Ranking Member Johnson Introduces the America Competes Act of 2014
(Washington, DC) – Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced H.R. 4159, the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014. In 2007, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed bipartisan, landmark legislation based on recommendations from the 2005 National Academies’ report Rising Above the Gathering Storm. The report found that the scientific and technological building blocks critical to our economic leadership were eroding at a time when many other nations were gaining strength. The America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2010 continued the Committee’s commitment to strengthen American competitiveness through sustained investments in science, innovation, and education. The America Competes Act was up for reauthorization last year.
Ranking Member Johnson made the following statement.
“The America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014 renews our commitment to maintaining our scientific and technological leadership now and long into the future. As the Chairman moves to begin Committee work on Competes-related legislation, I and the other Democratic Members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology want to ensure that we continue to make the investments in our science, innovation, and education enterprise that are essential for our long-term economic growth and competitiveness. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass bipartisan legislation. As I’ve said before, the message we risk sending to the nation and the world by not reauthorizing the America Competes Act with a strong, forward-looking vision is a message of defeat.”
Original cosponsors of the legislation include all of the Democratic Members of the Committee: Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY), Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL).
Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, Rep. George Miller (D-CA) are also original cosponsors.
To see a fact sheet on H.R. 4159 click here.
To see the Democratic America Competes Reauthorization Act click here.
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