of both modern and advanced manufac-
turing and process technologies to meet the chal-
lenge of foreign competition.
‘‘(2) The development and application of mod-
ern and advanced manufacturing technologies are
vital to the sustainable economic growth, standard of
living, competitiveness in world markets, and na-
tional security and welfare of the United States.
‘‘(3) New developments in flexible, computer-in-
tegrated manufacturing, electronic manufacturing
communications networks, and other new tech-
nologies make possible dramatic improvements
across all industrial sectors in productivity, quality,
and the speed with which United States manufactur-
ers can respond to changing market opportunities.
‘‘(4) The application of advances in computer
science and technology to manufacturing is also vital
to the Nation’s prosperity, national and economic se-
curity, industrial production, engineering, and sci-
entific advancement.
‘‘(5) The Department of Commerce’s Tech-
nology Administration, along with other Federal
agencies, can continue to play an important role in
assisting United States companies to develop, test,
and adopt modern and advanced manufacturing
technologies and in establishing high-performance
computing technology testbeds to develop, refine,
test, and transfer advanced manufacturing and
networking technologies and associated applications.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this title to con-
tribute to the competitiveness of the United States by en-
hancing the Department of Commerce’s technology pro-
grams to—
‘‘(1) provide United States manufacturers, es-
pecially small businesses, with ready access to high
quality advice and assistance in the development,
adoption, and improvement of modern manufactur-
ing processes and technology, and in solving their
specific technology-based problems; and
‘‘(2) encourage, facilitate, and support the de-
velopment and adoption of advanced manufacturing
principles and technologies by United States manu-
facturers.
‘‘(c) STATEMENT
OF POLICY.—Congress declares
that it is the policy of the United States that—
‘‘(1) Federal agencies, particularly the Depart-
ment of Commerce, shall work with United States
manufacturers, labor, and the States to ensure that
the United States is second to no other nation in the
development, adoption, and use of modern and ad-
vanced manufacturing technology;
‘‘(2) the Department of Commerce shall work
with all the major Federal research and development
agencies to encourage the development and adoption,
by United States manufacturers, of advanced manu-
facturing technologies, and shall work closely with
United States manufacturers and labor, and with
the Nation’s universities, to develop and test those
technologies; and
‘‘(3) the Department of Commerce shall place a
high priority on the establishment and growth of a
National Technology Outreach Program to promote
and facilitate the development and use by United
States manufacturers of modern and advanced man-
ufacturing systems and applications for manufactur-
ing.
‘‘(d) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this title shall be
construed as modifying the duties and responsibilities of
the Department of Energy with regard to its technology
resources and expertise in matters under its jurisdiction.’’.
SEC. 203. ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by section 202 of this Act,
is further amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
‘‘SEC. 302. ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
‘‘(a) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.—Consistent with
the purposes and policies of section 301, the Department
of Commerce shall have primary responsibility in the Fed-
eral Government in working with United States manufac-
turers and labor and the States to develop advanced man-
ufacturing technologies and to promote and assist the
adoption and use of modern and advanced manufacturing
technologies, practices, and management techniques
throughout the United States. In carrying out this title,
the Secretary, acting, as appropriate, through the Under
Secretary and the Director, shall—
‘‘(1) consult and cooperate with other Federal
agencies, including the Department of Defense, the
Department of Energy, and the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration to ensure consist-
ent and, where possible, coordinated efforts to pro-
mote the development and adoption of modern and
advanced manufacturing technologies;
‘‘(2) assist the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy in its efforts to coordinate the manu-
facturing technology activities of the various Federal
agencies; and
‘‘(3) work with representatives of Federal,
State, and local agencies, manufacturing extension
programs, private industry, industry groups, worker
organizations, and academia to encourage and facili-
tate the use of both advanced manufacturing tech-
nologies, including those developed by the Advanced
Manufacturing Technology Development Program
established under section 304 of this Act, and mod-
ern manufacturing technologies and practices to
United States manufacturers.
The Secretary shall annually report to Congress on actions
taken under this subsection.
‘‘(b) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—To the extent
permitted by other law, other Federal agencies shall co-
operate with the Secretary in carrying out this title.’’.
SEC. 204. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by sections 202 and 203 of
this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section:
‘‘SEC. 303. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT
AND
PURPOSE.—There is
hereby established a National Technology Outreach Pro-
gram (in this section referred to as the ‘Outreach Pro-
gram’), the purpose of which shall be to—
‘‘(1) interconnect, programmatically and elec-
tronically, the Nation’s technology and manufactur-
ing extension centers, programs, and activities;
‘‘(2) improve the competitiveness of United
States manufacturers and create jobs located in the
United States; and
‘‘(3) assist United States manufacturers, espe-
cially small businesses, to expand and accelerate the
use of cost-effective modern manufacturing tech-
nologies and practices and to develop and adopt ad-
vanced manufacturing technologies. The Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary and the Direc-
tor, shall implement and coordinate the Outreach
Program in accordance with an initial plan and a 5-
year plan for the Outreach Program, to be submit-
ted to the Congress under subsection (g).
‘‘(b) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The Outreach Pro-
gram shall constitute a partnership between the Depart-
ment of Commerce, the States, the private sector, and,
as appropriate, shall include other Federal agencies to
provide a national system of manufacturing and tech-
nology extension centers and technical services to United
States manufacturers, particularly small businesses. The
Outreach Program shall include—
‘‘(1) Manufacturing Outreach Centers estab-
lished under subsection (c);
‘‘(2) Regional Centers for the Transfer of Man-
ufacturing Technology established under section 25
of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k);
‘‘(3) the State Technology Extension Program
established under section 26 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278l);
‘‘(4) the Outreach Program Information Net-
work and the Clearinghouse established under sub-
sections (d) and (e) of this section, respectively; and
‘‘(5) other technology and manufacturing exten-
sion centers and activities supported by Federal,
State, or local agencies which could contribute to the
goals of this title and that the Secretary considers
appropriate for inclusion in the Outreach Program.
‘‘(c) MANUFACTURING OUTREACH CENTERS.—(1)
Eligible government and private sector organizations that
are engaged in technology or manufacturing extension ac-
tivities may apply to the Secretary for designation as Man-
ufacturing Outreach Centers, in such form and manner
as the Secretary may prescribe. Eligible organizations in-
clude Federal, State, and local government agencies, ex-
tension programs, universities, and laboratories; small
business development centers; and professional societies,
worker organizations, industrial organizations, nonprofit
organizations, community development organizations,
community colleges, and technical schools and colleges.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish standards, consist-
ent with the requirements of subsection (f), for designa-
tion of existing technology or manufacturing extension
programs and for qualification of start-up programs as
Manufacturing Outreach Centers.
‘‘(3) The Secretary may, through a competitive proc-
ess, make grants, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, to Manufacturing Outreach Centers designated in
accordance with the standards established under para-
graph (2), to enable them to fulfill the purposes and per-
form the activities of the Outreach Program. If a State
plan for technology extension exists in a State where an
applicant for a grant under this paragraph is operating
or plans to operate, the proposer shall demonstrate in its
application that its proposal is compatible with such State
plan. The purpose of such grants is to upgrade the overall
quality of the Outreach Program and to contribute to the
goal of ready availability of the services and information
provided through the Outreach Program, including infor-
mation on modern and advanced manufacturing tech-
nology, to all interested United States manufacturers.
Such grants shall be awarded to increase the capabilities
and capacity of Manufacturing Outreach Centers. Manu-
facturing Outreach Centers may not concurrently receive
financial assistance under section 25 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act and grants under
this paragraph. Grants may be awarded under this para-
graph for an initial period not to exceed 3 years and may
be renewed for one additional period, not to exceed 2
years. Such grants may not at any time exceed 50 percent
of the operating costs and in-kind contributions of the
grant recipient.
‘‘(4) In selecting applicants to participate in the Out-
reach Program and in making grants under paragraph
(3), the Secretary shall solicit and consider evaluations of
the applicant’s performance record and current capabili-
ties, and the potential usefulness of the applicant’s pro-
posal, from United States manufacturers that the Sec-
retary considers qualified to make such evaluations.
‘‘(d) OUTREACH
PROGRAM
INFORMATION
NET-
WORK.—(1) The Department of Commerce shall provide
for an instantaneous, interactive electronic communica-
tions network (in this section referred to as the ‘outreach
network’) to serve the Outreach Program, to facilitate ef-
fective and efficient interaction within it, and to permit
the collection and dissemination in electronic form, in a
timely and accurate manner, of information described in
subsection (e). The outreach network shall, wherever prac-
ticable, make use of existing public and private computer
networks, data bases, and electronic bulletin boards. The
design, configuration, acquisition plan, and operating poli-
cies, including user fees and appropriate electronic access
for public and private information suppliers and users, of
the outreach network shall be included in the 5-year plan
prepared under subsection (g)(2) and shall address—
‘‘(A) effective mechanisms for providing operat-
ing funds for the maintenance and use of the out-
reach network established under this paragraph, in-
cluding user fees, industry support, and continued
Federal investment;
‘‘(B) the future operation and evolution of the
outreach network, including its relationship with
other public or private information services;
‘‘(C) how to protect the copyrights of material
distributed over the outreach network; and
‘‘(D) appropriate policies—
‘‘(i) to ensure the security of proprietary
information that might be available on the out-
reach network and to protect the privacy of
users of the outreach network; and
‘‘(ii) to facilitate and limit access to the
outreach network and its information to mem-
ber organizations of the Outreach Program and
to United States companies, State and local
governments, United States universities and
colleges, and United States nonprofit organiza-
tions that the Secretary deems appropriate.
‘‘(2) Except as provided in this section, the outreach
network established under paragraph (1) shall be designed
and configured in a manner that will enable interoper-
ability with networks and technologies developed under the
National High-Performance Computing Program de-