Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Penn.) wants federally funded research to be available for free online within six months of appearing in a peer-reviewed journal.

The government funds billions of dollars worth of research projects, but the results are often locked up into expensive scientific journals without easy access to the public.  Doyle's Federal Research Public Access Act "will give the American people greater access to the important scientific research results they've paid for," he said in a statement.

The bill would require federal agencies with annual research budgets of $110 million or more to submit an electronic copy of the final manuscript that has been accepted by publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Manuscripts that have been produced even partially with federal money must be available online no later than six months after it appears in the journal. Read more...

IBM has partnered with New York state’s government to go after delinquent taxpayers.

Working together, the state government and the corporation have come up with the Optimizer, a system that uses predictive modeling software to identify delinquent taxpayers most apt to pay what they owe.

It also instructs tax collectors on how best to approach them. The system went online last November and so far has exceeded expectations.

“My staff reports to me that they like what they see,” William Commiskey, New York’s deputy tax enforcement commissioner, told The Hill.

The money is crucially important given the recession. Like most states, New York is facing historic budget shortfalls that have forced legislators to make deep cuts in programs and dire adjustments to hiring. Read more...

What we're tracking this morning:

For now, there's little to do about a bad Internet provider (WashPost) -- If you aren't happy with your slow Internet connection, there isn't much you can do about it since over the past few years "your options have shriveled to just one or two companies selling the fastest access." The lack of competition in most markets is one reason the net neutrality debate is such an important one: "If we had vigorous competition among broadband providers, we might not need the Feds to referee the market."

Companies slowly join cloud computing (NYT) -- Cloud providers are trying to bring data-hosting services to "the more conservative and lucrative world of large corporations." Google and Amazon have launched public campaigns to alleviate lingering concerns about cloud computing and are even trying to convince potential competitors, like Netflix, to stop building their own data centers and buy the services from Amazon instead.

Why Intel wants to get into energy (Wired) -- Intel is showing off an experimental device that it says will cut the costs of wiring and homes and offices for energy efficiency. It's another example of devices attached to pattern-recognition software that can make home automation easier, one of the ways policy makers hope to curb consumer energy use. Intel says its products will be available later this year.

Tech events around the beltway:

The Politics Online Conference will kick off Monday with a keynote about WhiteHouse.gov, followed by sessions about using social media for political fundraising, cloud computing for campaigns and case studies of the successful online efforts by the campaigns of Scott Brown, Bob McDonnell and Barack Obama. Hillicon Valley's Kim Hart will be moderating a panel Tuesday morning on the implications of copyright for open-source platforms. Where: Washington Marriott, 1221 22nd Street NW When: Monday and Tuesday, beginning at 8 a.m.

Center for Democracy and Technology holds its annual dinner, also known as the "Tech Prom" because it attracts so many from Washington's technology community, Monday night. Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg will be the keynote speaker. Where: JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW When: Monday, 6 p.m.

CES on The Hill aims to bring the products seen at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to Eastern Market near Capitol Hill.  The showcases will include green gadgets, broadband-enabled services and safe driving technologies. Where: North Hall, Eastern Market When: Tuesday, 5-7 p.m.

American Cable Association convenes its 2010 Summit, bringing together FCC staffers, Hill staffers and lobbyists to discuss developments in the cable industry and featuring a keynote address by Rep. Bart Stupak.  Where: Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. When: Tuesday-Wednesday, beginning at 7 a.m.

Digital Patriots Dinner is the annual dinner put on by the Consumer Electronics Association, culminating two days of CES on the Hill and CEA executive board meetings.  Where: Andrew Mellon Auditorium When: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet will hold a hearing to examine the challenges involved in deploying "quality broadband services to the last mile." It is the second hearing the subcommittee has convened to oversee the implementation of the National Broadband Plan.   Where: 2322 Rayburn  When: Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.

FCC open meeting is the first chance for the agency to begin its work to implement the National Broadband Plan. On the agenda are notices of inquiry regarding proposed Universal Service Fund reforms, the use of video devices as gateway points to the Internet and the capacity of broadband networks to withstand damage from natural disasters and terrorist attacks.  Where: FCC, 445 12th Street SW When: Wednesday, 10:30 am.

The House Science & Technology Committee's Technology and Innovation Subcommittee will meet to markup a committee print of the National Institute of Standards and Technology programs.  Where: 2318 Rayburn (webcast)  When: Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.

The FCC on Friday announced it would extend the time during which the public may comment on the proposed mega-merger.

Israeli authorities continued to confiscate iPads from passengers flying into its airports this week, repeating its assertion that the new Apple tablet would jam other wireless devices in the area.

The state's Ministry of Communications instituted the odd rule this week, noting it could not permit the iPad's use in Israel for fear its "wireless [signal] strengths violate Israeli law and will overpower other wireless devices" throughout the state.

Apple quickly rebuffed that charge, noting its iPad "complies with international industry standards for Wi-Fi specifications." Silicon Valley experts later confirmed as much to The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, indicating the device's wireless signal might actually be weaker because of the iPad's aluminum casing.

Still, Israeli leaders said they would continue blocking travelers from bringing the device into the country until Apple releases a version of the iPad that complies with European wireless standards.

FRIDAY BLOG ROUNDUP:
Viacom: Google allowed malice on YouTube - Jennifer LeClaire, newsfactor.com
Google battles bad spellers - Brad Stone, Bits
Gingrich traces Brown victory to Tea Party, Web - Nancy Scola, techPresident
Apple moves up in Fortune 500 list - Ramu Nagappan, Macworld
ACTA to go public - David Meyer, Cnet

OTHER STORIES FROM THE HILL:
ACTA details due April 21, no three-strikes policy - The Hill
U.S. joins international investigation of HP - The Hill
Specter introduces anti-video surveillance bill - The Hill

Three top tech firms posted impressive profits in the first quarter of 2010, promoting some investors and experts to predict that the technology sector will soon emerge from the economic downturn.

New releases this week show Google experienced a 37 percent jump in profits in just the first three months in 2010, while Intel Corp. witnessed a 44 percent uptick in growth. Chip manufacturer Advanced Microdrives Incorporated, meanwhile, realized a record 34 percent increase in revenue, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

A handful of other companies also regarded as industry bellwethers have yet to publicize their earnings.

Those numbers arrive in tandem with a similar positive shift in investment, which is up 14 percent this year. Venture capitalists have also poured more than $4.7 billion into 671 companies in the first three months of 2010, but that actually marks a 14 percent decrease since the fourth quarter of 2009. 

The handful of countries negotiating an expansive international copyright treaty will release a draft of their work next week.

The publication of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which has been negotiated in almost total secrecy since 2007, arrives as participating countries prepare to head into the "final stage" of talks, noted the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in a statement on Friday.

U.S. negotiators also revealed this morning that the forthcoming draft will not require Internet service providers (ISPs) to cut Web connections to users who steal music, movies and other forms of protected intellectual property more than three times.

It was once thought this "three-strikes" policy would be part of the original treaty, and would ultimately override U.S. laws that do not require ISPs to punish their customers for their conduct.

However, as the USTR noted in its statement, "While the participants recognise the importance of responding effectively to the challenge of Internet piracy, they confirmed that no participant is proposing to require governments to mandate a ‘graduated response’ or ‘three strikes’ approach to copyright infringement on the Internet."

The United States has joined Russia and Germany in their investigation into whether Hewlett-Packard Co. executives paid millions in bribes to win a prized Russian contract.

The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission announced on Friday it would examine whether a company subsidiary paid $10 million in bribes through back channels to obtain a $35-million contract with the Russian prosecutor general.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, instituted in 1977, prohibits U.S. companies from pursuing such deals with foreign leaders. If found guilty, the DOJ could pursue criminal penalties against HP executives who lead the charge.

Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission could levy stiff civil penalties on the company, which only recently overcame a 2006 scandal that culminated with the resignation of former CEO Patty Dunn.

Already, Russian officials have raided HP's Moscow office, while German court records show the authorities have named three suspects.

A spokeswoman for HP told The Wall Street Journal on Friday that the company "is fully cooperating" with the international investigation. SEC officials, however, declined to comment on the early stages of the probe.