15 U.S.C. § 4632 : US Code - Section 4632: Semiconductor research and development

Search 15 U.S.C. § 4632 : US Code - Section 4632: Semiconductor research and development

(a) Short title
This section may be cited as the "National Advisory Committee on
Semiconductor Research and Development Act of 1988".
(b) Findings and purposes
(1) The Congress finds and declares that -
(A) semiconductor technology is playing an ever-increasing role
in United States industrial and commercial products and
processes, making secure domestic sources of state-of-the-art
semiconductors highly desirable;
(B) modern weapons systems are highly dependent on leading edge
semiconductor devices, and it is counter to the national security
interest to be heavily dependent upon foreign sources for this
technology;
(C) governmental responsibilities related to the semiconductor
industry are divided among many Federal departments and agencies;
and
(D) joint industry-government consideration of semiconductor
industry problems is needed at this time.
(2) The purposes of this section are -
(A) to establish the National Advisory Committee on
Semiconductors; and
(B) to assign to such Committee the responsibility for devising
and promulgating a national semiconductor strategy, including
research and development, the implementation of which will assure
the continued leadership of the United States in semiconductor
technology.
(c) Creation of Committee
There is hereby created in the executive branch of the Government
an independent advisory body to be known as the National Advisory
Committee on Semiconductors (hereafter in this section referred to
as the "Committee").
(d) Functions
(1) The Committee shall -
(A) collect and analyze information on the needs and
capabilities of industry, the Federal Government, and the
scientific and research communities related to semiconductor
technology;
(B) identify the components of a successful national
semiconductor strategy in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(B) of
this section;
(C) analyze options, establish priorities, and recommend roles
for participants in the national strategy;
(D) assess the roles for government and national laboratories
and other laboratories supported largely for government purposes
in contributing to the semiconductor technology base of the
Nation, as well as to access the effective use of the resources
of United States private industry, United States universities,
and private-public research and development efforts; and
(E) provide results and recommendations to agencies of the
Federal Government involved in legislative, policymaking,
administrative, management, planning, and technology activities
that affect or are part of a national semiconductor strategy, and
to the industry and other nongovernmental groups or organizations
affected by or contributing to that strategy.
(2) In fulfilling this responsibility, the Committee shall -
(A) monitor the competitiveness of the United States
semiconductor technology base;
(B) determine technical areas where United States semiconductor
technology is deficient relative to international competition;
(C) identify new or emerging semiconductor technologies that
will impact the national defense or United States competitiveness
or both;
(D) develop research and development strategies, tactics, and
plans whose execution will assure United States semiconductor
competitiveness; and
(E) recommend appropriate actions that support the national
semiconductor strategy.
(e) Membership and procedures
(1)(A) The Committee shall be composed of 13 members, 7 of whom
shall constitute a quorum.
(B) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the
Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science
Foundation, or their designees, shall serve as members of the
Committee.
(C) The President, acting through the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, shall appoint, as additional members
of the Committee, 4 members from outside the Federal Government who
are eminent in the semiconductor industry, and 4 members from
outside the Federal Government who are eminent in the fields of
technology, defense, and economic development.
(D) One of the members appointed under subparagraph (C), as
designated by the President at the time of appointment, shall be
chairman of the Committee.
(2) Funding and administrative support for the Committee shall be
provided to the Office of Science and Technology Policy through an
arrangement with an appropriate agency or organization designated
by the Committee, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding
entered into between them.
(3) Members of the Committee, other than full-time employees of
the Federal Government, while attending meetings of the Committee
or otherwise performing duties at the request of the Chairman while
away from their homes or regular places of business, shall be
allowed travel expenses in accordance with subchapter I of chapter
57 of title 5.
(4) The Chairman shall call the first meeting of the Committee
not later than 90 days after August 23, 1988.
(5) At the close of each fiscal year the Committee shall submit
to the President and the Congress a report on its activities
conducted during such year and its planned activities for the
coming year, including specific findings and recommendations with
respect to the national semiconductor strategy devised and
promulgated under subsection (b)(2)(B) of this section. The first
report shall include an analysis of those technical areas,
including manufacturing, which are of importance to the United
States semiconductor industry, and shall make specific
recommendations regarding the appropriate Federal role in
correcting any deficiencies identified by the analysis. Each report
shall include an estimate of the length of time the Committee must
continue before the achievement of its purposes and the issuance of
its final report.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the purposes
of this section such sums as may be necessary for the fiscal years
1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.