Federal labs encouraged to share information

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed a measure Wednesday aimed at encouraging Energy Department laboratories to develop networks for exchanging information with universities, businesses and other government agencies.

The National Laboratories Partnership Improvement Act (S.1756) would set up a three-year, $30 million pilot program under which the Secretary of Energy would establish "technology clusters" of private sector partners around 10 national laboratories.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., sponsored the amendment in the nature of a substitute that would require private sector partners to provide at least 50 percent of the costs of each project.

The committee passed the measure by unanimous consent en bloc with 36 other bills.