Cori Bush Passes Six Amendments in America COMPETES Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), issued the below statement following the successful passage of six of her amendments to H.R. 4521, America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022 out of the U.S. House of Representatives:
“My six amendments to the America COMPETES Act reflect our longstanding pushes to protect our environment, invest in foreign policy that centers humanity, and ensure that Black people and communities of color are given opportunities to succeed. These amendments further our commitment to vaccine diplomacy, because eradicating COVID-19 and supporting vaccination efforts across the globe must be a priority for every country, including the United States. They will expand wind energy development, study Mississippi River pollution, and make more St. Louis factories eligible for federal energy grants. Each and every amendment will make St. Louis and the world safer. By passing my amendments, the House of Representatives is making it clear that our work to save lives, protect the planet, and ensure racial equity will benefit residents in St. Louis and beyond. I’m optimistic that given the urgency of all six of our St. Louis-sponsored amendments, they will make their way into law.”
Following passage in the House tomorrow, the America COMPETES Act will move into a conference committee to be reconciled with the Senate’s bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), which passed in June 2021.
A fact sheet & outline of the America COMPETES Act can be found here.
A summary of the Congresswoman’s individual amendments can be found here or below.
Cori Bush Amendments in the America COMPETES Act of 2022
#469: Transfer Credits from Alternative Secondary Schooling
Encourages public colleges and universities to facilitate the seamless transfer of course credit earned in the postsecondary STEM pathway directly to out-of-state public institutions and private, nonprofit HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. This will help build pathways for students of color in states that do not have an in-state HBCU or TCU to smoothly transfer their STEM course credits to out-of-state HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs.
#489: Solar Manufacturing
Revises the Solar Component Manufacturing Supply Chain Assistance Program to permit support for facilities that have the ability to manufacture solar components in addition to those that already do. This amendment allows transitioning industrial facilities new opportunities to apply for funding.
#442: Vaccine Diplomacy
Directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the USAID Administrator, to expand global testing capacity, vaccination distribution, and acquisition of needed medical supplies, including available COVID–19 vaccines, to ensure success in ending the pandemic globally.
#450: Water Pollution Study
Conducts a comprehensive assessment to measure the impact of oil spills, fossil fuel pollution, and plastic ingestion on sea life, including measuring waste flowing to the coast from the Mississippi and other watersheds.
#473: Offshore Wind Targets
Codifies the Biden Administration’s commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy in the United States by 2030. Writing this commitment into law strengthens our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
#554: Environmental and Public Health Study on Afghanistan
Studies the impacts of US and multilateral regulations and sanctions in Afghanistan, including the environmental and public health impacts of natural resource exploitation.
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Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress.