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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.



ROGER WICKER: New Technologies Made In Mississippi Can Beat China
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As Americans, we are fortunate to live in the most innovative country on
earth. It was Americans who invented the airplane, the microwave, the cell
phone, the computer, and the internet. These and other inventions dramatically
improved daily life and created millions of jobs. Today America is still the
best place on earth to create new technology, but China is working hard to
surpass us so that they can become the world’s leading superpower. We cannot
let this happen. As we work to stay ahead of China, Mississippi has a key role
to play in charting the future.



Mississippi has outstanding research facilities that are paving the way for
new technologies. Our researchers are working on ideas that could lead to new
medicines, weather tracking systems, military hardware, and more. Many of these
projects need outside support to come to fruition. They also need protection
against Chinese espionage, which too often has resulted in research being
stolen. I am committed to making sure Mississippi’s groundbreaking ideas
receive the support and protection they need.



National Science Foundation Hosts Mississippi Event



Last month, I helped coordinate a gathering of over 350 researchers, students,
and administrators on the campus of Mississippi State University. These
individuals came from 12 colleges and universities all over Mississippi. The
event, known as “NSF Day,” was facilitated by the National Science Foundation,
a federal agency that supports research on U.S. campuses. As an initiator of
the event, I was able to bring in 20 NSF program managers to help train our
researchers in how to submit award-winning proposals. The insights gained from
this event will benefit Mississippi STEM students for years to come. I had the
chance to meet with three of these students who have already received NSF
awards. The projects they are working on could improve the way solar energy is
stored and lead to enhanced farming practices.



The National Science Foundation has a long history of helping great inventions
move from conception to reality. The internet, the MRI machine, and the COVID
PCR test, for example, were all developed with support from the NSF. Today, the
agency is giving extra focus to helping researchers move their ideas from the
lab to the marketplace, creating new products that use artificial intelligence,
robotics, and advanced communications. Mississippi excels in these areas, and I
am confident we will play a growing role in national efforts to develop these
technologies and outcompete China.



Protecting American Ideas from China



China has become notorious for stealing American research and trade secrets.
Beijing’s shameless record of theft over many years has allowed them to
leapfrog forward in many technologies without spending a dime on research. As a
result, the Chinese Air Force now flies fifth-generation fighters, Chinese drug
companies sell knock-off American medicines, and pirated software is rampant.
Members of both political parties recognize that this theft cannot continue.
Both government and industry have a vital part to play in protecting American
research.



Earlier this year, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which I helped
negotiate as the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee. This law
includes tough new measures that I authored to protect American research. It
requires universities to disclose foreign sources of funding, allows the NSF to
deny research grants based on security risks, and bans participation in
so-called “foreign talent recruitment programs” hosted by adversarial nations,
which are often hotbeds for espionage. This law is a major step forward in
protecting the fruits of American ingenuity. More steps like this will go a
long way toward keeping America the world leader in innovation and technology.



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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker






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