American Innovation Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2628
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:58:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The American Innovation Act (H.R. 2628) aims to boost and maintain long-term federal funding for basic science research across key U.S. government agencies. It seeks to ensure steady financial support for scientific innovation, which supporters argue drives economic growth, technological advancement, and national security.
Key Provisions
- Authorized Appropriations: The bill mandates specific funding levels for five major science-related programs from fiscal year (FY) 2026 through 2035, with annual increases built in. After FY 2035, funding adjusts upward based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban consumers to account for inflation. The programs and initial funding are:
- National Science Foundation (NSF): Starting at $9.735 billion in FY 2026, rising to $18.279 billion in FY 2035.
- Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science: Starting at $8.854 billion in FY 2026, rising to $16.624 billion in FY 2035.
- Department of Defense (DoD) science and technology programs: Starting at $23.109 billion in FY 2026, rising to $43.392 billion in FY 2035 (this covers research institutes, offices, and centers focused on defense-related science).
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) scientific and technical research and services (under the Department of Commerce): Starting at $1.244 billion in FY 2026, rising to $2.335 billion in FY 2035.
- NASA Science Mission Directorate: Starting at $7.880 billion in FY 2026, rising to $14.796 billion in FY 2035 (this supports space science missions and related research).
- Fund Availability: All appropriated funds can be used until fully spent, without a fixed expiration date.
- Definitions: The bill clarifies what each funded area includes, such as specific appropriations accounts for institutes, offices, and centers within these agencies.
- Sequestration Exemption: Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to protect these funds from automatic spending cuts (sequestration), which are enforced cuts to reduce budget deficits.
- Budgetary Exemptions: The funding's impact on federal budget scorecards under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 and related Senate rules is waived, meaning it won't trigger automatic offsets or spending reductions elsewhere.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shift to Mandatory Funding: Unlike typical annual discretionary appropriations (decided yearly through budget negotiations), this bill sets fixed, escalating amounts over a decade, providing more predictable funding for science programs.
- Sequestration Protection: Adds these appropriations to the list of exempt categories in existing budget control laws, shielding them from across-the-board cuts that have affected science funding in the past.
- PAYGO Bypass: Removes the requirement to balance these new expenditures with cuts or revenue increases in budget tracking systems, potentially allowing deficit spending for science without immediate offsets.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Provides substantial budget growth for NSF, DOE, DoD, NIST, and NASA, enabling expanded research projects, more grants to scientists, facility upgrades, and hiring. This could reduce uncertainty in long-term planning but strain overall federal budgeting if not matched by revenue.
- On Citizens: Could accelerate discoveries in fields like health, energy, materials science, and space exploration, leading to broader benefits such as new technologies, job creation in STEM fields, and improved national competitiveness. However, it increases federal spending, which might contribute to higher national debt affecting future taxpayers.
- On International Relations: Strengthens U.S. leadership in global science and technology, potentially enhancing collaborations with allies or countering competitors like China in areas such as defense tech and space. It may also influence international science partnerships by signaling reliable U.S. investment.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Science Agencies: NSF, DOE Office of Science, DoD research programs, NIST, and NASA, which receive the direct funding boosts.
- Researchers and Institutions: Universities, labs, and scientists who rely on federal grants for basic research (e.g., in physics, biology, engineering).
- Defense and Industry Sectors: DoD contractors and tech firms benefiting from military science advancements.
- Taxpayers and Economy: General public, as increased spending supports innovation but draws from federal resources; private sector innovators who build on public research.
- Congressional Committees: Science, Space, and Technology; Armed Services; and Budget committees, which oversee the bill's implementation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill exercises Congress's constitutional power to appropriate funds (Article I, Section 9) but alters established budget enforcement mechanisms like sequestration and PAYGO, which were designed to control deficits. This could face challenges if seen as undermining fiscal laws, though it aligns with precedents for targeted spending priorities.
- Constitutional: Reinforces federal support for the "general welfare" through science investment, without raising separation-of-powers issues since it originates in Congress.
- Political: Represents a bipartisan push (introduced by Democrats but with broad science community support) for long-term investment amid debates over federal priorities. It may spark controversy over deficit impacts in a polarized budget environment, potentially influencing future appropriations bills or elections focused on innovation versus fiscal restraint.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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.
- 2025-04-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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.
- 2025-04-03: Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and the Budget, 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.
- 2025-04-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- American Innovation Act — issued 2025-04-03 — PDF (9 pages)