Lamar Smith: “First of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar), the vice chairman of the Research and…”

“First of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar), the vice chairman of the Research and Technology Subcommittee, for introducing this important piece of legislation. I am pleased to cosponsor H.R. 5639, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Improvement Act of 2016, to authorize the policy and programs of this leading Department of Commerce technology agency. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, supports scientific and technical research and services that are critical to American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST helps maintain industrial and technical standards, manages cybersecurity guidelines for Federal agencies, and promotes U.S. innovation and international competitiveness that enhances economic security and improves our quality of life. In 2007, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the first COMPETES Act, which implemented President Bush's major domestic research policy priority, the American Competitiveness Initiative. The centerpiece of the American Competitiveness Initiative was the prioritization of basic research in the physical sciences and engineering. Physical sciences research develops and advances fundamental knowledge and foundational technologies that are used by scientists in nearly every other field.…”