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The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress, and was published on Oct 19, 1988.
National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of 1988 - Title I: National High-Performance Computer Technology Plan - Directs the President, through the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to develop and implement a National High-Performance Computer Technology Plan, to be submitted to the Congress within one year of this title's enactment and revised at least biennially. Requires the plan to recommend a five-year proposal of goals and priorities for a Federal high-performance computer technology program. Describes required plan contents, including funding requirements and suggested roles for various Federal agencies. Designates the National Research Council as the lead entity in connection with the plan, directing it to coordinate related activities among the agencies, review budget estimates, and work with both researchers and potential users of the research. Suggests responsibilities appropriate to specified Federal agencies. Directs each Federal entity involved in high-performance computing to submit, as part of its annual request budget, a report to the Office of Management and Budget on the role of its activities with regard to the plan and relevant budget requests. Instructs the Chairman of the National Research Council to submit to the President and to the Congress, by January 31 annually, a report on plan achievements and progress. Title II: National Research Computer Network - Directs the National Science Foundation to: (1) work for the development of a three gigabit per second national research computer network to link government, industry, and education communities to; (2) convene a committee to advise on network user needs; and (3) determine the most efficient mechanism for assuring operating funds for the long-term maintenance and use of such a network. Directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to determine the effect of current telecommunications regulations on private industry participation in the data transmission field and to report its findings to the Congress within one year of this Act's enactment. Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) to develop common standards for network activities to provide interoperability, enhanced security, and common user interfaces to systems. Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations. Title III: National Information Infrastructure - Calls upon the Office of Science and Technology Policy to direct the development of an information infrastructure of services, data bases, and knowledge banks accessible through the research computer network. Title IV: Software - Part A - Establishes the National Software Corporation within the executive branch. Describes Corporation duties, including: (1) developing corporation participation criteria for the selection of high-quality computer software for high-performance computing; (2) securing investment capital for projects; and (3) investing in projects for the development of such software. Sets forth criteria to govern Corporation investments, prohibiting any investment unless the board of directors determines that a reasonable, good faith effort has been made to secure investment by a financial institution, but that the effort was unsuccessful. Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations. Part B - Establishes a clearinghouse to validate and distribute unclassified federally-funded software and other software in the public domain. Part C - Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop standards for software programs purchased by the Federal Government. Part D - Directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to oversee the cooperative efforts of Federal entities in the research and development of high-performance computer software. Part E - Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations for software development. Title V: Artificial Intelligence - Allocates at least ten percent of the funds authorized for high-performance computer software under title IV to artificial intelligence research and development and applications. Calls for the estabishment, in cooperation with industry, of ten regional university demonstration programs, administered through the National Science Foundation, to increase the development and use of artificial intelligence applications. Title VI: Hardware - Directs: (1) the National Science Foundation to continue its funding of a national supercomputer centers program to provide researchers access to supercomputers; (2) Federal agencies to procure prototype or early production models of new high-performance computers; (3) the Department of Commerce to review export controls that hinder American manufacturers of supercomputers and other high-performance computer technology in foreign markets; and (4) the Federal Government to invest in research and development programs to develop high-performance computer technology. Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations for such programs. Title VII: Research and Development and Education - Directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to work with appropriate agencies to create technology transfer mechanisms for making research results readily available to American industry. Authorizes FY 1990 through 1994 appropriations to the National Science Foundation for education in high-performance computer technology.
