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News and updates

COMPETES Act Heading for the Senate Floor

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The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has approved — with bi-partisan support — its portion of the America COMPETES Act (S. 3605). The bill provides for three-year authorizations for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). An authorization for the Department of Energy Office of Science is expected to be added in a manager’s amendment on the Senate floor.

During the mark-up, the committee adopted 20 amendments to the bill, including a substitute amendment that reduced the funding levels by 10% for NSF and NIST. The bill’s only new program would fall within NSF and enable a $10-million-a-year effort to prepare science and engineering majors to be elementary and secondary school teachers. It’s modeled after the successful UTeach program at the University of Texas, Austin. To ease the fiscal bite, the bill would require a significant contribution from each university grantee (up to 75% by the end of the 5-year grant).

The legislation would require Department of Commerce to study the U.S. economy and innovation infrastructure, including an assessment of the nation’s economic competitiveness. Within one year of completing the study, the Department would be required to develop a 10-year national innovation and competitiveness strategy. 

Given the packed Senate schedule, it is unclear whether the bill will make it to the Senate floor before the August recess.

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

S. 3605, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Committee Overview)

The original COMPETES Act was a response to the National Academies’ Rising Above The Gathering Storm, which warned that America’s place as a global leader in science and technology was at risk. Urgent action is still needed to guarantee American prosperity in the face of increasing global competition, especially in the areas of K-12 science and math education and funding for basic research. The America COMPETES Act reauthorization focuses on three primary areas of importance to increase American innovation and competitiveness: (1) increasing science and research investments, (2) strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and (3) developing an innovation infrastructure.

Increase Science and Research Investments

  • Authorizes funding increases for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013.
  • Supports programs to assist American manufacturers, such as the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Technology Innovation Program, and creates a loan guarantee program to support innovation in manufacturing.

Strengthen Educational Opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

  • Coordinates STEM education across the Federal government, with the goal of reinforcing programs that demonstrate effectiveness.
  • Supports research and internship opportunities for high school and undergraduate students, and increases the number of graduate fellowships supported by the NSF.
  • Reinforces the role of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to inspire and educate the future science and technology workforce and encourages the agencies to transfer their technological advances into the private and public sectors.

Develop an Innovation Infrastructure

  • Promotes productivity and economic growth by forming an Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to foster innovation and the commercialization of new technologies, products, processes, and services.
  • Requires the development of a national innovation and competitiveness strategy for strengthening the innovative and competitive capacity of the Federal Government, State and local governments, institutions of higher education, and the private sector.
  • Supports the development of regional innovation strategies, including regional innovation clusters and research parks.

White House Releases S&T Priorities for FY12

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On July 21st, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issued a joint memorandum directing the heads of agencies and departments in their FY2012 budget submissions to reallocate resources from low priority areas to science and technology (S&T) efforts that would address six specific challenges. The six challenges are: 

  • Economic growth and job creation
  • Improving health outcomes while reducing health care costs
  • Clean energy
  • Mitigating climate change
  • Sustainability and biodiversity
  • National security

FY12_Orszag-Holdren_Budget_Guidance_Memo_FINAL

DREAM Act May be Pushed Before November

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With it being an election year, many lawmakers have been avoiding the politically charged topic of comprehensive immigration reform, making it unlikely that it will advance before the end of the year. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) may attempt to push through the DREAM Act as a stand-alone piece of legislation before the November elections if advocates of a comprehensive bill strongly believe that there is no chance for full reform.

The DREAM Act, which is sponsored by Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) (co-sponsored by Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell) would provide a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants who choose to go to college or serve with the US armed forces. Approximately 65,000 undocumented immigrants graduate from American high schools every year. Many of these students are unable to attend college, largely because they can’t afford it and lack accessibility to student aid. This Act would allow them to be eligible for student loan and work-study programs.

The University of Washington and much of the higher education community has voiced support for the DREAM Act as it would result in several economic and societal benefits. Research shows that there is a million dollar difference, over a lifetime, between the earning capacity of a high school graduate and a college graduate. People who attend college are also more likely to be healthier than those that do not, volunteer and contribute to their community, and are less likely to be incarcerated or rely on public assistance. The DREAM Act would allow these capable students to contribute to the economic growth of the United States and to their own self-sufficiency while becoming active members of American society.

Full text of Senate bill                                                            Full text of House bill

Domestic Spending to be Removed From Emergency Supplemental

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House leaders appear poised to acquiesce to the reality that the Senate lacks the votes to include funding for domestic priorities, such as saving K-12 teacher jobs and filling the Pell Grant shortfall, in the fiscal year 2010 emergency supplemental spending bill that is being considered on Capitol Hill. The supplemental spending bill is primarily intended to provide necessary funds for military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as for disasters in the Gulf of Mexico and Haiti. Fiscal conservatives object to adding funds to the supplemental for domesitic priorities that are not paid-for by cuts elsewhere.

House leaders are now looking for other legislation to attach the education spending to… However, with their month-long recess now less than two weeks away, it’s unlikely that the situation will be quickly resolved.