Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., a ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, has introduced a bill that intends to accelerate innovation and mitigate climate change.
Under the Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act, the government will promote initiatives that educate workers in science, technology, engineering and math as well as encourage better communication between federal organizations, the Lucas’ U.S. House of Representatives website said Wednesday.
The bill also addresses the need to invest in research laboratories and studies. It authorizes the doubling of the basic research budgets of the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation.
“The United States must go on the offensive to maintain our scientific and technological leadership,” said Lucas, who also said that China surpassing the U.S. in critical technologies “will have significant implications for our national security, for our economic competitiveness, and for our way of life.”
Agency-specific goals include providing the DoE with full funding of important nuclear physics and high-energy physics user facilities and the NIST conducting critical artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science and quantum information science research.
In addition, the NSF is to invest in STEM programs and the NOAA will implement a new initiative that will work towards the National Weather Service’s target of being able to predict harsh weather 30 minutes in advance.
The bill was cosponsored by the following Members of the Committee:
- Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio
- Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla.
- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas
- Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla
- Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C.
- Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind.
- Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.
- Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas
- Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas
- Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
- Rep. Troy Balderson, R-Ohio