U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI), a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, today announced that his bill, H.R. 4606, the Energizing Technology Transfer Act, and his amendment to the NIST for the Future Act were both reported favorably out of today’s committee markup.
The Energizing Technology Transfer Act would:
- Authorize a number of critical Department of Energy transfer activities that are focused on our small businesses, clean energy, and research at our top tier universities.
- Continue to improve coordination and talent sharing between the Department of Energy and the private sector.
- Create a national supply chain database that is established by the Director of NIST and managed through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program.
- Ensures that the federal government and industry sectors have an accurate and real-time view of our supply chain and the United States manufacturers’ capabilities for critical products.
“We applaud the efforts of Congressman Meijer for his continued support of the manufacturing industry, which is critical to our state and to our nation. His amendment creating a national supply chain database is particularly important, as we saw first-hand the disruption of America’s supply chain during the onset of COVID. We appreciate the Congressman’s focus on the importance of having an accurate and real-time understanding of our manufacturers’ capabilities.” – Mike Coast, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center
The full text of Rep. Meijer’s remarks about the Energizing Technology Transfer Act as prepared is below:
“Thank you, Chairwoman Johnson, for holding this markup today and providing us with another opportunity to work together on legislation to harness our country’s incredible innovation potential and boost our global competitiveness.
“I was honored to be a part of this Committee’s successful efforts to support and modernize the Department of Energy’s Office of Science research activities through the passage of the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act in the House last month. But to fully maximize our return on investment in the Department’s programs and facilities, we need to take the next step of ensuring critical new technologies reach the marketplace. Only in the hands of the private sector can new innovations and discoveries truly fulfill their promise to ensure our energy security, protect our environment, and meaningfully impact the lives of our constituents. As we face unprecedented challenges such as threats to our energy independence from foreign adversaries and climate change, we cannot miss this opportunity to merge our tremendous federal resources with the incredible power of the private sector energy innovation community.
“Congress took a huge step with the passage of the Energy Act of 2020 at the end of the last Congress, authorizing the Department’s Office of Technology Transitions and a Lab Partnering Services Pilot Program, among other things. Yet there is still more work to be done, and we cannot leave the job unfinished. As such, I was proud to join my colleague Representative Ross in introducing this bipartisan piece of legislation.
“The Energizing Technology Transfer Act authorizes programs to connect our energy innovation community with the resources needed to commercialize new energy technologies. For example, this legislation recognizes the incredible potential of our small businesses, authorizing a voucher program that facilitates their access to National Laboratories and user facilities.
“The colleges and universities across my home state of Michigan are also crucial players in our vibrant technology development and innovation community, and this bill supports a number of opportunities for these institutions of higher education to collaborate with the Department. The Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, which connects entrepreneurial fellows with National Laboratory expertise and facilities, authorizes National Laboratories to partner with an institution of higher education. This legislation also fosters development of the next generation of innovators through the authorization of a “Clean Energy Technology University Prize Competition” program.
“Red tape and bureaucracy are especially stifling for our federal agencies operating in cutting-edge spaces such as the energy technology commercialization ecosystem. I am proud to help lead this bill, as it includes a number of commonsense fixes and flexibilities to empower the Department of Energy and our National Laboratories to benefit from the knowledge of experts with experience in the private sector and to forge new strategic partnerships. This bill will ensure better coordination and talent sharing between our federal resources and the private sector, setting our future generations up for success and endless opportunities.
“At the same time, accountability and safeguards must accompany technology transfer activities ensure our taxpayers are getting the most out of their contributions to our country’s energy future. This legislation requires the Secretary of Energy to coordinate technology transfer programs across all energy sectors and encourages information-sharing and the development of best practices to promote efficiency among all of the Department’s clean energy technology transfer programs. Robust reporting requirements ensure congressional scrutiny and oversight of technology transfer programs.
“I look forward to advancing this effort to secure our country’s leadership in today’s international energy economy, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
“Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, and I yield back the balance of my time.”
The full text of Rep. Meijer’s remarks about his amendment to the NIST for the Future Act as prepared is below:
“Thank you, Chairwoman Johnson.
“My amendment today would create a national supply chain database that is established by the Director of NIST and managed through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. Each state’s supply chain database maintained by NIST-recognized MEP Centers will complement the national database.
“It has been nearly 18 months since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our economy, schools, and normal way of life. Within just weeks, it was clear we faced significant vulnerabilities in our supply chain. From life-saving medical supplies to raw materials to support our manufacturing and construction industries, we were facing critical shortages that threatened our day-to-day. We cannot allow these disruptions to exist in the future.
“My amendment ensures that the federal government and industry sectors have an accurate and real-time view of our supply chain and the United States manufacturers’ capabilities for critical products. This tool will help safeguard our economy from future disruptions. I am proud to support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues today to do so, as well. Thank you, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Original source can be found here.
