US Senate considers investing $ 120 billion in science to compete with China

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US Senate considers investing $ 120 billion in science to compete with China​

May 19 2021

Washington — A vast bill that will pour $ 120 billion to dramatically initiate scientific innovation by strengthening research on cutting-edge technology will strengthen Congress’s competitiveness with China in the United States He has passed the Senate amid growing urgency.
At the heart of the vast legislation known as the Endless Frontier Act is the investment in national research and development in emerging science and manufacturing on a scale that its supporters say has not been seen since the Cold War. The Senate will vote 86-11 on Monday, and Democrats and Republicans will work together to push the bill beyond procedural hurdles, and a tranche of Chinese bills related to the vote to approve is scheduled for this month.

The nearly 600-page bill passed the Senate quickly, supported by growing concerns between both parties about Beijing’s strangler figs on critical supply chains.Coronavirus pandemic Exposed the risk of Chinese rule, Healthcare workers face shortage of medical supply, Global shortage of semiconductors Closed an American car factory and delayed the shipment of home appliances.
The bill, led by Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat and majority leader in New York, and Todd Young, a Republican in Indiana, is the backbone of Mr Schumer’s series of legislations. Request in February From the chairman of a major committee aimed at realigning relations with China and strengthening US work. In summary, a series of bipartisan bills will be the most important step that Congress has seriously considered over the years to strengthen the nation’s competitiveness with Beijing.

“In order for us to win the next century, the United States needs to be a country that discovers the next breakthrough technology,” Schumer said. “We now have the opportunity to set our country on the path to innovate, produce and defeat the world in emerging industries in the 21st century, which has serious consequences for our economic and national security. Bring. If you don’t lead science and innovation, you’ll fall behind. “
Passing the bill has become a personal priority for Schumer, who quickly realized he was lonely as one of the Democratic Party’s earliest and loudest Chinese hawks. Now in power, he wants to steer billions of dollars towards long-standing priorities while ensuring an overwhelming bipartisan victory despite the high prices.

“I’ve been concerned about this issue for decades, and many different bills have been submitted by many different people,” Schumer said in an interview. “But when you are the majority leader, you have the ability to put such a bill on the floor.”
But despite bipartisan support for this effort, the path to legislation was not without challenges, and on Tuesday, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican and minority leader in Kentucky, said the bill. Warned that “prime time is not ready”. It will benefit from the “robust” round of change during the Senate debate.
As one of the few laws likely to become law this year, the Endless Frontier Act has become a magnet for lawmakers’ irrelevant narrow items, focused on lobbyists inserting clauses in favor of individual industries. Is the subject of great effort.
It received significant Senate approval last week, but before lawmakers added more than 500 pages, including legislation approving new funding to NASA, a ban on the sale of shark fins, and a country of origin labeling requirement. There was not. For king crab.
“This isn’t primarily a shark fin bill, which is important,” said Young, who was visibly frustrated, citing some of the other irrelevant provisions undertaken. “It’s not mainly about space or private space companies. It’s mainly about defeating, innovating, and growing Communist China.”
But lawmakers were able to defeat many splitting and irrelevant measures that would have completely sunk the bill.
The law will provide $ 120 billion to support and expand research in new technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and robotics.
This is to create 10 technology hubs that connect manufacturing hubs and research universities across the United States to diversify investment, rather than building technology giants already established on the two coasts. Includes $ 10 billion.
The goal is to put the United States at the forefront of emerging technologies, strengthen its manufacturing capacity, and build a pipeline of researchers and apprentices to do so. It aims to integrate universities, trade associations and national laboratories. Which one benefits — around the law.
“This will really put the spotlight on the next stage of innovation,” said Debbie Altenberg, Vice President of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. “We are investing heavily in scholarships, fellowships and trainees, so we are definitely investing in domestic workers.”
However, the question of how to cover research funding is hotly debated. Young’s dissatisfaction last week failed in trying to thwart bipartisan promotion to guide about half of the funding to the Department of Energy’s national laboratories (originally aimed at a new initiative at the National Science Foundation). It was because of that.
A Senator bipartisan group There is one or more department-run laboratories in the state, including West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin III, a Democratic critical vote, and New Mexico Democrat Ben Ray Luhan. Wanted this change.
Young argued that the bill should only spend money on applied research that creates concrete products to help the United States compete with China. However, many members of both parties, including the House Scientific Committee, who must approve the bill, have instead worked to divert it to state and district laboratories conducting basic research.
Other senators also seized the opportunity to insert pet provisions into the bill.
Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell, Chairman of the Commerce Commission, has added the entire NASA approval bill. A Republican group led by Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn has inserted measures requiring the government to investigate whether the sister city partnership is being used as a means of espionage.
Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat in Michigan, has also approved a provision to invest $ 2 billion in the semiconductor industry to slow down the shortage of closing car factories in Detroit and elsewhere. ..
Schumer announced Tuesday night that lawmakers would also consider funding additional bills passed last year to strengthen the semiconductor industry. Negotiations were involved in a partisan labor dispute over whether to require manufacturers to pay employees regular wages.
The industry is lobbying intensively for money.
“Doing so will accelerate US chip production and innovation and help keep the United States at its best competitive position for the next few years,” said John Noufer, chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Association. I am.
Senate considers investing $ 120 billion in science to compete with China

Senate considers investing $ 120 billion in science to compete with China - Eminetra

Washington — A vast bill that will pour $ 120 billion to dramatically initiate scientific innovation by strengthening research on cutting-edge technology will strengthen Congress’s competitiveness with China in the United States He has passed the Senate amid growing urgency. At the heart of the...

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