WASHINGTON (18 February 2009) -- IEEE-USA President Gordon Day commends Congress and the administration for investing in science, technology, energy, and education in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
President Barack Obama signed the legislation yesterday in Denver.
"IEEE-USA strongly endorses these much-needed investments in research and our science and technology infrastructure," Day said. "We believe the investments will help stimulate education, innovation and economic development across the country, saving or creating jobs now and building a stronger America for the future."
Energy projects and programs will receive billions of dollars to improve energy efficiency, develop a "Smart Grid," provide incentives to electrify transportation and develop energy storage technology. The spending is consistent with IEEE-USA's latest energy policy recommendations (http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/energypolicy.pdf).
"We particularly welcome the investments in energy because energy is central to three of the most important challenges we face as a nation: prosperity, security and environmental health," Day said.
The law also takes important steps toward achieving universal access to broadband data services through the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture. IEEE-USA recently restated its commitment to this initiative in http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/broadband.pdf.
"Investing in universal broadband access will permit workers to perform many jobs almost anywhere, and will provide new educational opportunities and improved medical care everywhere," Day said.
The package also directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop standards for a national health information network, something IEEE-USA has long championed (http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/NHINinteroperability.html.
"Having an interoperable health information network will not only help medical professionals save lives and improve the quality of care, but will also create a more effective marketplace for health services by enabling consumer access to information on healthcare costs, quality and outcomes," Day said. The law puts the budgets of NIST, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's Office of Science on track to double over the next seven years.
"Funding the programs in science and mathematics education and R&D that Congress authorized in the America COMPETES ACT of 2007 is an essential step toward maintaining a healthy, innovation-driven economy, and assuring a vibrant high-tech workforce for the future," Day said.
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 215,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 375,000 members in 160 countries. See http://www.ieeeusa.org.