American Chemical Society
Contact Information:
(202) 872-4479; www.acs.org

ASME International, NIST Task Force
Contact Information:
(202) 785-3756; www.asme.org

Coalition for Technology Partnerships
Contact Information:
(202) 515-5193; tking@us.ibm.com

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers–U.S.A.
Contact Information:
(202) 785-0017 ext. 8332; www.ieee.org

National Society of Professional Engineers
Contact Information:
(703) 684-2800; www.nspe.org

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
United States Senate
Senate Committee on Appropriations
S-206 Capitol
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Byrd:

We are writing to urge you to support the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2001 funding level of $154 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Advanced Technology Program (ATP) during the final negotiations of the FY 2001 Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill.

At a time when technology is driving much of our economic growth, we believe that ATP’s budget should be sustained. ATP is a vital component of a balanced federal R&D portfolio that has helped maintain U.S. technological competitiveness. Since its inception, the program has been a market-oriented, cost-effective means of promoting research that strengthens U.S. industry and the economy.

By sharing at least half the cost of the research, ATP encourages firms to develop high-risk, emerging technologies. This catalytic role for government is more important today given the extraordinary pace of technological change. In addition, ATP partnerships provide a strong conduit for the basic research being developed in laboratories across the country by moving it into the marketplace at an enhanced speed. Without such bridges, this research may not be used.

We believe that R&D is an investment for the future of our nation and that a strong and balanced federal science and engineering portfolio is essential to our nation’s technological competitiveness. Thus, we urge your support for the Senate Appropriations Committee’s approved funding level for ATP and hope that you will agree with us that the ATP program is critical to our nation’s balanced research and development program.