2024: Fitzpatrick Voted To Award Grants For Research On
Privacy-Enhancing Technologies. In April 2024, Fitzpatrick voted for ,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill, as amended, that would
direct the National Science Foundation to award grants to support
research on privacy-enhancing technologies, including algorithms and
location tracking, to mitigate individual's privacy risks and improve
the privacy of online activity. It would also permit the NSF to issue
research awards to support education and workforce training and research
on human behavior to help design better privacy solutions, as well as to
create freely available privacy-enhancing technology libraries. It would
emphasize research on privacy-enhancing technologies as part of NSF's
overall computer science research mission. It would require any personal
data collected in the course of NSF-funded research to be treated in
accordance with federal privacy regulations. It would require the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy to report to Congress
within three years of the bill's enactment on its progress researching
privacy-enhancing technologies and any policy recommendations to improve
privacy." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote
of 354 to 36. [House Vote 154,
4/29/24; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/29/24;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4755]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Require The National Science Foundation To
Support Privacy-Enhancing Technologies That Diminish Individuals'
Privacy Risks Arising From Data Processing. In May 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Promoting Digital
Privacy Technologies Act, which would "require the National Science
Foundation to support research on privacy-enhancing technologies that
mitigate individuals' privacy risks arising from data processing by
improving data predictability, manageability, dissociability and
confidentiality. It would also require the Office of Science and
Technology Policy to coordinate with the NSF and other federal agencies
to accelerate the development and adoption of such technologies and to
report to Congress on related research and development." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 401-19, thus the bill
was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 150,
5/11/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/11/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
847]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Authorize $81 Billion Through FY 2027 To
The National Science Foundation, Including $16.3 Billion For A New NSF
Directorate. In July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted to concur with the Senate amendment to the Chips and
Science Act, which would "authorize $81 billion through fiscal 2027 for
National Science Foundation activities, including $16.3 billion for a
new NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships to
encourage research, development and workforce development to support
use-inspired and translational research, accelerate the development and
use of federally funded research, and accelerate development in key
technology focus areas." The vote was on a motion to concur. The House
concurred with the Senate by a vote of 243-187, thus the bill was sent
to the President. [House Vote 404,
7/28/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/28/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4346]
The Bill Required The NSF To Support Climate Change Research And
Research On The Technological Impacts On Social And Behavioral
Science. According to Congressional Quarterly, "It would require
the NSF to support research in a range of new areas, including
climate change and the impacts of technology on social and
behavioral science." [Congressional Quarterly,
7/28/22]
The Bill Authorized A National Science Foundation Office To
Coordinate Federal Efforts To Research Security And Integrity And
Prohibit Federal Research Agencies "From Participating In Malign
Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs." According to Congressional
Quarterly, "It would authorize a new NSF office to coordinate
federal efforts and policies related to research security and
integrity and require federal research agencies to adopt policies to
prohibit personnel from participating in malign foreign talent
recruitment programs." [Congressional Quarterly,
7/28/22]
The Bill Included About $100 Billion In Program Authorizations
Over Five Years, Including For The Expansion Of The National Science
Foundation And The Establishment Of Regional Technology Hubs To Help
Start-Ups. According to The Washington Post, "The bill also
includes about $100 billion in authorizations over five years for
programs such as expanding the National Science Foundation's work
and establishing regional technology hubs to support start-ups in
areas of the country that haven't traditionally drawn big funding
for tech." [The Washington Post,
7/28/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Provide $ $8.8 Billion To The National
Science Foundation. In March 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the first portion of the Fiscal 2022
Omnibus Appropriations, which would provide "$24 billion for NASA; and
$8.8 billion for the National Science Foundation." The vote was on the
motion to concur in the Senate amendment with a House amendment. The
bill was divided and this vote was the first portion of the bill. The
House concurred with the Senate by a vote of 361-69. After resolving
differences, the bill was sent to the President and became law. [House
Vote 65, 3/9/22;
Congressional Quarterly, 3/9/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2471]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Reauthorize And Expand The National Sceince
Foundation, Which Would Provide $77.9 Billion Through FY2026, Direct
Climate Change Research, Award Grants To Higher Education Institutions
And Non-Profits, And Address Diversity In STEM Fields. In June 2021,
Fitzpatrick voted for the National Science Foundation for the Future Act
which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "authorize $77.9
billion through fiscal 2026 for existing and new National Science
Foundation activities and require a number of NSF actions related to
research integrity and STEM workforce development. It would establish a
new NSF Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions to support
research and development that addresses societal challenges such as
climate change; global competitiveness in critical technologies;
cybersecurity; national security; social and economic inequality; and
education and workforce development in science, technology, engineering
and math. Among other provisions, it would require the NSF to award
grants to higher education institutions or nonprofit organizations to
establish national and regional clearinghouses to coordinate STEM
research; develop resources to connect new scientific discoveries to
practical uses; align STEM education and workforce needs and conduct
research on graduate education programs; and improve participation of
historically underrepresented groups in STEM. It would require the NSF
to maintain an office to coordinate research security and policy across
the agency; facilitate public access to NSF-supported projects,
including data, software and code; require any grant applicants to
submit an ethics statement that specifies any foreseeable or
quantifiable risks to society as a result of the proposed research; and
appoint a chief diversity officer to establish diversity goals for the
agency and advise on issues of diversity in STEM fields. It would
authorize $38 million for a pilot program to award grants to help
research institutions secure federally funded research data." The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 345-67. [House
Vote 186, 6/28/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
6/28/21; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
2225]