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°®¶¹´«Ã½ (ASM) commends the U.S. Senate for advancing groundbreaking legislation with provisions that have the potential to strengthen American research and economic competitiveness. ASM supports increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), efforts to strengthen and diversify the scientific workforce, as well as provisions that bolster the bioeconomy and enhance coordination with the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. We also are pleased to see efforts in the legislative package to provide relief to investigators whose projects were disrupted due to pandemic-related closures.

We are concerned, however, that the legislation in its current form contains additional provisions we believe could stifle, rather than nurture, innovation and global collaboration. These provisions, while well-intentioned, could undermine the global collaborations that ASM and its 30,000 members regard as an essential component of microbiology today. We encourage Congress and the Executive Branch to strike an appropriate balance between national security and an openly collaborative scientific environment.

The °®¶¹´«Ã½ States is a leader in bold and innovative thinking. ASM looks forward to supporting Congress in harnessing the American innovation mindset with a coherent and sustainable strategy that allows for broad collaboration and continued American leadership.