Udall announces bill to ‘reduce bureaucracy’ in creating tech jobs

Udall said his bill — tentatively being called the Technology Transfer Invention, Innovation, and Implementation Act — would facilitate public-private partnerships at the federal and state levels.

{mosads}“New Mexico is well-positioned to build on the cutting-edge research being done at the national labs, universities and military installations and turn it into high-tech jobs in communities across our state,” Udall said. “But improved coordination at [Department of Energy] between government and private enterprise is critical to creating successful high-tech industries.”

Udall’s bill would create an Office of Advanced Research Tech Transfer and Innovation in Energy within the DOE to measure progress at national labs, an Entrepreneurs in Energy Corps to invest in innovative research and business projects, and would elevate the “tech transfer” priority at the department.

Udall said he was inspired to draft the legislation after attending a workshop at Santa Fe Community College in his home state where he spoke with entrepreneurs, investors, educators and scientists about the need for continued U.S. growth in the tech industry. 

“My legislation builds on the conversations we had here at Santa Fe Community College and works to address some of the key challenges in the Department of Energy’s tech transfer process,” Udall said.