Congressman Joe Morelle Votes to Strengthen Regional Innovation, Bolster Supply Chain, and Invest in our Manufacturing Economy

(Washington, DC) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle voted to pass the America COMPETES Act—a comprehensive package to strengthen America’s competitiveness by investing in innovation. The legislation includes provisions envisioned in Rep. Morelle’s legislation, the Innovation Centers Acceleration Act, to create regional technology and innovation hubs that Rochester is poised to become.

“Now is the time to boldly invest in innovation and scientific research to advance America’s competitiveness against China and reestablish our nation as the global leader of innovation,” said Congressman Morelle. “I’m particularly pleased that our local universities, manufacturing infrastructure, and highly specialized workforce put Rochester in a strong position to benefit from these investments and grow our regional economy. I’m proud to vote in favor of this legislation that will ensure that America can outcompete any nation in the world, now and for decades to come.”

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy said, “As outlined in an analysis by MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, the Greater Rochester region is ranked number one in the nation as ripe for technological and economic investment and growth. With 19 nationally and internationally renowned higher education institutions to provide much-needed talent, world-class facilities like STAMP and Eastman Business Park which are primed to host new semiconductor jobs and factories, and a long history of cutting-edge technological research and development, Rochester is perfectly suited for additional investment. Greater Rochester Chamber and our 1,300 members commend Congressman Morelle for his leadership on the America COMPETES Act, and emphatically support Greater Rochester as a winning location for innovation investment.”

Congressman Morelle has led the effort for dedicated federal investments into our nation’s innovation and manufacturing efforts. Rochester, New York was identified by the Brookings Institute as a potential innovation hub—one of the top regions for growth opportunity in this sector. The America COMPETES Act authorizes $6.8 billion over five years for the Department of Commerce to establish these regional tech hubs that Rochester is well-positioned to compete for.

America COMPETES will also:

• Accelerate U.S. production of critical semiconductor chips.
• Strengthen the supply chain to make more goods in America.
• Turbocharge our research capacity to lead the technologies of the future, and advance global competitiveness.
• Support strong labor standards and human rights.

For more information on the legislation, click here.