Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The House voted Friday in favor of a bill investing in scientific research, strengthening supply chains and boosting the United States' competitiveness with China.
The COMPETES Act passed the lower chamber with a vote of 222-210, with Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., siding with Democrats in favor of the legislation and Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., voting with Republicans.
The Senate passed its own version of the bill -- the Innovation and Competition Act -- and now the two chambers must reconcile and again vote on the legislation before it can be sent to President Joe Biden's desk. He's indicated he'll sign a version of the bill into law.
Biden called for the two chambers to come together on the legislation "as soon as possible."
"Business and labor alike have praised this legislation as vital for continuing the economic momentum we've seen over the last year, and national security leaders from both parties have said that the investments in this bill are needed if we want to maintain our competitive edge globally," Biden said.
"This bill was built on numerous bipartisan elements and on shared bipartisan agreement on the need to act. If House Republicans are serious about lowering prices, making our economy stronger, and competing with China from a position of strength, then they should come to the table and support this legislation, which does just that."
If signed into law, the COMPETES Act would invest nearly $300 billion in scientific research and domestic manufacturing. Of that, $52 billion in grants would go toward subsidies for semiconductor manufacturers, along with $45 billion in grants to boost supply chains.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that in addition to addressing supply chain disruptions, the legislation would create "good-paying union jobs."
"This bill that we're talking about today is a jobs bill," she said during a news conference. "A jobs bill for manufacturing in America, making it in America."
Murphy, the lone Democrat who voted against the bill, said she generally agrees with the goals of the legislation but can't support it because of its "many problematic, poorly vetted trade provisions."
"The House bill does more to limit trade than to enhance trade, even though expanded trade helps far more American workers than it hurts, reduces the prices that American consumers pay for goods and services, and is a powerful weapon in our strategic competition with China," she said in a statement.