Harold Volkmer: “Recently, there has been a lot of talk in this body about the appropriate Federal role in funding technology…”

“Recently, there has been a lot of talk in this body about the appropriate Federal role in funding technology development, much of it coming from the other side of the aisle as an attack on what is called corporate welfare. This criticism is generally directed at programs that were started in the Reagan and Bush administrations, but which have been greatly expanded in this administration as a useful way to develop good, high-technology jobs in the future. I am talking here about programs like the Advanced Technology Program at the Department of Commerce and the Technology Reinvestment Program at the Department of Defense. The Hydrogen Future Act is the first bill we have considered this year that would expand industry-Government partnerships in technology development. On its face, this bill seems to be aimed at promoting programs which are very similar to ATP or TRP.”