Washington, DC - Today, Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) voted in favor of H.R. 2965, the “Small Business Research and Innovation Act.” This bill will create new jobs and boost the economy by supporting small business innovation in research and technology. The House passed the bill, 386-41. Below are Congressman Dingell’s remarks for delivery on the House floor:

“I rise today in support of H.R. 2965, the Small Business Innovation and Research Act of 2009. Since 1982 the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have assisted thousands of innovative, cutting-edge small businesses in successfully getting their products to the marketplace.

“The SBIR and STTR programs provide small businesses the ability to compete for federal funding, thus ensuring the best companies are getting their products to the market. Firms across all fields, from alternative energy and biotechnology to national defense, have benefited from the ability to get seed money from the government to fully develop and market their products and technology. The modest investments the government makes in these firms have provided tremendous rewards, allowing 1500 new companies each year to get off the ground. In my home state of Michigan, the SBIR/STTR programs have invested $534 million, $215 million of which Michigan has received since 2003. Overall, 450 Michigan companies have benefited from SBIR/STTR, including two thriving firms in Michigan’s 15th Congressional District, Adaptive Materials and A123Systems.

“Not only does H.R. 2965 reauthorize the SBIR/STTR programs which are set to expire on July 31, 2009, it also modernizes them, placing an emphasis on commercialization, expanding access for minority-owned and rural business, and creating a more efficient and streamlined process for participating companies.

“The SBIR program is designed so that technology-driven firms have the chance to advance their ideas, develop them, and ultimately commercialize their products. This legislation is critically important for companies in Michigan, and across the country, as it gives them the ability to continue to get their products to the market, especially at a time when the economy is so badly hurting. I urge all my colleagues to vote for this important legislation.”

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