[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3223-S3225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1756. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Mr. Daines) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1502 proposed by Mr.
Schumer to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new Directorate for
Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation, to
establish a regional technology hub program, to require a strategy and
report on economic security, science, research, innovation,
manufacturing, and job creation, to establish a critical supply chain
resiliency program, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. 2501A. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--Not later than the end of each calendar
year immediately after the calendar year in which a review
under section 2501B is completed, the Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the
National Science and Technology Council, shall develop and
submit to Congress a comprehensive national science and
technology strategy of the United States to meet national
research and development objectives for the following 4-year
period (in this section referred to as the ``national science
and technology strategy'').
(b) Requirements.--Each national science and technology
strategy required by subsection (a) shall delineate a
national science and technology strategy consistent with--
(1) the recommendations and priorities developed by the
review established in section 2501B;
(2) the most recent national security strategy report
submitted pursuant to section 1032 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (50 U.S.C. 3043);
(3) other relevant national plans; and
(4) the strategic plans of relevant Federal departments and
agencies.
(c) Consultation.--The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall consult, as necessary, with the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the heads
of other appropriate elements of the Executive Office of the
President to ensure that the recommendations and priorities
delineated in the science and technology strategy are
incorporated in the development of annual budget requests.
(d) Report.--The President shall submit to Congress each
year a comprehensive report on the national science and
technology strategy of the United States. Each report on the
national science and technology strategy of the United States
shall include a description of--
(1) strategic objectives and priorities necessary to
maintain the leadership of the United States in science and
technology, including near-term, medium-term, and long-term
research priorities;
(2) programs, policies, and activities that the President
recommends across all Federal agencies to achieve the
strategic objectives in paragraph (1); and
(3) global trends in science and technology, including
potential threats to the leadership of the United States in
science and technology.
(e) Publication.--The Director shall, consistent with the
protection of national security and other sensitive matters
to the maximum extent practicable, make each report submitted
under subsection (d) publicly available on an internet
website of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
SEC. 2501B. INTERAGENCY QUADRENNIAL INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
REVIEW.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Environment and Public
Works, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on
Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee Science, Space,
and Technology and the Committee on Homeland Security of the
House of Representatives.
(2) Interagency.--The term ``interagency'' with respect to
a review means that the review is conducted in consultation
and coordination between Federal agencies, including the
Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, the
Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the
Environmental Protection Agency, and such other related
agencies as the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy considers appropriate, as well as the
following:
(A) The National Science and Technology Council.
(B) The President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology.
(C) The National Science Board.
(D) the National Security Council.
(E) The Council of Economic Advisers.
(F) The National Economic Council.
(G) The Domestic Policy Council.
[[Page S3224]]
(H) The Office of the United States Trade Representative.
(b) Interagency Quadrennial Innovation and Technology
Review Required.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this division, and every 4 years thereafter,
the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
shall complete an interagency review of the science and
technology enterprise of the United States (in this section
referred to as the ``quadrennial innovation and technology
review'').
(2) Scope.--The quadrennial innovation and technology
review shall be a comprehensive examination of the science
and technology strategy of the United States, including
recommendations for maintaining global leadership in science
and technology and guidance on the coordination of programs,
assets, capabilities, budget, policies, and authorities
across all Federal research and development programs to
strengthen United State technology policy in order to
capitalize on the opportunities, address the barriers, and
incorporate the necessary safeguards to protect our national
and economic security.
(3) Strategic framework and priority missions.--Each
quadrennial innovation and technology review shall include
development of a strategic framework and priority missions
by--
(A) gathering current data on domestic and global trends in
innovation and technology;
(B) developing an integrated view of, and recommendations
for, Federal technology policy in the context of economic,
occupational, security, environmental, and health and safety
priorities, with specific attention given to the challenges,
opportunities, and safeguards needed for the technology
development of the United States;
(C) reviewing the adequacy, with respect to technology
policy, of legislative and administrative action in effect
during the period covered by the quadrennial innovation and
technology review, and developing recommendations for
additional legislative and administrative actions as
appropriate;
(D) assessing and recommending priorities for Federal
research, development, demonstration, adoption,
commercialization, and security programs to support key
technology-innovation goals;
(E) developing recommendations regarding the analytical
tools and data needed to support further policy development
and implementation; and
(F) developing recommendations for development of a Federal
budget and for Federal regulatory actions.
(4) Consultation.--In carrying out each quadrennial
innovation and technology review, the Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy shall consult with the
following:
(A) Congress.
(B) Federal agencies, including Federal agencies not
described in subsection (a)(2).
(C) Experts in national security.
(D) Representatives of specific technology industries, as
the Director considers appropriate.
(E) Academics.
(F) State, local, and Tribal governments.
(G) Nongovernmental organizations.
(H) The public.
(c) Contents.--In each quadrennial innovation and
technology review, the Director shall--
(1) provide an integrated view of, and recommendations for,
science and technology policy across the Federal Government,
while considering economic and national security;
(2) assess and recommend priorities for research,
development and demonstration programs to maintain American
leadership in science and technology;
(3) assess the global competition in science and technology
and identify potential threats to the leadership of the
United States in science and technology;
(4) assess and make recommendations on the science,
technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science
workforce in the United States;
(5) assess and make recommendations to improve regional
innovation across the United States;
(6) assess and identify the infrastructure and tools needed
to maintain the leadership of the United States in science
and technology; and
(7) review administrative or legislative policies that
affect the science and technology enterprise and identify and
make recommendations on policies that hinder research and
development in the United States.
(d) Matters Covered and Considerations.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), each quadrennial
innovation and technology review shall cover such matters as
the Director considers appropriate pursuant to an internal
process that the Director shall establish to assess the
timeliest activities and needs of the Federal Government, as
well as with consideration given to the following:
(A) Technology development and deployment, including
matters relating to the following:
(i) The Federal budget and the global competitiveness of
the United States.
(ii) High-level emerging computing and machine learning
technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
(iii) Quantum computing and high performance computing,
semiconductors, and advanced computer hardware.
(iv) Essential public, private, private, and consumer
technologies such as access to high-quality broadband in the
United States, including progress in the development of
advanced wireless communication, the internet of things, and
intelligent transportation solutions, which all can
contribute to smarter communities, including in rural, urban,
suburban, and Tribal areas.
(v) Physical sciences, such as the development of clean
energy technologies and environmental solutions, biomedical
and biotechnology innovation, and robotic technology.
(vi) Such other matters as the Director considers
appropriate for the review.
(B) Innovation and technology safeguards, including matters
relating to the following:
(i) Algorithmic and biometric bias.
(ii) Cybersecurity.
(iii) Data privacy.
(iv) The effects of United States technology exports on the
following:
(I) International human rights law violations.
(II) Aid to illiberal and authoritarian regimes.
(III) The environment and ecological health.
(IV) Such other United States policy goals that the
Director considers relevant.
(v) Market competitiveness of national and international
technology companies, factoring in United States startups and
small business concerns.
(vi) The role of the United States in international
standards-setting processes concerning issues of
functionality, operability, safety, and human rights.
(C) Workforce and manufacturing capabilities, including the
following:
(i) Assessment of current Federal, State, or local policies
relating to expanding and retaining the United States
technological and industrial-base, including the necessary
domestic workforce, which may include the following:
(I) Manufacturing and other industrial subsidies.
(II) Related tax benefits.
(III) Investments in education and training for related
industries.
(IV) Use of government procurement policies to encourage
domestic production.
(V) Government-mandated production, including under the
Defense Production Act (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.).
(VI) Trade agreements that advantage or make domestic
manufacturing globally competitive.
(VII) Export controls.
(VIII) Supply chain policies.
(ii) The ability of the United States to attract top
research and development talent from an international pool
and how that confers upon the United States a significant
advantage.
(2) Modifications.--In carrying out a quadrennial
innovation and technology review, the Director may add or
remove key technology focus areas covered by the review as
the Director considers appropriate if the Director determines
that competitive threats to the United States have shifted.
(e) Cooperation on Collection of Data and Information.--In
carrying out each quadrennial innovation and technology
review, the Director shall coordinate with such Federal
agencies as the Director requires to collect data and
information--
(1) to recommend coordinated administrative actions across
Federal agencies;
(2) to identify the resources needed for the safe
invention, adoption, and integration of technologies;
(3) to provide a strong analytical base for Federal policy
decisions;
(4) to consider reasonable estimates of future Federal
budgetary resources when making recommendations; and
(5) to provide Congress with such recommendations for
action.
(f) Leveraging Existing Work Product.--In carrying out each
quadrennial innovation and technology review, the Director
shall make an effort to use or expand upon reports and
assessments produced or being developed by the various
elements of the Federal Government, in accordance with all
applicable provisions of law.
(g) Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Not later than December 31 of the year in
which a quadrennial innovation and technology review is
conducted, the Director shall submit to Congress a report on
the review.
(2) Publication.--The Director shall, consistent with the
protection of national security and other sensitive matters
to the maximum extent possible, make each report submitted
under paragraph (1) publicly available on an internet website
of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(h) Periodic Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after completion of
a quadrennial innovation and technology review, the Director
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
comprehensive report on the review.
(2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include the following:
(A) The assessments of the Director for improvements to the
quadrennial innovation and technology review, including
recommendations for additional matters to be covered in the
review.
(B) Such other matters as the Director considers
appropriate.
[[Page S3225]]
(3) Form.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex.
(i) Interim Assessment.--Not later than 30 months after the
date of the submittal of the first report under subsection
(h)(1), the Director shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress an assessment of the most recently
completed quadrennial innovation and technology review,
including--
(1) an assessment of the implementation by the Office of
Science and Technology Policy of the strategic framework
developed under subsection (b)(3) as part of such review; and
(2) an assessment whether such strategic framework requires
revision as a result of changes in assumptions, policy, or
other factors.
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