Endless Frontiers Act, though bi-partisan, is not yet the best way to counter China

… the Senate will begin consideration of the Endless Frontiers Act (S. 1260) on the Senate floor. Debate on the bill will likely continue into next week. This bipartisan bill, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) intends to counter intellectual property theft from China, and change how the National Science Foundation and other agencies fund research in America.

While the threat posed by China is real, the direction the bill has headed raises a number of concerns. The bill currently has the federal government take a similar approach to China: depending on government central planning to advance research and development. As conservatives, we know that central planning cannot out-innovate the private sector.

While the current form of the bill does not appear to be the best way to counter China…