Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Founder and Co-chairman        
Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Co-chairman

Special Edition - July 2007

"Modeling and Simulation Week" Wraps Up on Capitol Hill

The Modeling and Simulation industry saw exciting successes on Capitol Hill this week as the House passed legislation impacting the M&S industry , and hundreds of participants attended the largest M&S event in our nation’s capital. This special edition of the Modeling and Simulation Caucus Newsletter will wrap up this important week for the M&S industry.

M&S Legislation Passes the House

The House of Representatives on Monday passed unanimously H. Res. 487, legislation declaring modeling and simulation a national critical technology that provides unparalleled advancements in American competitiveness, develops new and innovative ways to protect our homeland and our war fighters, and brings high-tech jobs and economic prosperity to our communities.

The passage of  H. Res. 487:

* Formally honors the contribution of M&S technology to the security and prosperity of the United States;
* Recognizes M&S as a National Critical Technology;
* Acknowledges the significant impacts of M&S on a breadth of fields including defense, space, national disaster response, medicine, transportation and construction; 
* Urges Congress to continue to place emphasis on math and science as key disciplines in elementary and secondary education, and encourages the expansion of modeling and simulation within higher education; and,
* Affirms the need to study the national economic impact of this important industry.
 

Click here to watch remarks by  Rep. Tom Feeney, one of the legislation's cosponsors,

as he recognizes the contributions of Modeling and Simulation technology

on the House Floor.

Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04), Chairman of the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus, introduced H. Res. 487 last month as bipartisan legislation to formally recognize the contribution of modeling and simulation (M&S) on our nation’s economic prosperity and national security. Eight Members of the M&S Caucus, Congresspersons Mike Conaway (TX-11), Jo Ann Davis (VA-01), Tom Davis (VA-11), Thelma Drake (VA-02), Tom Feeney (FL-24), Ric Keller (FL-08), Solomon Ortiz (TX-27), Heather Wilson (NM-01), and Bobby Scott (VA-03) have joined as original cosponsors of this legislation.

Today the scope and influence of M&S reaches well beyond the defense industry. Modeling and simulation has been responsible for the progressive developments in health care, homeland security, construction and transportation. Members of the M&S community come from diverse backgrounds such as psychology, medicine, computer science, mathematics, engineering and physics. Many of the technologies are universally applicable and may be used in multiple fields, including visualization tools, analytical tools, knowledge management and behavioral representations. In addition, M&S provides lower-cost opportunities for joint training and development of operational plans and assessments in dangerous situations, such as warfighting or national disasters. H. Res. 487 was referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology, and on June 22nd, was reported out of Committee by voice vote.

Second Annual Modeling and Simulation Expo a Success

The Second Annual M&S Capitol Hill Exhibition, held on Thursday, July 19, concluded an exciting week for the Modeling and Simulation industry. Hundreds of participants came to the expo to see nearly 30 exhibitors from a myriad of industries showcasing M&S applications and allowing  decision-makers in Washington to experience hands-on the ability and potential of M&S. The expo was hosted by the Congressional Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Caucus in conjunction with the event sponsor, the National Training and Simulation Association.

The second annual exhibition included demonstrations from the medical, defense and engineering fields. Participants were able to try their hand at firing a machine gun, evacuating a major city from an impending hurricane, piloting a fighter plane, designing their own sky-scraper, and performing hands-on surgery. The following photos are scenes from the Second Annual M&S Expo.

To view more photos from the expo, click here.

Modeling & Simulation e-newsletter

Join the Modeling and Simulation Caucus email newsletter list by signing up online at http://randyforbes.house.gov/mscaucus. In addition, you can stay informed by reading past issues online.