Bill > S2598

This bill establishes two primary initiatives to advance forest products research and technology. First, it creates an Office of Technology Transfer within the Forest Service, led by a new Chief Commercialization Officer, to expand the commercial impact of Forest Service research and help transfer technologies to the private sector. The office will coordinate technology transfer efforts, engage with private sector entities, and work to patent inventions from Forest Service laboratories. Additionally, the bill introduces a Small Business Voucher Pilot Program that will provide vouchers to small businesses to use Forest Service research facilities for product development, research, and commercialization, with varying levels of cost-sharing required depending on the type of research. The second major initiative is a Joint Mass Timber Science and Education Program, which aims to support research and educational efforts related to mass timber (a type of engineered wood product used in construction). This program will focus on practical research for architects, developers, and the forest products industry, develop strategic research lines, solicit competitive research proposals, disseminate findings, and develop educational curricula about mass timber construction. The bill authorizes up to $5 million annually for technology transfer efforts and $4 million for the mass timber program, with the initiatives set to expire on September 30, 2031.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2598/all-info