Science & Technology

Dan understands innovation is one of the long-term keys to achieving a vibrant economy and higher standard of living, and that’s why he is proud to support a broad array of scientific and technological research. Whether the issue is health and medicine, conservation and the environment, technology and energy, or psychology and human development, Dan understands that many benefits of modern life are due in part to scientific breakthroughs. That’s why, as congressman, he’ll work to get researchers the funding they need in order to help all of us live better, longer, happier lives.

Because of current economic conditions, our need for technological innovation is as great as it’s ever been. With skyrocketing energy costs, deterioration of our climate, and lagging efficiency standards, the time has come for an unprecedented commitment to transformational research. Dan supports establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), which applies the same successful model utilized by the Department of Defense in the development of GPS and the Internet. ARPA-E provides just the multi-disciplinary, public-private, cross-cutting approach necessary to really pull together the best and brightest from all sectors. This program will cultivate the next generation of scientists and researchers in America, create “green” jobs by absorbing some of the burden from the business community, and return America to the fore in technological innovation.

Dan will make the Research and Development Tax Credit permanent, which helps small businesses develop new technologies and create new jobs, fosters long-term economic growth and prosperity, and supports the entrepreneurial drive of small business owners. Also, making the R&D Tax Credit permanent will help mitigate confusion faced by small business owners when drawing up their budgets.

It’s important that we encourage the continuation of federal appropriations to research and development. Federal dollars, when applied, have been incredibly productive, leading to innovations stemming from DNA sequencing to development of the semiconductor. Dan will work to ensure that funding streams remain open and available to researchers working on the forefront of scientific discovery.  Stem cell therapies, for example, are showing great promise for certain diseases and illness. Politics should no longer stand in the way of creation and invention. America must regain a leading position in the global science community, rather than lose our finest scientists and most productive funding to other nations.

Here in Illinois, the 10th district is home to many important research sites, from Abbott Labs in North Chicago to the important conservation and botanical work done at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. Dan knows that the 10th district values scientific research and will carry that passion for knowledge and discovery with him to Washington.

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