Today a bi-partisan group of US Senators introduced legislation to make America more competitive in the global economy. The America COMPETES Act or the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act will focus on three primary areas:
- Strengthening education in the areas of math, science, technology, and engineering;
- Increasing research investment;
- Developing an innovation infrastructure.
The bill was introduced by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell along with other Senate sponsors of the bill including: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Michael Enzi (RWY), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), John Ensign (R-NV), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). The legislation is similar to one introduced in the last Congress but not acted upon.
Senators gave major credit for shaping several sections of the legislation to the National Academies' "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report and the Council on Competitiveness' "Innovate America" report released during the last Congress.
“This is a strong signal that the nation must boost our brainpower, R&D investment and infrastructure for the challenges of 21st century innovation. The legislation is bi-partisan and comprehensive, cutting across a number of important policy areas, and a good start at structuring a long term approach to innovation. Business, academia, governors, mayors and the public will give it support. Lets hope Washington politics as usual does not become a barrier to passage and implementation….” said Egils Milbergs of the Center for Accelerating Innovation and a contributor to the Innovate America report.
Links to summary and section by section analysis:
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