House Follows Senate in Passing Bill on Scientific Research and Education

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the Senate’s version of a bill to reauthorize the America Competes Act, legislation that would allow but not allocate increased funds for the federal government’s main agencies supporting scientific research. The bill, which President Obama is expected to sign, also would authorize increased spending on education in the STEM fields and on teacher education. The Senate passed the bill on Friday, months after the House had acted on its own version of the measure. That required the House to vote on the Senate’s bill in order to pass it.