[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3530-S3531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2071. Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. Sasse) 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. __. TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL.
The Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and
Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``TITLE VII--TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL
``SEC. 701. ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL.
``The President shall establish within the Executive Office
of the President a Technology Competitiveness Council (in
this title, referred to as the `Council').
``SEC. 702. MEMBERSHIP OF COUNCIL.
``(a) In General.--The Council shall be composed of the
following members:
``(1) The Vice President.
``(2) The Secretary of State.
``(3) The Secretary of the Treasury.
``(4) The Secretary of Defense.
``(5) The Attorney General.
``(6) The Secretary of Commerce.
``(7) The Secretary of Energy.
``(8) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
``(9) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
``(10) The Assistant to the President for Technology
Competitiveness.
``(11) The Assistant to the President for National Security
Affairs.
``(12) The Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology.
``(13) The Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.
``(14) The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
``(15) The United States Trade Representative.
``(16) The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
``(17) The heads of such other executive departments and
agencies and other senior officials within the Executive
Office of the President as the Chairperson of the Council
considers appropriate.
``(b) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Council shall be
the Vice President.
``SEC. 703. OPERATION OF COUNCIL.
``(a) Responsibilities of Chair.--The Chairperson of the
Council--
``(1) shall convene and preside over meetings of the
Council and shall determine the agenda for the Council;
``(2) may authorize the establishment of such committees of
the Council, including an executive committee, and of such
working groups, composed of senior designees of the Council
members and of other officials, as the Chairperson deems
necessary or appropriate for the efficient conduct of Council
functions; and
``(3) shall report to the President on the activities and
recommendations of the Council and shall advise the Council
as appropriate regarding the President's directions with
respect to the Council's activities and national technology
policy generally.
``(b) Administration.--
``(1) Staff.--The Council may hire a staff, which shall be
headed by the Assistant to the President for Technology
Competitiveness.
``(2) Support.--
``(A) Support from office of administration.--The Office of
Administration in the Executive Office of the President shall
provide the Council with such personnel, funding, and
administrative support, as directed by the Chair or, upon the
Chair's direction, the Assistant to the President for
Technology Competitiveness, subject to the availability of
appropriations.
``(B) Support from other agencies.--Subject to the
availability of appropriations, members of the Council who
are heads of Federal agencies shall make resources, including
personnel and office support, available to the Council as
reasonably requested by the Chairperson or, upon the
Chairperson's direction, the Assistant to the President for
Technology Competitiveness.
``(3) Information and assistance.--The heads of Federal
agencies shall provide to the Council such information and
assistance as the Chairperson may request to carry out the
functions described in section 704.
``(4) Coordination with national security council.--The
Council shall coordinate with the National Security Council
on technology policy and strategy matters relating primarily
to national security to ensure that the activities of the
Council are carried out in a manner that is consistent with
the responsibilities and authorities of the National Security
Council.
``SEC. 704. FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL.
``The Council shall be responsible for the following:
``(1) Developing recommendations for the President on
United States technology competitiveness and technology-
related issues, advising and assisting the President in
development and implementation of national technology policy
and strategy, and performing such other duties as the
President may prescribe.
``(2) Developing and overseeing the implementation of a
National Technology Strategy required by section 705.
``(3) Serving as a forum for balancing national security,
economic, and technology considerations of United States
departments and agencies as they pertain to technology
research, development, commercial interests, and national
security applications.
``(4) Coordinating policies across Federal departments and
agencies relating to United States competitiveness in
critical and emerging technologies and ensuring that policies
designed to promote United States leadership and protect
existing competitive advantages are integrated and mutually
reinforcing.
``(5) Synchronizing budgets and strategies, in consultation
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in
accordance with the National Technology Strategy required by
section 705.
``SEC. 705. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.
``(a) In General.--Each year, the President shall submit to
Congress a comprehensive report on the technology strategy of
the United States designed to maintain United States
leadership in critical and emerging
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technologies essential to United States national security and
economic prosperity.
``(b) Elements.--Each National Technology Strategy
developed and submitted under subsection (a) shall contain at
least the following elements:
``(1) An assessment of the efforts of the United States
Government to preserve United States leadership in key
emerging technologies and prevent United States strategic
competitors from leveraging advanced technologies to gain
strategic military or economic advantages over the United
States.
``(2) A review of existing United States Government
technology policy, including long-range goals.
``(3) An analysis of technology trends and assessment of
the relative competitiveness of United States technology
sectors in relation to strategic competitors.
``(4) Identification of sectors critical for the long-term
resilience of United States innovation leadership across
design, manufacturing, supply chains, and markets.
``(5) Recommendations for domestic policy incentives to
sustain an innovation economy and develop specific, high-cost
sectors necessary for long-term national security ends.
``(6) Recommendations for policies to protect United States
and leadership of allies of the United States in critical
areas through targeted export controls, investment screening,
and counterintelligence activities.
``(7) Identification of priority domestic research and
development areas critical to national security and necessary
to sustain United States leadership, and directing funding to
fill gaps in basic and applied research where the private
sector does not focus.
``(8) Recommendations for talent programs to grow United
States talent in key critical and emerging technologies and
enhance the ability of the Federal Government to recruit and
retain individuals with critical skills into Federal service.
``(9) Methods to foster the development of international
partnerships to reinforce domestic policy actions, build new
markets, engage in collaborative research, and create an
international environment that reflects United States values
and protects United States interests.
``(10) A technology annex, which may be classified, to
establish an integrated and enduring approach to the
identification, prioritization, development, and fielding of
emerging technologies.
``(11) Such other information as may be necessary to help
inform Congress on matters relating to the technology
strategy of the United States.''.
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