II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 961 

To prioritize funding for an expanded and sustained national investment 

in basic science research. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 24, 2021 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SCHATZ, and 

Ms. BALDWIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To prioritize funding for an expanded and sustained national 

investment in basic science research. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Innovation 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. APPROPRIATIONS FOR INNOVATION. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are hereby authorized to be 

8 appropriated, and appropriated, out of any monies in the 

9 Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the following: 


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1 (1) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—For the 

2 National Science Foundation— 

3 (A) for fiscal year 2022, $9,081,000,000; 

4 (B) for fiscal year 2023, $9,716,000,000; 

5 (C) for fiscal year 2024, $10,397,000,000; 

6 (D) for fiscal year 2025, $11,124,000,000; 

7 (E) for fiscal year 2026, $11,903,000,000; 

8 (F) for fiscal year 2027, $12,736,000,000; 

9 (G) for fiscal year 2028, $13,628,000,000; 

10 (H) for fiscal year 2029, $14,582,000,000; 

11 (I) for fiscal year 2030, $15,603,000,000; 

12 (J) for fiscal year 2031, $16,695,000,000; 

13 and 

14 (K) for fiscal year 2032 and each fiscal 

15 year thereafter, the amount appropriated under 

16 this paragraph for the previous fiscal year, in17 creased by the percentage increase (if any), 

18 during the previous fiscal year, in the Con19 sumer Price Index for all urban consumers pub20 lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

21 (2) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, OFFICE OF

22 SCIENCE.—For the Office of Science at the Depart23 ment of Energy— 

24 (A) for fiscal year 2022, $7,518,000,000; 

25 (B) for fiscal year 2023, $8,044,000,000; 


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1 (C) for fiscal year 2024, $8,607,000,000; 

2 (D) for fiscal year 2025, $9,210,000,000; 

3 (E) for fiscal year 2026, $9,854,000,000; 

4 (F) for fiscal year 2027, $10,544,000,000; 

5 (G) for fiscal year 2028, $11,282,000,000; 

6 (H) for fiscal year 2029, $12,072,000,000; 

7 (I) for fiscal year 2030, $12,917,000,000; 

8 (J) for fiscal year 2031, $13,821,000,000; 

9 and 

10 (K) for fiscal year 2032 and each fiscal 

11 year thereafter, the amount appropriated under 

12 this paragraph for the previous fiscal year, in13 creased by the percentage increase (if any), 

14 during the previous fiscal year, in the Con15 sumer Price Index for all urban consumers pub16 lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

17 (3) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SCIENCE AND

18 TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS.—For the Department of 

19 Defense science and technology programs— 

20 (A) for fiscal year 2022, $18,054,000,000; 

21 (B) for fiscal year 2023, $19,318,000,000; 

22 (C) for fiscal year 2024, $20,670,000,000; 

23 (D) for fiscal year 2025, $22,117,000,000; 

24 (E) for fiscal year 2026, $23,665,000,000; 

25 (F) for fiscal year 2027, $25,322,000,000; 


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1 (G) for fiscal year 2028, $27,094,000,000; 

2 (H) for fiscal year 2029, $28,991,000,000; 

3 (I) for fiscal year 2030, $31,020,000,000; 

4 (J) for fiscal year 2031, $33,192,000,000; 

5 and 

6 (K) for fiscal year 2032 and each fiscal 

7 year thereafter, the amount appropriated under 

8 this paragraph for the previous fiscal year, in9 creased by the percentage increase (if any), 

10 during the previous fiscal year, in the Con11 sumer Price Index for all urban consumers pub12 lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

13 (4) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND

14 TECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RE15 SEARCH AND SERVICES.—For the scientific and 

16 technical research and services of the National Insti17 tute of Standards and Technology at the Depart18 ment of Commerce— 

19 (A) for fiscal year 2022, $843,000,000; 

20 (B) for fiscal year 2023, $902,000,000; 

21 (C) for fiscal year 2024, $965,000,000; 

22 (D) for fiscal year 2025, $1,033,000,000; 

23 (E) for fiscal year 2026, $1,105,000,000; 

24 (F) for fiscal year 2027, $1,183,000,000; 

25 (G) for fiscal year 2028, $1,265,000,000; 


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1 (H) for fiscal year 2029, $1,354,000,000; 

2 (I) for fiscal year 2030, $1,449,000,000; 

3 (J) for fiscal year 2031, $1,550,000,000; 

4 and 

5 (K) for fiscal year 2032 and each fiscal 

6 year thereafter, the amount appropriated under 

7 this paragraph for the previous fiscal year, in8 creased by the percentage increase (if any), 

9 during the previous fiscal year, in the Con10 sumer Price Index for all urban consumers pub11 lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

12 (5) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE AD13 MINISTRATION SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE.— 

14 For the Science Mission Directorate at the National 

15 Aeronautics and Space Administration— 

16 (A) for fiscal year 2022, $7,728,000,000; 

17 (B) for fiscal year 2023, $8,268,000,000; 

18 (C) for fiscal year 2024, $8,847,000,000; 

19 (D) for fiscal year 2025, $9,467,000,000; 

20 (E) for fiscal year 2026, $10,129,000,000; 

21 (F) for fiscal year 2027, $10,838,000,000; 

22 (G) for fiscal year 2028, $11,597,000,000; 

23 (H) for fiscal year 2029, $12,409,000,000; 

24 (I) for fiscal year 2030, $13,277,000,000; 


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1 (J) for fiscal year 2031, $14,207,000,000; 

2 and 

3 (K) for fiscal year 2032 and each fiscal 

4 year thereafter, the amount appropriated under 

5 this paragraph for the previous fiscal year, in6 creased by the percentage increase (if any), 

7 during the previous fiscal year, in the Con8 sumer Price Index for all urban consumers pub9 lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

10 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated under 

11 subsection (a) shall remain available until expended. 

12 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

13 (1) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SCIENCE AND

14 TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS.—The term ‘‘Department 

15 of Defense science and technology programs’’ means 

16 the appropriations accounts that support the various 

17 institutes, offices, and centers that make up the De18 partment of Defense science and technology pro19 grams. 

20 (2) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—The 

21 term ‘‘National Science Foundation’’ means the ap22 propriations accounts that support the various insti23 tutes, offices, and centers that make up the National 

24 Science Foundation. 


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1 (3) OFFICE OF SCIENCE AT THE DEPARTMENT

2 OF ENERGY.—The term ‘‘Office of Science at the 

3 Department of Energy’’ means the appropriations 

4 accounts that support the various institutes, offices, 

5 and centers that make up the Department of Energy 

6 Office of Science. 

7 (4) SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE AT THE

8 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRA9 TION.—The term ‘‘Science Mission Directorate at 

10 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’’ 

11 means the appropriations accounts that support the 

12 various institutes, offices, and centers that make up 

13 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

14 Science Mission Directorate. 

15 (5) SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH

16 AND SERVICES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF

17 STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘sci18 entific and technical research and services of the Na19 tional Institute of Standards and Technology’’ 

20 means the appropriations accounts that support the 

21 various institutes, offices, and centers that make up 

22 the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

23 scientific and technical research and services. 

24 (d) EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN APPROPRIATIONS FROM

25 SEQUESTRATION.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 255(g)(1)(A) of the 

2 Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 

3 Act (2 U.S.C. 905(g)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting 

4 after ‘‘Advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund 

5 and Other Funds (16–0327–0–1–600).’’ the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘Appropriations under the American 

8 Innovation Act.’’. 

9 (2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by 

10 this section shall apply to any sequestration order 

11 issued under the Balanced Budget and Emergency 

12 Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900 et seq.) 

13 on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 

14 (e) BUDGETARY EFFECTS.— 

15 (1) STATUTORY PAYGO SCORECARDS.—The 

16 budgetary effects of this section shall not be entered 

17 on either PAYGO scorecard maintained pursuant to 

18 section 4(d) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 

19 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(d)). 

20 (2) SENATE PAYGO SCORECARDS.—The budg21 etary effects of this section shall not be entered on 

22 any PAYGO scorecard maintained for purposes of 

23 section 4106 of H. Con. Res. 71 (115th Congress). 

Æ 


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