Tom Carper on Technology

	Tom Carper on Technology Democratic Sr Senator (DE)

America's Water Infrastructure Act :good for entire nation

America's Water Infrastructure Act Is Good for the Entire Nation:

U.S. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. He spoke on the Senate floor on the need to pass America's Water Infrastructure Act. Barrasso said that President Trump has called on Congress to take up major infrastructure legislation.

Last week, both Barrasso and EPW Committee Ranking Member Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware, announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the comprehensive water infrastructure legislation with the leadership from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bill is the most sweeping infrastructure package to be considered this Congress. It grows the economy, keeps communities safe, cuts red tape and lowers the deficit.

Source: Sheridan (WY) Media on 2018 Delaware Senate race , Sep 19, 2018

Supports a tax-free Internet

Carper today announced his support for a new version of the Internet Tax Freedom Act authored by Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA). Carper said, "I am pleased to express my support for a proposal that is consistent with the principles agreed to by the nation's governors."

A three-year moratorium on all Internet access taxes, on-line service taxes, bit taxes, bandwidth taxes, multiple and discriminatory taxes;
Creation of a commission -- comprised of federal, state and local leaders, and representatives from the Internet industry -- to draft legislative language; and

Greater uniformity for remote commerce, including a single sales and use tax rate per state, as well as simplified definitions and procedures for the administration and collection of sales taxes. States that meet these requirements could force remote vendors to remit that state's sales tax on goods purchased over the Internet or through the mail. Source: Press Release, "Internet Tax Freedom Act" , Mar 19, 1998

Chief information officer to digitize federal government.

Carper adopted the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":

Performance-Based Government
The strong anti-government sentiments of the early 1990s have subsided, but most Americans still think government is too bureaucratic, too centralized, and too inefficient.

In Washington and around the country, a second round of “reinventing government” initiatives should be launched to transform public agencies into performance-based organizations focused on bottom-line results. Many public services can be delivered on a competitive basis among public and private entities with accountability for results. Public-private partnerships should become the rule, not the exception, in delivering services. Civic and voluntary groups, including faith-based organizations, should play a larger role in addressing America’s social problems.

When the federal government provides grants to states and localities to perform public services, it should give the broadest possible administrative flexibility while demanding and rewarding specific results. Government information and services at every level should be thoroughly “digitized,” enabling citizens to conduct business with public agencies online.

Goals for 2010

Require public agencies to measure results and publish information on performance.
Consolidate narrow federal-state grants into broad performance-based grants that offer greater flexibility in return for greater accountability for results.
Make it possible for citizens to conduct all business with government online.
Create a chief information officer to drive the digitization of the federal government.

Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC8 on Aug 1, 2000

Fund nanomaterial research project for car batteries.

Carper co-sponsored funding nanomaterial research project for car batteries

A bill to promote the future of the American automobile industry, and for other purposes.

To enable and promote, in partnership with industry, comprehensive development, demonstration, and commercialization of a wide range of electric drive components, systems, and vehicles using diverse electric drive transportation technologies;
to make critical public investments to help private industry, institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and research institutions to expand innovation, industrial growth, and jobs in the United States;
to accelerate the widespread commercialization of all types of electric drive vehicle technology into all sizes and applications of vehicles, including commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid fuel cell vehicles; and
to improve the energy efficiency of and reduce the petroleum use in transportation.

high-capacity, high-efficiency batteries;
control system development and power train development and integration for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid fuel cell vehicles, and engine dominant hybrid electric vehicles;
nanomaterial technology applied to both battery and fuel cell systems;
large-scale demonstrations, testing, and evaluation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in different applications with different batteries and control systems, including military applications; mass market passenger and light-duty truck applications; private fleet applications; and medium- and heavy-duty applications.

Source: American Automobile Industry Promotion Act (S.1055/H.R.1915) 07-S1055 on Mar 29, 2007

Website for competitive federal awards.

Carper co-sponsored website for competitive federal awards

A bill to strengthen transparency and accountability in Federal spending.

Improving application programming interface and website data elements.
Recipient performance transparency. [For federal awards, show on internet...]
a unique award identifier that identifies each individual award vehicle;
the date that the financial award was made;
the agency and department as well as subagencies and suboffices that have authorized the Federal award;
in negotiated procurements, the highest, lowest, and median offered price among all technically acceptable proposals or bids.
For all contracts after 2010, [show on internet...]
both a copy in a format that reproduces the original image of each page and a copy in searchable text format of the request for proposals, the announcement of the award, the contract, and the scope of work to be performed;
information about the extent of competition in making the award, including the number of qualified bids or proposals during the competitive process, and if the award was not competed, the legal authority and specific rationale for making the award without full and open competition;
PRESENTATION OF DATA- The website shall present information about Federal awards providing search results for novices displayed in summary form; and
providing more detailed information for more sophisticated users
Performance Transparency- performance of individual contractors and recipients of financial assistance starting with awards given in fiscal year 2008 including an assessment of the quality of work performed on Federal awards during the past 5 years; and information about Federal audit disputes and resolutions.

Source: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability Act (S.3077) 2008-S3077 on Jun 3, 2008