Title: Recognizing the impact of tribology on the United States economy and competitiveness in providing solutions to critical technical problems in manufacturing, energy production and use, transportation vehicles and infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, defense and homeland security, health care, mining safety and reliability, and space exploration, among others, and recognizing the need for increased research and development investments in tribology and related fields.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Recognizes the impact of tribology (a study that deals with the design, friction, wear, and lubrication of interacting surfaces in relative motion)	on the United States economy and competitiveness in providing solutions to critical technical problems in various industries.
Encourages federal agencies to develop and implement programs related to tribology.
Encourages the formation of public-private partnerships to advance fundamental research and accelerate the development of tribology-related products.
Encourages the National Academy of Engineering to conduct a survey on the status of tribology research in academia and government laboratories and to recommend a course of action to accelerate innovations in tribology.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 306 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 306

 Recognizing the impact of tribology on the United States economy and 
 competitiveness in providing solutions to critical technical problems 
 in manufacturing, energy production and use, transportation vehicles 
  and infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, defense and homeland 
    security, health care, mining safety and reliability, and space 
   exploration, among others, and recognizing the need for increased 
 research and development investments in tribology and related fields.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 2, 2017

 Mr. Ryan of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Lipinski, and Mr. Michael F. Doyle 
of Pennsylvania) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
           to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the impact of tribology on the United States economy and 
 competitiveness in providing solutions to critical technical problems 
 in manufacturing, energy production and use, transportation vehicles 
  and infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, defense and homeland 
    security, health care, mining safety and reliability, and space 
   exploration, among others, and recognizing the need for increased 
 research and development investments in tribology and related fields.

Whereas tribology is a branch of science and engineering encompassing scientific 
        disciplines related to the controlling of friction, reduction of wear 
        loss, and development and application of novel lubrication strategies;
Whereas almost every aspect of our lives is impacted by technologies that 
        benefit from the ability to control friction and wear loss;
Whereas approximately a third of the world's primary energy consumption is 
        attributed to friction, and about 70 percent of equipment failures is 
        blamed on lubrication breakdown and wear loss;
Whereas loss of energy to friction and material losses due to wear in mechanical 
        systems such as internal combustion and gas turbine engines account for 
        huge economic and environmental burdens;
Whereas finding ways to minimize friction and wear through new technologies in 
        tribology can have an enormous impact on the economy;
Whereas improving durability of goods and equipment has a dramatic impact on 
        reducing our demand for finite resources such as raw materials;
Whereas proper application of tribology principles reduces energy usage, lowers 
        the cost of maintenance and replacement, and increases reliability;
Whereas new solid lubricants and biodegradable and synthetic lubricants 
        developed from fundamental research are critical to a greener and more 
        sustainable future;
Whereas improvements in manufacturing productivity and efficiency enabled by 
        reduction of friction and wear loss are crucial to our economic 
        competitiveness;
Whereas energy conservation and successful generation of clean energy, such as 
        with wind turbines, rely on principles of tribology;
Whereas reduction of friction is at the very core of improving fuel economy and 
        reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
Whereas safety, reliability, and durability of mechanical products and systems 
        have critical implications on our global reputation with respect to 
        trade and exported goods;
Whereas reduction of friction and increasing durability of artificial joints, 
        prosthetics, and implants are crucial to maintaining quality of life for 
        veterans and the aging population;
Whereas tribology is used to improve everyday personal care products such as 
        toothpaste, skin creams, and hair products;
Whereas tribology principles are crucial to our national defense and homeland 
        security through the use of lighter-weight weapon systems, more 
        efficient and safe operation in a wide range of environments, higher 
        reliability, longer life, and reduced maintenance;
Whereas scientific understanding of friction and wear loss improves maintenance 
        and reliability of the Nation's transportation infrastructure, resulting 
        in a better return on public funding and gains in public safety;
Whereas mining safety and reliability and durability of mining equipment can be 
        improved through proper use of tribology;
Whereas reliability, function, and durability of outer space mechanisms and 
        rockets are essential for future space missions; and
Whereas the enormous potential of tribology in solving global challenges is 
        hampered by limited investments in research, thus limiting innovations 
        in new materials and lubrication technologies: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the impact of tribology on the United States 
        economy and competitiveness;
            (2) recognizes the importance of tribology in providing 
        solutions to critical technical problems in manufacturing, 
        energy production and use, transportation vehicles and 
        infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, defense and homeland 
        security, health care, mining safety and reliability, and space 
        exploration, among other sectors;
            (3) encourages Federal agencies to develop and implement 
        programs and projects related to tribology;
            (4) encourages the formation of public-private partnerships 
        to advance fundamental research and accelerate the development 
        of tribology-related products and technologies;
            (5) recognizes the need for increased research and 
        development investments in tribology and related fields; and
            (6) encourages the National Academy of Engineering to 
        conduct a comprehensive survey of the status of research and 
        development in academia and government laboratories and 
        recommend a course of action to accelerate innovations in 
        tribology.
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