WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act, a bold and transformative legislative package to supercharge production of chips, strengthen U.S. supply chains, expand renewable energy, protect the oceans, crack down on illegal wildlife and fishing practices, strengthen American manufacturing,  and advance U.S. scientific excellence and research.  This package will ensure that America is set for success on the world stage now and for decades to come.

The COMPETES Act also included Rep. Grijalva’s amendment to create the Office of Education Technology in the Bureau of Indian Education and was endorsed by the National Indian Education Association.

“With the passage of the America COMPETES Act, House Democrats are taking action to ensure that America is competitive and ready for the future,” said Rep. Grijalva.  “The pandemic highlighted the persisting inequities in our education system, especially among tribes. This bill includes elements to improve educational outcomes and capacity at every level. I’m proud that we’re including improvements for tribal students. We are one step closer to educational equity. By creating the Office of Education Technology in the Bureau of Indian Education, we will provide tribal students and staff the capacity to have digital accessibility including high speed internet access and technology fundamentals for education programs.”

The amendment was created in response to concerns heard in the 116^th Congress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the September Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States hearing entitled the Examining the Bureau of Indian Education’s School Reopening Guidance During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In addition to the amendment, the America COMPETES Act includes bold, smart and strategic investments to power the success of America’s workers, businesses and economy – based on bipartisan bills, many of which have already passed the House with bipartisan support – including:

• Supercharging investments in semiconductor chips: with $52 billion to support U.S. production of semiconductors — a key component in consumer electronics, cars, defense systems and other key products — address supply chain disruptions that push up costs for families, bring back chips production to America and ensure that the U.S. leads the way on semiconductor fabrication.
• Strengthening supply chains and manufacturing at home: with $45 billion to support the manufacture and acquisition of critical goods or industrial equipment that are essential for national security and economic vitality – including public health and biological preparedness, information and communications technology, the energy and transportation sector’s industrial base, and agricultural commodities and food product supply chains.  COMPETES reduces our reliance on critical goods from countries of concern and encourages the relocation of manufacturing facilities out of these countries.
• Advancing American scientific research and innovation excellence: ensure that we lead the technologies of the future with a suite of bipartisan science, research and technology bills to turbocharge American innovation, focused squarely on producing solutions and results. COMPETES also maximizes the American talent pool by strengthening and diversifying our nation’s STEM workforce.
• Promoting U.S. global leadership: positioning the interests and values of the United States, not China, to win on the world stage, including with strong action to hold the PRC accountable for its trade abuses, which hurt U.S. workers, and for its human rights violations, including the genocide against the Uyghurs.

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