America Competes Act Renewal

Rival proposals to renew the America Competes Act, which authorizes most of the country’s basic research spending, were released last week. A Republican draft bill calls for funding increases below the rate of inflation and cuts to energy research, while a Democratic plan would increase funding and preserve existing research programs.

America Competes became law in 2007 to keep the U.S. globally competitive by, among other things, authorizing a budget doubling for the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards & Technology, and the Department of Energy Office of Science over 10 years. The law was reauthorized in 2010, but Congress never appropriated the recommended funds.

At a hearing of the House of Representatives Science, Space & Technology Committee last week, Republicans unveiled a plan that would give DOE’s Office of Science its own authorization bill at a 2% funding increase over 2013 levels. It would “prioritize” funding in a way that hurts the agency’s environment and climate research, committee Democrats say.

They are proposing a bill that would authorize a 5% funding increase to all three agencies and continue energy programs. The Senate will hold a hearing on its proposal this week.

“Now is not the time to let up on our shared efforts to shore up and even grow our science and innovation capacity,” says ranking committee member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas).

“I look forward to continued discussions with my Democratic colleagues as we work through the legislative process to reauthorize science agencies under this committee’s jurisdiction,” says Chairman Lamar S. Smith (R-Texas).