ChinaTalk Emergency Pod! Endless Frontier Act Butchered!
May 21, 2021
Sam Hammond, an expert from the Niskanen Center, provides insights into the recent turmoil surrounding the Endless Frontier Act, a crucial but overlooked piece of legislation aimed at bolstering U.S. technology. He discusses how dramatic amendments have shifted the act's purpose from innovation to funding existing labs, diluting its original vision. Hammond highlights the urgent need for strategic investments to enhance competitiveness in AI and quantum computing while navigating bureaucratic hurdles that stifle technological advancement.
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Endless Frontier Act’s Initial Vision
- The Endless Frontier Act aimed to create a new technology directorate within the NSF.
- This directorate would focus on developing 10 key technology areas with $100 billion over five years.
Act’s Alteration in Committee
- The Senate Commerce Committee significantly altered the Endless Frontier Act, reducing funding and changing its structure.
- Instead of $100 billion, the directorate will receive $29 billion, with only $4.5 billion discretionary.
From Research to Production
- The U.S. excels in basic research but struggles to translate it into scaled production.
- This is crucial for maintaining a technological advantage, as research becomes public knowledge.