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

December 17, 2010

Compete America Applauds Senate for Passing America COMPETES Reauthorization Act

Legislation Critical to Developing American Workforce and Boosting U.S. Innovation Leadership

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. Senate for passing the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.  The U.S. House of Representatives, which passed its own version of the Act earlier this year, must now take up the Senate-passed version.

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.

“America must develop its own sources of talent to stay competitive in the 21st century economy,” said Compete America Co-Executive Director Jessica Herrera-Flanigan.  “The America COMPETES Act makes the investments in math and science education that will help our nation build such a qualified and highly educated workforce, and we applaud the Senate for its action today.  We now urge both Chambers to work together to get this critical legislation to the President’s desk for enactment this year.”

Compete America joined with other associations, coalitions, and companies in signing a letter to the Senate 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.