Steven Holt: “I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. Our investments in scientific research and…”

“I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. Our investments in scientific research and education underwrite our national prosperity and success. Yet for decades, we have underinvested in our Nation's tools for advancing innovation and competitiveness. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act will build on the successes of the original America COMPETES Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by authorizing funding levels that will continue to double the budgets of our basic research agencies: NIST, NSF, DOE's Office of Science. I would have preferred the stability of a 5-year reauthorization, and some of my colleagues on the other side decided to play politics with science and have made that impossible. Still, the 3 years of investments authorized by this bill will pay big dividends as discoveries and innovations lead to new industries that will keep our Nation competitive. I am pleased that despite objections by some in the minority, the bill also provides assistance for small businesses and manufacturers, strengthens STEM education, enhances the participation of underrepresented groups in technical fields, and supports research in pursuit of clean energy in the United States.”