The U.S Department of Commerce today delivered to Congress a comprehensive report on “The Competitiveness and Innovative Capacity of the United States.”  The report serves as a call to arms, highlighting bipartisan priorities to sustain and promote American innovation and economic competitiveness. 

Rebecca Bagley, President and CEO of NorTech, a regional nonprofit technology-based economic development organization in Northeast Ohio, served as a national expert on the Department of Commerce Innovation Advisory Board, which helped to research and compile the report. Ms. Bagley was in Washington, DC for the release of today's report, which can be found online at www.commerce.gov/competes.

The 15-member Innovation Advisory Board was established as a result of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (COMPETES), which was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. The report addresses a diverse range of topics and policy options, including: tax policy; the general business climate in the U.S.; barriers to setting up new firms; trade policy, including export promotion; the effectiveness of Federal Research and Development policy; intellectual property regimes in the U.S. and abroad; the health of the manufacturing sector; and science and technology education.

Click to watch Rebecca Bagley speak about the COMPETES report.