Lawmakers Urge Faster Tech Investment as U.S. Competes With China

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026 – U.S. lawmakers said the United States must move faster to secure its technological edge over China, warning that regulatory delays, infrastructure bottlenecks, and uneven investment could weaken American leadership in emerging technologies.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday,  Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., discussed a long-term strategy focused on investment, defense, and alliances with other technology-leading nations.

Young said the United States continues to lead in the development and deployment of advanced technologies but needs a more systematic approach to remain competitive. He framed the challenge around three priorities: Investing in innovation, protecting critical infrastructure, and building international technology partnerships.

“The United States leads the development and deployment of most high technologies, but it’s clear we need to up our game,” Young said. He emphasized increased investment in research and development, infrastructure, and workforce training to reduce risk for private-sector investment and deliver breakthroughs that support both economic and national security.

Young pointed to recent supply chain disruptions as evidence that markets alone cannot address national security risks, emphasizing the need for semiconductor export controls and hardened critical infrastructure. He said slow permitting and regulatory uncertainty can discourage investment in data centers, energy infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.

“We need to think about speed and scale,” Young said.

Cantwell echoed the need for sustained federal investment, arguing that innovation must extend beyond traditional tech hubs. She said competing with China requires expanding research and manufacturing capacity nationwide while preserving federal support for scientific research.

“If America is going to compete with China, innovation has to be taking place across the United States,” Cantwell said, warning against cuts to federal research budgets.

Cantwell also emphasized the importance of working with allies to set global technology standards, rather than responding to Chinese technologies after they are already deployed.

“Why not set the standards now for what the information and innovation age looks like?” she said, adding that the U.S. is not putting enough pressure on China to meet shared norms around technology and intellectual property.

Both senators identified artificial intelligence as a near-term policy priority, calling for clearer legal and regulatory frameworks to give companies confidence to invest, while accelerating deployment of critical infrastructure needed to support advanced computing.