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House committee approves $50 million for Build to Scale, $275 million for MEP and more

July 22, 2021
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The House Committee on Appropriations advanced an FY 2022 funding bill that provides for substantial increases to many science and innovation programs. The Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) bill includes $50 million for the Build to Scale program — a top priority for SSTI’s Innovation Advocacy Council, $275 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, $9.6 billion for the National Science Foundation and more. Highlights from the bill for regional innovation economies follows:

  • Economic Development Administration
    • Build to Scale – $50 million (+ $12 million from FY 2021)
    • STEM Talent Challenge – $10 million (+ $8 million)
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Manufacturing Extension Partnership – $275 million (+ $125 million)
    • Manufacturing USA – $56.5 million (+ $40 million, to fund two new institutes)
  • Minority Business Development Agency – $70 million (+ $22 million)
  • National Science Foundation – $9.6 billion (+ $1.1 billion)
  • White House Office of Science and Technology Policy – $7 million (+ $2 million)

The next step for this bill is to pass the full House. However, it is not known when the House will take it up for consideration. The chamber plans to vote on a combined set of seven appropriations bills next week, but the CJS bill is not on this list (the bill funding the Small Business Administration is included). On the other side of the Hill, the Senate has not yet released its FY 2022 bills.

The House’s funding level of $50 million for FY 2022 would be the largest increase supported by the House and is a clear indication of the program’s current support on the Hill. SSTI’s Innovation Advocacy Council has been working to increase funding and support for the Build to Scale program (originally titled “Regional Innovation Strategies”) since before the program received its first appropriation. To learn more about the Innovation Advocacy Council, contact Jason Rittenberg (rittenberg@ssti.org).

fy22budget, congress, eda, nist, nsf