Cord Byrd: “as we are considering the National Defense Authorization Act, I thank my colleagues, Senators Warner and Levin, the…”

“as we are considering the National Defense Authorization Act, I thank my colleagues, Senators Warner and Levin, the Chairman and ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, for so graciously agreeing to accept an amendment that I and several of my colleagues have proposed to modify Section 841 of that bill to enhance the work of the new ``Commission on the Future of the National Technology and Industrial Base,'' which is being established by this legislation. This amendment is the result of collaboration between myself and Senators Snowe and Kerry, Chairman and ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, as well as Senators Allen and Coleman. First of all, our amendment will require this new Commission to consider carefully the problem of current or potential shortages of critical technologies in the United States. It will also require the Commission to examine the issue of existing or future shortages of the raw materials that are essential to the production of these technologies. America's national security continues to be threatened by dwindling supplies of U.S.-made components and raw materials. Our Nation's industrial base can be expected to experience a decline in the production of certain technologies and the raw materials necessary to create them, as more and more small and medium-sized U.S. firms shift their production overseas.”