“A new report released [May 12, 2010] by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) highlights the role of government investment in research and development (R&D), especially in the area of basic research. The report, entitled The Pivotal Role of Government Investment in Basic Research, concludes that the United States needs to identify and support the next generation of innovations that will create new industries, spur job creation, and fuel economic growth. Because basic research plays a critical role in sparking innovation, it may be prudent for the government to increase its expenditures towards basic research now. Basic research—such as the process of uncovering the structure of DNA—is one of three components of R&D, the others being applied research and development. Expanding the stock of knowledge by investing more in the basic research component of R&D funding can lead to the development of an even larger array of technologies – such as genetic tests for specific diseases or gene therapies to cure diseases.”