Should the Endless Frontier of Federal Science be Expanded?

Abstract: Scientific research in the United States could receive a large increase in federal funding--up to 100 billion dollars over five years -- if proposed legislation entitled the Endless Frontiers Act becomes law. This bipartisan and bicameral bill, introduced in May 2020 by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Todd Young (R-IN) and Congressmen Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI), is intended to expand the funding of the physical sciences, engineering, and technology at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and create a new Technology Directorate focused on use-inspired research. In addition to provisions to protect the NSF's current missions, a minimum of 15\% of the newly appropriated funds would be used to enhance NSF's basic science portfolio. The Endless Frontier Act offers a rare opportunity to enhance the breadth and financial support of the American research enterprise. In this essay, we consider the benefits and the liabilities of the proposed legislation and recommend changes that would further strengthen it.