1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• Congressional Schedule
• Senate Bill Would Provide Additional Science Funding

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• FERC Chairman Testifies on the Grid
• White House 2007 National Science and Tech Awards

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• Government Accountability Office Reports
• High-Tech Innovations Needed to Help Prevent Economic Crisis in Health Care and Improve Quality
• Library of Congress Reports, Congressional Research Service Reports

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

5) U.S. STATES WATCH

• Massachusetts Acts Address Biofuels, Green Jobs, and Greenhouse Gases

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

• $5,000 Scholarship To Be Awarded in Second IEEE-USA Online Engineering Video Competition

7) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS and SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• Former IEEE-USA Government Fellows Available to Speak to Sections
• 2008 WISE Interns Complete Their Program
• IEEE-USA's Recent Policy Communications
• IEEE-USA Public Policy Priority Issues - 110th Congress, 2d Session (2008)
• Track IEEE-USA's Progress
• IEEE-USA In The News

9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

1) CAPITOL HILL WATCH

• Congressional Schedule

The summer recess is almost over and Congress soon returns to try and work on leftover legislation before the 2008 elections surely usurp their time and attention. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif.) and Democratic leaders unveiled a plan at the party's convention in Denver which includes a boost to renewable energy and mass transit, and creates "green" jobs. No word yet, though, on whether the plan includes a call for opening up new areas for oil drilling. Disgruntled Republicans spent the summer recess protesting on the darkened House floor calling for a new energy strategy that includes opening up drilling in US coastal areas. A press release from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says only that a new energy plan calls for "a responsible domestic drilling program that ends royalty holidays for oil and gas companies, ends subsidies for profit-rich oil companies, and requires Big Oil to drill the oil leases they already own."

The House convenes at 2 p.m. on September 8th.

The Senate convenes in pro forma sessions at: 2 p.m. on August 26th; at 2 p.m. on August 29th; at Noon on September 2nd; at 9:30 a.m. on September 5th; and convenes for legislative business at 3 p.m. on September 8th.

• Senate Bill Would Provide Additional Science Funding

When Congress returns from its summer recess next month, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WV) hopes to bring to the Senate floor, a stimulus bill by that provides additional FY 2008 science funding. Under the draft legislation, Department of Energy science programs would receive $150 million. An additional $250 million would be slated for NASA to speed production of a replacement for the space shuttle, and $500 million would be provided to the National Institutes of Health for new research grants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would receive $26 million. Byrd had planned to move the bill though his committee before the August recess, but a continuing disagreement over off-shore oil and gas drilling delayed consideration of the legislation. That disagreement has not been resolved.

In explaining the bill, Chairman Byrd said, "The U.S. economy has largely stagnated, with an anemic growth rate of 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007 and 1 percent in the first quarter of 2008. The Treasury Secretary has warned that slow growth could continue for months. The U.S. economy has lost jobs every month this year, a total of 438,000 jobs. Construction has lost 528,000 jobs since September 2006. Manufacturing has lost 353,000 jobs since June 2007. . . . Consumer confidence is at a near 50 year low. In June 2008, more consumers than at any time since the survey has been conducted reported that their financial situation has worsened." He estimates that the $24.1 billion bill would create 200,000 jobs, and provide funding for job training and services for an additional 133,000 individuals. Byrd's statement did not provide further detail about the science funding provisions.

The additional money for science that Byrd is seeking positions science programs in a favorable light as the continuing resolution is drafted. There is growing recognition that flat-funding levels lasting until next spring will be harmful to science programs. Previous funding bills have reflected the strong bipartisan support for science by providing additional money above flat funding levels for selected science programs. The almost $1 billion for science programs in Byrd's draft legislation helps to maintain the profile of science funding as Congress and the Administration look ahead to the next six months.

The Bill has uneven support. Some Republican Members of Congress, and the Administration, contend that it is premature. President Bush has not closed the door on a second stimulus bill, saying that it is too early to assess fully the impacts of the $92 billion that taxpayers received from the first bill.

2) WHITE HOUSE & EXECUTIVE AGENCY WATCH

• FERC Chairman Testifies on the Grid

31 JUL: Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Joseph Kelliher testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the state of the nation's transmission grid, and the implementation of the 2005 Energy Policy Act transmission provisions, including reliability, siting and infrastructure investment. Kelliher said, "There is a need to improve regional transmission planning in all regions of the country, regardless of wholesale market structure. It is not enough to have nondiscriminatory access to the power grid. The grid itself must be robust enough to operate reliably and support competitive markets. We have taken a number of steps to strengthen the grid, by encouraging greater investment, making regional cost allocation determinations, and issuing rules governing limited federal transmission sitting authority. Improved regional planning will play an increasingly important role in strengthening the power grid." To read his complete testimony, visit: http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/Files/20080731102123-Chairmantestimony.pdf

To help address grid issues, IEEE-USA - along with partners including the Deparment of Energy, EPRI, NCSL and the Edison Electric Institute - will hold GridWeek 2008 in late September. GridWeek is an annual gathering of stakeholders and thought leaders who convene to discuss Smart Grid issues and developments around the world. The 2008 conference will focus on delivering sustainable energy through the Smart Grid. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman will provide a keynote address.

• White House 2007 National Science and Tech Awards

The National Medal of Science honors individuals for pioneering scientific research in a range of fields, including physical, biological, mathematical, social, behavioral, and engineering sciences, that enhances our understanding of the world and leads to innovations and technologies that give the United States its global economic edge. The National Science Foundation administers the award, which was established by Congress in 1959. For more information about the National Medal of Science visit http://www.nsf.gov/od/nms/medal.jsp.

3) REPORTS, SPEECHES & DOCUMENTS OF NOTE

• Government Accountability Office Reports

Nuclear Weapons: Views on NNSA's Proposal to Transform the Nuclear Weapons Complex GAO-08-1032TJuly 17, 2008 Summary (HTML)    Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 9 pages)

• High-Tech Innovations Needed to Help Prevent Economic Crisis in Health Care and Improve Quality

22 Aug: According to a report from the 2007 conference, Economic Strategy for Health Care through Standards and Technologies, the United States should develop a comprehensive strategy on the growing need for technological innovations to help prevent the impending economic crisis in health care and to improve the quality and convenience of care. By shifting to a more proactive approach for disease prevention and more efficient, quality-centric care, new measurement technologies at the molecular level will be required. The report said, "A shift of such magnitude can only happen by developing and implementing breakthrough biomeasurement, bioinformatics, biologically based and health information technologies that can be integrated with current efforts to improve health care delivery."

The Biotechnology Council - which includes the IEEE and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - organized the conference. Speakers included leaders in medicine, health care, government and industry.

• Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service Reports

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E): Background, Status, and Selected Issues for Congress

The DHS Directorate of Science and Technology: Key Issues for Congress

Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration

4) U.S. COURTS ACTIVITY

None at this time.

5) US STATES WATCH

If you like to keep up with going on in state politics, StateLine.org provides a good overview of the activities in all 50 state legislatures.

• Massachusetts Acts Address Biofuels, Green Jobs, and Greenhouse Gases

Governor Deval Patrick signed into law three energy-related bills to promote advanced biofuels, support the growth of the clean energy technology industry and cut the emissions of greenhouse gases within Massachusetts. The Clean Energy Biofuels Act exempts cellulosic ethanol from the MA's gasoline tax, but only if the ethanol achieves a 60-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to gasoline. The act also requires all diesel motor fuels and all No. 2 fuel oil sold for heating to include at least 2-percent "substitute fuel" by July 2010. (Substitute fuel is defined as a fuel derived from renewable non-food biomass that achieves at least a 50-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.) The requirement for both motor diesel fuel and heating oil increases by a percentage point per year until 2013, after which it holds steady at 5-percent. The act also allows MA to expand the requirement to other forms of fuel oil, and it requires the state to work to establish a low-carbon fuel standard under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. See the full text of the biofuels act and the governor's press release.

The Green Jobs Act will support the growth of a clean energy technology industry within the state, backed by $68 million in funding over 5 years. The Global Warming Solutions Act requires a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 10-25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80-percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Under the act, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will carry the burdens of determining the baseline level of emissions in 1990 and creating a plan to meet the future emissions limits, including the establishment of interim limits for 2030 and 2040. See governor's press release and the full text of the acts for green jobs and greenhouse gas reductions.

6) AWARDS & GRANTS

• $5,000 Scholarships To Be Awarded in Second IEEE-USA Online Engineering Video Competition

IEEE-USA is launching the second online engineering video competition for undergraduate students. Four scholarship prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded to the undergraduates who create the most effective 90-second video clips aimed at an 11-to-13-year-old student audience. The clips to be called "How Engineers Make a World of Difference," should reinforce engineers' contributions to the quality of life and convey how engineering can be a creative and rewarding career. Winning entries will be announced and shown during Engineers Week, 15-21 February 2009.

The competition is open to all U.S. undergraduate students in engineering, computer science and information technology. Entries can be provided by individuals or teams, with at least one undergraduate participant who is an IEEE Student Member. More than one video entry is permissible.

Entries must be submitted through YouTube by midnight Eastern Time on Friday, 16 January 2009. The competition will be judged by two engineering graduate students, Andrew Quecan and Suzette Presas; and Nate Ball, engineer-host for PBS' "Design Squad." For more information on how to enter the IEEE-USA Online Engineering Video Scholarship Competition and to upload an entry on YouTube, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org/communications/video_competition

To view the IEEE.tv program on the first 2007-2008 IEEE-USA competition, go to http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/IEEEtv/about.html

• AAAS Grant Site

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a service called GrantsNet Express.  Each week GrantsNet will provide a listing of science funding opportunities from private foundations and organizations, and new U.S. government grant announcements in the sciences. AAAS will send GrantsNet by e-mail to AAAS member subscribers. The weekly emails will include: — New science funding programs, divided into opportunities for postdocs/graduate students and undergraduates — Submission deadlines for funding opportunities scheduled in the upcoming week — New listings of funding for science-related research.

• Grants.gov

The President's 2002 Fiscal Year Management Agenda established grants.gov as a governmental grants resource. Today, Grants.gov is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $400 billion in annual awards. Most agencies, such as the DOE's Office of Science, use only grants.gov to list all funding opportunities. Other funding opportunities of interest include the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and NASA.

• National Science Foundation

For information on NSF Engineering (ENG) Active Funding Opportunities, visit: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_list.jsp?org=ENG

Opportunities include:

Developing Global Scientists and Engineers (International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) and Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Projects (DDEP)) - The United States needs to educate a globally-engaged science and engineering workforce capable of performing in an international research environment in order to remain at the forefront of world science and technology.  To support this aim, the Developing Global Scientists and Engineers program provides highest quality international research experiences for U.S. students.  Whereas the International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) component of the program supports groups of U.S. undergraduate or graduate students conducting research abroad in collaboration with foreign investigators, the Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Projects (DDEP) component supports the dissertation research abroad of one doctoral student in collaboration with a foreign investigator.

Electronics, Photonics & Device Technologies (EPDT) - The Electronics, Photonics and Device Technologies (EPDT) program seeks to improve the fundamental understanding of devices and components based on the principles of micro and nano electronics, photonics, magnetics, organics, electro-optics, electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena. The program enables discovery and innovation advancing the frontiers of spin electronics, molecular electronics, bioelectronics, nonsilicon electronics, flexible electronics, optoelectronics, microwave photonics, micro/nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), sensors and actuators, power electronics, and mixed signal devices. EPDT supports related topics in quantum engineering and novel electromagnetic materials-based high frequency device solutions, radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits, and reconfigurable antennas needed for communications, telemedicine, and other wireless applications. The program supports cooperative efforts with the semiconductor industry on new nanoelectronics concepts beyond the scaling limits of silicon technology. EPDT additionally emphasizes emerging areas of diagnostic, wearable and implantable devices, and supports manipulation and measurement with nanoscale precision through new approaches to extreme ultraviolet metrology.

• Awards of Possible Interest to Engineers

The Heinz Awards were created to recognize the extraordinary achievements of individuals in the areas of greatest importance to the late Senator John Heinz. The awards recognize outstanding individuals for their contributions in the areas of: Arts and Humanities, the Environment, the Human Condition, Public Policy, and Technology, the Economy and Employment. Nominations are submitted by an anonymous Council of Nominators and are reviewed by Jurors appointed by the Heinz Family Philanthropies. Award recipients are ultimately selected by the Board of Directors. Award recipients receive a medallion and an unrestricted cash prize of up to $250,000. If you are interested in becoming a nominator, visit: http://www.heinzawards.net/nominators.asp

The American Council of Engineering Companies 2009 Engineering Excellence Awards - The ACEC annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes engineering firms for projects that demonstrate a high degree of achievement, value and innovation. EEA entries are accepted into one of 11 project categories: studies, research, and consulting engineering services; building/technology systems; structural systems; surveying and mapping technology; environmental; water and wastewater; water resources; transportation; special projects; small projects and the newly added energy category. 2008 awardees included the Syska Hennessy Group of Fairfax, VA which built a state-of-the-art rehabilitation complex to treat severely injured soldiers. The project team provided mechanical and electrical design for a broad array of leading-edge rehabilitation systems including a computerized gait laboratory, a prosthetics fabrication lab, swimming and wave pools, and a Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN)—a 21-foot simulator dome with a 300-degree screen where rehabilitative virtual realities are displayed.

The CES Innovations Awards - The Innovations Design and Engineering Awards program recognizes the most innovative consumer electronics (CE) products in the industry's hottest product categories.

7) CONFERENCES, FELLOWSHIPS, PROGRAMS & INTERNSHIPS FOR ENGINEERS, and STUDENTS & SCHOLARS OF ENGINEERING

• IEEE ENERGY 2030 - Towards A Sustainable Energy Infrastructure ( November 17 – 18, 2008, Atlanta, GA)

This new conference will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas amongst experts from a broad range of disciplines on the technology, policy and economic framework required for the creation of a global sustainable energy infrastructure by 2030. The IEEE, as a global technology leader in electrical and related technologies, with 43 societies and 370,000 members, is uniquely positioned to help define what the transformed infrastructure is likely to look like, and to initiate the discussion on the challenges that need to be overcome to achieve success. The Conference is initiated by the IEEE TA New Technology Directions Committee, and co-sponsorship by IEEE-USA; IEEE Standards Association; and the following IEEE Societies: Industry Applications Society, Power Electronics Society, and the Power and Energy Society. For more info, visit: http://ewh.ieee.org/conf/energy2030/

• NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is undertaking a new scholarship program focused on aeronautical research and related degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The program's purpose is to:

--In accordance with the National Aeronautics R&D Policy and its accompanying Executive Order, help to advance the nation's aeronautics enterprise by investing in the educational development of the future aeronautics workforce.
--Provide opportunities to attract highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students to aeronautics and related fields.

The 2008 application period is now closed. However, however, the program is now accepting applications for fall 2009. The deadline is January 6, 2009. The program expects to award annually 20, two-year scholarships plus summer internships to undergraduate students; and five, two- or three-year scholarships plus summer internships to graduate students.

8) LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

• Former IEEE-USA Government Fellows Available to Speak to Sections

On Wednesday, June 11th, IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow George Hanover spoke to an IEEE PACE group in the San Francisco Bay area. He discussed the innovation and competitiveness issues that he worked on during the year he served as an IEEE-USA government fellow, working as a staffer for the Environment, Technology and Standards Subcommittee of the House Science Committee. George also served on the personal staff of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), a member of the House Science Committee.  George also discussed an engineer's perspective on the "government process" and the IEEE-USA's involvement in that process.

If your section is interested in having one of the former government fellows speak to your group about the program, how the legislative process works in Washington, and how IEEE-USA is influencing it, please contact Erica Wissolik at e.wissolik@ieee.org. For more information on the IEEE-USA Government Fellows Program, please visit: http://ieeeusa.org/policy/govfel/default.asp

• 2008 WISE Interns Complete Their Program

The 2008 WISE interns completed their program in early August with a full day of powerpoint presentations and celebrations. This year, seven engineering societies sponsored eleven engineering students from around the country. IEEE sponsored two of the interns: Gregory Tress of Carnegie Mellon University and Jonathan Becker of Syracuse University.

The IEEE initiatives office also filmed the day's activities and will be producing a video for IEEEtv. In the meantime, you can view a video/ slide show at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw9hNMDBCYU, or at http://wise-intern.org/.

If you are interested in participating in next year's WISE program, please visit the WISE web site. Updated application forms will be posted this fall. The deadline is 31 December 2008.

Gregory Tress and Jonathan Becker

• IEEE-USA's Recent Policy Communications

Read a full listing of IEEE-USA lobbying activities at: http://ieeeusa.com/policy/policy/index.html

• IEEE-USA Public Policy Priority Issues - 110th Congress, 2d Session (2008)
  

The public policy priorities list is available at: http://ieeeusa.org/policy/issues/index.html

• Track IEEE-USA's Progress

View the 2007 Annual Report (542MB): http://www.ieeeusa.org/about/annual_report/2007.pdf

View the Strategic & Operational Plan: http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/strategicplan/index.html

Position statements are available online at: http://ieeeusa.com/policy/positions/index.html

• IEEE-USA In The News

For IEEE-USA in the News items, see: http://ieeeusa.org/communications/inthenews/default.asp.

• Its election Year!!

Make sure that you're a part of the solution. Register to vote: http://www.engineeringthevote.org/register.asp

Given the many urgent scientific and technological challenges facing America and the rest of the world, the increasing need for accurate scientific information in political decision making, and the vital role scientific innovation plays in spurring economic growth and competitiveness, NPR calls for a public debate in which the U.S. presidential candidates share their views on the issues of The Environment, Health and Medicine, and Science and Technology Policy. http://sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php

9) OTHER ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

None at this time.

Top of Page | What's New@IEEE | IEEE-USA

What's New @ IEEE-USA's Eye on Washington highlights important federal legislative and regulatory developments that affect U.S. engineers and their careers. In addition to this biweekly newsletter, subscribers receive legislative bulletins and action alerts on IEEE-USA priority issues, including: retirement security, employment benefits, research & development funding, computers and information policy, immigration reform, intellectual property protection and privacy of health/medical information.

You can change your IEEE-USA Eye on Washington subscription status by using the forms at http://www.ieeeusa.org/communications/emailupdates/default.asp

Copyright © 2008, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.  Permission granted to copy for personal use or for non-commercial republication with appropriate attribution.

Updated: 27 August 2008