Hickenlooper: “This is a rare opportunity to reinvigorate our economy and cut the red tape that has been holding back American innovation”
For video of the remarks click HERE.
In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, a member of the Conference Committee that will finalize the Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Bill, spoke today at the first public hearing of the Conference Committee.
“Fifty years from today we’ll look back on this time as the ‘Great Transition,’ when we modernized our economy and made real strides in our transition to a clean energy economy. I look forward to working with all of you in this bipartisan victory for American people,” said Hickenlooper in his remarks.
Hickenlooper spoke about his priorities for this bipartisan legislation, including revitalizing efforts around renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and other fields while encouraging American innovation and strengthening our economy.
Hickenlooper also highlighted some key partners in Colorado that this bill will rely on to drive innovation, including the National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST) in Boulder and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden. In addition, Hickenlooper emphasized specific programs he is enthusiastic for, such as the regional technology hub program.
The Conference Committee is tasked with reconciling differences between the Senate’s United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the House’s America COMPETES Act to expand research and development in key technologies, grow our skilled workforce, strengthen supply chains, and increase manufacturing in critical products.
Full remarks are below. Video can be found HERE.
“I’m honored to serve on this Bipartisan Innovation and Competition conference. During the height of World War II, President Roosevelt wrote: ‘New frontiers of the mind are before us.’ We’re at a similar point in our nation’s history. We have no choice but to reaffirm our commitment to science or fall irrevocably behind our rivals.
“This work on the Conference Committee is going to help stimulate and revitalize our efforts around renewable energy, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and I could go down that list. It’s going to help unleash American innovation, it’s going to strengthen our supply chain, and ultimately reduce costs for consumers.
“I think the key agencies in Colorado that are going to help drive this are the National Institute for Standards & Technologies and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory up in Golden, among a number of other agencies, but these are similar agencies from all across the country.
“We need to also assure that every American is prepared to contribute to our national goals and research, and in innovation our success depends on American ingenuity. That’s why I look forward to working on this bill, including the regional technology hub program, which will expand workforce education, train new and diverse entrepreneurs, accelerate technology, commercialization, and really help grow rural economies.
“This is a rare opportunity to reinvigorate our economy and cut the red tape that has been holding back American innovation. From helping STEM PhDs get visas so they can stay right here in America after school, to modernizing our banking laws so that the cannabis industry isn’t operating in the all-cash darkness, our economy needs to be supported and to help us meet this moment as it has in the past and as it can again today, and we have to make changes to keep up with the world.
“Fifty years from today we’ll look back on this time as the ‘Great Transition,’ when we modernized our economy and made real strides in our transition to a clean energy economy. I look forward to working with all of you in this bipartisan victory for American people.”
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