Richard Shelby

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I understand Senator Allen has had a long- time interest in this issue and appreciate the point he is making with regard to the benefit of aeronautics research and development to our national defense and our economy.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I would be happy to do so.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues from Colorado and Maryland and recognize the importance of their interest in funding science education. I share their interest in supporting education funding at NSF and will work to find opportunities for science education funding during conference.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the managers' amendments I now send to the desk be considered and agreed to en bloc. These amendments have been cleared on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 15. I further ask unanimous consent that following the prayer and the pledge the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 2862, the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, on behalf of the leader, and as manager of the bill, I announce to my colleagues that we are very close to completing action on the bill. Earlier, we had hoped to finish this evening but we were working on just a few remaining issues. Tomorrow, we will resume consideration of the bill shortly after 9:30 a.m. At that time, we hope to clear several of the remaining amendments. That will then allow us to proceed to votes on those few amendments which require votes. It is the expectation of the leader that we will begin voting around 10:45 or 11 tomorrow morning. We should continue voting until we proceed to final passage. Again, I thank my colleagues for their cooperation on the bill today, and I look forward to completion of the bill at an early hour tomorrow.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to H. Con. Res. 67.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 238, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the managers' amendments, which I now send to the desk, be considered and agreed to en bloc. These noncontroversial amendments have been cleared on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. SHELBY. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SHELBY. I call for the regular order with respect to the Coburn amendment No. 1648.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask for the regular order with respect to the Clinton amendment No. 1660.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I oppose this amendment. This amendment would terminate funding for the Advanced Technology Program, what we call ATP. ATP is unique among Federal research programs. Most Federal research is focused on advancing scientific knowledge. However, there is a very long road from scientific discovery in a university lab to the commercialization of that product. 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. Some have said the idea that we are in a global technology race is outdated. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether it is semiconductors in China and Taiwan or nanotechnology in Europe, our global competitors are investing heavily in programs to beat us to the marketplace. Surely we can afford the $140 million investment included in this bill to stay competitive. The Advanced Technology Program projects have succeeded in a wide range of fields. They are already delivering cheaper, better bone marrow transplants, mammograms, and cartilage repair. They are enabling companies to make biodegradable plastic from corn, improving manufacturing, and powering longer lasting lightweight fuel cells. Moreover, this program has helped small businesses. More than 75 percent of all ATP projects include a small business. Sixty-six percent of ATP projects are led by or involve only a small business. Of the single-applicant awards, 78 percent have gone to small businesses and 11 percent have gone to medium-sized businesses and nonprofits. By contrast, only 11 percent of solo awards have gone to large businesses. In a more extensive and comprehensive review, the National Academy of Sciences found ATP to be an effective Federal partnership that they said ``could use more funding effectively and efficiently.'' Measurement and evaluation have been part of the ATP program since its inception. The most recent ATP annual report showed the program has generated $17 billion in economic benefits from 41 of its 736 completed projects. In short, this program works. After all, the Council on Competitiveness's National Innovation Initiative report noted that ``innovation will be the single most important factor in determining America's success through the 21st Century.'' If we adopt the amendment offered by my friend from Oklahoma, Senator Coburn, we would cut off a program which has as its sole purpose investing in American innovation. This program has the support of the Senate. On March 17 of this year, the Senate voted 53 to 46 in favor of a sense-of-the-Senate amendment to the budget resolution stating: It is the sense of the Senate that the Senate Committee on Appropriations should make every effort to provide funding for the Advanced Technology Program in fiscal year 2006. That is exactly what we are doing. This bill funds technology initiatives which fuel our economy. The program works. In this austere budget environment, there is no room for programs that do not work. We do not have that luxury. I oppose the termination of the Advanced Technology Program. I move to table the Coburn amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask for the regular order with respect to amendment 1670.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I raise a point of order that the amendment violates rule XVI.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the vote on the motion to suspend the rules occur at 12:30 today and that no amendments be in order to the amendment prior to the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I take a minute and commend the Senator from Arkansas, Senator Pryor, for his leadership and for reaching out to the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Domenici, and Senator Mikulski and Senator Talent, and so many others. This is a bipartisan approach. Senator Pryor is the leader. Nobody likes gouging. Gasoline is too high. We want the markets to work. If market forces work, there won't be gouging. It will be an orderly movement of supply and demand--if the demand is too high, the prices will go up, but not like that, not like I have seen it at the pump, as we have seen coast to coast. The American people fear there is gouging going on. Senator Pryor should be commended for pursuing this issue. We hope the Federal Trade Commission will do its work. I support the amendment.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1652, Withdrawn

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 221 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.