A discussion on competitiveness ended up emphasizing the debate — national and local — on immigration issues Tuesday, as Utah business owners conveyed their frustrations to the visiting U.S. deputy labor secretary.

Deputy Labor Secretary Steven J. Law, in town to plug President Bush's "American Competitiveness Initiative" and to get feedback from local business and industry leaders, said Tuesday that the global economy is entering a new phase — one emphasizing knowledge, technology and the implementation of technology.

"We are entering into a dynamic new kind of economy called the knowledge economy," Law told the Utah Information Technology Association. "It's an economy not just based on the old industrial norms. It's based on new kinds of knowledge, new kinds of technology and the application of those kinds of technologies. And the way to stay on the cutting edge in that kind of economy is to continuously and aggressively invest in knowledge."

The competitiveness initiative, introduced during the president's State of the Union address, calls for doubling the federal commitment to research in science, technology and life sciences over the next 10 years; adding 70,000 teachers to lead Advanced Placement math and science classes; and putting about $380 million more toward improving math/science curricula in grades K-12.

The president's fiscal 2007 budget also includes $3.4 billion for worker training programs through "Career Advancement Accounts" — which, according to Law, "puts money directly into the hands of workers so that they can choose their own job training and employment services to help them qualify for promotion, find a new job or launch a new career."

That funding also could be used by states to provide basic employment services to job seekers and employers.

At the state level, Utah under Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is "laser-focused" on economic development and competitiveness, said Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert.

"I think we have a governor who understands that we have to be competitive in Utah, not just now, but in the future," Herbert said. "It's market-driven. Even those in the Communist countries compete in a global economy that's market-driven. And we can't compete unless we're competitive, and that means we've got to make sure we have opportunities for education, where our young people can be trained" in whatever vocations they choose.

In addition, Herbert said, Huntsman recognizes the need for infrastructure improvements, venture capital investment and regulation reform to allow businesses to compete.

But in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, the most heated discussion targeted immigration issues and the challenges businesses face in finding the labor they need — not only for lower-skilled jobs, but in getting visas to bring in scientists and other knowledge-industry workers.

Either way, Law said, "It is an untenable situation. We should not have 11 million people living in the shadows of our economy."

Law plugged Bush's controversial "guest worker" program, arguing that it is the most balanced plan for dealing with a real issue facing workers and businesses today — increasing border security and enforcement, as well as "widening the legal aperture" to increase employers' access to labor.

"We are very focused on getting that passed," Law said. "We'd like to see action this year."

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