Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, signs the Chips and Science Act at a ceremony last week.The US National Science Foundation and other research agencies could see major infusions of cash, thanks to the US$280-billion CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which the US Congress passed last week., this landmark legislation promises one of the biggest funding increases in years for science. But it remains unclear whether Congress will ultimately deliver the money it has pledged.
When Congress approved CHIPS and Science, it felt like “a big breath of relief”, says Deborah Altenburg, associate vice-president for research policy and government affairs at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in Washington DC. But, she adds, “It’s also only one step.” Ultimately, TIP will help to bridge the “valley of death” that separates basic research and the applications it produces, says Tobin Smith, senior vice-president for science policy and global affairs at the Association of American Universities in Washington DC.
“Historically, the US has been very strong in basic research, largely driven by the NSF,” says Jacob Feldgoise, a junior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think tank in Washington DC. “But in the past couple of decades, we’ve lagged [behind] China when it comes to translating that research into commercial products that make money and drive economic growth.”
After two years of negotiations, the US Congress finally passed legislation to massively increase science and technology research and enhance competitiveness in the semiconductor industry. InvestInOurFuture DemocratsForThePeople