Science-related spending bill clears Congress

WASHINGTON -- A bill that would increase federal spending on basic science research and help develop mathematicians and scientists passed Congress late Thursday.

The measure was an outgrowth of a campaign by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and several other senators to boost U.S. competitiveness in the world economy.

"This investment in our nation's future will help secure America's position as a leader in innovation," Ensign said in a prepared statement after passage of the America Competes Act, which would raise spending for the National Science Foundation from the current $6 billion to more than $11 billion by fiscal 2011.

Funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which works with industry to apply scientific advances, would be increased by $300 million over five years.

Also, states would get federal help to establish "specialty schools" in math and sciences, and federal science laboratories would establish summer training programs for math and science teachers.