I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8693 
To establish an independent agency in the executive branch to be known 
as the Federal Institute of Technology, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 27, 2020 
Mr. KHANNA (for himself, Mr. HIMES, Mr. RYAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. 
DELBENE, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. SOTO, Mr. EVANS, and 
Ms. BARRAGA´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees 
on Oversight and Reform, Ways and Means, Financial Services, Trans-
portation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, and En-
ergy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish an independent agency in the executive branch 
to be known as the Federal Institute of Technology, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘21st Century Jobs 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) In the year 2018, funding for research and 
development in science and technology in the United 
States was $124.7 billion, or approximately 0.6 per-
cent of the gross domestic product. 
(2) In the year 1964, the United States spent 
approximately 2 percent of gross domestic product 
on research and development in science and tech-
nology. 
(3) Public funding for research and develop-
ment in science and technology financed a majority 
of the innovations that powered growth in the 
United States after World War II, including digital 
computing and modern pharmaceutical science. 
(4) The United States currently ranks ninth in 
the world for total percentage of gross domestic 
product used for research and development in 
science and technology and twelfth in the world for 
public funding for research and development in 
science and technology. 
(5) Funding for research and development in 
science and technology is concentrated in a small 
number of geographic regions in the United States. 
(6) Established technology centers that promote 
research and development in science and technology 
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are extremely crowded, have high real estate costs, 
and are in locations that require long commutes for 
many of the researchers at such centers. 
(7) The private sector has a limited ability or 
desire to invest outside of such centers, which limits 
the potential for growth in science and technology, 
including the availability of employment opportuni-
ties in such industries. 
(8) Increasing public funding for research and 
development in science and technology to 1 percent 
of the gross domestic product would significantly in-
crease the rank of the United States with respect to 
funding for such research and development among 
developed countries. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that amounts provided through this Act will be 
used— 
(1) in a manner that is similar to break-
through-focused, project management models of the 
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the 
Department of Defense; and 
(2) to supplement existing funding to Federal 
agencies. 
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SEC. 3. THE FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the ex-
ecutive branch of the Government an independent agency 
to be known as the ‘‘Federal Institute of Technology’’ (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Institute’’). 
(b) 
HEADQUARTERS.—The 
Institute 
shall 
be 
headquartered in the District of Columbia. 
(c) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Institute shall have a 
Board of Directors (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Board’’). 
(2) DUTIES OF THE BOARD.—The duties of the 
Board shall include the following: 
(A) Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this section, establish a 
minimum of 10 local boards in accordance with 
subsection (d), including— 
(i) appointing the members of each 
local board with consideration given to the 
recommendations provided pursuant to 
subsection (d)(1)(A)(iii); 
(ii) providing funding to local boards 
to support the local boards in achieving the 
duties under subsection (d)(3) and to carry 
out the comprehensive strategy under sub-
section 
(d)(2), 
including 
funds 
from 
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amounts in the private endowment estab-
lished under subsection (e); and 
(iii) annually evaluate the effective-
ness of each local board based on the re-
quirements developed pursuant to sub-
section (d)(1)(D). 
(B) Provide funds to Federal, State, and 
local agencies to support programs and research 
in the qualified subjects, including programs 
and research in certain technology sectors. 
(3) LOCAL
BOARD
LIMITATION.—The Board 
may establish— 
(A) not more than 30 local boards in the 
10-year period after the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(B) not more than 3 local boards each fis-
cal year during such period. 
(4) NEW
LOCAL
BOARD
APPLICATIONS.—The 
Board may consider new applications on an annual 
basis each fiscal year for the 10-year period after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 3 
years thereafter. 
(5) MEMBERS; CHAIR.—The President shall— 
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(A) appoint 5 members of the Board by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate; 
and 
(B) designate a Chair from among the 
members. 
(6) TERMS.— 
(A) LENGTH.—Each Board member shall 
be appointed for a term of 5 years. 
(B) AMOUNT.—Each Board member shall 
not serve more than 2 terms. 
(7) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Board shall 
be filled in the manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
(8) BASIC
PAY.—To the extent or in the 
amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, 
members shall each be paid at a rate not to exceed 
the rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive 
Schedule. 
(d) LOCAL BOARDS.— 
(1) APPLICATIONS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In establishing local 
boards pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A), the 
Board shall consider applications on a competi-
tive basis from State and local governments, 
which shall include the following: 
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(i) The location of the local board, 
which must be in a covered region that— 
(I) possesses relevant assets for 
the development of technology; and 
(II) does not possess a leading 
technology center. 
(ii) A comprehensive strategy de-
scribed under paragraph (2). 
(iii) A recommendation of individuals 
to be appointed to the local board. 
(B) 
DURATION
PERIOD.—Each 
grant 
under this section shall be made for a period of 
10 years, provided that the local board that re-
ceives such grant meets the requirements devel-
oped pursuant to subparagraph (C). 
(C) REQUIREMENTS.—The Board shall de-
velop requirements for each local board based 
on the comprehensive strategy of each such 
local board. 
(2) COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGY.—Each local 
board shall submit to the Board a comprehensive 
strategy that includes the following: 
(A) A technology development plan, includ-
ing the focus of the local board and existing ad-
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vantages for the development of a hub in the 
covered region of the local board. 
(B) A spending plan, including an outline 
of the use of funds based on the duties of the 
local board under paragraph (3). 
(C) A plan to address infrastructure bar-
riers to the development of a hub, including— 
(i) the development of data infrastruc-
ture; 
(ii) remediation of environmentally 
damaged sites; 
(iii) the development of buildings, 
labs, roads, and bridges; and 
(iv) improvements to airports, train 
stations, and other forms of public transit. 
(D) A higher education improvement plan, 
including— 
(i) hiring faculty; 
(ii) supporting students; and 
(iii) partnering with institutions of 
higher education. 
(E) A primary and secondary education 
improvement plan, including— 
(i) an outline with respect to edu-
cating students in science, technology, en-
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gineering, and mathematics through the 
use of Federal resources; and 
(ii) an evidence-based program to 
overcome existing barriers to student 
achievement in the covered region. 
(F) A career placement plan based on the 
duties of the local board under paragraph (3). 
(G) A plan to improve access to capital for 
local businesses. 
(H) A sustainable growth plan that— 
(i) ensures housing remains affordable 
in the covered region; and 
(ii) addresses environmentally dam-
aged areas in the covered region. 
(3) DUTIES OF THE LOCAL BOARD.—Each local 
board shall— 
(A) establish a hub and oversee the activi-
ties of such hub; 
(B) make grants available for programs 
and research in the qualified subjects in covered 
regions, which may include grants to— 
(i) promote the development of stu-
dent skills at all levels, including— 
(I) primary and secondary school 
improvements that support education 
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in technology and the qualified sub-
jects; 
(II) 
fellowships 
for 
under-
graduate students to support edu-
cation in technology and the qualified 
subjects; and 
(III) 
post-graduate 
fellowship 
programs to support such graduate 
students working in technology and 
the qualified subjects; 
(ii) improve the ability of local institu-
tions of higher education to carry out lead-
ing-edge research in technology and the 
qualified subjects, including— 
(I) hiring faculty in the relevant 
areas; 
(II) laboratory construction and 
development; 
(III) developing and sponsoring 
programs to promote technological en-
trepreneurship among students (in 
partnership with leading firms in the 
covered region); and 
(IV) developing partnerships with 
local businesses to facilitate the tran-
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sition of students to the technology 
workforce; and 
(iii) develop effective pathways for ca-
reer advancement in technology that cre-
ates and reduces the costs of— 
(I) training programs for work in 
technology jobs; and 
(II) apprenticeship programs in 
technology jobs; 
(C) develop effective infrastructure to pro-
mote the creation of a technology center as de-
scribed in the plan under paragraph (2)(C); 
(D) improve access to capital for busi-
nesses in the covered region, including— 
(i) supporting partnerships with ven-
ture capitalists in regions with developed 
technology centers in the United States; 
and 
(ii) providing matching funds for Fed-
eral grants that support innovative busi-
nesses; 
(E) develop and implement a plan for im-
proving education in the qualified subjects; 
(F) develop and implement a plan for in-
creasing employment opportunities in the cov-
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ered region in which the local board is located, 
including— 
(i) coordinating with the heads of 
businesses and institutions of higher edu-
cation to support job placement in the cov-
ered region; and 
(ii) analyzing employment indicators 
with respect to high-wage job opportunities 
in the covered region of the local board to 
determine— 
(I) areas that need development 
in such industries; and 
(II) ways such industries would 
benefit from the advancement of tech-
nology; 
(G) analyze infrastructure in covered re-
gions and provide policy recommendations to 
the Board with respect to inadequate infra-
structure, including data infrastructure; 
(H) analyze the cost of housing, zoning 
regulations, and laws related to housing in the 
covered region of the local board and provide 
policy recommendations to State and local gov-
ernments to ensure the cost of housing remains 
affordable as the hub established pursuant to 
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subparagraph (A) increases research activities 
in such covered region; and 
(I) provide support for the development of 
technology, including establishing partnerships 
with institutions of higher education. 
(e) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—Notwith-
standing section 3302 of title 31, United States Code, and 
without further appropriation, the Board may accept, use, 
or dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or prop-
erty, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or 
facilitating the work of the Institute. Gifts, bequests, or 
devises of money and proceeds from sales of other prop-
erty received as gifts, bequests, or devices shall be depos-
ited in a private endowment for disbursement upon order 
of the Board. 
(f) INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL INSTI-
TUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY.—Section 12 of the Inspector 
General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–452; 5 U.S.C. App.) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘the Board 
of Directors of the Federal Institute of Technology;’’ 
after ‘‘the Tennessee Valley Authority;’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘the Federal 
Institute of Technology,’’ after the ‘‘Tennessee Val-
ley Authority,’’. 
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(g) REPORTS.— 
(1) LOCAL BOARD REPORT.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this section, 
and annually thereafter, each local board shall sub-
mit to the Board a report containing recommenda-
tions based on the activities of each such local 
board, including recommendations for— 
(A) legislation that— 
(i) supports research and education in 
the qualified subjects; 
(ii) increases employment opportuni-
ties related to the qualified subjects; 
(iii) addresses inadequate infrastruc-
ture in covered regions; and 
(iv) ensures the cost of housing is af-
fordable in covered regions; 
(B) funding scientific development; and 
(C) policy priorities with respect to sup-
porting scientific development. 
(2) BREAKTHROUGH
SCIENCE
REPORT.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this section, and annually thereafter, the Board shall 
submit to the President and Congress a report 
known as the ‘‘Breakthrough Science Report’’ con-
taining recommendations for— 
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(A) legislation based on the activities of 
the Institute; and 
(B) policy priorities with respect to sup-
porting scientific development, which shall take 
the funding priorities of the private sector into 
account. 
(3) NATIONAL
ACADEMY
OF
SCIENCES
RE-
PORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, 
the National Academy of Sciences shall submit to 
Congress a report on the activities of the local 
boards, including an analysis of research activities 
for areas that did not receive grants from such local 
boards. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; USE 
OF AMOUNTS.— 
(A) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—To carry out this section, there is au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Board— 
(i) $67,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2022; 
(ii) $72,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2023; 
(iii) $77,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2024; 
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(iv) $82,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2025; 
(v) $87,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2026; 
(vi) $92,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2027; 
(vii) $97,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2028; 
(viii) $102,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2029; 
(ix) $107,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2030; and 
(x) $112,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2031. 
(B) USE OF AMOUNTS.—Of the amounts 
made available to the Board under subpara-
graph (A) in each fiscal year to carry out this 
section not less than— 
(i) 12.5 percent shall be used to pro-
vide funds to the Department of Energy; 
(ii) 12.5 percent shall be used to pro-
vide funds to the National Science Foun-
dation; 
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(iii) 12.5 percent shall be used to pro-
vide funds to the National Institutes of 
Health; and 
(iv) 20 percent shall be used to pro-
vide funds to the local boards to carry out 
the duties under subsection (d)(3). 
(C) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(i) 
CERTAIN
TECHNOLOGY
SEC-
TORS.—The term ‘‘certain technology sec-
tors’’ means areas in technology that relate 
to the qualified subjects, which may in-
clude the following: 
(I) Advanced manufacturing. 
(II) Artificial intelligence. 
(III) Biotechnology. 
(IV) Blockchain technology. 
(V) Climate science. 
(VI) Computer science. 
(VII) Cybersecurity. 
(VIII) Material science. 
(IX) Medical technology. 
(X) Synthetic Biology. 
(XI) Telecommunications. 
(XII) Transportation technology. 
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