Sudip Parikh, co-chair of the Science and Technology Action Committee, released the following statement applauding the House’s passage of the National Science Foundation for the Future Act, H.R. 2225, on behalf of the Committee:
Today’s passage of H.R. 2225, the National Science Foundation for the Future Act, is another promising indication of Congress’ commitment to enhancing our nation’s scientific and technological capacity and strengthening our position in the global economic arena. With a particular focus on STEM education, if funded, this legislation would help ensure that we are not only prepared to combat existing societal threats but also that the next generation of leaders are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to tackle emerging and future threats.
With bipartisan support, this bill is another example of a renewed federal focus on fortifying the engine of American innovation. The House and Senate must now quickly reconcile their respective bills aimed at strengthening our country’s scientific enterprise and pass a final version to the President’s desk for his signature.
There is much that Congress can and must do now as part of the parallel appropriations process. Congress must provide funding to the Office of Science and Technology Policy to incentivize critical cross-agency and interdisciplinary coordination and, as called for in the Science and Technology Action Plan, Congress must also work to increase federal investment in science and technology to at least 1.4% of GDP. The time is now to build on this momentum to unlock our nation’s full innovative capacity.