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Press Releases |
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Senate Commerce Committee Approves American Innovation and Competitiveness Act
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WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved S. 2802, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, by a vote of 21-0.
Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.), Chairman of the Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation, and Competitiveness, introduced the bill, which was co-sponsored by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), and Committee Members Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), George Allen (R-Va.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.).
S. 2802 responds to recommendations contained in the Council on Competitiveness’ Innovate America Report and the National Academies’ Rising Above the Gathering Storm Report. In responding to these reports, the legislation focuses on three primary areas of importance to maintaining and improving United States’ innovation in the 21st Century: increasing research investment, increasing science and technology talent, and developing innovation infrastructure.
The bill sets authorization levels for both the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). To increase the nation’s commitment to basic research, the bill increases authorized funding for NSF from $6.4 billion in Fiscal Year 2007 to $11.4 billion in Fiscal Year 2011.
The legislation authorizes NIST from approximately $640 million in Fiscal Year 2007 to $937 million by Fiscal Year 2011, and it establishes a Fiscal Year 2007 level of approximately $110 million for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program (MEP), which increases to $130 million in fiscal years 2008 through 2011.
In addition, the bill requires the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study to identify forms of risk that create barriers to innovation one year after enactment of the bill and every four years thereafter. The study is intended to support research on the long-term value of innovation to the business community and to identify means to mitigate legal or practical risks presently associated with such innovation activities.
Finally, the bill recognizes that ocean and atmospheric science and education will play a role in the effort to advance national innovation and competitiveness. The legislation establishes a research and development program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in coordination with NSF and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), specifically dedicated to ocean and atmospheric science and technology. The bill also establishes related ocean and atmospheric science education programs.
S. 2802 also includes the following provisions:
- Establishes the President’s Council on Innovation and Competitiveness to develop a comprehensive agenda to promote innovation in the public and private sectors. In consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, this Council would develop and use metrics to assess the impact of existing and proposed laws that affect innovation in the United States.
- Establishes the Innovation Acceleration Grants Program to direct federal agencies that fund research in science and technology to set a goal to dedicate roughly eight percent of their Research and Development (R&D) budgets to grants directed toward high-risk frontier research.
- Establishes an Aeronautics Institute for Research within NASA, as well as a Basic Research Executive Council to oversee the distribution and management of programs and resources engaged in support of basic research activity.
Click here for a copy of the bill as reported.
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26th - |
Senate Approves DOT Nominees
- Washington, D.C. - The Senate today confirmed by unanimous consent the following Department of Transportation nominees previously reported by the Senate Commerce Committee:
Nicole Nason to be Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Tyler Duvall to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy
Roger Shane Karr to be Assistant Secretary for Governmental...
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26th - |
Senate Approves McDowell to be Member of FCC
- Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate today confirmed by unanimous consent Robert McDowell to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
"Rob McDowells confirmation today is great news for the FCC," said Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. "Robs expertise and experience will be an asset to the Commi...
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25th - |
Chairman Stevens Urges Congress to Pass WARN Act
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today urged Congress to pass S. 1753, the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006, which establishes a national system for the transmission of public safety alerts across a broad variety of communications technologies.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved without objection the WARN Act on October...
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23rd - |
Chairman Stevens Co-Sponsors Resolution Declaring June National Internet Safety Month
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) last night joined 13 other Members of the Senate in co-sponsoring Senate Resolution 486, which designates June as "National Internet Safety Month." The primary goal of the resolution is to raise awareness about responsible Internet use among all citizens, particularly children. The measure passed the Senat...
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18th - |
current Press Release |
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11th - |
Commerce, Banking Leaders Advance Port, Cargo, Rail, and Transit Security Bill
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) were joined today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with 37 co-sponsors, in introducing a bipartisan comprehensive bill that would make significant security improvements to the nation’s transport...
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11th - |
Chairman Stevens Leads Effort to Move Port, Cargo, Rail, and Transit Security
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) were joined today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with 37 co-sponsors, in introducing a bipartisan comprehensive bill that would make significant security improvements to the nation’s transport...
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9th - |
Chairman Stevens Speaks in Support of Massachusetts
Deciding Nantucket Sound Wind Farm Siting
- Washington, D.C. – Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today spoke in support of the provision in the U.S. Coast Guard reauthorization conference report (H.R. 889) giving the State of Massachusetts the right to determine where a wind turbine energy facility is located.
Stevens argued that although he agrees with Senator Ted Kennedy&rsquo...
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5th - |
Chairman Stevens Sees Communications Reform Bill as Measure to Speed Broadband Deployment
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today received the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s report detailing certain shortcomings in broadband deployment and penetration in the . In response, Chairman Stevens urged his colleagues to support S. 2686, the Communications, Consumers’ Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006, which respo...
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1st - |
Chairman Stevens Introduces Comprehensive Communications Reform Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today introduced S.2686, the Communications, Consumers Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006. The legislation, which consists of 10 separate titles, reforms existing communications laws to promote competition, cost savings for consumers, and the speedy deployment of broadband services to all Americans. Co-Ch...
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