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SIA 'Disappointed' in Bush, Congress |
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Written by Mike Buetow
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Thursday, 27 December 2007 |
SAN JOSE – “A year
that started with great promise of bipartisan action to enhance
American competitiveness in the global economy appears about to end
with no significant action on any of the key elements,” said
Semiconductor Industry Association president George Scalise. “To
say that we are keenly disappointed would be a huge understatement.”
In a statement, the trade group noted failures by President Bush and Democratic leaders in
the House of Representatives to follow through on commitments to increase
funding for basic research, reforming visa programs to ease the hiring
of the best and brightest foreign-born scholars with advanced degrees
in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and modernizing
and extending the R&D tax credit. “Both Congress and the
Administration have taken bows for their strong commitment to enhancing
U.S. competitiveness and innovative capabilities, but the rhetoric has
greatly outstripped the action,” Scalise said.
“While Congress recently passed and President Bush signed the
‘America COMPETES Act,’ these actions mean little without an actual
appropriation to fund the programs it authorizes. Current spending
bills drastically shortchange research funding for the National Science
Foundation, the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Department of Energy,” Scalise said. NSF and NIST both
play critical roles in the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative which
supports cutting-edge basic research in collaboration with industry and
universities.
SIA noted that without action this week, funding for basic research
at universities and the national laboratories will fall far short of
the levels promised by the President and the House leadership; U.S.
companies will continue to be disadvantaged in the competition to hire
the best and brightest foreign-born graduates from American
universities; and the R&D tax credit expires Dec. 31.
“Our competitors in the global economy are poised to seize the
opportunities presented by our inaction on these critical concerns,”
Scalise said. “Other countries and regions have put in place generous
incentives to attract investment, including cash grants, tax holidays,
and liberal R&D tax credits. Competitors are also seeking to build
world-class research universities and funding basic research in
nanotechnology. The U.S. still enjoys a lead in technology, but
leadership is not a birthright – it must be earned through action.
Noting the recent 60th anniversary of the
invention of the transistor, Scalise said: "The invention of the transistor did not happen in isolation.
It was the result of a world-class workforce and a culture that
encouraged investment in research and development. We need to replicate
that model today if we want the invention of the next great
world-changing technology to take place on our shores." |
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