Senator Burr Statement on Conference for U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on today’s conference meeting for the United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021:  

“China poses a unique competitive threat to America’s economic security. The risk faced by our college campuses and research institutions, who have already seen the detrimental impact of China’s aggressive posturing and disregard for intellectual property rights, is particularly concerning. But the right response is not to copy China’s oppressive and oversized government; it’s to invest in America’s competitive advantage. We need policies that are thoughtful and targeted, protect intellectual property, and foster private-sector and academic innovation. Unfortunately, the House-passed version of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act amounts to an unfocused grab bag of unrelated policies. While the Senate-passed version of the bill was itself deeply flawed and similarly unfocused, it must be the starting point and guide for any successful negotiations. I look forward to working with my colleagues in this process and am hopeful we can craft an effective bill.”