Rep. Gordon's science panel agenda to boost R&D funding

Reauthorizing legislation aimed at improving U.S. competitiveness through investments in research and education is among the top priorities House Science Chairman Bart Gordon outlined on Tuesday for his committee in the second session of the 111th Congress.

The 2007 America Competes Act aimed to spur innovation by authorizing a doubling in funding during seven years for research and development activities at the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Energy Department's science office, while also supporting improvements in science, technology engineering and math education.

During a news conference, Gordon said he is aiming to reauthorize the America Competes Act, which expires at the end of 2010, by Memorial Day. It will reauthorize NSF, NIST and Energy's science office and redirect the agencies' research activities "to make them more efficient," Gordon said.

For example, he said he would like to move NIST away from its current 1950s-style lab structure to one that is more multidisciplinary and better reflects today's research needs.

He said he has been pleased by the level of funding the act's programs have received and expects future support particularly given that many of the bill's priorities are also included in the Obama administration's innovation agenda. "In very difficult economic times, it's remarkable the amount of money that the America Competes Act was able to generate," Gordon said.

Other key committee priorities include approving a NASA reauthorization bill by May, which will include provisions related to human space exploration and aeronautics and aviation R&D.

As part of continuing efforts to craft legislation to support energy independence research, the committee also will likely approve a nuclear energy R&D bill focused on enrichment, reprocessing, generation and the storage of spent nuclear fuel.

In addition, Gordon said the committee also aims to approve legislation that would reauthorize the Homeland Security Department's science and technology R&D activities and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorization bill.

He said it would finally codify NOAA's authorities and responsibilities since it was created by executive order in 1970.

While there has been disagreement over whether NOAA should take the lead, Gordon also said that if legislation creating a National Climate Service is not enacted as part of a climate change bill, he will pursue a stand-alone bill or add the provision to another measure.