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Science and Technology in the 2008 Presidential Election

Bill Richardson (Democrat)

Bill Richardson's campaign emphasizes a platform "to make our nation safer and our economy more fair, to make health care and college more affordable, to energize America with energy independence, and to guarantee a dignified retirement for all Americans." His platform is based on his experience as Governor, Senator, Secretary of Energy and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Competitiveness & Innovation

Richardson plans to renew emphasis on science and technology (S&T) and to establish new incentives for innovation through tax credits, federal research and development (R&D) funding, innovation clusters, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education proposals.

Specifically, Richardson's platform includes:

  • Creating a federal tax cut for 'Angel Investors' to invest in the high-tech jobs of the future.
  • Making permanent and doubling the Research and Experimentation (R&E) Tax Credit.
  • Restoring and increasing funding for federal R&D programs
  • Increasing funding to government renewable energy programs.
  • Developing regional Innovation Clusters and convening regional Innovation Summits where experts from business and venture capital, academia and government can come together to discuss mechanisms for creating jobs

STEM Education & Workforce

Richardson intends to create new science and innovation academies, and make training of new math and science teachers his priority for building STEM education and workforce. Richardson supports increasing H-1B visas to permit more skilled workers to come into our workforce as a means to enhance our nation's competitiveness. (Source: Slate)

Specifically, Richardson's platform includes:

  • Establishing 250 Math, Science, and Innovation Academies by 2012 to train the next generation of American engineers, mathematicians, scientists, and teachers.
  • Hiring and training 100,000 new math and science teachers.
  • In order to pay for these programs (estimated at $9 to $10 billion), Richardson will propose a General Fund for Academic Excellence in which the federal government will match every dollar contributed with two dollars.

Better Health for Americans

Richardson supports funding for embryonic stem cell research. As governor of New Mexico, he proposed an entirely state-funded research facility for the University of New Mexico to allow the school to do research on embryonic stem cell lines that is prohibited at institutions receiving federal funding and supported a state bill to allow research on stem cells derived from embryos slated to be destroyed. (Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life)

Energy & Environment

Richardson has proposed a climate and energy program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 90 percent by 2050, create a renewable portfolio standard of 50 percent by 2040, and reduce oil imports from approximately 65 percent to 10-15 percent. As governor of New Mexico, he entered his state into a five-state agreement that includes Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington, to lower greenhouse gases regionally.

Richardson's energy and environment platform includes:

  • Reduce oil imports from around 65 percent to 10-15 percent by getting the 100 mile per gallon (mpg) car into the marketplace, increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards (CAFE) to 50 mpg by 2020, and setting a life-cycle low-carbon fuel standard that reduces the carbon impact of liquid fuels by 30 percent by 2020.
  • Create a national renewable portfolio standard of 30 percent by 2020 that will rise to 50 percent by 2040 and an energy productivity law requiring a 20 percent improvement in energy productivity by 2020.
  • Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 20 percent by 2020; 80 percent by 2040; and 90 percent by 2050 using a market-based cap and trade system for greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Return to the international negotiating table and support mandatory world-wide limits on global warming pollution.
  • Make a one-time investment in a new Energy & Climate Investment Trust Fund
  • Revive Clean Air Act standards and increase funding to help states enforce them. Expand the Clean Air Act to include protections from old and inefficient power plants and provide incentives for the use of cleaner fuels.
  • Expand disclosure of toxic pollution by reversing the EPA's position on corporate reporting and making facilities report on the release of toxic chemicals at least once a year.
  • Protect and enforce the Endangered Species Act. Richardson noted, "Accurate scientific data must be used in assessing Endangered Species Act issues and ensure that corporations and other special interests adhere to the law when challenging ESA."
  • Prohibit thinning of national forests in roadless areas.
  • Encourage states with low-recycling rates to increase their recycling by linking state funding to improvements

National & Homeland Security

Richardson's foreign affairs strategy includes renewing our commitment to international law and multilateral cooperation which address environmental issues, such as leading global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce poverty.

Link to Candidate's Official Site

http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/