FnF News
🇺🇸 FNF News | Legislation & Policy
Published: June 18, 2025
By: Khadija Khan
GENIUS Act Surges Through Senate with Bipartisan Support—But House Hurdle Still Remains
Washington, D.C. — The GENIUS Act—a major legislative initiative aimed at boosting American competitiveness in science, innovation, and emerging technologies—cleared its first major hurdle this week with a 68–30 vote in the U.S. Senate, signaling rare bipartisan momentum in a sharply divided Congress.
The bill, formally titled the Generating Emerging National Innovations to Uphold Security (GENIUS) Act, is being hailed as a landmark effort to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI, quantum computing, biotech, and defense-grade research amid rising geopolitical competition with China and other global rivals.
What’s in the GENIUS Act?
The GENIUS Act authorizes over $320 billion in federal investment over the next 10 years into:
- STEM education and workforce development
- Strategic research at national laboratories
- AI and quantum computing projects
- Public-private innovation hubs across all 50 states
- Startups working in emerging defense tech
- Cybersecurity resilience for infrastructure
“The GENIUS Act is the moonshot this generation needs,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), one of the bill’s co-sponsors. “We cannot afford to fall behind in the technologies that will define the next century.”
The bill also includes provisions to streamline high-skilled immigration for STEM PhDs, which some conservative lawmakers initially opposed but later supported after national security amendments were added.
The Senate Vote: Who Voted Yes and Why It Matters
In a rare show of bipartisan unity, the bill passed with 48 Democrats and 20 Republicans voting in favor. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who co-authored the legislation, called it “the most important science investment package since the dawn of the space race.”
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who had previously criticized government spending on “tech boondoggles,” supported the bill after it was amended to prioritize Rust Belt innovation hubs and supply chain security for rare earth minerals.
“This isn’t Silicon Valley welfare anymore,” Vance told FNF News. “This is national defense through technology.”
The House: A Tougher Path Ahead
Despite the Senate victory, the GENIUS Act faces a more complicated path in the House of Representatives, where fiscal conservatives and progressive Democrats have expressed concerns over different aspects of the bill.
- House Freedom Caucus members say the bill needs tighter controls on spending and more private-sector matching funds.
- Some progressive Democrats want stronger labor protections and climate provisions tied to innovation investments.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has not publicly endorsed the legislation but said he is open to “a rigorous markup and vote in good faith.”
“We want innovation—but not blank checks,” said Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), a vocal fiscal hawk.
Still, backers of the bill are optimistic.
“This is not a red or blue issue. It’s a red, white, and blue issue,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who will help shepherd the bill through committee. “America must remain the world’s innovation superpower.”
Why This Bill Matters Now
The passage of the GENIUS Act comes amid mounting concerns that China is outpacing the U.S. in AI research and semiconductor production. It also follows the release of a Pentagon report warning that foreign adversaries could soon dominate key defense technologies without urgent domestic investment.
In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Science Foundation, and multiple think tanks—including the Brookings Institution and Hudson Institute—have publicly endorsed the GENIUS Act, calling it “the most comprehensive innovation bill in two decades.”
“If we don’t invest now, we lose later,” said Maya Nelson, a senior analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. “This isn’t about ideology—it’s about survival in the next global tech war.”
Next Steps and Final Hurdles
The House is expected to begin committee hearings on the GENIUS Act later this month, with a full floor vote possible by late July. If the bill clears both chambers, President Biden is expected to sign it into law quickly, as the White House has already signaled strong support.
A spokesperson from the National Security Council said, “The GENIUS Act is critical to keeping America secure, prosperous, and globally competitive for generations to come.”