15 U.S.C. § 5201 : US Code - Section 5201: Findings and purposes

Search 15 U.S.C. § 5201 : US Code - Section 5201: Findings and purposes

(a) Findings
The Congress finds that -
(1) recent discoveries of high-temperature superconducting
materials could result in significant new applications of these
materials in such areas as microelectronics, computers, power
systems, transportation, medical imaging, and nuclear fusion, yet
most potential applications may well lie beyond our ability to
predict them;
(2) full application of the new superconductors is expected to
require 10 to 20 years, thus calling for long-term commitments by
the public and private sector to appropriate research and
development programs;
(3) the Nation's economic competitiveness and strategic well-
being depend greatly on the development and application of
critical advanced technologies such as those anticipated to
evolve from the new superconducting materials;
(4) the United States manufacturing industries confront strong
competition in both domestic and world markets as other countries
are increasingly taking advantage of modern technology and
production techniques and innovative management focused on
quality;
(5) whereas we have as a Nation been highly successful in the
conduct of basic research in a variety of scientific areas,
including superconductivity, other nations have been highly
successful in the commercial and military application of the
results of such fundamental research;
(6) if the United States is to begin its competitive advantage,
it must commit sufficient long-term resources to solving
processing and manufacturing problems in parallel with basic
research and development;
(7) Federal agencies have responded aggressively to this
exciting challenge by reprogramming funds to basic
superconductivity research while informally coordinating their
efforts to avoid unnecessary duplication; and further commitment
of Federal funding and efforts directed to developing
manufacturing, materials processing, and fabrication technologies
is essential so that these activities may be conducted in
parallel;
(8) successful development and application of the new
superconducting materials will require close collaboration
between the Federal Government and the industrial and academic
components of the private sector, as well as coordinating among
the Federal departments and agencies involved in research and
development on superconductors;
(9) a committed Federal program effort with appropriate long-
term goals, priorities, and adequate resources is necessary for
the rapid development and application of the new superconducting
materials; and
(10) a national program should serve as a test of new agency
authorities directed at technological competitiveness such as
those provided to the Department of Energy.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this chapter are -
(1) to establish a 5-year national action plan to research and
develop new high-temperature superconducting materials with
appropriate goals and priorities; (!1)
(2) to designate the appropriate roles, mechanisms, and
responsibilities of various Federal departments and agencies in
implementing such a national research and development action
plan.