S. 1260, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, would authorize $250 billion over five years for federal funding of scientific research and development programs, including more than $52 billion for the U.S. semiconductor industry; $81 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), including $52 billion for the existing NSF programs and $29 billion for a new NSF directorate for technology and innovation that would support research and development in key areas such as artificial intelligence, automation, quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced energy; and $23.5 billion (in fiscal 2021 alone) for NASA.
The Senate passed S. 1260 on June 8, 2021 by a vote of 68 to 32 (Roll Call 226). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the Constitution does not authorize Congress to fund research and development programs.
