Date: 1993-05-05
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I rise in support of H.R. 820. The National Competitfveness Act of 1993. a bill of which I am proud to be a cosponsor. This legislation represents the next step in the development. of a comprehensive national strategy that will assist Americas small and mediumsized businesses in becoming the leading economic force in. the world. This bill as conceived by now Vice President GORE. builds on legislation approved by this body last year. lays the foundation for cooperation between government. industry. and academia. On February 22 of this year. President Clinton announced his technology initiative. outlining a comprehensive strategy to guide America toward a stronger economy. cleaner environment and more competitive business. At that time Vice President GORE said "We face new challenges. from our competitors around the world and from the people we serve here at home. that demand new solutions and creative thinking * * * we must move to seize these opportunities." Now I know there is resistance to the idea of cooperation between government and industry in this body. In fact. I received a "Dear Colleague" just yesterday calling this bill fatally flawed because It picks winners and losers. My colleagues I submit that this attitude is nothing more than a sign of the mindset of the regressive decade we just overcame. It is time that America wakes up to the reality that we are not conipeting in a free market system. During the eighties we exported tens of thousand of Jobs overseas and -the Reagan and Bush administrations sat back and said there is nothing we can do about this. Well my friends. thats Just not true. We are competing in a global economy and with people of different cultures and different philosophies about what an economic policy should be. It amazes me that while we complain about our trade deficit with Japan. China and Germany we still have people in this body complaining about increasing our Commerce Department budget by $764 million. Do I need to remind my colleagues that during the same week In which we had to withdraw a $16 billion stimulus package. the Japanese Prime Minister signed off on a $115 billion infrastructure package which is certain to pass later this sum. mer? And yet we wonder why we have a $49 billion trade deficit with Japan. Mr. Speaker. we are at a critical point in our history. In addition to being saddled with the task of redirecting a 40yearold defense indus.try. we are facing fierce economic competition from countries smaller than the State of Texas. The Japanese spend $500 million a year to support 170 technology centers. We currently have seven manufacturing centers and spend a fraction of that figure on them. This bill is not only critical to ensuring a smooth transition for those many smalland mediumsized businesses which formerly relied on defenserelated contracts but is essential to all of those new startup companies which are responsible for the only significant job growth over the past 2 years. The manufacturing technology and extension section of this bill is directed toward these small dynamic companies in need of technical advice about how to restructure. It also creates a vehicle for these companies to access the most recent manufacturing technology innovations. provides assistance in developing and refining precompetitive technologies. and information about market opportunities. The Critical Technologies Development Program encourages investment in startup companies trying to bridge the gap between technology development and commercialization. Since 1987. venture capital has declined 75 percent. Early stage venture capital investment now represents only 5 percent of all venture investments. Now some will still call this picking winners and losers but I believe that If the market is unable to provide the funds necessary to sustain the industry. government should step in. This bill has been backed. by the American Electronics Association. the Small Business Coalition for Science and Technology. the President of the United States. the States themselves. numerous universities. and others. This legislation is critical to the future of our country and I urge my colleagues to support H-.R. 820.