Political Quotes

“My amendment would cut funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy, commonly known as ARPA-E, by $50 million, and it would put that funding towards deficit reduction. For my colleagues who know me, they know it is not easy for me to cut funding for energy research. I have always maintained that there are two priorities I believe in and will continue to promote in Congress. Energy R&D is one of them. I believe the greatest investments we can make to secure our economic competitiveness are those investments that cultivate scientists and engineers of the future and provide the research infrastructure from which they can innovate and create jobs. ARPA-E was first proposed in 2005 in the distinguished report entitled, 'Rising Above the Gathering Storm.' Modeled on DARPA, ARPA-E was recommended along with dozens of recommendations designed to spur scientific investment. These recommendations were authorized as a part of the first America COMPETES Act of 2007 and reauthorized again last year. Despite my strong support and leadership for COMPETES and its programs, I have had concerns about ARPA-E since inception.”