NSC Alliance has joined 34 other science, engineering, and higher education organizations in sending a letter to congressional leaders urging them to finalize and pass a bipartisan agreement on the United States Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260) and the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. 4521) by the end of July.
The letter also urges Congress to make a down payment on American competitiveness by adding $10 billion in supplemental appropriations for the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology as part of a final agreement. The organizations argue that making this initial investment would jump start our nation’s science and innovation enterprise as we seek to reclaim our competitive advantage.
Our global competitors are not sitting idle, the groups note. The need for this legislation is broadly recognized, and delay or failure should not be an option. We believe sensible bipartisan compromises can be reached on many of the outstanding issues and that a final agreement coupled with supplemental funding would bolster U.S. competitiveness, address supply chain issues, and enhance U.S. security.