Bill > HR1898

This bill, the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015, aims to bolster U.S. competitiveness through investments in research, development, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Key provisions include reauthorizing and amending programs for the National Nanotechnology Initiative and establishing a new National Engineering Biology Research and Development Program. The bill also focuses on improving STEM education and diversity by promoting broader participation in STEM fields, supporting caregiver policies for researchers, and collecting data on faculty demographics. Additionally, it authorizes appropriations for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), revises policies for prize competitions, encourages international science and technology partnerships, and supports scientific and technical conferences. The Department of Energy's Office of Science programs, including those for basic energy sciences, fusion energy research, and advanced scientific computing, are also addressed, alongside reauthorizing the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and promoting energy innovation hubs. The bill also includes provisions for federal loan guarantees for innovative manufacturing technologies, an innovation voucher pilot program, and a federal acceleration of state technology commercialization pilot program.