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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Applauds Act to Create Jobs
Co-sponsored Senate Bill to Make America More Competitive in the Global Marketplace
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee and Ranking Member of the Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences Commerce Subcommittee, today applauded the enactment of the America Competes Act. The bill passed the House and Senate by unanimous consent last week and was signed today by President Bush.
“The jobs of tomorrow will require a highly educated and sophisticated workforce,” said Sen. Hutchison. “The America Competes Act will help create those jobs in America by keeping our country at the forefront of scientific research and education. This bill addresses the challenge head-on by ensuring that both NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) expand their strong, traditional roles in education and innovation.”
The America Competes Act will help maintain America’s leadership in scientific research by doubling the funding levels for the National Science Foundation from approximately $5.6 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 to $11.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2011. It also increases funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science over 5 years, from $3.6 billion in FY 2007 to over $5.2 billion in FY 2011.
The act authorizes competitive grants to states to promote education in math, science and engineering. These grants will be used to coordinate elementary and secondary education with the knowledge and skills needed for success in post-secondary education, the workforce and the U.S. Armed Forces. Another key emphasis will be to strengthen the skills of thousands of math and science teachers through support for the Teachers Institutes for the 21st Century Program at NSF.
In addition, the legislation authorizes a grant program for universities with curricula that increase the number and diversity of students seeking teacher certification in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This language was added to support model programs like UTeach at The University of Texas at Austin, which received praise in the “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future” report.
In 2006, Sen. Hutchison was an original cosponsor of S.2197, the Protecting America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Act; S. 2802, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act; and S. 3936, the National Competitiveness Investment Act, to address America’s competitiveness in the fields of math, science and engineering. Sen. Hutchison successfully amended S. 2802 to include NASA in inter-agency efforts for competitiveness and innovation. She also passed an amendment to focus the increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), included in the bill, on physical sciences, technology, engineering and math. Both of these amendments were included in the America Competes Act.
Sen. Hutchison is the founder and Honorary Chairman of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST), whose membership includes Texas' Nobel Laureates and over 250 members of the National Academies. TAMEST is dedicated to increasing national awareness of and funding for research and development to foster partnerships between Texas educational institutions and private industry. TAMEST represents the centerpiece of Sen. Hutchison’s effort to support research and development and promote Texas as a science state. During Sen. Hutchison’s tenure in the U.S. Senate, Texas has moved from sixth to third in the nation in receipt of federal research and development expenditures.
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