What's New @ IEEE-USA - Eye On Washington

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• House Judiciary Committee Approves L Visa Fee Increase

• New Energy Legislation, Spurred on By Hurricanes, Is Fast Tracked

• Senator Stevens Looks to Spectrum Revenue Sales to Fund First-Responder Needs

• Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act Passes House

• CBC Urges Math, Science Education At Earlier Age

• Draft Telecom Reform Bill Circulated to Industry

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• Bodman Answers Questions About U.S Energy Supply

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• New Reports From AIP and NSF Suggest A Brighter Picture of U.S. Competitiveness Potential

• OECD Releases New Economic Stats

• Joint Economic Committee Report The Transition to Digital Television: The Benefits of Setting a Hard Date

• NSF Info Brief on Federal R&D Support to Higher Ed and Nonprofit Institutions

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

5) AWARDS & GRANTS

6) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS and SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

• 2007 Government Fellowships

• IEEE Student Members Encouraged to Apply for 2006 WISE Program

• NSF Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers Program

• Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellowship Program

7) U.S. STATES WATCH

• Update on the E-recycling Legislation at the State Level

8) LATEST IEEE-USA ACTIVITIES

• Track IEEE-USA's Progress

9) U.S. COMPETITIVENESS: WHO'S DOING WHAT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

• New IEEE-USA Resource Web Page - U.S. Competitiveness: The Innovation Challenge

• VA CIT Will Release Assessment of Innovation Gaps

• SIA Creates Committee on American Competitiveness

• Report Requested by Congress from National Academies Due out 12 October

10) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

• A Reminder of the Past and Perhaps An Inspiration for Future Innovators

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• House Judiciary Committee Approves L Visa Fee Increase

29 SEPT: The House Judiciary Committee approved legislation (HR 3648) to impose a new $1,500 fee on L (Intra-Company Transfer) visas at a mark-up. The vote was 20 yeas to 6 nays.

Although the primary purpose of the legislation is to help the Committee meet its budget reconciliation targets, Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) said the bill will correct an unjustifiable dichotomy between H-1B and L visa application fees, and thereby help to discourage efforts by some employers to use the L visa program to circumvent the current numerical cap on H-1B visas.

In his opening remarks, Sensenbrenner mentioned letters of support for the fee increase submitted by the AFL-CIO Professional Employees Department and IEEE-USA, and said that both letters would be included in the record of the proceedings. The US Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter opposing the fee increase.

Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) opposed the bill because, as he said, it isn't fair to tax immigrants or businesses to pay for Republican tax cuts. In addition to Conyers, five other Democrats  - Jerry Nadler (NY), Maxine Waters (CA), William Delahunt (MA), Adaam Schiff (CA) and Linda Sanchez (CA) voted against the fee increase. The IEEE-USA letter of support for the bill is accessible on-line at http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/policy/2005/092705.asp

• New Energy Legislation, Spurred on By Hurricanes, Is Fast Tracked

House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton's (R-Tex.) bill – the Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005 (H.R. 3893) -  to promote oil refinery expansion and construction is on such a fast track that lawmakers are worried they will not have time to consider the ramifications of the proposed sweeping regulatory changes. While the bill's primary focus is to encourage construction of new refineries, H.R. 3893 also includes provisions relaxing Clean Air Act regulations, streamlining refinery permitting by putting the Energy Department in charge, and giving the Federal Trade Commission new authority to investigate price gouging.

Barton released a draft of the bill on 26 September and the Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure barely 2 days later on Wednesday, 28 September after a contentious daylong debate. Included is an amendment that would require the FTC to define price gouging and penalize violators up to $11,000 per day. That proposal, offered by Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) replaced slightly tougher language in the original amendment by Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.). "The primary thrust of the bill before us is for new refineries," Barton said, “but it is also a generic energy bill, and it is within the purview of this committee to put this particular amendment  . . .  into the bill." A PDF of the discussion draft can be viewed here http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/0205_Energy/092305_disc_draft.pdf.

House leaders are tentatively planning to bring H.R. 3893 to the House floor on 9 October along with another bill by Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) - introduced on Sunday, 25 September -that focuses on oil production and is designed to allow "more production at home from diverse locations to increase supply and decrease prices." Pombo's draft bill entitled the "Second Energy Bill," or the National Energy Supply Diversification and Disruption Prevention Act, seizes on concerns about gasoline and heating fuel shortages that were intensified by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Also included in the "second" energy bill is the controversial topic of oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).  ANWR was eventually eliminated from the "first" energy bill passed in July of this year. Pombo's bill was also marked up and approved on Wednesday by the House Resources Committee. Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) said, "We are taking steps to update regulations that unnecessarily suffocate safe energy production here at home.  Over the last few decades we have regulated our needs into certain areas and into a dangerous dependence on foreign sources.  This legislation will lead to increased and more diverse U.S. energy supplies to prevent disruptions and to bring future price relief."

• Senator Stevens Looks to Spectrum Revenue Sales to Fund First-Responder Needs

The communications needs of first responders have been an issue since police and emergency workers were unable to talk to one another during the September 11th tragedy. Now, hampered relief efforts due to shortages of radio spectrum during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita reminded lawmakers that those communication needs are still at issue.

Early this year, Congress began debating a hard date for the sale of spectrum frequencies and a requirement that television broadcasts shift from analog radio frequencies to digital. The Joint Economic Committee released a 2-page report stating the benefits of setting the hard date. In June Congress and broadcast industry groups appeared to have reached a consensus that conversion should be completed by 31 December 2008. However, the bill has been stuck while Congress argues over whether or not to allow subsidies that would help folks without digital TVs purchase the equipment necessary for them to continue watching their old analog sets. When converted, some of the freed-up frequencies would be redistributed to emergency personnel. And the remainder would be auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission to the telecommunications industry, bringing in an estimated $10 billion.

In the wake of the hurricanes, the communication problems and lack of available spectrum during the hurricanes have some lawmakers and members of the public safety community pushing for an earlier deadline, at least for the release of the public safety frequencies. This week, Senator Ted Stevens (R-Ak.) chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said that there's "enormous demand that this take place no later than 2007," and that he would consider tapping the expected federal revenues from the auctioning of broadcast TV spectrum to help upgrade first-responder communications. Stevens also hinted that he might want to use spectrum revenues to help first-responders buy equipment that is "interoperable," or able to communicate with other agencies and jurisdictions.

• Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act Passes House

21 SEPT: Today, the House passed H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005, authorizing $2.1 billion for activities to improve U.S. competitiveness and strengthen the nation's manufacturing sector by keeping manufacturing jobs in U.S.  Primarily, H.R. 250 reauthorizes the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which helps small and medium-sized manufacturers respond to the challenges they face from globalization. The bill also includes grants designed to help develop new manufacturing technologies, programs to improve scientific research and education, and an amendment creating a Katrina Assistance Program within the MEP program to assist businesses affected by the hurricane. MEP has been credited with saving and creating thousands of jobs nationally.

H.R. 250's sponsor, Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) said, "Globalization is rapidly changing the way business is done, and our small and medium-sized firms in particular are at the mercy of this process and the exposure to increased competition it brings. For our firms to compete today and in the future, I have been told we need more research and development into how to manufacture things better, faster, and cheaper.  This legislation will increase our capacity to create jobs in the U.S."

House Democrats had hoped that the bill would also reauthorize and save the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), a Commerce Department program that finances early-stage research into technologies with commercial potential. But the funds are not included in H.R. 250; the White House wants the program eliminated.

"What we have today is a missed opportunity," said Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) ranking member of the Science Committee. Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) said he supports the ATP and will work to fund it. However, he did not want to put the bill at risk of presidential veto over the program.

The House version of H.R. 250 includes the following authorizations through FY 2008:

• $1.33 billion for scientific and technical research and services at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

• $345 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a NIST program that links small- and medium-sized manufacturers with nonprofit organizations that provide technical services.

• $173 million for the Advanced Technological Education Program, a National Science Foundation program that funds vocational and technical training programs.

• CBC Urges Math, Science Education At Earlier Age

At the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference this week, Gale Burkett, CEO of the Houston-based biotechnology company GB Tech, summed up what  educators, scientists and students had been discussing all week, "We need to encourage children very, very early." America's schools must begin math and science education at a younger age and reinforce it with greater opportunities for summer and community programs. Getting students on the right course at a younger age will help ensure that they have the foundation to take the advanced math and science courses necessary to enter into math and science fields, he said.

Even though minority student enrollment in college will continue to rise through 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population division projections, those students still will be underrepresented in math or science programs. "The federal government must direct new support to all demographic groups ... to obtain math and science degrees," said Michael Crosby, executive director of the National Science Board. Institutions also must receive more resources to produce more students in those fields, he said. For a list of CBC members and additional information on the Congressional Black Caucus, visit http://www.house.gov/cummings/cbc/cbchistory.htm

• Draft Telecom Reform Bill Circulated to Industry

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is circulating a draft of long-awaited telecom reform legislation.  Known as the Barton-Dingell draft -after the sponsors Congressmen Joe Barton (R-Tex.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.) - the bill has not yet been introduced. The bi-partisan staff discussion Draft can be read here (77pp.): http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/reports/telecomdraft91505.pdf

A Section-By-Section description of the staff discussion draft can be read here: http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/reports/telecomdraftoutline91505.pdf

Although the section of the bill that will define the legislation's purpose is empty, the draft addresses regulatory jurisdiction for VOIP services, broadband internet transmission services (BITS), and bradband video services.  The FCC is charged with issuing regulations applicable to all three types of services and establishing national consumer protections standards.

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• Bodman Answers Questions About U.S Energy Supply

28 SEPT: On the "Ask the White House" online interactive forum where you can submit questions to Administration officials, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman discussed the country's energy supply in the wake of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina

"Good afternoon. I'm Sam Bodman, U.S. Secretary of Energy. I know that given the terrible events in the Gulf of Mexico recently, many Americans are concerned about the effects the hurricanes are having on energy prices. In addition to doing all that we can to help the people who have been directly affected by the storms, we are also working closely with energy companies to restore electricity to the affected areas, ..."

Additional information on the administration's energy policies can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/energy/.

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• New Reports From AIP and NSF Suggest A Brighter Picture of U.S. Competitiveness Potential

According to a September 2005 report from the American Institute of Physics (AIP) – Physics Students from Abroad: Monitoring the Continuing Impact of Visa Problems – graduate physics departments report experiencing recent increases in the number of highly-qualified applicants who are U.S. citizens. The report states, "large, prestigious PhD departments...received just as many applications from non-citizens as they had two years earlier, but actually enrolled 12% fewer," with many respondents commenting that "they reduced the foreign component because there were so many excellent US citizen candidates from which to choose."

Another report from the National Science Foundation (NSF) – Graduate Enrollment in Science and EngineeringPrograms Up in 2003, but Declines for First-Time Foreign Students – found that after declining in the 1990s, enrollment by U.S. students in science and engineering graduate programs increased in the last few years. Both of these reports relate the information to the decline in foreign graduate students.

• OECD Releases New Economic Stats

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released its 2005 edition of Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators. The report enables countries to see themselves in the light of other countries' performance and provides a comparable and up-to-date array of indicators on the performance of education systems. According to the report, the U.S. knowledge economy remains strong. For example, the US accounts for 42 percent of all R&D spending within the OECD. However, its rate for R&D spending as a percentage of GDP (2.6 percent), is topped by those of Sweden, Finland, Japan, and Iceland. Similarly, the US accounts for one-third of all patents within OECD, but falls behind Germany, Japan, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland when patents are tracked on a per capita basis.

In terms of educational attainment, the American system generally ranks in the middle when compared to other OECD nations. America's university system remains world-class, but education quality and performance for 15 year-olds rank near the bottom of OECD nations. Not good considering the US spends more on education per capita than any other OECD nation except Switzerland.

At the university level, U.S. universities produce a below-average number of science graduates when compared to other OECD countries. The US produced 1063 university science graduates per 100,000 persons employed in 2003, slightly below the OECD average and far below the rates in Japan, Korea, the UK, France, and Australia. In addition, fewer foreign students are choosing American universities. The 2003 numbers illustrate that the US share of the overall global market for foreign graduate students dropped 2 percent. More recent figures indicate that this rate of decline continues to accelerate. In its conclusion, the OECD commends America's higher education system, but warns that problems in primary and secondary education represent a significant competitive challenge.

Perhaps the U.S should heed that warning if we are to win the competition presented by the EU. When the European Union Heads of State met at a summit in Lisbon in 2000 they set the goal of Europe becoming 'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world' by 2010. (See http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/et_2010_en.html) The development of modern 'knowledge economies' reflects a move from an economy based on land, labor and capital to one in which the main component of production is information and knowledge. The most effective economies are those with the largest production of information and knowledge and in which they are easily accessible to the greatest number of individuals and enterprises. The 2005 OECD report is available at: http://www.oecd.org/document/34/0,2340,en_2649_201185_35289570_1_1_1_1,00.html

• Joint Economic Committee Report The Transition to Digital Television: The Benefits of Setting a Hard Date

In the near future Congress will consider legislation that sets a definite date for the transition from analog to digital television. This paper examines: 1) the benefits of making the transition, 2) the issue of providing subsidies to viewers impacted by the transition, and 3) whether legislation should also adjust the transmission requirements imposed on cable and satellite broadcasters. Read the report at http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/reports/digitaltrans.pdf

• NSF Info Brief on Federal R&D Support to Higher Ed and Nonprofit Institutions

August 2005:Statistics from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions show that federal agencies obligated a new high of $26.7 billion to higher education institutions for academic science and engineering (S&E) activities in FY 2003, an increase of $2.2 billion (9 percent in current dollars) over FY 2002 levels. This increase follows a 9 percent current-dollar increase (nearly 7 percent in constant dollars) in total federal academic S&E support between FY 2001 and FY 2002.

Read Federal Science And Engineering Obligations To Academic And Nonprofit Institutions Reached Record Highs In FY 2003 online at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf05321/

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

None at this time.

5) AWARDS & GRANTS

• AAAS Grant Site

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a 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

• Department of Defense

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting proposals for advanced R&D in enabling technology, critical subsystems, and full system concepts that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of military Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, strike and stability operations in complex battlespaces. Ideas can address (1) ways to employ new scientific or technical developments to achieve significant increases in component performance; (2) novel combinations of existing technologies into systems that create new warfighting capabilities; or (3) combinations of both. Eligibility is unrestricted. Abstracts or proposals may be submitted at any time until Sept. 19, 2006. More information is available at: http://dtsn.darpa.mil/IXO/solicitations/IXT/index.htm

The Department of the Air Force and DARPA jointly are soliciting proposals for the Integrated Sensor Is Structure program. This program seeks to develop a stratospheric airship-based sensor with an antenna that is nearly as large as the airship. Approximately $47 million is expected to be available for awards having a project period of up to two years. All potential applicants are eligible to submit proposals, which are due Oct. 28, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/USAF/IFKC/AMB/BAA-05-11-IFKA/listing.html

The Air Force is soliciting proposals for funding to support its Structural Science Center. This center is active in conducting basic and applied research in the broad area of aerospace structural design. Areas of interest include structures operating in combined extreme environments and risk-quantified design.  Approximately $2.25 million over fiscal years 2006-10 is expected to be available for one award. Eligibility is unrestricted. Proposals are due Oct. 31, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLWRS/BAA%2DPKV%2D05%2D08/listing.html

• Department of Energy

DOE invites applications for projects directed at a rare isotope accelerator, a new facility to address emerging research opportunities in nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics, and fundamental interactions and symmetries. Approximately $4 million in FY 2006 funding is expected to be available for awards. Eligibility is unrestricted. Optional letters of intent are due Oct. 7, 2005; applications are due Oct. 25, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/LAB05_22.html

DOE invites applications for funding under the High Energy Physics Outstanding Junior Investigator Program. The purpose of this program is to support the development of individual research programs by outstanding scientists early in their careers. Applications should be from tenure-track faculty investigators who are currently involved in experimental or theoretical high energy physics or accelerator physics research and should be submitted through a U.S. academic institution. Approximately $500,000 in FY 2006 funding is expected to be available for awards. Applications are due Nov. 15, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/FAPN05-26.html

DOE invites applications for funding under the Advanced Detector Research Program. This program supports the development of new detector technologies needed to perform future high energy physics experiments. Applications should be from investigators who are currently involved in experimental high energy physics and should be submitted through a U.S. academic institution. Approximately $500,000 in FY 2006 funding is expected to be available for awards having a project period of up to three years. Optional letters of intent are due Nov. 15, 2005; applications are due Dec. 15, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/FAPN05-27.html

• National Science Foundation

NSF is soliciting proposals for Small Grant for Exploratory Research awards to support reconnaissance teams to enter the Gulf Coast disaster areas, when open, to capture data from Hurricane Katrina. These awards are for small-scale, exploratory, high-risk research projects whose results may enable our country to better mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from catastrophic events. Awards of up to $200,000 for a project period of two years may be made. More information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05053

NSF and DOE are jointly soliciting proposals for their Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering program. The goal is to enhance plasma research and education by coordinating efforts and combining resources of the two agencies. The program will address fundamental issues in plasma science and engineering that can have impact in other areas or disciplines in which improved basic understanding of the plasma state is needed. Approximately $15 million over fiscal years 2006-08 is expected to be available for 30-35 awards. The categories of proposers identified in the Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals, which are due Jan. 6, 2006. More information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05619

NSF is soliciting proposals for funding under the Science of Design Program. This program supports projects that will bring creative, scientific advances to design as it pertains to computer-based artifacts, especially software-intensive systems. Proposals are sought in three categories: (1) team projects, (2) community building activities, and (3) highly creative exploratory research. Approximately $10 million in FY 2006 funding is expected to be available for 20-30 awards. Proposals are due May 19, 2004. More information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05620

NSF is soliciting proposals for funding under the Mathematical Sciences: Innovations at the Interface with the Physical and Computer Sciences and Engineering program. This program is intended to support fundamental research in mathematics and statistics and the integration of mathematical and statistical research across the full range of science and engineering disciplines. Investments in interdisciplinary research will focus primarily on mathematical and statistical challenges posed by large data sets, managing and modeling uncertainty, and modeling complex nonlinear systems. Approximately $15.4 million in FY 2006 funding is expected to be available for 55-70 awards. The categories of proposers identified in the Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals. Deadlines vary by program area, beginning with Dec. 20, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05622

• American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)

ACLS invites applications for funding under the Digital Innovation Fellowships program to support digitally based research projects in all disciplines of the humanities and humanities-related social sciences. Fellowships are intended to support an academic year dedicated to work on major scholarly projects such as digital research archives, new media representations of extant data, innovative databases, and digital tools that further humanistic research. Up to five fellowship awards are anticipated. Awards carry a stipend of up to $55,000 towards an academic year's leave and provide for project costs of up to $25,000. Applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents must have a Ph.D. degree conferred prior to the application deadline, which is Nov. 10, 2005. More information is available at: http://www.acls.org/difguide.htm

6) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS & SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

• 2007 Congressional & State Department Fellowships

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://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/govfel/default.asp

• IEEE Student Members Encouraged to Apply for 2006 WISE Program

Next summer, the IEEE will sponsor three outstanding student members to participate in the 2006 Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) Program. The select candidates will spend nine weeks in Washington, D.C., learning how engineers contribute to the legislative the decision-making process. For more information, visit www.wise-intern.org, or contact Sharon Richardson at s.richardson@ieee.org. The application deadline is December 16, 2005.

• NSF Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers Program

NSF is soliciting proposals for this program designed to increase the opportunities for students and teachers to use information technologies within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. The program has two components: (1) youth-based projects with strong emphases on career and educational paths and (2) comprehensive projects for students and teachers. Approximately $20 million is expected to be available for 10-12 awards. Eligible are all organizations with an educational mission. Required preproposals are due Nov. 2, 2005; full proposals are due Feb. 24, 2006. More information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05621

• Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellowship Program

Microsoft Research invites applications for its New Faculty Fellowship Program. This program is intended to recognize exceptional new faculty members engaged in innovative computing research (e.g. security, interdisciplinary research, scientific computing, bioinformatics, computational biology, and software engineering). New faculty members must hold a tenure-track faculty position in a U.S. or Canadian research university and be no more than six years from the completion of their most recent Ph.D., Sc.D., or M.D. Ph.D. Five fellowship awards will be made in Spring 2006. Awards include a cash gift of $200,000 and other Microsoft resources. Fellows must be nominated by the university Provost's office. Applications are due Oct. 10, 2005. More information is available at: http://research.microsoft.com/ur/us/nff/

7) US STATES WATCH

• Update on the E-recycling Legislation at The State Level

The debate over how best to address the prevalence of electronic waste is becoming a growing concern on Capitol Hill (see EOW, Capitol Hill Watch, Vol. 2005, No. 18), but most of the substantive governmental action remains in the states. In the last few years, several states have passed e-recycling laws: Arkansas, California, Maryland, Maine and Virginia. Massachusetts and New Jersey also are considering bills with "producer take-back" provisions.

Arkansas established a deadline for the disposal of computer and electronic waste in landfills and authorized the Department of Environmental Quality to establish and implement rules and regulations banning the disposal of computer and electronic equipment in Arkansas landfills.

California implemented a fee-based program where consumers pay $6 to $10 extra for electronic devices with cathode-ray tubes or flat-panel displays, such as televisions, computer monitors or laptops. The money goes into a fund that finances the recycling program.

Maryland's law targets monitors, desktop computers and laptops. It requires counties to pay for all e-recycling. The counties are not required to operate e-recycling programs, and they may apply for state funds to reduce the costs if they do adopt them. Manufacturers that produce more than 1,000 computers per year must register with the state and pay $5,000 annually into a state e-recycling trust fund.

Maine's law mandates that manufacturers of electronic products "take back" their products and recycle them when consumers no longer use them. Companies also are responsible for some collection and transportation of recycled electronics. Products covered under the bill include TVs and monitors.

Virginia passed the Cathode Ray Tube Recycling Program which encourages cathode ray tube (CRT)and electronics recycling.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Web site, e-recycling legislation was introduced in at least 26 states in the first four months of 2005. Pending bills include:

--IL HB 540 -- Allows an income tax credit in the amount of fees paid to a recycler for the acceptance of electronic equipment turned in by the taxpayer.

-- MI HB 4156 -- Bans electronic equipment containing CRTs from disposal in landfills.

-- NY AB 3202 -- Imposes fee on retail sale of CRTs; prohibits disposal of CRTs in mixed solid waste – civil penalties for violations; provides that all fees and civil penalties collected are used in electronic recycling programs.

-- OR SB 740 -- Establishes Electronic Product Stewardship Account; appropriates monies for implementation of program for collection, reuse and recycling of electronic products; requires sellers of certain electronic products to charge first in-state buyers an advance recycling fee to cover cost of collection program.

At least three states have passed study bills which established commissions to study and make recommendations on ways to manage e-waste. The Illinois Legislature sent HB 1149 to the Governor 6/24/05. The bill calls for a report by 31 May 2006. Louisiana's Governor signed CR 6 on 7 June 2005. That bill calls for a report to be submitted prior to the beginning of the 2006 legislature. And Washington's Legislature passed ESHB 2488 passed in May 2004 which called for a report in December 2004 and December 2005.

At the local level, King County inWashington state, will join Seattle and Snohomish counties in banning the improper disposal of e-waste. Adding to the efforts is the office supply store Staples - with 14 stores in King and Snohomish counties.  Staples has said that it will help with e-recycling by processing computer devices for $8 per computer, $12 per monitor and $8 for other units, like copiers, facsimile machines and scanners. It will not be accepting televisions, radios or stereo equipment.

8) LATEST IEEE-USA ACTIVITIES

• 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) U.S. COMPETITIVENESS: WHO'S DOING WHAT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

• New IEEE-USA Resource  Web Page

U.S. Competitiveness: The Innovation Challenge http://ieeeusa.org/policy/issues/innovation/index.html

• VA CIT Will Release Assessment of Innovation Gaps

The state-chartered nonprofit, Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), is preparing to release an assessment this fall on existing gaps in innovation. Since 1984, CIT has worked to maintain Virginia's technology industry. Now the Center is also working with the National Security Agency to identify challenges faced by tech companies.

The federal government has a "desire to know where the innovative companies are," CIT President Peter Jobse said during the Commonwealth of Virginia Information Technology Symposium in Richmond. CIT is also partnering with European officials to identify advanced technology. Jobse praised federal efforts to encourage growth in the tech sector, including a reimbursement plan for science and engineering students from Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. (see EOW Vol. 2005, No. 8 (22 April 2005), and a research and development package from Senators George Allen (R-Va.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.).

• SIA Creates Committee on American Competitiveness

According to Brian Halla, chairman and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp., the Semiconductor Industry Association has created a blue-ribbon committee to address fears of declining U.S. competitiveness and innovation, and the loss of research capability here. The new group is called the Committee on American Competitiveness, and consists of leading U.S. chip industry executives who will lobby for the need to boost overall competitiveness in the U.S.

Membership includes Halla, Intel chairman Craig Barrett; Steve Appleton, CEO of Micron Technology; Rich Templeton, CEO of Texas Instruments; John Daane, CEO of Altera; and SIA president George Scalise. The committee will also launch a massive public relations campaign in a drive to raise awareness of the issue in government and among the public."It's time for the U.S. to wake up," said Halla in a keynote speech at the International Symposium on Semiconductor Manufacturing (co-sponsored by IEEE). Warning that there is a necessary link between basic research and global competitiveness, he said that even the grim picture painted by the income statements of U.S. corporations is not dark enough to reflect the reality. "We talk about R&D on our balance sheets," Halla said. "In reality, we're talking about 'D.' 'R' is  happening less and less."

The exact goals of the SIA committee are unclear. But it will attempt to boost funding for basic chip research at several organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and related entities. Partially excerpted from: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=170702842

• Report Requested by Congress from National Academies Due out 12 October

A new congressionally-requested report from the National Academies' Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century identifies and prioritizes the top four actions and twenty implementation steps U.S. policy-makers should take to enhance America's prosperity and competitiveness. The committee chaired by Norman Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin, includes several current and former corporate CEOs, university presidents, federal and state government leaders, and eminent researchers (including three Nobel prize winners).

The report will be discussed at a one-hour public briefing on Wednesday, 12 October beginning at 2 p.m. in the Lecture Room of the National Academies building, 2100 C St., N.W. in Washington DC. Those who cannot attend may listen to a live audio webcast and submit questions using an e-mail form at http://national-academies.org. For more information on the study see www.nationalacademies.org/prospering.

10) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

• A Reminder of the Past and Perhaps An Inspiration for Future Innovators

At the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition – or World's Fair – Americans saw for the first time, many of the world's greatest achievements in science and technology. Dubbed the "White City," the fair inspired future innovators like Henry Ford and Frank Lloyd Wright.The many World's Fairs hosted at the turn of the last century were driven by the desire to show off new technologies and an attempt to make sense of them, and some say the 1893 event marked the beginning of the 20th century and the U.S. leadership that we've grown accustomed to. At the time, the U.S. was developing more technology than any other country. OK, so the Mayor was murdered on the last day of the event, but for history junkies or anyone interested in what inspired the last century's innovators, I recommend renting a new DVD: http://www.columbianexpo.com/

Top of Page | What's New@IEEE | EyeOnWash Archive | 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 You can change your IEEE-USA Eye on Washington subscription status by using the forms at http://whatsnew.ieee.org/ or at http://www.ieeeusa.org/emailupdates/. 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: 30 September 2005
Contact: e . wissolik @ ieee . org