U.S. President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech commitments to making the R&D tax credit permanent, boosting federal R&D funding and improving math and science education are drawing applause from John Engler, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).
"The President's commitment to increase funding for R&D and improve science and math instruction in our schools is exactly what we called for in our 2005 Labor Day report," said Engler.
But NAM's president was "disappointed" that Bush did not address product counterfeiting, subsidies and currency manipulation, what NAM calls "predatory trade practices." Engler also was disappointed Bush did not spell out specific near-term energy solutions. "We had hoped the President would come out strong and clear for development of oil and natural gas resources."
