American Super Computing Leadership Act

Bill: 114-hr-874
Sponsor: Rep. Hultgren, Randy [R-IL-14]
Introduced: 2015-02-11 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Department of Energy
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy research
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-11
text: 

American Super Computing Leadership Act 

 
 Amends the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 with respect to: (1) exascale computing (computing system performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point operations per second), and (2) a high-end computing system with performance substantially exceeding that of systems commonly available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
 
Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) coordinate the development of high-end computing systems across DOE; (2) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the technology developed in the program to other challenges in science, engineering, medicine, and industry; and (3) include among the multiple architectures researched, at DOE discretion, any computer technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in power requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, memory and storage, bandwidth, and reliability.
 
Repeals authority for establishment of at least one High-End Software Development Center.
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct a coordinated research program to develop exascale computing systems to advance DOE missions. Requires establishment through competitive merit review of two or more DOE National Laboratory-industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale architectures.
 
Requires the Secretary to conduct mission-related co-design activities in developing such exascale platforms. Defines &quot;co-design&quot; as the joint development of application algorithms, models, and codes with computer technology architectures and operating systems to maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
 
Directs the Secretary to develop any advancements in hardware and software technology required to realize fully the potential of an exascale production system in addressing DOE target applications and solving scientific problems involving predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale data analytics and management. Requires DOE also to explore the use of exascale computing technologies to advance a broad range of science and engineering.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress an integrated strategy and program management plan.
 
Requires the Secretary, before initiating construction or installation of an exascale-class computing facility, to transmit to Congress a separate plan detailing: (1) the proposed facility's cost projections and capabilities to significantly accelerate the development of new energy technologies; (2) technical risks and challenges that must be overcome to achieve successful completion and operation of the facility; and (3) an independent assessment of the scientific and technological advances expected from such a facility relative to those expected from a comparable investment in expanded research and applications at terascale-class and petascale-class computing facilities, including an evaluation of where investments should be made in the system software and algorithms to enable these advances.

action_date: 2015-05-19
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

American Super Computing Leadership Act 

 
 (Sec. 3) Amends the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 with respect to: (1) exascale computing (computing system performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point operations per second), and (2) a high-end computing system with performance substantially exceeding that of systems commonly available for advanced scientific and engineering applications.
 
Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) coordinate the development of high-end computing systems across DOE; (2) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the technology developed in the program to other challenges in science, engineering, medicine, and industry; and (3) include among the multiple architectures researched, at DOE discretion, any computer technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in power requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, memory and storage, bandwidth, and reliability.
 
Repeals authority for establishment of at least one High-End Software Development Center.
 
Directs the Secretary to conduct a coordinated research program to develop exascale computing systems to advance DOE missions. Requires establishment through competitive merit review of two or more DOE National Laboratory-industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale architectures.
 
Requires the Secretary to conduct mission-related co-design activities in developing such exascale platforms. Defines &quot;co-design&quot; as the joint development of application algorithms, models, and codes with computer technology architectures and operating systems to maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
 
Directs the Secretary to develop any advancements in hardware and software technology required to realize fully the potential of an exascale production system in addressing DOE target applications and solving scientific problems involving predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale data analytics and management. Requires DOE also to explore the use of exascale computing technologies to advance a broad range of science and engineering.
 
Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress an integrated strategy and program management plan.
 
Requires the Secretary, before initiating construction or installation of an exascale-class computing facility, to transmit to Congress a separate plan detailing: (1) the proposed facility's cost projections and capabilities to significantly accelerate the development of new energy technologies; (2) technical risks and challenges that must be overcome to achieve successful completion and operation of the facility; and (3) an independent assessment of the scientific and technological advances expected from such a facility relative to those expected from a comparable investment in expanded research and applications at terascale-class and petascale-class computing facilities, including an evaluation of where investments should be made in the system software and algorithms to enable these advances.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-20
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3361-3362)
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H3361-3362)
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 874.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3361-3363)
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 87.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 114-122.
action_date: 2015-05-19
text: Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 114-122.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Introduced in House