future technological support by CBT programs, the future of this important standard will be seriously compromised. CENTER FOR FIRE RESEARCH The Center for Fire Research also contributes to public safety in a way that no privately-funded research effort could. CFR explores the processes that initiate, propagate and suppress real fires. As a result, realistic material test methods, costeffective fire safety design concepts, and new methods of fire control and extinguishment can be developed. Like CBT, CFR does not promulgate or enforce standards or regulations. Instead, it provides technical support to voluntary standards and model codes groups, engineers, the building industry and fire organizations. Some of the effects of the proposed elimination of the Center for Fire Research include: Over 100 standard-writing and code committees will lose their source of technical information. None have their own laboratories or technical staffs; The flow of information to the building industry on fire safety technology will be reduced. CFR operates major programs in sprinklers, smoke control, smoke detection and building design; CFR's fundamental fire research program is directed at reducing fire protection costs through improved codes and standards and less redundancy in fire protection. The cost of providing fire suppression forces and built-in fire protection for buildings currently exceeds $20 billion annually. The termination of this important research would essentially stop the development of fire control technology in the United States. If the specter of eliminating life-saving opportunities does not deter efforts to zero-fund the CFR, the cost-saving opportunities should persuade a budget-conscious government to reconsider the proposal. Fire-safe building design techniques can save money for all sectors of our society. Without the CFR, fundamental research programs will stop and engineering criteria will no longer be generated. Such an approach is deleterious to the economic interests of the American people and threatens all our lives. While the Society applauds and shares the commitment to reduce the federal budget deficit, it also warns against needless elimination of programs that not only are essential but also cannot be duplicated in the private sector. The services provided by the Centers for Building Technology and for Fire Research are invaluable to an important sector of our economy, the building industry. As in the past two years, ASCE is urging Congress to save these vital programs from extinction. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), founded in 1852, is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. Membership, held by 100,000 individual professional engineers, is about equally divided among engineers in private practice; engineers working for federal, state or local governments; and those employed in research, industry, construction and academia. The Society's major goals are to develop engineers who will improve technology and apply it to further the objectives of society as a whole, to promote the dedication and technical capability of its members and to advance the professional and economic stature of civil engi neers. NATIONAL Association for State INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC., Hon. SLADE GORTON, DEAR SENATOR GORTON: The National Association for State Information Systems (NASIS) is made up of representatives from all three branches of the state and territorial governments who are concerned with effective management of their states' information resources. Our organization has in the past worked with various committees of both Houses, Office of Technology Assessment, General Accounting Office and Congressional Research Service. My purpose in writing is to express the concerns of our membership about the effect of the sharp budget reductions proposed for the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology (ICST) of the National Bureau of Standards. ICST has rendered very valuable service to NASIS members in such areas as flexible media such as discs, database technology, graphics, security procedures and technology and networking. The state and local government teleconferences have been extremely valuable in getting our late-breaking developments in not only these areas, but on such other topics as micromainframe integration, office automation and institutional cable networks. The loss of such valuable assistance would have a very negative impact on state information system activities at a time when they provide one of the significant pathways leading to cost containment in state government programs. I realize that you face many very difficult decisions in reviewing the President's budget, but I hope that you will consider our members' apprehensions when developing your priorities. Sincerely, CARL VORLANDER, Executive Director. Senator SLADE GORTON, AOG SYSTEMS CORP., Fairfax, VA, February 19, 1985. Chairman, Subcommittee on Science, Technology (ICST) and Space, Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC. DEAR SIR: My purpose in writing this letter is to express my strong concerns about the 50% funding_reduction for the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology of the National Bureau of Standards. ICST has a relatively small program which, nonetheless, is critical to the successful development of urgently needed federal, national, and international standards. ICST is uniquely situated to help preserve U.S. industry's competitive position, while supporting both the public's and the government's needs for standards which increase productivity and reduce cost. The current program is addressing areas of major interest including dictionary and database systems technology, software development methods, security procedures, computer graphics and computer networking. (As the Chair of the American National Standards Committee responsible for developing the Standard for Information Resource Dictionary Systems (IRDS), a critical element in Paperwork Reduction Act and the Reform 88 activities, I am well aware of the role that ICST has played in the development of a Standard for IRDS. Without ICST, the IRDS Standard which is now being prepared for national and international review would not exist for the foreseeable future. The ICST has provided informed leadership and has served as a prime focal point for standards concerned with dictionary systems and the other areas mentioned above. Work in each of these critical areas would be drastically reduced or eliminated under the proposed budget reduction.) This is the fourth consecutive year that a drastic funding cut has been proposed for the ICST. In the past, Congress has recognized that there is no other private sector or governmental organization which can adequately provide these critically needed services, and has restored the proposed reductions. I recognize the difficult choices which must be made in order to significantly reduce the budget deficit. I hope, however, that it will be possible to continue the current level of funding for ICST, whose role is essential to increasing America's productivity and competitiveness with the rest of the world. Sincerely, ANTHONY WINKLER, Chair. Senator SLADE GORTON, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, Chairman, Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR GORTON: I am writing to urge your support for funding for the National Bureau of Standards program to upgrade their neutron scattering facilities through the construction of a neutron guide hall and improved instrumentation. I am soliciting your support because (1) of great personal frustration at my inability to carry out a vital segment of my own (largely government sponsored) research program because of the inadequacy of the available neutron facilities; and (2) the sorry state of neutron scattering facilities in the US has left the American scientific community at a serious disadvantage vis-a-vis their European counterparts. (1) I have been engaged for several years in neutron scattering research in the field of materials science. This work, sponsored by NSF and DOE, has gained international recognition. It deals with problems involving fatigue failure and microstructural stability in metals, both topics of considerable technological importance. Most of this research was carried out in France, since no American facility is capable of successful execution of the experiments. Access to the French facility now is largely denied to Americans because it is heavily oversubscribed by West European users, so my research has come to a standstill. The proposed upgrading of the NBS facility will permit this type of work to be carried out in the US. (2) A large segment of research in characterizing metals, polymers, advanced ceramics, magnetic behavior, etc., is closed to US science because none of the US neutron scattering facilities even approach state-of-the-art capabilities. The Bureau of Standards has a first rate group of scientists, internationally known for excellence in research, who have come up with carefully thought out plans and who will be able to carry them through. The cost is modest; the benefit to the American scientific and technological community enormous. We cannot afford not to have such a facility in the US in this time of scientific and technological competition. Sincerely yours, Senator SLADE GORTON, J.R. WEERTMAN, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering. APPLIED TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, Chairman, Science, Technology, and Space Subcommittee, Hart Senate Office, Washington, DC. DEAR HONORABLE GORTON: I am writing to you on behalf of the Applied Technology Council (ATC) to urge you to support restoration of funding for the Center for Building Technology at the National Bureau of Standards in the budget for fiscal year 1986. We believe the Center has made important contributions in developing performance criteria for buildings, including work on earthquake-resistant design, and this work should continue. Congressional authorization and funding should be provided to insure this. ATC is a non-profit professional organization engaged in improving design criteria for buildings and bridges subjected to earthquake hazards. Since the early 1970's, we have worked closely with the National Bureau of Standards in the development of practices for cost effective earthquake hazards reduction. Their research efforts, such as recent studies of the standard penetration test for assessment of the liquifaction potential of building sites, provide vital bases for improvement of design and construction practices. Another significant contribution is their leadership of the U.S.-Japan program on earthquake and wind engineering that has made possible vital and cash saving cooperation in studies of large scale structural performance and post earthquake investigations. In addition, their technical support for our private section efforts to develop nationally applicable seismic design and construction provisions has been extremely important. In this case, they have made it feasible to conduct a voluntary, national, cooperative provision development effort involving numerous organizations of owners, designers, manufacturers, builders and regulatory officials concerned with earthquake safety. It is vital to the nation to have a comprehensive, expert national building research organization to deal with technical issues in the prediction and measurement of building performance. Earthquakes are just one of the important needs that must be addressed. Therefore, it is vital that the Center for Building Technology and the Center for Fire Research continue to exist with adequate funding to continue their important work. We strongly urge you to support restoration of the funding for these centers and to request the Administration to support these vital causes. Respectfully yours, JAMES A. WILLIS, President. Hon. SLADE GORTON, MAN-MADE FIBER PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Chairman, Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space, U.S. Senate Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR GORTON: The Man-Made Fiber Producers Association strongly supports continuation of the Center for Fire Research (CFR) at the National Bureau of Standards. We urge that CFR be funded for fiscal 1986 at a level not less than that for fiscal 1985. We have continued to follow and work cooperatively with CFR on research projects which are essential to reduce loss of life and property from building fires in the United States. Regrettably, the fire death rate in this country continues to rank worst, along with Canada, among reporting nations, being over twice the international average. It is encouraging, however, that both the total number of fires and the death rate have been declining over the last several years. We believe that the National Bureau of Standards through its fire research has contributed valuable and meaningful information towards a better understanding of the complex fire phenomenon. The CFR offers an independence that is not constrained by consideration of market potential and provides essential resources in terms of facilities and personnel for progressive scientific research at the national level. This is demonstrated by development of meaningful, realistic testing procedures to evaluate burning characteristics of building materials and furnishings including textile products of man-made fibers. An outstanding example is the Flooring Radiant Panel test to evaluate the flammability characteristics of carpet for use in corridors and exitways of buildings, particularly health care facilities. The manmade fiber and carpet industries worked closely with the CFR in the development of this most relevant and valuable test procedure that has been widely adopted by federal, state and local agencies. CFR has demonstrated proficiency in coordinating, under capable leadership, valuable contributions of data and information from academe, industry and public sectors. Such action increases the cost-effectiveness of essential research which will lead to a significant reduction of injuries, loss of life and property from fires. Currently, the CFR is using such data to develop computer models to assess fire hazard and recently announced the availability of the Fire And Smoke Transport (FAST) model. This is a beginning in the development of a most important technique. Such computer models will permit a realistic assessment of the relative contribution of factors including ease of ignition, rate of flame spread, smoke generation and toxicity of combustion products to the overall fire hazard for specified scenarios. Very importantly, such models will provide a rapid and meaningful demonstration of the cost-effectiveness of suppression systems (rapid response sprinklers) and early warning (smoke alarms) for providing life safety in building fires. Finally, in the past MMFPA has demonstrated support of CFR by providing Research Associates to assist in the Center's on-going program. Currently, our Association, together with other industry groups, plans to make a financial contribution to support part of the on-going CFR research program on fire hazard assessment. We appreciate this opportunity to state our strong support for the continuation of the CFR at the National Bureau of Standards and the valuable contribution it has made and will continue to make toward the solution of our national fire problem. Sincerely yours, PAUL T. O'DAY, President. Hon. JOHN C. DANFORTH, INFORMATICS GENERAL CORP., Woodland Hills, CA, February 25, 1985. Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology, DEAR SENATOR DANFORTH: My purpose in writing is to express my strong disapproval of the Administration's proposed cut in funding for the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology (ICST) at the National Bureau of Standards. This is the fourth consecutive year that a drastic reduction has been proposed for ICST. In the past, the Congress has restored the proposed reductions, recognizing that no other private sector or government organization can adequately provide the services prescribed by its mission. This year the outcome is very much in doubt. As Chairman and President of Informatics General Corporation, one of the country's leading independent computer software companies, I am convinced that by actively promoting international software, database and telecommunications stand ards, ICST plays a critical role in enhancing our trade posture and fostering the long-term welfare of our domestic high technology industries. It is essential that U.S. industry not be shut out of foreign markets by one-sided and protectionist standards, and ICST has done much to prevent this from happening. As head of a major federal computer services and software contractor, I have observed that ICST's development of Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), which govern the acquisition and use of computers by federal agencies, has grown in importance and impact directly in proportion to the increase in federal outlays for this purpose-probably in the neighborhood of $20 billion annually for business data processing alone. Conservative estimates put the cost-benefit value of selected FIPS in the several-hundred-million dollar range, in return for a total investment of $10 million for the entire ICST program. In our eagerness to control the federal budget we must be careful not to sacrifice the very progams that help to make control possible. Finally, as a former industry representative of the National Academy of Sciences Review Panel that oversees the work of ICST, I have been consistently impressed with the quality of the technical staff and the work they produce. For a tiny agency (fewer than 100 professional employees), their output and impact are indeed remarkable. ICST is an island of technical excellence and objectivity in the federal establishment that we can ill afford to lose. The recommended cuts to the ICST budget would cripple its performance to the point of ineffectuality, and deal a major blow to efforts to improve our balance of trade and control the runaway federal deficit. I urge you to do everything in your power to prevent this from happening. Sincerely yours, WALTER F. BAUER, Chairman and President. Hon. ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, DIVISION OF INFORMATION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD, Columbia, SC, February 26, 1985. U.S. Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR: I am writing to you in behalf of the National Bureau of Standards, Institute of Computer Sciences and Technology (ICST) concerning potential severe reductions in budget for this federal agency. In our capacity as the organization in South Carolina State Government principally responsible for improving the management of information and communications resources, we have found the services of ICST to be very valuable to the State of South Carolina. In our role as the Division responsible for central management oversight for information technology planning, management, and use, there have been enumerable management publications and guidelines provided by the Institute for Computer Sciences and Techonology which we have found very useful and helpful to the state. In particular some of these relate to the management and acquisition of personal computer hardware ansd software as well as security of personal computer systems. The special publications of this type that we have received from the Computer Science and Technology Institute are management guidelines for federal agency use which have significant applicability to the management of these information technology resources in State Government. In State Government, as you are probably aware, we do not have adequate resources to develop these type management guidelines on an independent basis and find these special publications to be of significant benefit to us. Some of the most notable of these special publications which we have found very useful are as follows: 1. Special Publication: 500-103, "Future Information Processing Technology, 1983." 2. Special Publication: 500-119, "Future Information Technology-1984 Telecommunications.' 3. Special Publication: 500-102, "Microcomputers: A Review of Federal Agency Experiences." 4. Special Publication: 500-120, "Security of Personal Computer Systems: A Management Guide." In addition to the valuable publications, the Institute is producing and sharing with state and ' govenments, they are providing services in other forms such as 1 |