This spring and summer, lawmakers will work out differences between House and Senate versions of a competition and innovation bill that includes $52 billion in semiconductor funding, funding for a new tech directorate at the National Science Foundation, and big boosts in Federal research and development funding. The conference negotiations will look to reconcile differences between the Senate-passed United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the House-passed America Creating Opportunities, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength Act (COMPETES).
Lawmakers are expected to spend May and June negotiating thousands of provisions. The White House has cited the legislation as important to the country’s economy and is encouraging Congress to work quickly and in a bipartisan manner. Indications from Democratic and Republican leadership suggest they are similarly eager to move the bill. Of course, there are likely to be disagreements on some issues; climate interventions and immigration provisions are going to provoke heated debates, for sure.
Earlier this year, the Society of Women Engineers wrote a letter to the House and Senate lawmakers involved in the negotiations to convey priorities in the negotiations. SWE asked lawmakers to ensure that a final bill includes provisions that support and protect women in the STEM workforce. For several congresses, SWE has joined allies in the STEM advocacy community to support enactment of the STEM Opportunities Act (HR 204/S 2224) and the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act (HR 2695/S 1379). Elements of those proposals are in both bills, and SWE asked Congress to include those provisions in a final bill, with a preference for the House-passed provisions.
SWE members who participated in the 2022 Capitol Hill Day talked about the competitiveness legislation during their meetings with Congressional offices. The STEM education and research advocacy communities will continue to press Congress for action, and are hopeful a final bill will reach President Joe Biden’s desk by the 4th of July.
