America Competes Act fails again

The Hill (Romm) - House Democrats on Wednesday tried again — and failed again — to advance a $48-billion bill reauthorizing a slew of science and technology research programs...Democrats initially believed they could reach the two-thirds vote threshold with the help of Republican members by adding the pornography ban while slimming the bill down from a five-year, $96-billion authorization to a three-year, $48 billion effort.

But it became clearer early Wednesday that Republican House members remained unsatisfied with Democrats' research bill. The GOP issued a statement of policy just before the vote that slammed Gordon's effort for failing to incorporate all six of their revisions, especially those that some members believe would reduce or eliminate "numerous new and unnecessary" programs.