Ro Khanna and Chuck Schumer: Investing in Technology and Innovation is an Economic and National Security Priority
By Congressman Ro Khanna and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
President Biden is off to a strong start in responding to the most critically urgent national priorities – a series of executive actions, related to racial justice, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic – to reverse the Trump Administration’s most damaging policies. The President’s spring agenda should also include the passage of a bold and ambitious plan to jump-start funding in science, technology, and innovation across America.
The Administration should seize this opportunity – at a time when there is hope for a new future, while those who favor progress are in control of the White House and Congress, and before the rigor of gridlock typical of such a narrow majority in both houses sets in. Fortunately for the new Administration, it does not have to look far to find an investment strategy. Last year, we formed a bipartisan and bicameral group of members of Congress in proposing a comprehensive plan that will achieve our national goals of reaching for the endless frontiers of discovery and the creation of breakthrough technologies for today and beyond.
Our partners in this effort include Senator Todd Young and Representative Mike Gallagher. We introduced the “Endless Frontier Act” to boldly invest in America’s future and solidify our leadership in the industries of tomorrow. Under our plan, which we will re-introduce in the near future, the National Science Foundation would be expanded, re-named the National Science and Technology Foundation and include a new Technology Directorate within NTSF to advance technology in ten critical focus areas.
Under our legislation, the newly created Directorate would receive $100 billion over five years to lead investment and research in artificial intelligence and machine learning, high performance computing, robotics, automation, advanced manufacturing, and more. An additional $10 billion would be allocated to the National Science Board, which would direct the Commerce Department to award the funds to set up ten regional technology hubs. These funds would be awarded for comprehensive investment initiatives that position regions across the country to be global centers for research, development, and manufacturing of key technologies.
This should be a pillar of our strategy to reinvigorate the economy, create new jobs of the future, rebuild our inner cities and communities, and to stay economically competitive against China, whose aggressive advances in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence threaten us technologically leading 21st Century.
President Biden is well suited to lead this effort. His cancer moonshot launched toward the end of the Obama Administration led to breakthrough therapies, new medicines, and even cures for some forms of cancer. His campaign’s “Made in America” plan expands federal support for manufacturing and innovation by choosing 50 communities where new technology hubs will be built with an emphasis on workforce development and private sector partnerships. His proposal calls for hundreds of billions in funding for basic science and research.
This vision is supported by recent polling conducted by Data For Progress indicating that a majority of Americans support investing in R&D to counter rapid industrial growth and innovation in China. In fact, 71 percent of Americans agreed with the statement: “The U.S. needs to invest more in scientific and technological innovations; by investing in the future, we can drive innovation and create long-term jobs while maintaining our competitive edge over China.” Only one in five likely voters polled opposed investing more.
The same percentage of Americans agree the U.S. needs to invest more in scientific and technological innovations, particularly given how the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the science and technology gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Moreover, the Data For Progress polling underscores our path forward follows a proven formula over the past 70 years in which substantial investment in R&D has yielded good paying jobs, economic prosperity and technological advancement.
A bump in that roadmap forced by the previous Administration and the rise of China have stalled our steady growth and competitive superiority. Here at home, too many of our communities today possess substantial innovative potential but do not receive the investment necessary to forge the nation’s strength in new technologies. This challenge is compounded by the constant threat of our competitors stealing U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets while surpassing our investment in basic research, leading to the commercialization of new advancements and technologies in the scientific fields of the future.
The Endless Frontier Act is designed to ensure the funds go where they are needed most: The new NSTF would have two Deputy Directors – one to oversee existing NSF operations and the other to oversee the Technology Directorate. Our bill would provide flexible personnel, program management, and awarding authorities such as those used by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for selecting awardees.
Additionally, the bill sets up a Board of Advisors for the Directorate for Technology to advise the Deputy Director on how to strategically advance technology in the ten key focus areas and on periodically ‘refreshing’ the focus areas and ensure that the regional hubs connect disadvantaged populations and places to opportunities in developing new technologies. In addition to carrying out its own activities, the Directorate could provide funding to the rest of NSF and other federal research agencies when that would advance its goals. Importantly, the Directorate would be prohibited from taking money from other elements of NSF.
Our goal is for these funds to result in expanded research spending at universities, new undergraduate scholarships, industry training programs, graduate fellowships, traineeships and post-doctoral support in the targeted research areas to develop the U.S. workforce. These collaborations will lead to the development of test-bed and fabrication facilities, new programs to accelerate the transfer of new technologies from the lab to the marketplace – including expanding access to investment capital – and coordination with state and local economic development stakeholders and the private sector, U.S. allies, partners, and international organizations to build regional innovation ecosystems across America.
The Biden Administration enjoys the support of the American people for investing in our future, as evidenced by Data For Progress’ polling. As the President and his Cabinet appointees recently refrained, big problems require big solutions. The Endless Frontier Act is a large-scale solution to the economic imperatives we face in recovering from the pandemic, putting our people back to work and keeping pace with our global competitors. We will push the Biden Administration and our leaders in Congress to move our plan this spring. Without a significant increase in investment in R&D, education and training, technology transfer and entrepreneurship, it is only a matter of time before America’s competitors prevail in technological primacy. Whoever wins this race to winning key technologies of the future will lead the 21st Century and ensure all their citizens have an opportunity to participate in the new technology revolution.
Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) represents California’s 17th Congressional District. He sits on the House Budget, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform committees.
Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY, @SenSchumer) is the Senate Majority Leader.