High-Performance Computing Act of 1991

High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 - Title I: High-Performance Computing and the National Research and Education Network - Directs the President to implement the National High-Performance Computing Program. Sets forth Program requirements, including: (1) setting goals and priorities for Federal high-performance computing research, development, and networking; (2) providing for interagency coordination; (3) providing for oversight of the operation and evolution of the National Research and Education Network provided for in this Act; (4) improving software; (5) acceleration of high-performance computer system development; (6) technical support and research and development of software and hardware needed to address fundamental problems in science and engineering (Grand Challenges); (7) educating undergraduate and graduate students; and (8) providing for security. Establishes an advisory committee on high-performance computing. Requires identifying Program elements in the annual budget requests for each Federal agency and department participating in the Program. Requires participating agencies to support the establishment of the National Research and Education Network, to link research and educational institutions, government, and industry in every State. Sets forth Network requirements, including: (1) fostering and maintaining competition and private sector investment in high-speed data networking within the telecommunications industry; (2) promoting the development of commercial data communications and telecommunications standards; (3) providing security, including protecting intellectual property rights; (4) developing accounting mechanisms allowing users to be charged for the use of copyrighted materials; and (5) purchasing standard commercial transmission and network services from vendors whenever feasible. Requires the Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to support research and development of advanced fiber optics technology, switches, and protocols for the Network. Requires the Director to coordinate agency and department activities to promote the development of information services that could be provided over the Network. Authorizes all Federal agencies and departments to allow Federal research grant recipients to use grant monies to pay for computer networking expenses. Mandates a report to the Congress on Network funding, including user fees, industry support, and Federal investment. Title II: Agency Activities - Requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to: (1) provide computing and networking infrastructure support for all science and engineering disciplines and support basic research and human resource development in high-performance computing and advanced high-speed computer networking; (2) have primary responsibility for assisting colleges, universities, and libraries to connect to the Network, to the extent that they cannot do so with the help of the private sector; (3) serve as the primary source of information on access to and use of the Network; and (4) upgrade the NSF funded network, assist regional networks to upgrade, and provide Federal departments and agencies the opportunity to connect to the NSF funded network. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance computing, particularly in computational science, with emphasis on aerospace sciences, earth and space sciences, and remote exploration and experimentation. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) perform research and development on and evaluation of high-performance computing and communications systems; (2) conduct computational research with emphasis on energy applications; (3) support basic research, education, and human resources in computational science; (4) provide for networking infrastructure support for energy-related mission activities; and (5) establish High-Performance Computing Research and Development Collaborative Consortia. Sets forth requirements for the Consortia. Authorizes appropriations. Requires NIST to: (1) conduct basic and applied measurement research to support high-performance computing systems and networks; (2) develop standards, guidelines, measurement techniques, and test methods for interoperability of high-performance computers in networks and common user interfaces to systems; and (3) develop benchmark tests and standards for high-performance computers and software. Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct basic and applied research in weather prediction and ocean sciences. Makes NIST responsible for developing and proposing standards and guidelines for the cost-effective security and privacy of sensitive information in Federal computer systems. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study regarding Federal procurement regulations and software development. Authorizes appropriations for NIST and NOAA. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct basic and applied research on computational techniques and software tools which form the core of ecosystem, atmospheric chemistry, and atmospheric dynamics models. Authorizes appropriations from sums otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the EPA. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to conduct basic and applied research in computational research. Authorizes appropriations from sums otherwise authorized to be appropriated. Declares that, except to the extent the appropriate Federal agency or department head determines applicable, the provisions of this Act shall not apply to computer systems that process classified information or are used in connection with certain defense purposes. Allows participating Federal agencies and departments, in accordance with Federal contracting law, to require prototype and early production models of new high-performance computing systems to stimulate hardware and software development. Mandates a report to the Congress: (1) annually on any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or cooperative research and development agreement under the Program involving foreign entities or foreign procurement; and (2) on the revised "Procedures to Introduce Supercomputers" and the accompanying letters between the United States and Japan, commonly referred to as the "Supercomputer Agreement."

High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 - Amends the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to direct the President, through the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (Council), to develop and implement a National High-Performance Computing 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 computing program. Requires that the Plan be accompanied by a summary and analysis of progress toward Plan goals and recommendations for assisting legislation. Describes required plan contents, including funding requirements, roles for various Federal agencies, and establishment of a national multi-gigabits-per-second computer network (to be known as the National Research and Education Network (Network)). Requires the Plan to take into consideration the activities of the Library of Congress. Designates the Council as the lead entity responsible for development and implementation of the Plan, directing it to coordinate related activities among Federal agencies and departments and review budget estimates. Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish an advisory committee on high-performance computing to provide the Council with an assessment of the plan. Directs each Federal entity involved in high-performance computing to submit, as part of its annual budget request, a report on the role of its activities with regard to the plan and relevant budget requests. Requires specified agencies to provide for the establishment of the Network by 1996 to link research and educational institutions, government, and industry in every State. Designates the National Science Foundation as lead agency for coordinating Federal agencies contributing to the deployment of the Network. Requires: (1) as much as possible, Network operating facilities to be procured on a competitive basis from private industry; (2) Federal agencies to promote research and development leading to deployment of commercial data communications and telecommunications standards; and (3) the Network to be phased into commercial operation as commercial networks can meet the networking needs of American researchers and educators. Requires that the Network provide access to electronic resources maintained by libraries, research facilities, publishers, and affiliated organizations. Designates the Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), as the lead agency for research and development of advanced fiber optics technology, switches, and protocols needed to develop the Network. Directs the Council to carry out certain functions, including: (1) developing goals and strategies; (2) identifying the roles of Federal agencies and departments; and (3) overseeing the Network's operation and evolution. Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and DARPA to adopt a common set of standards and guidelines to provide interoperability, common user interfaces, and enhanced security for the Network. Authorizes Federal departments and agencies to allow Federal research grant recipients to use grant moneys to pay for computer networking. Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the Council, to report to the Congress on specified matters, including: (1) funding mechanisms for the Network, including user fees, industry support, and continued Federal investment; (2) a plan for the eventual commercialization of the Network; (3) charging commercial information service providers for Network access; (4) charging Network users for commercial services; (5) the technological feasibility of allowing commercial services to use the Network and other federally-funded networks; (6) copyright protection; and (7) resource security and user privacy. Requires the NSF to: (1) expand its traditional role in supporting basic research in universities and colleges and in training scientists and engineers; and (2) provide funding to enable researchers to access supercomputers. Sets forth other responsibilities of the NSF, including promoting development of information services that could be provided over the Network. Authorizes appropriations to the NSF for the purposes of this Act. Requires the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to continue to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance computing, with specified emphases. Authorizes appropriations to NASA for the purposes of this Act. Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to: (1) adopt standards and guidelines, and develop measurement techniques and test methods, for the interoperability of high-performance computers in networks and for common user interfaces to systems; and (2) develop benchmark tests and standards for high performance computers and software. Authorizes appropriations to NIST for the purposes of this Act. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study regarding the impact of Federal procurement regulations which require that contractors providing software to the Federal Government share the rights to proprietary software development tools that the contractors used to develop the software. Declares that this Act does not apply to computer systems that process classified information or are used in connection with certain defense purposes. Requires, where appropriate and in accordance with Federal contracting law, Federal agencies and departments to procure prototype or early production models of new high-performance computer systems and subsystems to stimulate hardware and software development.

High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 - Declares that this Act does not apply to computer systems that process classified information or are used in connection with certain defense purposes. Allows Federal agencies and departments to procure prototype or early production models of new high-performance computer systems and subsystems to stimulate hardware and software development. Amends the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to direct the President, through the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (Council), to develop and implement a National High-Performance Computing Plan, to be submitted to the Congress within one year of this Act'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 computing program. Describes required plan contents, including funding requirements, roles for various Federal agencies, and establishment of a national multi-gigabits-per-second computer network (to be known as the National Research and Education Network (Network). Requires the Plan to take into consideration the activities of the Library of Congress. Designates the Council as the lead entity responsible for development and implementation of the plan, directing it to coordinate related activities among Federal agencies and departments and review budget estimates. Directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish a High-Performance Computing Advisory Panel to provide the Council with an assessment of the plan. Directs each Federal entity involved in high-performance computing to submit, as part of its annual budget request, a report on the role of its activities with regard to the plan and relevant budget requests. Instructs the Chairman of the Council to submit to the President and to the Congress, by March 1 annually, a report on plan achievements and progress. Requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide for the establishment of the Network by 1996 to link government, industry, and the education community. Designates the Department of Defense, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as the lead agency for research and development of advanced fiber optics technology, switches, and protocols needed to develop the Network. Gives to the NSF, within the Federal Government, the primary responsibility for connecting colleges, universities, and libraries to the Network. Directs the Council to carry out certain functions, including: (1) developing goals and strategies; (2) identifying the roles of Federal agencies and departments; and (3) overseeing the Network's operation and evolution. Requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to adopt standards and guidelines to provide interoperability, common user interfaces, and enhanced security for the Network. Authorizes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency to allow Federal research grant recipients to use grant funds to pay for computer networking. Requires the Director of the OSTP to report to the Congress on specified matters, including: (1) funding mechanisms for the Network, including user fees, industry support, and continued Federal investment; (2) a plan for the eventual commercialization of the Network; (3) charging commercial information service providers for Network access; (4) charging Network users for commercial services; (5) the technological feasibility of allowing commercial services to use the Network and other federally-funded networks; (6) copyright protection; and (7) resource security and user privacy. Requires the NSF to provide funding to enable researchers to access supercomputers. Sets forth other responsibilities of the NSF, including promoting development of information services that could be provided over the Network. Authorizes appropriations to the NSF for the purposes of this Act. Requires the NASA to continue to conduct basic and applied research in high-performance computing, with specified emphases. Authorizes appropriations to NASA for the purposes of this Act. Requires the NIST to: (1) adopt standards and guidelines, and develop measurement techniques and test methods, for the interoperability of high-performance computers in networks and for common user interfaces to systems; and (2) develop benchmark tests and standards for high performance computers and software. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study regarding the impact of Federal procurement regulations which require that contractors providing software to the Federal Government share the rights to proprietary software development tools that the contractors used to develop the software.