Latest News > Business Roundtable Applauds Senate Appropriators for Funding Key Education Programs

July 20, 2006

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Business Roundtable Applauds Senate Appropriators for Funding Key Education Programs

Passage of FY 2007 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Bill Further Evidence of Congressional Support for Keeping America Competitive

WASHINGTON, DC - Business Roundtable today praised the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee for funding key education programs in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Bill. Among other important initiatives, the bill provides $40 million for Advanced Placement Programs, a key component of President Bush's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI). The bill also provides $195 million for the Department of Education's Math and Science Partnerships program.

"By funding critical education initiatives, Senate appropriators have shown their continued commitment to maintaining U.S. innovation and technological leadership," said Business Roundtable President John J. Castellani. "We are grateful to Chairman Cochran and Chairman Specter for showing great leadership on programs that will help develop the next generation of scientists and engineers critical to keeping America competitive."

Last month, the House Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee provided funding for key education components of the President's ACI, which, in addition to the Advanced Placement and Math and Science Partnerships programs funded by Senate appropriators today, supported the Adjunct Teacher Corps. The Roundtable supports full funding for all of the ACI education programs, including Math Now, and continues to advocate for passage this year of authorizing legislation for key ACI components.

"Maintaining strong scientific and technological capabilities requires making strategic investments in programs that will keep America competitive through the 21st century and beyond," added Castellani. "We commend the Appropriations Committee for their actions today and encourage their continued support for additional programs that will keep America on the cutting edge of innovation."

Business Roundtable, an association of 160 chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies, 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, the Roundtable has 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.

"An investment in education is an investment in the future," continued Castellani. "We applaud Senate appropriators for making an investment in our nation's future today."

For more information on Business Roundtable and its education-related initiatives, visit www.businessroundtable.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.