DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017

Mr. President, today I am introducing the DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017 along with Senators Rounds, Brown, Collins, Carper, Coons, Whitehouse, Shaheen, Cortez Masto, and Hirono.

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that we have universities in all 50 States capable of working with the Department of Defense on advanced research topics. A truly National network of university researchers who understand the needs of the Department of Defense puts us in the best possible position to respond to the ever-changing threats our armed forces face. This network will also meet the workforce needs of our defense laboratories by training graduate students in defense-relevant research. This bill reauthorizes the DEPSCoR program, which is modeled on the NSF's successful EPSCoR program for States that receive relatively low amounts of Federal science funding. The bill will focus the DEPSCoR program on defense research, while allowing the scientists and engineers of our defense laboratories to work directly with university researchers from DEPSCoR- eligible States.

Seven years ago, Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences to study the EPSCoR programs. The study concluded that it was in the National interest to engage scientific talent in all 50 States, and that EPSCoR programs were a valuable part of a National strategy to maintain global scientific leadership. The report emphasized that successfully engaging all 50 States required the involvement of technology-driven agencies, including the Department of Defense, to complement the basic science focus of the NSF.

Until 2009, the Department of Defense managed an EPSCoR-like program, known as DEPSCoR. An independent evaluation of DEPSCoR, conducted by the Institute for Defense Analyses, showed that DEPSCoR research contributed to the DoD mission, producing high-quality research and new technologies that were operationally deployed in areas such as missile guidance and communications.

DEPSCoR also successfully developed defense research capabilities in States historically underserved by Federal research and development (R&D) funding. Since DEPSCoR stopped receiving Congressional support, defense research in DEPSCoR-eligible States has plummeted, with the decreases far larger than the relatively modest amounts going to DEPSCoR awards. This shows that DEPSCoR was doing what Congress intended the program to do: develop competitive defense researchers in all 50 States.

The impact of cancelling DEPSCoR went far beyond research grants. Developing university research capabilities in all 50 States is critical to meeting DoD workforce needs. The Defense Laboratory Enterprise is more national in scope than NASA or the Department of Energy's National Laboratory system, with facilities in 24 States, including DEPSCoR-eligible States. The 2016 review of DoD laboratories by the Defense Science Board reported that these laboratories depend on locally trained scientists and engineers. Without relevant training provided through DoD-supported research projects at nearby universities, these facilities may struggle to find highly qualified scientists and engineers.

Because of these concerns, I have been working with my colleague on the Armed Services Committee, Senator Rounds of South Dakota, to revive this program. This reauthorization uses the lessons learned from the previous iteration of DEPSCoR to improve the program, making it more responsive to Department of Defense needs.

I invite our colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, today I am introducing the DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017 along with Senators Rounds, Brown, Collins, Carper, Coons, Whitehouse, Shaheen, Cortez Masto, and Hirono.

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that we have universities in all 50 States capable of working with the Department of Defense on advanced research topics. A truly National network of university researchers who understand the needs of the Department of Defense puts us in the best possible position to respond to the ever-changing threats our armed forces face. This network will also meet the workforce needs of our defense laboratories by training graduate students in defense-relevant research. This bill reauthorizes the DEPSCoR program, which is modeled on the NSF's successful EPSCoR program for States that receive relatively low amounts of Federal science funding. The bill will focus the DEPSCoR program on defense research, while allowing the scientists and engineers of our defense laboratories to work directly with university researchers from DEPSCoR- eligible States.

Seven years ago, Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences to study the EPSCoR programs. The study concluded that it was in the National interest to engage scientific talent in all 50 States, and that EPSCoR programs were a valuable part of a National strategy to maintain global scientific leadership. The report emphasized that successfully engaging all 50 States required the involvement of technology-driven agencies, including the Department of Defense, to complement the basic science focus of the NSF.

Until 2009, the Department of Defense managed an EPSCoR-like program, known as DEPSCoR. An independent evaluation of DEPSCoR, conducted by the Institute for Defense Analyses, showed that DEPSCoR research contributed to the DoD mission, producing high-quality research and new technologies that were operationally deployed in areas such as missile guidance and communications.

DEPSCoR also successfully developed defense research capabilities in States historically underserved by Federal research and development (R&D) funding. Since DEPSCoR stopped receiving Congressional support, defense research in DEPSCoR-eligible States has plummeted, with the decreases far larger than the relatively modest amounts going to DEPSCoR awards. This shows that DEPSCoR was doing what Congress intended the program to do: develop competitive defense researchers in all 50 States.

The impact of cancelling DEPSCoR went far beyond research grants. Developing university research capabilities in all 50 States is critical to meeting DoD workforce needs. The Defense Laboratory Enterprise is more national in scope than NASA or the Department of Energy's National Laboratory system, with facilities in 24 States, including DEPSCoR-eligible States. The 2016 review of DoD laboratories by the Defense Science Board reported that these laboratories depend on locally trained scientists and engineers. Without relevant training provided through DoD-supported research projects at nearby universities, these facilities may struggle to find highly qualified scientists and engineers.

Because of these concerns, I have been working with my colleague on the Armed Services Committee, Senator Rounds of South Dakota, to revive this program. This reauthorization uses the lessons learned from the previous iteration of DEPSCoR to improve the program, making it more responsive to Department of Defense needs.

I invite our colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.