Competing NSF Bills Introduced in House and Senate
As previously reported, leadership of the House Science Committee introduced the NSF for the Future Act (H.R. 2225) on March 26. The bill seeks to reauthorize the National Science Foundation (NSF) through FY 2026 and proposes more than doubling the agency’s budget over that period. The legislation also proposes the creation of a new research directorate, the Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES), which would enable NSF to “take big risks and experiment with new approaches to accelerating the translation of science and technology into solutions to society’s major challenges” (see press release).
Meanwhile, competing legislation has been reintroduced in the Senate. The Endless Frontier Act (S. 1260), legislation that originally surfaced in 2020 by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), was reintroduced on April 20. While this bill also seeks to create a new directorate at NSF, that is largely where the similarities end between the two bills. The primary purpose of the Endless Frontier Act is to shore up U.S. leadership in key technology areas—specifically with respect to China—and to enhance “tech transfer” for scientific research funded by the federal government. To accomplish these goals, the bill would authorize $100 billion over five years for a new Technology and Innovation Directorate at NSF. Unlike the House bill, S. 1260 would not provide an overall authorization or increased funding for NSF, just the new directorate.
COSSA has prepared a side-by-side comparison of provisions relevant to the social sciences in the two bills, which is available here.
The Endless Frontier Act is scheduled for mark up by the Senate Commerce Committee on April 28. At this time, it remains unclear if or how the differences between the bills will be reconciled or whether either will advance any further. COSSA is closely monitoring the legislation and will report on new developments. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns about either bill.