(House Rules) and SENT to House - 7/10/91
(Brown (D) California and 19 others)
The Administration has proposed an ambitious High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) initiative Including $638 million for FY 1992, a 30 percent increase over FY 1991. The Administration's initiative has enunciated clear goals for the HPCC program, provides the necessary flexibility to respond to new developments, and defines the appropriate role and scope of the National Research and Education Network (NREN).
H.R. 656 is consistent with the general goals and objectives of the Administration's initiative. In its current form, however, it is overly prescriptive and limits the ability of the Federal Government to pursue research and technology opportunities in this rapidly changing field. Therefore, the Administration would only support the bill if amended as recommended below.
The United States Trade Representative would recommend a veto of H.R. 656 if the "Buy America" amendment expected to be offered by Rep. Sabo is added to the bill. The Sabo amendment would: (1) almost certainly be interpreted by our trading partners as a violation of U.S. international obligations under the GATT Government Procurement Code and invite retaliation against U.S. exports; (2) work against the U.S. Government's efforts to expand Code coverage to goods and services contracts and thereby increase U.S. export opportunities; and (3) harm U.S. Government efforts to enter into joint research and development projects that may include foreign participants, even where such projects would foster the competitiveness of U.S. industry.
The Administration recommends that H.R. 656 be amended to:
- Delete in Sec. 5(a)(2)(B) and Sec. 6(a) the responsibilities of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for implementation of the High-Performance Computing (HPC) program. OSTP should be responsible only for coordinating agency activities in support of the program; implementation should remain the responsibility of the appropriate agencies.
- Delete in Sec. 6(d) the requirement that the National Science Foundation (NSF) manage the NREN. Because science and technology undertakings are inherently dynamic, and because the HPC program is only in its first year of implementation, agency responsibilities must remain flexible to accommodate future developments.
- Substitute "President, through the agencies," for "Director" in Sec. 6(a). This change would reserve to the President the authority to delegate authority among the agencies or OSTP.
- Delete in Sec. 5(b) the requirement that OSTP establish a High-Performance Computing Advisory Panel. This provision results in unnecessary micromanagement of OSTP and the HPC program.
- Delete the phrase "in every State" in Sec. 6(a). This language may be read to impose upon the Federal Government the responsibility for guaranteeing NREN connections in every State. The NREN ls a high speed research network, not a general purpose communications network. Guaranteeing connections in every State would be inconsistent with the existing program and is more appropriately the responsibility of non-Federal (private sector) entities.
- Delete See. 6(e) on Information Services. Including information services in this legislation is inconsistent with the purposes of the HPC program, which is fundamentally a research and development activity. Direct public access to Federal electronic information is already available from agencies as well as through libraries and private firms.
- Delete Sec. 12, authorizing the Secretary of Education to conduct research regarding the use of computational sciences by schools and libraries. While helping schools develop electronic communications networks is an essential element in the President's AMERICA 2000 education strategy, the Department of Education already has sufficient authority and funding to support such research. The Secretary of Education, the NSF Director, and the President's Science Advisor are convening experts to help design networks appropriate for elementary and secondary education.
George Bush, Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 656 - High Performance Computing Act Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/330701