Whats New @ IEEE-USA - Eye On Washington

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• Before July 4th, Congress has an ambitious to-do list

• House Energy & Commerce Committee Approves Electronic Medical Records Bill

• House Science Committee Approves Math & Science Competitiveness Bills

• House Telecommunications Overhaul Bill Passed

• House Science Field Hearing on Advanced Technologies for Automotive Sector

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• NSF's Engineering Directorate to be Reorganized

• July 'Summit' Aims for U.S. Success in Global Standards

• Senate Approvals McDowell Appointment to FCC

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• U.S. 4th Graders Improve in Science

• NASA Should Strengthen Foundation for Future of Air Transportation

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

5) U.S. STATES WATCH

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

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

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• Track IEEE-USAs Progress

• IEEE-USA In The News

• The 2006 WISE Interns Have Arrived in Washington

9) U.S. COMPETITIVENESS & INNOVATION: WHOS DOING WHAT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

• IEEE-USA Resource Web Page - U.S. Competitiveness: The Innovation Challenge

10) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• Before July 4th, Congress has an ambitious to-do list

Can they do it all?

Supplemental Appropriations – Both the House and Senate want to clear a supplemental spending bill (HR 4939) funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Gulf Coast recovery efforts.  They tried to do this before Memorial day but the gap between the 2 versions was too large and they couldn't agree in conference on a final figure. Many of the disagreements are over provisions exclusive to the Senate version, such as agriculture and fisheries relief, and earmarks, including the relocation of a railroad line in Mississippi.

Energy - House Majority Leader John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, has tentatively scheduled an "energy week for the end of June to consider legislation dealing with off-shore drilling, new energy technologies, renewable and alternative energy production, and potentially, revised requirements for the "boutique fuel blends that are used to meet air quality standards.

Immigration – The conference that would iron out the differences between the House and Senate immigration bills could be too contentious for a quick finish to the whole issue.The Senate bill combines border security and enforcement measures with a plan to put most of the 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants here on a path to citizenship. The House bill focuses on enforcement and security issues and does not include the "amnesty provisions for illegal immigrants.

Other bills include a Senate bill to increase TV broadcast indecency fines, House and Senate bills that overhaul private pension rules, the defense spending bill, and a Senate mine safety bill (of increased interest due to the string of deaths since January).

• House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Approves Electronic Medical Records Bill

This week, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approved the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2005 ( H.R. 4157), sponsored by Nancy Johnson, (R-Conn.). The full committee will hold a hearing on the bill next week. A Senate version (S. 1418), passed the full Senate last November. The House bill:

--codifies the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology — created by executive order in 2004 — within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS);

--outlines a governing structure to create national standards for data storage and sharing; and

----increases the number of diagnosis and procedure codes used by insurers and providers for billing to study trends and more closely track outcomes. (The current 24,000 codes would increase to more than 200,000 — a move that would require education and training for providers and insurers. Insurers say the current October 2009 implementation date is too soon and want to push it back to 2012. The Senate bill does not include this provision.)

The Senate bill also authorizes grants to providers that store and distribute health information electronically. The House bill does not authorize such funding.

H.R. 4157 has already been approved by the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee. In both House subcommittee hearings, Democrats offered amendments aimed at increasing privacy protections and offering more incentives for providers to adopt information technology. The amendments failed along party-line votes.

The use of information technology in the health care system has been a priority for the President. Advocates say increased use of electronic records would decrease errors and cut costs. HHS estimates about $140 billion a year could be saved with such a system.

The Senate passed a resolution this week designating June 5, 2006 through June 8, 2006 as National Health IT Week.

• House Science Committee Approves Math & Science Competitiveness Bills

7 JUNE: The House Science Committee unanimously passed two bills aimed at increasing the United States' competitiveness in the fields of math and science. H.R. 5358 and H.R. 5356, which focus on education and research in those subjects, were in part a response to the November 2005 National Academy of Sciences report – Rising Above the Gathering Storm – that indicated that the United States is losing its competitive edge in the sciences and math.

The Science and Mathematics Education for Competitiveness Act (HR 5358) is aimed at increasing the pool of trained math and science teachers in primary and secondary schools, and facilitating partnerships with professionals in those fields to enrich instruction. The bill:

--Expands the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, which helps finance math and science education majors' tuition, in exchange for their commitment to teach two years for every one year of aid received. An amendment by Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) requires the Noyce Scholarship program to collect data on whether participants remain teachers after they complete their teaching requirements, and share that information with Congress.

--Reauthorizes and makes several structural changes to the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnerships program, which provides grants to institutions of higher learning to partner with local educational agencies to improve math and science instruction in local schools.

--Authorizes the program at $415 million, and reauthorizes, restructures or expands several  programs at NSF and the Department of Energy.

The Early Career Research Act (HR 5356) expands the National Science Foundation program that awards grants to "path-breaking" scientific research by early career scientists. The bill:

--Authorizes grant programs to facilitate the work of early career college faculty, engineers and scientists.

--Expands the NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program, allows NSF to support research and instruction on the process of innovation and allows NASA to establish an academy.

--Additionally, the Research for Competitiveness Act (H.R. 5357) was incorporated into H.R. 5356.

"These measures represent an intelligent middle-ground between those who want to create scores of new, untested, expensive programs and those who argue that all that's necessary is to increase overall funding for basic research and leave everything else to chance," said Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), a co-sponsor of each of the.  "If we are to remain competitive, then we have to bolster key programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF), especially programs focused on K-12 and undergraduate education, and it's the prerogative of the Congress to do that."

On a related note, this week, the House passed HCR 421 - Expressing the sense of Congress and support for Greater Opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (GO-STEM) programs.

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that it is the sense of Congress that –

(1) mathematics and science education programs across Federal agencies should be better coordinated;

(2) there should be minimal duplication among these programs and consistent standards of evaluation;

(3) the Department of Education should be commended for its rapid response in creating the Academic Competitiveness Council; and

(4) the recommendations of the Academic Competitiveness Council should be closely examined when making decisions about Federal funding for mathematics and science education programs.

• House Telecommunications Overhaul Bill Passed

8 JUNE: The House voted 321-101 to reform US telecommunications laws – H .R. 5252, sponsored by House Energy and Commerce Chair Joe Barton (R-Tex.).  H.R.5252 that would make it easier for telephone companies to compete head-to-head in the video business with cable operators. While most cable franchises are now granted by municipal or county governments, this bill streamlines the video franchising system by allowing telephone companies to obtain a national franchise to offer video service. The telecommunications giants, AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., which are investing billions of dollars in fiber-optic networks that can deliver voice, Internet and video services, claimed victory. However, Democrats claim the bill will harm consumers, saying it would give phone and cable companies too much power over the Internet and would bring the benefits of competition primarily to lucrative urban and suburban markets, leaving much of rural America and lower-income neighborhoods behind.

While H.R. 5252 passed with 75-percent of the House voting for it, the debate was contentious. The biggest fight centered on what has been dubbed "net neutrality," a concept that pits the phone and cable providers against many of the nation's leading Internet companies, including Google Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and Microsoft Corp. The Internet businesses contend that safeguards are needed to prevent the broadband providers from discriminating against content that competes with their own, or charging content-providers premiums to guarantee fast service. Phone and cable companies insist they need flexibility to manage network traffic and provide extra bandwidth for such applications as online video and Internet games.

A failed amendment by Edward Markey (D-Mass.) would have required phone and cable companies to give equal treatment to similar types of Internet traffic. One member referred to Markey's amendment as a way to keep "toll booths from being erected on the information highway. Barton argued that stronger net neutrality rules would impose unnecessary regulation on the Internet and stifle broadband investment. His bill gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to enforce four net neutrality principles it adopted last year that allow consumers to access all lawful Internet content and services. Yet it does not bar broadband providers from favoring their own online traffic or the traffic of business partners.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), introduced the Senate's version of the telecom reform bill  (S.2686). That bill will have its first hearing next week.

• House Science Field Hearing on Advanced Technologies for Automotive Sector

Earlier this week, the House Science Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on how much progress is being made in developing new kinds of cars that use less gasoline, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles; and new kinds of fuels, including ethanol from sources other than corn. The hearing examined the current status of the technology, obstacles to commercialization, and steps the federal government can take to advance these technologies. For other information, also see:  http://www.doe.gov/news/3707.htm

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• NSF's Engineering Directorate to be Reorganized

Richard Buckius, acting assistant director at National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering, sent a "Dear Colleague" letter announcing that the Engineering Directorate (ENG) of the NSF will install a new organizational structure to "further enhance agility within disciplines, broaden multidisciplinary research, and enable discovery at the emerging frontiers of engineering." The reorganization will be effective 1 October 2006.

The letter stressed that ENG investments in engineering research and education – such as bioengineering, cyber infrastructure, manufacturing innovation, metabolic engineering, molecular electronics, nanotechnology, photonics, and sensors and sensor systems – "build and strengthen our nation's capacity to lead the world in innovation." ENG's new structure is an outgrowth of conditions brought on by advances in these emerging technologies. The new disciplinary divisions are:

1) Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) – a merging of the divisions of Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) and Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (BES).

CBET will have two windows for unsolicited proposals: August 15, 2006 through September 15, 2006, and February 1, 2007 through March 1, 2007.

2) Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) a merging of the divisions of Civil and Mechanical Systems (CMS) and Design and Manufacturing Innovation (DMI).

CMMI will have two windows for unsolicited proposals: September 1, 2006 through October 1, 2006, and January 15,2007 through February 15, 2007.

3) Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) – the division of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS) with the addition of cyber systems.

ECCS will have two windows for unsolicited proposals: September 7, 2006 through October 7, 2006, and January 7,2007 through February 7, 2007.

4) Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) will now provide more emphasis on its role as a crosscutting division within the directorate. The EEC's programs will enable the continual evolution of the engineering education and research enterprise at U.S. universities, provide a unifying link across all engineering disciplines for programs that cut across all disciplines, and provide comprehensive oversight for projects of a scale requiring such oversight.

5) Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP) - the Office of Industrial Innovation (OII), which houses SBIR/STTR, will broaden to include new partnerships.

6) A crosscutting Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) will be added and report to the Office of the Assistant Director (OAD) -  a new component of the Directorate for Engineering, EFRI will serve the critical role of helping the directorate focus on important emerging areas in a timely manner. Each year, EFRI will recommend, prioritize, and fund interdisciplinary initiatives at the emerging frontier of engineering research and education.

Additional information can be found on the NSF web site, or by contacting the Directorate for Engineering.

• July 'Summit' Aims for U.S. Success in Global Standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host a national ‘Options for Action Summit' to devise ways to strengthen U.S. efforts that help developing nations build their economies and, in tandem, foster their adoption of standards that ensure fair market access for U.S. exports. The registration deadline is July 7. To register or for more information on the Options for Action Summit, go to www.ansi.org/events. Media Contact: Mark Bello, mark.bello@nist.gov, 301-975-3776

• Senate Approvals McDowell Appointment to FCC

The U.S. Senate confirmed by unanimous consent Robert McDowell to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). FCC releases/statements at:  http://www.fcc.gov/

Senate press release: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=248617&Month=5&Year=2006

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• U.S. 4th Graders Improve in Science

In the National Assessment of Educational Progress -- a national test meant to track American students' knowledge of science at different levels -- high school seniors' scores dropped, eighth-graders' scores stayed the same, and fourth-graders' scores improved. The U.S. Department of Education administered the test covering earth, physical, and life sciences to more than 300,000 students throughout the United States. For more information: http://www.nas.edu/headlines/20060606.html

• NASA Should Strengthen Foundation for Future of Air Transportation

A new report from National Research Council says NASA should establish an aeronautics research and technology program with stable funding for a decade or more to promote U.S. vitality in air transportation. The report includes a "decadal survey" of civil aeronautics that ranks potential aeronautics projects based on their ability to improve air transportation, and encourages NASA to increase the involvement of universities and industry. For more information: http://www.nationalacademies.org/morenews/20060605.html

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

None at this time.

5) US STATES WATCH

None at this time.

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

• 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

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• Track IEEE-USAs Progress

Review IEEE-USAs year-to-date progress in working for the IEEEs U.S. members at the new IEEE-USA Year-in-Review Web page. Check out what IEEE-USA activities and programs helped the IEEEs U.S. members in 2004 at the new IEEE-USA Annual Report online. And find out what's on IEEE-USAs 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

• IEEE-USA In The News

As the House and Senate furiously debate reforms to U.S. immigration law, IEEE-USA has been ensuring the the voice of the U.S. hi-tech workforce is heard. For more info, please visit: http://ieeeusa.org/policy/issues/H1bvisa/index.html and http://ieeeusa.org/policy/policy/index.html

• The 2006 WISE Interns Have Arrived in Washington

On Monday, June 5th, the IEEE WISE interns arrived in DC to begin their 9-week internship program.  This year, five societies including IEEE, sponsored eight interns.  IEEE's interns are sponsored by IEEE-USA, IEEE Life Members and IEEE TAB.  They are Emily Van Vliet of Cedarville University (Ohio), Sasha Kemmet of Iowa State University, and Tony Azevedo of the University of California - Berkeley.  Here they are pictured with IEEE-USA President-elect John Meredith.  For more info on the WISE program, please visit: http://www.wise-intern.org/.

9) U.S. COMPETITIVENESS & INNOVATION: WHO'S DOING WHAT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

• IEEE-USA Resource  Web Page

U.S. Competitiveness: The Innovation Challenge  - A comprehensive list of reports and activities can be found at http://ieeeusa.org/policy/issues/innovation/index.html

10) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

None at this time.

Top of Page | Whats New@IEEE | EyeOnWash Archive | IEEE-USA

Whats 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.

EDITOR: Erica Wissolik, IEEE-USA, 2001 L Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036-5104

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 © 2006, 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 June 2006
Contact: e . wissolik @ ieee . org