National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for yielding me the time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to increase flexibility within the Small Business Innovative Research and Technology Transfer Programs.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for including it in this en bloc package.

Federal research programs invest in the future and ensure we stay at the global forefront of innovation and advancement.

But this investment is only the first step of the process. We must ensure that innovators and entrepreneurs have the tools necessary to bring their ideas to market.

Currently, SBIR and STTR recipients are restricted in how much funding they can use towards commercialization.

My amendment would increase the amount of funding recipients in phase 1 and phase 2 can use to pay for assistance protecting intellectual property, conducting market research, mapping out manufacturing plans, and other steps that would help them successfully commercialize their ideas.

My amendment would help empower successful innovators with more resources to turn federally funded research into viable commercial products, creating quality jobs and securing our Nation's creative leadership. Modification to Amendments En Bloc No. 1 offered by Mr. Thornberry of Texas.

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