[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 850 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 850
To establish the Office of Economic Conversion Information within the
Department of Commerce, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 29 (legislative day, April 19), 1993
Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Riegle, Mr. Kerry, Mr.
Dodd, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Rockefeller, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Moseley-Braun,
Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Sasser) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Office of Economic Conversion Information within the
Department of Commerce, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Economic Conversion Clearinghouse
Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE.
(a) Establishment.--There is established, within the Department of
Commerce, the Office of Economic Conversion Information (hereinafter
referred to as ``Office'').
(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of the Office--
(1) to serve as a central information clearinghouse on
matters relating to economic adjustment and defense conversion
programs and activities of the Federal and State governments,
including political subdivisions of the States; and
(2) to help potential and actual applicants for economic
adjustment and defense conversion assistance under Federal,
State and local laws in locating and applying for such
assistance, including financial and technical assistance.
(c) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director. The
Secretary of Commerce shall appoint and fix the compensation of the
Director.
(d) Staff.--The Director may appoint such personnel as may be
necessary to enable the Office to perform its duties.
SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS.
(a) Information Databases.--
(1) Uses.--The Office shall develop information databases
for use by Federal departments and agencies, State and local
governmental agencies, public and private entities, and
individuals to assist such agencies, entities, and individuals
in the process of identifying and applying for assistance and
resources under economic adjustment and defense conversion
programs and activities of the Federal, State, and local
governments.
(2) Federal agencies and programs.--The databases
established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a
comprehensive compilation of all relevant information
concerning available economic adjustment and defense
conversion-related programs of the Federal Government. The
compilation shall identify the administering department,
office, or agency, which administers such programs, and key
contact people; and descriptions of the application process,
eligibility requirements and criteria, selection, and followup
procedures. Such compilation shall also include data as to the
expenditure of funds under such programs, projects supported by
such programs, and the types and amounts of funding available
for assistance under such programs.
(3) Range of programs.--The range of programs covered by
the database shall include: worker adjustment assistance for
private sector employees and Federal civilian and military
personnel; community adjustment assistance (planning and
implementation), including the so-called ``bricks and mortar''
programs, such as infrastructure rebuilding, and airport
improvement; technology development and deployment programs
administered through the Advanced Research Projects Agency,
Department of Defense, coordinated Technology Reinvestment
Project; other relevant technology research and development
programs administered by the Department of Commerce, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy, the
Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation,
and the National Institutes of Health and other technology
agencies; small business assistance (financial, technical,
marketing); defense facility environmental restoration;
available tax credits and incentives, relevant regulatory
information (environmental, occupational health and safety, and
intellectual property rights) affecting application procedures
and the implementation of federally supported projects
involving economic adjustment and defense conversion.
(4) Available assistance.--In developing such database, the
Office shall survey all Federal departments and agencies in
order to identify all relevant assistance and resources that
may be available to assist defense-dependent communities,
businesses, and workers in their adjustment and conversion
efforts, especially the Department of Defense, the Department
of Commerce, the Department of Labor, the Small Business
Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the
Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the
National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
(5) Database of major state and local programs.--The Office
shall establish a database containing State and local
governmental economic adjustment and defense conversion
assistance programs. Such database shall include a current
listing of appropriate offices, officers, and contact personnel
connected with, or involved in, such programs.
(6) Defense cutback early warning database.--The Office,
working with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish and keep
current a database containing a listing of available defense
contracts, and information listing military bases and
installations expected to be closed, cut back, or realigned, or
which are in the process of being closed, cut back, or
realigned, including a current listing of States, communities,
industries, firms, and employment likely to be most adversely
affected as a result thereof.
(7) Database of conversion efforts and successes.--The
Office shall establish a database of listings and descriptions
of defense conversion efforts, their successes and failures, as
well as a current listing of ongoing conversion and assistance
efforts by communities, contractors, and small- and mid-sized
businesses, and labor organizations.
(8) Reference lists and bibliographies.--The Office shall
establish a database which shall include a listing of published
works (books, reports, articles, videos, and tapes) related to
all facets of defense economic adjustment and defense
conversion. Such listing shall further include manuals relating
to economic adjustment and defense conversion developed by the
National Governors Association, the National League of Cities,
public interest groups, labor unions, business associations,
and similar organizations, and a listing of contact
organizations and people for obtaining such references. The
Office shall also maintain in electronic form the full texts of
selected references and make such references available to the
public through online services.
(9) Alternative product bank for industries and firms.--The
Office shall establish a databank of potentially
commercializable technologies and products matched to the
capabilities of defense-dependent industries and firms. Such
databank shall include a short overview of market potential and
shall identify potential programs in Federal, State and local
governments that may be available to support technology
development, deployment, and commercialization in these
specific areas.
(b) Multiple Points of Public Access to Databases.--
(1) Easy access.--The Office shall establish several
mechanisms to assure easy access by the public and others to
such databases, and to assure that the databases be as
accessible, user-friendly, culturally neutral, and affordable
as possible. In addition, the Office shall conduct an extensive
outreach to States and communities, especially in the most
defense-dependent regions of the Nation, and to a wide range of
constituencies, including State and local government officials,
chambers of commerce, industrial organizations, labor unions,
and community organizations, to publicize the existence of
databanks and other assistance and services provided by this
Act, and how to acquire such assistance and services, and
access such databanks.
(2) 1-800-toll free number.--The Office shall establish a
toll free 1-800 number to provide a first point of entry into
the Office information database system. An individual calling
such number shall receive information on how to use the Office
databases, how to receive printed materials, and how to contact
appropriate people in other governmental agencies for
information about specific programs, and answer other requests
regarding services of the Office.
(3) Online electronic access through network.--Databases
established by the Office shall be easily accessible through
existing computer networks and publicly available computer
database access facilities, such as at repository libraries and
by direct call-in via modem, and shall be menu-driven and
highly user-friendly.
(4) Printed manuals and orientation materials.--The Office
shall develop and make available to the public and others a
printed manual, and other printed material, reviewing the major
Federal agencies and programs engaged in economic adjustment,
defense conversion, and technology investments. It shall also
serve as a guide to using the databases and services of the
Office, list State and local contacts and resources, and
include a bibliography of major reference materials.
(5) Orientation workshops.--The Office shall offer periodic
workshops (1-2 weeks long) available to selected
representatives from defense-dependent communities, businesses,
and occupational groups, to orient and train them in using the
Office and the services of the Office.
(6) Information specialists.--The Office shall maintain on-
call economic adjustment and conversion information specialists
to address special problems requiring person-to-person
assistance, as needed.
(c) Program Evaluation.--
(1) Review.--The Office shall conduct a regular review of
the various agencies and programs in the Federal system
involving economic adjustment and defense conversion. Such
review shall evaluate the procedures of these agencies and
programs, and the success of their activities. Such reviews
shall be based on periodic surveys of both Federal officials
and recipients of assistance pursuant to this Act. The Office
shall identify problems with the programs and barriers to
entry, for inclusion in the databases established pursuant to
this Act. Such review shall include recommendations for
improving such programs.
(2) Community roundtables.--The Office shall conduct, on an
annual basis, consultative meetings and briefings with defense-
impacted constituencies drawn from local and State governments,
business, labor, community and public interest organizations
and academic institutions. Such meetings and briefings shall be
held in all major defense-dependent regions of the United
States, both to introduce its programs and receive comments and
recommendations concerning its services and how to expand and
improve them.
SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Interagency Economic
Conversion Information Coordinating Committee (referred to in this
section as the ``Committee'').
(b) Members.--The members of the Committee are as follows:
(1) Director of the Office, who shall serve as Chairperson
of the Committee.
(2) Director of the Economic Development Administration.
(3) Director of the Office of Economic Adjustment,
Department of Defense.
(4) One member appointed by the Secretary of Labor.
(5) Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency,
Department of Defense.
(6) Director of the National Institute for Standards and
Technology.
(7) Director of the Small Business Administration.
(8) One member appointed by the Director of the National
Economic Council.
(c) Functions.--It shall be the function of the Committee--
(1) to advise and make recommendations to the Office in
carrying out the purposes of this Act;
(2) to coordinate and facilitate the information gathering
and monitoring activities of the Office among Federal
departments and agencies;
(3) to help the Office prepare and present information in a
manner that is publicly accessible, affordable, and user-
friendly; and
(4) to assist the Office in making technical assistance
personnel available as needed.
(d) Compensation of Members.--All members of the Committee shall
serve without compensation in addition to that received for their
services as officers or employees of the United States.
(e) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Committee shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular
places of business in the performance of services for the Committee.
(f) Staff.--The Chairman of the Committee may request any Federal
department or agency to detail such employees to the Committee as may
be necessary to enable the Committee to perform its duties.
(g) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government
employee may be detailed to the Committee without reimbursement, and
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service
status or privilege.
(h) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The
Chairman of the Committee may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates
for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of such title.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION.
(a) Startup and Operating Expenses.--For fiscal year 1994, there
are authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to
carry out the provisions of this Act.
(b) Operating Expenses.--For fiscal year 1995, and each fiscal year
thereafter, there are authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
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