SUBCHAPTER II—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE
§4621. Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Semiconductors and related microelectronic devices are key components in computers, telecommunications equipment, advanced defense systems, and other equipment.
(2) Aggregate sales of such equipment, in excess of $230,000,000,000 annually, comprise a significant portion of the gross national product of the United States.
(3) The leadership position of the United States in advanced technology is threatened by (A) competition from foreign businesses which is promoted and facilitated by the increasingly active involvement of foreign governments, and (B) other changes in the nature of foreign competition.
(4) The principal cause of the relative shift in strength of the United States and its semiconductor competitors is the establishment of a long-term goal by a major foreign competitor to achieve world superiority in semiconductor research and manufacturing technology and the pursuit of such goal by that competitor by effectively marshalling all of the government, industry, and academic resources needed to achieve that goal.
(5) Although the United States semiconductor industry leads all other principal United States industries in terms of its reinvestment in research and development, that has been insufficient by worldwide standards.
(6) Electronic equipment is essential to protect the national security of the United States, as is evidenced by the allocation of approximately 35 percent of the total research, development, and procurement budgets of the Department of Defense to electronics research.
(7) The Armed Forces of the United States will eventually depend extensively on foreign semiconductor technology unless significant steps are taken, and taken at an early date, to retain United States leadership in semiconductor technology research.
(8) It is in the interests of the national security and national economy of the United States for the United States to regain its traditional world leadership in the field of semiconductors.
(9) The most effective means of regaining that leadership is through a joint research effort of the Federal Government and private industry of the United States to improve semiconductor manufacturing technology and to develop practical uses for such technology.
(10) In order to meet the national defense needs of the United States and to insure the continued vitality of a commercial manufacturing base in the United States, it is essential that priority be given to the development, demonstration, and advancement of the semiconductor technology base in the United States.
(11) The national laboratories of the Department of Energy are a major national research resource, and the extensive involvement of such laboratories in the semiconductor research initiatives of the Federal Government and private industry would be an effective use of such laboratories and would help insure the success of such initiatives.
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§4622. Establishment of semiconductor manufacturing technology research initiative
The Secretary of Energy shall initiate and carry out a program (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the "Initiative") of research on semiconductor manufacturing technology and on the practical applications of such technology. The Secretary may carry out the Initiative in a way that complements the activities of a consortium of United States semiconductor manufacturers, materials manufacturers, and equipment manufacturers, established for the purpose of conducting research concerning advanced semiconductor manufacturing techniques and developing techniques to adopt manufacturing expertise to a variety of semiconductor products.
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Editorial Notes
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original "this subtitle" and was translated as reading "this part" meaning part D of title I of division C of
§4623. Participation of national laboratories of Department of Energy
(a) Mission of national laboratories
Each national laboratory of the Department of Energy may participate in research and development projects under the Initiative in conjunction with the Department of Defense or with any consortium, college, or university carrying out any project for or in cooperation with any consortium referred to in
(b) Agreements
The Secretary of Energy may enter into such agreements with the Secretary of Defense, with any consortium referred to in
(c) Research and development
One or more national laboratories of the Department of Energy shall participate in the Initiative by conducting research and development activities relating to research on the development of semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Such activities may include research and development relating to materials fabrication, materials characterization, design and modeling of devices, and new processing equipment.
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§4624. Personnel exchanges
The Secretary of Energy may authorize temporary exchanges of personnel between the national laboratories of the Department of Energy and any domestic firm or any consortium referred to in
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§4625. Other Department of Energy resources
(a) Availability of resources
Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy may make available to the Department of Defense, to any other department or agency of the Federal Government, and to any consortium that has entered into an agreement in furtherance of the Initiative any facilities, personnel, equipment, services, and other resources of the Department of Energy for the purpose of conducting research and development projects under the Initiative consistent with
(b) Reimbursement
The Secretary may make facilities available under this section only to the extent that the cost of the use of such facilities is reimbursed by the user.
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§4626. Budgeting for semiconductor manufacturing technology research
(a) Budget submission
To the extent the Secretary considers appropriate and necessary, the Secretary of Energy, in preparing the research and development budget of the Department of Energy to be included in the annual budget submitted to the Congress by the President under
(b) Budget categories
The programs, projects, and activities described in subsection (a) shall be included in the budget for general science and research activities of the Department of Energy, except that any programs, projects, and activities that directly support and directly benefit the defense activities of the Department shall be included in the budget for atomic energy defense activities of the Department of Energy.
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§4627. Cost-sharing agreements
(a) Permitted provisions
The director of each national laboratory of the Department of Energy that is participating in the Initiative or the contractor operating any such national laboratory, in carrying out programs under a contract with the Department of Energy, may include in any research and development agreement entered into with a domestic firm in connection with such Initiative a cooperative provision for the domestic firm to pay a portion of the cost of the research and development activities.
(b) Limitations
(1) Not more than an amount equal to 1 percent of any national laboratory's annual budget shall be received from nonappropriated funds derived from contracts entered into under the Initiative in any fiscal year, except to the extent approved in advance by the Secretary of Energy.
(2) No Department of Energy national laboratory may receive more than $10,000,000 of nonappropriated funds under any cooperative research and development agreement entered into under this subsection in connection with the Initiative, except to the extent approved in advance by the Secretary of Energy.
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§4628. Department of Energy oversight of cooperative agreements relating to Initiative
(a) Provisions relating to disapproval and modification of agreements
If the Secretary of Energy desires an opportunity to disapprove or require the modification of any agreement under
(b) Record of agreements
Each national laboratory shall maintain a record of all agreements entered into under this section.
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§4629. Avoidance of duplication
In carrying out the Initiative, the Secretary of Energy shall ensure that unnecessary duplicative research is not performed at the research facilities (including the national laboratories of the Department of Energy) that are participating in the Initiative.
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§4630. Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Energy for fiscal year 1988 the sum of $25,000,000 for general science and research activities of the Department of Energy under the Initiative.
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§4631. Technology transfer
(a) In general
The Secretary of Energy shall adopt procedures to provide for timely and efficient transfer of semiconductor technology developed under the Initiative pursuant to applicable laws, Executive orders, and regulations.
(b) Plan for commercialization enhancement
(1) Not later than one year after the date on which funds are first appropriated to conduct the Initiative, the Secretary of Energy shall transmit to the committees of Congress named in paragraph (2) a plan for the transfer of semiconductor technology and information generated by the Initiative.
(2) The committees of Congress referred to in paragraph (1) are the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.
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Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (b)(2).
§4632. Semiconductor research and development
(a) Short title
This section may be cited as the "National Advisory Committee on Semiconductor Research and Development Act of 1988".
(b) Findings and purposes
(1) The Congress finds and declares that—
(A) semiconductor technology is playing an ever-increasing role in United States industrial and commercial products and processes, making secure domestic sources of state-of-the-art semiconductors highly desirable;
(B) modern weapons systems are highly dependent on leading edge semiconductor devices, and it is counter to the national security interest to be heavily dependent upon foreign sources for this technology;
(C) governmental responsibilities related to the semiconductor industry are divided among many Federal departments and agencies; and
(D) joint industry-government consideration of semiconductor industry problems is needed at this time.
(2) The purposes of this section are—
(A) to establish the National Advisory Committee on Semiconductors; and
(B) to assign to such Committee the responsibility for devising and promulgating a national semiconductor strategy, including research and development, the implementation of which will assure the continued leadership of the United States in semiconductor technology.
(c) Creation of Committee
There is hereby created in the executive branch of the Government an independent advisory body to be known as the National Advisory Committee on Semiconductors (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Committee").
(d) Functions
(1) The Committee shall—
(A) collect and analyze information on the needs and capabilities of industry, the Federal Government, and the scientific and research communities related to semiconductor technology;
(B) identify the components of a successful national semiconductor strategy in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(B);
(C) analyze options, establish priorities, and recommend roles for participants in the national strategy;
(D) assess the roles for government and national laboratories and other laboratories supported largely for government purposes in contributing to the semiconductor technology base of the Nation, as well as to access the effective use of the resources of United States private industry, United States universities, and private-public research and development efforts; and
(E) provide results and recommendations to agencies of the Federal Government involved in legislative, policymaking, administrative, management, planning, and technology activities that affect or are part of a national semiconductor strategy, and to the industry and other nongovernmental groups or organizations affected by or contributing to that strategy.
(2) In fulfilling this responsibility, the Committee shall—
(A) monitor the competitiveness of the United States semiconductor technology base;
(B) determine technical areas where United States semiconductor technology is deficient relative to international competition;
(C) identify new or emerging semiconductor technologies that will impact the national defense or United States competitiveness or both;
(D) develop research and development strategies, tactics, and plans whose execution will assure United States semiconductor competitiveness; and
(E) recommend appropriate actions that support the national semiconductor strategy.
(e) Membership and procedures
(1)(A) The Committee shall be composed of 13 members, 7 of whom shall constitute a quorum.
(B) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science Foundation, or their designees, shall serve as members of the Committee.
(C) The President, acting through the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall appoint, as additional members of the Committee, 4 members from outside the Federal Government who are eminent in the semiconductor industry, and 4 members from outside the Federal Government who are eminent in the fields of technology, defense, and economic development.
(D) One of the members appointed under subparagraph (C), as designated by the President at the time of appointment, shall be chairman of the Committee.
(2) Funding and administrative support for the Committee shall be provided to the Office of Science and Technology Policy through an arrangement with an appropriate agency or organization designated by the Committee, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding entered into between them.
(3) Members of the Committee, other than full-time employees of the Federal Government, while attending meetings of the Committee or otherwise performing duties at the request of the Chairman while away from their homes or regular places of business, shall be allowed travel expenses in accordance with subchapter I of
(4) The Chairman shall call the first meeting of the Committee not later than 90 days after August 23, 1988.
(5) At the close of each fiscal year the Committee shall submit to the President and the Congress a report on its activities conducted during such year and its planned activities for the coming year, including specific findings and recommendations with respect to the national semiconductor strategy devised and promulgated under subsection (b)(2)(B). The first report shall include an analysis of those technical areas, including manufacturing, which are of importance to the United States semiconductor industry, and shall make specific recommendations regarding the appropriate Federal role in correcting any deficiencies identified by the analysis. Each report shall include an estimate of the length of time the Committee must continue before the achievement of its purposes and the issuance of its final report.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this section such sums as may be necessary for the fiscal years 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.
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Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Technology Competitiveness Act and as part of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, and not as part of part D of title I of division C of
Amendments
1992—Subsec. (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Termination of Reporting Requirements
For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (e)(5) of this section relating to submitting annual report to Congress, see section 3003 of
Termination of Advisory Committees
Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See