1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• President Signs Competitiveness Legislation
  
  
• House Passes Energy Bill Containing Renewable Energy Benefits
  
  
• Summary of Major Provisions in the House Energy Package
  

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• National Science Foundation to Host Reception Honoring 2005 and 2006 Medal of Science Laureates

• Science Secretary Vows No Cost Overruns While Discussing ITER Project

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• Technology Trends and Small Business
  
  
• The Economist’s IT Industry Competitive Index Ranks 64 Countries, U.S. on Top
  
  
• Student Results Show Benefits of Math and Science Partnerships
  
  
• NESTA Report: Hidden Innovation

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

5) U.S. STATES WATCH

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

• National Science Foundation

7) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS and SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• IEEE-USA Co-Sponsoring Symposium on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
  
  
• Track IEEE-USA's Progress
  
  
• IEEE-USA In The News

9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• President Signs Competitiveness Legislation

After overwhelmingly passing the House and unanimously passing the Senate, a comprehensive package of legislation – H.R. 2272, the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act (COMPETES) – finally became law this week.

The COMPETES ACT is consistent with the goals of the White House’s American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) which was unveiled in January 2006 after several years worth of reports warning that the U.S. was falling behind in its ability to compete globally.

“Keeping America competitive in a global marketplace begins with a high-quality education system and follows with ideas and investments in people here at home — that’s just what this legislation is designed to do,” said Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) who, as chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee, steered the bill through congress. "This bill will not only give our teachers and students the support they need, but it also advances our efforts to become energy independent. This will create new jobs and new exports," he continued. "This is not just an idle thought for those of us who have kids and grandkids. I am very concerned that the next generation of Americans can be the first generation of Americans to inherit a national standard of living less than their parents if we don't do something. This bill will help turn that corner."

Science and Technology Ranking Member Ralph Hall (R-TX) said in support of the bill, “This legislation is … aimed at improving our competitive edge through science, technology, engineering and math education, research, and innovation.  I supported this legislation when passed by voice vote in the House three months ago because we need to take steps to ensure our future competitiveness.”

The COMPETES Act:

Authorizes $33.6 billion over fiscal years 2008-2010 for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs across the federal government;

Authorizes multiple grant programs to help educate current and future teachers in the areas of science and math education;

Invests in basic research and supports young researchers by expanding early career grant programs;

Establishes the Advanced Research Projects-Agency (ARPA-E) designed to engage in high-risk, high reward energy research under the Department of Energy (DOE);

Supports basic research by setting budgets at the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science on a path to doubling in the near term; and

Creates of a new Technology Innovation Program at the Department of Commerce, replacing the Advanced Technology Program.

As IEEE-USA’s Managing Director reported to our Board of Directors, “I am pleased to report that IEEE-USA realized one of its major public policy priorities for the 110th Congress ... with the President’s signature of the America COMPETES Act (H.R. 2272) (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02272:)...”

IEEE-USA directly helped to champion two provisions: reauthorization of the Noyce Scholarships, and inclusion of a title strengthening the federal focus on high-performance computer research and development.

IEEE-USA was one of many organizations working proactively over the past three years in support of this legislation, both directly and in coalition. IEEE-USA sent numerous letters to Congress, marshaled our members for over 150 grassroots visits in support of the bill (many as part of our annual Congressional Visits Days), issued grassroots alerts, co-sponsored congressional briefings (including the initial November 2005 briefing to Congress on the NAS’ “Gathering Storm” report and its recommendations),  written articles, issued press releases, and provided testimony to Congress earlier this April on competitiveness and the importance of basic research.

IEEE-USA was also a signatory to the American Innovation Proclamation and worked in partnership with other organizations through the Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, the Computer Research and Innovation Coalition, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Coalition, and the Council on Competitiveness, to support this legislation.

• House Passes Energy Bill Containing Renewable Energy Benefits

Just before recessing for the month-long summer break, the House passed a comprehensive energy bill (H.R. 3221) including a renewable portfolio standard (RPS, sometimes called RES or renewable electricity standard).  The federal RPS mandates that 15 percent of retail electricity come from renewable resources by 2020. Many states and localities already have an RPS. In 1999, then Texas Governor George W. Bush engineered and signed an RPS mandate for Texas. The President is continuing his support by pushing for the alternative-fuels mandate.

“Today the House propelled America’s energy policy into the future,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said upon passage, chalking up the victory to “a new coalition” of labor and environmental groups.

Despite House support, tough negotiations with the Senate remain. When Congress returns in the fall, Congress will renew battles over the renewable-fuel mandate as well as increased vehicle fuel-economy standards, which were removed from the House bill at the last minute but remain in a bill the Senate passed in June. The Senate bill calls for automakers to reach a fleetwide average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. It also adjusts the national mandate for the use of biofuels. The House bill has no such provisions.

Also, The House combined HR3221 with a package of tax measures that tap into oil and gas industry coffers to pay for a variety of programs intended to promote — and in some cases require — energy efficiency and the use of alternative sources of power. Many say that this shift in federal energy policy has been a long time coming. The Senate bill does not contain tax provisions, adding to the contentiousness of the upcoming autumn session.

• Summary of Major Provisions in the House Energy Package

H.R. 3221:

Requires utilities to produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020; more than a quarter of that goal could be met through gains in energy efficiency.

Sets new efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings, while promoting new technologies for transmitting and delivering electricity to create a “smart grid.”

Authorizes billions of dollars for research into clean energy and alternative fuels, including research into carbon dioxide sequestration efforts necessary to promote clean-burning coal.

Promotes international energy-efficiency standards and U.S. involvement in other international partnerships to address energy issues and climate change.

Increases regulations on energy development; boost fines on energy firms that fail to pay royalties; and require more audits of energy company records relating to royalties.

Establishes grant programs to promote public transportation and expanded use of alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Authorizes a total of $8 billion in bonds to help state and local governments fund energy conservation projects; pay for grants or low-interest loans for residential energy-efficiency projects; help power companies and cooperatives pay for renewable-energy projects.

Extends several tax credits for energy-efficiency projects in commercial buildings, production of renewable electricity and investments in solar energy and fuel cells.

Creates a tax credit for the purchase of plug-in hybrid cars.

Addresses a controversy over billions of dollars in royalties lost on faulty leases in the Gulf of Mexico by requiring oil and gas companies to renegotiate those leases or pay a new conservation fee before bidding on future leases.

Reduces or eliminates existing tax benefits for oil and gas companies; raises $11.4 billion over 10 years by eliminating a deduction for domestic manufacturing activities; another $3.6 billion would be raised by changing the way companies must calculate their foreign earnings.

Raises $786 million by limiting a deduction many businesses currently take for the purchase of sport utility vehicles.

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• National Science Foundation to Host Reception Honoring 2005 and 2006 Medal of Science Laureates

26 JULY: NSF Director Arden Bement led a ceremony honoring the laureates during a reception in their honor and on the following day, the President presented the group with the 2005 and 2006 National Medals of Science at a White House ceremony. Among the nominees is IEEE member Jan Achenbach, of Northwestern University.Also among the nominees is the new U.S. Secretary of State Science and Technology Adviser, Dr. Nina V. Fedoroff. For more information on the National Medal of Science, and for photographs and biographical information on its 2005 and 2006 laureates, visit:http://www.nsf.gov/od/nms/medal.jsp.

• Science Secretary Vows No Cost Overruns While Discussing ITER Project

During a recent briefing to the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee on ITER's status, Energy Under Secretary for Science Ray Orbach vowed, "The Office of Science will not have cost overruns."

"For us, this is really a critical point," he said, warning that any cost overrun would have negative effects within the Department of Energy, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress.

ITER is an experimental fusion reactor to be built in France by China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States. The Interim ITER Council recently held a meeting in Tokyo attended by both Orbach and former IEEE-USA President and current Chair of the IEEE-USA Government Fellows Committee, Ned Sauthoff. Dr. Sauthoff serves as the director of the U.S. ITER Project Office.

Many of Orbach's remarks dealt with management steps that must be completed to remove the word "Interim" from the ITER Council's name before its meeting in November. All seven parties must ratify the ITER Joint Implementation Agreement; China and Russia have not yet done so. The Russian parliament ratified the agreement in June; President Vladimir Putin is expected to sign the agreement within weeks. China is scheduled to ratify the agreement on August 24. Construction of the project cannot move forward until the agreement is ratified.

Each of seven parties must have a domestic agency that is responsible for its participation in the project. The United States established the ITER Project Office in July 2004. Most of the other domestic agencies are expected to be approved before the end of this summer, although not all will be operational this year.

Estimates about the degree to which the ITER design review is complete vary. Orbach told the advisory committee that "we've got to get that design nailed down." Mindful of how design changes lead to cost overruns, Orbach said that once the design plan is completed the council should freeze it.

The U.S. is contributing 9 percent, or $1.1 billion, to ITER's construction cost. Orbach told the committee that "I am personally committed" to the President and Congress to stay within that cap. While other ITER parties are accustomed to cost overruns, he declared that they are "something that [are] anathema to us."

Although complicated issues exist which must be resolved before construction can commence, Orbach was optimistic. He spoke of the "vote of confidence" that the President and Congress gave to fusion, and told the committee that they should take great pride in advancing support for fusion research. While ITER will be a one- to three- decade program, Orbach is looking ahead; asking what should come after this program is complete. Now is the time to start thinking about this he told the committee, asking them to develop a robust program that can assure continuation of funding after ITER is complete.

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• Technology Trends and Small Business

As part of its “Future of Small Business” project, Intuit has recently a second report that examines key issues facing entrepreneurs. The latest study examines how small firms can prosper in the “connected world” where new technologies will change nearly everything about running a business. The study flags three key trends. First, mobile devices and new analytical tools and devices will free entrepreneurs from spending too much time on mundane managerial tasks. Second, as on-line networks grow in scale and scope, small businesses will be able to build global partnerships and will face limited technology hurdles when it comes to starting or growing their companies. Finally, marketing will move from a “push” to a “pull” mentality. Instead of pushing information out to potential customers, businesses will need to emphasize providing customers with the right information at the right time in the right context. As such, a firm’s on-line presence will become the critical factor in its subsequent success. Access the Intuit Future of Small Business report on technology trends. http://www.intuit.com/futureofsmallbusiness/

• The Economist’s IT Industry Competitive Index Ranks 64 Countries, U.S. on Top

This we know; for a country to attain a thriving information technology (IT) sector, an environment that promotes competitiveness, protects innovation, and invests in education and infrastructure must be supported. But with the black cloud of negativity that’s been hanging over the United States since the first reports about our lagging competitiveness came out a couple of years ago, we would never have guessed that the U.S. environment ranks first among 64 countries. However,Denis McCauley, director of global technology research for the Economist Intelligence Unit, warned that while the United States has many strengths, it risks being complacent with its advantages, pointing out poor immigration policies and a lack of R&D investment as damaging to our leadership.

McCauley's unit released the “IT Industry Competitiveness Index” which measures and compares the IT environment among South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, Taiwan, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland and others. The Means to Compete: Benchmarking IT Industry Competitiveness by Kim Thomas used a combination of 25 quantitative and qualitative indicators to produce a score and ranking for each county in the report. The assortment of indicators was organized into six distinct categories, each with a specific weighting for the composite index score. These categories included:

Overall business environment (10 percent)
IT infrastructure (20 percent)
Human capital (20 percent)
Legal environment (10 percent)
R&D environment (25 percent)
Support for IT industry development (15 percent)

The author predicts that the index’s top tier of countries will not change in the near future, but provides two trends that are likely to affect the lower tiers of the index in the coming years. The first is that a number of emerging economies will compete with countries like China and India, offering low-cost IT skills. Mentioned are Malaysia, Brazil and Vietnam, as well as some Eastern European countries that will compete on this front. Second, smaller emerging markets will develop niches in software development and IT services. Similar to many sectors across the global economy, emerging countries will move higher and higher up the value chain, competing not only on a low-cost basis, but also on one based on the creation of innovative products and services.

• Student Results Show Benefits of Math and Science Partnerships

Nearly every age group shows improvements in annual math and science assessments when their schools partner with higher education. While an earlier study tracked schools that began work in the first year of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Math and Science Partnership program (MSP), the most recent study followed more than 300 schools participating in partnerships that began to be funded during the program's second year.For a full press release, visit: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109725

• NESTA Report: Hidden Innovation

A new study from Great Britain’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) examines the role of “hidden innovation” in six so-called “low innovation” industry sectors. The research makes a bold and important claim: “the innovation that matters most differs between sectors.” In other words, innovation in the legal services field looks a lot different from innovation in the oil production industry. Innovation in these services sectors depends very little on R&D spending. Instead, innovation is often more about absorbing ideas instead of creating new ones. The study also finds that service sector innovations are rarely affected by traditional tools of “innovation policy.” Framework conditions, such as tax policy or the local regulatory climate, are more important factors. Because each sector has unique approaches to innovation, the public sector will never be able to fine-tune innovation policies that can support all industries. Only Industry leadership can provide the type of specialized sectoral knowledge and skills that are required.

• GAO Reports

Federal Support for Small Manufacturers: At the request of several Members of Congress concerned about the fate of America’s small manufacturers, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a detailed summary of all Federal programs that provide support to small manufacturers. The survey results are quite interesting. Overall, GAO identified 254 Federal programs that provide support to the business sector. Within this group, twenty programs provide support to manufacturers, and five are targeted especially to small firms. While GAO could not obtain data on spending in all twenty of these programs, its analysts estimate that Washington spent a total of roughly $35 million (over three years) to support anywhere from 8,000 to 9,000 small manufacturing firms per year. Very few of the Federal programs provide direct financial assistance; most focus on providing technical support and other types of assistance. At first glance, it may appear that, with only five targeted programs, small manufacturers have very few options for Federal support. However, as GAO notes, small manufacturers are more likely to obtain support from general business support initiatives as opposed to programs that are targeted only to their specific niche. Access the May 2007 Government Accountability Office report, Information on Federal Programs and Interagency Efforts that Support Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing (GAO 07-714).  Highlights only.

• NSF Reports

Family-Related Issues Top List of Reasons for Migration of Immigrant Scientists and Engineers to the U.S. URL : http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr07073

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

No items at this time.

5) US STATES WATCH

No items at this time.

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

• National Science Foundation

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Type 1 proposals are solicited that provide for full implementation efforts at academic institutions. Type 2 proposals are solicited that support educational research projects on associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM. For more information: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07570/nsf07570.htm

• AAAS Grant Site

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a service called GrantsNet Express.  Each week GrantsNet will provide a listing of science funding opportunities from private foundations and organizations, and new U.S. government grant announcements in the sciences. AAAS will send GrantsNet by e-mail to AAAS member subscribers. The weekly emails will include: — New science funding programs, divided into opportunities for postdocs/graduate students and undergraduates — Submission deadlines for funding opportunities scheduled in the upcoming week — New listings of funding for science-related research.

7) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS & SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

No items at this time.

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• IEEE-USA Co-Sponsoring Symposium on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are the next great tool in greatly reducing U.S. gasoline consumption and carbon emissions.We just need to inform Americans about the benefits and figure out ways to make them attractive to consumers. On September 19th, IEEE-USA is co-sponsoring – with the IEEE New Technology Directions Committee, the Set America Free Coalition, the IEEE Power Electronics Society, the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology, the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society and the IEEE Power Engineering Society – a symposium on the technology and policy challenges of commercializing PHEVs at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Plug-in Hybrids: Accelerating Progress 2007 will bring together leaders in the manufacturing industry, electric utilities, universities, national laboratories and non-profits to explore what is needed to accelerate commercial use of plug-in vehicle technology. Demonstration vehicles will be on display.

“Advances in power electronics, controls, computer systems, sensors, high-performance permanent-magnet electric motors and new battery technology are converging to create the opportunity to make the plug-in vehicle practical,” said Dr. Tom Schneider, general chair of the symposium and past chair of the IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee; “If not today, then in the immediate future.”

Unlike gasoline-electric hybrids on the road now, which charge their batteries from an on-board engine while the vehicle is running, PHEVs can charge from an ordinary electric outlet, at home while the engine is off. In addition to the environmental benefits that come from reduced carbon emissions, PHEVs can increase the security of the United States by reducing dependence of foreign oil, and drivers can save money by purchasing off-peak electricity and using less gasoline.

The symposium’s four panel sessions will explore: Electrification, Fuel Economy and the Environment; Plug-in Vehicles and the Electric Grid; New Technology Challenges and Opportunities; and the Need for Federal Action Now. The registration fee is $200 for industry and $100 for government employees and students before September 2nd. For more information and to register, see http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/phev/default.asp.

In July, IEEE-USA also co-sponsored a congressional briefing on PHEVs. The forum on Capitol Hill discussed the emerging technology of PHEVs and the role they can play in reducing the nation's gasoline usage and dependence on foreign oil. Dr. Paul Werbos, Program Director, National Science Foundation, spoke on "Towards Independence from Imported Oil," and Dr. Schneider addressed (photo below) "Transportation Efficiency Through Electric Drive and the Power Grid." For more on plug-in hybrid vehicles, g o to http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/PHEV0607.pdf.

• Track IEEE-USA's Progress

Review IEEE-USA's year-to-date progress in working for the IEEE U.S. members at the new IEEE-USA Year-in-Review Web page. Check out what IEEE-USA activities and programs helped the IEEE U.S. members in 2004 at the new IEEE-USA Annual Report online. And find out what's on IEEE-USA's agenda through 2009, with the new, online IEEE-USA Strategic & Operational Plan.

For the IEEE-USA Year-in-Review, go to: http://www.ieeeusa.org/about/yearinreview.asp

For the IEEE-USA Annual Report, go to: http://www.ieeeusa.org/about/Annual_Report/2004.pdf

For the IEEE-USA Strategic & Operational Plan, go to:

http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/strategicplan/index.html

Read a full listing of IEEE-USA lobbying activities on our web site at: http://ieeeusa.com/policy/policy/index.html

Many newly approved position statements are now available online at:

http://ieeeusa.com/policy/positions/index.html

• IEEE-USA In The News

For more IEEE-USA in the News items, see: http://ieeeusa.org/communications/inthenews/default.asp.

9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

None at this time.

Top of Page | What's New@IEEE | EyeOnWash Archive | IEEE-USA

What's New @ IEEE-USAs Eye on Washington highlights important federal legislative and regulatory developments that affect U.S. engineers and their careers. In addition to this biweekly newsletter, subscribers receive legislative bulletins and action alerts on IEEE-USA priority issues, including: retirement security, employment benefits, research & development funding, computers and information policy, immigration reform, intellectual property protection and privacy of health/medical information.

You can change your IEEE-USA Eye on Washington subscription status by using the forms at http://whatsnew.ieee.org/ or at http://www.ieeeusa.org/emailupdates/.

Copyright © 2007, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.  Permission granted to copy for personal use or for non-commercial republication with appropriate attribution.

Updated: 09 August 2007