The Senate has approved, by a 68-32 vote, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 (USICA). The package, aimed at countering China's scientific and economic aspirations, includes the Endless Frontiers Act (EFA).

The EFA has been discussed and altered since first introduced last Congress. The latest version would establish a Directorate for Technology and Innovation at the National Science Foundation. The legislation authorizes $120 billion over five years largely for the NSF ($81 billion), Department of Energy ($16.9 billion), National Aeronautics and Space Administration ($10 billion), Department of Commerce regional technology hubs ($8 billion) and existing manufacturing programs ($3.6 billion). Within the NSF authorization is $52 billion for existing basic research functions and $29 billion for the new tech directorate. The new directorate will focus on 10 key technology areas that include artificial intelligence, advanced computing, robotics and automation, natural disaster prevention or mitigation, advanced communications, biotechnology, data storage and management, advanced energy, advanced materials science, and innovation methods.

The bill also contains provisions to promote research security, including new penalties for failure to disclose outside compensation.

A companion bill must pass the House and then be reconciled with the Senate prior to final votes and approval by President Biden. The House and president are expected to support some version of the Senate's bill. 

What research groups are saying:

APLU Hails Passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act

FSU-IU Op-ed on the Endless Frontiers Act

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved legislation to create a Technology and Innovation Directorate within the National Science Foundation as well as provide billions in new funding to the agency. The bipartisan Endless Frontiers Act (EFA) was approved on a 24-4 vote and is expected to receive full consideration in the chamber by the end of the month. Significant changes were made to the legislation in recent days including a reduction of funding directed to the new technology directorate. The committee-approved version authorizes $81 billion for NSF for FY21-26, including $52 billion to existing basic research activities and $29 billion to the new directorate. Additionally, the bill authorizes $17 billion for the Department of Energy. 

Yesterday, the House Research and Technology Subcommittee advanced its version of EFA, the NSF for the Future Act. The House bill authorizes $72.7 billion for NSF over the same period as EFA, with $59.5 billion to the existing basic research mission and $13.2 for a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions. The House bill is also on track for consideration by the full chamber in the coming weeks.

FSU Federal Relations continues to work with the higher education community to engage the Florida delegation on the NSF bills. 

Last night, President Biden used his first speech to a joint session of Congress to lay out an ambitious agenda intended to speed the nation's emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic crisis as well as to bolster global competitiveness. The need for significant increases in U.S. investments in research and development was given significant attention in the speech. 

"[The] American Jobs Plan will be the biggest increase in non-defense research and development on record. We’ll see more technological change — and some of you know more about this than I do — we’ll see more technological change this the next 10 years than we saw in the last 50. That’s how rapidly artificial intelligence, and so much more, is changing. And we’re falling behind the competition with the rest of the world.

Decades ago, we used to invest 2 percent of our gross domestic product in America, 2 percent of our gross domestic product in research and development. Today, Mr. Secretary, that’s less than 1 percent. China and other countries are closing in fast. We have to develop and dominate the products and technologies of the future. Advanced batteries, biotechnology, computer chips, clean energy.

The National Institutes of Health, the N.I.H, I believe, should create a similar advanced research projects agency for health. And that would — here’s what it would do: It would have a singular purpose, to develop breakthroughs to prevent, detect and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer. I’ll still never forget when we passed the cancer proposal in the last year as vice president, almost $9 million going to N.I.H. You’ll excuse the point of personal privilege. I’ll never forget you standing, Mitch, and saying, name it after my deceased son. It meant a lot.

But so many of us have deceased sons, daughters and relatives who died of cancer. I can think of no more worthy investment. I know of nothing that is more bipartisan. So let’s end cancer as we know it. It’s within our power. It’s within our power to do it."

Since his election, Biden has made no secret of intention to propose significant increases for federal research agencies. The American Job Plan proposes an unprecedented increase of $180 billion for R&D. Additionally, an outline of the president's Fiscal Year 2022 budget request includes double-digit increases for the NSF, NIH, NASA, and NIST. 

The R&D components of the president's agenda largely have bipartisan support. However, it remains to be seen if the total price-tag of the president's plans yield enough congressional opposition to halt the efforts. 

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