Proposals to Boost Research, Education Programs Garner Bipartisan Vote

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved two measures endorsed by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) to develop the next generation of American scientists and engineers.  In strong, bipartisan votes of 389-22 and 397-20, the House approved H.R. 362 and H.R. 363, respectively, both authored by Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon, D-Tenn.

 "Fostering more physical science research and cultivating young minds are the twin pillars of America's future success in the technology industry,” said Storme Street, EIA’s vice president of government relations.  “Today’s overwhelming votes send a welcome sign that House Democrats and Republicans alike are committed to keeping the United States at the head of the innovation class."

 H.R. 362 seeks to improve the skills of the nation’s science, technology and engineering (STEM) teachers by expanding the availability of scholarship, stipend and training programs and providing new funding for teacher workshops and master’s degree programs.

 H.R. 363 would establish new grant programs at both the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy to award early-career researchers at least $80,000 per year for five years; create the Presidential Innovation Award to recognize researchers in science and engineering; require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to report on efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and engineers at the NIST laboratories and joint institutes; and express the sense of Congress that a balanced science program at NASA contributes significantly to innovation in, and the economic competitiveness of, the United States.

 The bills contain provisions focused on STEM advancement that EIA has championed for years and were prominently featured in the organization’s 2004 policy playbook, The Technology Industry at an Innovation Crossroads.