ACS Shares Priorities for USICA/America COMPETES

June 2, 2021

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leaders McConnell, McCarthy, and Schumer:

As the Conference Committee works to shape compromise legislation between the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the America COMPETES Act the American Chemical Society (ACS) urges the inclusion of the following bills and provisions to support priorities from the chemistry community.

Safe, Secure, and Equitable Research Environments

Ensuring an inclusive and safe research enterprise requires investment in communities that have not historically benefited from support, resources, and opportunities to engage in STEM fields. The following provisions will help to better understand and address issues of access and barriers to a thriving STEM ecosystem.

• H.R.204, The STEM Opportunities Act
• H.R.210, The Rural STEM Education Research Act
• H.R.2027, The MSI STEM Achievement Act
• H.R.2695, Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act

Supplemental Research Funding Support

Researchers, particularly researchers who only recently completed their graduate studies, were vulnerable to interruptions due to COVID. The following bills would assist these researchers in completing their studies impacted by disruption.

• S.289, The Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act (RISE) Act
• H.R.144/S.637, The Supporting Early Career Researchers Act

Sustainable Chemistry Research

Provisions in the following bills supporting the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act, ensuring that the next generation of chemical innovations consider the full life cycle impact across the environment and public health.

• H.R.2225, NSF for the Future Act
• H.R.3593, Department of Energy Science for the Future Act
• H.R.4609, The NIST for the Future Act

Helium Conservation

Helium is a vital resource for the research enterprise that has proven vulnerable to supply chain disruption. Language in the following bills would support helium conservation programs at the national Science Foundation and Department of Energy, insulating researchers against shocks to helium distribution.

• H.R.2225, The NSF for the Future Act
• H.R.3593, The DOE Science for the Future Act

The American Chemical Society (ACS), representing over 150,000 chemists and chemical engineers, applauds the bicameral and bipartisan efforts to bring this legislation to conference. It is our belief that if we are to see sustained, achievable growth in federal innovation, there must continue to be bipartisan buy-in and stakeholder support from the science and technology community. We encourage you to focus on these critical policies as this transformative legislation is refined by the Conference Committee. If the ACS can provide further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at a_pitagno@acs.org.

Sincerely

Anthony Pitgano
Senior Director, Government Affairs
American Chemical Society

CC:
Members of the House and Senate Conference Committee
The Honorable Maria Cantwell
The Honorable Roger Wicker
The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson
The Honorable Frank Lucas