What's New @ IEEE-USA -
Eye On Washington
Vol. 2005, No. 11 (8June 2005)
This newsletter includes:
1)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
- HOUSE PASSED SPYWARE BILLS
- HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE SUBMITS TO THE FULL HOUSE, A BILL THAT WOULD GIVE NIST & NSF $2.1 BILLION FOR MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
- TV: ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION GETS FIRM DATE
- ENERGY BILL MOVING THROUGH CONGRESS
2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH
-
NEW DIRECTORS NOMINATED FOR NIST AND NSF
- DOE SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR LARGE-SCALE COMPUTATIONAL PROJECTS
- IDAHO NATIONAL LAB TO CONTINUE HOMELAND SECURITY RESEARCH ON CONTROL SYSTEMS
3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE
- NEW GAO REPORTS ON TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY, INTERNET, NASA, RETIREMENT SECURITY AND MORE
- ANOTHER REPORT ON THREATS TO U.S. LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY
- UPDATE: SUPREME COURT GROKSTER v. MGM DECISION EXPECTED 28 JUNE
5) AWARDS & GRANTS
6) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS and SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING
- MATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
- NANOTECH RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
7) U.S. STATES WATCH (All 50 state legislatures meet in 2005, almost all between the months of January and June.)
- NY LEGISLATURE CREATES FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
- TX LEGISLATURE CREATES NEW AGENCY TO AWARD FUNDS TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
8) LATEST IEEE-USA ACTIVITIES
9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST
1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH
- HOUSE PASSED SPYWARE BILLS
The House, unable to merge the measures into one bill, passed two separate anti-spyware measures before adjourning for the Memorial Day holiday. HR 744, sponsored by Robert Goodlatte (R-Va.) and supported by the technology industry, punishes individuals using spyware to defraud others or damage a computer. HR 29, sponsored by Mary Bono (r-Ca.), requires companies to obtain consumer permission before installing spyware. The Information Technology Assocation of American objects to Bono's bill, saying the measure could restrict legitimate interactive software and result in consumers being deluged with consent notices.
The goal of proptecting consumers while still regulating technology companies now rests with the Senate which will consider spyware proposals sponsored by George Allen (R-Va.) and Conrad Burns (R-Mt). The Senate measures have both been referred to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Chairman of the House Science Committee, submitted the committee print for the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act (HR 250) to the full House on 23 May. HR 250 establishes the interagency committee to coordinate federal manufacturing research and development efforts in manufacturing, strengthen existing programs to assist manufacturing innovation and education, and expand outreach programs for small and medium sized manufacturers. The full committee print, including cost estimates and a section by section analysis, can be found at: http://www.ieeeusa.com/policy/reports/mep.pdf
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has threatened to subpoena the Department of Defense, accusing the Pentagon of failure to meet a legal deadline for providing detailed information to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission and Congress.
Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) wrote a letter to Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and demanded that he promptly turn over documents detailing the basis for his proposals to close or realign hundreds of military bases. The letter dated 27 May said that unless the Pentagon produces " all such information immediately and completely," their panel will launch an investigation into the Pentagon's "decision-making process" in search of "potential improprieties."
As of 5 June, the Committee was still waiting for the documents and Collins and Lieberman said, "Fortunately, and perhaps spurred on by the threat of an impending subpoena, DoD seems finally to have begun to understand that it has to comply with the law’s requirements to release information, and we understand from staff discussions with Pentagon officials that more materials will be released early this week."
- TV: ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION GETS FIRM DATE
Congress and broadcast industry groups appear to have reached a consensus on the digital television transition issue; conversion should be completed by 31 December 2008. However, other arguments remain including the big sticking point – what kind of subsidies should consumers receive to cover the costs of conversion?
See EOW (DEMOCRATS QUESTION IMPACT OF BARTON PLAN FOR DIGITAL TV TRANSITION ON PUBLIC Vol. 2005, No. 9) for more information. http://ieeeusa.com/policy/eyeonwashington/2005/05eow09.asp
- ENERGY BILL MOVING THROUGH CONGRESS
Just before Memorial Day, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved a draft comprehensive energy bill that differs significantly from a version (H.R. 6) the House passed in April. Chairman Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) said the bill would move to the Senate floor shortly after the Memorial Day recess.
The past few Congresses have made unsuccessful attempts to enact comprehensive energy legislation. Although the bill won broad bipartisan support in committee, contentious policy issues were deferred until the bill is on the floor where those issues that derailed previous energy legislation could once again prove difficult to overcome.
"I think we"ll get it passed in the Senate, and something like this will become law this year," said Domenici.
Differences include:
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (This issue has been called the bill’s "poison pill."):
- House: Would allow the secretary of the Interior to hold a lease sale in a portion of the reserve
- Senate: Does not include leasing provision
Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE):
- House: Includes limited liability waiver for MTBE manufacturers
- Senate: Does not include waiver
Renewable fuels/Ethanol:
- House: Mandates that refiners use 5 billion gallons of biofuel by 2012
- Senate: Mandates that refiners use 8 billion gallons by 2012
Oil consumption:
- House: Silent on mandatory reductions
- Senate: Requires 1 million gallon reduction by 2015
Electricity regulation (This has become a very partisan issue.):
- House: Repeals the 1935 Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA)
- Senate: Repeals PUHCA, but calls for new federal merger oversight
The bill as approved includes a compromise on electricity regulation that would repeal the 1935 Public Utility Holding Company Act and replace it with language that would give new authority over utility mergers to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Democrats are pushing for the new authority while Richard M. Burr (R-N.C.) says, "This is an unbelievable expansion of FERC authority."
Offshore drilling:
- House: No change to federal offshore drilling moratoriums
- Senate: No change to moratoriums, but calls for an inventory of oil and gas resources in offshore water
2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH
Dr. Kathie Olsen and Dr. William Jeffrey have been nominated to key positions at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), respectively. Dr. Olsen, who currently serves as Associate Director of Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), was nominated to the position of Deputy Director of NSF.
With the appointment of Dr. Olsen, former IEEE president Dr. Joseph Bordogna steps down from his position as NSF's Deputy Director. In 1999, President Clinton nominated Dr. Bordogna as NSF's Deputy Director, where he had served as Acting Deputy Director since 1996. Prior to NSF, Dr. Bordogna served at the University of Pennsylvania in a variety of teaching and research positions, and as a professor and dean of the school of engineering and applied science. He received the B.S.E.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the S.M. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- DOE SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR LARGE-SCALE COMPUTATIONAL PROJECTS
1 JUNE: Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman announced that DOE's Office of Science is seeking proposals to support innovative, large-scale computational science projects to enable
high-impact advances through the use of advanced computers not commonly available in academia or the private sector. Successful proposers will be given the use of substantial computer time
and data storage at DOE's scientific computing centers in Berkeley, Calif.; Argonne, Ill.; Oak Ridge, Tenn.; and Richland, Wash.
According to Bodman, "This unique program opens up the world of high-performance computing to a broad array of new scientific users." He added "Through the use of these advanced systems, scientists have made important progress in several grand challenge research areas, including combustion, astrophysics, protein structure, chemistry and engineering." See DOE press release at: http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?PUBLIC_ID=17940&BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES&TT_CODE=PRESSRELEASE
Call for Proposals at: http://hpc.science.doe.gov
- IDAHO NATIONAL LAB TO CONTINUE HOMELAND SECURITY RESEARCH ON CONTROL SYSTEMS
6 JUNE: The Department of Homeland Security announced an $11.7M grant to DOE's Idaho National Laboratory to continue research into securing automated control systems used to operate critical national infrastructures - including the electric power grid, oil and gas refineries and telecommunications systems.
"This year we plan to focus our efforts on establishing baseline security assurance levels and cyber recommendations to increase industry security," said Julio Rodriguez, department manager for Critical Infrastructure Assurance at INL. According to Rodriquez, "control systems typically use off-the-shelf operating systems that are more complex and expensive to upgrade, deploy patches far more than traditional computers, and often lack sufficient security measures such as firewalls and anti-virus software." See DHS press release: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4532
3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE
- NEW GAO REPORTS ON TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY, INTERNET, NASA, RETIREMENT SECURITY AND MORE
Private Pensions: Recent Experiences of Large Defined Benefit Plans Illustrate Weaknesses in Funding Rules
GAO-05-294, May 31, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05294.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05294high.pdf
Health Information Technology: HHS Is Taking Steps to Develop a National Strategy
GAO-05-628, May 27, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05628.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05628high.pdf
Information Security: Radio Frequency Identification Technology in the Federal Government
GAO-05-551, May 27, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05551.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05551high.pdf
Advanced Technology Program: Inherent Factors in Selection Process Are Likely to Limit Identification of Similar Research
GAO-05-759T, May 26, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05759t.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05759thigh.pdf
Digital Broadcast Television Transition: Several Challenges Could Arise in Administering a Subsidy Program for DTV Equipment
GAO-05-623T, May 26, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05551high.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05623thigh.pdf
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Department of Homeland Security Faces Challenges in Fulfilling Cybersecurity Responsibilities
GAO-05-434, May 26, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05434.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05466thigh.pdf
Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Challenges Facing NRC in Effectively Carrying Out Its Mission
GAO-05-754T, May 26, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05754t.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05754thigh.pdf
Internet Protocol Version 6: Federal Agencies Need to Plan for Transition and Manage Security Risks
GAO-05-471, May 20, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05471.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05471high.pdf
NASA: More Knowledge Needed to Determine Best Alternatives to Provide Space Station Logistics Support
GAO-05-488, May 18, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05488.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05488high.pdf
Social Security: Societal Changes Add Challenges to Program Protections
GAO-05-706T, May 17, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05706t.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05706thigh.pdf
Department of Energy: Improved Oversight Could Better Ensure Opportunities for Small Business Subcontracting
GAO-05-459, May 13, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05459.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05459high.pdf
Energy Markets: Understanding Current Gasoline Prices and Potential Future Trends
GAO-05-675T, May 9, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05675t.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05675thigh.pdf
Options for Social Security Reform
GAO-05-649R, May 6, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05649r.pdf
Federal Aviation Administration: Stronger Architecture Program Needed to Guide Systems Modernization Efforts
GAO-05-266, April 29, 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05266.pdf
Highlights: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05266high.pdf
- ANOTHER REPORT ON THREATS TO U.S. LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
An may 2005 assessment of the multi-agency National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) says that the US is currently the global leader in nanotechnology R&D, number of nanotechnology start-up companies, and research output as measured by patents and publications. However, that role is under increasing competitive pressure from other nations.
Under the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003, President Bush designated the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) as the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel (NNAP). The panel is charged with assessing the NNI every two years and making recommendations to improve the program. As the first of these assessments, this report focuses on the question of U.S. competitiveness, specifically comparing the U.S. to the European Union, Japan and a broad group of countries identified as "others."
NNAP identified four questions it believes are the primary concerns of the President, Congress and the public:
1. Where do we stand?
2. Is this money well spent and the program well managed?
3. Are we addressing societal concerns and potential risks?
4. How can we do better?
Findings indicate that the approximately $1 billion the federal government will spend on nanotechnology R&D this fiscal year is roughly one-quarter of the current global investment by all nations. However, the report warns that investments in nanotechnology funding from other nations has sharply increased since 2000, while the U.S. federal budget for R&D has begun to level; President Bush's fiscal year 2006 request for the NNI decreased by 2 percent. The full report, The National Nanotechnology Initiative at Five Years: Assessment and Recommendations of the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel, is available at: http://www.nano.gov/FINAL_PCAST_NANO_REPORT.pdf
4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY
- UPDATE: SUPREME COURT GROKSTER v. MGM DECISION EXPECTED 28 JUNE
View the IEEE-USA amicus brief here: http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/ipc/ipc-amicus-brief-resource.asp
5) AWARDS & GRANTS
The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a new service called GrantsNet Express. Each week GrantsNet will provide a listing of science funding opportunities from private foundations and organizations, and new U.S. government grant announcements in the sciences. AAAS will send GrantsNet by e-mail to AAAS member subscribers. The weekly emails will include:
-- New science funding programs, divided into opportunities for postdocs/graduate students and undergraduates
-- Submission deadlines for funding opportunities scheduled in the upcoming week
-- New listings of funding for science-related grant programs from U.S. government agencies
To register, visit http://www2.sciencecareers.org/promos/grantsubmit.asp
6) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS and SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING
- MATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
The Materials Research Society announce the availability of Gold and Silver Awards for graduate students conducting research on a topic to be addressed in the 2005 Meeting Symposia. Deadline: 19 August 2005 For more info, http://www.mrs.org/meetings/fall2005/graduate_student_awards.html
- NANOTECH RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
The National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), a National Science Foundation-funded network of 13 universities, provides the future infrastructure needs for research and education in nanoscience and nanotechnology. As part of its educational mission, the University of Washington node of the NNIN is offering an opportunity for two high school science teachers to participate in a Research Experience for Teachers (RET) in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Teachers will spend two weeks completing a research project and working with UW scientists to develop nanotechnology teaching modules for high school classrooms. Program dates: 18-29 July 2005 For more information: http://www.nano.washington.edu/ninn/ret.html
An engineer once changed careers to serve as Calvin Coolidge's Vice President. As vice president, Charles Dawes influenced the public policy process and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Dawes might be an extreme example, but that doesn't mean engineers can't influence the public policy process in other ways. If you don't want to run for office but would like to take a year off from your regular job, IEEE-USA is now accepting applications for the 2007 government fellowship program that links engineers with government. Our 2005 fellows are working on issues such as homeland security and R&D funding. For more information on what past fellows have learned and experienced, see http://ieeeusa.com/policy/govfel/cfalumni.html. The deadline is 20 February 2006 and application materials are available at: http://ieeeusa.com/policy/govfel/index.html
7) US STATES WATCH
- NY LEGISLATURE CREATES FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
New York State’s agency for promoting tech-based economic development (TBED) – the Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) – will soon become the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology, and Innovation by 1 January 2006. Assembly Bill 6843, the state’s 2006 budget, provides $250 million “to fulfill the public purposes of furthering job creation and economic growth and advances in the fields of science, technology and innovation and to facilitate the commercialization of scientific and other innovations in New York State.” A 13-member board comprised of public and private representatives will oversee the foundation, directing all existing NYSTAR programs, a new regional partnership program, and two new funds. The budget includes an additional $90 million in capital appropriates for the regional partnership program. The foundation will be responsible for selecting 10 partnerships – one for each of New York’s 10 regions - through an application process. Participants will be required to submit a strategic plan within 90 days of certification, which will run for five years, beginning 31 March 2006. To view the full text of A 6843 and other budget backgrounders, visit: http://www.budget.state.ny.us/pubs/enacted/enacted.html
- TX LEGISLATURE CREATES NEW AGENCY TO AWARD FUNDS TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
A bipartisan bill in the Texas Legislature (S.B. No. 831 and H.B. 1765) creates a fund and a 17-member Texas Emerging Technology Committee to award the fund to emerging technology industries to, "develop and diversify the economy of" Texas. Industries are eligible for funding if their activities will result in "the creation of high quality new jobs, or "have the potential to result in a medical or scientific breakthrough. "The emerging technology industries include those related to: semiconductors; computer and software technology; energy; nanotechnology; and aerospace. The bill stipulates that the committee shall be comprised of individuals nominated by several state agencies and "other persons considered appropriate by the governor." The bill was sent to the Governor on 2 June is awaiting his signature. IEEE-USA is exploring opportunities to nominate a member of the Committee under that category of "other persons considered appropriate by the governor."
8) LATEST IEEE-USA ACTIVITIES
- NEW! TRACK IEEE-USA's PROGRESS
Review IEEE-USA's year-to-date progress in working for the IEEE's U.S. members at the new IEEE-USA Year-in-Review Web page. Check out what IEEE-USA activities and programs helped the IEEE's U.S. members in 2004 at the new IEEE-USA Annual Report online. And find out what's on IEEE-USA's agenda through 2009, with the new, online IEEE-USA Strategic & Operational Plan.
For the IEEE-USA Year-in-Review, go to:
http://www.ieeeusa.org/about/yearinreview.asp
For the IEEE-USA Annual Report, go to:
http://www.ieeeusa.org/about/Annual_Report/2004.pdf
For the IEEE-USA Strategic & Operational Plan, go to:
http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/strategicplan/index.html Also, full listing of IEEE-USA lobbying activities can be found on our web site at: http://ieeeusa.com/policy/policy/index.html
9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST
NSF's Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF), Directorate of Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) has announced an employment opportunity. Qualification requirements include a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience in computer science, computer engineering, communication, information science and computational science or allied disciplines, plus six or more years of successful research, research administration and/or substantial managerial experience in academe, industry, or government. For more information, see: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/cise0501/cise0501.pdf
Top of Page | What's New@IEEE | EyeOnWash Archive | Policy Forum | IEEE-USA
What's New @ IEEE-USA's Eye on Washington highlights important federal legislative and regulatory developments that affect U.S. engineers and their careers. In addition to this biweekly newsletter, subscribers receive legislative bulletins and action alerts on IEEE-USA priority issues, including: retirement security, employment benefits, research & development funding, computers and information policy, immigration reform, intellectual property protection and privacy of health/medical information.
EDITOR: Erica Wissolik, IEEE-USA, 2001 L Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036-5104, Email: ewissolik@ieee.orgYou can subscribe to receive IEEE-USA's Eye on Washington by e-mail by using the forms at http://whatsnew.ieee.org/ or at http://www.ieeeusa.org/emailupdates/ or by contacting e.wissolik@ieee.org with your request.
Copyright © 2005, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Permission granted to copy for personal use or for non-commercial republication with appropriate attribution.
Updated:
07 June 2005
Contact:
Erica Wissolik
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