Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. Over the course of our nation's history, one of our greatest strengths has been our ability to innovate. We have led the world in scientific discovery, expanding the boundaries of knowledge and thinking creatively about difficult problems. However, in recent years, we have seen our technological edge diminish as other countries increase their investment in research and development. In 2005, the National Academies released ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' warning that unless the United States made a serious commitment to science and technology, it would lose its competitive edge in the world economy. We responded in a bipartisan way in 2007 with the original America COMPETES Act, a comprehensive investment in education, research, and small business. Today's bill continues and improves upon that approach. It invests in the American innovation economy, providing the resources necessary to create good, sustainable jobs at home and ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of discovery. Importantly, this bill will double funding for basic research at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science, and the labs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, over 10 years. This funding provides the cornerstone of our nation's research and development efforts.…”