‘The America COMPETES Act is the best way to keep more of the jobs of the 21st Century right here in America.’



Washington, D.C. – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on Senate floor Friday regarding S. 761, the America COMPETES Act:



“Mr. President, the America COMPETES Act is vitally important legislation that this Senate must pass to ensure America retains its competitive edge in the global economy of the 21st Century.



“This bill, sponsored by my good friend and counterpart on the other side of the aisle, Senator Reid, also enjoys broad, bipartisan support. Our two parties’ cooperation shows us how we can and should work together to accomplish important things for the American people.



“The story of this bill began two years ago when Senators Alexander and Bingaman from the Energy Committee, with then-Chairman Domenici’s blessing, asked the National Academy of Sciences a simple question: What are the top 10 actions that policymakers in Washington could take to keep America in the lead in science and technology for the 21st Century?



“The National Academies turned to leaders of business, government, and academia for an answer, including three Nobel Prize winners and a university president who is now the Secretary of Defense.



“The respected former CEO of Lockheed Martin, Norm Augustine, headed the panel that produced the report we have all heard so much about, titled ‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm.’



“Mr. Augustine summed up the problem we face when he wrote in that report, ‘In the five decades since I began working in the aerospace industry, I have never seen American business and academic leaders as concerned about this nation’s future prosperity as they are today.’



“However, Mr. President, his report also specifically recommended to us how to attack this problem, and maintain America’s lead in science and innovation.



“Additional recommendations were made by the Council on Competitiveness, and by the President in his American Competitiveness Initiative.



“And the good news is that boosting the number of rocket scientists—along with mathematicians, engineers and computer designers—is not rocket science.



“We currently have the greatest scientific and technological enterprise in the world. We have the finest system of colleges and universities anywhere. But in many ways we have become complacent, while other countries are catching up.



“They see that by investing in science and technology, and in the education of their citizens, they can attract jobs and create wealth. We must make the same investment in our future if we are to maintain our leadership through this century and beyond in the global marketplace.



“This bill, S. 761, will help maintain and improve the United States’ competitive edge over the next century by increasing our investment in basic research, strengthening educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math at all educational levels, and encouraging young people to pursue careers in those fields.



“For my home state of Kentucky, that means scholarships for future math and science teachers. It means increased research and development at state universities, which could lead to new discoveries, new high-tech companies, and new jobs.



“This fall, Kentucky will open the Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University, located in Bowling Green. Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Julia Roberts, director of the Center for Gifted Studies at WKU, the academy will bring together talented high-school students from all over the Commonwealth to study advanced math and science year-round for college credit.



“This bill will provide federal support to advanced academies like the Kentucky Academy throughout the nation.



“A good friend of mine at the University of Kentucky, university president Lee Todd, has also been working for decades to highlight the importance of math, science and engineering in keeping Kentucky competitive. In a letter he recently sent me, President Todd wrote:



The National Academies’ report ‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm’ has the wrong title. The ‘storm’ is not gathering—it is already here….We are putting our economic future at risk. We must do better.



“Now, President Todd knows what he’s talking about. Prior to assuming the presidency of one of the state’s flagship institutions of higher learning, he was a highly regarded engineer and successful entrepreneur.



“He has built technology companies that compete in the global economy, and he understands the challenges we face.



“The America COMPETES Act will make it easier for leaders like him to create more opportunities for technical learning and careers. I want to commend him for all the hard work he has done for Kentucky, and I ask permission that his entire letter to me be placed in the Record.



“Finally, Mr. President, I especially want to commend my friend from the neighboring state of Tennessee, Senator Alexander, for his leadership in building the case for this legislation, helping to craft its various components, and shepherding it through each stage of the process to this point.



“It was Senator Alexander who, two years ago, along with Senator Bingaman, asked the National Academy of Sciences the question that led to their recommendations, and sparked this entire process.



“Their inquiry led to the release of the Academy’s report, which made plain for all that the United States’ leadership in science and technology is eroding, with serious consequences for our workers, our jobs, our economy and our very way of life.



“Three different committees contributed titles to this bill, the Energy, Commerce and HELP Committees, and so I also want to thank those committees’ leaders—Senators Inouye and Stevens, Senators Domenici and Bingaman, and Senators Kennedy and Enzi—for their cooperation and hard work on this important bipartisan bill.



“In a sign of how cooperative their effort has been, this bill was actually assembled last year, when Republicans held the majority—but it was created in such a bipartisan fashion that we are bringing the same bill up today under a Democratic majority.



“That is a credit to the Republican leaders of these three committees, who worked closely with their Democratic counterparts every step of the way to craft this important legislation.



“I also want to recognize the efforts of my friend and predecessor as Republican Leader, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee. Senator Frist invested a great deal of time and energy last year to bring these three committees together, and he was the primary sponsor of this bill last year, along with Senator Reid.



“Mr. President, America has led the world in innovation for over a century. From the light bulb to the airplane to the integrated circuit, America has given the world the tools to live happier, easier, and more productive lives.



“Now the rest of the world is beginning to catch up. Nations like China and India are seeing the benefits of brainpower and what it can do to remake their economies.



“The America COMPETES Act is the best way to keep more of the jobs of the 21st Century right here in America, and the best way to ensure that our children have the skills to keep America at the forefront of innovation and discovery.



“Once again, I thank all of my colleagues for working on this comprehensive, bipartisan solution to reinvigorate scientific exploration and invention here at home. This bill is an investment in our children, our schools and in the future of America.



“It is a bill this Senate can pass and the President can sign into law. And with my colleagues’ support, I hope to see exactly that. Mr. President, I yield the floor.”



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