Ranking Member Johnson Responds to the President's State of the Union Address
(Washington, DC) - In response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) issued the following statement:
“As Ranking Member on the Committee with jurisdiction over almost all non-defense federal scientific research and development, I could not agree more with the President’s assertion, ‘Now is not the time to gut job-creating investments in science and innovation. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race.’ A commitment to investments in science and innovation is the key to our nation’s competitiveness. While we need to get serious about reducing our deficit, our nation’s long-term economic prosperity depends on the investments in research and development.
“I also agree with the President that now is the time to act on clean energy technologies, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. These are issues that we hear about every single day and if we as Americans are not willing to act, we will be left behind.”
“Manufacturing has long been a central part of the American economy, and innovation is the key ingredient to the successful development of next generation manufacturing processes and products. The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation proposed by the Administration responds to our concerns about the future competitiveness of United States. This network of manufacturing institutes will close the gap between research and development activities and the deployment of technological innovations by bringing together industry, academia, and government to tackle large-scale manufacturing challenges.”
“Education, particularly STEM education is an issue that has always been close to my heart and I was pleased to hear the President emphasize its importance. STEM education is another critical component to our nation’s economic competitiveness because those fields are where the jobs of the future will be. We need to ensure that the U.S. continues to produce the world’s best scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.
“I’m thankful that the President called for action on climate change. It is time for all Members of Congress to accept the evidence, recognize the overwhelming scientific consensus, evaluate the risks of continued inaction, and come together to have meaningful discussions about climate change. We need to be doing everything that we can as policymakers to ensure that our communities, the agricultural sector, and other critical industries can adapt to the costly impacts of a changing climate.
“There is much work that lies ahead on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s agenda related to these issues in the 113th Congress, such as reauthorizations of the American COMPETES Act and NASA and energy R&D legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to achieve our common goal of securing our global technological leadership and economic competitiveness.”
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