Latest News > Business Roundtable Urges Congress to Get Back to Work on U.S. Competitiveness This Fall

September 5, 2006

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Business Roundtable Urges Congress to Get Back to Work on U.S. Competitiveness This Fall

"Back to School.Back to Congress" Effort Presses Lawmakers to Pass Legislation That Safeguards Science and Technology Leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - Business Roundtable this week is conducting a concentrated push to urge Congress to seize upon the limited window of opportunity offered in this fall's congressional session by passing critical legislation that promotes U.S. competitiveness and helps maintain the United States' science and technology leadership. The "Back to School. . .Back to Congress. . .Back to Action on U.S. Competitiveness!" initiative, part of the Roundtable's ongoing efforts to make improved math and science capabilities a national and legislative priority this year, will feature the delivery of lunchboxes containing messages on how to keep America competitive to every Capitol Hill office, along with radio and print ads and in-person meetings with Members of Congress.

"As children head back to school and Congress heads back to work, there is no better time for lawmakers to ensure that our children have the tools they need to succeed in the 21st century workforce and global economy," said Business Roundtable President John J. Castellani. "With limited days left on the legislative calendar and so many issues for Congress to consider, it is imperative that members build on the momentum for this issue and move swiftly to enact laws that bolster U.S. competitiveness."

Each lunchbox contains a "Back to Work on U.S. Competitiveness" checklist to highlight the policy priorities that lawmakers must act upon before the end of the congressional year. The Roundtable is urging Congress to pass components of the President's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) that strengthen math and science education programs, including the Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate, Math Now and Adjunct Teachers programs, and Math and Science Partnerships. In addition, the Roundtable calls for Congress to expand undergraduate and graduate science and engineering programs; double funding for basic research in the physical sciences over the next 10 years; fix visa and green card programs for highly educated, foreign-born professionals by passing the SKIL Bill (S. 2961/H.R. 5744); and extend a strengthened R&D tax credit permanently.

"Though the United States is currently a leader in science and technology, maintaining our leadership position requires making sound investments today in programs that will allow our children to continue cultivating new discoveries, breakthroughs and technologies in the future," added Castellani.

Business Roundtable is at the forefront of the business community's efforts to make improved math and science capabilities a national and legislative priority this year. Since the July 2005 release of the "Tapping America's Potential" report by fifteen national business organizations, business leaders have met with policymakers at all levels of government to urge full funding of programs designed to boost U.S. science and technology leadership, particularly those in the President's ACI. The Roundtable is a member of and leading force behind Tapping America's Potential (TAP), the business community's campaign launched by the release of the July 2005 paper to double the number of U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor's degrees by 2015.

"Investing in U.S. competitiveness today helps safeguard a successful future for our children and our nation," said Castellani. "The Roundtable's message is clear - it's time to go back to school, back to Congress and back to work on U.S. competitiveness."

For more information on Business Roundtable and this and other education-related initiatives, visit www.businessroundtable.org. To learn more about TAP, visit www.tap2015.org.

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Business Roundtable (www.businessroundtable.org) is an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies with over $4.5 trillion in annual revenues and more than 10 million employees. Member companies comprise nearly a third of the total value of the U.S. stock market and represent nearly a third of all corporate income taxes paid to the federal government. Collectively, they returned more than $110 billion in dividends to shareholders and the economy in 2005.

Roundtable companies give more than $7 billion a year in combined charitable contributions, representing nearly 60 percent of total corporate giving. They are technology innovation leaders, with $86 billion in annual research and development spending - nearly half of the total private R&D spending in the U.S.