ASME seeks Federal Fellow applicants for DHS

ASME is seeking applications for two Federal Fellows to serve one year, starting Jan. 1, 2006, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Interested applicants must be well versed in the area of risk analysis.

While all fellowship applicants must be US citizens and ASME members at the time of application, the following additional credentials will also be considered in the selection process: at least five years of professional experience, an advanced engineering degree, professional engineer registration and some public policy experience. Candidates who possess a security clearance or can easily obtain one are encouraged to apply.

ASME's Federal Government Fellows Program enables selected ASME members to devote a year working in government providing engineering and technical advice to policy makers in Congress, federal agencies and the White House. Federal Government Fellowships provide a valuable public service to the nation, while at the same time providing engineers with a unique opportunity to participate directly in the policy making process.

Previous fellows have described their year in Washington as the most exciting, rewarding and educational period of their professional careers. The experience gives fellows the chance to bring back to their employers an insider's perspective on government decision-making that can contribute significantly to the mission and vision of the organization.

A stipend of $50,000 will be awarded for the year. In addition, fellows will also be reimbursed for up to $1,000 in moving expenses. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter stating your interest, along with a list of references and a writing sample, to Kathryn Holmes at holmesk@asme.org.

To learn more about ASME's Federal Government Fellowship Program, visit the government relations Web site at www.asme.org/gric.

Kathryn Holmes is responsible for public policy-related issues for ASME. She can be reached at holmesk@asme.org.

 

Senate rejects bid to eliminate ATP

By a vote of 68 to 29, the US Senate rejected an amendment that would have eliminated $140 million in funding for the Advanced Technology Program (ATP). The administration had not requested funding for the ATP, and House appropriators did not include funding for the program in its Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill.

The amendment to eliminate ATP funding was offered by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. In advocating the elimination of the ATP, Coburn said, "There is venture capital all across this country looking for good ideas, private capital that will fund great ideas. In this time of fiscal constraint, it is time we reprioritize what we do with this money." No other senator spoke in support of the Coburn amendment.

However, five senators, including the Chairman of the Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, rose in opposition to the amendment. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., led that opposition, saying in part, "I oppose this amendment … According to the National Science Foundation, less than 1.5 percent of venture capital funding in the private sector is available as seed funding for proof-of-concept. ATP seeks to fill that gap in funding. The program was founded to ensure that not only do we win the Nobel Prizes with our excellent venture research, but that we also commercialize our discoveries ahead of our foreign partners and thereby create jobs for our own people."

To view the roll call vote on the Coburn amendment, go to www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists.

Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005 passed by House

By an overwhelming margin of 394 to 24, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to strengthen the economy's manufacturing sector by keeping good-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States.

H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005, provides grants to help develop new manufacturing technologies; establishes a fellowship program for manufacturing sciences postdoctoral and senior research fellows; reauthorizes NSF's Advanced Technological Education Program; and reauthorizes NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.

The bill was approved by the House Science Committee in May. At that time, Committee Chair Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., said, "The problem the bill addresses is the decline of U.S. manufacturing. Our nation needs a diverse economy, and that economy must include manufacturing. We can't be wholly dependent on others for the goods that enable American families and American businesses to function. Manufacturing provides high-paying jobs and helps us hone our technical edge. Yet the signs of manufacturing decline are all around us."

For an overview of the bill, go to www.house.gov/science/press/109/109-134.htm. To view the bill itself, go to thomas.loc.gov and search by bill number.

— Kathryn Holmes
Director, ASME Government Relations

 

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