Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness Act
Sponsored By: Representative Stevens
Introduced
Summary
Creates a nonprofit Foundation for Standards and Metrology to accelerate U.S. measurement science, technical standards, and commercialization of emerging technologies. It would partner NIST with universities, industry, philanthropies, and others to fund research, standards work, and technology transfer.
Show full summary
- Researchers and institutions: Would expand collaboration with NIST, support studies and projects on metrology and benchmarks, and help improve research facilities and infrastructure.
- Industry and startups: Would back commercialization of federally funded research, fund standard-setting and international metrology engagement, and accept private gifts to speed market-ready technologies.
- NIST associates and facility users: Would provide direct support such as fellowships, grants, stipends, travel, health insurance, housing, and other assistance for guest researchers and facility users.
- Oversight and donor transparency: A Board with ethics rules must publish annual reports, disclose all donors and gift restrictions, undergo annual audits, and face a Comptroller General review within 5 years.
- Federal funding link: The Commerce Director may transfer $0.5 million to $1.3 million per year to the Foundation starting in 2026.
*Would allow federal transfers of $0.5–$1.3 million per year beginning in 2026, representing a modest increase in federal outlays.*
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Support for NIST researchers and guests
If enacted, the Foundation could give fellowships, grants, and stipends. It could also cover travel, health insurance, training, housing, and awards. NIST associates, like guest researchers and facility users, could apply for this support.
Annual funding and transfers for Foundation
If enacted, NIST could transfer $500,000 to $1,250,000 each year to the Foundation starting in fiscal year 2026. The Foundation could also transfer money or property to NIST, which NIST would use under federal research rules. The Board would have to keep any authorized appropriations in a separate account.
New nonprofit to boost U.S. standards
If enacted, the Commerce Secretary would set up a new nonprofit, the Foundation for Standards and Metrology. It would help NIST advance measurement science and technical standards. It would also work with universities, industry, and nonprofits to speed up standards and bring new tech to market. The Foundation would be the only group allowed to run the listed activities.
Planning and Congressional oversight reports
If enacted, the Foundation would send Congress a strategic plan within one year of being set up. The plan would include a five-year path to be self-sustaining, ten-year financial goals, and steps to avoid overlap with NIST. Within five years after the Foundation is created, the Comptroller General would report to Congress on how well the Foundation is working and how to improve it.
Stronger ethics and donor transparency
If enacted, the Board would set bylaws that limit donor control over gifts and define the Executive Director’s duties. The Foundation would enforce ethics rules, disclosures, audits, and strict conflict-of-interest limits, including recusal. The Foundation would publish an audited report within 18 months and then by February 1 each year, listing donors, any gift restrictions, activities, and finances, and send it to two congressional committees.
Tax status, IP rules, and limits
If enacted, the Board would seek 501(c) tax-exempt status for the Foundation. The Board would set written rules on who owns and licenses intellectual property from Foundation work. No Foundation leader, employee, or program participant would be allowed to control any federal employee. The United States would not be liable for any Foundation debts or obligations.
How the Foundation board would work
If enacted, the Foundation would have 11 voting Board members chosen from a list developed with the National Academies. Terms would be up to five years, with initial terms split between 4.5 and 5 years. Department of Commerce employees could not serve as voting members. Board members would not be paid for serving, but travel and other necessary expenses could be reimbursed. The Board would appoint an Executive Director to run daily operations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Stevens
MI • D
Cosponsors
Obernolte
CA • R
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Beyer
VA • D
Sponsored 4/24/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 4/24/2025
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 4/24/2025
Kean
NJ • R
Sponsored 4/24/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Jacobs
CA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govRelated Bills
HR2102 — Major Richard Star Act
Establishes concurrent receipt for retirees with combat-related disabilities. This bill would let eligible retirees receive both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation for the same months without the offset rules that currently reduce payments. - Families of disabled retirees: Veterans with combat-related disabilities would receive both retired pay and VA disability compensation for the same months, increasing their monthly household income. - Defense and VA payment rules: The bill would amend 10 U.S.C. 1413a and 10 U.S.C. 1414 to exempt retired pay from reductions under 38 U.S.C. 5304 and 5305 and add a clear monthly no-offset rule. - Implementation and technical changes: It renames and updates chapter sections, adjusts cross-references, and applies to payments beginning the first month after enactment.
HR3151 — SHIPS for America Act of 2025
Rebuild U.S. commercial shipbuilding and a U.S.-flag strategic fleet by pairing new tax credits, grants, and operating payments with stronger cargo-preference rules and workforce and innovation programs to restore domestic capacity and sealift readiness. It centralizes maritime strategy in a White House advisor and a Maritime Security Board and funds a broad set of industrial, port, and training programs to favor U.S.-built, U.S.-crewed vessels.
HR1262 — Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
Speeds and strengthens pediatric cancer drug development. It expands which cancer products companies must study in children, reshapes organ transplant network governance and fees, and adds new FDA international and transparency steps. - Children with cancer and researchers: Requires pediatric studies that produce clinically meaningful data on dosing, safety, and early effectiveness and widens the kinds of drug combinations studied. It also sets aside $25 million for pediatric drug studies in each of fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. - Transplant patients and transplant network members: Changes Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network governance and financing by allowing quarterly registration fees, requiring those fees fund OPTN operations, improving electronic health record integration, and calling for a GAO review within two years. - FDA partners and drug makers: Creates an Abraham Accords Office to boost regulatory coordination and technical assistance abroad, and forces more transparency during generic (ANDA) reviews about whether generics are qualitatively and quantitatively the same as listed drugs. It also raises the Medicare Improvement Fund amount from $1.4 billion to $2.6 billion. Increases federal outlays by roughly $1.3 billion, driven by a $1.2 billion boost to the Medicare Improvement Fund and $75 million for pediatric studies, adding to federal spending.
HR5401 — Pay Our Troops Act of 2026
Guarantees continued pay for military personnel during a federal funding gap. This bill would create a temporary appropriation to keep pay and allowances flowing for active-duty service members and the civilians and contractors who directly support them if FY2026 regular appropriations are not in effect.
HR3514 — Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
Standardize prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans to make approvals faster and more transparent for beneficiaries and providers. The bill would require plans that use prior authorization to adopt a secure electronic PA program, publish plan-level PA data, and follow federal timeframes and enrollee protections.
HR842 — Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
Would expand Medicare to cover multi-cancer early detection screening tests. It defines eligible tests as certain FDA-cleared or approved genomic blood tests or comparable biological-sample tests and directs the Secretary to use the national coverage determinations process to decide when they are covered.
Take It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Create a free account to save research, track policy impacts, and unlock your personalized versions of these pages.
Already have an account? Sign in