National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2000

Summary: (Sec. 3) Authorizes NSF to make grants for the establishment of regional plant genome and gene expression research and development centers to: (1) develop capabilities in basic plant genome research; (2) extend basic plant genomics research through plant breeding programs and accelerate its application to crop improvement, particularly the development and testing of new varieties of enhanced food crops; and (3) serve as centers for scientific and safety information on plant genomics. Prohibits NSF from providing funds for more than half of the cost of establishing any such research and development center.
(Sec. 4) Directs NSF to make grant awards to support research on learning focusing on brain research as a foundation for research on human learning, behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social aspects of such learning, science, mathematics, engineering, and technological learning in formal and informal educational settings, and learning in complex educational systems. Declares that the goals of which such research shall be to integrate scientific disciplines into research on learning, to gain a better understanding of how research and educational practice can be reconciled, and to test, evaluate, and refine hypotheses across disciplines.
Requires NSF to make grants for the establishment of centers of research on learning to bring together multidisciplinary teams of researchers to support such research goals.
Authorizes NSF to participate in the Interagency Education Research Initiative.
Directs NSF to sponsor a conference on human learning and education research to bring together researchers from many disciplines, including the physical sciences, neurological sciences, social sciences, and education practitioners to review past research on learning, assess current research efforts, and develop recommendations to address outstanding research issues and to disseminate research results to such practitioners.
(Sec. 5) Makes technical amendments to the National Science Foundation Act of 1950.
(Sec. 6) Prohibits the application of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 with respect to specified reports relevant to the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Science, including certain reports originating from the National Science Foundation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Science Foundation 
Authorization Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2001.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the National Science Foundation $3,773,710,000 for fiscal year 
        2001.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $2,813,500,000 shall be made available to carry 
                out Research and Related Activities, of which--
                            (i) $480,560,000 shall be made available 
                        for Biological Sciences;
                            (ii) $9,770,000 shall be made available for 
                        Computer and Information Science and 
                        Engineering;
                            (iii) $403,650,000 shall be made available 
                        for Engineering;
                            (iv) $549,730,000 shall be made available 
                        for Geosciences;
                            (v) $807,200,000 shall be made available 
                        for Mathematical and Physical Sciences;
                            (vi) $159,790,000 shall be made available 
                        for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences;
                            (vii) $220,970,000 shall be made available 
                        for United States Polar Research Programs;
                            (viii) $62,600,000 shall be made available 
                        for United States Antarctic Logistical Support 
                        Activities; and
                            (ix) $119,230,000 shall be made available 
                        for Integrative Activities;
                    (B) $726,700,000 shall be made available for 
                Education and Human Resources, of which $53,080,000 
                shall be for Graduate Research Fellowships;
                    (C) $65,340,000 shall be made available for Major 
                Research Equipment, of which--
                            (i) $17,440,000 shall be made available for 
                        the EarthScope;
                            (ii) $16,400,000 shall be made available 
                        for the Large Hadron Collider;
                            (iii) $6,000,000 shall be made available 
                        for Millimeter Array;
                            (iv) $12,000,000 shall be made available 
                        for the National Ecological Observatory 
                        Network; and
                            (v) $13,500,000 shall be made available for 
                        the South Pole Station;
                    (D) $160,580,000 shall be made available for 
                Salaries and Expenses, of which $4,700,000 shall be 
                made available for travel; and
                    (E) $6,280,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2002.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the National Science Foundation $3,926,164,000 for fiscal year 
        2002.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $2,909,490,000 shall be made available to carry 
                out Research and Related Activities, of which--
                            (i) $496,955,000 shall be made available 
                        for Biological Sciences;
                            (ii) $10,103,000 shall be made available 
                        for Computer and Information Science and 
                        Engineering;
                            (iii) $417,422,000 shall be made available 
                        for Engineering;
                            (iv) $568,486,000 shall be made available 
                        for Geosciences;
                            (v) $834,740,000 shall be made available 
                        for Mathematical and Physical Sciences;
                            (vi) $165,242,000 shall be made available 
                        for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences;
                            (vii) $228,508,000 shall be made available 
                        for United States Polar Research Programs;
                            (viii) $64,736,000 shall be made available 
                        for United States Antarctic Logistical Support 
                        Activities; and
                            (ix) $123,298,000 shall be made available 
                        for Integrative Activities;
                    (B) $751,866,000 shall be made available for 
                Education and Human Resources, of which $54,400,000 
                shall be for Graduate Research Fellowships;
                    (C) $90,900,000 shall be made available for Major 
                Research Equipment, of which--
                            (i) $28,460,000 shall be made available for 
                        the EarthScope;
                            (ii) $16,900,000 shall be made available 
                        for the Large Hadron Collider; and
                            (iii) $20,000,000 shall be made available 
                        for the National Ecological Observatory 
                        Network;
                    (D) $167,094,000 shall be made available for 
                Salaries and Expenses, of which $4,862,400 shall be 
                made available for travel; and
                    (E) $6,494,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.
    (c) Limitation.--Funds made available pursuant to subsections (a) 
and (b) shall not be used to employ more than 75 full-time equivalent 
positions in the Office of the Director for either fiscal year 2001 or 
2002.

SEC. 3. PLANT GENOMICS.

    (a) Plant Genome and Gene Expression Research and Development 
Centers.--The National Science Foundation is authorized to make grants 
for the establishment of regional plant genome and gene expression 
research and development centers, the purpose of which shall be to--
            (1) develop capabilities in basic plant genome research;
            (2) extend basic plant genomics research through plant 
        breeding programs and accelerate its application to crop 
        improvement, particularly the development and testing of new 
        varieties of enhanced food crops; and
            (3) serve as centers for scientific and safety information 
        on plant genomics.
    (b) Grant Awards.--Grant awards under this section shall be made 
through an open, peer-reviewed competition. When making awards, the 
National Science Foundation shall ensure that as many different 
agronomic environments as possible are represented.
    (c) Matching Funds.--The National Science Foundation shall not 
provide under this section more than 50 percent of the cost of 
establishing any research and development center.
    (d) Availability of Funds.--The National Science Foundation may use 
up to--
            (1) $3,000,000 of the funds authorized by section 
        2(a)(2)(A)(i) for fiscal year 2001; and
            (2) $3,100,000 of the funds authorized by section 
        2(b)(2)(A)(i) for fiscal year 2002,
to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON LEARNING.

    (a) Research on Learning.--
            (1) In general.--The National Science Foundation shall make 
        grant awards to support research on learning focusing on the 
        following 4 areas:
                    (A) Brain research as a foundation for research on 
                human learning.
                    (B) Behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social 
                aspects of human learning.
                    (C) Science, mathematics, engineering, and 
                technological learning in formal and informal 
                educational settings.
                    (D) Learning in complex educational systems.
        The goals of this research shall be to integrate scientific 
        disciplines into research on learning, to gain a better 
        understanding of how research and educational practice can be 
        reconciled, and to test, evaluate, and refine hypotheses across 
        disciplines.
            (2) Availability of funds.--Of the amounts authorized under 
        section 2(a)(1) and (b)(1), $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 
        and $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 shall be available for 
        carrying out this subsection.
    (b) Establishment of Research on Learning Centers.--
            (1) Establishment.--The National Science Foundation shall 
        make grants for the establishment of centers of research on 
        learning. The purpose of these centers shall be to bring 
        together multidisciplinary teams of researchers to support the 
        research goals described in subsection (a)(1). Grant awards 
        under this subsection shall be made through an open, peer-
        reviewed competition.
            (2) Availability of funds.--Of the amounts authorized under 
        section 2(a)(1) and (b)(1), $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and 
        $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 shall be available for carrying 
        out this subsection.
    (c) Interagency Education Research Initiative.--
            (1) Participation.--The National Science Foundation is 
        authorized to participate in the Interagency Education Research 
        Initiative.
            (2) Availability of funds.--Of the amounts authorized under 
        section 2(a)(1) and (b)(1), $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 
        and $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 shall be available for 
        carrying out this subsection.
    (d) Research on Learning Conference.--Within 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the National Science Foundation 
shall sponsor a conference on human learning and education research, 
the goal of which shall be to bring together researchers from many 
disciplines, including the physical sciences, neurological sciences, 
social sciences, and education practitioners. The purposes of that 
conference shall be to review past research on learning, assess current 
research efforts, and develop recommendations to address outstanding 
research issues and to disseminate research results to education 
practitioners.

SEC. 5. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 is amended--
            (1) in section 3(b) (42 U.S.C. 1862(b)), by striking 
        ``including the Office of Technology Assessment,''
            (2) in section 5(e)(2) (42 U.S.C. 1864(e)(2)), by striking 
        ``Labor and Human Resources'' and inserting ``Health, 
        Education, Labor, and Pensions''; and
            (3) in section 13(a) (42 U.S.C. 1872(a)), by striking ``or 
        the affidavit of allegiance to the United States required by 
        section 15(d)(2) of this Act''.

SEC. 6. REPORTS ELIMINATION.

    Section 3003(a)(1) of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset 
Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C. 1113 note) does not apply to any report required 
to be submitted under any of the following provisions of law:
            (1) Section 4(j)(1) of the National Science Foundation Act 
        of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863(j)(1)).
            (2) Section 36(f) of the Science and Engineering Equal 
        Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(f)).
            (3) Section 37 of the Science and Engineering Equal 
        Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d).
            (4) Section 108 of the National Science Foundation 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1986 (42 U.S.C. 1886).
            (5) Section 101(a)(3) of the High-Performance Computing Act 
        of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(3)).
            (6) Section 3(a)(7) and (f) of the National Science 
        Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1862(a)(7) and (f)).
            (7) Section 7(a) of the National Science Foundation 
        Authorization Act, 1977 (42 U.S.C. 1873 note).