Retiring House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., hailed the approval of the legislation, and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., spoke during the debate, saying, “Federal support for research and innovation is one of the best investments we can make in our future.”

President Obama signed the COMPETES legislation into law on January 4.

Jennifer A. Hobin (jhobin@faseb.org) is director of science policy and Karen R. Mowrer (kmowrer@faseb.org) is the legislative affairs officer in FASEB’s office of public affairs.