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President Points to Scientific Issues in State of the Union Speech

January 29, 2008 -- In his State of the Union address to the nation, President Bush touched on numerous topics including education and competitiveness, health care, and energy. The National Academies have conducted studies in these areas to provide scientific and technological advice to policymakers and the public.

Education and Competitiveness:
President Bush asked Congress to follow through with the funding for the America COMPETES Act, which was enacted in support of the president's American Competitiveness Initiative. Rising Above the Gathering Storm provides an integrated set of recommendations for policymakers that would foster U.S. competitiveness, prosperity, and security. Systems for State Science Assessment offers guidance for the development and assessment of challenging academic content, as mandated by No Child Left Behind. The act also requires that research drive the use of federal funds at the state and local levels. Advancing Scientific Research in Education recommends ways to strengthen scientific education research and targets federal agencies, professional associations, and universities -- particularly schools of education -- to take the lead in advancing the field through scientific evidence.

Health Care:
In his speech, President Bush also discussed plans aimed at making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. The Institute of Medicine report Knowing What Works in Health Care: A Roadmap for the Nation offers a blueprint for a national program to assess the effectiveness of clinical services and to provide credible, unbiased information about what really works in health care.

IOM also issued a series of six reports that looked in depth at the consequences of being uninsured in the United States. The final report, Insuring America's Health: Principles and Recommendations, offers a set of guiding principles based on the evidence reviewed in the first five reports and on an analysis of federal, state, and local efforts to reduce uninsurance. It envisions an approach that will promote better overall health for individuals, families, communities, and the nation by providing financial access to necessary, appropriate, and effective health services.

Energy:
President Bush called for continued investment in advanced battery technology and renewable fuels to power the cars and trucks of the future, as well as an increase in the use of renewable power and nuclear power as a means of working toward greater energy security.

Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards examines changes to fuel economy standards that could further reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and provide more flexibility to carmakers.

Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership: First Report evaluates the partnership's research efforts, whose long-term goal is to produce a technology that would to help automakers determine by 2015 whether it is possible to manufacture and sell hydrogen-powered vehicles on a large scale. A follow-up report is currently under way and scheduled for completion this spring. Review of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Research and Development Program - Phase 2 will further examine the program and offer recommendations for the future.

Also coming this spring, the National Academies will be holding a two-day summit offering a critical assessment of America's energy future. The event is intended to stimulate discussion among experts with diverse points of view on energy issues as the 2008 U.S. elections approach. Feature presentations by leaders in energy policy representing government, research institutions, and the private sector will address three major energy themes: energy security; energy and the economy; and energy and the environment.

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