House Democrats have argued that the Senate bill is overly prescriptive in allocating funding to specific fields of cutting-edge technology, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Their bill, which places few stipulations on the new round of funding for scientific research, places a greater emphasis on increasing fundamental research in many areas, especially climate change.
“We are acting to address the critical needs identified by the scientific community, industry, academia and other stakeholders as what they need most to succeed in the 21st century,” said Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Democrat of Texas and the chairwoman of the Science Committee.
Because both the House and Senate bills are so wide-ranging, there will be no shortage of issues for lawmakers to spar over. Those provisions include a House-driven effort to make it harder for Chinese companies to import cheap goods into the United States duty-free, and a Senate-driven effort to reinstate previously granted exclusions to tariffs that former President Donald J. Trump placed on China.
The provision that has so far garnered the most bipartisan support is the money for chip manufacturers, a measure that semiconductor companies like Intel say will increase the attractiveness of investing in the United States.
But many Republicans, some of whom had previously approved certain portions of the bill in committee or on the House floor, said they could not support the larger legislation with so many additional measures that they considered extraneous.
Understand U.S.-China Relations
Card 1 of 6A tense era in U.S.-China ties. The two powers are profoundly at odds as they jockey for influence beyond their own shores, compete in technology and maneuver for military advantages. Here’s what to know about the main fronts in U.S.-China relations:
Pacific dominance. As China has built up its military presence, the U.S. has sought to widen its alliances in the region. A major potential flash point is Taiwan, the democratic island that the Communist Party regards as Chinese territory. Should the U.S. intervene there, it could reshape the regional order.
Trade. The trade war started by the Trump administration is technically on pause. But the Biden administration has continued to protest China’s economic policies and impose tariffs on Chinese goods, signaling no thaw in trade relations.
Technology. Internet giants have mostly been shut out of China, but plenty of U.S. tech companies still do big business there, raising cybersecurity concerns in Washington. Mr. Xi has said China needs to achieve technological “self-reliance.”
Human rights. Under Mr. Xi, China’s confrontations with the U.S. over values and freedoms have become more frequent, including standoffs over Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and mass detentions of Muslims in Xinjiang.
World leadership. China’s leaders see signs of American decline everywhere and they want a bigger voice in global leadership, seeking a greater role in Western-dominated institutions and courting allies that share their frustration with the West.
“This is a missed opportunity to spur momentum on a proactive trade agenda, protect American and strengthen American innovation, and alleviate some of the supply chain and work force pressures our nation is facing,” said Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska.
Many of the foreign policy measures added by Democrats to the House bill are focused on climate change, and other provisions are written as symbolic affirmations, rather than binding legislation, or mirror measures already passed by Congress. It would authorize $225 million over five years to bolster the State Department’s military training and education programs in the Indo-Pacific region.