WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following is a statement by the Task Force on American Innovation:
The Task Force on American Innovation urges the U.S. Senate to quickly reauthorize the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act to ensure that the foundation for developing high-tech jobs is in place and that the U.S. remains competitive in the face of increased global competition.
The five-year review of the highly acclaimed Rising Above the Gathering Storm report, released today by the National Academies of Science, states that the nation's ability to compete for quality jobs in the global economy has deteriorated since the last report was issued. Meanwhile, nations in Europe and Asia have increased their efforts to compete with the U.S. by boosting their investments in research and science and math education.
The report asserts that, even in the face of budgetary challenges, the U.S. must make the necessary investments in science and innovation that have led to developments such as the Internet, MRI and Global Positioning System to keep the country on a path of sustained economic growth.
This task force, representing numerous industries, research universities and scientific societies, believes that reauthorizing the COMPETES Act is a crucial step toward achieving that goal. The bill provides the legislative blueprint to double investments for America's science research programs and expands math and science education – investments that are critically important to the nation's long-term prosperity and competitiveness. We urge Congress to act quickly.
The Task Force on American Innovation, a coalition of businesses and business organizations, scientific societies, and higher education associations, was founded in 2004 to advocate greater federal investments for basic research in the physical sciences and engineering. The group focuses on the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science, the Department of Defense research budget, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology labs at the Department of Commerce.