GOVERNMEM Chemical weapons. (S. 2221) Implements chemical weapons treaty, allows collection or data from and inspection of chemical firms
Health care giving way to other issues
T
he debate over reforming the nation's health care system has so dominated the halls of Congress for the past several weeks that other legislative matters have been left in the lurch. But with bills now heading to the floor of both chambers, Congressional committees—just about all of which have been involved in the health debate—can turn their attention to more routine but still very important matters. For example, both the House Education & Labor Committee and the Senate Committee on Labor & Human Resources have completed their formal work on health care legislation. Waiting in the wings for both committees is legislation that would fundamentally change the operations of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. The bills, H.R. 1280 and S. 575, would require, among other things, companies to have written safety and health plans and establish employer-employee safety and health committees. They also provide an expedited process for setting standards to control exposure to toxic chemicals. Both committees concluded work on the bills in March but have yet to file the formal reports that are a preliminary step to floor action. Also on the Senate Labor Committee's list of unfinished business is the National Science Foundation (NSF) authorization bill, which the House passed in April. The Senate committee is expected to begin marking up its version of the NSF authorization bill this month. The National Competitiveness Act of 1993 has been languishing for a different reason. The act (H.R. 820 and S. 4) is billed as the centerpiece of the Clinton Administration's civilian technology initiative. It would greatly expand the reach of the National Institute of Standards & Technology's Advanced Technology Program as part of an effort to develop cutting-edge technologies and bring them to smalland medium-sized businesses. The Senate passed S. 4 in March and appointed conferees on the bill at the same time. The House actually passed its version of the bill, reported out of the Committee on Science, Space & Technology, in May 1993. However, a dispute over what role members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee would or should play in the conference with the Senate has delayed appointment of House conferees. Staffers say the dispute has now been resolved, and the conference committee is expected to get down to work shortly after Congress returns from its annual Fourth of July recess. Conferees on the competitiveness bills are also expected to resolve the differences between another House-passed bill, H.R. 1757, and provisions of S. 4 dealing with establishment of a coordinated federal program for setting up a new, high-speed national computer network and developing applications for the network. Janice Long 18
JULY 4,1994 C&EN
Competitiveness. (H.R. 820, S. 4) Expand National Institute of Standards & Technology's Advanced Technology Program, call for pilot programs to stimulate private investment in cutting-edge technology programs Computing. (H.R. 1757, S. 4) Establish coordinated federal program to accelerate development, dissemination of hieh-performance computing applications and highspeed networking, provide funding of about $500 million over first three years Defense R&D. (H.R. 4301, S. 2182) Set fiscal 1995 spending ceiling of just under $36 billion for Defense Department research, development, test, and evaluation programs Environment. (H.R. 3425, S. 171) Transform EPA into Department of Environmental Protection; provide for a Bureau of Environmental Statistics and a Presidential Cornmission on Improving Environmental Protection (H.R. 3813, 3870, S. 978) Encourage U.S. development, use, and/or export of green technologies
Liability. (H.R. 1910, S. 687) Establish uniform national standards for deciding product liability cases
National labs. (H.R. 1432, 2875, S. 473) Strengthen ties between multiprogram national labs and industry, set rninirnum goal of devoting 10% of each lab's budget for cost-shared partnerships with industry
NSF. (H.R. 3254) Provides three-year, $11 billion authorization for NSF activities; requires three-year strategic plans for research, academic facility renovations
OSHA. (H.R. 1280, S. 575) Require joint employeremployee safety and health committees, codify exposure limits for 425 air contaminants, increase criminal penalties for OSHA violations Superfund. (H.R. 3800, S. 1834) Aim to speed cleanup of Superfund hazardous waste sites, cut costs, set new rules on cleanup liability
Water. (H.R. 3948, S. 2093) Amend, reauthorize Clean Water Act, increase controls on non-point-source pollution, toxic discharges (H.R. 1701,1865, S. 2019) Establish a $1 billion revolving loan fund for drinking water treatment plants; S. 2019 allows EPA to regulate contaminants based on their health risk
House committee
House floor
Senate committee
Senate floor
Conference action
Outcome
Foreign Relations. Concluded hearings 6/23/94 Science, Space & Technology. Reported, amended 5/3/93 (HT Rept. 103-77)
Amended, assed
f /19/93
Commerce, Science & Transportation. Reported, amended 7/28/93 (S. Rept. 103-113)
Amended, passed 5/16/94
Senate conferees appointed 3716/94 Senate conferees appointed 3716/94
Science, Space & Technology. Reported, amended 7/13/93 (HT Rept. 103-173)
Passed 7/26/93
Commerce, Science & Transportation. Reported, amended 7/28/93 (S. Rept. 103-113)
Amended, passed 3/16/94
Armed Services. Reported, amended 5/10/94 (H. Rept. 103-499)
Amended, passed 6/22/94
Armed Services. Reported 6/14/94 (S. Rept. 103-282)
Debate began 6/22/94
Governmental Affairs. Reported, amended 4/15/93 (S. Rept. 103-38). Environment & Public Works. Reported 4/19/93 (S. Rept. 1Ô3-39)
Attached to S. 2019 5/19/94
Environment & Public Works. Reported S. 978, amended 10/5/93 (S. Rept. 103-156)
Amended, passed 5/11/94
Energy & Commerce. Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection & Competitiveness resumed hearings 4/21 /94
Commerce, Science & Transportation. Reported, amended 11 /23/93 (S. Rept. 103-203). Judiciary. Held hearings 3/15/94
Debate began 6/24/94
Energy & Commerce. Ordered S. 473 reported, amended 6/9/94. Armed Services. Reported, amended 4/26/94. Science, Space & Technology. Reported, amended 5/19/94 (H. Rept. 103484, Pts. 1 & 2)
Energy & Natural Resources. Reported, amended 6/24/93 (S. Rept. 103-69)
Amended, passed 11/19/93
Government Operations. Reported, amended 11/10/93 (H. Rept. 103-355) Foreign Affairs. Reported H.R. 3813, amended 4 / W 9 4 (H. Rept. 103-478). Science, Space & Technology. Reported, amended 6/8/94 (H. Rept. 103-536)
Science, Space & Technology. Reported, amended 4/13/94 (H: Rept. 103-475)
H.R. 3813 passed 4/19/94
Passed 4/4/94
Commerce, Science & Transportation. Subcommittee on Science, Technology & Space concluded hearings 4/13/94. Labor & Human Resources. Plans July markup
Education & Labor. Ordered reported, amended 3/10/94
Labor & Human Resources. Concluded hearings 3/22/94
Energy & Commerce. Ordered reported, amended 5/18/94
Environment & Public Works. Subcommittee on Superfund, Recycling & Solid Waste Management approved, amended for full committee action 6/14/94
Public Works & Transportation. Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment resumed hearings 5/24/94
Environment & Public Works. Reported, amended 5/10/93 (S.IRept. 103-257)
Energy & Commerce. Reported, amended 5/27/93 (H. Rept. 103-114). Public Works &Transportation. Reported, amended 5/27/93 (H. Rept. 103-115)
Environment & Public Works. Reported, amended 4/14/94 (S.TRept. 103-250)
Amended, passed 5/19/94
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