VIDEO: Young Speaks at First Public Meeting of USICA Conference Committee

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), a conferee on his U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), spoke at the first public meeting of the conference committee. The bill aims to out-innovate and outcompete the Chinese Communist Party.

To watch Senator Young’s remarks, click .

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

When I first introduced the Endless Frontier Act in the spring of 2020, I didn’t imagine it would take two years to be sitting here today.

Nevertheless, I’m pleased that this bill moved through regular order in the Senate with my colleagues having so many opportunities to express their views, and contribute ideas as we sanded and polished this important piece of legislation.

As we begin the formal conference process, let’s remember this: Throughout our nation’s recent history, Republicans and Democrats have worked together on critical national security issues.

Issues that are bigger than whatever our domestic political divisions may be.

And I believe this legislation is another moment where we must come together in a bipartisan fashion for the future of our country.

We have a national security imperative to ensure that we don’t fall behind the Chinese Communist Party in our technological innovation, which is historically a key driver of our nation’s economic growth and rise to power.

American leadership in science and technology, especially the emerging technologies that will dominate the 21st Century, is vital to both the future of the American economy and to our competitiveness with China.

This legislation will help us lay the foundation for the private sector to harness the innovation occurring around our country, and will contribute toward the construction of fabs that will create the resilience necessary to compete globally, both economically and militarily.

In the days ahead, there will be disagreements, but we need to get this bill across the finish line with a strong bipartisan vote, and help ensure the United States is leading the world into the future.

As Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster said at an event on this bill yesterday, we need to “work together and get this darn thing done.”

I look forward to working with the members of this conference committee to do just that.