Washington, D.C. —Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which included five of Congresswoman Deborah Ross’ (NC-02) bills and amendments that will invest in cybersecurity, clean energy technology, research initiatives, and STEM education in the Research Triangle and across the nation. The CHIPS and Science Act is a bipartisan legislative package that strengthens the United States’ economic and national security, catalyzes semiconductor innovation and manufacturing, turbocharges American research and development, and diversifies and expands our innovation workforce. The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Congresswoman Ross spoke in support of the CHIPS and Science Act on the House floor.

“Our nation has long been a global leader in science and technology, but we cannot afford to take that position for granted,” said Congresswoman Ross. “At this moment of unprecedented international competition, the CHIPS and Science Act will invest in North Carolina-based companies that are breaking new ground every day in medicine, energy, telecommunications, and more. This legislation also invests in our state’s leading institutions and their students – from NC State, Shaw, and St. Augustine’s to Wake Tech. I fought for these needed investments in North Carolina’s innovation economy, and I’m so proud that this legislation includes several initiatives that I have championed since I first came to Congress. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign the CHIPS and Science Act into law.”

The CHIPS and Science Act includes the following provisions introduced or co-led by Congresswoman Ross:

• Innovation in STEM Education at Community Colleges, like Wake Tech, an amendment that directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to improve teaching at community colleges and outcomes for students who enter the workforce after completing their STEM degrees.
• Energizing Technology Transfer Act, bipartisan legislation to facilitate the commercial application of clean energy tech by universities and private companies, ensuring this innovative technology is more readily available and used by companies and institutions in the Research Triangle. 
• National Science & Technology Strategy Act, bipartisan legislation that directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to develop a comprehensive national science and technology strategy and identify future needs, barriers, and opportunities for U.S. science and tech.
• A version of the NSF Technology Research Institutes Act, bipartisan legislation to create an NSF grant program to fund technology research activities at institutions like NC State, including conducting fundamental and experimental research, commercializing innovative technology, creating computational models, and establishing traineeship programs for graduate students.
• Software Supply Chain Cybersecurity Amendment, an amendment that requires National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop security practices to enable software developers and operators to identify, assess, and manage cyber risks over the full lifestyle of software products, and to share technical expertise with federal agencies, industry stakeholders, and standards development organizations. 

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