Washington, DC, May 25, 2006-–In a 404 to 20 vote yesterday, the House approved the first major increase in almost 15 years for the Department of Energy Office of Science, which is responsible for the critical national laboratory system that dates to World War II.
The National Association of Manufacturers applauded the House action, which marks the first piece of the President’s American Competitiveness Initiative to come to a floor vote in either House.
“The importance of the increase in basic R&D spending-- included in the FY 2007 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act--cannot be overstated,” according to David Peyton, NAM’s technology policy director. “We’re coming off 14 lean years of R&D spending that has resulted in layoffs at several labs. For the government to send highly skilled Ph.D.s home, telling them it won’t pay their salaries any more, is plainly self-defeating.
“Manufacturers need strong partnerships with the national labs for vital research projects. The labs maintain key facilities that no one company can afford by itself. Under the path that we have been heading down in recent years, research in materials science was going to start moving offshore. This long overdue increase will turn the tide--if we keep up our efforts year-after-year,” Peyton continued.
NAM acknowledged the Appropriations Committee leaders in carrying forward the President’s recommendation: Subcommittee Chairman David Hobson (R-OH) and Ranking Minority Member Peter Visclosky (D-IN). They were backed up by full committee chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and David Obey (D-WI). “Secretary Sam Bodman also deserves plaudits as a former MIT professor and industry CEO who has championed the need for a stronger national research effort in three departments,” Peyton said.
