Trinity River Restoration Fund Act of 2007

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of promoting technological innovation, bolstering the strength of our manufacturing industry and contributing to the overall global competitiveness of American business. However, I simply cannot support the closed rule process brought forward today by the Democrat majority that prevents all but one Republican amendment from being considered by the House.

This rule represents a substantial break with recent precedent because the last time that a comprehensive reauthorization of the National Institute of Standards and Technology was brought to the Rules Committee, the Republican majority provided the House with a completely open rule for its consideration. I know this, Mr. Speaker, because I had the privilege of managing that rule for our majority, and the Democrat minority position was then ably handled by the current chairman of the Rules Committee, my good friend Chairman Louise Slaughter.

Unfortunately, Chairwoman Slaughter seems to have forgotten the merits of providing the House with an open rules process because today the committee that she chairs has provided the House with a closed process, through a restrictive rule, not an open rule, even using the more lenient definition of an open rule currently being employed by the Democrat majority, which under Republican leadership was reserved for modified open rules.

I include for the Record a copy of this rule, H. Res. 474, which provided for the consideration of H.R. 2733, the Enterprise Integration Act of 2002, to remind the majority that NIST reauthorization is, in fact, possible to do under an open process.

H. Res. 474

Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this

resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule

XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the

Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of

the bill (H.R. 2733) to authorize the National Institute of

Standards and Technology to work with major manufacturing

industries on an initiative of standards development and

implementation for electronic enterprise integration. The

first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. General

debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one

hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and

ranking minority member of the Committee on Science. After

general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment

under the five-minute rule. It shall be in order to consider

as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the

five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of substitute

recommended by the Committee on Science now printed in the

bill. Each section of the committee amendment in the nature

of a substitute shall be considered as read. During

consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chairman of the

Committee of the Whole may accord priority in recognition on

the basis of whether the Member offering an amendment has

caused it to be printed in the portion of the Congressional

Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII.

Amendments so printed shall be considered as read. At the

conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the

Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with

such amendments as may have been adopted. Any Member may

demand a separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted

in the Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the committee

amendment in the nature of a substitute. The previous

question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and

amendments thereto to final passage without intervening

motion except one motion to recommit with or without

instructions.

Despite my objection to the rule, I do want to support the underlying legislation which makes a number of positive changes to an institution with a long history of helping to keep America globally competitive.

Since its inception in 1901, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has worked diligently to achieve its mission of promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement, science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve the quality of life.

By focusing on its core mission of stimulating innovation, fostering industrial competition and competitiveness and improving quality of life, the NIST has become a valuable component in the ongoing struggle that the United States faces to remain globally competitive.

This legislation authorizes appropriations for NIST for the next 3 years, most notably doubling the Federal Government's investment in physical

science research, as proposed by President Bush's American Competitiveness Initiative. And this increased investment will yield real-world benefits across a number of diverse sectors, including developing performance standards for bullet-proof vests for our military and law enforcement, chemical and biological protection equipment for first responders, and measurement standards vital to leading-edge industries like nanotechnology and next-generation solar cells that will help America increase its energy independence.

This legislation strengthens oversight by requiring the NIST director to submit annual programmatic planning documents to Congress, ensuring that the NIST budget is spent on activities that meet the needs of American industry, and that the increased funds which the NIST is being entrusted with are spent wisely.

This legislation also takes steps to ensure the continued viability of the workhorses of the American economy, small and medium-size manufacturers.

By reauthorizing the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, Congress will help countless domestic manufacturers to improve their manufacturing processes, reduce waste and to train workers to use new equipment.

Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the work of Chairman Bart Gordon and my good friend, the ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from Rockwall, Texas, Mr. Ralph Hall, for all of their hard work and bipartisan cooperation on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the Statement of Administration Policy for this legislation.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 1868--Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of

2007, May 1, 2007

The Administration opposes House passage of H.R. 1868 in

its current form. The bill conflicts with the

administration's Research and Development Criteria by

diverting funds from critical, high-return basic research to

support subsidized management consulting activities and a

Technology Innovation Program (TIP) modeled on the Advanced

Technology Program that was proceeding toward termination

last Congress, as the Administration has proposed for the

past five years. These external commercial support programs

would be authorized at a total of $223 million in Fiscal Year

2008, and would increase by more than 18 percent in FY 2009.

The Administration does not support the level of funding or

the focus and structure of the programs as currently

reflected in the bill. The Administration recognizes that a

Manager's Amendment may be offered that is intended to

improve the bill by refocusing TIP awards on areas of

national need. However, the bill still permits grants to

large corporations, limits the role of universities and

national laboratories, and does not target major societal

challenges.

The Administration continues to believe that investing in

basic research is a higher priority. Last year the President

proposed doubling support for high-payoff physical science

research in the National Institute of Standards and

Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation, and the

Department of Energy's Office of Science over the coming

decade as part of the American Competitiveness Initiative

(ACI). Compared with the amounts required to double NIST's

core research and facilities funding, H.R. 1868 provides $22

million less in FY 2008 than the President requested and

authorizes less funding than the Administration recommends in

FYs 2009 and 2010. Such investment in NIST's core measurement

and standards capabilities has demonstrated a significant,

and often exceptional, return to the economy. Studies

commissioned by NIST to evaluate the economic impacts of its

core standards activities generally show benefits far greater

than costs--the benefit-cost ratio across 19 of these studies

averaged 44:1, indicative of the great leveraging of NIST's

work in the economy. The research funding increases for NIST

proposed in the ACI have been broadly endorsed by the science

community, most recently in the ``American Innovation

Proc1amation''--a package of targeted recommendations by

America's business and higher education leaders.

The House bill would divert NIST resources from core basic

research activities toward less meritorious industrial

policy. The Administration urges the House to amend the bill

to address these concerns.

But despite my support for the legislation's goals, I encourage my colleagues to oppose this rule, so that this legislation can be considered under an open rule process that gives every single Member of this body with a germane amendment an opportunity to come down to the floor and to make their case.

Mr. Speaker, the essence of what we are here to do today is to help America to become more competitive in the global process. By doing this, what we are saying is that by working with the NIST, it is a collaboration that the government has on behalf of and in particular for technology.

Technology is what ultimately will drive America well into this new century to make sure that we solve problems, problems that have existed. Maybe they are mathematical problems, perhaps they are problems of trying to get people to work with new equipment that they may have. But the technology angle and the ability that the Federal Government has to take a proactive stand on behalf of American competitiveness is the essence of this bill.

For a long time, we have spoken on this floor, Member-to-Member and as a body, about how important it is for America to understand the global competition that faces America. Today is an opportunity for us to come together here in this Congress to make sure that we are talking not only about that which will help America, but to continue something that we have been doing since 1901, and that is a government program that works well with the private sector to make sure that America is poised in its future to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, Dr. Gingrey.

Mr. Speaker, as you can see by the last two speakers, the gentleman from Georgia (Dr. Gingrey) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), they have approached this subject not only in a bipartisan way, but with a genuine friendship to each other in trying to promote NIST as well as American competitiveness. I think this flows all the way to the top, where Chairman Bart Gordon and ranking member Ralph Hall have worked very diligently on this. I think it is a good thing when we are able to work in the Congress on behalf of the American people, in this case for the NIST laboratories.

I would like to talk for just a minute, if I can, about more of what they do, because I think it is an interesting exercise to go through.

Between 3 and 6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic products is attributed to measurements and measurement-related operations that rely on the NIST for accuracy, reliability and for international recognition. The NIST X-ray standards and proficiency tests ensure proper radiation exposure levels in

more than 9,000 facilities that perform more than 30 million mammograms yearly.

The NIST Internet time services are being used by NASDAQ, a key component of our wonderful American system of financial integrity, for NASDAQ members to time stamp hundreds of billions of dollars worth of stock trades and other financial transactions that are conducted in business every single day.

The United States, for the last 35 years, has helped the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI. During part of that time my father, for eight of those years, served as Director of the FBI.

The NIST helps improve the process of matching fingerprints found at crime scenes or collected from suspects with those that are on file. In cooperation with the American National Standards Institute, the NIST also developed a uniform way for fingerprint identification data to be exchanged between different jurisdictions and between scanning machines made by different manufacturers.

The Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, the Nation's highest honor awarded by the President of the United States to U.S. organizations for their performance excellence in quality achievement, is managed by the NIST, and the award criteria are used by thousands of companies, hospitals, and schools to improve their products and services all across the United States.

The total economic benefit of the NIST Baldridge National Quality Program, which receives only a small amount of Federal funding, is estimated at almost $25 billion for a stunning benefit-cost ratio of 207 to 1.

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about something that is a laboratory that all Americans can be proud of. I came from a research organization years ago in New Jersey where I had a chance to also work in a lab. This lab is an asset to America. But, Mr. Speaker, it is part of an overall comprehensive and complex way that the United States chooses to do business not only in this country, but also to lead the world.

I found it interesting that just a few weeks ago there was a report issued by the Financial Times, which is a newspaper that reports on international monetary circumstances, and it reported that now the 25- member EU countries have a combined GDP that equals that of the United States of America, 25 member countries from the EU. But if you read on, you see that they now have a combined GDP that equals the United States where we were in 1985.

America truly is the world leader. We are the world leader in commerce and activities that create better lives for people. The EU is struggling. They are struggling because of high taxes, rules and regulations, and a single-payer system in health care, those things that we here in the United States Congress also debate and talk about.

And because we have a chance to have something like the NIST as well as a free-enterprise system that is vibrant here in America, because we shut off the heavy rules and regulations, the heavy taxation, and those things that would be related to a single-payer system for health care, we have been able to move America economically in the world marketplace.

So Republicans today come to the floor in full appreciation and respect with our colleagues to say we want to continue what this lab does, but we are also asking for them at the same time to recognize that growing medium and small business, ensuring that America stays competitive, and, most importantly, that we are prepared for the future where our competitors might be is what really this Congress should be doing.

Today is a small piece, part, a component of that competitiveness model that will keep America going, and I am proud to be a part of that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, let me just thank my former colleague on the Committee on Rules, Mr. Pete Sessions, the gentleman from Texas. I realize as we get busy running from pillar to post around here, that he was in the process of wrapping up, and it is awfully kind of him to go kind of out of regular order and give me the opportunity, knowing how committed I am to this program, to take a few minutes. I appreciate so much that opportunity.

I do rise to support the underlying rule and the bill, H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007. I want to take the opportunity to thank my chairman on the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, David Wu from the great State of Oregon, for incorporating into this bill the many suggestions and additions from our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as the administration. The final legislation is a better product because of that, and, David Wu, I thank you so much.

Last year, with his American Competitiveness Initiative, President Bush provided a vision to maintain America's position in the global marketplace by actually doubling the investment in physical science research over the next 10 years. H.R. 1868 helps fulfill that mission.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST we know it as. It is an agency in the Department of Commerce and one of the three agencies highlighted by the President's American Competitiveness Initiative.

NIST has an annual operating budget of about $843 million. It operates in two locations. The headquarters, of course, are in Gaithersburg, Maryland, I have had a great visit there with Dr. Jeffrey, the Director. There is also the facility at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

NIST employs 2,900 scientists, engineers, technicians and administrative. These employees all play a critical role in this research, which enables cutting-edge technologies to make the leap from basic research into successful commercial products. NIST labs accomplish this goal by conducting research that supports United States technology infrastructure by developing tools to measure, evaluate and standardize processes and products in almost all industrial sectors.

For example, NIST labs develops performance standards for bulletproof vests, chemical and biological protection equipment guides for first responders, measurement standards vital to sustaining cutting-edge industries like nanotechnology, we are doing some great work at my alma mater, the Georgia Institute of Technology, on nanotechnology, and, of course, next generation solar cells.

The Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act codifies

the American Competitiveness Initiative by authorizing 3 years of the proposed 10-year doubling for NIST laboratories and construction budget. That indeed is exactly what the administration asked us to do. That is exactly what Chairman Wu has done and the Science Committee has done.

H.R. 1868 also strengthens oversight of NIST programs by requiring the director to submit to Congress annual programmatic planning documents and requiring NIST's Technical Advisory Board to comment on those plans. This will ensure that the budget of NIST is spent on activities that meet the needs of American industry and that Congress is kept abreast of how NIST plans to use its increased funding.

Manufacturing is so fundamental, Mr. Speaker, to our Nation's economic vitality. Manufacturing jobs continue to pay more than the average U.S. salaries and they provide better benefits.

Mr. Speaker, a strong manufacturing base is so critical to U.S. economic competitiveness. H.R. 1868 supports small and medium-sized manufacturers by reauthorizing the highly successful Manufacturing Extension Partnership. I know every Member is enthusiastic about Manufacturing Extension Partnerships. We refer to them as MEPs. They are wonderful. They are great programs. They help businesses improve manufacturing processes, reduce waste, they train workers to use new equipment.

The MEP program receives one-third of its funding from the Federal Government, one-third from the States, and, yes, one-third from fees charged to the participating small businesses, these potential small business manufacturers. This MEP program has over 350 offices located in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. In my great State of Georgia, and again, I mention my alma mater, Georgia Tech, plays a critical role in successfully coordinating the efforts across the State for these MEP programs.

H.R. 1868 improves the MEP program by incorporating changes that have passed the House in both the 108th and 109th Congresses. These changes include the codification of an MEP advisory board, the establishment of grant programs to research and identify innovative manufacturing technologies and the formation of research fellowships.

I know my colleagues and I can all agree that small and medium-sized manufacturers are the workhorses of our economy. Their future depends on our ability to foster an innovative environment which will enable them to continue developing and adopting advanced technologies that allow them to remain competitive in the ever-increasing global marketplace.

Our country's current system of collaboration with university and national lab-based basic research is the best in the world. However, many experts agree that in the phase between science-based ``inventions'' and commercially viable ``innovation,'' inefficiencies exist in our capital markets that contribute to the funding gap for early stage technology development.

Currently, the Advanced Technology Program at NIST provides cost- shared funding to bridge the technology development gap for research with potential to deliver widespread economic benefits that would likely not be developed because private sector capital is unavailable.

H.R. 1868 repeals the Advanced Technology Program, ATP, and establishes the Technology Innovation Program, TIP, which will award cost-shared grants to small and medium-sized businesses and joint ventures including universities to pursue high-risk technologies with potential significant broad benefits to the Nation.

The new Technology Innovation Program incorporates recommendations made by the Bush administration to improve and update the former ATP program to make it more effective in promoting technology transfer that will benefit our entire Nation.

Mr. Speaker, past ATP funding advanced technologies for the next- generation auto equipment and techniques including: robotic welding, ceramic coatings, and reinforced plastics as strong as steel. One project dramatically improved the fit of a car body's 300 stamped parts. This advancement may save consumers and automakers up to $650 million in annual maintenance costs.

Mr. Speaker, I again want to underline my whole-hearted support for the underlying legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, let me just say that what we are doing here today in regard to the NIST program is so important to our economy. We worry about jobs. We worry on both sides of the aisle. We talk about that. Every month we look at the number of jobs that were created. It is a barometer that is watched so closely by the Members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, and by the people back home.

This is really what this is all about, these kinds of programs. We can fight about a lot of things, but we shouldn't fight about funding the National Science Foundation and the NIST program and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and anything like that, like last week when we passed those two bills to improve math and science education in this country.

We have to compete globally. Yes, we are in a shooting war in the Middle East and we want to give our soldiers an opportunity to win, but we need to give ourselves an opportunity to win this economic battle of the global economy, and that is what it is all about.

Mr. Speaker, I want to again underline my whole-hearted support for the underlying legislation. I urge my colleagues, as I know they will, to support it.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 350 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 350.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 350 provides for consideration of H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, under a structured rule.

The rule provides 1 hour of general debate to be controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Science and Technology.

The rule makes in order five amendments printed in the Rules Committee report, each with 10 minutes of debate. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Mr. Speaker, I speak today in support of House Resolution 350 and H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, a bill which provides essential funding to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the next 3 fiscal years.

The United States Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology strives to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness through the advancement of measurement science, standards and technology. Through numerous individual laboratories, the NIST makes important scientific contributions to numerous scientific fields, from building and fire research to computer security to biotechnology.

This bill will enhance the important mission, putting the NIST on a path to double its budget by the year 2017. With this additional funding, the NIST will continue to make important contributions to public safety, industrial competitiveness and economic growth.

This bill also allocates funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, also known as MEP. These MEP programs leverage Federal, State, local and private investments to stimulate new manufacturing processes and technologies. These new processes and technologies are a key component for ensuring that American manufacturers have the tools to compete effectively and efficiently against overseas manufacturers.

The MEP program has proven remarkably effective in my home State of Ohio, where small and midsize manufacturers face limited budgets, in- house expertise and access to the newest technologies. MEP assistance providing training, expertise and services tailored to the critical needs of Ohio's small and midsize manufacturers have made a big difference. Through this assistance, manufacturers in Ohio have increased productivity, achieved higher profits and remained competitive by providing the latest and most efficient technologies, processes and business practices.

In 2006, as a direct result of MEP assistance, my State enjoyed over $150 million of new investment and over $500 million in increased or retained sales. Companies in Ohio participating in the MEP reported cost savings of over $100 million. Through the continued funding of this vital program, we can bring these vast benefits to even more small manufacturers across the country.

Finally, and very importantly, this bill allocates funding for the new Technology Innovation Program, which funds high-risk, high-reward, precompetitive technology development by small and medium-sized companies. The goal of this program is to accelerate the development of technologies that will have a broad economic impact on our technology market.

Harvard Professor Daniel Bell once said that ``Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of human imagination.'' It is through the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Technology Innovation Program that technology is given the wind that it needs to soar. Even more importantly, through this bill, small and midsize manufacturers will be given the support they need to compete with larger competitors in overseas businesses.

This bill will not only provide assistance to American companies, like the 1,773 companies in Ohio that were helped by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, but it will also create a stronger and more vibrant American technology industry. This is a good bill, and it deserves our support.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.

Mr. Speaker, it is time we put some teeth behind our rhetoric about helping our manufacturers and promoting innovation and industrial competitiveness. While there are many things that must be done on many different fronts to see real improvements, passing the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act today is one very positive action we can take for manufacturers in Ohio and across the Nation.

It also tells those involved in measurement science, standards and technology, and those working to contribute to public safety, industrial competitiveness and economic growth that we are behind their efforts.

As I said earlier, when we support the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Technology Innovation Program, we are not only talking the talk, we are walking the walk. For this reason, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2733) to temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2733, a bill to temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Last month, we took the next step toward reauthorizing the Higher Education Act by passing H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. That bill builds on the law Congress enacted last year that put $20 billion in Federal student aid in the hands of those in most need, low- and middle-income students and families working hard to pay for the cost of college.

Now, as we work with the Senate towards the conference report to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, we are close to providing students and families with additional reforms needed to truly ensure that the doors of college remain open to all qualified students.

It is our goal to ensure that the final bill include vital provisions of H.R. 4137 that address the major obstacle families face in the path to college, from skyrocketing college tuition prices, to the needlessly complicated student aid application process, to predatory tactics by student lenders.

It has been nearly 10 years since the Higher Education Act last reauthorized, and I believe that Members on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers are eager to complete the work on a compromise bill this Congress.

This bipartisan reauthorization presents the best opportunity that we had to bring our higher education system into the 21st century.

The bill under consideration today, S. 2733, will extend the programs under the current Higher Education Act until April 30, 2008, to allow sufficient time for further deliberations to continue on the two bills passed in the House and Senate. And while that process of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act may be coming to a close, I would like to underscore that it does not mean that we will complete work on higher education altogether. The Education and Labor Committee will continue our efforts to ensure our higher education programs operate in the best interests of students and families, which include overseeing the proper implementation of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act and other provisions of the Higher Education Act. We will also examine how we can best ensure the availability of Federal student loans in the midst of volatility in our Nation's credit markets.

I look forward to completing this work with the respective Members so that we can continue to make college more affordable and accessible for our Nation's students and families.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I join Mr. Platts in urging a ``yes'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule for consideration of H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007. H.R. 1868 is a bill which will bolster innovation and our manufacturing base and enhance national economic competitiveness.

The bill was ordered reported by a unanimous vote of the Committee on Science and Technology on April 25, 2007. The bill puts the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, on a 10-year path to doubling as an investment in our innovation future.

H.R. 1868 is a comprehensive authorization bill for NIST's Scientific and Technical Research and Services, Industrial Technology Services and Construction Research Facilities accounts. NIST has not had a comprehensive authorization bill since 1992.

I want to highlight that H.R. 1868 is a bipartisan product of the Science and Technology Committee. I worked closely with Ranking Member Hall and with Dr. Gingrey. I want to thank Dr. Gingrey for coming to the floor and speaking on behalf of this bill and rule this morning. I worked closely with Dr. Ehlers in developing this legislation. They were original cosponsors of the bill.

We adopted several amendments at the subcommittee and full committee markup, and we have a stronger bill as a result of this bipartisan effort.

This bill has been endorsed by TechNet, the Alliance For Science & Technology Research in America, the American Small Manufacturers Coalition, the American Association of Universities, the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and dozens of other organizations, companies and individuals.

Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee has crafted an appropriate rule, and I would urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation.