WASHINGTON (21 December 2010) -- The House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 on Tuesday.

The legislation, which the Senate passed on 17 December, authorizes federal investment in science, engineering, innovation, technology and competitiveness, and is designed to help the United States maintain its world leadership in high-technology and create jobs. It will now go to President Barack Obama for his signature.

COMPETES strives to, among other things, prepare students for high-skilled, high-paying jobs by improving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; keeps basic research program budgets on a path to doubling at the Department of Energy Office of Science, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); reauthorizes the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E), which supports high-risk, high-reward transformational energy technology development; and provides loan guarantees "for a project that re-equips, expands, or establishes a manufacturing facility in the United States."