(a) Short title

This section may be cited as the “National Advisory Committee on Semiconductor Research and Development Act of 1988”.

(b) Findings and purposes

(1) The Congress finds and declares that—

(A) semiconductor technology is playing an ever-increasing role in United States industrial and commercial products and processes, making secure domestic sources of state-of-the-art semiconductors highly desirable;

(B) modern weapons systems are highly dependent on leading edge semiconductor devices, and it is counter to the national security interest to be heavily dependent upon foreign sources for this technology;

(C) governmental responsibilities related to the semiconductor industry are divided among many Federal departments and agencies; and

(D) joint industry-government consideration of semiconductor industry problems is needed at this time.

(2) The purposes of this section are—

(A) to establish the National Advisory Committee on Semiconductors; and

(B) to assign to such Committee the responsibility for devising and promulgating a national semiconductor strategy, including research and development, the implementation of which will assure the continued leadership of the United States in semiconductor technology.

There is hereby created in the executive branch of the Government an independent advisory body to be known as the National Advisory Committee on Semiconductors (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Committee”).

(d) Functions

(1) The Committee shall—

(A) collect and analyze information on the needs and capabilities of industry, the Federal Government, and the scientific and research communities related to semiconductor technology;

(B) identify the components of a successful national semiconductor strategy in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(B) of this section;

(D) assess the roles for government and national laboratories and other laboratories supported largely for government purposes in contributing to the semiconductor technology base of the Nation, as well as to access the effective use of the resources of United States private industry, United States universities, and private-public research and development efforts; and

(E) provide results and recommendations to agencies of the Federal Government involved in legislative, policymaking, administrative, management, planning, and technology activities that affect or are part of a national semiconductor strategy, and to the industry and other nongovernmental groups or organizations affected by or contributing to that strategy.

(2) In fulfilling this responsibility, the Committee shall—

(A) monitor the competitiveness of the United States semiconductor technology base;

(B) determine technical areas where United States semiconductor technology is deficient relative to international competition;

(C) identify new or emerging semiconductor technologies that will impact the national defense or United States competitiveness or both;

(D) develop research and development strategies, tactics, and plans whose execution will assure United States semiconductor competitiveness; and

(E) recommend appropriate actions that support the national semiconductor strategy.

(e) Membership and procedures

(1)(A) The Committee shall be composed of 13 members, 7 of whom shall constitute a quorum.

(B) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science Foundation, or their designees, shall serve as members of the Committee.

(C) The President, acting through the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall appoint, as additional members of the Committee, 4 members from outside the Federal Government who are eminent in the semiconductor industry, and 4 members from outside the Federal Government who are eminent in the fields of technology, defense, and economic development.

(D) One of the members appointed under subparagraph (C), as designated by the President at the time of appointment, shall be chairman of the Committee.

(2) Funding and administrative support for the Committee shall be provided to the Office of Science and Technology Policy through an arrangement with an appropriate agency or organization designated by the Committee, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding entered into between them.

(3) Members of the Committee, other than full-time employees of the Federal Government, while attending meetings of the Committee or otherwise performing duties at the request of the Chairman while away from their homes or regular places of business, shall be allowed travel expenses in accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5.

(4) The Chairman shall call the first meeting of the Committee not later than 90 days after August 23, 1988.

(5) At the close of each fiscal year the Committee shall submit to the President and the Congress a report on its activities conducted during such year and its planned activities for the coming year, including specific findings and recommendations with respect to the national semiconductor strategy devised and promulgated under subsection (b)(2)(B) of this section. The first report shall include an analysis of those technical areas, including manufacturing, which are of importance to the United States semiconductor industry, and shall make specific recommendations regarding the appropriate Federal role in correcting any deficiencies identified by the analysis. Each report shall include an estimate of the length of time the Committee must continue before the achievement of its purposes and the issuance of its final report.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this section such sums as may be necessary for the fiscal years 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.