CONFERENCE ON THE NAT'L COMPETITIVENESS ACT (HR 820/S.4)

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

Sender: mech () eff org
From: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins () access digex net>




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FINS SPECIAL REPORT                                   September 27, 1994
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CONFERENCE ON THE NAT'L COMPETITIVENESS ACT (HR 820/S.4)
Inconclusive First Session of Conference


Washington, DC, Sept 27, 1994--A conference committee of the US Senate and
House of Representatives met this afternoon without advanced notice to
consider differences between the two bodies with regard to the "National
Competitiveness Act of 1994," and they failed to settle differences.
James Wilson, Science Consultant to the House Subcommittee on Science told
FINS that members vented their positions at the first session, which was
inconclusive.  He said members will now have to see if they can develop
language to resolve their differences.  He noted that unless they are able
to develop the necessary language "the entire bill will fail" despite the
lack of conflict over specific aspects of the bill of particular interest to
the research, library, education, health, energy and manufacturing
communities.


        Senate Conferees are: Hollings, Rockefeller, and Danforth.


        House Conferees are: From the Committee on Science, Space &
Technology for consideration of sections 211-214 and 504 of the House
bill, and sections 211, 303(d), 504, and 601-613 of the Senate amendment
and modification committed to conference (discussed below) are: Brown,
Valentine, Boucher, Eshoo, Becerra, Walker, Boehlert and Bartlett.


        Title VII of the Act, "Information Technology Applications," which
is without conflict according to Wilson, would (among other matters)
establish high-capacity and high speed computer networks to provide
researchers and educators with access to computer and information
resources and act as test beds for further research and development, and
promote the widest possible application of high-performance computing and
high-speed networking by identifying and addressing specific National
Challenges, and generally expanding Federal support for research and
development of high-performance computing and high-speed networking, in
order to--
        *  improve education at all levels;
        *  build digital libraries of electronic information accessible over
computer networks;
        *  improve the provisions of health care;
        *  increase the productivity of the Nation's industry, especially in
the manufacturing sector; and
        *  improve coordination of Federal efforts to deploy these technologies
in cooperation with the private sector as part of an advanced national
information infrastructure.


        There would be authorized appropriations under the Act in the
following amounts:
        *  education and libraries, National Science Foundation Activities,
$339 million in FY 1995, and $404 million in FY 1996;
        *  education and libraries, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, $154 million FY 1995, and $181 million FY 1996;
        *  Department of Education activities, $22.1 million FY 1995,
$2.3 million FY 1996;
        *  Manufacturing and Information, $30 million for FY 1994, and
$50 million for 1995;
        *  Energy, $50 million for FY 1994, $100 million for FY 1995, and
$150 million for FY 1996;
        *  Health Care, $30 million for FY 1994, and $50 million for FY 1995;
        *  Access to Networks, National Science Foundation, $5 million
for FY 1994, and $12 million for FY 1995;
        *  Access to Networks, Department of Education, $5 million for FY
1994, and $12 million for FY 1995;
        *  Computer Education Programs, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, $8 million for FY 1994 and FY 1995;
        *  Digital Libraries, National Science Foundation, $10 million FY
1994, and $25 million for FY 1995;
        *  Educational Support for Computer Education Programs, $8
million for FY 1994 and FY 1995.