Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Bipartisan Introduction Of The Endless Frontier Act To Invest In The Technologies In The Future And Out-Compete China

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the introduction of the Endless Frontier Act and the need to make investments to fix dangerous weak spots in our economy and preserve our place as the world leader in science and technology. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks which can also be viewed here:

For nearly a century, America’s national security and economic security has been grounded in our scientific and technological superiority—often supported by smart investments by the federal government. But in recent years, countries like China have closed the gap with the United States. If we fail to respond, they will overtake us, with drastic consequences for our workers, businesses, and allies and partners around the world.

It’s long past time for the United States to make the next wave of investments to fix dangerous weak spots in our economy and preserve our place as the world leader in science and technology, which then leads to millions of good paying jobs here in this country.

So today, I am proud to join with my friend the Republican Senator from Indiana, Senator Young, and several of my colleagues from both sides to re-introduce the Endless Frontier Act. It is a big, bold, and bipartisan initiative to propel American science and technology into the twenty first century.

Let me stress that last point: this bill is bipartisan. As Senator Young and I have worked on the bill over the past several months, several Senators from both sides have been added as original co-sponsors: 6 Democrats and 6 Republicans.

That’s because there is a bipartisan consensus that the United States must invest in the technologies of the future to out-compete China.

Whichever nation develops new technologies first—be they democratic or authoritarian—will set the terms for their use. The stakes for personal privacy and personal liberties, as well as for national security, economic security, and minority rights around the globe are simply enormous.

So: at the center of this legislation is a $100 billion investment in research, commercialization, and workforce training in the kinds of technology that will play an outsized role in the future—semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G, to name a few.

Another $10 billion would foster the development of technological hubs around the country. We want to see Silicon Valleys across the country—from my home state of New York, especially Upstate, to communities in the south, to the Midwest, to other places that rarely get the attention they merit, despite the potential of their workforces, their institutions, and their links to the global economy. Technological growth and jobs should not be limited to a few centers in America. This bill attempts to spread it to other communities as well.

It will also strengthen critical supply chains in the U.S. and with global allies and partners. The Endless Frontier Act is exactly what we need to re-invigorate American science and technology, to promote our national security, and create the jobs of the future.

I have committed to put a bipartisan, competitiveness bill on the floor of the Senate. The Endless Frontier Act will be a central part of that legislation.

We will also push for emergency spending to implement the bipartisan semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense bill.

And another potential component, led by Senators Menendez and Risch, is being marked up in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week.

This is exactly what our Republican colleagues have asked for when it comes to regular order. We are marking up bipartisan bills in committee and considering bipartisan amendments here on the floor. We’re seeing that process play out on the anti-Asian Hate Crimes Bill this week. And next week, we’re going to follow it up with a water infrastructure bill that is also thoroughly bipartisan.

Our efforts to cement another century of American economic leadership should be no different—thoroughly bipartisan.

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