Bipartisan Bill aims to boost US tech research, science over five years

WASHINGTON • Senate committee leaders in the United States have drafted a compromise US$110 billion (S$146 billion) measure for basic and advanced technology research and science over five years and the creation of a White House chief manufacturing officer in the face of rising competitive pressure from China.

The revised draft Bill is set to be debated by the committee on Wednesday.

The bipartisan Endless Frontier Bill would authorise most of the money, US$95 billion, over five years to be invested in basic and advanced research, commercialisation, as well as education and training programmes in key technology areas, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, advanced communications, biotechnology and advanced energy.

The measure, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, Republican Senator Todd Young and others, would also authorise US$10 billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis-response programme to address issues such as the shortfall in semiconductor chips harming auto production.

The revised version would also create a new Senate-confirmed chief manufacturing officer who would serve in the executive office of the president and would head a new Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy.

It would also direct the Commerce Department to establish "a supply chain resiliency and crisis response programme", including "the ability of supply chains to resist and recover in the face of shocks, including pandemic and biological threats, cyber attacks, extreme weather events, terrorist and geopolitical attacks, great power conflict and other threats".

The draft Bill would also block Chinese companies from participating in the Manufacturing USA programme without a waiver, cut energy use, and strengthen national security.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 09, 2021, with the headline Bipartisan Bill aims to boost US tech research, science over five years. Subscribe