[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 72 (Thursday, May 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

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                               speech of

                           HON. JIM MATHESON

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 12, 2010

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5116) to 
     invest in innovation through research and development, to 
     improve the competitiveness of the United States, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. MATHESON. Madam Chair, I support H.R. 5116, the ``America 
COMPETES Act of 2010.''
  This bill makes important investments in science, innovation and 
education to strengthen U.S. businesses and create jobs in the short 
and long term. This bill expands, strengthens and aligns STEM education 
programs at all levels of education. It fosters research by 
reauthorizing the National Science Foundation and National Institute of 
Science and technology labs.
  Not only does this bill strengthen the U.S. competiveness with 
countries abroad with research and development incentives, but it also 
makes significant strides in building and improving our manufacturing 
base. In particular, this bill improves the Manufacturing Extension 
Program. The MEP is a network of 59 centers located in every state and 
Puerto Rico that provides a range of serves to small and medium sized 
manufacturing. This program has been very successful to the 
manufacturing industry in my state of Utah.
  Manufacturing is the largest trade in the State of Utah and 99% of 
the 4,000 manufacturers in the state are small businesses. This bill 
provides innovative technology federal loan guarantees for small and 
medium sized manufacturers to help them access capital to become more 
efficient and stay competitive.
  In 2008 the federal investment of $1 million dollars in Utah's MEP, 
matched by State and private sector funds, resulted in work for over 
400 manufacturers, of which 94 were major projects with quantifiable 
impacts. Madam Chair, we need to invest in cost effective programs that 
help create jobs and MEP is an example of this success. I have visited 
many of the small businesses that have benefited from the MEP center in 
Utah and I believe that they are worthwhile and extremely beneficial.

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