“Taken from House Report 105-207
FY 1998 House Report…”

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY/OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY POLICY

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The Committee recommends $8,500,000 for the Technology Administration's Office of the Under Secretary/Office of Technology Policy. This amount is a reduction of $730,000 from the budget request, and $1,000,000 below the amount appropriated for the current fiscal year.

The Committee recommendation provides $1,600,000 in fiscal year 1998 for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology (EPSCoT) program, and $6,900,000 for the base program of the Technology Administration (TA). The Committee is aware that TA is continuing a series of on-going discussions and workshops regarding implementation of this new initiative. The Committee expects TA to work with existing planning entities to carry out this new initiative, and to report back to the Committee with its plans for implementing this program prior to the expenditure of funds provided in fiscal year 1998, in accordance with section 605 of this Act. Bill language is included allowing $1,600,000 to remain available until September 30, 1999.

The Committee recommendation does not provide an increase of $350,000 requested to support the Administration's foreign policy initiatives. In addition, the Committee has reduced TA's base operating budget to reflect the elimination of TA's support for this initiative. The Committee notes that the TA is the coordinator of domestic civilian technology initiatives and believes it inappropriate for TA to be using its resources to support foreign policy programs, and intends that no funds provided to TA be used for this purpose. However the Committee would be willing to permit the TA to provide technical assistance to other agencies, more appropriately involved in foreign assistance programs should these activities be provided on a reimbursable basis using funds from other Federal sources outside of the Department of Commerce's budget.