I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1844
To contribute to the competitiveness of the United States by enhancing
the manufacturing technology programs of the Department of Commerce.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 14, 1995
Mr. OLVER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Science
A BILL
To contribute to the competitiveness of the United States
by enhancing the manufacturing technology programs
of the Department of Commerce.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Manufacturing Tech-
nology and Extension Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS, PURPOSE, AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.
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. 3. ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by section 2 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. 4. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.
Title III of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innova-
tion Act of 1980, as added by sections 2 and 3 of this
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following
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.