Kilmer Statement on FIRST Act Vote in House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) released the following statement after the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology voted to approve the Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act.
“We are in a global competition that will determine who will have the most innovative economy, and where the jobs of the future will be created,” said Kilmer. “The original America COMPETES Act was designed to ensure that America was positioned to win that competition. Investment in basic research lays the groundwork for future economic growth. Unfortunately, the bill approved today fails to keep pace with the investments other nations are making, and in fact fails to even keep pace with inflation. It’s long past the time for Congress to step up to the plate and work together to find practical solutions to make sure tomorrow’s technological breakthroughs happen here, not overseas.”
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