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AAES FAST FACTS
June 28, 2002
June 28, 2002
28 June 2002
Allison Salyer, editor
asalyer@aaes.org
Washington News
The Bush administration this week underscored its support for a new ethanol subsidy in energy legislation-as a powerful House foe of the plan demanded changes in the proposal. Energy Secretary Abraham sent a letter to all members of a House-Senate conference on energy legislation, urging conferees to accept Senate-passed legislation that would boost U.S. production of ethanol-produced gasoline to 5 billion gallons per year. The ethanol provision is expected to be at the center of negotiations over the energy bill because it was included in the Senate bill, but ignored by the House. Additional information may be found at www.nationaljournal.com
The Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee has approved a budget of $928 million for the U.S. Geological Survey for Fiscal-Year 2003. This is a $14 million increase over the 2002 level of $914 million. The bill would restore the entire $55 million reduction in the USGS budget for 2003 that was recommended by President Bush. In addition, the bill would provide $368 million to repair and restore the National Park system, an increase of $33 million over 2002. The bill must now go to the full Appropriations Committee. Additional information may be found at http://www.house.gov/appropriations/
The House Science and Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committees held joint hearings this week to discuss the roles of science and technology in the new Department of Homeland Security. Science Committee Chair Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY-23rd) and Commerce Committee member Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with many others on the committees expressed concern about the lack of research and development coordination across the new agency and what effect the transfer of programs might have on other critical areas of the nation's scientific portfolio. Numerous hearings on the creation of the new Department are expected during the course of the summer. Additional information may be found at www.house.gov/science and http://commerce.senate.gov
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee narrowly passed a bill that would impose limits on emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the United States. The panel voted 10-9 along party lines to send to the full Senate the 'Clean Power Act,' which also sets strict caps on three other pollutants. The pollutants from electricity generating plants have been linked to asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses. Additional information may be found at http://dailynews.yahoo.com/
The 9.5-meter telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile has uncovered a truth from the death of a star. In an image taken of nearby galaxy NGC 5018, the very first moments of a supernova were unveiled. Although supernovae are curious phenomenon themselves, representing the explosive deaths of aged stars, the discovery could help reveal something about the universe as a whole. Comparing ages between supernovae will help astronomers measure within a 5% accuracy the size and acceleration of the expanding universe, although that may take several more years of observation. The telling event, labeled supernova 2002 DJ, is one of just a dozen early observations ever made. Additional information may be found at http://msnbc.com
Information about both public and private computer systems that control the nation's infrastructure has been found in seized al Qaeda computers, government officials have confirmed. Private industry and government agencies were made aware of this intelligence, but law enforcement officials have said that nothing was found that suggests there was any current plan to use the information as part of a terror plotóor that the capability to carry out such a plan exists. But congressional reports and others have pointed to vulnerabilities in private and public sector systems. Additional information may be found at www.cnn.com
Association News
ASME
CONGRESSMAN EHLERS SPEAKS TO ASME-LED K-12 STEM EDUCATION COALITION
At the request of Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), ASME called a meeting last week of the K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition to discuss progress to date and strategy in securing additional funding for the Department of Education Math & Science Partnership program. He is personally meeting individually with members of the House appropriations subcommittee to discuss the program and his funding recommendations. He thanked the Coalition for its continued support, and asked members to meet with Senate appropriators on increasing levels of funding in FY 2003.
The STEM Coalition's latest statement can be found at: http://www.nsta.org/main/pdfs/mspc_statement.pdf For more information, contact Patti Burgio at burgiop.asme.org
NSPE
The Senate voted 50-49 to set aside an anti-contracting out amendment to the defense authorization bill (S. 2514) offered by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), after lobbying efforts from the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force. The Kennedy amendment, which was actively opposed by NSPE, would have required that the Defense Department (DOD) compare the costs of doing work in-house and of contracting it out ñ as required under Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Circular A-76 ñ and show a ten percent cost savings before outsourcing government functions. The amendment called for subjecting work already being done by contractors to public/private competition. It also would have exempted certain categories of work, including high-tech work and work DOD needs urgently, from public/private competition. The amendment is similar to the Truthfulness, Responsibility & Accountability in Contracting Act (TRAC) (H.R. 721) sponsored by Representative Albert Wynn (D-MD), also opposed by NSPE and other engineering associations..
The House passed by a vote of 308-70 legislation (H.R. 4931) that would make permanent provisions of the Economic Growth & Tax Relief Act that expanded retirement savings incentives and reform pension programs. Provisions the bill would make permanent include: a phased-in increase in annual contribution limits to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) from $2,000 to $5,000; a phased increase from $11,000 to $15,000 in the limit on individual contributions to 401(k) plans; allowance for catch-up contributions to IRAs and 401(k) plans for people aged 50 and over; enhancement of pension portability; a reduction in vesting requirements from five years to three years for employer matching contributions; and regulatory relief to encourage small business pension growth. A statement of administration policy released by the White House supported passage of the bill. NSPE supported the original legislation sponsored by Representatives Rob Portman (R-OH) and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).
A new survey released by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) demonstrates the need for Congress to approve the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 1774/S. 858) to expand Fortune 500-style health benefits to workers in small businesses through Association Health Plans (AHPs). AHPs provide small businesses and the self-employed with the bargaining power and economies of scale now available to large companies through bona fide trade and professional associations. The survey found that more than 70 percent of small businesses do not offer any health insurance coverage for eligible employees; 78.8 percent believe that 'affordability/cost of the healthcare' is the most important health care issue facing their business today; and 38 percent believe that healthcare reform is the number one most pressing issue for their business on which Congress and the administration should focus attention. NSPE supports the legislation and is working through the Coalition Supporting Access & Choice Through AHPs to ensure its passage.
President Bush's remark to a farm group has helped energize an effort to include the massive new subsidy in a comprehensive energy bill that congressional negotiators hope to produce this summer. 'For the good of the economy and for economic security, [lawmakers] need to get me an energy bill...that promotes renewable sources of energy, such as ethanol and biodiesel,' The remarks were Bush's strongest defense of a plan to triple U.S. production of ethanol-based fuels since the Senate added a landmark ethanol provision to its nearly 1,000-page energy bill in April. Before Bush made his remarks, key lawmakers said the outlook for the ethanol provision - which would require refineries to produce 5 billion gallons of corn-grown ethanol fuel within a decade - depended on how strongly the White House lobbied for it. NSPE is concerned about the impact of increased use of ethanol on the Highway Trust Fund, because motor fuels containing ethanol are taxed at a lower rate than other fuels.
OMB will take a hard look at contract bundling. Approved by Congress in the 1994 Federal Acquisition and Streamlining Act, contract bundling consolidates several contracts into one large one. NSPE strongly opposes contract bundling of engineering services with other contracts, such as maintenance contracts, because it avoids the qualifications-based selection (QBS) requirements of the Brooks Act. Styles acknowledged that the administration must walk a delicate balance on the issue. Agencies frequently use contract bundling to drive down costs. While it is important to assess the legal barriers, Styles said agencies also must change their attitudes toward small businesses. Because of legal requirements to award contracts to small- and minority-owned firms, there is a perception that these companies are getting a handout. Styles said the government must change that image and create an environment in which small businesses can flourish. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and procurement officials often fail to understand that smaller engineering firms can effectively compete when QBS is used and their specialized talents and experience are given appropriate consideration.
IEEE-USA
At its June 20th meeting, IEEE-USA's Board of Directors approved the following new IEEE-USA position statements:
Improving the Healthcare System Through the Use of Information Technologies Critical Infrastructure Protection and Information Technology Photovoltaic Technology Development Solar and Other Renewable Energy The National Aviation Safety Program Upgrade the National Airspace System While Supporting the Leadership of Related U.S. Industries University Intellectual Property Guidelines Computer Industry Patents User Rights in Digital Copyright The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Notice-and-Takedown Provisions The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Encryption Provisions
The new IEEE-USA position statements will be available at www.ieeeusa.org/forum/positions