“Taken from Senate Report 104-353
FY 1997 Senate Report…”
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
| Appropriations, 1996 | $620,000,000 |
| Budget estimate, 1997 | 825,984,000 |
| House allowance | 468,400,000 |
| Committee recommendation | 445,300,000 |
The Committee recommends a total of $445,300,000 for the three appropriations accounts under the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] for fiscal year 1997. A description of each account and the Committee recommendation follows:
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES
| Appropriations, 1996 | $259,000,000 |
| Budget estimate, 1997 | 270,744,000 |
| House allowance | 268,000,000 |
| Committee recommendation | 270,400,000 |
The Committee has provided $270,400,000 for the scientific and technical research and services (core programs) appropriation of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This amount is an increase of $11,400,000 above fiscal year 1996 funding levels, $344,000 below the budget request, and an increase of $2,400,000 above the House allowance.
The Committee recommendation is intended to maintain current research operations, provide an increase of $2,713,000 for electronics and electrical engineering, and $2,000,000 is provided for a national resource construction program which would allow for the research, demonstration, and design of buildings to utilize natural resources.
Quality program- Within the amount designated for research support, the Committee has provided $2,980,000 for the base NIST Quality Program, which includes the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Committee fully endorses the continuation of the basic Baldrige award program.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
| Appropriations, 1997 | $301,000,000 |
| Budget estimate, 1997 | 450,000,000 |
| House allowance | 200,400,000 |
| Committee recommendation | 159,900,000 |
The Committee recommends $159,900,000 for the industrial technology services appropriation of the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]. The Committee has recommended $99,900,000 for the manufacturing Extension Partnership Program and $60,000,000 for the Advanced Technology Program.
Advanced Technology Program- The Committee recommendation includes $60,000,000 for the Advanced Technology Program, which is $283,975,000 below the budget request, $161,000,000 below fiscal year 1996, and $50,500,000 below the House allowance. In addition to these appropriations, the Committee notes that as of July 2, 1996, the Department of Commerce projected $40,000,000 in end-of-year carryover balances for the ATP Program. The Committee has included bill language stipulating that these funds provided in this act may only be used to finance continuation grants for prior year ATP awards. The recommendation does not include additional restrictions on the use of ATP funds adopted by the House.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program- The Committee recommends $99,900,000 for the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership [MEP] Program. This funding level is $19,900,000 above fiscal year 1996, $5,100,000 below the President's budget request, and $10,000,000 above the House allowance.
The recommended level supports a nationwide system of 75 MEP centers. Consistent with the House allowance and the budget request, the Committee recommends $48,000,000, an increase of $18,000,000 above the current fiscal year, to continue manufacturing centers initiated under the Department of Defense Technology Reinvestment Program. The Committee also recommends $4,000,000 to continue the successful NIST centers in Kansas and Michigan. Bill language is included to clarify their continued operation for fiscal year 1997. These two centers assist over 31,000 small manufacturers in the States of Kansas, Michigan, Colorado, Missouri, and Wyoming. Finally, the Committee recommendation provides $6,000,000 for national programs to connect the nationwide network of centers, train center personnel, and coordinate programs and activities. The Committee concurs with the House allowance which eliminated funding for the SBDC pilot program.
CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES
| Appropriations, 1996 | $60,000,000 |
| Budget estimate, 1997 | 105,240,000 |
| House allowance | ........................... |
| Committee recommendation | 15,000,000 |
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $15,000,000 for construction of NIST facilities. While this amount is $45,000,000 lower than the 1996 appropriation, that bill also contained a rescission of $75,000,000 from unobligated balances within this account. The recommendation is $90,240,000 below the request. The Committee recommendation provides requested funding for maintenance and necessary fire and safety upgrades for existing NIST facilities, and for the completion of the new $57,400,000 Advanced Chemical Sciences Laboratory at the NIST Gaithersburg, MD, campus scheduled for completion in 1998. No funds are provided for new construction for this unauthorized program in fiscal year 1997. The Committee expects NIST to reassess its building requirements in light of reduced program and staffing levels and overall budget constraints.
The recommendation does not include requested funds for construction of the Advanced Technology Laboratory. Because of concerns raised by the inspector general at the Department of Commerce about inappropriate obligation of construction funds in the closing days of fiscal year 1995, the recommendation includes a rescission in this account later in this title.