As you look around the country there are still a significant number of states where their whole school debate is over school funding and we've been focused on the quality debate for most of the '90s.

Believe me, I'm not going to try to get into testing.

Manufacturers account for nearly 60 percent of all industrial research and development.

The asbestos problem impacts everyone.

I'm a compassionate conservative.

Senator Allen has long been a leader on competitiveness issues in the Senate and as governor of Virginia. His announcement of the Competitiveness Caucus comes as great news to the nation's manufacturers. We support every item on this agenda and will work with Senator Allen and others to make it a reality. The time has come for Congress to recognize the vital role manufacturing plays in American life and do what it can to strengthen our ability to compete in the global marketplace.

Despite these hurdles, manufacturers in the U.S. and their employees are doing remarkable work.