[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise as a proud cosponsor in strong 
support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. As we recover from 
this recession, we must remain committed to ensuring that our students 
are properly educated in math and science to strengthen our Nation's 
economic competitiveness.
  With the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, we will make targeted 
investments in science, technology, engineering, and math education and 
groundbreaking research. Research leads to innovation. Innovation leads 
to manufacturing new products, and manufacturing leads to good-paying 
jobs.
  According to the Alliance for American Manufacturing, every 
manufacturing job in our country directly supports four additional 
jobs. This bill will support our manufacturers, many of which are small 
businesses, by improving access to credit with innovative technology 
Federal loan guarantees.
  This bill improves the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program by 
reducing the local cost share, allowing Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership program centers like MAGNET in Ohio to leverage more funds. 
MAGNET, which is based out of Cleveland, has leveraged Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership funds to generate nearly $10 million in new 
investment and has created or retained over 400 jobs in my 
congressional district alone between 2005 and 2009.
  Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers will help rejuvenate our 
Nation's manufacturing base by informing local community colleges of 
the skill sets local manufacturers seek. Our workers must have the 
necessary job training to secure good-paying jobs. We must invest in 
our students, our workers, our small businesses, and our short-, mid-, 
and long-term economic competitiveness, and that is exactly what our 
bill does.
  For these reasons, I am proud to cosponsor the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act, and when the bill is called up for a vote 
tomorrow, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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