The federal lab system is an enormous $50 billion-plus enterprise of internal research and development taking place in federal facilities across the United States. As other governments around the world, including China, pour billions of dollars into government labs and research parks focused on advanced technologies, it is imperative that we use all aspects of country’s own innovation ecosystem in the most creative ways possible, including our federal labs.
But because federal labs have varying management systems, missions, legal authorities, and cultures, their local economic engagement and technology commercialization record varies considerably. The FASTER Federal Labs Act will allow the federal lab system to be full partners with the private sector, universities, hospitals, and regions building communities of innovation as envisioned by other Congressional initiatives, such as the Endless Frontier Act.
