FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2006
CONTACT: Jamie Loftus
SENATOR HUTCHISON APPLAUDS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM AS PARTNER IN TEXAS SCIENCE
WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today applauded the decision of the University of Texas (UT) System Board of Regents to commit additional resources to capital projects that will attract increased scientific and medical research. Sen. Hutchison is a strong advocate for research and has been instrumental in making Texas a leader in federally-funded research initiatives.
“I am proud that Texas has emerged as a leader in science and medicine. By working with our institutions of higher education, we have dramatically increased federal research funding in Texas,” Sen. Hutchison said. “Our renowned universities and medical facilities make Texas an integral player in the world’s most promising scientific advancements. Today’s action by the UT System will help educate future professionals and will contribute to our national leadership in these fields.”
Due in large part to Senator Hutchison’s efforts on the Senate Appropriations Committee, federal research funding in Texas rose from $909 million in 1998 to $1.56 billion in 2003, a 58 percent increase over five years. Texas has become the 3rd highest state recipient of federal research funding, up from 5th in 1998.
Sen. Hutchison has led efforts in Texas to promote pioneering academics in the fields of science, medicine and engineering. In 2003 Sen. Hutchison coordinated the founding of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) to facilitate greater collaboration among the state’s leading academics. TAMEST is dedicated to increasing national awareness of and funding for research and development at Texas colleges and universities. The organization consists of the state’s Nobel Laureates and over 200 members of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences.
In January Sen. Hutchison introduced the Protecting America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) Act -- legislation aimed at addressing America’s competitiveness in critical academic fields. The many research-related provisions of the bill include:
- Increases the NSF Research and Related Activities budget 10 percent annually through 2013;
- Doubles authorized funding levels for basic research in the physical sciences;
- Doubles the current research and development tax credit (20 percent to 40 percent) and expands the credit to allow 100 percent of the cost of all research conducted by consortium, small businesses, federal laboratories and universities.
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