America COMPETES act clears Senate committee

Science : The America COMPETES act, an ambitious bill to fund an array of initiatives in scientific research and education, was authorized late last week by the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. In surmounting that hurdle, the bill acquired two additional programs that the already-authorized House version lacked. Before the bill becomes law, it must go through two more Senate authorization committees and be reconciled with the House version. And if any money authorized by the bill is to reach its intended recipients, the corresponding appropriation bills have to pass, too.