Lawmakers are seeking to reform two federal programs that support small business R&D that will expire this year.
With two federal programs offering technology maturity grants for small businesses located at the end of the fiscal year on September 30, lawmakers have begun to discuss possible reforms such as steps to increase their budgets, improve commercialization opportunities and expand research security measures.
The Congress created the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) in 1982 and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) in 1992 and those that have increased to distribute about $ 5 billion a year since then. Although widely popular, the programs have only been renovated for a few years at a time, demanding that Congress actively extend them.
Protecting small business R&D from foreign exploitation, especially by the Chinese government, was a central theme of a hearing Held by the Small Business Committee this week to begin discussing reform ideas. Chairman of the Committee Roger Williams (R-TX) glorified SBIR and STTR programs but said security measures added through them prior extension In 2022 they are insufficient. He also said that small businesses that participate in programs do not have access to capital and face significant obstacles in switching from research to commercialization.
Rangut member Nydia Velázquez (D-NN) described programs as among the “most effective motors for car innovation” administered by the federal government and called for Congress to make them permanent. She also proposed to increase the budget of the science agencies dedicated to the programs. Currently, extramural R&D budget agencies exceeding $ 100 million a year must share at least 3.2% of their SBIR budget and extramural R&D agencies exceeding $ 1 billion should cost at least 0.45% in StTR.
Rep. John Molenaar (R-MM), who heads the CCP Home Election Committee, was also presented at the hearing to warn that some US companies funded by “later partned with CCP-related units or placed Chinese subsidiaries, effectively transferring sensitive technology to our main opponent”.
Moolenar and Williams sent letters 11 Federal Agency This week demanding that they examine the possible weaknesses of SBIR and STRR programs. Chairman of the House of House of Science Brian Babin (R-TX) also joined the letters.
In their paper THE National Science FoundationAll three representatives make a series of data requirements, including the percentage of SBIR/StTR applications that are flags for national security risks each year.
Democrats in the committees did not join the letters, but they have expressed support for the increase of security measures for the programs. “Our current system still relies heavily on reporting by companies, which can lead to government resource restrictions to verify these reports,” said CCP House Krishnamorth (D-IL) member rank. “We must continue to support the resources for proper care in order to see the results we have adopted in 2022.”
Babin’s committee is holding a hearing On the safety of the next Wednesday research that may further investigate the topic. Small Business Committee and Senate Entrepreneurship will also discuss potential software reforms during a hearing on March 5th. Chairman of the Committee Joni Ernst (R-A) successfully To add proper care controls on businesses that require support from programs through extension legislation 2022.