As President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda is stalled, House Democrats will introduce their bill to increase China’s competitiveness. This week, Democrats will present their version of the U.S. Punchbowl News reports that the Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) will be unveiled by Democrats this week. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic-CA Speaker, noted that this bill was aimed at increasing competition between China and the United States.
After many weeks of amendment votes, the Senate approved its version of USICA in June. The legislation was a major issue for Senator Chuck Schumer (D–NY) and Sen. Todd Young, (R–IN).
This legislation would encourage high-tech manufacturing and research, especially in the area of semiconductor chips and artificial Intelligence.
“House conservatives are concerned that Schumer’s China bill lacks teeth, focus, and substance. “We must make confronting China’s malign activities here in the United States our highest priority,” Chairman of House Republican Study Committee (RSC), Jim Banks (R–IN) stated last week. “This bill misses all the point.”
The $250 billion Senate USICA bill was criticized by conservatives for not stopping Chinese government activity in the United States. It also wastes money on matters unrelated to China countering and has few penalties.
The House received a memo from Republican Senators last November pointing out that the bill contained wasteful spending.
The National Science Foundation [NSF] has pumped $81 billion in–the largest increase since its creation 70 years ago. Historically, the NSF has used the money for wasteful and frivolous research projects.
NSF previously spent $357,000 on “Cocaine” and “Risky Sex Habits for Quail.”
NSF previously spent $1.6million to research “Lizards on Treadmills.”
NSF spent $250,000 to send children in Pakistan to Space Camp, and Dollywood.
NSF previously spent $700,000.00 to determine whether astronaut Neil Armstrong used “a” after landing in the moon.
NSF previously spent $3million to study if humans would eat bugs as a way to combat climate change.
The U.S. spends 93% less on research and development than China.
This legislation has been pushed by Democrats, as Biden’s $4.91 trillion Build back Better Act was not passed by his congressional majority. Schumer failed to break the filibuster to approve two voter bills: the Freedom to Vote Act (after Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D–AZ) and Joe Manchin (D–WV) said they would not support the end to centuries-old Senate rule.
According to Matthew Boyle, Breitbart News’ Washington Bureau Chief, the RSC published its own plan last Wednesday that they believe will allow the United States better counter rising China.
In a long-form interview, Senator Marco Rubio (R.FL) stated that the bill does not provide adequate protections against Chinese spying.
Imagine if you were trying to say that America will now spend $150 billion on research at universities where we have our claws in. That’s great. We will just steal it. Spend your money and we will steal your research. Rubio stated then that “We get it for nothing.” “It’s crazy. It’s nuts. These things are the problem. It’s happening because universities are in talks with the administration and say, “hey, don’t put in too many restrictions or safeguards because that will slow down our research.” That’s insane. It would take me less time to board an airplane if TSA wasn’t required. But we must do it.
He said, “We must have safeguards.” What do they feel?