National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of 1989

National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of 1989 - Title I: National High-Performance Computer Technology Program - Amends the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to direct the President, through the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (Council), to develop and implement a National High-Performance Computer Technology Plan, to be submitted to the Congress within one year of this title's enactment and revised at least biennially. Requires the plan to recommend a five-year proposal of goals and priorities for a Federal high-performance computer technology program. Describes required plan contents, including funding requirements and suggested roles for various Federal agencies.

Designates the Council as the lead entity responsible for development and implementation of the plan, directing it to coordinate related activities among the agencies, review budget estimates, and work with the National Research Council and other researchers and potential users of the research.

Suggests responsibilities appropriate to specified Federal agencies.

Directs each Federal entity involved in high-performance computing to submit, as part of its annual budget request, a report to the Office of Management and Budget on the role of its activities with regard to the plan and relevant budget requests.

Instructs the Chairman of the Council to submit to the President and to the Congress, by March 1 annually, a report on plan achievements and progress.

Title II: National Research and Education Network - Directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide for the establishment of a three gigabit-per-second computer network, to be known as the National Research and Education Network, with provisions for certain user charges, to link government, industry, and higher education.

Requires the Council to: (1) establish a National Network Advisory Committee; (2) submit a report to the Congress evaluating effective mechanisms for providing operating funds for the long-term maintenance and use of the Network; and (3) allow Federal research grant recipients to use grant moneys to pay for computer networking and other telecommunications expenses.

Requires the Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to be responsible for research and development of needed advanced fiber optics technology, switches, and protocols.

Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) to develop common standards for network activities to provide interoperability, common user interfaces to systems, and enhanced security.

Directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to determine the effect of current telecommunications regulations on private industry participation in the data transmission field and to report its findings to the Congress within one year of this Act's enactment.

Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations.

Title III: National Information Infrastructure - Directs the NSF to coordinate the development of a national science and technology information infrastructure of data bases and knowledge banks accessible through the Network.

Title IV: Software - Requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to oversee the cooperative efforts of Federal departments and agencies in the research and development of high-performance computer software.

Requires the NSF to: (1) establish clearinghouses to validate and distribute unclassified software developed by federally funded researchers and other software in the public domain; and (2) place special emphasis on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and establish joint research programs among government, industry, and higher education to develop AI applications.

Requires the NIST to develop standards for software programs purchased or developed by the Federal Government that promote development of interoperable software systems.

Requires procurement regulations of departments and agencies to be changed so that contractors providing software to the Government are no longer required to forfeit the proprietary software development tools that they used to develop the software.

Authorizes appropriations to the OSTP for distribution to relevant agencies for computer software research and development for FY 1990 through 1994.

Title V: Computer Systems - Requires the NSF to ensure that the national supercomputer centers in the United States continue to have the most advanced, commercially available supercomputers produced by U.S. manufacturers.

Requires Federal agencies to procure prototype or early production models of new high-performance computer systems and subsystems to stimulate development in the American high-performance computer industry.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce, within 60 days of enactment of this Act, to review and report to the Congress on export controls that hinder the development of foreign markets for U.S. supercomputer and other high-performance computer technology manufacturers.

Authorizes appropriations to the OSTP, for distribution as specified in the Plan, for research in computational science and engineering for FY 1990 through 1994.

Title VI: Basic Research and Education - Requires the OSTP to: (1) support basic computer technology research; (2) create technology transfer mechanisms to make basic research results readily available to U.S. industry; (3) promote basic research in computer science, computational science, electrical engineering, and material science; and (4) educate more researchers in computer science and computational science.

Authorizes appropriations to the NSF to support basic research and training of scientists and engineers in specified fields for FY 1990 through 1994.

 
HR 3131 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 3131
To provide for a coordinated Federal research program to ensure continued
United States leadership in high-performance computing.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 3, 1989
Mr. WALGREN (for himself, Mr. ROE, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. BROWDER,
Mr. BROWN of California, Mrs. COLLINS, Mr. MADIGAN, Ms. SCHNEIDER, and
Mr. SKAGGS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To provide for a coordinated Federal research program to ensure continued
United States leadership in high-performance computing.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
  SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the `National High-Performance Computer
  Technology Act of 1989'.
  SEC. 2. (a) Congress finds and declares the following:
  (1) Advances in computer science and technology are vital to the Nation's
  prosperity, national security, and scientific advancement.
  (2) The United States currently leads the world in development and use
  of high-performance computer technology for national security, industrial
  productivity, and science and engineering, but that lead is being challenged
  by foreign competitors.
  (3) Further research and improved computer research networks are necessary to
  maintain United States leadership in the field of high-performance computing.
  (b) It is the purpose of Congress in this Act to ensure the continued
  leadership of the United States in high-performance computer technology. This
  requires that the United States Government--
  (1) expand Federal support for research, development, and application of
  high-performance computing technology in order to--
  (A) establish a high-capacity national research and education computer
  network;
  (B) develop an information infrastructure of data bases, services, and
  knowledge banks which is available for access over such a national network;
  (C) promote the more rapid development and wider distribution of computer
  software;
  (D) stimulate research on artificial intelligence;
  (E) accelerate the development of computer systems; and
  (F) invest in basic research and education; and
  (2) improve planning and coordination of Federal research and development
  on high-performance computing.
TITLE I--NATIONAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
  SEC. 101. The National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and
  Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at
  the end the following new title:
`TITLE VI--NATIONAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
`FINDINGS
  `SEC. 601. (a) Congress finds and declares the following:
  `(1) In order to strengthen America's computer industry and to assist
  the entire manufacturing sector, the Federal Government must provide
  leadership in the development and application of high-performance computer
  technology. In particular, the Federal Government should support the
  development of a high-capacity, national research and education network;
  facilitate the development of software for research, education, and
  industrial applications; continue to fund basic research; and provide for
  the training of computer scientists and computational scientists.
  `(2) Several Federal agencies have ongoing high-performance computer
  technology programs. Improved interagency coordination, cooperation,
  and planning could enhance the effectiveness of these programs.
  `(3) A recent report by the Office of Science and Technology Policy outlining
  a research and development strategy for high-performance computing provides
  a framework for a multiagency computer technology program.
`NATIONAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY PLAN
  `SEC. 602. (a)(1) The President, through the Federal Coordinating Council for
  Science, Engineering, and Technology (hereafter in this title referred to
  as the `Council'), shall develop and implement a National High-Performance
  Computer Technology Plan (hereafter in this title referred to as the
  `Plan') in accordance with the provisions, findings, and purpose of this
  Act. Consistent with the responsibilities set forth under subsection (c)
  of this section, the Plan shall contain recommendations for a five-year
  national effort, to be submitted to Congress within one year after the
  date of enactment of this title and to be revised at least once every two
  years thereafter.
  `(2) The Plan shall--
  `(A) establish the goals and priorities for a Federal high-performance
  computer technology program for the fiscal year in which the Plan (or
  revised Plan) is submitted and the succeeding four fiscal years;
  `(B) set forth the role of each Federal agency and department in implementing
  the Plan;
  `(C) describe the levels of Federal funding and specific activities,
  including education, research activities, hardware and software development,
  and acquisition and operating expenses for computers and computer networks,
  required to achieve such goals and priorities; and
  `(D) consider and use, as appropriate, reports and studies conducted
  by Federal agencies and departments, the National Research Council, or
  other entities.
  `(3) The Plan shall address, where appropriate, the relevant programs and
  activities of the following Federal agencies and departments--
  `(A) the National Science Foundation;
  `(B) the Department of Commerce, particularly the National Institute
  of Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
  Administration;
  `(C) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
  `(D) the Department of Defense, particularly the Defense Advanced Research
  Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research, and, as appropriate, the
  National Security Agency;
  `(E) the Department of Energy;
  `(F) the Department of Health and Human Services, particularly the National
  Institutes of Health; and
  `(G) such other agencies and departments as the President or the Chairman
  of the Council considers appropriate.
  `(b) The Council shall--
  `(1) serve as lead entity responsible for development and implementation
  of the Plan;
  `(2) coordinate the high-performance computing research and development
  activities of Federal agencies and departments and report at least annually
  to the President, through the Chairman of the Council, on any recommended
  changes in agency or departmental roles that are needed to better implement
  the Plan;
  `(3) prior to the President's submission to Congress of the annual budget
  estimate, review each agency and departmental budget estimate in the context
  of the Plan and make the results of that review available to each agency
  and department and to the appropriate elements of the Executive Office of
  the President, particularly the Office of Management and Budget;
  `(4) work with Federal agencies, with the National Research Council, and with
  academic, State, and other groups conducting research on high-performance
  computing; and
  `(5) consult with actual and potential users of such research by establishing
  an advisory board, which shall include representatives from universities
  and industry.
  `(c)(1) The Plan shall take into consideration, but not be limited to,
  the following missions and responsibilities of agencies and departments:
  `(A) The National Science Foundation shall continue to be responsible
  for basic research in all areas of computer science, materials science,
  and computational science. The Foundation shall continue to solicit grant
  proposals and award grants by merit review for research in universities,
  nonprofit research institutions, and industry. The National Science
  Foundation shall also be responsible for providing researchers with
  access to supercomputers and providing for the establishment, by 1996,
  of a three-gigabit-per-second national computer network, as required by
  section 201 of the National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of
  1989. Additional responsibilities include development of an information
  infrastructure of services, data bases, and knowledge banks connected
  to such computer network; facilitation of the validation of software and
  distribution of that software over such computer network; and promotion
  of science and engineering education.
  `(B) The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall be responsible
  for ensuring interoperability between computer networks run by different
  agencies of the Federal Government and for establishing, in conjunction with
  industry, benchmark tests and standards for high-performance computers and
  software. Pursuant to the Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235;
  100 Stat. 1724), the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall
  continue to be responsible for developing standards and guidelines for
  Federal computer systems, including standards and guidelines needed to
  assure the cost-effective security and privacy of sensitive information
  in Federal computer systems.
  `(C) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall continue to
  observe, collect, communicate, analyze, process, provide, and disseminate
  data about the Earth, its oceans, atmosphere, and space environment. It shall
  improve the quality and accessibility of the environmental data stored at
  the four National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data centers. In
  addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall perform
  research and develop technology to support its data handling role.
  `(D) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall continue
  to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance computing,
  particularly in the field of computational science, with emphasis on
  aeronautical applications and remote sensing data processing.
  `(E) The Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research
  Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research, and other agencies,
  shall continue to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance
  computing, particularly in computer networking, semiconductor technology,
  and large-scale parallel processors. Pursuant to the Stevenson-Wydler
  Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), the Department
  shall ensure that unclassified computer technology research is readily
  available to American industry. The National Security Agency, pursuant
  to the Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235; 100 Stat. 1724),
  shall continue to provide, where appropriate, technical advice and assistance
  to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the development
  of standards and guidelines needed to assure the cost-effective security
  and privacy of sensitive information in Federal computer systems.
  `(F) The Department of Energy and its national laboratories shall
  continue to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance
  computing, particularly in software development and multiprocessor
  supercomputers. Pursuant to the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
  Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), and other appropriate statutes, the
  Department of Energy shall ensure that unclassified computer technology
  research is readily available to American industry.
  `(2) The Plan shall facilitate collaboration among agencies and departments
  with respect to--
  `(A) ensuring interoperability among computer networks run by the agencies
  and departments;
  `(B) increasing software productivity, capability, and reliability;
  `(C) promoting interoperability of software;
  `(D) distributing software among the agencies and departments; and
  `(E) distributing federally funded, unclassified software to industry
  and universities.
  `(d)(1) Each Federal agency and department involved in high-performance
  computing shall, as part of its annual request for appropriations to the
  Office of Management and Budget, submit a report identifying each element
  of its high-performance computing activities, which--
  `(A) specifies whether each such element (i) contributes primarily to the
  implementation of the Plan or (ii) contributes primarily to the achievement
  of other objectives but aids Plan implementation in important ways; and
  `(B) states the portion of its request for appropriations that is allocated
  to each such element.
  `(2) The Office of Management and Budget shall review each such report in
  light of the goals, priorities, and agency and departmental responsibilities
  set forth in the Plan, and shall include, in the President's annual
  budget estimate, a statement of the portion of each agency or department's
  annual budget estimate that is allocated to each element of such agency
  or department's high-performance computing activities. The Office of
  Management and Budget shall ensure that a copy of the President's annual
  budget estimate is transmitted to the Chairman of the Council at the same
  time as such budget estimate is submitted to Congress.
`ANNUAL REPORT
  `SEC. 603. The Chairman of the Council shall prepare and submit to the
  President and Congress, not later than March 1 of each year, an annual
  report on the activities conducted pursuant to this title during the
  preceding fiscal year, including--
  `(1) a summary of the achievements of Federal high-performance computing
  research and development efforts during that preceding fiscal year;
  `(2) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and
  objectives of the Plan;
  `(3) a copy or summary of the Plan and any changes made in such Plan;
  `(4) a summary of agency budgets for high-performance computing activities
  for that preceding fiscal year; and
  `(5) any recommendations regarding additional action or legislation which
  may be required to assist in achieving the purposes of this title.'.
TITLE II--NATIONAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK
  SEC. 201. The National Science Foundation shall, in cooperation with
  the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department
  of Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and
  other appropriate agencies, provide for the establishment of a national
  three-gigabit-per-second research and education computer network by 1996,
  to be known as the National Research and Education Network, which shall--
  (1) link government, industry, and the higher education community;
  (2) be developed in close cooperation with the computer and
  telecommunications industry;
  (3) be designed and developed with the advice of potential users in
  government, industry, and the higher education community;
  (4) have accounting mechanisms which allow users or groups of users to be
  charged for their usage of the network, where appropriate; and
  (5) be phased out when commercial networks can meet the networking needs
  of American researchers.
  SEC. 202. In addition to other agency activities associated with the
  establishment of the National Research and Education Network, the following
  actions shall be taken:
  (1) The Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and
  Technology shall--
  (A) establish a National Network Advisory Committee to provide technical
  and policy advice from all the interests involved in the Network program,
  including (i) researchers from university, industry, and Federal laboratories
  who will use the Network; (ii) university and college educators; (iii)
  librarians involved in electronic data storage and retrieval; (iv) industrial
  organizations that develop and provide relevant technology and services;
  (v) managers of regional computer networks; and (vi) experts in networking
  and computer science who can provide technical guidance;
  (B) submit to Congress, within one year after the date of enactment of this
  Act, a report describing and evaluating effective mechanisms for providing
  operating funds for the long-term maintenance and use of the Network,
  including user fees, industry support, and continued Federal investment; and
  (C) allow recipients of Federal research grants to use grant moneys to
  pay for computer networking and other telecommunications expenses.
  (2) The Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research
  Projects Agency, shall be responsible for research and development of
  advanced fiber optics technology, switches, and protocols needed to develop
  a gigabit computer network essential for the Network.
  (3) The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall develop, in
  cooperation with the National Security Agency and other relevent agencies,
  a common set of standards to provide interoperability, common user interfaces
  to systems, and enhanced security for the Network.
  (4) The National Telecommunications and Information Administration shall
  determine to what extent current Federal telecommunications laws and
  regulations hinder or facilitate private industry participation in the
  data transmission field. Within one year after the date of enactment of
  this Act, the Administration shall report such determination to the Congress.
  SEC. 203. In addition to such sums as may be authorized to be appropriated
  to the National Science Foundation by other law, there are authorized
  to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the research,
  development, and implementation of the National Research and Education
  Network, in accordance with the purposes of this title, $50,000,000 for
  fiscal year 1990, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, $100,000,000 for fiscal
  year 1992, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and $100,000,000 for fiscal
  year 1994.
TITLE III--NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
  SEC. 301. The National Science Foundation shall coordinate, in close
  cooperation with the Department of Commerce (in particular the National
  Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of Standards
  and Technology, and the Bureau of the Census), the Department of Defense,
  the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other relevant
  agencies, the development of a national science and technology information
  infrastructure of data bases and knowledge banks accessible through the
  National Research and Education Network referred to in title II of this
  Act. The infrastructure shall include, but not be limited to--
  (1) a directory of network users;
  (2) provision for access to unclassified Federal scientific data bases,
  including weather data, census data, economic data, and remote sensing
  satellite data;
  (3) rapid prototyping of computer chips and other devices using centralized
  facilities connected to the network;
  (4) data bases and knowledge banks for use by artificial intelligence
  programs; and
  (5) provision for international collaboration among researchers.
TITLE IV--SOFTWARE
  SEC. 401. (a) The Office of Science and Technology Policy, as indicated
  in the National High-Performance Computer Technology Plan (hereinafter
  referred to as the `Plan') developed and implemented under title VI of
  the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities
  Act of 1976, as added by section 101 of this Act, shall oversee the
  cooperative efforts of Federal departments and agencies in the research
  and development of high-performance computer software, including projects
  focused on astrophysics, engineering, materials, biochemistry, plasma
  physics, and weather and climate forecasting.
  (b) The National Science Foundation shall establish clearinghouses to
  validate and distribute unclassified software developed by federally funded
  researchers and other software in the public domain, including federally
  funded educational and training software. Such clearinghouses shall--
  (1) maintain libraries of programs;
  (2) provide funding to researchers to improve and maintain software they
  have developed;
  (3) help researchers locate the software they need;
  (4) make software available through the National Research and Education
  Network; and
  (5) promote commercialization of software where possible.
  (c)(1) The National Science Foundation shall place special emphasis on the
  development of artificial intelligence and shall establish joint research
  programs among government, industry, and the higher education community
  to develop artificial intelligence applications.
  (2) For purposes of this section, the term `artificial intelligence'
  means software and hardware which can be used for computer systems
  that learn, exhibit knowledge of themselves and their environment, make
  logical inferences, display creativity, or mimic other aspects of human
  intelligence, and such term includes expert systems, neural networks,
  natural language processing programs, translation programs, and higher
  level programming languages.
  (d) The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall develop
  standards for software programs purchased or developed by the Federal
  Government that promote development of interoperable software systems that
  can be used on different computer systems with different operating systems.
  (e) Procurement regulations at the Defense Department and other departments
  or agencies shall be changed so that contractors providing software to
  the Federal Government no longer are required to forfeit the proprietary
  software development tools that they used to develop the software.
  SEC. 402. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of Science
  and Technology Policy for distribution to the National Science Foundation,
  the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics
  and Space Administration, and other relevant agencies for computer software
  research and development, in accordance with the purposes of this title,
  $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1991,
  $150,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $200,000,000 for fiscal year 1993,
  and $250,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.
TITLE V--COMPUTER SYSTEMS
  SEC. 501. The National Science Foundation shall ensure that the national
  supercomputer centers in the United States continue to have the most
  advanced, commercially available supercomputers produced by United States
  manufacturers.
  SEC. 502. Where appropriate, Federal agencies shall procure prototype
  or early production models of new high-performance computer systems and
  subsystems to stimulate hardware and software development in the American
  high-performance computer industry. Particular emphasis shall be given to
  promoting development of advanced display technology, alternative computer
  architectures, advanced peripheral storage devices, and very-high-speed
  communication links.
  SEC. 503. Within sixty days following the date of enactment of this
  Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall review export controls that hinder
  the development of foreign markets for United States manufacturers of
  supercomputers and other high-performance computer technology, and report
  to the Congress the results of such review.
  SEC. 504. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of
  Science and Technology Policy, for distribution to appropriate agencies
  and departments as specified in the Plan, for research in computational
  science and engineering, $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, $60,000,000
  for fiscal year
1991, $90,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $120,000,000 for fiscal year 1993,
and $150,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.
TITLE VI--BASIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
  SEC. 601. The Office of Science and Technology Policy shall, in cooperation
  with relevant departments and agencies--
  (1) support basic research on computer technology, including research on
  advanced semiconductor chip designs, new materials for chips, improved
  chip fabrication techniques, photonics, and superconducting computers;
  (2) create technology transfer mechanisms to ensure that the results of
  basic research are readily available to United States industry;
  (3) promote basic research in computer science, computational science,
  electrical engineering, and material science; and
  (4) educate and train more researchers in computer science and computational
  science.
  SEC. 602. To expand its traditional role in supporting basic research in
  universities and colleges, and in training scientists and engineers in
  computer science, computational science, and electrical engineering, there
  are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation,
  $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1991,
  $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1993, and
  $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.