Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are attempting to reauthorize or recreate the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science (COMPETES) Act. While Senate and House Democrats would like to see the bill reauthorized in its entirety, House Republicans are approaching the bill in a piece-meal fashion: submitting two draft discussions of bills, one reauthorizing the National Science Foundation, the National Institute for Standards and Technology, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the other reauthorizing the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

On the Senate side, Chairman of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), held a hearing this November on ways the federal government and private industry can collaborate to boost innovation and manufacturing in the United States. On the House side, Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology chairman Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) held a hearing on his Federal Investments in Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act.

So far, there is no sign of agreement on a bill.

Sources: Government Printing Office; House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation