SMART Research and Development Compact

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. GREENWOOD, Ms. HART, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. HOLT, Mr. HOYER, Mr. SHERWOOD, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PITTS, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. WYNN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. KANJORSKI, and Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To grant the consent of the Congress to the SMART Research and Development Compact.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `SMART Research and Development Compact'.

(b) FINDINGS- The Congress makes the following findings:

(1) The shared borders, similar economic, environmental, and socioeconomic traits as well as the common historical attributes between the residents of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, bind the 4 States into a common Mid-Atlantic region.

(2) This region presents a rich framework of approximately 618 colleges and universities, including approximately 38 leading engineering colleges with a variety of technical expertise and ingenious research and development programs within every field of science and technology.

(3) This region contains a variety of federally owned and generated laboratories or organizations assigned with the task of performing needed research and development in most of our Nation's technical areas, highlighted by defense, transportation, health, energy, and communications.

(4) This region possesses a great wealth of private manufacturers, laboratories, and nonprofit organizations in each of the scientific and technological pursuits, such as homeland security, defense, aerospace, manufacturing, information systems, materials, chemicals, medical applications, and pharmaceuticals.

(5) Increased cooperation between the above-mentioned institutions and the 4 State governments may effectively enhance the region's contribution to the United States in all fields of science and technology and promote academic, private and public research and development, technical enterprise, and intellectual vitality.

(6) An organization assigned with the task of linking various institutions across different jurisdictions and promoting working partnerships may further assist the United States by providing a model for the rest of the Nation for the effective use of limited national, State, and local funding resources.

SEC. 2. CONSENT TO COMPACT.

The Congress consents to the SMART Research and Development Compact if that compact is entered into by two or more of the following States: the State of Delaware, the State of Maryland, the State of New Jersey, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The compact reads substantially as follows:

`SMART RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPACT

`ARTICLE I.

`The purpose of this compact is to promote the contribution of the Mid-Atlantic region to the Nation's research and development in science and technology, and to create a multi-State organization that shall be known as the SMART (Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow) Organization (hereinafter in this compact referred to as the `Organization'). The purpose of the Organization is to oversee and help facilitate the acquisition of research and development funding, and to enhance the cooperation, formation of partnerships, and sharing of information among businesses, academic institutions, Federal and State governmental agencies, laboratories, federally owned and operated laboratories, and nonprofit entities, within Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

`ARTICLE II.

`This compact takes effect upon ratification by two or more of the following States: the State of Delaware, the State of Maryland, the State of New Jersey, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pursuant to the consent of Congress.

`ARTICLE III.

`The States, which are parties to this compact (hereinafter referred to as `party States'), do hereby establish and create the Organization as a joint organization which shall be known as the SMART Organization.

`The leadership of the Organization shall consist of a Board of Directors that shall include a representative from each party State, appointed as provided by the law of that State, and representatives from each technology class described in Article IV from the party States. Board Members may include any business, academic institution, nonprofit agency, Federal or State governmental agency, laboratory, and federally owned and operated laboratory within the party States.

`The leadership of the Organization shall oversee and direct the projects, administration, and policies of the Organization. The Board of Directors may create and utilize the services of technology-designated Working Groups to identify goals and sources of funding, establish research and development projects, detect new technology advances for the region to pursue, and facilitate cooperation among regional entities. The Board of Directors and Working Groups in the Organization shall serve without compensation and shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such special meetings as their business may require.

`The Organization shall adopt bylaws and any other such rules or procedures as may be needed. The Organization may hold hearings and conduct studies and surveys to carry out its purpose. The Organization may acquire by gift or otherwise and hold and dispose of such money and property as may be provided for the proper performance of its functions, may cooperate with other public or private groups, whether local, State, regional, or national, having an interest in economic or technology development, and may exercise such other powers as may be appropriate to accomplish its functions and duties in connection with the development of the Organization and to carry out the purpose of this compact.

`ARTICLE IV.

`Not including State Representatives, the Organization Board of Directors and Technology Working Groups may represent and originate from the following technology classes: information technology, sensors, rotorcraft technology, manufacturing technology, fire/EMS, financial technology, alternative fuels, nanotechnology, electronics, environmental, telecommunications, chemical and biological, biomedical, opto-electric, Materials/Aerospace, and defense systems including directed energy, missile defense, future combat systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The SMART Organization may at any time, upon approval by the Board of Directors, designate and assign new technology classes and may at any time remove an existing class from this Article and the Organization's activities.

`ARTICLE V.

`The Board of Directors shall appoint a full-time paid executive director, who shall be a person familiar with the nature of the procedures and the significance of scientific funding, research and development, economic development, and the informational, educational, and publicity methods of stimulating general interest in such developments. The duties of the executive director are to carry out the goals and directives of the Board of Directors and administer the actions of each Working Group as chairman. The executive director may hire a staff and shall be the administrative head of the Organization, whose term of office shall be at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

`ARTICLE VI.

`This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each party State until 6 months after the party State gives notice of its intent to withdraw to the other party States.'.

SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL.

The Congress expressly reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act.

END