Subcommittee Approves FIRST Act with Bipartisan Support

The Subcommittee on Research and Technology today approved the Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act (H.R. 4186) with bipartisan support. The bill reauthorizes and streamlines federal investments at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by funding research and development (R&D) to address national needs. The bill also sets priorities to drive our nation’s investments in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs. The Subcommittee adopted 9 Democratic amendments and favorably reported the bill by voice vote.

The FIRST Act keeps America first in areas of science and research that are crucial to economic growth. Our bill focuses taxpayer investments for basic research in critical areas such as biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, engineering and mathematics. Advances in these fields drive innovation, create jobs and keep our economy strong. The FIRST Act also eliminates red tape, accelerates technology transfer and bolsters STEM education. A well-educated and trained STEM workforce promotes our future economic prosperity. But we must encourage our nation’s youth to study science and engineering so they will want to pursue these careers. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as the FIRST Act moves forward to the full Science Committee for consideration in the coming weeks.

Additional information about the bill can be found HERE.

For more information on today’s markup, including amendments and recorded votes, visit the Science, Space, and Technology website.

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