Update on Recent Congressional Action

NOMINATIONS: The Senate Commerce Committee on July 9 voted to recommend Senate confirmation of Neal Lane as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. (The committee also approved the nomination of Rosina Bierbaum to be an OSTP Associate Director.) The Senate has already confirmed Rita Colwell to be Lane’s successor as Director of NSF, but it is not certain that Lane’s confirmation will take place this year so that he can move on to OSTP and make room for Colwell at NSF. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) has indicated that there may not be enough time left on the legislative calendar to vote on any more nominations. Members of Congress hope to adjourn in early October to campaign for reelection.

Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to take up the nomination of U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson to be Secretary of Energy. Richardson has the support of powerful Republican Senator Pete Domenici, a fellow New Mexican, but Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) is attempting to stall the nomination to protest the administration’s policy on temporary nuclear waste storage. If the committee recommends Richardson’s confirmation, it is still unknown whether the entire Senate will take up Richardson’s nomination this year.

REAUTHORIZATION BILLS: On July 14, the House agreed to changes made by the Senate and approved H.R. 1273, a reauthorization bill for the National Science Foundation. The bill, which now goes to President Clinton, would authorize $3.5 billion for NSF in the current fiscal year, $3.8 billion for fiscal year 1999, and $3.9 billion for fiscal year 2000. (Current FY 1998 funding is $3.429 billion, the FY 1999 request is $3.773 billion.)

A NASA reauthorization bill (S. 1250) now awaits action by the full Senate. The Senate Commerce Committee approved it on May 22; the House approved its version last year. The Senate committee bill would authorize $13.638 billion for NASA in FY 1998 (equal to NASA’s FY 1998 appropriation), $13.465 billion in FY 1999 (equal to the request), and $13.703 billion in FY 2000.

R&D TAX CREDIT: The Research and Experimentation Tax Credit expired on June 30, and there is concern that it may not be renewed this year. Reports indicate that the most likely vehicle for the tax credit would be a general tax bill, but the chances of a tax bill being agreed to by Congress and signed by President Clinton before the end of the session are considered slim.

FRIST R&D DOUBLING BILL: As reported in FYI #99 , Senate Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee Chairman Bill Frist (R-TN) and Ranking Minority Member Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) have introduced a bill, S. 2217, that would double the investment in federal civilian R&D over approximately 12 years. According to recent reports, the chairman of the full Senate Commerce Committee, John McCain (R-AZ), has indicated a willingness to schedule the bill for a mark up in full committee possibly next week, before the Senate leaves on its August recess. The bill currently has 13 cosponsors, but it is not known how many Commerce committee members support the bill. Below is the roster for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee:

John McCain (R-AZ) chairman

Republicans: Democrats:

Ted Stevens (R-AK) Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC)

Conrad Burns (R-MT) Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)

Slade Gorton (R-WA) Wendell H. Ford (D-KY)

Trent Lott (R-MS) John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV (D-WV)

Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) John Kerry (D-MA)

Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) John B. Breaux (D-LA)

John Ashcroft (R-MO) Richard H. Bryan (D-NV)

Bill Frist (R-TN) Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND)

Spencer Abraham (R-MI) Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Sam Brownback (R-KS)