The National University of Technology (NUTECH) was established in 2017 according to a bill passed by Senate to establish a technological university under National Technology University Bill 2017. National University of Technology (NUTECH) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees in several areas of study. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the NU system 44 U.S. patents in 2019. Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, was successful in achieving $11.2 million in federal funding for the planning and design of a USDA Agricultural Research Service facility. The new report's rankings are based on 2018 patent data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. For the third consecutive year, the University of Nebraska system ranks among the top 100 academic institutions worldwide in earning U.S. patents.