WASHINGTON NEWS
FROM THE FEDERATION OF MATERIALS SOCIETIES
April 7, 2004

R&D TAX CREDIT EXPANDED, EXTENDED

The Senate has passed an expansion of the research and development tax credit that would allow a consortium of up to five U.S. companies to take advantage of the 20 percent credit, thus enabling them to share capital costs. The bill, sponsored by New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici (R) and Jeff Bingaman (D), also would allow companies to consider 100 percent (up from the current 65 percent) of their eligible research expenses for the purpose of calculating the tax credit when the research is conducted at federal laboratories, universities or small businesses.

DOE HEARINGS FIND MUCH SUPPORT, FEW DOLLARS

Department of Energy officials testifying before Congressional authorizing and appropriations committees recently heard strong statements of support from Senators and Representatives coupled with bleak assessments of the possibility of increased funding to back up that support. In fact, in its FY 2005 budget proposal, the Administration provides for a 2.0 percent decrease in Office of Science funding from FY 2004. At House Science Subcommittee hearings, Deputy Director James Decker testified that the proposed funding would allow an increase in scientific user facilities from 92 percent to 95 percent of optimal use, support for continued construction of the Spallation Neutron Source, and construction of four nanoscience research facilities. It would also enable the Science Office to contribute to the President's hydrogen initiative and begin preparations for some new projects identified in the DOE facilities roadmap

DOE RELEASES LONT-TERM HYDROGEN RESEARCH PLAN

The Department of Energy has released its “Hydrogen Posture Plan,” identifying activities, deliverables and milestones for technology development over the next decade, leading up to a commercialization decision by industry in 2015. According to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, “If we achieve our technical objectives, the automotive and energy industries will be in a position to begin to mass market availability of both vehicles and refueling infrastructure by 2020.” The Administration's FY 2005 budget request includes $227 million for research to overcome technical challenges, integrating research, development and demonstration activities from the DOE renewable, nuclear, fossil and science offices. DOE also is coordinating its work on codes and standards with the Department of Transportation and other agencies. The plan is available at www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR MS&E EDUCATION

Within the span of two weeks, legislation was introduced and reported out by the House Science Committee to create a new Congressional Medal for Outstanding Contributions in Math and Science Education to recognize companies which contribute to math and science education and disseminate best or promising practices in public elementary and secondary schools. The medal is patterned after the Baldrige Awards given annually by the Commerce Department.

MANUFACTURING BILL TO BE CONSIDERED

The full House Science Committee later this spring will take up H.R.3598, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act, after it was approved by the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards on March 25. The bill, sponsored by Subcommittee Chairman Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI), would foster innovation in the manufacturing sciences by creating a mechanism for coordinating federal manufacturing research and development. It would also create strengthened programs that support manufacturing research, development, and innovation, and would provide technical extension services to small and medium-sized manufacturers. It would strengthen the Manufacturing Extension Program within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, establish a collaborative grants program at NIST to support innovation, and create a fellowship program at NIST to cultivate greater U.S. expertise in the manufacturing sciences. When the bill is considered at the full Committee level and later on the House floor, Subcommittee Ranking Minority Member Mark Udall (D-CO) is expected to offer an amendment to restructure the Commerce Department's Technology Administration and create a new Manufacturing Administration to be headed by an Undersecretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Technology. The Udall amendment also would provide additional funding through NIST and the National Science Foundation to educate and certify skill levels of manufacturing technicians.

EPSCOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM

The latest round of program solicitations for the EPSCOR Research Infrastructure Grant Program has been published at www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04564/nsf04564.htm . The EPSCOR program is directed at promoting scientific progress in jurisdictions that have historically received lesser amounts of National Science Foundation research and development funding. Twenty-four states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands currently participate. Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with leaders in the state government, higher education and industry designed to effect lasting improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure and its national R&D competitiveness.

OPEN ACCESS TO DATA

Open access to data resulting from publicly funded research is essential to advance science and the public good, but lack of consistency in government policies and within the scientific community hinders the open-access ideal, according to a report partially funded by the National Science Foundation. The report's international team of authors studied data-access issues on behalf of the 30-nation Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The authors looked at the policies that governments need to consider and identified a framework that the research community should examine to achieve the vision of open access to data. The report points out inconsistent data-access policies among nations and among agencies in the same country and among scientific disciplines. The authors lay out common principles for access to publicly funded research data and call for an international effort by scientists, funding agencies and other international and national bodies to overcome the barriers to this ideal.