The Senate passed the Invent Here, Make Here Act (S. 1956) by unanimous consent on December 3, 2024, Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced on December 4.
What the bill does
- Current law says products from federally funded inventions should be made substantially in the USA, but waivers are common.
- The bill bans waivers for manufacturing in “countries of concern”: China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
- Other waivers would need written approval from the President.
- NIST would help match federal research with domestic manufacturers, and NSF’s technology directorate would prioritize USA production.
Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, sponsored the bill with Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican. She cited a 2022 report that a battery technology invented in a federal lab had been licensed to a Chinese company and was being made in China.
What’s next
The bill went to the House, where it was held at the desk on December 4, 2024. It did not become law in the 118th Congress.
FAQ
What is the Invent Here, Make Here Act?
A bill to keep products from taxpayer-funded inventions manufactured in the USA, not in adversary countries.
Who sponsored it?
Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
Did it become law?
It passed the Senate on December 3, 2024, but the House did not act before the 118th Congress ended.
Source & credit
Source: Office of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, December 4, 2024: “Baldwin, Vance Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Taxpayer-Funded Inventions Are Made in America Passes Senate”.
Bill status: S.1956, Congress.gov. Found via WisPolitics.