National Superconductivity and Competitiveness Act of 1988

National Superconductivity and Competitiveness Act of 1987 - Directs the President, working through the National Critical Materials Council (NCMC), to establish a five-year National Federal Program on Superconductivity Research and Development (the Superconductivity Program). Sets forth the content and scope of such Program. Requires a Program plan to be presented to specified congressional committees within six months after the enactment of this Act.

Directs the Chairman of NCMC to appoint, within 60 days after enactment of this Act, a National Advisory Commission on Superconductivity (Commission) to review all major policy issues regarding U.S. applications of recent research advances in superconductors. Requires the Advisory Commission to report, within six months after enactment of this Act, to the NCMC Chairman with recommendations regarding methods of enhancing the research, development, and implementation of improved superconductor technologies in all major applications. Sets forth required report contents. Terminates the Advisory Commission 60 days after submission of its report.

Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish, within 60 days after enactment of this Act, an Office of Superconductivity to coordinate and direct all activities of the Department of Energy in implementing the Superconductivity Program under the Department's responsibility. Makes the Director responsible for establishing, coordinating, and directing superconductivity research and development activities in the Department and directing and coordinating the Consortia for Enabling Superconductivity Technologies.

Directs the Secretary of Energy, operating primarily through the Department's National Federal Research Laboratories (NFRLs), to establish within six months one or more Consortia for Enabling Superconductivity Technologies (Consortia). Requires that each Consortium be led by an appropriate NFRL designated by the Secretary. Requires the designated lead laboratory to have appropriate university and industrial connections and demonstrable expertise in specified research. Requires each Consortium to consist, in addition to the designated lead laboratory, of appropriate industry, university, and/or other research institutions, including other NFRLs. Provides that each Consortium shall be considered a joint research and development venture. Requires the participants to share the costs of conducting such research and development. Authorizes temporary exchanges of personnel between Consortia members. Allows up to 25 percent of funds under this Act for each Consortium to be used to conduct superconductivity research and development under the discretion of the Director of the designated lead laboratory.

Requires the Department of Energy's superconductivity research and development activities to focus on fundamental research, materials processing, and applications of new superconducting materials.

Directs the Secretary of Energy to create a program of Industrial Fellowships to support the education and training of graduate engineers and scientists in the area of superconductivity and related academic fields. Provides that recipients shall be selected from qualified applicants seeking degrees from member institutions of the Consortia.

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish within 60 days an Office of Superconductivity to coordinate and direct all NSF activities in implementing the Superconductivity Program under NSF responsibility. Makes the Administrator of such Office responsible for establishing NSF superconductivity research and development programs and for directing and coordinating the National Superconductivity Research Centers.

Requires the NSF Director to establish a program of National Superconductivity Research Centers. Requires that an appropriate number of universities be selected as sites for such Centers based largely on their scientific and technical qualifications. Requires the Centers to focus efforts in the development and support, in an interdisciplinary manner, of manufacturing science and processing as it applies to superconducting materials.

Requires the NSF to continue to operate primarily through individual and block-fund grants with the university community and to be responsible for maintaining an appropriate balance of such grants for support of basic and fundamental research on superconducting materials.

Requires the NSF Director to establish a program of graduate fellowships to support the education and training of advanced degreed research engineers and scientists in the areas of superconductivity, manufacturing science and processing, and related academic fields.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish, within 60 days after the enactment of this Act, an Office of Superconductivity to coordinate and direct all activities of the Department of Commerce in implementing its responsibilities under the Superconductivity Program. Makes the Administrator of this Office responsible for establishing (with the Director of the National Bureau of Standards), coordinating, and directing superconductivity research and development activities in the Department.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to ensure the accelerated transfer of superconductivity technology resulting from research and development provided for in this Act and for the application of such technology by the U.S. private and public sectors.

Directs the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology), in coordination with the Department of Energy, the NSF, and other appropriate departments and agencies, to establish and conduct a program of fundamental research and materials standards to accelerate the use and application of the new superconducting materials.

Directs the President to establish a program of international cooperation in the conduct of basic research on superconducting materials, including the exchange of basic information and data and the development of international standards for the use and application of superconducting materials.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1993 to carry out specified provisions of this Act.