Pelosi to Bush: Let's Work Together to Improve America’s Global Competitiveness
Pelosi to Bush: Let's Work Together to Improve America’s Global Competitiveness
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Contact: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C. â€" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter to President Bush last week requesting a bipartisan leadership meeting with the President to discuss keeping the U.S. competitive in the global marketplace. Below is the text of the letter:
February 9, 2006
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
In your State of the Union Address, you discussed a renewed commitment toward ensuring that the United States retains its competitive edge in the global marketplace. House Democrats agree that we must invest in our future; that is why last year we introduced our Innovation Agenda: A Commitment to Competitiveness to Keep America #1.
In light of your recent statements, and in the hopes of starting a constructive dialogue, I am writing to request a bipartisan meeting of Congressional leaders to discuss how we can advance these vital issues.
House Democrats have spent the last year meeting with national leaders from the high-technology, venture capital, academic, biotech, and telecommunications sectors of our country. Through these efforts, we developed a set of national priorities designed to help guarantee our national security and prosperity, expand markets for American products, and assert economic leadership throughout the world.
The Democratic Innovation Agenda would:
* Create an educated, skilled workforce in the vital areas of science, math, engineering, and information technology;
* Invest in a sustained federal research and development initiative that promotes public-private partnerships;
* Guarantee affordable access to broadband technology for all Americans;
* Achieve energy independence within 10 years by developing emerging technologies for clean and sustainable alternatives that will strengthen national security and protect the environment; and,
* Provide small businesses with the tools to encourage entrepreneurial innovation and job creation.
As I am sure you agree, the future prosperity and competitiveness of America demand that we initiate this sustained financial and intellectual investment in innovation. With our Innovation Agenda, we have laid out a series of specific goals, proposals, and timelines that, taken together, chart a clear path to a new era of American leadership and prosperity. Attached is a copy for your review.
Many of the ideas you expressed in the State of the Union address are similar to the proposals in our Innovation Agenda. It is critical to move beyond words and speeches with a real financial investment in innovation, and we must do it now. Nothing less is at stake than America’s economic leadership.
While your budget proposal submitted to Congress this week devoted some federal dollars to innovation, House Democrats believe more must be done. We pledge to work with you to close the funding gap to ensure that these crucial initiatives receive adequate funding in the next fiscal year.
Mr. President, we look forward to working with you to schedule a bipartisan meeting of Congressional leaders to plan a mutual effort to advance this high priority agenda for our country.
Sincerely,
Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Leader
cc: The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker
The Honorable John Boehner, Majority Leader