Legislation seeks boost in U.S. competitiveness

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a package of legislation last week aimed at boosting U.S. competitiveness in science and technology by doubling federal funding for basic research and establishing a new science agency in the Department of Energy. The bills would implement 20 recommendations contained in an October 2005 report by the National Academy of Sciences that outlined a series of steps the U.S. should take to maintain its global economic competitiveness, (C&EN Online, Oct. 13, 2005). The legislation would establish an agency at DOE called the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) that would provide grants for high-risk research and development programs in the energy sector. The NAS report, compiled at the request of Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), concludes that U.S. world economic leadership will erode in the coming years unless the nation acts to improve the scientific and technological expertise of its workforce. Provisions in the bills call for doubling federal funding for basic research; competitive, merit-based scholarships for future math and science teachers; visa reform for foreign science and mathematics students; and extension of the research and development tax credit.