,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dicd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bd1 #bjbf,mr4 ,van ,hollen 7for himself and ,ms4 ,murkowski7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,national ,fab ,lab ,network1 a nonprofit organization consisting of a national network of local digital fabrication facilities providing universal access to advanced manufacturing tools for workforce development1 ,,stem education1 developing inventions1 creating businesses1 producing personalized products1 mitigating risks1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,fab ,lab ,network ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,scientific discoveries and technical innovations are critical to the economic and national security of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,maintaining the leadership of the ,united ,states in science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics will require a diverse population with the skills1 interest1 and access to tools required to advance these fields4 7#c7 ,just as earlier digital revolutions in communications and computation provided individuals with the internet and personal computers1 a digital revolution in fabrication will allow anyone to make almost anything1 anywhere4 7#d7 ,these creations include elements of a typical household basket of goods 7furnishings1 apparel1 food production equipment1 shelter1 transportation1 education and communication1 recreation1 and other goods and services71 personal technology1 means for personal expression1 the production of digital fabrication machinery1 community design1 and manufacturing capability4 7#e7 ,the ,center for ,bits and ,atoms of the ,massachusetts ,institute of ,technology 7,,cba7 has contributed significantly to the advancement of these goals through its work in creating and advancing digital fabrication facilities1 or fab labs in the ,united ,states and abroad4 7#f7 ,such digital fabrication facilities may include ,maker,spaces1 ,hackerspaces1 and other creative spaces that use digital fabrication as a platform for education1 innovation1 entrepreneurship1 personal expression1 public access1 and social impact4 7#g7 ,such digital fabrication facilities provide a model for a new kind of national laboratory that operates as a network1 linking local facilities for advanced manufacturing1 providing universal access1 cultivating new literacies1 and empowering communities4 7#h7 ,the nonprofit ,fab ,foundation was established to support the growth of the international network of digital fabrication facilities1 to amplify the educational1 entrepreneurial1 and social impacts of digital fabrication facilities1 and to support the development of regional capacity building organizations to broaden impact as well as address local1 regional1 and global challenges through the use of digital fabrication technologies4 7#i7 ,a coordinated array of national public-private partnerships will be the most effective way to accelerate the provision of universal access to this infrastructure for workforce development1 science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics education1 developing inventions1 creating businesses1 producing personalized products1 and mitigating risks4 #c4 ,national ,fab ,lab ,network 7a7 ,definition ,in this ,act1 the term fab lab means a facility that-- 7#a7 contains the range of capabilities required to create form and function from digital designs1 including-- 7,a7 computer-controlled machines for additive and subtractive fabrication processes2 7,b7 tools and components for manufacturing and programming electronic circuits2 7,c7 materials and methods for short-run production2 and 7,d7 workflows for three-dimensional design and digitization2 and 7#b7 is committed to supporting education1 innovation1 entrepreneurship1 personal expression1 self-sufficiency1 and social impact for its community through digital fabrication4 7b7 ,establishment ,there is hereby established a nonprofit corporation to be known as the ,national ,fab ,lab ,network 7in this ,act referred to as the corporation71 which shall not be an agency or establishment of the ,united ,states ,government4 ,the corporation shall be subject to the provisions of this ,act1 and1 to the extent consistent with this ,act1 to the ,district of ,columbia ,nonprofit ,corporation ,act 7,d4,c4 ,code1 section #bi-eja et seq474 7c7 ,goals and activities 7#a7 ,goals ,the goals of the corporation are as follows3 7,a7 ,to provide universal access to digital fabrication4 7,b7 ,to foster current and future fab labs4 7,c7 ,to create a national network of connected local fab labs to empower individuals and communities in the ,united ,states4 7,d7 ,to foster the use of distributed digital fabrication tools-- 7i7 to promote science1 technology1 engineering and math skills2 7ii7 to increase invention and innovation2 7iii7 to create businesses and jobs2 7iv7 to fulfill personal1 professional1 and community needs2 7v7 to create value and mitigate harm2 7vi7 to increase self-sufficiency for individuals1 households1 and communities2 and 7vii7 to align workforce development with new and emerging jobs4 7,e7 ,to provide a platform for education and research1 to catalyze new methods in science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics education1 and to introduce digital fabrication as an essential new literacy4 7,f7 ,to create new ways of educating the workforce that will enable workers to compete in a #bast century global marketplace4 7#b7 ,activities ,to attain the goals described in paragraph 7#a71 the corporation shall carry out activities1 including the following3 7,a7 ,seek to establish a minimum of one fab lab in each congressional district1 prioritizing underserved communities4 7,b7 ,seek to establish additional fab labs within the network created under paragraph 7#a77;,c71 in response to local demand1 and provide guidelines for their sustainable operation4 7,c7 ,link fab labs into a national network and promote further expansion of fab labs across the ,united ,states4 7,d7 ,serve as a resource to assist diverse public and private stakeholders with the effective operation of fab labs and the training of fab lab leaders and mentors4 7,e7 ,maintain a national registry of fab labs4 7,f7 ,provide standards and protocols for connecting fab labs regionally1 nationally1 and globally4 7,g7 ,assist existing fab labs in producing additional fab labs4 7d7 ,membership and organization ,except as provided in this ,act1 eligibility for membership in the corporation and the rights and privileges of members shall be in accordance with the laws governing tax exempt organizations in the ,district of ,columbia4 7e7 ,governing body 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 directors1 officers1 and other staff of the corporation1 and their powers and duties1 shall be in accordance with the laws governing tax exempt organizations in the ,district of ,columbia4 7#b7 ,board membership 7,a7 ,composition ,the board of the corporation shall be composed of not fewer than #g members and not more than #ae members4 7,b7 ,representation 7i7 ,in general ,the membership of the board of the corporation shall collectively represent the diversity of fab labs4 7ii7 ,requirement ,at a minimum1 the board of the corporation shall be composed of members from geographic regions across the ,united ,states1 ,tribal communities1 educational and research institutions1 libraries1 nonprofit and commercial organizations1 diverse demographic groups1 and the ,fab ,foundation4 7iii7 ,individual representation ,an individual member of the board of the corporation may represent more than one board role and additional roles may be added to reflect the diversity of the fab lab ecosystem4 7,c7 ,selection ,the initial board of the corporation shall be chosen1 in consultation with representatives from the ,fab ,foundation and in accordance with subparagraph 7,b77i71 as follows3 7i7 ,two shall be appointed by the majority leader of the ,senate4 7ii7 ,two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,senate4 7iii7 ,two shall be appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives4 7iv7 ,two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the ,house of ,representatives4 7f7 ,powers ,the corporation may-- 7#a7 coordinate the creation of a national network of local fab labs in the ,united ,states2 7#b7 issue guidelines for the sustainable operation of fab labs2 7#c7 issue standards and guidelines for fab labs2 7#d7 serve as a resource for organizations and communities seeking to create fab labs by providing information1 assessing suitability1 advising on the lab lifecycle1 and maintaining descriptions of prospective and operating sites2 7#e7 accept funds from private individuals1 organizations1 government agencies1 or other organizations2 7#f7 distribute funds to other organizations to establish and operate fab labs as members of the corporation2 7#g7 facilitate communication between other organizations seeking to join the corporation with operational entities that can source and install fab labs1 provide training1 assist with operations1 account for spending1 and assess impact2 7#h7 communicate the benefits available through membership in the corporation to communities and the public2 7#i7 facilitate and participate in synergistic programs1 including workforce training1 job creation1 researching the enabling technology and broader impacts of such programs1 and the production of civic infrastructure2 7#aj7 develop processes and methods to mitigate risks associated with digital fabrication2 7#aa7 develop and amend a constitution and bylaws for the management of its property and the regulation of its affairs2 7#ab7 choose directors1 officers1 trustees1 managers1 employees1 and agents as the activities of the corporation require2 7#ac7 make contracts2 7#ad7 acquire1 own1 lease1 encumber1 and transfer property as necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of the corporation2 7#ae7 borrow money1 issue instruments of indebtedness1 and secure its obligations by granting security interests in its property2 7#af7 charge and collect membership dues and subscription fees2 and 7#ag7 sue and be sued4 7g7 ,exclusive right to name1 term1 seals1 emblems1 and badges ,the corporation and its participating digital fabrication labs have the exclusive right to use-- 7#a7 the name ,national ,fab ,lab ,network2 and 7#b7 any seals1 emblems1 and badges the corporation adopts4 7h7 ,restrictions 7#a7 ,stock and dividends ,the corporation may not issue securities of any kind or declare or pay a dividend4 7#b7 ,distribution of income or assets ,the income or assets of the corporation may not inure to the benefit of1 or be distributed to1 a director1 officer1 or member during the life of the corporation under this ,act4 ,this paragraph does not prevent the payment of reasonable compensation to an officer or reimbursement for actual necessary expenses in amounts approved by the board of the corporation4 7#c7 ,loans ,the corporation may not make a loan to a director1 officer1 or employee4 7#d7 ,claim of governmental approval or authority ,the corporation may not claim congressional approval or the authority of the ,united ,states ,government for any of its activities1 but may recognize establishment of the corporation pursuant to subsection 7b7 of this section4 7i7 ,records and inspection 7#a7 ,records ,the corporation shall keep-- 7,a7 correct and complete records of account2 7,b7 minutes of the proceedings of its members1 the board of the corporation1 and committees having any of the authority of the board2 and 7,c7 at its principal office1 a record of the names and addresses of its members entitled to vote4 7#b7 ,inspections ,a member entitled to vote1 or an agent or attorney of the member1 may inspect the records of the corporation for any proper purpose1 at any reasonable time4 7j7 ,annual report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and not less frequently than annually thereafter1 the corporation shall submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the activities of the corporation during the prior fiscal year4