Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today issued the following statement at the full committee hearing on U.S. Competitiveness and S. 2197, the “Protecting America’s Competitiveness Edge” (PACE) - Energy Act:

Chairman Domenici’s statement:

“In his recent State of the Union address, the President announced the American Competitiveness Initiative.  I applaud the President for his bold vision and leadership on the issue of U.S. competitiveness.  The President’s Initiative includes plans to double basic research funding for the physical sciences at the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

“Our PACE legislation is a good partner to the President’s Competitiveness Initiative.  PACE-Energy provides authorization for doubling research dollars at the Department of Energy Office of Science. I was pleased to see the President’s budget request for the Office of Science calls for an increase just over 14 percent, putting it on track to double in a decade.

“We need to take U.S. competitiveness seriously.  We need to take action to support our standard of living, and ensure we continue to grow and prosper.  If we do not, we can expect other nations to rival our global competitiveness – and one day to surpass us.”  

Witness testimony and Chairman Domenici’s opening statement can be accessed from the committee website at: http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1526

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