ASME International Capitol Update November 30, 2001 A weekly review of the latest legislative & regulatory news from Washington.
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Applications Sought for ASME White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Fellows ASME is currently accepting applications for two positions in its Federal Fellow Program. Both positions are in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). These fellow positions are for a one-year term, beginning in January 2002, and offer a stipend. ASME members who are U.S. citizens, possess advanced engineering degrees, have strong analytical and presentation skills, with a minimum of 5 years of engineering experience are encouraged to apply by December 17, 2001. One position requires a candidate with broad capabilities to help out with the nation's antiterrorism efforts. Knowledge in nuclear reactor safety, pipeline safety, and other vulnerable assets within the Dept. of Energy would be useful. This fellow will be assigned to the National Security and International Division at OSTP. The other position will work with the Associate Director for Technology at OSTP and requires a candidate with broad knowledge of technology policy issues. To Apply: Submit a letter of interest stating which position you seek, along with a resume, a writing sample, and a list of three references to: Allian Pratt ASME Aeronautics Workshop to be held December 5 AASME International's Aerospace Division and the Board on Government Relations will conduct a workshop on the "State of the Nation's Aeronautics Research and Technology (R&T) Enterprise." The December 5th workshop, to be held in Room 2325 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, will bring together policymakers, government and industry representatives (including the Secretary of the Air Force), and members of the engineering community to review the current near-term and future needs of the nation's aeronautics research and technology enterprise. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics are assisting the Aerospace Division in reviewing the federal investment in R&T, technology advancements, facility upgrades, as well as what is being done to sustain the high quality workforce needed for aerospace programs. For additional information about the workshop, go to http://www.asme.org/gric/2001/Workshop/home.html or contact Kathryn Holmes at holmesk@asme.org. To register for the workshop, please send your name, title, organization, mailing address, phone number, fax number and email address to: Sophia Norris at norriss@asme.org. There is no charge to attend the event. ASME Congressional Noontime Briefing on Nuclear Safety to be Held December 6 On December 6, 2001, ASME will join with several other engineering and scientific Societies to sponsor the second in a series of Congressional noontime briefings on Vulnerability and Security. The briefing, to be held from Noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 2168 Rayburn House Office Building, will explore the integrity of nuclear power plant containment structures and safety requirements for transportation of radioactive materials. A main goal of the briefing is to help Congressional staff understand the technical aspects of nuclear safety in the wake of the September 11 attack on America. ASME Past President Robert E. Nickell will participate as a panelist, and John Ferguson, ASME Vice President, Nuclear Codes & Standards, will moderate the briefing. For information, contact Francis Dietz, at dietzf@asme.org. There is no charge to attend this event. ASME, U.S. Energy Association to Co-Sponsor December 13 Energy Briefing On December 13, 2001, ASME, along with the United States Energy Association (USEA), the McGraw-Hill Companies, and the American Council of Engineering Companies, will co-sponsor a briefing entitled, "Implementing a National Energy Strategy: Breaking Down the Barriers." The full-day briefing, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, will explore challenges associated with implementing a national energy strategy, including workforce issues, siting of energy facilities, financing of energy infrastructure, and risk and liability issues. To register, contact Eileen Murray at USEA, at 202-312-1237, or visit http://www.usea.org/. NSF Engineering, Research, Other Activities Get Boost in FY02 Budget Congress has completed action on a bill that increases the National Science Foundation's budget by 8.4 percent in FY 2002. Under the bill, NSF's budget will rise by $373 million to $4,789 million. The Administration requested a 1.3% increase. The FY 2002 budget line for Research And Related Activities will increase $248 million (7.4 percent) to $3,598.3 million. The Engineering budget will increase 8.5% ($36.7 million) to$467.5 million. The Geosciences budget will increase 8.7 percent, or $48.5 million, to $610.7 million. The Mathematical and Physical sciences budget will increase 8.4%, or $71.4 million, to $922.2 million. This budget funds the Physics, Astronomical Sciences, and Materials subactivities. The conference report language states: "Of the appropriated amount, $4,000,000 is provided for the Telescope Systems Instrumentation Program (TSIP) and $5,000,000 has been provided for astronomical sciences to augment individual investigator support. The conferees expect NSF to continue its program of upgrading, on a priority basis, its astronomical facilities and equipment, including the Greenbank Observatory and Robert C. Byrd Telescope in West Virginia, and the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico. The conferees have also placed a high priority on mathematics research within the amounts provided for this activity." The conference report also states that it "provides specific increases of $25,000,000 for information technology research,$25,000,000 for nanotechnology, and $12,500,000 for increased energy and fuel costs in the polar and ocean sciences as well as national facilities in physics and materials." The FY 2002 budget for Major Research Equipment And Facilities Construction, a new budget category, is $138.8 million. The conferees included fairly extensive language on large facility management and oversight. In addition, they provided the requested amounts for the Large Hadron Collider and the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation. $35.0 million was provided for "continued development, production, and instrumentation" of the High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER); NSF had not requested funding for FY 2002. NSF requested $55.0 million for the Terascale Computing Program; appropriators provided only $35.0 million. The foundation requested $9.0 million through another budget for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA); appropriators provided $12.5 million for initial construction. Finally, the bill includes $15.0 million for start-up costs for the IceCube Neutrino Detection project. The FY 2002 budget for EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES will increase 11.4% or $89.4 million to $875.0 million. The Math and Science Partnership program to improve science and math education will receive $160.0 million; NSF requested $200.0 million. The report states: "The Foundation is strongly urged to provide regular, detailed information to the Committees on Appropriations regarding the planning and execution of this new initiative." The conference report states that it provides $5.0 million "for a new undergraduate workforce initiative, which is to include a new, merit-based, competitive grants program for colleges and universities for increasing the number of undergraduate degree recipients in science and engineering, consistent with the provisions of S. 1549." (Technology Talent Act of 2001) In addition, it provides "$105,500,000, an increase of $10,000,000 above the budget request, has been provided to increase graduate level stipends for the research and teaching fellowship programs and the trainee program administered by the Foundation through its Graduate Education subactivity. The conferees support increasing the graduate stipend level to $21,500 during fiscal year 2002 if funding permits." Science Committee Chairman Addresses Engineering Briefing, Lauds Progress Chairman Sherwood Boehlert and members of the House Science Committee addressed a breakfast meeting November 21 sponsored by the American Association of Engineering Societies. The Chairman was quick to note that, while the hearing room in which the meeting took place was adorned with graphics depicting our investments in space, the Science Committee was proud to be involved in so many more areas of concern to our nation including energy research and development (HR 2460 was incorporated in to HR 4), water security (HR 3178), cyber terrorism, math & science education (HR 1858), boosting our technical workforce (HR 3130), and strengthening science at the EPA (HR 64). He was pleased to report that the National Science Foundation will be funded at its highest level ever, $4.8 billion. The 8.2 percent increase is $363 million over last year's budget and includes funding for several important education initiatives including National Math and Science Education Partnerships and the Noyce Scholarship Program championed by him, as Chairman, and passed by the Science Committee earlier this year. The same legislation also increases NASA's funding by $508 million over last year, including an 11 percent increase in Science, Aeronautics and Technology. In addition, the bill will hold NASA accountable for managing the International Space Station within the existing budget. The Environmental Protection Agency also fared well, especially the Science and Technology account, which received nearly a $60 million increase. Members in attendance included Ranking Member Ralph Hall (D-TX) and Representatives Nick Smith (R-MI), Connie Morella (R-MD), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Bob Etheridge (D-NC) and Dennis Moore (D-KS). Details on these bills can be found at http://www.house.gov/science/bills107.htm and http://thomas.loc.gov/ .
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