ASME International Capitol Update

November 7, 2001

A weekly review of the latest legislative & regulatory news from Washington.

ASME International to Co-sponsor Nuclear Security Briefing
-- briefing to focus on "Vulnerability and Security: The Nation's Nuclear Infrastructure"

Task Force Releases Report on the International Space Station
-- recommends significant management changes

Congressional Appropriators Approve the VA-HUD Conference Report
-- conferees increase funding for NSF, NASA, and EPA for FY02

Engineering Faculty Member Sought to Mentor WISE Interns
-- outstanding engineering faculty member is needed to teach and mentor students

ASME International to Co-sponsor Series of Briefings on Vulnerability and Security

ASME is joining with other engineering and scientific societies to hold a series of briefings on Capitol Hill on vulnerability and security issues. The first briefing, scheduled for November 14, will be on "Responding to Chemical and Biological Terrorism." Additional information on that briefing can be obtained on-line at science_congress@acs.org or by calling (202) 872-8725.

The second briefing, December 6 will focus on "The Nation's Nuclear Infrastructure." The briefing will include opening remarks by Congressman Doug Ose (R-CA), Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs. Other speakers will address security measures to address emerging threats, transportation of nuclear materials, and nuclear power plant containment structures. The briefing will be held from 12 Noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 2168, Rayburn House Office Building.

For more information, contact Francis Dietz at dietzf@asme.org.

Task Force Releases Report on Managing the Space Station

An Independent Management and Cost Evaluation (IMCE) Task Force recently released a report on managing the International Space Station. Thomas Young, former president and Chief Operations Officer at Martin Marietta Corporation, chaired the independent blue-ribbon task force.

The first two principal findings of the report could not be clearer: "The ISS Program's technical achievements to date, as represented by on?orbit capability, are extraordinary." However, "The existing ISS Program Plan for executing the FY 02?06 budget is not credible."

The task force was announced in late July, following revelations in April of a projected $4+ billion increase in space station construction costs in the 2002?2006 time period. Space station development costs are capped, by law, at $25 billion. The result points to a downsized station with downsized research.

The report recommends significant management changes. Of perhaps greater interest to the research community are the task force recommendations regarding research. NASA now envisions the station having a three?person crew instead of the original seven?person crew. The report states, "The scientific community is confused and considers the reduction to a three?person crew, from the seven?person crew baseline, to have a significant adverse impact on science."

The science priorities recommended in the report include: § Establish research priorities. § Establish a research plan consistent with the priorities. § Provide additional crew time for scientific research through the use of extended duration shuttle and overlap of Soyuz missions. § Create a Deputy Program Manager for Science position in ISS Program Office. Assign a science community representative with dual responsibility to the Program and OBPR [Office of Biological and Physical Research]."

House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R?NY) and Ranking Minority Member Ralph Hall (D?TX) committee have scheduled a hearing on this report.

The report is available online at ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/reports/2001/imce.pdf

Congressional Appropriators Approve the VA-HUD Conference Report

Congressional appropriators approved the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD) conference report this week providing increased funding for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Fiscal Year 2002.

Highlights include:

• An increase for NSF of 8.4 percent or $363 million over last year's level and $316 million over the budget request, bringing FY02 funding to $4.8 billion, the largest NSF budget ever. Funding includes: $3.6 billion for research (including $468 million for the Engineering Directorate - an 8.5 percent increase); $139 million for research equipment; and $875 million for education and human resources, including $160 million for their Math & Science Partnership Initiative.
• NASA funding is increased by $508 million over FY01, bringing FY02 funding to $14.8 billion, $282 million above the President's request.
• EPA was funded at $7.9 billion, an increase of $597 million above the President's request and $75 million over FY01. Funding includes: $698 million for the agency's Science and Technology programs, a nearly $60 million increase over the White House's request; Superfund is funded at last year's level of $1.27 billion, $2 million above the President's request; provides funding of $2 billion for Environmental Programs and Management, $81 million above the request and $33 million below FY01; EPA Research is increased $33 million over the President's request and $1.4 million over FY01, bringing FY02 funding to $680 million.

Engineering Faculty Member Sought to Mentor WISE Interns

An outstanding engineering faculty member is needed to teach and mentor students on the interaction among engineering, technology, and public policy during the summer 2002 Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) program. The individual will serve as Faculty-Member-in-Residence (FMR) in Washington, DC, during the 10-week program, May 28-August 2, 2002.

The FMR will instruct interns on the basics of good policy research, writing, and analysis; organize regular visits and discussion sessions with decisionmakers; supervise interns' preparation of a substantial policy paper; act as a professional advisor and mentor to the interns; and interact with representatives and staff of the engineering societies that sponsor WISE interns. The FMR receives a stipend of approximately $17,500 for the program and is reimbursed for one roundtrip travel to Washington, DC. Housing is not included.

ASME sponsors two student members to participate in the WISE program each summer. Additional information can be obtained from http://www.wise-intern.org/.

** Important Note: The Capitol Update will not be published the week of November 12 because of the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in New York.

 

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