Science Chair Accepts Blame for Delays in COMPETES Bill

The House passed the COMPETES bill in late May after Republicans forced Gordon to trim the scope of the legislation to lower its cost. Gordon says that he hopes the bill will cross the finish line after the 2 November elections. (Some experts are predicting voters could give the Republicans control of the House of Representatives, if not also the Senate.) "We have made a decision to wait for the lame-duck session," he said. "This topic is too important to be dealt with in a nonrational period. But I am very optimistic that early on in the lame-duck we will see" the Senate adopt its version of the bill on the road to final passage.

That's also the hope of Senator Lamar Alexander (R–TN), a leading supporter of the original legislation, who also spoke at today's rally. Alexander, who would play a key role in winning Republican votes for any reauthorization, says that he's waiting for the Senate commerce committee to complete its work. He said he didn't know its timetable, "but the sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned."

Alexander also said that increased funding for research and better science education should be exempt from any freeze on domestic discretionary spending, a major plank in a policy platform that House Republicans announced today. "We spend $3.8 trillion this year, and we need to spend less," he told ScienceInsider. "But what we need to do is set priorities. And one of our highest priorities should be research and development, including using the talent at our great research universities to help create jobs."