Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted for H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act. It is a comprehensive, strategic bill that will power the success of America’s workers, businesses and economy at home and position America to compete – and win – on the world stage. The bill was adopted by the House of Representatives by a vote of 222-210 and now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
“I strongly supported this bill because it reflects bipartisan work across many House Committees to bring back domestic manufacturing jobs and improve our supply chain. It leverages America’s intellectual talent and bolsters our research and development pipeline to strengthen our economy and national security. It confronts countries — like China — to level the playing field of international trade and protect U.S. workers,” said Congressman Bishop. “Many of this bill’s major components were already passed by the House with strong bipartisan support and cosponsorship. I urge its quick adoption by the U.S. Senate so that it can be signed into law.”
H.R. 4521, also bolsters American innovation and competitiveness, immediately and in the long-run in several ways.
Scientific Research & Development: H.R. 4521 authorizes programs intended to harvest more of our country’s intellectual talent by strengthening our educational pipeline — from elementary school through university — to increase participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, particularly by women and members of minority groups that historically have been underrepresented in the so-called STEM fields. It also authorizes funding to better improve access to STEM education in rural areas, and provides for research on how to better interest and engage students everywhere in the STEM fields.
- It reauthorizes several federal science agencies, including the Energy Department's Office of Science, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It will support federal research facilities, new research and development programs, and improve U.S. competitiveness in the engineering biology sector.
- It reauthorizes the national apprenticeship program administered by the Labor Department under which individuals learn skilled trades, expanding the program to cover pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships and also seeking to expand the program to additional professions including certain technology-related jobs.
Microchip & Other Supply Chain Issues: H.R. 4521 includes provisions to strengthen the Strategic National Stockpile of medical supplies, and expands the scope of the Defense Production Act to include the production and distribution of medical materials critical for national defense as well as domestic microchip production.
- It appropriates $52.7 billion to promote semiconductor technology development and manufacturing in the United States, helping subsidize the construction of new manufacturing facilities in America in order to reduce reliance on overseas chip manufacturers.
- To bolster U.S. supply chains, the measure authorizes $45 billion over five years for grants and loans to support supply chain resilience and the domestic manufacture of critical goods, as well as $1.0 billion for the Commerce Department for a series of initiatives to strengthen supply chain resilience.
Foreign Policy to Counter China: H.R. 4521 contains numerous provisions to enhance U.S. diplomacy and engagement with other nations in order to bolster U.S. alliances and demonstrate that the United States can address universal challenges such as global health, nuclear security, human rights and climate change.
- It provides for the U.S. government to review and potentially block certain overseas investments being made by U.S. businesses to "nations of concern" (including China and Russia) if it is determined that offshoring certain "critical capabilities" or supply chains to such nations could cause supply chain vulnerabilities for the United States.
- It also takes a number of actions to protect U.S. workers and address key problems with the U.S.-China trading relationship.
- It prevents foreign countries, particularly China, from circumventing international financial norms.
Original source can be found here.
