National Science and Technology Strategy Act of 2021

IB Union Calendar No. 178 117TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 3858 [Report No. 117–248] To establish a national science and technology strategy, a quadrennial science and technology review, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 11, 2021 Mr. WALTZ (for himself, Ms. ROSS, Mr. LUCAS, and Ms. JOHNSON of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology FEBRUARY 18, 2022 Additional sponsors: Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. DELGADO, Mr. CROW, and Mr. ELLZEY FEBRUARY 18, 2022 Reported from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and or- dered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3858 RH A BILL To establish a national science and technology strategy, a quadrennial science and technology review, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3858 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Science and 4 Technology Strategy Act of 2021’’. 5 SEC. 2. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY. 6 Section 206 of the National Science and Technology 7 Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 8 U.S.C. 6615) is amended to read as follows: 9 ‘‘SEC. 206. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRAT- 10 EGY. 11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the end of each 12 calendar year immediately after the calendar year in which 13 a review under section 206b is completed, the Director of 14 the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consulta- 15 tion with the National Science and Technology Council, 16 shall develop and submit to Congress a comprehensive na- 17 tional science and technology strategy of the United States 18 to meet national research and development objectives for 19 the following 4-year period (in this Act referred to as ‘the 20 national science and technology strategy’). 21 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Each national science and 22 technology strategy required by subsection (a) shall delin- 23 eate a national science and technology strategy consistent 24 with— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3858 RH ‘‘(1) the recommendations and priorities devel- 1 oped by the review established in section 206b; 2 ‘‘(2) the most recent national security strategy 3 report submitted pursuant to section 1032 of the 4 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 5 2012 (50 U.S.C. 3043); 6 ‘‘(3) other relevant national plans; and 7 ‘‘(4) the strategic plans of relevant Federal de- 8 partments and agencies. 9 ‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—The Director shall consult as 10 necessary with the Office of Management and Budget and 11 other appropriate elements of the Executive Office of the 12 President to ensure that the recommendations and prior- 13 ities delineated in the science and technology strategy are 14 incorporated in the development of annual budget re- 15 quests. 16 ‘‘(d) REPORT.—The President shall submit to Con- 17 gress each year a comprehensive report on the national 18 science and technology strategy of the United States. Each 19 report on the national science and technology strategy of 20 the United States shall include a description of— 21 ‘‘(1) strategic objectives and priorities necessary 22 to maintain the leadership of the United States in 23 science and technology and to advance science and 24 technology to address societal and national chal- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 3858 RH lenges, including near-term, medium-term, and long- 1 term research priorities; 2 ‘‘(2) programs, policies, and activities that the 3 President recommends across all Federal agencies to 4 achieve the strategic objectives in paragraph (1); 5 and 6 ‘‘(3) global trends in science and technology, in- 7 cluding potential threats to the leadership of the 8 United States in science and technology and oppor- 9 tunities for international collaboration in science and 10 technology. 11 ‘‘(e) PUBLICATION.—The Director shall, consistent 12 with the protection of national security and other sensitive 13 matters to the maximum extent practicable, make each re- 14 port submitted under subsection (d) publicly available on 15 an internet website of the Office.’’. 16 SEC. 3. QUADRENNIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RE- 17 VIEW. 18 The National Science and Technology Policy, Organi- 19 zation, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) 20 is amended by inserting after section 206 the following: 21 ‘‘SEC. 206b. QUADRENNIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RE- 22 VIEW. 23 ‘‘(a) REQUIREMENTS.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 3858 RH ‘‘(1) QUADRENNIAL REVIEWS REQUIRED.—Not 1 later than December 31, 2022, and every 4 years 2 thereafter, the Director of the Office of Science and 3 Technology Policy shall complete a review of the 4 science and technology enterprise of the United 5 States (in this section referred to as the ‘quadren- 6 nial science and technology review’). 7 ‘‘(2) SCOPE.—The quadrennial science and 8 technology review shall be a comprehensive examina- 9 tion of the science and technology strategy of the 10 United States, including recommendations for main- 11 taining global leadership in science and technology 12 and advancing science and technology to address the 13 societal and national challenges and guidance on the 14 coordination of programs, assets, capabilities, budg- 15 et, policies, and authorities across all Federal re- 16 search and development programs. 17 ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—The Director of the Of- 18 fice of Science and Technology Policy shall conduct 19 each quadrennial science and technology review 20 under this subsection in consultation with— 21 ‘‘(A) the National Science and Technology 22 Council; 23 ‘‘(B) the heads of other relevant Federal 24 agencies; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 3858 RH ‘‘(C) the President’s Council of Advisors 1 on Science and Technology; 2 ‘‘(D) the National Science Board; 3 ‘‘(E) the National Security Council; and 4 ‘‘(F) other relevant governmental and non- 5 governmental entities, including representatives 6 from industry, institutions of higher education, 7 nonprofit organizations, Members of Congress, 8 and other policy experts. 9 ‘‘(4) COORDINATION.—The Director shall en- 10 sure that each quadrennial science and technology 11 review conducted under this section is coordinated 12 with other relevant statutorily required reviews, and 13 to the maximum extent practicable incorporates in- 14 formation and recommendations from existing re- 15 views to avoid duplication. 16 ‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—In each quadrennial science and 17 technology review, the Director shall— 18 ‘‘(1) provide an integrated view of, and rec- 19 ommendations for, science and technology policy 20 across the Federal Government, while considering 21 economic and national security and other societal 22 and national challenges; 23 ‘‘(2) assess and recommend priorities for re- 24 search, development and demonstration programs to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 3858 RH maintain American leadership in science and tech- 1 nology; 2 ‘‘(3) assess and recommend priorities for re- 3 search, development, and demonstration programs to 4 address societal and national challenges; 5 ‘‘(4) assess the global competition in science 6 and technology and identify potential threats to the 7 leadership of the United States in science and tech- 8 nology and opportunities for international collabora- 9 tion; 10 ‘‘(5) assess and make recommendations on the 11 science, technology, engineering, mathematics and 12 computer science workforce in the United States; 13 ‘‘(6) assess and make recommendations to im- 14 prove regional innovation across the United States; 15 ‘‘(7) assess and make recommendations to im- 16 prove translation of basic research and the enhance- 17 ment of technology transfer of federally funded re- 18 search; 19 ‘‘(8) assess and identify the infrastructure and 20 tools needed to maintain the leadership of the 21 United States in science and technology and address 22 other societal and national challenges; and 23 ‘‘(9) review administrative or legislative policies 24 that affect the science and technology enterprise and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 3858 RH identify and make recommendations on policies that 1 hinder research and development in the United 2 States. 3 ‘‘(c) REPORTING.— 4 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 5 31 of the year in which a quadrennial science and 6 technology review is conducted, the Director shall 7 submit a report of the review to Congress. 8 ‘‘(2) PUBLICATION.—The Director shall, con- 9 sistent with the protection of national security and 10 other sensitive matters to the maximum extent pos- 11 sible, make each report submitted under paragraph 12 (1) publicly available on an internet website of the 13 Office of Science and Technology Policy.’’. 14 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS Union Calendar No. 178 117TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 3858 [Report No. 117–248] A BILL To establish a national science and technology strategy, a quadrennial science and technology review, and for other purposes. FEBRUARY 18, 2022 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:08 Feb 18, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H3858.RH H3858 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS