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Contact:  Eric Thomas or Frances Cox, 202-822-9491

December 21, 2010

Compete America Applauds House for Passing America COMPETES Reauthorization Act

American Workforce and U.S. Innovation Leadership Will Benefit from Legislation’s Investments in Math and Science Education

Washington, D.C. – Compete America, a coalition dedicated to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated and innovative workforce necessary to grow the economy and create quality American jobs, today praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.  The Senate passed the Act last week, which means it can now go to President Obama for enactment this year.

Compete America endorses the America COMPETES Act because it provides crucial support for science and technology education programs for American students and workers, which is essential for growing America’s high-skilled workforce.  Numerous studies have shown that U.S. student achievement in math and science continues to lag behind other countries, a reality that hurts America’s place as a leader in the global innovation economy.

“The investments that the America COMPETES Act makes in math and science education will go a long way to helping ensure America has the highly skilled workforce it needs to compete in the global economy,” said Compete America Co-Executive Director Jessica Herrera-Flanigan.  “We applaud the House for making these investments in America’s future today, and we look forward to working with the 112^th Congress to ensure America’s continued innovation leadership.”

Compete America joined with other associations, coalitions, and companies in signing a letter endorsing the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act.  For a copy of the letter, visit www.competeamerica.org.

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.