US Lacks Essential Data to Develop and Implement a  National Strategy for Advanced Technologies; Congress Should Properly Fund and Modernize Federal Statistical Agencies

Congress and the administration should establish a National Advanced Industry and Technology Agency to ensure the United States can compete effectively with China.

To Do: Establish a National Advanced Industry and Technology Agency

Congress should establish an e-government modernization fund for federal, state, and local agencies to upgrade their IT systems.

To Do: Establish an E-government Modernization Fund

Despite a plethora of legislation, executive mandates, and other policy guidance to modernize aging federal IT infrastructure, agencies still need access to dedicated IT funding channels with more money and an overarching IT strategy to help guide them in how they fund IT initiatives.

Federal IT Modernization Needs a Strategy and More Money

Congress should fund a pilot program supporting experimental approaches to technology transfer and commercialization, and the administration should require labs to collect metrics, identify barriers, and hold labs accountable. 

To Do: Support Experimental Approaches to Tech Transfer and Commercialization

Improving Data Collection for Effectiveness of Economic Policies in the U.S.

Congress should allocate a share of federal research funding to promote technology transfer and commercialization, such as through a “Spurring Commercialization of Our Nation’s Research” program.

Partly Done: Allocate a Share of Federal Research Funding to Tech Transfer and Commercialization

OMB should require federal research agencies to report five years of data on their patent licenses and royalties as part of its annual budget requests to apply pressure on them to improve.

To Do: Require Federal Research Agencies to Report Five Years of Data on Patent Licenses and Royalties

Congress should direct NSF to establish stronger university entrepreneurship metrics and use them to provide stronger incentives for commercializing research.

To Do: Modernize IT Systems for Federal Statistical Agencies

Recommendation

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Editors’ Recommendations

Federal Statistical Needs for a National Advanced Industry and Technology Strategy

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Related

US Lacks Essential Data to Develop and Implement a National Strategy for Advanced Technologies; Congress Should Properly Fund and Modernize Federal Statistical Agencies

To Do: Establish a National Advanced Industry and Technology Agency

To Do: Establish an E-government Modernization Fund