Competitiveness Bill Finally Ready For Conference

On Thursday, July 19, the Senate passed H.R. 2272, the 21st Century Competitiveness Act, by a voice vote after inserting the text of S. 761, the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science (COMPETES) Act. The Senate passed S. 761 in April, a month before the House chose to combine various math and science proposals into one large omnibus bill (H.R. 2272). The bills will now head to conference, the first major step towards improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

Following the President’s announcement of his American Competitiveness Initiative in 2005, Congress began working on various ways to keep the U.S. competitive in the global market, with a specific focus on educating the next generation of research and technology leaders. H.R. 2272 is the first serious step Congress is taking towards achieving that goal. The Senate version would double the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) budget, from $5.6 billion in fiscal 2006 to $11.2 billion by fiscal 2011. The NSF contributes about 20% of all federal money awarded for basic research at U.S. universities. The House version of the bill reauthorizes the NSF at a total of $21 billion through fiscal 2010. It would also reauthorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the first time in more than a decade at a total of $2.5 billion through fiscal 2010.

At this point, no date is set for a conference between the two versions of the bill. The White House, as with the appropriations, has expressed concerns over the funding levels (seems to be a reoccurring theme) authorized in both versions. Unlike various other spending bills this year, the President has yet to threaten a veto, but he has made it clear that negotiations between the White House and Congress are necessary if the bill is to get past his desk untouched.

Resources:
Kathryn A. Wolfe, “Conference Sought on Bills to Bolster Competitiveness,” CQ Today, July 19, 2007.
Author: SAS