Republicans Vote Against American Jobs

Press Release

The Innovation Agenda first launched by Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) five years ago to keep the American economy No.1 is being stalled by Congressional Republicans who would rather play partisan political gamers than create good jobs here at home.

Today, House Republicans voted down the COMPETES Reauthorization Act that would invest in science, technology, and education and continue investments in our economy that House Democrats began starting in 2007.

"What is it about creating good American jobs and spurring innovation that the Republicans don't understand?" Miller asked. "Don't Republicans in Washington understand that America's economy wins when Americans can innovate?"

"The Innovation Agenda that House Democrats launched in 2005 caught hold because business leaders -- regardless of political affiliation -- said it was the right approach. For years now, other countries, like China and India, have made investments in their economies as the U.S. investments in fundamental R&D and basic technology began to wane. Over just the last few years we have begun to reinvigorate American investments, but we have much further to go. The COMPETES Act is an important part of this effort, but the Republican leadership in Washington has one strategy and one strategy only -- stop progress for America's middle class and hope that they can win the elections in November. How else can you explain their opposition to the fundamental economic investments we tried to approve today?"

"It is crucial that we compete and provide our students top rated math and science educations to ensure new technologies will be created here, not overseas. Today, Republicans voted to outsource our best jobs, jobs for scientists and inventors and technological gurus and jobs in manufacturing, to other countries. Our bill would strengthen our ability to compete, to invent, to create new technology, and to build the new economy and new jobs of the future. It would invest in innovation clusters and supports energy technology development to encourage new breakthrough technology. This bill would help create jobs, support students, and strengthen businesses and stop the outsourcing."

The COMPETES Act was originally signed into law in 2007 after receiving broad bipartisan support. Over 750 organizations have endorsed the legislation, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The COMPETES reauthorization aims to maintain and strengthen our nation's global economic competitiveness by:

* improving science, technology, engineering and math education, so that all students are prepared for the highly technical, high-paying jobs of the future;

* setting our basic research programs on a doubling path: the labs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology; National Science Foundation; and the Department of Energy's Office of Science;

* and addressing the need for transformational energy technologies with the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), which is pursuing high-risk, high-reward energy technology development.

The Innovation Agenda was a commitment made when Democrats were in the minority in Congress to help educate future generations of scientists and inventors, invest in research and development to fuel scientific breakthroughs, create a bold energy strategy to create jobs and strengthen our national security and ensure that all Americans have access to already developed technology like broadband and mobile technology.

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