Lipinski Hails Passage of Bills to Spur American Innovation and Create Jobs
Legislation Supports Academic and Industry Research and Development

WASHINGTON, DC - This week, Congressman Dan Lipinski, Vice Chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee, lauded passage of H.R. 1867, the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007, and H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007.  Lipinski's support was instrumental in moving these two pieces of legislation, which are intended to spur economic growth and create jobs.

"We've seen too many jobs go overseas and too many of our children are falling behind their international counterparts in math and science achievement," explained Lipinski.  "The National Science Foundation (NSF) has a mission to improve this situation from the classroom to the research laboratory and that is why it is important to provide this funding which will help maintain America's leadership."

H.R. 1867, cosponsored by Vice Chairman Lipinski, authorizes $21 billion for fiscal years 2008-2010, putting NSF funding on a path to doubling in 10 years.  The legislation will allow NSF to foster relationships between academia and industry in order to spawn U.S. competitiveness and also improve education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.  The legislation also improves funding rates for young researchers and stimulates higher risk research by establishing a pilot program of one-year seed grants for new investigators.

"Today we stand at the cusp of numerous technological breakthroughs that will completely revolutionize our way of life; from hydrogen and other advanced fuels technologies that will free us from our addiction to oil, to nanotechnology that has the potential to impact virtually every sector of our economy," said Lipinski.  "In 2006, Illinois received approximately $213 million in funding grants from NSF.  Passage of this legislation ensures not only a guarantee of additional benefits to society, but continues essential support to researchers in Illinois."

"As one of the largest recipients of NSF funding, the University of Illinois is well aware of the enormously important role that NSF support plays in basic research in science, technology, and engineering," said B. Joseph White, president of the University of Illinois.  "The research, much of it interdisciplinary, is essential to creating new knowledge that can preserve and enhance our way of life, grow our economy, sharpen our global competitiveness, and strengthen our national security.  Total research expenditures at the U. of I. exceeded $555 million last year.  Our Urbana campus received more than 30 percent of its federal grants and contracts from NSF, the largest source of external funding on that campus.  We applaud the sponsors of the NSF Authorization Act of 2007 and members of Congress who recognize its importance to the strength and well being of our country."

Accompanying H.R. 1867 is the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007 (H.R. 1868), which authorizes $2.5 billion for Fiscal Years 2008-2010 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  The legislation fully funds the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which helps to keep high-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States.  It also creates a Technology Innovation Program, which will provide cost-shared funds to small, high-tech, entrepreneurial firms, with the goal of accelerating the development and application of challenging, high-risk, high-reward technologies in areas of critical national needs.

"This legislation ensures that NIST's Nobel Prize-winning research and successful public-private partnerships will continue to contribute to American innovation and competitiveness," said Lipinski.  "We are talking about investments in ideas and jobs for people here at home."

Both bipartisan bills now advance to the Senate for consideration.