Hon. EMILIO Q. DADDARIO, MELLON INSTITUTE, Pittsburgh, Pa., June 27, 1966. Chairman, Subcommittee on Science, Research and Development, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. DADDARIO: On the basis of my understanding of the purpose of H.R. 15638, I am in favor of this bill. It seems to me that it will serve as the instrument enabling the Office of Standard Reference Data to proceed with its program in the most effective manner. Sincerely yours, 162 PAUL C. CROSS, President. Mr. PHILIP B. YEAGER, AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, Counsel, Committee on Science and Astronautics, Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. YEAGER: Thank you for your letter of July 5, 1966 inviting the Amer ican Petroleum Institute to comment on H.R. 15638. After consultation with industry and staff representatives we have concentrated our comments on two points. Our first comment is with regard to Sec. 4 which requires the Secretary to consult with other interested Federal agencies before prescribing and publishing the standards, criteria, and procedures for the preparation and publication of Standard Reference Data. We believe this consultation should be expanded to include representatives of the State and local governments, persons, firms, institutions, and associations which are covered in Sec. 3. Our experience has shown that the best design of Standard Reference Data is performed by the prospective users and not by the compilers alone. The advice of those who will be utilizing the output of this program is necessary in order to insure greater acceptability. Our second comment is an objection to Sec. 7(b). We believe that this section violates the intent of the proposed act. The first section states that it is the policy of the Congress to make reference data readily available. However, Sec. 7(b) which requires written authorization prior to copying any data compilation is antithetical to the concept of making the data available for general use. endorse the free exchange of standard data and can see no reason to restrain the use of the information by requiring an authorization prior to making a copy of any data compilation. We suggest that Sec. 7(b) be deleted. Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on this bill. Sincerely, We FRANK N. IKARD, President. 163 THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Hon. WESTON E. VIVIAN, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. VIVIAN: Thank you for sending an analysis and copy of H.R. 15638. Your good distribution of the bill should bring some meaningful response on the merits or weaknesses of the bill. From a discussion of the measure with some of our staff members at the School of Dentistry, I am able to draw the following conclusions as a consensus of their thinking: (1) The bill, if enacted, would provide a program of some merit for many people, especially those connected with private industry where an extensive library is not readily available; and (2) Such a reference system would be somewhat less important to a facility such as the School of Dentistry due to expertness of our professional staff and the current availability of reference data in our own library. As a general observation of the bill, close attention should be given the proposed program as to the degree of selection that would be made on data taken from the literature. Also, determination of the data's accuracy should be complete enough to make the data useful to all levels of scientific investigation. Some analysis should be made as to what such reference data might cost an Institution such as The University of Michigan where several different schools might be ordering data. Finally, I would urge that if a Standard Reference Data System becomes a reality, every effort should be made to include data from research and investigation done in private and public facilities in addition to that data gathered from federal agencies. Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to comment on H.R. 15638. Sincerely yours, WILLIAM R. MANN, Dean. 164 Hon. EMILIO Q. DADDARIO, AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS, Chairman, Subcommittee on Science Research and Development, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. The DEAR MR. DADDARIO: The chairman and some of the members of our Special Committee on Numerical Reference Data as well as other members of our Society have carefully reviewed HR 15638 which you sent to me for comment. following are our comments on both the concept of a national data system and the method of carrying out the concept which is proposed in HR 15638. The scientific and engineering community has great need for readily available and reliable data on the properties of materials, and the American Society for Testing and Materials heartily approves a congressional policy of providing or arranging for the collection, compilation, critical evaluation, publication, and dissemination of Standard Reference Data. There should be a long-range program which receives financial support on a continuing basis. In our opinion, H.R. 15638 is in general a good implementation of this desirable policy. However, there are two provisions of this bill that should be given serious consideration, because they should be made consistent with policies in much larger fields than that covered by the bill. First, the sections of the bill establishing a trademark for these data publications should be consistent with policies which will be adopted as a result of the investigations which are now in progress by the legislative and judicial branches of the government. Second, the pricing policy proposed in this bill seems businesslike and very desirable, but it should be consistent with pricing policies for all similar publications published by technical, scientific and professional groups and should reflect not only the direct costs of printing and binding but the cost of collection, compilation, evaluation, publication or dissemination of such data, including indirect administrative expenses. This would reduce the cost to government. We believe every effort should be made to make publication as nearly self supporting as practicable. We believe the important role of government is in stimulating and supporting the collection of such data for the general benefit. We appreciate your inviting us to comment on this most important bill. If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to call on us. Sincerely yours, T. A. MARSHALL, Jr., Executive Secretary. 165 MOBIL OIL CORP., Princeton, N.J., June 30, 1966. Hon. EMILIO Q. DADDARIO, SIR: Thank you for your letter of June 20, 1966, giving me an opportunity to comment on H.R. 15638, an Administration bill to provide for the collection, compilation, critical evaluation, publication, and sale of Standard Reference Data. I have been familiar with the Standard Reference Data program of the National Bureau of Standards since its inception, and I was convinced of the need for such a program long before it actually developed. It is gratifying to see that the intent of H.R. 15638 clearly is to provide the support and implementation that the Standard Reference Data program has lacked heretofore. Therefore, I am writing, as an individual, in support of that bill. Numerical data on the physical and chemical properties of substances are among the indispensible tools of the scientist and engineer, whether he be concerned with fundamental research that extends the boundaries of scientific knowledge, with applied ressearch and development of new products and processes, or with design, construction, and operation of commercial plants. However, every practicing scientist and engineer is continually faced with the problems not only of locating needed data in the voluminous technical literature, but also of evaluating the quality of whatever data he may be successful in finding. The Standard Reference Data program of NBS is a well planned approach to solving these problems by providing a mechanism for systematic collection of numerical data now available in the literature, critical evaluation of such data by experts, and wide dissemination of critically evaluated data in a form easy to locate and use. Such a program can be of immense value in all scientific and technological activities within this Nation, and it is clearly appropriate that the Federal Government support and lead this much needed undertaking. I have no comments of substance on the language and provisions of H.R. 15638 itself. However, I note that the statement of purpose and analysis documents attached to your letter do not stress adequately the importance of participation by nongovernmenal organizations, which is provided for in Section 3 of the bill. I am sure that this program cannot be conducted efficiently and economically without the cooperation of the many other organizations that already are interested and active in this field. For example, the American Petroleum Institute Research Project 44 now prepares and publishes tables on "Selected Values of Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Hydrocarbons and Related Substances," which I consider to be a prime example of "Standard Reference Data." I also suggest that the Subcommittee consider and take recognition of the fact that cooperation with similar undertakings in other countries of the world is both desirable and necessary. I believe that officials of the National Bureau of Standards agree with this point of view about the need for broad national and international cooperation, so perhaps H.R. 15638 should more forcefully endorse such cooperation. It is a pleasure to recommend favorable consideration of H.R. 15638 by your Subcommittee on Science, Research and Development and by the Committee on Science and Astronautics. Very truly yours, JOHN P. McCULLOUGH. |