The America COMPETES Acts: An Overview (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised July 27, 2015 |
| Report Number |
R43880 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Heather B. Gonzalez, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Scientific and technological advancement played a central role in ensuring U.S. prosperity and
power in the 20th century. From the first flight of the Wright brothers in 1903 to the creation of
Google in the 1990s, U.S. scientific and technological innovations have reshaped the global
economy and provided both economic mobility and national security for generations of
Americans.
Whether the United States will maintain its preeminence over the course of the 21st century is an
open question. Some observers assert that U.S. leadership is at risk. They argue that the United
States underinvests in physical sciences and engineering (PS&E) research and underperforms in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. (PS&E research and
STEM education are believed to be central pillars in the foundation supporting U.S. scientific and
technological achievement.) At the same time, other nations are increasing their commitments to
research and education in the STEM fields and, as a result, can compete for a growing percentage
of the world’s high-value jobs and industries.
Concern that the United States has fallen or could fall behind in the global race to innovate
propelled passage of the 2007 America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) and its successor, the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358). The COMPETES Acts
authorized increasing funding for targeted federal accounts that support PS&E research
(commonly referred to as the “doubling path policy”) and authorized (or reauthorized) certain
federal STEM education programs. The acts also established the Advanced Research Projects
Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), allowed federal agencies to use prize competitions to spur innovation,
and directed the executive branch to coordinate policies providing access to federally funded
research—among many other provisions.
Neither of the COMPETES Acts has been fully funded or implemented. Actual funding for the
targeted PS&E research accounts did not reach authorized levels, and most of the STEM
education programs established by the acts were not realized. On the other hand, existing STEM
education programs that were reauthorized by the acts generally continued to operate. ARPA-E,
which was established by the acts, was implemented and continues to operate. Federal agencies
are also using the act’s prize authority—at least 100 competitions have been initiated under the
authority of P.L. 111-358.
Most of the funding authorizations in the COMPETES Acts have expired. Legislation to
reauthorize all or portions of the acts was introduced, but not enacted, in the 113th Congress.
Legislators have introduced bills to reauthorize all or portions of the acts in the 114th Congress.
This report provides an overview of the acts for readers seeking background and legislative
context. It serves both as a primer and a reference document, including a description and
legislative history of the acts, a summary of the broad policy debate, and an examination of the
implementation status of selected COMPETES-related programs and policies. This report also
highlights major bills to reauthorize the acts from the 113th and 114th Congresses.
For authorized and appropriated funding for COMPETES-related accounts, see CRS Report
R42779, America COMPETES Acts: FY2008 to FY2013 Funding Tables, by Heather B.
Gonzalez.
