Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District

Issues

Technology

Urging Conferees to Restore Advanced Technology Program Funding

15 November 2004

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee along with 16 other Members of Congress sent a letter to conferees of the FY 2005 Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill (H.R. 4754) to urge them to restore funding for the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) at the National Institute of Standards (NIST). The loss of this funding would have a detrimental impact on high-tech and biotech companies in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the country. Neah Power Systems, based in Bothell Washington, received a $2 million ATP grant in 2003 to fund research into continuing to develop their micro fuel cell for use in notebook PCs and other portable electronic devices. If the House does not restore ATP funding, Neah Power will lose the full amount of next year’s federal funding for their project.

"Innovation is the backbone of the American entrepreneurial spirit, and ATP funding helps usher this creativity to the American consumer’s benefit," said Inslee. "We are calling on Congressional leaders to restore this modest funding and show their commitment to job creation in our domestic high-tech and biotech industries."

Background:

While the Senate included $203 million in funding for the ATP in its appropriations bill, the House has eliminated all funding for the program in its legislation. Inslee supports funding for the ATP since this program has proven successful in bridging the gap between research and product commercialization for many American technology companies. The ATP partners with the private sector to provide early-stage investment for innovative technologies that promise significant commercial pay-offs and widespread benefits for the nation.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Conferees,

We write to urge your support of the Senate action to include $203 million of funding for the Advanced Technology Program in the Commerce-Justice-State FY-05 appropriations conference agreement.

The Advanced Technology Program (ATP), which is administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Commerce Department, has enabled the development of some of America’s most innovative technologies.

ATP fills a vital role in the development of commercially viable technologies, most of which would not have otherwise been funded. These ATP-funded technologies have led to important new products, medical cures, educational tools and manufacturing advances.

The impacts of this program also include job creation, a contribution to domestic economic growth and the retention of technology in the U.S. Maintaining our technological competitive edge is crucial to continue growing manufacturing jobs here in our country.

The Senate level of funding will allow continuation of nearly 100 multi-year ATP grants now under way, as well as approximately 60 new technology grants during 2005. For these compelling reasons, we urge you to support the Senate level of $203 million for ATP in the pending C-J-S appropriations conference. We appreciate your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,

Jay Inslee (WA)

Susan Davis (CA)

Bart Gordon (TN)

Michael Doyle (PA)

Jane Harman (CA)

David Wu (OR)

Anna Eshoo (CA)

Michael Honda (CA)

John Larson (CT)

Donald Manzullo (IL)

David E. Price (NC)

Chris Van Hollen (MD)

James Langevin (RI)

Adam Smith (WA)

Barbara Lee (CA)

Mark Udall (CO)

Rush Holt (NJ)