Providing for Consideration of Conference Report on H.R. 2272, America Competes Act

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2272, AMERICA COMPETES ACT -- (House of Representatives - August 02, 2007)

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Mr. WELCH of Vermont. I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee from Ohio.

First of all, I want to congratulate the outstanding work of the Science Committee under the leadership of Mr. Gordon and Mr. Hall. That committee has produced more bipartisan useful legislation, maybe, than any other committee so far in this body. They are to be commended.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is yet another nail in the ladder of creating opportunity and making this country competitive in the 21st century global economy.

I want to talk a little bit about what can happen if you have companies, large and small, that make a difference and commit themselves to training the workforce, commit themselves to participating in a local community to advance science and math.

We have small companies in Vermont that have done this. We also have a big company, IBM. It is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Vermont, and that will be later this summer. IBM is a major employer. It is a company that transformed itself from computers to services in a whole array of activities that has been beneficial and relied on having the best training for new employees, the best science and math.

That company has not only helped provide good jobs to Vermonters as well as people around the world, it has participated very actively in our State efforts to improve science and math training. This legislation is going to focus resources on that effort in Vermont and across the country.

My congratulations to the Science Committee for the good work that it's done and to the companies large and small across this State that have helped be a partner on these policies that are essential for the future.

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