Science and Technology
Science and technology lie at the heart of the innovation economy and have always been central to the vibrancy of the 4th District. I am honored to serve on both the Space and Energy Subcommittees of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. With 40 percent of Massachusetts employment tied to innovation industries like health care, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and information technology, the work of the Committee has a direct impact on job creation and economic growth in our district.
I support a wide range of policies that nurture innovation and make Americans more competitive in science and technology: protecting National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds, making the Research and Development (R & D) tax credit permanent, and creating public-private partnerships for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education where employers and community colleges work together to prepare our students for high-quality jobs in life sciences and advanced manufacturing. As robotics, healthcare IT, cyber security, and advanced manufacturing continue to grow as a share of our district’s economic output, we need to prioritize R&D funding as well as the transportation infrastructure that allows entrepreneurs to draw on talent and resources from all corners of the region.
To read more about my work on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee:
http://science.house.gov/
http://democrats.science.house.gov/
More on Science and Technology
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joe Kennedy III today announced that his Consumer Review Fairness Act passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Introduced with Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ), this legislation would ensure American consumers can post honest business reviews and feedback online without fear of retribution.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joe Kennedy III applauded the inclusion of key provisions of his Perkins Modernization Act in the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act that passed the House Education & Workforce Committee today. Guided by partnerships between vocational-technical schools and local businesses in Massachusetts, Kennedy’s legislation would utilize local workforce data to inform CTE curriculum.
Newton, MA –Congressman Joe Kennedy III today applauded news that Massachusetts has been selected by the Department of Defense to host a $317 million Manufacturing Innovation Institute. Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the institute will be a public-private consortium spanning 28 states and dedicated to emerging technologies in fibers and textiles.
If you’re on our newsletter list, you’ve probably heard me mention STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education more than once.
I’ll be the first to admit: it’s not a topic that makes cable news shows or dominates political headlines down in Washington. You probably won’t turn on C-SPAN and find your elected representatives in a heated debate about computer science classes or robotics training.
Last year, a coalition of 238 businesses, schools, and trade associations sent a letter to Congress asking us to reauthorize and update the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. From Raytheon to the NAACP to the Corn Refiners Association, this diverse group reached a notable consensus on a national imperative: education can help both students and businesses succeed.
Open a newspaper or turn on the TV today and you'll be hard pressed to ignore the steady drumbeat of an improving economy. Unemployment rates are at pre-recession levels. Private sector jobs are growing at the fastest pace since 1997. The number of Americans without health insurance has fallen by nearly 30 percent. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts we added over 60,000 jobs last year alone, pushing our unemployment rate down to 5.5 percent.