U.S. Congress OKs competitiveness bill

Updated 11:00 AM August 13, 2007

U.S. Congress OKs competitiveness bill

By Mike Waring, Sarah Walkling and Cindy Bank
Washington, D.C., office

In an effort to compete with rapidly emerging economies around the world, President Bush last week signed into law legislation that doubles funding for physical science research and re-energize efforts to improve math and science education.

Passage of the America COMPETES Act culminated a three-year effort to put Congress and the White House on the record in support of ramping up America's innovation infrastructure. The legislation closely follows the recommendations of the National Academies' 2004 "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" report, which proposed a series of steps needed to ensure American competitiveness.

Among the provisions of interest to U-M:

• Establishing ARPA-E, a new agency at the Department of Energy (DOE) to focus on high-risk, high-reward research;

• Establishing the National Institute of Standards and Technology "Technology Innovation Program" and allowing university participation for the first time;

• Creating a DOE early career grant program for scientists at both universities and national labs for outstanding graduate students;

• Providing DOE grant programs to universities to establish or expand degree programs in nuclear science and hydrocarbon systems science;

• Requiring the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take academic-industry coordination into account when reviewing proposals,; and

• Expanding the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and the Math and Science Partnerships Program at NSF.

"These programs provide valuable funding for basic research at institutions like the University of Michigan, which received 14 percent of its federal research funding ($81 million) from NSF and DOE in 2006, supporting 700 faculty researchers and 2,625 postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate researchers," says U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn), who represents the U-M campus. "Their innovations can then be translated into new technology and new jobs here at home."

While the legislation authorizes increased funding, Congress will need to provide appropriations to these programs to ensure the full intent of the legislation is realized.

U.S. Congress OKs competitiveness bill

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