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Science and Technology in the 2008 Presidential Election

John McCain (Republican)

Senator McCain's campaign focuses on "courageous service, experienced leadership and bold solutions" that draw from his experience in the Navy, U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

Competitiveness & Innovation

Senator McCain has noted that "Innovation is fueled by risk capital, skilled workers, incentives for entrepreneurs, a light regulatory framework, and open access to markets"

Senator McCain's platform addresses competitiveness through tax incentives for innovation, specifically:

  • Banning Internet taxes

  • Making the research and development tax credit permanent and establishing the credit at 10 percent of wages spent on R&D

  • Allowing first-year deductions, or "expensing", of investments in equipment and technology

Senator McCain is also a supporter of the space program as a catalyst for innovation, enhancement of national security, and American technological competitiveness.

STEM Education & Workforce

Senator McCain's platform on education places emphasis on improvement through competition among schools, accountability, and standard-based assessments of school performance.

McCain supports expansion of the H-1B visa program, which permits employers to hire non-immigrant guest workers in high-skill and specialty fields, stating "I continue to be a strong supporter of H-1B expansion, but mere expansion is not enough. Reforms should eliminate the artificial limits and allow the Department of Labor to set a level of visas appropriate for market conditions." [Source: "Technology Voters' Guide: John McCain," ZDNet, 3 January 2008]

Better Health for Americans

Senator McCain's platform addressing health care focuses on lowering costs for individuals, but includes provisions for improving health through science and technological innovation.

Among the items in Senator McCain's platform are:

  • Developing a greater focus on the treatment of chronic disease through dedicated federal research

  • Upgrading information systems in health care and rapidly adopting 21st century technology

  • Implementing national standards for measuring and recording treatments and their outcomes

  • Facilitating development pathways for safe and cheaper generic versions of drugs and biologic pharmaceuticals

Senator McCain supports funding for stem cell research provided it does not involve harvesting human embryos and is subject to strict federal guidelines. He voted in favor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 (S.5) which provides funding for human embryonic stem cell research using stem cells derived exclusively from donated embryos that would have otherwise been discarded.

Energy & Environment

McCain's platform on climate change relies on a market-based system to cut greenhouse gas emissions based on five principles:

  • Policy based on scientifically-sound, mandatory emission reduction targets and timetables

  • Utilizing a market-based cap-and-trade system

  • Including mechanisms to minimize costs and work effectively with other markets

  • Spurring development and deployment of advanced technology

  • Facilitating international efforts to solve the problem

The intent of McCain's cap-and-trade plan is encourage the innovation of alternatives to carbon-based fuels with the goal of reducing U.S. carbon emissions to 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The plan would allow for a gradual reduction of emissions, with incrementally lower caps on allowed emissions starting in 2012.

In addition to the cap-and-trade plan, McCain's platform includes provisions for government funding of advanced technology developed to meet emissions targets, market incentives for development and deployment of low-carbon technology, and an adaptation plan for dealing with the effects of climate change.

National & Homeland Security

McCain supports reform in our defense acquisition process to ensure that dollars spent actually contribute to U.S. security. McCain also believes that our nation's military spending, except in time of genuine emergency, must be funded by the regular appropriations process, not by "emergency" supplementals that allow defense to be funded outside the normal budget cycle.

Link to Candidate's Official Site