Letter to Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert
Letter to Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert
June 1, 2006
The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
H- 232 U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Speaker:
As the House prepares for the upcoming "Innovation and Competitiveness week," I urge you to bring a real and comprehensive innovation agenda to the House floor. House Democrats are eager to work on a bipartisan basis to ensure that America retains its competitive edge in the global market. To meet the challenges of today, and to create the jobs and economic security of tomorrow, we must make these investments immediately.
As you know, House Democrats have spent the last year meeting with national leaders from the high-technology, venture capital, academic, biotech, and telecommunications sectors of our country. Through these efforts, we developed a set of priorities designed to help guarantee our national security and prosperity, expand markets for American products, and assert America's economic leadership throughout the world.
I am confident that we can find common ground and make significant progress by enacting legislation that would:
* Modernize and extend the R&D tax credit immediately. America's innovative businesses should not pay the price for Congress' inability to extend the credit in a timely way. These companies are at the forefront of our efforts to develop new technologies and processes, and Congressional inaction will only serve to inhibit long-term research plans that create high-paying research jobs in our communities.
* Double funding for basic research in physical sciences.
* Ensure access to broadband for all Americans.
* Take much-needed steps to ensure long-term support and improvements for our patent system.
* Make necessary improvements in our immigration laws to ensure that the best and brightest from the around the world are able to contribute to innovation in the United States.
* Adequately fund existing programs geared toward assisting small businesses, which are the catalysts for technological innovation: including the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), the Advance Technology Program (ATP), and the 7(a) loan program.
To stay number one, timing is everything. In order to sustain our global economic leadership, create new business ventures and jobs, and give all Americans the opportunity to achieve the American dream, we must make an immediate bipartisan commitment to innovation and competitiveness. We can begin by including these key bipartisan initiatives as part of Innovation and Competitiveness week.
Thank your for your interest in this matter. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
NANCY PELOSI
Democratic Leader
http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1606