Texas Senator, Illinois Representative Honored for Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership

By Chris McManes

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) and Rep. Daniel Lipinski (Ill.-3rd) were recently honored with the 2011 George E. Brown Jr. Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership Award on Capitol Hill.

Hutchison and Lipinski received their awards during a reception in the Rayburn Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Hutchison serves on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and is ranking member of the Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences Subcommittee. In 2006, she was an original co-sponsor of the Protecting America’s Competitive Edge Act, the National Competitiveness Investment Act and the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act.

Two of her amendments to the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act – to include NASA in inter-agency competitiveness and innovation efforts, and to focus increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) on physical sciences, technology, engineering and math – were included in the America COMPETES Act of 2007. America COMPETES is designed to promote U.S. innovation and competitiveness so the United States can maintain its global leadership in science and technology and create new jobs.

Lipinski is a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. As chairman last year of its Research and Science Education Subcommittee, he helped lead House passage of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. He is now the subcommittee’s ranking member.

The George E. Brown Jr. Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership Award is presented annually by the Science, Engineering and Technology Work Group (SETWG) to members of Congress who are effective advocates of federal investment in science and technology. It is named for the late Rep. George E. Brown Jr., a longtime member of Congress who made outstanding contributions to federal support for science and technology throughout his congressional career.

The award is presented annually in conjunction with SETWG’s Congressional Visits Day (CVD), the preeminent yearly event during which hundreds of scientists and engineers from around the country come to Washington for two days of briefings and visits to their members of Congress. About 250 people participated in 2011 CVD events held April 6 and 7.

SETWG, of which APS and IEEE-USA are members, is an information network of professional, scientific and engineering societies, higher education associations, institutions of higher learning and trade associations. It is concerned about the future vitality of the U.S. science, mathematics and engineering enterprise.
   The Science-Engineering-Technology Work Group.

Chris McManes is a public relations manager at IEEE-USA.