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May 12, 2022

Chairwoman Johnson Opening Statement for Innovation and Competitiveness Conference Kickoff Meeting

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Conference Committee on H.R. 4521, the bipartisan innovation and competitiveness legislation, held its kickoff meeting.
 
Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-TX) opening statement as prepared for the record is below.
 
Thank you, Chairwoman Cantwell. It is an honor to join my colleagues this morning to officially convene the first meeting of the conference committee on H.R. 4521, the bipartisan innovation and competitiveness legislation. I am here virtually today as I recover from my knee surgery, but I hope to be with you all in person soon.
 
It is time for us to revitalize federal support for the kinds of research and development initiatives that have long made the U.S. a beacon of excellence in science and innovation.
 
As Chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I’m especially proud of the bipartisan Science Committee bills that are included in the House-passed America COMPETES Act.
 
These provisions were built with rigorous input from the scientific community, industry, academia, and other stakeholders on what they need most to succeed in the 21st century.
 
With this legislation we can usher in a bold and prosperous future for American science and innovation and maintain our international competitiveness.
 
We can build clean energy solutions, address the climate crisis, reinforce our national security, enhance our semiconductor research and manufacturing capabilities, create jobs, and so much more.
We can also take historic and much-needed action to build a strong and diverse STEM workforce, enacting legislation that will ensure that we are able to make use of all the brainpower and talent we have in this great nation.
 
Our work here is critical to ensuring the U.S. has the resources to compete globally for many years to come. I look forward to a productive conference process and am confident we will come out with a strong, bipartisan innovation bill to deliver to President Biden’s desk.
 
 

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