Sen. Jay Rockefeller Holds a Hearing On Innovation and Competitiveness

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Sen. Jay Rockefeller Holds a Hearing On Innovation and Competitiveness

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION HOLDS A HEARING ON INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS

MARCH 10, 2010

SPEAKERS: SEN. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, D-W.VA. CHAIRMAN SEN. DANIEL K. INOUYE, D-HAWAII SEN. JOHN KERRY, D-MASS. SEN. BYRON L. DORGAN, D-N.D. SEN. BARBARA BOXER, D-CALIF. SEN. BILL NELSON, D-FLA. SEN. MARIA CANTWELL, D-WASH. SEN. FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, D-N.J. SEN. MARK PRYOR, D-ARK. SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, D-MO. SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, D-MINN. SEN. TOM UDALL, D-N.M. SEN. MARK WARNER, D-VA. SEN. MARK BEGICH, D-ALASKA

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, R-TEXAS RANKING MEMBER SEN. OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, R-MAINE SEN. JOHN ENSIGN, R-NEV. SEN. JIM DEMINT, R-S.C. SEN. DAVID VITTER, R-LA. SEN. JOHN THUNE, R-S.D. SEN. ROGER WICKER, R-MISS. SEN. JOHNNY ISAKSON, R-GA. SEN. SAM BROWNBACK, R-KAN. SEN. MIKE JOHANNS, R-NEB. SEN. GEORGE LEMIEUX, R-FLA.

WITNESSES: JOHN HOLDREN, DIRECTOR, WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

ARDEN BEMENT JR., DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

PATRICK GALLAGHER, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

ROBERT BRAUN, CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[*] NELSON: The meeting will come to order.

Senator Rockefeller? Mr. Chairman?

ROCKEFELLER: Mr. Chairman, I want to apologize to you, to my colleagues and to our witnesses. But Leader Reid did me a great favor. We were meant to start FAA reauthorization at 2:00, right after the votes, but he knew that I wanted to come and make a statement at least here because what this is all so important and so I'm doing that.

But in the meantime a coup is taking place and Senator Nelson has now, with the support of these two, has -- I'm out.

(LAUGHTER) Anyway, we are here today to talk about science, research, research for innovation -- innovation behind new technologies, and technology development that leads to high tech jobs.

Slow down, Jay.

Science-based initiative drives economic growth and helps America compete in the global economy. For centuries, innovation has made this country's global economics at the forefront, from the steam engine driving the industrial revolution to computers and networks powering the Internet revolution. But we cannot take that leadership for granted because we see things slipping away from us.

At a time when the economy continues to struggle, our future depends on the investments that we make today to keep our nation competitive and ensure that our communities' long-term economic security and prosperity will be fine.

Five years ago, the National Academy reported "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." They sounded the alarm that U.S. leadership in science and technology was eroding. It was shocking, and it was true, and is.

And so Congress responded in 2007 with the America COMPETES Act, landmark legislation to increase national investment in research and development and in science, technology, engineering and math education, popularly known as STEM.

Dr. Holden, I want to tell you, one of the best experiences I've had in years, I had last week in West Virginia. And I drove an hour and a half to Parkersburg in Wood County, and I sat down for three hours, no press, no one knew I was there, with six teachers, teaching science, technology, engineering or math; in some cases, two.

And just the whole discussion why they got into it, why they stay into it, what do they -- how do they find the button in the student that has it but doesn't know it or is inattentive because of problems at home or whatever.

But just talking with these teachers, one, it gave you the sense of the power of the profession, the power of the profession to change lives, why it is so importan...

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