Reid gathers bills into “competitiveness agenda”

Sen. Harry Reid today gathered a suite of bills into a “competitiveness agenda” that Democrats said would spur innovation and job growth.

The Senate majority leader from Nevada and other party leaders unveiled the package that consisted of some legislation already in the pipeline and others rebranded to emphasize their potential to create jobs and modernize the workforce.

On the tax front, goals include passage of bills to expand research and development tax credits, renew tax credits for companies that build capacity to make use of wind and solar energy, and make permanent tax credits for college tuition.

In other areas, the Democrats want to advance job-training and worksharing, develop a Clean Energy Deployment Administration and strengthen cybersecurity.

First up, Reid said at a news conference, is completion of a bill to modernize air traffic control system, to be followed by a patent reform bill.

At the same time, Reid said Senate Democrats will accept President Barack Obama’s five-year overall “freeze” on discretionary domestic spending that still allows for increases in priority programs. The White House says that will save $400 billion over 10 years.

"It was not an easy decision," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "Some members of our caucus wanted to go farther but at minimum we are going to abide by this freeze."

Schumer added the Senate Democrats were coordinating their message with the White House.

"Our agenda is in keeping with the president's framework from the State of the Union," Schumer said. "Win the future by out-innovating, out-education and out-building" competitors.

Democrats also continued to draw contrasts between themselves and Republicans who now lead the U.S. House and are engaged in cutting spending about $60 billion below current levels, including a number of popular programs.

“We believe there should be some cuts in spending,” Reid said. ”We are criticizing Republicans for what they are doing because what they are doing is cutting with a meat axe."