National Science, Innovation, and Technology Strategy Act of 2021
Bill: S.3015 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
National Science, Innovation, and Technology Strategy Act of 2021

This bill requires a national science and technology strategy and a technology review.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) shall submit to Congress a comprehensive national science and technology strategy of the United States to meet national research and development objectives for the following four-year period.
No later than one year after the enactment of this bill and every four years afterwards, the OSTP shall complete an interagency review of the science and technology enterprise of the United States.

To require the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
   to submit to Congress each year a national science and technology 
 strategy, to require the Director to complete quadrennial science and 
              technology reviews, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Science, Innovation, and 
Technology Strategy Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.

    Title II of the National Science and Technology Policy, 
Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6611 et seq.) is 
amended by striking section 206 and inserting the following:

``SEC. 206. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.

    ``(a) Strategy Required.--Not later than the end of each calendar 
year immediately after the calendar year in which a review under 
section 206A(b) is completed, the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, in consultation with the National Science and 
Technology Council, shall develop and submit to Congress a 
comprehensive national science and technology strategy of the United 
States to meet national research and development objectives for the 
following 4-year period (in this section referred to as the `national 
science and technology strategy').
    ``(b) Requirements.--Each national science and technology strategy 
required by subsection (a) shall delineate a national science and 
technology strategy consistent with--
            ``(1) the recommendations and priorities developed pursuant 
        to the review most recently completed under section 206A(b);
            ``(2) the most recent national security strategy report 
        submitted pursuant to section 1032 of the National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (50 U.S.C. 3043);
            ``(3) other relevant national plans; and
            ``(4) the strategic plans of relevant Federal departments 
        and agencies.
    ``(c) Consultation.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall consult, as necessary, with the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget and other appropriate elements of the 
Executive Office of the President to ensure that the recommendations 
and priorities delineated in the science and technology strategy are 
incorporated in the development of annual budget requests.
    ``(d) Annual Reports.--
            ``(1) In general.--The President shall submit to Congress 
        each year a comprehensive report on the national science and 
        technology strategy of the United States.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include a description of the following:
                    ``(A) The strategic objectives and priorities 
                necessary to maintain the leadership of the United 
                States in science and technology and to advance science 
                and technology to address societal and national 
                challenges, including near-term, medium-term, and long-
                term research priorities.
                    ``(B) The programs, policies, and activities that 
                the President recommends across all Federal agencies to 
                achieve the strategic objectives in subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) The global trends in science and technology, 
                including potential threats to the leadership of the 
                United States in science and technology and 
                opportunities for international collaboration in 
                science and technology.
    ``(e) Publication.--The Director shall, consistent to the maximum 
extent practicable with the protection of national security and other 
sensitive matters, make each report submitted under subsection (d) 
publicly available on an internet website of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy.

``SEC. 206A. INTERAGENCY QUADRENNIAL INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY REVIEW.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        `appropriate committees of Congress' means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, the Committee on Armed Services, the 
                Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on 
                Environment and Public Works, the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations, and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
                    ``(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the 
                Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
                Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
                Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 
                Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
                Representatives.
            ``(2) Interagency.--The term `interagency' with respect to 
        a review means that the review is conducted in consultation and 
        coordination between Federal agencies, including the Department 
        of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, the Department 
        of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, and such other related agencies as the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
        considers appropriate, as well as the following:
                    ``(A) The National Science and Technology Council.
                    ``(B) The President's Council of Advisors on 
                Science and Technology.
                    ``(C) The National Science Board.
                    ``(D) the National Security Council.
                    ``(E) The Council of Economic Advisers.
                    ``(F) The National Economic Council.
                    ``(G) The Domestic Policy Council.
                    ``(H) The Office of the United States Trade 
                Representative.
    ``(b) Interagency Quadrennial Innovation and Technology Review 
Required.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of the National Science, Innovation, and 
        Technology Strategy Act of 2021, and every 4 years thereafter, 
        the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
        shall complete an interagency review of the science and 
        technology enterprise of the United States (in this section 
        referred to as the `quadrennial innovation and technology 
        review').
            ``(2) Scope.--The quadrennial science and technology review 
        shall be a comprehensive examination of the science and 
        technology strategy of the United States, including 
        recommendations for maintaining global leadership in science 
        and technology and advancing science and technology to address 
        the societal and national challenges and guidance on the 
        coordination of programs, assets, capabilities, budget, 
        policies, and authorities across all Federal research and 
        development programs.
            ``(3) Consultation.--In carrying out each quadrennial 
        innovation and technology review, the Director of the Office of 
        Science and Technology Policy shall consult with the following:
                    ``(A) Congress.
                    ``(B) Federal agencies, including Federal agencies 
                not described in subsection (a)(2).
                    ``(C) Experts in national security.
                    ``(D) Representatives of specific technology 
                industries, as the Director considers appropriate.
                    ``(E) Academics.
                    ``(F) State, local, and Tribal governments.
                    ``(G) Nongovernmental organizations.
                    ``(H) The public.
    ``(c) Contents.--In each quadrennial innovation and technology 
review, the Director shall--
            ``(1) provide an integrated view of, and recommendations 
        for, science and technology policy across the Federal 
        Government, while considering economic and national security 
        and other societal and national challenges;
            ``(2) assess and recommend priorities for research, 
        development, and demonstration programs to maintain American 
        leadership in science and technology;
            ``(3) assess and recommend priorities for research, 
        development, and demonstration programs to address societal and 
        national challenges;
            ``(4) assess the global competition in science and 
        technology and identify potential threats to the leadership of 
        the United States in science and technology opportunities for 
        international collaboration;
            ``(5) assess and make recommendations on the science, 
        technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science 
        workforce in the United States;
            ``(6) assess and make recommendations to improve regional 
        innovation across the United States;
            ``(7) assess and make recommendations to improve 
        translation of basic research and the enhancement of technology 
        transfer of federally funded research;
            ``(8) assess and identify the infrastructure and tools 
        needed to maintain the leadership of the United States in 
        science and technology and address other societal and national 
        challenges; and
            ``(9) review administrative or legislative policies that 
        affect the science and technology enterprise and identify and 
        make recommendations on policies that hinder research and 
        development in the United States.
    ``(d) Coordination.--The Director shall ensure that each 
quadrennial innovation and technology review conducted under this 
section is coordinated with efforts to carry out other relevant 
statutorily required reviews, and to the maximum extent practicable 
incorporates information and recommendations from other reviews in 
order to avoid duplication.
    ``(e) Reporting.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than December 31 of the year 
        in which a quadrennial innovation and technology review is 
        conducted, the Director shall submit to Congress a report of 
        the review.
            ``(2) Publication.--The Director shall, consistent to the 
        maximum extent possible with the protection of national 
        security and other sensitive matters, make each report 
        submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available on an internet 
        website of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.''.
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