Latest News > U.S. Business Community Urges Congress to Act on U.S. Competitiveness in "Lame Duck" Session

November 13, 2006

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U.S. Business Community Urges Congress to Act on U.S. Competitiveness in "Lame Duck" Session

Business Groups Cite Number of Pending Measures in Both Chambers as Momentum for Bolstering U.S. Science and Technology Capabilities This Year

WASHINGTON, DC - Tapping America's Potential (TAP), a coalition of 16 of the nation's leading business organizations, today urged Congress to take action on U.S. competitiveness legislation, particularly measures aimed at improving American math and science education, during the "lame duck" session. The business coalition said that the overwhelming number of bills that have been introduced in both the House and Senate, including authorizing legislation for the President's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), demands that federal lawmakers take action on this issue before the end of the congressional year.

"Both the House and Senate have made great strides this year toward enacting legislation that would protect and enhance U.S. innovation and keep our workforce competitive well into the future," said John J. Castellani, President of Business Roundtable, a TAP founding member. "We now urge lawmakers to capitalize on the tremendous momentum for this issue and take action on U.S. competitiveness before adjourning this year."

Bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers have introduced measures over the past several months that are designed to improve U.S. innovation and technology and strengthen math and science education programs for American students. Bills pending in the Senate include the Protecting America's Competitive Edge Acts and the recently introduced National Competitiveness Investment Act. Pending House measures include the Science and Mathematics Education for Competitiveness Act and the Research for Competitiveness Act.

In addition, both the full House and the Senate Appropriations Committees passed appropriations bills earlier this year to provide funding for important competitiveness programs in the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Congress also appropriated funds for key education components of the President's ACI. TAP continues to advocate for passage this year of authorizing legislation for key ACI components, including: strengthening K-12 science, technology, engineering and math education; bolstering undergraduate and graduate science and engineering programs; doubling funding for basic research in the physical sciences over ten years; ensuring continued access to the best and brightest from around the world; and extending a strengthened R&D tax credit.

"Congress must take action on U.S. competitiveness this year," said Lezlee Westine, President and CEO of TechNet, also a founding member of TAP. "There is perhaps no more important issue to the future of our nation and economic strength than ensuring America's scientific and technological preeminence."

To learn more about the TAP Campaign, please visit www.tap2015.org

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TAP is composed of 16 prominent business organizations that represent the largest and most innovative companies in America. They have set the goal of doubling the number of U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor's degrees by 2015.