American Competitiveness Initiative
Encyclopedia
The American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) is a federal assistance program intended to help America maintain its competitiveness through investment in research and development (R&D) and education. The ACI’s focus is on programs that are likely to strengthen U.S. competitiveness by targeting funding to agencies that support research in the physical sciences. NASA
, however, is not included in the ACI.
The ACI was announced in President George W. Bush
’s State of the Union Address
given on January 31, 2006. The Initiative commits $5.9 billion ($1.3 billion in new Federal funding, and an additional $4.6 billion in R&D tax incentives) in FY 2007 to increase investments in R&D, strengthen education, and encourage entrepreneurship
. Over ten years, the Initiative plans to commit $50 billion to increase funding for research and $86 billion for R&D tax incentives.
In partnership with the private sector, state and local governments, and colleges and universities, the ACI hopes to promote new levels of educational achievement and economic productivity.
The ACI was signed into law in 2007 and has since been replaced by the America COMPETES Act
. The cutoff date for grants appropriated and funded by this bill was December 31, 2008.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, however, is not included in the ACI.
The ACI was announced in President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s State of the Union Address
State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...
given on January 31, 2006. The Initiative commits $5.9 billion ($1.3 billion in new Federal funding, and an additional $4.6 billion in R&D tax incentives) in FY 2007 to increase investments in R&D, strengthen education, and encourage entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
. Over ten years, the Initiative plans to commit $50 billion to increase funding for research and $86 billion for R&D tax incentives.
In partnership with the private sector, state and local governments, and colleges and universities, the ACI hopes to promote new levels of educational achievement and economic productivity.
The ACI was signed into law in 2007 and has since been replaced by the America COMPETES Act
America COMPETES Act
The America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007 or America COMPETES Act was signed by President Bush and became law on 9 August 2007. This was an Act, "To invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve...
. The cutoff date for grants appropriated and funded by this bill was December 31, 2008.
Focus Areas
- Federal investment in the most current basic research, and facilities and instruments
- Institutions of higher learning that provide research opportunities in math, science, engineeringEngineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and technology - Workforce training programs
- Immigration policies aimed at attracting talented international mathematicians and scientists
- Private sector investment in R&D
- Updated patenting system to further protect intellectual propertyIntellectual propertyIntellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
- Doubling the Federal commitment to the most critical basic research programs in the physical sciences over the next 10 years
- Encouraging the expansion of a favorable environment for additional private-sector investment in innovation
- Improving the quality of education to provide American children with a strong foundation in math and science
- Supporting universities that provide world-class education and research opportunities
- Providing job training that affords more workers and manufacturers the opportunity to improve their skills and better compete in the 21st century
- Attracting and retaining the best and brightest to enhance entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and job creation in America by supporting comprehensive immigration reform
- Fostering a business environment that encourages entrepreneurship and protects intellectual property
Goals
- 300 grants for schools to implement research-based mathematics and science curricula
- 100,000 highly-qualified math and science teachers by the year 2015
- 700,000 advanced placement (AP) tests passed by low-income students
- 10,000 more scientists, students, post-doctoral fellows, and technicians provided opportunities to contribute to the innovation enterprise.
- Double funding over ten years to $50 billion for innovation-enabling research at key Federal agencies that support the physical sciences and engineering (National Science FoundationNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
Office of Science, and National Institute of Standards and TechnologyNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyThe National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
) - Making permanent the Research and Experimentation tax credit to encourage increased private sector investment in innovation
- Improve K-12 math and science education by training teachers and developing effective teaching materials
- Offer training opportunities to 800,000 workers annually
Capabilities
The ACI hopes to improve America’s capabilities in numerous mathematical and scientific fields. Some of these include:- Nanofabrication, nanomanufacturingNanomanufacturingNanomanufacturing is a term used to describe either the production of nanoscaled materials, which can be powders or fluids, or to describe the manufacturing of parts "bottom up" from nanoscaled materials or "top down" in smallest steps for high precision, used in several technologies such as laser...
, and nanotechnologyNanotechnologyNanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres... - BiotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
- Alternative energyAlternative energyAlternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
(hydrogen, nuclear, and solar) - High-end computing
- Intelligent manufacturing
- Accurate weather and climate prediction
- Design of safe and effective pharmaceuticals
- Quantum information processing and quantum mechanicsQuantum mechanicsQuantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
simulations - Secure communications, cyber security and information assuranceInformation AssuranceInformation assurance is the practice of managing risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information or data and the systems and processes used for those purposes...
- Intellectual property protection and control
- Sensor and detection capabilities
- Development of manufacturing standards and integration of more efficient production practices
- Advances in materials scienceMaterials scienceMaterials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
and engineering
Education
The ACI proposes $380 million in new Federal funds to invest in the Nation’s education system.- Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) Program:
- $122 million investment
- Train additional 70,000 AP/IB math and science teachers in five years with matching dollar contributions from states and the private sector
- Increase the number of AP/IB math and science tests passed by low-income students from 230,000 to 700,000
- Increase funding to $122 million with specific emphasis on math and science
- Offer incentives and training to teachers to become AP/IB math and science teachers
- Subsidize AP/IB testing fees for low-income students
- Establish an Adjunct Teacher Corps program to encourage up to 30,000 math and science professionals to become adjunct high school teachers by the year 2015
- $25 million investment to encourage partnerships between school districts and public or private organizations involved in science, math, and engineering
- Improve classroom instructional methods and materials by establishing a National Math Panel ($10 million investment) to evaluate the effectiveness of various ways of teaching math and science
- Math Now (combined $250 million investment) for
- Elementary students: help prepare students for advanced math courses in middle and high school
- Middle School students: help diagnose and remedy students lacking proficient math skills and better align instruction with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) goals
- Evaluation of Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education programs to gauge effectiveness in meeting stated goals ($5 million investment)
- Inclusion of Science Assessments in NCLB accountability
Competitiveness Grants Program
- Supplemental grants to low-income
- college freshman and sophomores who completed a rigorous high school curriculum and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in college
- college juniors and seniors who major in math, science, and critical foreign languages
- Provide enhanced Pell GrantPell GrantA Pell Grant is money the federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are not enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating...
s to students who pursue rigorous coursework in high school and the Presidential Math and Science Scholars Fund - Provide a total of $4.5 billion in grant aid to students through the 2010-2011 academic year, $790 million in the 2006-2007 academic year, and $850 million in 2007-2008
Career Advancement Accounts (CAA)
- Self-managed accounts of up to $3,000 available for approximately 800,000 workers annually to increase their skills though job training
External links
- On April 21, 2006, President Bush visited CiscoCisco SystemsCisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
in San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. He praised the company for helping students in mathematics, science, and information technology. California Governor Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
also attended the roundtable discussion. Detailed information, including a video transcript of the panel can be found here. - United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of EducationThe United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
webpage on the ACI - The ACI Press Briefing held on February 1, 2006
- ACI Booklet from the Office of Science and Technology PolicyOffice of Science and Technology PolicyThe Office of Science and Technology Policy is an office in the Executive Office of the President , established by Congress on May 11, 1976, with a broad mandate to advise the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs.The director of this office is...
(OSTP)