ASPB applauds passage of America COMPETES reauthorization

ROCKVILLE, Md. — The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) applauds Congressional reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act.

Originally enacted in 2007, the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act underscored the nation’s commitment to scientific research and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Among other provisions, the 2007 and 2010 bills establish broad directions and set maximum funding levels for some of the nation’s key science agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“The original America COMPETES Act, passed with broad bipartisan support, set the nation on a path toward progress in science and education; the reauthorization passed last week reaffirms that commitment,” said ASPB President Nicholas C. Carpita, Ph.D. “We look forward to working with Congress and the federal agencies to build upon our past successes and foster continued discovery and innovation in the classroom and in the laboratory.”

ASPB is a professional scientific society, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, devoted to the advancement of the plant sciences worldwide. With a membership of nearly 5,000 plant scientists from throughout the United States and more than 50 other nations, the Society publishes two of the most widely cited plant science journals:The Plant Cell and Plant Physiology. For more information about ASPB, please visit http://www.aspb.org/. Also follow ASPB on Twitter @ASPB.