From Jeff Bingaman, U.S Senator re: the COMPETES bill.... (he
sure wants to "invest" a
lot!)
The final weeks of the 111th Congress were extremely
productive, delivering key actions that will benefit the nation and our
companies, workers, and students in New Mexico. The Senate ratified a critical
arms control treaty with Russia that will bring a lot of work to our national
laboratories. Congress also approved legislation to settle two of our state’s
longest-standing water rights cases—in Santa Fe and Taos, and in the process
also make a $190 million investment in bringing drinkable water to the members
of the Navajo Nation and residents of the Gallup area.
But perhaps one
of the most far-reaching if unsung bills we passed was the extension of the America Creating Opportunities to
Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science
Act (COMPETES)—a law I first helped write with then-Senator Pete
Domenici in 2007. COMPETES put our country on track to remain competitive in the
global marketplace by ramping up technological research and emphasizing math and
science education, among other key investments.
I believe the ability of
American companies and workers to compete with China, India, Europe, and other
top-tier competitors depends heavily on our ability to envision, develop, and
manufacture the next generation of technology in clean energy—everything from
efficient lighting to affordable solar panels for homes. Toward that end,
COMPETES invests in the following:
science and engineering, and can create and keep those jobs here at home—and I
am convinced that New Mexico has an important role to play. COMPETES will help
us build on the many successes we already have. I recently visited Albuquerque’s
Sennheiser manufacturing plant, where I toured the facilities and had the
opportunity to speak with employees and managers who had participated in the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (MEP)—a public-private partnership that helps
companies improve their manufacturing capabilities.
(U.S. Senator
Jeff Bingaman, right, listens to Sennheiser Production Manager Jeff Duvall,
center, during a recent tour of Sennheiser facilities in Albuquerque.
Other Sennheiser employees look on in the background.)
After tapping
into MEP’s expertise, Sennheiser’s productivity increased by 28
percent, the company improved their manufacturing process, as
well as their internal communications—all making it but one example of a
public-private partnership success story. By extending the life of MEP, which
was set to expire last year, COMPETES will ensure that other New Mexico-based
companies can grow.
Enacting COMPETES is a critical step to take to
create the best possible climate for the next generation of businesses to grow
and thrive. Now that a new Congress has begun, we can continue to work finding
other ways to support the private sector’s ability to create jobs here in New
Mexico and across the nation.
Sincerely,
Jeff Bingaman
United
States Senator
sure wants to "invest" a
lot!)
The final weeks of the 111th Congress were extremely
productive, delivering key actions that will benefit the nation and our
companies, workers, and students in New Mexico. The Senate ratified a critical
arms control treaty with Russia that will bring a lot of work to our national
laboratories. Congress also approved legislation to settle two of our state’s
longest-standing water rights cases—in Santa Fe and Taos, and in the process
also make a $190 million investment in bringing drinkable water to the members
of the Navajo Nation and residents of the Gallup area.
But perhaps one
of the most far-reaching if unsung bills we passed was the extension of the America Creating Opportunities to
Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science
Act (COMPETES)—a law I first helped write with then-Senator Pete
Domenici in 2007. COMPETES put our country on track to remain competitive in the
global marketplace by ramping up technological research and emphasizing math and
science education, among other key investments.
I believe the ability of
American companies and workers to compete with China, India, Europe, and other
top-tier competitors depends heavily on our ability to envision, develop, and
manufacture the next generation of technology in clean energy—everything from
efficient lighting to affordable solar panels for homes. Toward that end,
COMPETES invests in the following:
- Research and Design: It is crucial that we grow scientific
research and design work here in the United States. New Mexico is home to some
of the most prestigious and well-respected institutions of discovery and
innovation, including Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, our
universities, and military and private research institutions. As a longtime
advocate of the national labs, I am pleased that the new COMPETES law doubles
the Department of Energy’s Office of Science budget in the next ten years. This
helps ensure that the labs in our state—which employ tens of thousands of New
Mexicans—remain on solid footing to continue their ground-breaking
research. - Manufacturing: I believe American workers are the best in
the world and should be manufacturing the high-tech products that American
scientists are inventing. For example, New Mexico is an ideal location to
capture solar and wind power. I am proud that our state is home to several
manufacturers of solar energy technology and to some of the most advanced wind
and solar electricity generating plants in the nation. Companies like Array Tech, EMCORE, and SCHOTT are leading the way as manufacturers that not only
create jobs here, but help move our nation closer to energy independence. - Education: If we are to secure our place as a worldwide
competitor, we must first ensure that tomorrow’s scientists and inventors are
getting a first-rate education today. COMPETES creates a partnership between New
Mexico’s labs and high schools to encourage science and technology students
through real-life projects and mentorship, something the experts at our labs are
uniquely suited for. COMPETES also supports research and internship
opportunities for high school and undergraduate students and, for the first
time, coordinates the many federal programs available to these students.
COMPETES also encourages students with science and engineering backgrounds to
pursue teaching credentials, thereby increasing the pool of top-notch
teachers.
science and engineering, and can create and keep those jobs here at home—and I
am convinced that New Mexico has an important role to play. COMPETES will help
us build on the many successes we already have. I recently visited Albuquerque’s
Sennheiser manufacturing plant, where I toured the facilities and had the
opportunity to speak with employees and managers who had participated in the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (MEP)—a public-private partnership that helps
companies improve their manufacturing capabilities.
(U.S. Senator
Jeff Bingaman, right, listens to Sennheiser Production Manager Jeff Duvall,
center, during a recent tour of Sennheiser facilities in Albuquerque.
Other Sennheiser employees look on in the background.)
After tapping
into MEP’s expertise, Sennheiser’s productivity increased by 28
percent, the company improved their manufacturing process, as
well as their internal communications—all making it but one example of a
public-private partnership success story. By extending the life of MEP, which
was set to expire last year, COMPETES will ensure that other New Mexico-based
companies can grow.
Enacting COMPETES is a critical step to take to
create the best possible climate for the next generation of businesses to grow
and thrive. Now that a new Congress has begun, we can continue to work finding
other ways to support the private sector’s ability to create jobs here in New
Mexico and across the nation.
Sincerely,
Jeff Bingaman
United
States Senator