| Washington, DC – Congressman Bill Shuster received an award today for his commitment to advancing technology in Congress but especially for promoting its development in rural communities. The Optical Society of America (OSA) presented their 2005 Person of the Year Award to Shuster in his Washington office this morning.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for this award. Our rural communities tend to lag a step or two behind the urban areas when it comes to the development of high-tech infrastructure, but it is essential to keep places like central and western Pennsylvania up-to-speed when it comes to these initiatives,” said Shuster, a member of the Congressional Rural Caucus. “And this award represents America’s commitment to advancing the sciences.”
OSA promotes the development and application of optics and photonics, which is the science of generating and controlling light and then in turn using that light to transmit information. Some of the uses of photonics include cameras, infrared sensors and more, many of which are used on our nation’s roads. In Congress, Shuster helped secure the future development of these initiatives in the recently passed Highway Bill, which includes research and infrastructure projects across the country.
“Much of this technology goes toward keeping our roads safer,” said Shuster, chairman of the Economic Development Subcommittee in Congress. “Sixty percent of highway fatalities occur on our rural roads. Central and western Pennsylvania has a significant amount of these narrow, winding roads so it is absolutely critical that we continue advancing these technologies so we can put them to work. And it’s not just our roads that these initiatives will help. They are also being put to work in a variety of other modes of transportation including trains and aviation.”
In 2005 Shuster supported a range of high-tech issues in Congress aimed at improving the quality of life for rural residents. These include photonics, broadband in health care and for economic development, and advancing new viable communications technology.
U.S. Senator Kit Bond of Missouri is also receiving this award from OSA for his commitment to advancing these technology initiatives in Congress. Bond is the chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee and the chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee for Public Works in the Senate. |
