WASHINGTON — Instead of playing defense against China, we need to play offense, says Indiana Sen. Todd Young.
On the Senate floor on Tuesday Young addressed the Senate as he says the “white flag is out” on his Endless Frontiers Act, in referencing the white flag signaling the final lap of the Indianapolis 500.
Its legislation Young has been pushing for the last two years in an effort to push for more funding for companies and schools to work together to innovate new technology in order to stay competitive with China.
“Since the Cold War, Beijing has aimed to overtake America,” Young said in his address. “Not with weapons, but with economic growth.”
Rather than try to stymie that growth with economic sanctions or other means of “defense”, Young believes that the country to go on the offensive and try to innovate new tech and spur our own economy in order to keep out ahead of China.
“If America is to lead the world in the 21st century it’s neither realistic nor practical, to build an ‘iron curtain’ around China,” he said. “We mustn’t simply contain our leading global competitor, but instead out-innovate and out-grow them.”
The Endless Frontiers Act has now evolved into the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act and it has bipartisan support in the Senate. Soon, the chamber will vote on the bill.
Young urged any final hold out against the bill that a message must be sent to China that the U.S. can put aside division in order to get things done.
