“Taken from Senate Report 105-48
FY 1998 Senate Report…”

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

The Committee recommends a total of $603,892,000 for the three appropriations accounts under the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] for fiscal year 1998. This amount is a reduction of $88,652,000 from the budget request and $22,892,000 above the amounts appropriated for fiscal year 1997. A description of each account and the Committee recommendation follows:

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES

The Committee has provided $276,852,000 for the scientific and technical research and services (core programs) appropriation of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. An increase of $8,852,000 is included in this program for the continued research, development, application, and demonstration of new building products, processes, technologies, and methods of construction through the use of underused natural resources and energy-efficient, environmentally sound techniques. The Natural Resource Demonstration Program will conduct research and development, in cooperation with the private sector and academia, on new methods of construction and operating energy-efficient and environmentally compatible buildings. Within funds made available for materials sciences and ngineering, the Committee expects NIST to continue to support the program for integrated design, nondestructive evaluation [NDE] and manufacturing sciences at a level of $700,000.

Quality Program- Within the amount designated for research support, the Committee has provided $2,984,000 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, but does not believe NIST can afford the fiscal year 1998, $2,305,000 increase to expand the award program at a time when discretionary spending for core programs is increasingly constrained. NIST's potential involvement in health care and education quality is a mission far removed from the core programs of the agency. If the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services wish to implement quality standards to apply to programs in their respective departments, they should do so using their own resources.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

The Committee recommends $311,040,000 for the `Industrial technology services' appropriation of the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]. This amount is $1,960,000 below the current appropriation available for fiscal year 1997 and $87,960,000 below the budget request.

Advanced Technology Program- For fiscal year 1998, the Committee recommends a level of $200,000,000 for the Advanced Technology Program [ATP]. The Committee continues to be concerned about the Advanced Technology Program. The Committee applauds Commerce Secretary William M. Daley's effort to review some of the criticisms of the ATP Program and looks forward to receiving the results of his program review. In September 1996, ATP had a fiscal year 1996 carryover of $35,000,000. By December 1996, this balance had grown to $52,000,000. Some of these funds were rescinded in the disaster supplemental appropriations measure (Public Law 105-18) passed in May 1997. The Committee directs NIST to use any carryover balances, cancellations, or recoveries to fund existing awards in fiscal year 1998.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program- The Committee recommends $111,040,000 of the funds provided in the `Industrial technology services' account be used for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership [MEP] Program. This funding level will permit all existing centers to remain in operation during fiscal year 1998. None of these funds may be used to open new centers in fiscal year 1998 or to conduct a new competition for additional centers. As originally authorized, Federal funding for these centers was to be phased out after each of the centers has been in existence for 6 years. The Committee requests the Secretary of Commerce to review this program and provide recommendations to the Committee for assisting the MEP centers to become self-supporting after their sixth year of operation. The Committee anticipates receiving this report from the Secretary with the fiscal year 1999 budget submission.

The Committee's recommendation does not include the following funds requested in fiscal year 1998: $5,900,000 for supply chain optimization; $2,000,000 for information technology; and, $2,000,000 for technology infusion. All of these requests are worthwhile, but the Committee believes successful MEP centers should be able to obtain the funds for these purposes from local, State, or private-sector sources.

Finally, the Committee recommendation assumes that $2,000,000 shall be used to continue support for the seven SBDC-manufacturing field offices.

CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,000,000 to permit NIST to implement facilities maintenance, safety, and critical repairs. This funding level should permit NIST to ensure its facilities comply with health and safety regulations, provide access for the disabled, and meet general maintenance standards. In response to congressional concerns, NIST is developing a new facilities modernization plan to plan for current and future needs of the agency. The Committee expects NIST to complete and transmit this plan to Congress well in advance of the fiscal year 1999 budget request.