Posted on April 21, 2026 by Lisa Epifani
This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Times on April 21, 2026. Click here to read the entire piece.
America’s energy landscape is undergoing a major transformation. Demand is rising from data centers, advanced manufacturing and new domestic industrial activity. At the same time, global competition and geopolitical pressures are intensifying. Countries like China are investing across the full energy and technology landscape, from early-stage research through large-scale deployment, and doing so with a coordinated national strategy. In fact, recent analyses show that China has surpassed the U.S. in total R&D spend.
To compete, the United States will need a more integrated approach to innovation policy. The 119th Congress has an opportunity to strengthen energy and technology leadership by structuring federal policy to treat basic research and applied energy programs as parts of the same innovation system.
De-risking scientific discovery helps keep American inventors ahead, while de-risking commercialization ensures U.S. companies can lead in global markets. Without a strategy that connects these stages, the U.S. risks losing its innovation advantage.
Congress can begin addressing this gap by providing updated guidance and support for key federal research agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Fundamental research programs, particularly within DOE’s Office of Science the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences are essential to maintaining leadership in areas like quantum, artificial intelligence and advanced computing. These investments enable long-term work that is unlikely to be funded by the private sector and provide access to national laboratory infrastructure that no single company could replicate.
Click here to read the full article
