15 U.S.C. § 4603 — Semiconductor Technology Council

(a) Establishment

The Semiconductor Technology Council^* is established. The term “Sematech^*” appears in this section, but this section does not define it.

(b) Purposes and functions

(1) The Council’s purposes are:

(A) To connect the semiconductor industry’s assessment of future market and national security needs with opportunities to develop technology through cooperative public and private investment.

(B) To look for ways to respond to semiconductor technology challenges by encouraging cooperation before competition among industry, the Federal Government, and colleges and universities.

(C) To provide judgments, assessments, insights, and recommendations about opportunities for new research and development and about how industry and government contributions to semiconductor research and development could be better organized and aligned.

(2) The Council^* must perform these functions:

(A) Advise Sematech and the Secretary of Defense about suitable technology goals and the suitable level of effort for Sematech’s research and development activities.

(B) Review emerging markets, technology developments, and basic technology challenges for semiconductor research and development and manufacturing. It must explore opportunities for better coordination among industry, the Federal Government, and colleges and universities concerning those developments and challenges.

(C) Assess how international agreements in semiconductor research and development affect Sematech’s appropriate role.

(D) Exchange views about the competitiveness of United States semiconductor technology and about new or emerging semiconductor technologies that could affect national economic or security interests.

(E) Exchange and update information, and identify overlaps and gaps, concerning the semiconductor research and development efforts of industry, the Federal Government, and colleges and universities.

(F) Assess technological progress against industry and Federal Government requirements. As appropriate, it must respond to challenges in the national semiconductor technology roadmap developed by representatives of industry, the Federal Government, and colleges and universities.

(G) Make recommendations about semiconductor technology development efforts that Federal agencies and industry should support.

(H) Appoint subgroups as appropriate to update the semiconductor technology roadmap.

(I) Publish and submit to Congress an annual report by March 31 of each year. The report must address semiconductor technology challenges and developments for industry, government, and colleges and universities, and the relationship among the challenges and developments for each. It must also evaluate Sematech’s role.

(c) Membership

The Council must have 16 members:

(1) The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, who is one Cochairman of the Council.

(2) The Under Secretary of Energy responsible for science and technology matters.

(3) The Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology.

(4) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

(5) The Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.

(6) The Director of the National Science Foundation.

(7) Ten members appointed by the President:

(A) Four people who are eminent in the semiconductor device industry. One of them is the other Cochairman of the Council.

(B) Two people who are eminent in the semiconductor equipment and materials industry.

(C) Three people who are eminent in the semiconductor user industry, including representatives of the telecommunications and computer industries.

(D) One person who is eminent in an academic institution.

(d) Terms of membership

Each member appointed under subsection (c)(7) serves for three years. However, among the first members appointed, two serve for one year, five serve for two years, and three serve for three years, as the President designates when making the appointments. A Council member may continue serving after the member’s term ends until a successor takes office.

(e) Vacancies

A vacancy does not affect the Council’s powers. A vacancy involving a member appointed under subsection (c)(7) must be filled in the same way as the original appointment. A person appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term serves only for the rest of that term.

(f) Quorum

Eleven Council members make up a quorum.

(g) Meetings

The Council must meet when a Cochairman calls a meeting.

(h) Compensation

(1) Council members serve without pay.

(2) When members are away from home or their regular places of business performing Council duties, they may receive travel expenses, including a daily allowance instead of subsistence, at the rates authorized for employees of agencies under sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5.

(i) Chapter 10 of title 5

Section 1013 of title 5 does not apply to the Council.

(j) Support for Council

As needed to accomplish the Council’s purposes, the Council must use Federal funds made available to Sematech for general and administrative support.