49–008 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 114–120 

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 1806) TO PROVIDE 

FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH THE PRIORITIZATION OF 

FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN BASIC RESEARCH, FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 2250) MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2016, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; AND PROVIDING 

FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 2353) TO PROVIDE AN EXTENSION OF FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY SAFETY, MOTOR CARRIER 

SAFETY, TRANSIT, AND OTHER PROGRAMS FUNDED OUT OF THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

MAY 18, 2015.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. NEWHOUSE, from the Committee on Rules, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 271] 

The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House 

Resolution 271, by a record vote of 9 to 4, report the same to the 

House with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, under a structured 

rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of 

the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The resolution 

waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the 

text of Rules Committee Print 114–15 and provides that it shall be 

considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order 

against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The resolution makes in order only those further amendments printed in part 

A of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the 

order printed in this report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 


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amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of 

the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The 

resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part A of this report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

Section 2 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 

2250, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2016, under a structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate 

equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 

member of the Committee on Appropriations. The resolution waives 

all points of order against consideration of the bill and provides 

that the bill shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all 

points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply 

with clause 2 of rule XXI. The resolution makes in order only those 

amendments printed in part B of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in this report, may 

be offered only by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject 

to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the 

Committee of the Whole. The resolution waives all points of order 

against the amendments printed in part B of this report. The resolution provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

Section 3 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 

2353, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, under 

a closed rule. The resolution provides one hour of debate equally 

divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 

of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The 

resolution provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The 

resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill. 

The resolution provides for one motion to recommit. 

EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

The waiver of all points of order against consideration of H.R. 

1806 includes a waiver of clause 3(e)(1) of rule XIII (‘‘Ramseyer’’), 

requiring a committee report accompanying a bill amending or repealing statutes to show, by typographical device, parts of statute 

affected. 

The waiver of all points of order against the amendment in the 

nature of a substitute to H.R. 1806 made in order as original text 

includes a waiver of clause 4 of rule XXI, which prohibits reporting 

a bill or joint resolution carrying an appropriation from a committee not having jurisdiction to report an appropriation. It is important to note that the Rules Committee made in order a manager’s amendment offered by Mr. Smith that, if adopted, will cure 

the violation. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 1806 printed in part A of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

The waiver of all points of order against consideration of H.R. 

2250 includes a waiver of: 


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• Clause 3(e)(1) of rule XIII (‘‘Ramseyer’’), requiring a committee report accompanying a bill amending or repealing statutes to show, by typographical device, parts of statute affected; 

and 

• Section 3(d)(5) of H. Res. 5, which prohibits the consideration of a general appropriation bill, unless it includes a spending reduction account. 

The resolution includes a waiver of points of order against provisions in H.R. 2250 for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI, 

which prohibits unauthorized appropriations or legislative provisions in an appropriations bill. This waiver is necessary because 

the bill contains unauthorized appropriations and legislative provisions. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 2250 printed in part B of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

The waivers 3(e)(1) of rule XIII are provided because the submissions provided by the committees were insufficient to meet the 

standards established by the rule in its current form. The Committee on Rules continues to work with the House Office of Legislative Counsel and committees to determine the steps necessary to 

comply with the updated rule. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 2353, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against provisions in H.R. 2353, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

The results of each record vote on an amendment or motion to 

report, together with the names of those voting for and against, are 

printed below: 

Rules Committee record vote No. 49 

Motion by Ms. Slaughter to report open rules for H.R. 1806 and 

H.R. 2353. Defeated: 4–8 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Ms. Foxx ............................................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter .................................................. Yea 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Nay Mr. McGovern ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Nay Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... Yea 

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Nay Mr. Polis ........................................................... Yea 

Mr. Stivers ........................................................ Nay 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Nay 

Mr. Byrne .......................................................... ...................

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Nay 

Rules Committee record vote No. 50 

Motion by Mr. Polis to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers for amendment #20, offered by Rep. Polis (CO), 

which prevents funds made available by this act to be used by a 

food services contractor to interfere with, restrain or coerce employVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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ees in the exercise of right guaranteed in sec. 7 of the National 

Labor Relations Act. Defeated: 4–8 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Ms. Foxx ............................................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter .................................................. Yea 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Nay Mr. McGovern ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Nay Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... Yea 

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Nay Mr. Polis ........................................................... Yea 

Mr. Stivers ........................................................ Nay 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Nay 

Mr. Byrne .......................................................... ...................

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Nay 

Rules Committee record vote No. 51 

Motion by Ms. FOXX to report the rule. Adopted: 9–4 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Ms. Foxx ............................................................ Yea Ms. Slaughter .................................................. Nay 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Yea Mr. McGovern ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Yea Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... Nay 

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Yea Mr. Polis ........................................................... Nay 

Mr. Stivers ........................................................ Yea 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Yea 

Mr. Byrne .......................................................... Yea 

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Yea 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1806 IN PART A MADE IN

ORDER

1. Smith, Lamar (TX): MANAGER’S Makes technical corrections. 

(10 minutes) 

2. Foster (IL): Strikes section 106 of the underlying bill. (10 minutes) 

3. Jackson Lee (TX): Creates state and regional workshops to 

train K–12 teachers in science and technology project-based learning to provide instruction in initiating robotics and other STEM 

competition team development programs. Leverages the collaboration among higher education, businesses, and local private as well 

as public education agencies to support STEM efforts at schools located in areas with 1 percent or more above the national unemployment rate. (10 minutes) 

4. Esty (CT): Instructs NSF’s I-Corps to support and invest in female entrepreneurs. (10 minutes) 

5. Crowley (NY), Serrano (NY), Lujan (NM), Hurd (TX), Curbelo 

(FL): Requires the National Science Foundation to establish a 

STEM grant program for Hispanic-serving institutions as authorized in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 1862o–12). 

(10 minutes) 

6. Griffith (VA): Provides for the Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader to appoint members to congressionally created 

advisory boards. (10 minutes) 

7. Kelly (PA): Increases the authorized funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership by $5 million, while decreasing the 

authorized funding level for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by $5 million. (10 minutes) 


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8. Lowenthal (CA): Eliminates additional DOE reporting requirements and restrictions on sound scientific processes to independently verify scientific results. (10 minutes) 

9. Grayson (FL): Authorizes the Energy Innovation Hubs Program within the Department of Energy. (10 minutes) 

10. Bonamici (OR), Smith, Adam (WA), Peters, Scott (CA): Allows 

the Department of Energy to continue partnering with the Department of Defense to produce biofuels for the military. (10 minutes) 

11. DeSaulnier (CA), Beyer (VA): Remove ‘‘reductions of energyrelated emissions, including greenhouse gases’’ from goals of 

ARPA–E. (10 minutes) 

12. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX): SUBSTITUTE Provides for sustained growth and sensible policies across the scientific agencies, in 

keeping with the goals of the original Competes legislation. (20 

minutes) 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 2250 IN PART B MADE IN

ORDER

1. Ratcliffe (TX): Zeros out $5,700,000 in funding for the Open 

World Leadership Center and applies the savings to the spending 

reduction account. (10 minutes) 

2. Flores (TX): Prohibits any funds for delivering printed copies 

of the Congressional Pictorial Directory. (10 minutes) 

3. Blackburn (TN): Provides for a one percent across the board 

cut. Exempts Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol, and the Sergeant at Arms. (10 minutes) 

PART A—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1806 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH OF

TEXAS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 5, line 13, strike ‘‘$834,800,000’’ and insert ‘‘$823,000,000’’. 

Page 5, line 15, strike ‘‘$1,050,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$1,038,000,000’’. 

Page 5, line 18, strike ‘‘$1,034,000,000’’ and insert 

‘‘$1,010,000,000’’. 

Page 6, line 6, strike ‘‘$377,500,000’’ and insert ‘‘$425,300,000’’. 

Page 7, line 6, strike ‘‘$834,800,000’’ and insert ‘‘$823,000,000’’. 

Page 7, line 8, strike ‘‘$1,050,000,000’’ and insert 

‘‘$1,038,000,000’’. 

Page 7, line 11, strike ‘‘$1,034,000,000’’ and insert 

‘‘$1,010,000,000’’. 

Page 7, line 24, strike ‘‘$377,500,000’’ and insert ‘‘$425,300,000’’. 

Page 20, line 19, insert ‘‘available’’ after ‘‘financial resources’’. 

Page 21, lines 7 through 11, strike ‘‘The Foundation shall also require awardees to report the Foundation, within 30 days of receipt, 

any sources of non-Federal funds received in excess of $50,000 during the award period.’’ and insert ‘‘The Foundation shall also require awardees seeking subsequent management fees to report to 

the Foundation, prior to the consideration of such a request, any 

sources of non-Federal funds received in excess of $100,000. This 

reporting shall apply to the period following any initial management fee award and for the consideration of any subsequent fee.’’. 

Page 21, line 20, strike ‘‘AUDITS’’ and insert ‘‘REVIEW’’. 

Page 21, line 21, insert ‘‘or review’’ after ‘‘may audit’’. 


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Page 21, line 22, strike ‘‘paragraph’’ and insert ‘‘subsection’’. 

Page 22, line 13, insert ‘‘or social activities’’ after ‘‘meals’’. 

Page 22, line 16, insert ‘‘or FAR 31.205–22’’ after ‘‘2 C.F.R. 

200.450’’. 

Page 29, line 20, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 29, line 23, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 29, after line 23, insert the following: 

(K) efforts to effectively expand, broaden, or scale-up existing activities or programs. 

Page 65, line 23, insert ‘‘, to be available to the extent provided 

by appropriations Acts,’’ after ‘‘nonprofit entities,’’. 

Page 76, line 9, insert ‘‘government,’’ after ‘‘industry,’’. 

Page 91, line 16, insert ‘‘, to be available to the extent provided 

by appropriations Acts,’’ after ‘‘sector,’’. 

Page 132, line 19, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 132, line 23, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 132, after line 23, insert the following: 

‘‘(7) detailed proposals for innovation hubs, institutes, and 

research centers prior to establishment or renewal by the Department, including— 

‘‘(A) certification that all hubs, institutes, and research 

centers will advance the mission of the Department, and 

prioritize research, development, and demonstration; 

‘‘(B) certification that the establishment or renewal of 

hubs, institutes, or research centers will not diminish 

funds available for basic research and development within 

the Office of Science; and 

‘‘(C) certification that all hubs, institutes, and research 

centers established or renewed within the Office of Science 

are consistent with the mission of the Office of Science as 

described in section 209(c) of the Department of Energy 

Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139(c)).’’. 

Page 136, line 14, strike ‘‘and’’ the end of paragraph (9). 

Page 136, line 15, redesignate paragraph (10) as paragraph (11). 

Page 136, after line 14, insert the following: 

‘‘(10) technologies to enhance security for electrical transmission and distributions systems; and 

Page 151, lines 9 through 14, strike section 629. 

Page 180, line 20, through page 182, line 3, strike section 711. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER OF

ILLINOIS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 15, line 13, through page 17, line 9, strike section 106. 

3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON

LEE OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 29, line 20, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 29, line 23, strike the period and insert a semicolon. 

Page 29, after line 23, insert the following: 

(K) creating State and regional workshops to train K-12 

teachers in science and technology project-based learning 

to provide instruction in how to initiate robotics and other 

STEM competition team development programs; and 


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(L) encouraging and supporting efforts led by institutions of higher education, businesses, and local public and 

private educational agencies to establish collaborative efforts to provide K-12 students residing in areas with unemployment rates that exceed the national average by 1 

percent or more. 

4. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE ESTY OF

CONNECTICUT OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 41, line 7, strike ‘‘and’’ after ‘‘society;’’. 

Page 41, line 12, strike the period at the end and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 41, after line 12, insert the following new paragraph: 

(4) I-Corps should continue to promote a strong innovation 

system by investing in and supporting female entrepreneurs, 

who are historically underrepresented in entrepreneurial 

fields, through mentorship, education, and training. 

5. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE CROWLEY

OF NEW YORK OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 45, after line 14, insert the following: 

SEC. 127. HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM IN EDUCATION AND 

SCIENCE. 

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

the Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish the 

program described in section 7033 of the America COMPETES Act 

(42 U.S.C. 1862o–12) for Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined 

in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1101a)). 

6. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE GRIFFITH

OF VIRGINIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 49, line 2, insert ‘‘The Advisory Panel shall consist of 15 

members, with 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the House 

of Representatives and 2 members appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate.’’ after ‘‘other appropriate organizations.’’. 

Page 171, line 2, insert ‘‘, except that 3 members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 2 

members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate. 

The total number of members of the advisory committee shall be 

15.’’ after ‘‘by the Secretary’’. 

7. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE KELLY OF

PENNSYLVANIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 71, line 21, strike ‘‘$933,700,000’’ and insert ‘‘$938,700,000’’. 

Page 72, line 6, strike ‘‘$130,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$135,000,000’’. 

Page 72, line 8, strike ‘‘$125,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$130,000,000’’. 

Page 72, line 19, strike ‘‘$933,700,000’’ and insert ‘‘$938,700,000’’. 

Page 73, line 3, strike ‘‘$130,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$135,000,000’’. 

Page 73, line 5, strike ‘‘$125,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$130,000,000’’. 


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Page 178, line 4, strike ‘‘$1,198,500,000’’ and insert ‘‘$1,193,500,000’’. 

8. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE

LOWENTHAL OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 

MINUTES

Page 114, line 23, through page 115, line 18, strike subsections 

(b) through (d). 

9. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE GRAYSON

OF FLORIDA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 133, before line 19, insert the following new section: 

SEC. 604. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a 

program to enhance the Nation’s economic, environmental, and 

energy security by making awards to consortia for establishing 

and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct and support, 

whenever practicable at one centralized location, multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, and demonstration of advanced energy technologies. 

(2) TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOCUS.—The Secretary shall 

designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology 

focus. 

(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall ensure the coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the activities of 

Hubs with those of other Department of Energy research entities, including the National Laboratories, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Energy Frontier Research Centers, and within industry. 

(b) CONSORTIA.— 

(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive an award under 

this section for the establishment and operation of a Hub, a 

consortium shall— 

(A) be composed of no fewer than 2 qualifying entities; 

and 

(B) operate subject to an agreement entered into by its 

members that documents— 

(i) the proposed partnership agreement, including 

the governance and management structure of the Hub; 

(ii) measures to enable cost-effective implementation 

of the program under this section; 

(iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions from non-Federal sources; 

(iv) a plan for managing intellectual property rights; 

and 

(v) an accounting structure that enables the Secretary to ensure that the consortium has complied 

with the requirements of this section. 

(2) APPLICATION.—A consortium seeking to establish and operate a Hub under this section, acting through a prime applicant, shall transmit to the Secretary an application at such 


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time, in such form, and accompanied by such information as 

the Secretary shall require, including a detailed description of 

the elements of the consortium agreement required under 

paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium members will not be located at one centralized location, such application shall include 

a communications plan that ensures close coordination and integration of the Hub’s activities. 

(c) SELECTION AND SCHEDULE.—The Secretary shall select consortia for awards for the establishment and operation of Hubs 

through competitive selection processes. In selecting consortia, the 

Secretary shall consider the information a consortium must disclose according to subsection (b), as well as any existing facilities 

a consortium will provide for Hub activities. Awards made to a Hub 

shall be for a period not to exceed 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations, after which the award may be renewed, 

subject to a rigorous merit review. A Hub already in existence on 

the date of enactment of this Act may continue to receive support 

for a period of 5 years, subject to the availability of appropriations, 

beginning on the date of establishment of that Hub. 

(d) HUB OPERATIONS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Hub shall conduct or provide for multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, and demonstration of advanced energy technologies within the technology development focus designated under subsection (a)(2). 

Each Hub shall— 

(A) encourage collaboration and communication among 

the member qualifying entities of the consortium and 

awardees by conducting activities whenever practicable at 

one centralized location; 

(B) develop and publish on the Department of Energy’s 

website proposed plans and programs; 

(C) submit an annual report to the Secretary summarizing the Hub’s activities, including detailing organizational expenditures, and describing each project undertaken by the Hub; and 

(D) monitor project implementation and coordination. 

(2) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— 

(A) PROCEDURES.—Hubs shall maintain conflict of interest procedures, consistent with those of the Department of 

Energy, to ensure that employees and consortia designees 

for Hub activities who are in decisionmaking capacities 

disclose all material conflicts of interest, and avoid such 

conflicts. 

(B) DISQUALIFICATION AND REVOCATION.—The Secretary 

may disqualify an application or revoke funds distributed 

to a Hub if the Secretary discovers a failure to comply with 

conflict of interest procedures established under subparagraph (A). 

(3) PROHIBITION ON CONSTRUCTION.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—No funds provided pursuant to this 

section may be used for construction of new buildings or 

facilities for Hubs. Construction of new buildings or facilities shall not be considered as part of the non-Federal 

share of a Hub cost-sharing agreement. 


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(B) TEST BED AND RENOVATION EXCEPTION.—Nothing in 

this subsection shall prohibit the use of funds provided 

pursuant to this section, or non-Federal cost share funds, 

for research or for the construction of a test bed or renovations to existing buildings or facilities for the purposes of 

research if the Secretary determines that the test bed or 

renovations are limited to a scope and scale necessary for 

the research to be conducted. 

(e) TERMINATION.—Consistent with the existing authorities of the 

Department, the Secretary may terminate an underperforming Hub 

for cause during the performance period. 

(f) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

(1) ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘advanced 

energy technology’’ means— 

(A) an innovative technology— 

(i) that produces energy from solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or other renewable energy resources; 

(ii) that produces nuclear energy; 

(iii) for carbon capture and sequestration; 

(iv) that enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components, and related technologies that result in significant energy savings; 

(v) that generates, transmits, distributes, utilizes, or 

stores energy more efficiently than conventional technologies, including through Smart Grid technologies; 

or 

(vi) that enhances the energy independence and security of the United States by enabling improved or 

expanded supply and production of domestic energy 

resources, including coal, oil, and natural gas; 

(B) research, development, and demonstration activities 

necessary to ensure the long-term, secure, and sustainable 

supply of energy critical elements; or 

(C) another innovative energy technology area identified 

by the Secretary. 

(2) HUB.—The term ‘‘Hub’’ means an Energy Innovation Hub 

established or operating in accordance with this section, including any Energy Innovation Hub existing as of the date of 

enactment of this Act. 

(3) QUALIFYING ENTITY.—The term ‘‘qualifying entity’’ 

means— 

(A) an institution of higher education; 

(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including the 

Department of Energy Federally Funded Research and Development Centers; 

(C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise in 

advanced energy technology research, development, demonstration, or commercial application; or 

(D) any other relevant entity the Secretary considers appropriate. 


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10. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BONAMICI

OF OREGON OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 162, lines 3 through 5, strike subsection (d). 

11. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE

DESAULNIER OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR

10 MINUTES

Page 174, lines 18 through 24, strike paragraph (1). 

12. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON

OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 20 MINUTES

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015’’. 

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act is as 

follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—OSTP; GOVERNMENTWIDE SCIENCE 

Subtitle A—General Provisions 

Sec. 101. Federal research and development funding. 

Sec. 102. National Science and Technology Council amendments. 

Sec. 103. Review of Federal regulations and reporting requirements. 

Sec. 104. Amendments to prize competitions. 

Sec. 105. Coordination of international science and technology partnerships. 

Sec. 106. Scientific and technical conferences. 

Subtitle B—Reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative 

Sec. 111. Short title. 

Sec. 112. National Nanotechnology Program amendments. 

Sec. 113. Societal dimensions of nanotechnology. 

Sec. 114. Nanotechnology education. 

Sec. 115. Technology transfer. 

Sec. 116. Signature initiatives in areas of national importance. 

Sec. 117. Nanomanufacturing research. 

Sec. 118. Definitions. 

Subtitle C—Engineering Biology 

Sec. 121. Short title. 

Sec. 122. Findings. 

Sec. 123. Definitions. 

Sec. 124. National Engineering Biology Research and Development Program. 

Sec. 125. Advisory Committee. 

Sec. 126. External review of ethical, legal, environmental, and societal issues. 

Sec. 127. Agency activities. 

TITLE II—STEM EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY 

Subtitle A—STEM Education and Workforce 

Sec. 201. Sense of Congress. 

Sec. 202. Coordination of Federal STEM education. 

Sec. 203. Grand challenges in education research. 

Sec. 204. National Research Council report on STEAM education. 

Sec. 205. Engaging Federal scientists and engineers in STEM education. 

Subtitle B—Broadening Participation in STEM 

Sec. 211. Short title. 


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Sec. 212. Purpose. 

Sec. 213. Federal science agency policies for caregivers. 

Sec. 214. Collection and reporting of data on Federal research grants. 

Sec. 215. Policies for review of Federal research grants. 

Sec. 216. Collection of data on demographics of faculty. 

Sec. 217. Cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and Federal STEM workforce. 

Sec. 218. Research and dissemination at the National Science Foundation. 

Sec. 219. Report to Congress. 

Sec. 220. National Science Foundation support for increasing diversity among 

STEM faculty at institutions of higher education. 

Sec. 221. National Science Foundation support for broadening participation in undergraduate STEM education. 

Sec. 222. Definitions. 

TITLE III—NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Subtitle A—General Provisions 

Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations. 

Sec. 302. Findings and sense of Congress on support for all fields of science and 

engineering. 

Sec. 303. National Science Foundation merit review. 

Sec. 304. Management and oversight of large facilities. 

Sec. 305. Support for potentially transformative research. 

Sec. 306. Strengthening institutional research partnerships. 

Sec. 307. Innovation Corps. 

Sec. 308. Definitions. 

Subtitle B—STEM Education 

Sec. 321. National Science Board report on consolidation of STEM education activities at the Foundation. 

Sec. 322. Models for graduate student support. 

Sec. 323. Undergraduate STEM education reform. 

Sec. 324. Advanced manufacturing education. 

Sec. 325. STEM education partnerships. 

Sec. 326. Noyce scholarship program amendments. 

Sec. 327. Informal STEM education. 

Sec. 328. Research and development to support improved K–12 learning. 

TITLE IV—NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY 

Sec. 401. Short title. 

Sec. 402. Authorization of appropriations. 

Sec. 403. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. 

Sec. 404. National Academies review. 

Sec. 405. Improving NIST collaboration with other agencies. 

Sec. 406. Miscellaneous provisions. 

TITLE V—INNOVATION 

Sec. 501. Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

Sec. 502. Federal loan guarantees for innovative technologies in manufacturing. 

Sec. 503. Innovation voucher pilot program. 

Sec. 504. Federal Acceleration of State Technology Commercialization Pilot Program. 

TITLE VI—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Subtitle A—Office of Science 

Sec. 601. Short title. 

Sec. 602. Definitions. 

Sec. 603. Mission of the Office of Science. 

Sec. 604. Basic energy sciences program. 

Sec. 605. Biological and environmental research. 

Sec. 606. Advanced scientific computing research program. 

Sec. 607. Fusion energy research. 

Sec. 608. High energy physics program. 

Sec. 609. Nuclear physics program. 

Sec. 610. Science laboratories infrastructure program. 

Sec. 611. Authorization of appropriations. 


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Subtitle B—ARPA–E 

Sec. 621. Short title. 

Sec. 622. ARPA–E amendments. 

Subtitle C—Energy Innovation 

Sec. 641. Energy Innovation Hubs. 

Sec. 642. Participation in the Innovation Corps program. 

Sec. 643. Technology transfer. 

Sec. 644. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education and other 

nonprofit institutions. 

Sec. 645. Under Secretary for Science and Energy. 

Sec. 646. Special hiring authority for scientific, engineering, and project management personnel. 

TITLE I—OSTP; GOVERNMENTWIDE 

SCIENCE 

Subtitle A—General Provisions 

SEC. 101. FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. 

Congress finds the following: 

(1) The predominant driver of gross domestic product growth 

over the past half century has been scientific and technological 

advancement. 

(2) Investments in research and development have also delivered significant benefits for national security, health, energy 

security, education, and the personal well-being of all Americans. 

(3) Virtually every new technological product is traceable to 

a research discovery, often one pursued with no application in 

mind. 

(4) Nondefense Federal research and development accounts 

for only 1.7 percent of the Federal budget. Federal basic research accounts for only 1 percent of the budget. 

(5) There is a deficit between what America is investing and 

what it should be investing to remain competitive, not only in 

research but in technology transfer, innovation, and job creation, thereby causing America’s highly successful science and 

technology enterprise to atrophy. 

(6) Many research and development initiatives, due to the 

long time periods required to achieve completion, have benefited from stable and predictable investments and from 

multiyear financial planning. 

(7) The Federal science agencies should receive sustained 

and steady growth in funding for research and development activities, including basic research, across a wide range of disciplines, including physical, geological, and life sciences, mathematics, engineering, and social, behavioral, and economic 

sciences. 

SEC. 102. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL AMENDMENTS. 

Section 401 of the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 6651) is amended— 


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(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology’’ and inserting 

‘‘National Science and Technology Council’’; 

(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘and Energy Research and 

Development Administration’’ and inserting ‘‘Department of 

Energy, and any other agency designated by the President’’; 

and 

(3) in subsection (e)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘engineering, and technology’’ and inserting ‘‘engineering, technology, innovation, and STEM education’’; 

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘engineering, and technological’’ and inserting ‘‘engineering, technological, innovation, and STEM education’’; 

(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 

(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 

paragraph: 

‘‘(3) address research needs identified under paragraph (2) 

through appropriate funding mechanisms, which may include 

solicitations involving 2 or more agencies and public-private 

partnerships;’’. 

SEC. 103. REVIEW OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy shall establish or designate a working group 

under the National Science and Technology Council with the responsibility of reviewing Federal regulatory and reporting requirements across Federal agencies that affect the conduct of United 

States research in an effort to reduce regulatory burdens and to 

eliminate and harmonize duplicative regulatory and reporting requirements. 

(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The working group established or designated under subsection (a) shall— 

(1) periodically review all Federal regulations and reporting 

requirements that affect the conduct of United States research 

to— 

(A) identify ways to harmonize overlapping or duplicative research regulations and reporting requirements 

across Federal agencies; 

(B) evaluate such regulations and reporting requirements in relationship to the risks the requirements seek to 

address to determine if the benefits of the requirements 

are commensurate with the costs to the progress of science 

or to the taxpayer; 

(C) identify any regulations that are applied to scientific 

researchers or to research-performing institutions for 

which exemptions could be reasonably applied or for which 

adjustments could be made to better fit those regulations 

to diverse research environments; and 

(D) identify any specific regulations which could be refocused on performance-based goals rather than on process 

while still meeting the desired outcome; 

(2) examine the extent to which agencies’ guidance documents adhere with the most recently updated version of the 


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Office of Management and Budget’s Agency Good Guidance 

Practices bulletin; and 

(3) develop and update at least once every 3 years a strategic 

plan for streamlining Federal regulations and reporting requirements that affect the conduct of United States research 

that contains, at a minimum— 

(A) a priority list of research-related regulations, reporting requirements, and agency guidance to be harmonized, 

streamlined, updated, or eliminated; and 

(B) a plan, including a timeline, for implementing the 

regulatory and reporting reforms identified in subparagraph (A). 

(c) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.—In carrying out the responsibilities 

under subsection (b), including the development of the strategic 

plan under subsection (b)(3), the working group established or designated under subsection (a) shall take into account input and recommendations from non-Federal stakeholders, including federally 

funded and nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher 

education, scientific disciplinary societies and associations, nonprofit research institutions, industry, including small businesses, 

federally funded research and development centers, and others 

with a stake in ensuring effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability in the performance of scientific research. 

(d) RESPONSIBILITIES OF OSTP.—The Director of the Office of 

Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the Office of 

Management and Budget Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, shall encourage and monitor the efforts of the participating 

agencies to ensure that the strategic plan is developed under subsection (b)(3) and that appropriate steps are taken by the agencies 

to effectively implement the recommendations, achieve the objectives, and to adhere to the timeline in the strategic plan. 

(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 

Policy shall transmit the priority list and strategic plan developed 

under subsection (b)(3) to the Congress. The Director shall further 

provide a report annually to the Congress, to be submitted not 

later than 60 days after the submission of the President’s annual 

budget request, on the progress toward implementation of the regulatory reforms outlined in the strategic plan. 

SEC. 104. AMENDMENTS TO PRIZE COMPETITIONS. 

Section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 

1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (c)— 

(A) by inserting ‘‘competition’’ after ‘‘section, a prize’’; 

(B) by inserting ‘‘types’’ after ‘‘following’’; and 

(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘prizes’’ and inserting 

‘‘prize competitions’’; 

(2) in subsection (f)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘in the Federal Register’’ and inserting 

‘‘on a publicly accessible Government website, such as 

www.challenge.gov,’’; and 

(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘prize’’ and inserting 

‘‘cash prize purse’’; 

(3) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘prize’’ and inserting ‘‘cash 

prize purse’’; 


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(4) in subsection (h), by inserting ‘‘prize’’ before ‘‘competition’’ 

both places it appears; 

(5) in subsection (i)— 

(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘prize’’ before ‘‘competition’’; 

(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘prize’’ before ‘‘competition’’ both places it appears; 

(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and 

(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 

paragraph: 

‘‘(3) WAIVER.—An agency may waive the requirement under 

paragraph (2). The annual report under subsection (p) shall include a list of such waivers granted during the preceding fiscal 

year, along with an explanation of the reasons for granting the 

waivers.’’; 

(6) in subsection (j) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 

follows: 

‘‘(2) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.— 

‘‘(A) LICENSES.—The Federal Government may negotiate 

a license for the use of intellectual property developed by 

a participant for a prize competition. 

‘‘(B) OTHER CONDITIONS.—A Federal agency or agencies 

in cooperation may require participants to agree in advance to a specific approach to intellectual property as a 

condition for eligibility to participate in a prize competition.’’; 

(7) in subsection (k)— 

(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘prize’’ before ‘‘competition’’; and 

(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘prize’’ before ‘‘competitions’’ both places it appears; 

(8) in subsection (l), by striking all after ‘‘may enter into’’ 

and inserting ‘‘a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or 

other agreement with a private sector for-profit or nonprofit 

entity to administer the prize competition, subject to the provisions of this section.’’; 

(9) in subsection (m)— 

(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Support for a prize competition under this 

section, including financial support for the design and administration of a prize competition or funds for a cash prize purse, 

may consist of Federal appropriated funds and funds provided 

by private sector for-profit and nonprofit entities. The head of 

an agency may accept funds from other Federal agencies, private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit entities, to be 

available to the extent provided by appropriations Acts, to support such prize competitions. The head of an agency may not 

give any special consideration to any private sector for-profit or 

nonprofit entity in return for a donation.’’; 

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘prize awards’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 

(C) in paragraph (3)(A)— 

(i) by striking ‘‘No prize’’ and inserting ‘‘No prize 

competition’’; and 


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(ii) by striking ‘‘the prize’’ and inserting ‘‘the cash 

prize purse’’; 

(D) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ‘‘a prize’’ and inserting ‘‘a cash prize purse’’; 

(E) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting ‘‘competition’’ 

after ‘‘prize’’; 

(F) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘‘a prize’’ and inserting ‘‘a cash prize purse’’; and 

(G) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ‘‘cash prizes’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 

(10) in subsection (n), by inserting ‘‘for both for-profit and 

nonprofit entities,’’ after ‘‘contract vehicle’’; 

(11) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ‘‘or providing a prize’’ 

and insert ‘‘a prize competition or providing a cash prize 

purse’’; and 

(12) in subsection (p)— 

(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘ANNUAL REPORT’’ and inserting ‘‘BIENNIAL REPORT’’; 

(B) in paragraph (1)— 

(i) by striking ‘‘of each year’’ and inserting ‘‘of each 

odd-numbered year’’; and 

(ii) by striking ‘‘preceding fiscal year’’ and inserting 

‘‘preceding 2 fiscal years’’; and 

(C) in paragraph (2)— 

(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘cash prizes’’ 

both places it occurs and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 

and 

(ii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: 

‘‘(G) PLAN.—A description of crosscutting topical areas 

and agency-specific mission needs that may be the strongest opportunities for prize competitions during the upcoming 2 fiscal years.’’. 

SEC. 105. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS. 

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the ‘‘International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2015’’. 

(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy shall establish a body under the National 

Science and Technology Council (NSTC) with the responsibility to 

identify and coordinate international science and technology cooperation that can strengthen the United States science and technology enterprise, improve economic and national security, and 

support United States foreign policy goals. 

(c) NSTC BODY LEADERSHIP.—The body established under subsection (b) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials from the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of State. 

(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The body established under subsection (b) 

shall— 

(1) plan and coordinate interagency international science and 

technology cooperative research and training activities and 

partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and 

work with other National Science and Technology Council committees to help plan and coordinate the international component of national science and technology priorities; 


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(2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning, as 

appropriate, international science and technology cooperative 

research and training activities and partnerships supported or 

managed by Federal agencies with the foreign policy goals of 

the United States; 

(3) identify opportunities for new international science and 

technology cooperative research and training partnerships that 

advance both the science and technology and the foreign policy 

priorities of the United States; 

(4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and recommendations from non-Federal science and technology stakeholders, including universities, scientific and professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations and institutions; 

and 

(5) identify broad issues that influence the ability of United 

States scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign 

counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and access to 

scientific information. 

(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director of the Office of Science 

and Technology Policy shall transmit a report, to be updated annually, to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 

the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. The report shall 

also be made available to the public on the reporting agency’s 

website. The report shall contain a description of— 

(1) the priorities and policies established under subsection 

(d)(2); 

(2) the ongoing and new partnerships established since the 

last update to the report; 

(3) the means by which stakeholder input was received, as 

well as summary views of stakeholder input; and 

(4) the issues influencing the ability of United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign counterparts. 

SEC. 106. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCES. 

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

(1) Cooperative research and development activities, including collaboration between domestic and international government, industry, and academic science and engineering organizations, are important to promoting innovation and knowledge 

creation. 

(2) Scientific and technical conferences and trade events support the sharing of information, processes, and data within the 

scientific and engineering communities. 

(3) In hosting and attending scientific and technical conferences and trade events, Federal agencies— 

(A) gain greater access to top researchers and to new 

and potentially transformative ideas; 

(B) keep abreast of developments relevant to their respective missions, as is relevant for future program planning; 

(C) help disseminate Federal research results; 

(D) provide opportunities both for employee professional 

development and for recruiting new employees; 

(E) participate in scientific peer review; and 


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(F) support the reputation, visibility, and leadership 

both of the specific agency and of the United States. 

(4) For those Federal agencies that provide financial support 

for external research and development activities, participation 

in scientific and technical conferences can help ensure that 

funds are directed toward the most promising ideas, thereby 

maximizing the Federal investment. 

(b) POLICY.—To the extent practicable given budget, security, and 

other constraints, the National Science Foundation, the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy, in addition to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, should support Federal employee and contractor attendance at scientific and technical conferences and trade events as relevant both to employee and contractor duties and to the agency’s 

mission. 

(c) OVERSIGHT.—Consistent with other relevant law, the Federal 

agencies, through appropriate oversight, shall aim to minimize the 

costs to the Federal Government related to conference and trade 

event attendance, through methods such as— 

(1) ensuring that related fees collected by the Federal agency 

help offset total costs to the Federal Government; 

(2) developing or maintaining procedures for investigating 

unexpected increases in related costs; and 

(3) strengthening policies and training relevant to conference 

and trade event planning and participation. 

Subtitle B—Reauthorization of the 

National Nanotechnology Initiative 

SEC. 111. SHORT TITLE. 

This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2015’’. 

SEC. 112. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AMENDMENTS. 

The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development 

Act (15 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.) is amended— 

(1) in section 2— 

(A) in subsection (c), by amending paragraph (4) to read 

as follows: 

‘‘(4) develop, and update every 3 years thereafter, a strategic 

plan to guide the activities described under subsection (b) that 

specifies near-term and long-term objectives for the Program, 

the anticipated timeframe for achieving the near-term objectives, and the metrics to be used for assessing progress toward 

the objectives, and that describes— 

‘‘(A) how the Program will move results out of the laboratory and into applications for the benefit of society, including through cooperation and collaborations with nanotechnology research, development, and technology transition initiatives supported by the States; and 

‘‘(B) proposed research in areas of national importance 

in accordance with the requirements of section 116 of the 

National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 

2015;’’; 

(B) in subsection (d)— 


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(i) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 

paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; 

(ii) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated by clause (i), the following: 

‘‘(1) the Program budget, for the previous fiscal year, for each 

agency that participates in the Program, and for each program 

component area;’’; and 

(iii) by amending paragraph (6), as redesignated by 

clause (i), to read as follows: 

‘‘(6) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing the plan described in subsection (c)(7) and a description of the amount of Small Business Innovative Research and 

Small Business Technology Transfer Research funds supporting the plan.’’; and 

(C) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(e) STANDARDS SETTING.—The agencies participating in the Program shall support the activities of committees involved in the development of standards for nanotechnology and may reimburse the 

travel costs of scientists and engineers who participate in activities 

of such committees.’’; 

(2) in section 3— 

(A) by amending subsection (b)(1) to read as follows: 

‘‘(b) FUNDING.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The operation of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall be supported by funds from 

each agency participating in the Program. 

‘‘(2) PROPORTION.—The portion of such Office’s total budget 

provided by each agency for each fiscal year shall be in the 

same proportion as the agency’s share of the total budget for 

the Program for the previous fiscal year, as specified in the report required under section 2(d)(1). 

‘‘(3) EXCEPTION.—The Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office may establish a minimum contribution 

or other exception to the requirement in paragraph (2) for participating agencies whose share of the total budget for the Program is below a threshold level, to be set by the Director.’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(d) PUBLIC INFORMATION.— ‘‘(1) DATABASE.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall develop and maintain a database accessible by the public of projects funded under at least the 

Environmental, Health, and Safety program component 

area, or any successor program component area, including, 

to the extent practicable, a description of each project, its 

source of funding by agency, and its funding history. 

‘‘(B) ORGANIZATION.—Projects shall be grouped by major 

objective as defined by the research plan required under 

section 113(b) of the National Nanotechnology Initiative 

Amendments Act of 2015. 

‘‘(2) ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall develop, maintain, and publicize information on nanotechnology facilities supported under the 

Program, and may include information on nanotechnology 


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facilities supported by the States, that are accessible for 

use by individuals from academic institutions and from industry. 

‘‘(B) WEBSITES.—The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall maintain active web links to the websites 

for each of these facilities and shall work with each facility 

supported under the Program to ensure that each facility 

publishes on its respective website updated information on 

the terms and conditions for the use of the facility, a description of the capabilities of the instruments and equipment available for use at the facility, and a description of 

the technical support available to assist users of the facility.’’; 

(3) in section 4— 

(A) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘The co-chairs of the Advisory Panel shall meet the qualifications of Panel membership required in subsection (b) 

and may be members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. The Advisory Panel shall 

include members having specific qualifications tailored to 

enable it to carry out the requirements of subsection 

(c)(6).’’; 

(B) in subsection (c)— 

(i) by striking paragraph (1); and 

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) as 

paragraphs (1) through (6), respectively; and 

(C) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: 

‘‘(d) REPORTS.—The Advisory Panel shall report not less frequently than every 3 years, and, to the extent practicable, 1 year 

following each of the National Research Council triennial reviews 

required under section 5, to the President on its assessments under 

subsection (c) and its recommendations for ways to improve the 

Program. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a copy of each report under this subsection to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 

of Representatives, and other appropriate committees of the Congress.’’; 

(4) by amending section 5 to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 5. TRIENNIAL EXTERNAL REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Nanotechnology 

Coordination Office shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to 

conduct a triennial review of the Program. The Director shall ensure that the arrangement with the National Research Council is 

concluded in order to allow sufficient time for the reporting requirements of subsection (b) to be satisfied. Each triennial review 

shall include an evaluation of the— 

‘‘(1) research priorities and technical content of the Program, 

including whether the balance of funding among program component areas, as designated according to section 2(c)(2), is appropriate; 


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‘‘(2) Program’s scientific and technological accomplishments 

and its success in transferring technology to the private sector; 

and 

‘‘(3) adequacy of the Program’s activities addressing ethical, 

legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal concerns, 

including human health concerns. 

‘‘(b) PRIORITY REPORTS.—If the Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, working with the National Research Council and with input from the Advisory Panel, determines 

that a more narrowly focused review of the Program is in the best 

interests of the Program, the Director may enter into such an arrangement with the National Research Council in lieu of a full review as required under subsection (a), but not more often than 

every second triennial review. 

‘‘(c) EVALUATION TO BE TRANSMITTED TO CONGRESS.—The National Research Council shall document the results of each triennial review carried out in accordance with this section in a report that includes any recommendations for changes to the Program’s objectives, technical content, or other policy or Program 

changes. Each report shall be submitted to the Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, who shall transmit it to 

the Advisory Panel, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.’’; and 

(5) in section 10— 

(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: 

‘‘(2) NANOTECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘nanotechnology’ means 

the science and technology that will enable one to understand, 

measure, model, image, manipulate, and manufacture at the 

nanoscale, aimed at creating materials, devices, and systems 

with fundamentally new properties or functions.’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(7) NANOSCALE.—The term ‘nanoscale’ means one or more 

dimensions of between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers.’’. 

SEC. 113. SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY. 

(a) COORDINATOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY RE- SEARCH.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall designate an associate director of the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy or other appropriate senior government official 

as the Coordinator for Environmental, Health, and Safety Research. The Coordinator shall be responsible for oversight of the coordination, planning, and budget prioritization of research and 

other activities related to environmental, health, safety, and other 

appropriate societal concerns related to nanotechnology. The responsibilities of the Coordinator shall include— 

(1) ensuring that a research plan for the environmental, 

health, and safety research activities required under subsection (b) is developed, updated, and implemented and that 

the plan is responsive to the recommendations of the Advisory 

Panel established under section 4(a) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7503(a)); 

and 

(2) encouraging and monitoring the efforts of the agencies 

participating in the Program to allocate the level of resources 

and management attention necessary to ensure that the enviVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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ronmental, health, safety, and other appropriate societal concerns related to nanotechnology are addressed under the Program. 

(b) RESEARCH PLAN.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Coordinator for Environmental, 

Health, and Safety Research shall convene and chair a panel 

comprised of representatives from the agencies funding research activities under the Environmental, Health, and Safety 

program component area of the Program, or any successor program component area, and from such other agencies as the Coordinator considers necessary to develop, periodically update, 

and coordinate the implementation of a research plan for this 

program component area. Such panel may be a subgroup of the 

Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee 

of the National Science and Technology Council. In developing 

and updating the plan, the panel convened by the Coordinator 

shall solicit and be responsive to recommendations and advice 

from— 

(A) the Advisory Panel established under section 4(a) of 

the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7503(a)); and 

(B) the agencies responsible for environmental, health, 

and safety regulations associated with the production, use, 

and disposal of nanoscale materials and products. 

(2) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS.—The plan required under 

paragraph (1) shall include a description of how the Program 

will help to ensure the development of— 

(A) standards related to nomenclature associated with 

engineered nanoscale materials; 

(B) engineered nanoscale standard reference materials 

for environmental, health, and safety testing; and 

(C) standards related to methods and procedures for detecting, measuring, monitoring, sampling, and testing engineered nanoscale materials for environmental, health, 

and safety impacts. 

(3) COMPONENTS OF PLAN.—The plan required under paragraph (1) shall, with respect to activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2)— 

(A) specify near-term research objectives and long-term 

research objectives; 

(B) specify milestones associated with each near-term 

objective and the estimated time and resources required to 

reach each milestone; 

(C) with respect to subparagraphs (A) and (B), describe 

the role of each agency carrying out or sponsoring research 

in order to meet the objectives specified under subparagraph (A) and to achieve the milestones specified under 

subparagraph (B); and 

(D) specify the funding allocated to each major objective 

of the plan and the source of funding by agency for the 

current fiscal year. 

(4) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 6 months 

after the date of enactment of this Act, the plan required under 

paragraph (1) shall be transmitted to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives. 

(5) UPDATING AND APPENDING TO REPORT.—The plan required 

under paragraph (1) shall be updated at least every 3 years 

and may be submitted as part of the report required under section 2(c)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and 

Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)(4)). 

SEC. 114. NANOTECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. 

(a) UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—The Program shall 

support efforts to introduce nanoscale science, engineering, and 

technology into undergraduate science and engineering education 

through a variety of interdisciplinary approaches. Activities supported may include— 

(1) development of courses of instruction or modules to existing courses; 

(2) faculty professional development; and 

(3) acquisition of equipment and instrumentation suitable for 

undergraduate education and research in nanotechnology. 

(b) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF EDUCATION.—The Committee 

established under section 2(c) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology 

Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)) shall coordinate, 

as appropriate, with the Committee established under section 101 

of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 

6621) to prioritize, plan, and assess the educational activities supported under the Program. 

(c) SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.—Activities supported under the Education and Societal 

Dimensions program component area, or any successor program 

component area, that involve informal, precollege, or undergraduate nanotechnology education shall include education regarding the environmental, health and safety, and other societal aspects of nanotechnology. 

(d) REMOTE ACCESS TO NANOTECHNOLOGY FACILITIES.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Agencies supporting nanotechnology research facilities as part of the Program shall require the entities that operate such facilities to allow access via the Internet, 

and support the costs associated with the provision of such access, by secondary school students and teachers, to instruments and equipment within such facilities for educational 

purposes. The agencies may waive this requirement for cases 

when particular facilities would be inappropriate for educational purposes or the costs for providing such access would 

be prohibitive. 

(2) PROCEDURES.—The agencies identified in paragraph (1) 

shall require the entities that operate such nanotechnology research facilities to establish and publish procedures, guidelines, and conditions for the submission and approval of applications for the use of the facilities for the purpose identified in 

paragraph (1) and shall authorize personnel who operate the 

facilities to provide necessary technical support to students and 

teachers. 

SEC. 115. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 

(a) PROTOTYPING.— 


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(1) ACCESS TO FACILITIES.—In accordance with section 2(b)(7) 

of 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development 

Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(7)), the agencies supporting nanotechnology research facilities as part of the Program shall provide 

access to such facilities to companies for the purpose of assisting the companies in the development of prototypes of 

nanoscale products, devices, or processes (or products, devices, 

or processes enabled by nanotechnology) for determining proof 

of concept. The agencies shall publicize the availability of these 

facilities and encourage their use by companies as provided for 

in this section. The agencies may waive this requirement for 

academic facilities for which the costs of providing such access 

would be prohibitive. 

(2) PROCEDURES.—The agencies identified in paragraph (1)— 

(A) shall establish and publish procedures, guidelines, 

and conditions for the submission and approval of applications for use of nanotechnology facilities; 

(B) shall publish descriptions of the capabilities of facilities available for use under this subsection, including the 

availability of technical support; and 

(C) may waive recovery, require full recovery, or require 

partial recovery of the costs associated with use of the facilities for projects under this subsection. 

(3) SELECTION AND CRITERIA.— (A) IN GENERAL.—In cases when less than full cost recovery is required pursuant to paragraph (2)(C), projects provided access to nanotechnology facilities in accordance 

with this subsection shall be selected through a competitive, merit-based process, and the criteria for the selection 

of such projects shall include at a minimum the readiness 

of the project for technology demonstration. 

(B) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—The agencies may give 

special consideration in selecting projects to applications 

that are relevant to important national needs or requirements. 

(b) COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY.—The Program shall coordinate with industry from all industrial sectors that would benefit 

from applications of nanotechnology by— 

(1) enhancing communication of information related to nanotechnology innovation, including information about research, 

education and training, manufacturing issues, and marketdriven needs; 

(2) advancing and accelerating the creation of new products 

and manufacturing processes derived from discovery at the 

nanoscale by working with industry, including small and medium-sized manufacturers; 

(3) developing innovative methods for transferring nanotechnology products and processes from Federal agencies to industry; and 

(4) facilitating industry-led partnerships between the Program and industry sectors, including regional partnerships. 

(c) COORDINATION WITH STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL INITIA- TIVES.—Section 2(b)(5) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(5)) is amended to 

read as follows: 


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‘‘(5) ensuring United States global leadership in the development and application of nanotechnology, including through the 

coordination and leveraging of Federal investments with nanotechnology research, development, and technology transition 

initiatives supported by the States and regions across the country;’’. 

SEC. 116. SIGNATURE INITIATIVES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Program shall include support for nanotechnology research and development activities directed toward 

topical and application areas that have the potential for significant 

contributions to national economic competitiveness and for other 

significant societal benefits. The activities supported shall be designed to advance the development of research discoveries by demonstrating technical solutions to important national challenges. The 

Advisory Panel shall make recommendations to the Program for 

candidate research and development areas for support under this 

section. 

(b) CHARACTERISTICS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Research and development activities under 

this section shall— 

(A) include projects selected on the basis of applications 

for support through a competitive, merit-based process; 

(B) involve collaborations among researchers in academic institutions and industry, and may involve nonprofit 

research institutions and Federal laboratories, as appropriate; 

(C) when possible, leverage Federal investments through 

collaboration with related State initiatives; and 

(D) include a plan for fostering the transfer of research 

discoveries and the results of technology demonstration activities to industry for commercial development. 

(2) JOINT SOLICITATIONS.—Projects supported under this section shall include projects for which determination of the requirements for applications, review and selection of applications for support, and subsequent funding of projects shall be 

carried out by a collaboration of no fewer than 2 agencies participating in the Program. In selecting applications for support, 

agencies may, as appropriate, give special consideration to 

projects that include cost sharing from non-Federal sources. 

(3) INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CENTERS.—Research and 

development activities under this section may be supported 

through interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers, as 

authorized by section 2(b)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(4)), that 

are organized to investigate basic research questions and carry 

out technology demonstration activities in areas such as those 

identified in subsection (a). 

(c) REPORT.—Reports required under section 2(d) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 

7501(d)) shall include a description of research and development 

areas supported in accordance with this section. 

SEC. 117. NANOMANUFACTURING RESEARCH. 

(a) RESEARCH AREAS.—The Program shall include research on— 


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(1) the development of instrumentation and tools required for 

the rapid characterization of nanoscale materials and for monitoring of nanoscale manufacturing processes; and 

(2) approaches and techniques for scaling the synthesis of 

new nanoscale materials to achieve industrial-level production 

rates. 

(b) GREEN NANOTECHNOLOGY.—Interdisciplinary research centers 

supported under the Program in accordance with section 2(b)(4) of 

the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act 

(15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(4)) that are focused on nanomanufacturing research shall include as part of the activities of such centers— 

(1) research on methods and approaches to develop environmentally benign nanoscale products and nanoscale manufacturing processes, taking into consideration relevant findings 

and results of research supported under the Environmental, 

Health, and Safety program component area, or any successor 

program component area; 

(2) fostering the transfer of the results of such research to 

industry; and 

(3) providing for the education of scientists and engineers 

through interdisciplinary studies in the principles and techniques for the design and development of environmentally benign nanoscale products and processes. 

SEC. 118. DEFINITIONS. 

In this subtitle, terms that are defined in section 10 of the 21st 

Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 

7509) have the meaning given those terms in that section. 

Subtitle C—Engineering Biology 

SEC. 121. SHORT TITLE. 

This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Engineering Biology Research 

and Development Act of 2015’’. 

SEC. 122. FINDINGS. 

The Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Cellular and molecular processes may be used, mimicked, 

or redesigned to develop new products, processes, and systems 

that improve societal well-being, strengthen national security, 

and contribute to the economy. 

(2) Engineering biology relies on scientists and engineers 

with a diverse and unique set of skills combining the biological, 

physical, and information sciences and engineering. 

(3) Long-term research and development is necessary to create breakthroughs in engineering biology. Such research and 

development requires government investment as the benefits 

are too distant or uncertain for industry to support alone. 

(4) The Federal Government can play an important role by 

facilitating the development of tools and technologies to further 

advance engineering biology, including multiple user facilities 

that the Federal Government is uniquely able to support. 

(5) Since other countries are investing significant resources 

in engineering biology, the United States is at risk of losing its 

competitive lead in this emerging area if it does not invest the 

necessary resources and have a national strategy. 


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(6) A National Engineering Biology Initiative can serve to establish new research directions and technology goals, improve 

interagency coordination and planning processes, drive technology transfer, and help ensure optimal returns on the Federal investment. 

SEC. 123. DEFINITIONS. 

In this subtitle— 

(1) the term ‘‘Advisory Committee’’ means the advisory committee designated under section 125; 

(2) the term ‘‘biomanufacturing’’ means the manufacturing of 

products using biological manufacturing technologies; 

(3) the term ‘‘engineering biology’’ means the science and engineering of cellular and molecular processes to advance fundamental understanding of complex natural systems and to develop new and advance existing products, processes, and systems that will contribute significantly to societal well-being, 

national security, and the economy; 

(4) the term ‘‘Interagency Committee’’ means the interagency 

committee designated under section 124(e); and 

(5) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the National Engineering Biology Research and Development Program established under 

section 124. 

SEC. 124. NATIONAL ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall implement a National Engineering Biology Research and Development Program to advance 

societal well-being, national security, and economic productivity 

and competitiveness through— 

(1) advancing areas of research at the intersection of the biological, physical, and information sciences and engineering; 

(2) supporting social science research that advances the field 

of engineering biology and contributes to the adoption of new 

products, processes, and technologies; 

(3) expanding the number of researchers, educators, and students with engineering biology training; 

(4) accelerating the translation and commercialization of engineering biology research and development by the private sector; and 

(5) improving the interagency planning and coordination of 

Federal Government activities related to engineering biology. 

(b) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Program shall include— 

(1) sustained support for engineering biology research and 

development through— 

(A) grants to individual investigators and interdisciplinary teams of investigators; 

(B) projects funded under joint solicitations by a collaboration of no fewer than two agencies participating in the 

Program; and 

(C) interdisciplinary research centers that are organized 

to investigate basic research questions and carry out technology development and demonstration activities; 


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(2) education and training of undergraduate and graduate 

students in research at the intersection of biological, physical, 

and information sciences and engineering; 

(3) activities to develop robust mechanisms for tracking and 

quantifying the outputs and economic benefits of engineering 

biology; and 

(4) activities to accelerate the translation and commercialization of new products, processes, and technologies by— 

(A) identifying precompetitive research opportunities; 

(B) facilitating public-private partnerships in engineering biology research and development; 

(C) connecting researchers, graduate students, and 

postdoctoral fellows with entrepreneurship education and 

training opportunities; and 

(D) supporting proof of concept activities and the formation of startup companies including through programs 

such as the Small Business Innovation Research Program 

and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program. 

(c) EXPANDING PARTICIPATION.—The Program shall include, to 

the maximum extent practicable, outreach to primarily undergraduate and minority-serving institutions about Program opportunities, and shall encourage the development of research collaborations between research-intensive universities and primarily undergraduate and minority-serving institutions. 

(d) ETHICAL, LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCIETAL ISSUES.— Program activities shall take into account ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal issues, including the need 

for safeguards and monitoring systems to protect society against 

the unintended release of engineered materials produced, by— 

(1) supporting research, including in the social sciences, and 

other activities addressing ethical, legal, environmental, and 

other appropriate societal issues related to engineering biology, 

including integrating research on these topics with the research and development in engineering biology, and ensuring 

that the results of such research are widely disseminated, including through interdisciplinary engineering biology research 

centers described in subsection (b)(1)(C); and 

(2) ensuring, through the agencies and departments that 

participate in the Program, that public input and outreach are 

integrated into the Program by the convening of regular and 

ongoing public discussions through mechanisms such as citizen 

panels, consensus conferences, and educational events, as appropriate. 

(e) INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.—The President shall designate an 

interagency committee on engineering biology, which shall include 

representatives from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 

the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Environmental Protection 

Agency, and any other agency that the President considers appropriate. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 

shall select a chairperson from among the members of the Interagency Committee. The Interagency Committee shall oversee the 

planning, management, and coordination of the Program. The 

Interagency Committee shall— 


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(1) provide for interagency coordination of Federal engineering biology research, development, and other activities undertaken pursuant to the Program; 

(2) establish and periodically update goals and priorities for 

the Program; 

(3) develop, not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this subtitle, and update every 5 years, a strategic 

plan to guide the activities of the Program and meet the goals 

and priorities established under paragraph (2) and describe— 

(A) the Program’s support for long-term funding for 

interdisciplinary engineering biology research and development; 

(B) the Program’s support for education and public outreach activities; 

(C) the Program’s support for research and other activities on ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate 

societal issues related to engineering biology; and 

(D) how the Program will move results out of the laboratory and into application for the benefit of society and 

United States competitiveness; 

(4) propose an annually coordinated interagency budget for 

the Program that will ensure the maintenance of a robust engineering biology research and development portfolio and ensure 

that the balance of funding across the Program is sufficient to 

meet the goals and priorities established for the Program; 

(5) develop a plan to utilize Federal programs, such as the 

Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small 

Business Technology Transfer Program, in support of the goals 

described in subsection (b)(4); and 

(6) in carrying out its responsibilities under this section, take 

into consideration the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, the results of the workshop convened under section 

126, existing reports on related topics, and the views of academic, State, industry, and other appropriate groups. 

(f) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Interagency Committee shall prepare 

an annual report, to be submitted to the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 90 days after submission of the President’s annual budget request, that includes— 

(1) the Program budget for the fiscal year to which such 

budget request applies, and for the then current fiscal year, including a breakout of spending for each agency participating in 

the Program, and for the development and acquisition of any 

research facilities and instrumentation; and 

(2) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing 

the plan described in subsection (e)(5), and a description of the 

amount and number of Small Business Innovation Research 

and Small Business Technology Transfer awards made in support of the Program. 

SEC. 125. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall designate an advisory committee on engineering biology research and development with at 

least 12 members, including representatives of research and acaVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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demic institutions, industry, and nongovernmental entities, who 

are qualified to provide advice on the Program. 

(b) ASSESSMENT.—The Advisory Committee shall assess— 

(1) progress made in implementing the Program; 

(2) the need to revise the Program; 

(3) the balance of activities and funding across the Program; 

(4) whether the Program priorities and goals developed by 

the Interagency Committee are helping to maintain United 

States leadership in engineering biology; 

(5) the management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the Program; and 

(6) whether ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal issues are adequately addressed by the Program. 

(c) REPORTS.—The Advisory Committee shall report within 3 

years after the date of enactment of this Act, and thereafter not 

less frequently than once every 5 years, to the President, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, on its findings of the assessment carried 

out under this section and its recommendations for ways to improve the Program. 

(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICATION.—Section 

14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 

apply to the Advisory Committee. 

SEC. 126. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF ETHICAL, LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, 

AND SOCIETAL ISSUES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies to 

convene a workshop to review the ethical, legal, environmental, 

and other appropriate societal issues related to engineering biology 

research and development. The goals of the workshop shall be to— 

(1) assess the current research on such issues; 

(2) evaluate the research gaps relating to such issues; and 

(3) provide recommendations on how the Program can address the research needs identified. 

(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a summary 

report containing the findings of the workshop convened under this 

section. 

SEC. 127. AGENCY ACTIVITIES. 

(a) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—As part of the Program, 

the National Science Foundation shall— 

(1) support basic research at the intersection of the biological, physical, and information sciences and engineering 

through individual grants and through interdisciplinary research centers; 

(2) support research on the environmental and social effects 

of engineering biology; 


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(3) provide research instrumentation support for engineering 

biology disciplines; and 

(4) award grants, on a competitive basis, to enable institutions to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows 

who perform some of their engineering biology research in an 

industry setting. 

(b) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.—As part of the Program, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

shall— 

(1) establish a bioscience research program to advance the 

development of standard reference materials and measurements and to create new data tools, techniques, and processes 

necessary to advance engineering biology and biomanufacturing; 

(2) provide access to user facilities with advanced or unique 

equipment, services, materials, and other resources to industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, 

and government agencies to perform research and testing; and 

(3) provide technical expertise to inform the development of 

guidelines and safeguards for new products, processes, and systems of engineering biology. 

(c) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.—As part of the Program, the Secretary of Energy shall— 

(1) conduct and support basic research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities in engineering biology disciplines, including in the areas of synthetic biology, advanced biofuel development, biobased materials, and environmental remediation; and 

(2) provide access to user facilities with advanced or unique 

equipment, services, materials, and other resources, as appropriate, to industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit 

organizations, and government agencies to perform research 

and testing. 

(d) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION.—As 

part of the Program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall— 

(1) conduct and support basic and applied research in engineering biology fields, including in the field of synthetic biology, and related to Earth and space sciences, aeronautics, 

space technology, and space exploration and experimentation, 

consistent with the priorities established in the National Academies’ decadal surveys; and 

(2) award grants, on a competitive basis, that enable institutions to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows 

who perform some of their engineering biology research in an 

industry setting. 

(e) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—As part of the Program, the Environmental Protection Agency shall support research 

on how products, processes, and systems of engineering biology will 

affect the environment. 


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TITLE II—STEM EDUCATION AND 

DIVERSITY 

Subtitle A—STEM Education and 

Workforce 

SEC. 201. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM), established under section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), has taken important initial steps 

toward developing and implementing a strategic plan for Federal 

investments in STEM education, but that more work must be done 

to solicit and take into account views and experience from stakeholders who help implement or are the beneficiaries of Federal 

STEM programs across the Nation. It is further the sense of Congress that science mission agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Energy are essential partners in contributing to the goals and implementation of 

a Federal STEM strategic plan because such agencies have unique 

scientific and technological facilities as well as highly trained scientists who are eager and able to contribute to improved STEM 

learning outcomes in their own communities. 

SEC. 202. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL STEM EDUCATION. 

Section 101 of America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 

(42 U.S.C. 6621) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (b)(5)— 

(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) as 

subparagraphs (B) through (E), respectively; and 

(B) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so redesigned by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following new subparagraph: 

‘‘(A) have as its primary goal to leverage the limited 

STEM education funding and other assets, including intellectual capital, invested by Federal STEM agencies for 

maximum benefit to student learning;’’; 

(2) by striking the second subsection (b); 

(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (f); 

(4) by inserting after subsection (b), the following new subsections: 

‘‘(c) COORDINATOR FOR STEM EDUCATION.—The Director of the 

Office of Science and Technology Policy shall designate an associate 

director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy as the Coordinator for STEM Education. When an appropriate associate director is not available, the Director may designate another appropriate senior government official as the Coordinator for STEM Education. The Coordinator shall chair the committee established 

under subsection (a). The Coordinator shall, with the assistance of 

appropriate senior officials from other Committee on STEM Education agencies, ensure that the requirements of this section are 

satisfied. 

‘‘(d) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.— 


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‘‘(1) INTERAGENCY CONSOLIDATION.—For all agency proposals 

to consolidate or transfer budgets or functions for STEM education programs or activities between agencies, at the time of 

submission of such proposals to Congress, the Director shall report to Congress on activities undertaken by the Office of 

Science and Technology Policy or by relevant agencies to take 

into consideration relevant input from the STEM Education 

Advisory Panel established under subsection (e) and other relevant education stakeholders. 

‘‘(2) INTRAAGENCY CONSOLIDATION.—For all agency proposals 

to internally consolidate or terminate STEM education programs with budgets exceeding $10,000,000, at the time of submission of such proposals to Congress, the head of the relevant 

agency shall report to Congress on activities to solicit and take 

into consideration input on such proposals from the STEM 

Education Advisory Panel established under subsection (e) and 

other relevant education stakeholders. 

‘‘(e) STEM EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish or designate 

a STEM Education Advisory Panel. The cochairs of the Advisory Panel shall meet the qualifications of Panel membership 

required in paragraph (2) and may be members of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. 

‘‘(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Advisory Panel established or 

designated by the President under this subsection shall consist 

of members from academic institutions, industry, informal education providers, nonprofit STEM education organizations, 

foundations, and local and State educational agencies. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to provide advice 

on Federal STEM education programs, best practices in STEM 

education, assessment of STEM education programs, STEM 

education standards, industry needs for STEM graduates, and 

public-private STEM education partnerships. 

‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Advisory Panel shall advise the President 

and the committee established under subsection (a) on implementing the Federal STEM education strategic plan required 

under subsection (b)(5) and coordinating Federal STEM programs with nongovernmental STEM initiatives and State and 

local educational agencies. 

‘‘(4) REPORT.—The Advisory Panel shall report, not more 

than 1 year after enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015, on options for evidence-based implementation of the Federal STEM strategic plan required under 

subsection (b)(5), including options for designating certain 

agencies as coordinating leads for different priority investment 

areas, timelines for implementation, and specific management, 

budget, policy, or other steps that agencies must take to effectively implement the strategic plan. 

‘‘(5) SUNSET.—The authorization for the Advisory Panel established under this subsection shall expire 3 years after the 

date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization 

Act of 2015.’’; and 

(5) in subsection (f), as so redesignated by paragraph (3) of 

this section— 


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(A) by inserting ‘‘progress made in implementing’’ after 

‘‘describing’’; 

(B) by striking paragraph (3); and 

(C) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively. 

SEC. 203. GRAND CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION RESEARCH. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Science Foundation and the Secretary of Education shall collaborate in— 

(1) identifying, prioritizing, and developing strategies to address grand challenges in research and development, including 

assessment, on the teaching and learning of STEM at the preK–12 level, in formal and informal settings, for diverse learning populations, including individuals identified in section 33 

or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act 

(42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b); and 

(2) ensuring the dissemination and promoting the utilization 

of the results of such research and development. 

(b) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.—In identifying the grand challenges 

under subsection (a), the Director and the Secretary shall— 

(1) take into consideration critical research gaps identified in 

existing reports, including reports by the National Academies, 

on the teaching and learning of STEM at the pre-K–12 level 

in formal and informal settings; and 

(2) solicit input from a wide range of stakeholders, including 

officials from State educational agencies and local educational 

agencies, STEM teachers, STEM education researchers, scientific and engineering societies, STEM faculty at institutions 

of higher education, informal STEM education providers, businesses with a large STEM workforce, and other stakeholders 

in the teaching and learning of STEM at the pre-K–12 level, 

and may enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council for these purposes. 

(c) TOPICS TO CONSIDER.—In identifying the grand challenges 

under subsection (a), the Director and the Secretary shall, at a 

minimum, consider research and development on— 

(1) scalability, sustainability, and replication of successful 

STEM activities, programs, and models, in formal and informal 

environments; 

(2) model systems that support improved teaching and learning of STEM across entire local educational agencies and 

States, including rural areas, and encompassing and integrating the teaching and learning of STEM in formal and informal venues; 

(3) implementation of new State mathematics and science 

standards; 

(4) what makes a STEM teacher effective and STEM teacher 

professional development effective, including development of 

tools and methodologies to measure STEM teacher effectiveness; 

(5) cyber-enabled and other technology tools for teaching and 

learning, including massive open online courses; 

(6) STEM teaching and learning in informal environments, 

including development of tools and methodologies for assessing 

STEM teaching and learning in informal environments; and 


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(7) how integrating engineering with mathematics and 

science education may— 

(A) improve student learning of mathematics and 

science; 

(B) increase student interest and persistence in STEM; 

or 

(C) improve student understanding of engineering design 

principles and of the built world. 

(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 12 months after the 

date of enactment of this Act, the Director and the Secretary shall 

report to Congress with a description of— 

(1) the grand challenges identified pursuant to this section; 

(2) the role of each agency in supporting research and development activities to address the grand challenges; 

(3) the common metrics that will be used to assess progress 

toward meeting the grand challenges; 

(4) plans for periodically updating the grand challenges; 

(5) how the agencies will disseminate and promote the utilization of the results of research and development activities carried out under this section to STEM education practitioners, to 

other Federal agencies that support STEM programs and activities, and to non-Federal funders of STEM education; and 

(6) how the agencies will support implementation of best 

practices identified by the research and development activities. 

SEC. 204. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REPORT ON STEAM EDUCATION. 

(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that— 

(1) the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 

(STEM) Talent Expansion Program set an important goal of increasing the number of students graduating with associate or 

baccalaureate degrees in the STEM fields, and this should continue to be a focus of that program; 

(2) to further the goal of the STEM Talent Expansion Program, as well as STEM education promotion programs across 

the Federal Government, innovative approaches are needed to 

enhance STEM education in the United States; 

(3) STEAM, which is the integration of arts and design, 

broadly defined, into Federal STEM programming, research, 

and innovation activities, is a method-validated approach to 

maintaining the competitiveness of the United States in both 

workforce and innovation and to increasing and broadening 

students’ engagement in the STEM fields; 

(4) STEM graduates need more than technical skills to thrive 

in the 21st century workforce; they also need to be creative, innovative, collaborative, and able to think critically; 

(5) STEAM should be recognized as providing value to STEM 

research and education programs across Federal agencies, 

without supplanting the focus on the traditional STEM disciplines; 

(6) Federal agencies should work cooperatively on interdisciplinary initiatives to support the integration of arts and 

design into STEM, and current interdisciplinary programs 

should be strengthened; 


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(7) Federal agencies should allow for STEAM activities 

under current and future grant-making and other activities; 

and 

(8) Federal agencies should clarify that, where appropriate, 

data collection, surveys, and reporting on STEM activities and 

grant-making should examine activities that involve cross-disciplinary learning that integrates specialized skills and expertise from both art and science. 

(b) NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL WORKSHOP.—The National 

Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to conduct a workshop on the integration 

of arts and design with STEM education. The workshop shall include a discussion of— 

(1) how the perspectives and experience of artists and designers may contribute to the advancement of science, engineering, and innovation, for example through the development 

of visualization aids for large experimental and computational 

data sets; 

(2) how arts and design-based education experiences might 

support formal and informal STEM education at the pre-K–12 

level, particularly in fostering creativity and risk taking, and 

encourage more students to pursue STEM studies, including 

students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM; 

(3) how the teaching of design principles can be better integrated into undergraduate engineering and other STEM curricula, including in the first two years of undergraduate studies, to enhance student capacity for creativity and innovation 

and improve student retention, including students from groups 

historically underrepresented in STEM; and 

(4) what additional steps, if any, Federal science agencies 

should take to promote the inclusion of arts and design principles in their respective STEM programs and activities in 

order to improve student STEM learning outcomes, increase 

the recruitment and retention of students into STEM studies 

and careers, and increase innovation in the United States. 

(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Research Council shall submit a report to Congress providing a summary description of the discussion 

and findings from the workshop required under subsection (b). 

SEC. 205. ENGAGING FEDERAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN STEM 

EDUCATION. 

The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 

develop guidance for Federal agencies to increase opportunities and 

training, as appropriate, for Federal scientists and engineers to 

participate in STEM engagement activities through their respective 

agencies and in their communities. 

Subtitle B—Broadening Participation in 

STEM 

SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE. 

This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘STEM Opportunities Act of 

2015’’. 


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SEC. 212. PURPOSE. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, acting through the Federal science agencies, shall 

carry out programs and activities with the purpose of ensuring that 

Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool. 

(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this subtitle are as follows: 

(1) To promote research on and increase understanding of 

the participation and trajectories of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at institutions of higher 

education and Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories. 

(2) To raise awareness within Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories, and institutions of higher education about cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other indicators of participation and achievement of women and underrepresented minorities in academic and Government STEM research careers 

at all levels. 

(3) To identify, disseminate, and implement best practices at 

Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories, and at 

institutions of higher education to remove or reduce cultural 

and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment, retention, 

and success of women and underrepresented minorities in academic and Government STEM research careers. 

(4) To provide grants to institutions of higher education to 

recruit, retain, and advance STEM faculty members from 

underrepresented minority groups and to implement or expand 

reforms in undergraduate STEM education in order to increase 

the number of students from underrepresented minority groups 

receiving degrees in these fields. 

SEC. 213. FEDERAL SCIENCE AGENCY POLICIES FOR CAREGIVERS. 

(a) OSTP GUIDANCE.—Not later than 6 months after the date of 

enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy shall provide guidance to Federal science agencies to establish policies that— 

(1) apply to all— 

(A) intramural and extramural research awards; and 

(B) primary investigators who have caregiving responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly adopted 

child and care for an immediate family member who is 

sick or disabled; and 

(2) provide— 

(A) flexibility in timing for the initiation of approved research awards; 

(B) no-cost extensions of research awards; 

(C) grant supplements as appropriate to research awards 

for research technicians or equivalent to sustain research 

activities; and 

(D) any other appropriate accommodations at the discretion of the head of each agency. 

(b) UNIFORMITY OF GUIDANCE.—In providing such guidance, the 

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courage uniformity and consistency in the policies across all agencies. 

(c) ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICIES.—Consistent with the guidance 

provided under this section, Federal science agencies shall maintain or develop and implement policies for caregivers and shall 

broadly disseminate such policies to current and potential grantees. 

(d) DATA ON USAGE.—Federal science agencies shall— 

(1) collect data on the usage of the policies under subsection 

(c), by gender, at both institutions of higher education and Federal laboratories; and 

(2) report such data on an annual basis to the Director of the 

Office of Science and Technology Policy in such form as required by the Director. 

SEC. 214. COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF DATA ON FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS. 

(a) COLLECTION OF DATA.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Federal science agency shall collect 

standardized record-level annual information on demographics, 

primary field, award type, budget request, funding outcome, 

and awarded budget for all applications for merit-reviewed research and development grants to institutions of higher education and Federal laboratories supported by that agency. 

(2) UNIFORMITY AND STANDARDIZATION.—The Director of the 

Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish a policy 

to ensure uniformity and standardization of the data collection 

required under paragraph (1). 

(3) RECORD-LEVEL DATA.— 

(A) REQUIREMENT.—On an annual basis, beginning with 

the deadline under subparagraph (C), each Federal science 

agency shall submit to the Director of the National Science 

Foundation record-level data collected under paragraph (1) 

in the form required by such Director. 

(B) PREVIOUS DATA.—As part of the first submission 

under subparagraph (A), each Federal science agency, to 

the extent practicable, shall also submit comparable 

record-level data for the 5 years preceding the deadline 

under subparagraph (C). 

(C) DEADLINE.—The deadline under this paragraph is 2 

years after the date of enactment of this Act. 

(b) REPORTING OF DATA.—The Director of the National Science 

Foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected under 

this section, disaggregated and cross-tabulated by race, ethnicity, 

gender, age, and years since completion of doctoral degree, including in conjunction with the National Science Foundation’s report 

required by section 37 of the Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96–516). 

SEC. 215. POLICIES FOR REVIEW OF FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the Director of the National 

Science Foundation, shall identify information and best practices 

useful for educating program officers and members of standing peer 

review committees at Federal science agencies about— 

(1) research on implicit bias based on gender, race, or ethnicity; and 


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(2) methods to minimize the effect of such bias in the review 

of extramural and intramural Federal research grants. 

(b) GUIDANCE TO ALL FEDERAL SCIENCE AGENCIES.—The Director 

of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall disseminate the 

information and best practices identified in subsection (a) to all 

Federal science agencies and provide guidance as necessary on policies to implement such practices within each agency. 

(c) ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICIES.—Consistent with the guidance 

provided in subsection (b), Federal science agencies shall maintain 

or develop and implement policies and practices to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural 

Federal research grants. 

(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy shall report to Congress on what steps all Federal science agencies have taken to implement policies and practices to minimize the effects of bias in the review of extramural and 

intramural Federal research grants. 

SEC. 216. COLLECTION OF DATA ON DEMOGRAPHICS OF FACULTY. 

(a) COLLECTION OF DATA.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the 

Director of the National Science Foundation shall carry out a 

survey to collect institution-level data on the demographics of 

STEM faculty, by broad fields of STEM, at different types of 

institutions of higher education. 

(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—To the extent practicable, the Director 

of the National Science Foundation shall consider, by gender, 

race, ethnicity, citizenship status, age, and years since completion of doctoral degree— 

(A) the number and percentage of faculty; 

(B) the number and percentage of faculty at each rank; 

(C) the number and percentage of faculty who are in 

nontenure-track positions, including teaching and research; 

(D) the number and percentage of faculty who are reviewed for promotion, including tenure, and the percentage 

of that number who are promoted, including being awarded tenure; 

(E) faculty years in rank; 

(F) the number and percentage of faculty to leave tenure-track positions; 

(G) the number and percentage of faculty hired, by rank; 

and 

(H) the number and percentage of faculty in leadership 

positions. 

(b) EXISTING SURVEYS.—The Director of the National Science 

Foundation— 

(1) may carry out the requirements under subsection (a) by 

collaborating with statistical centers at other Federal agencies 

to modify or expand, as necessary, existing Federal surveys of 

higher education; or 

(2) may award a grant or contract to an institution of higher 

education or other nonprofit organization to design and carry 

out the requirements under subsection (a). 


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(c) REPORTING DATA.—The Director of the National Science 

Foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected under 

this section, including as part of the National Science Foundation’s 

report required by section 37 of the Science and Technology Equal 

Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96–516). 

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 

$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2018 to develop 

and carry out the initial survey required in subsection (a). 

SEC. 217. CULTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO EXPANDING 

THE ACADEMIC AND FEDERAL STEM WORKFORCE. 

(a) BEST PRACTICES AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— (1) DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE.—Not later than 6 months 

after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop written guidance for 

institutions of higher education on the best practices for— 

(A) conducting periodic campus culture surveys of STEM 

departments, with a particular focus on identifying any 

cultural or institutional barriers to or successful enablers 

for the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other indicators of participation and achievement, of women and 

underrepresented minorities in STEM degree programs 

and academic STEM careers; and 

(B) providing educational opportunities, including workshops as described in subsection (c), for STEM faculty and 

administrators to learn about current research on implicit 

bias in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of faculty 

in STEM and recruitment and evaluation of undergraduate and graduate students in STEM degree programs. 

(2) EXISTING GUIDANCE.—In developing the guidance in paragraph (1), the Director of the National Science Foundation 

shall utilize guidance already developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, 

and the Department of Education. 

(3) DISSEMINATION OF GUIDANCE.—The Director of the National Science Foundation shall broadly disseminate the guidance developed in paragraph (1) to institutions of higher education that receive Federal research funding. 

(4) REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—The 

Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a 

policy that— 

(A) applies to, at a minimum, the institutions classified 

under the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research Carnegie Classification on January 1, 2015, as a 

doctorate-granting university with a very high level of research activity; and 

(B) requires each institution identified in subparagraph 

(A), not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 

this Act, to report to the Director of the National Science 

Foundation on activities and policies developed and implemented based on the guidance provided in paragraph (1). 

(b) BEST PRACTICES AT FEDERAL LABORATORIES.— 

(1) DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE.—Not later than 6 months 

after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the OfVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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fice of Science and Technology Policy shall develop written 

guidance for Federal laboratories to develop and implement 

practices and policies to— 

(A) conduct periodic laboratorywide culture surveys of 

research personnel at all levels, with a particular focus on 

identifying any cultural or institutional barriers to the recruitment, retention, and success of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at Federal laboratories; and 

(B) provide educational opportunities, including workshops as described in subsection (c), for STEM research 

personnel to learn about current research in implicit bias 

in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of research personnel at Federal laboratories. 

(2) ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICIES.—Consistent with the guidance provided in paragraph (1), Federal science agencies with 

Federal laboratories shall maintain or develop and implement 

policies for their respective Federal laboratories. 

(c) WORKSHOPS TO ADDRESS CULTURAL BARRIERS TO EXPANDING

THE ACADEMIC AND FEDERAL STEM WORKFORCE.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the date of 

enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science 

Foundation shall recommend a uniform policy for Federal 

science agencies to carry out a program of workshops that educate STEM department chairs at institutions of higher education, senior managers at Federal laboratories, and other federally funded researchers about methods that minimize the effects of implicit bias in the career advancement, including hiring, tenure, promotion, and selection for any honor based in 

part on the recipient’s research record, of academic and Federal STEM researchers. 

(2) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.—The Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure that workshops supported under this subsection are coordinated across Federal 

science agencies and jointly supported as appropriate. 

(3) MINIMIZING COSTS.—To the extent practicable, workshops 

shall be held in conjunction with national or regional STEM 

disciplinary meetings to minimize costs associated with participant travel. 

(4) PRIORITY FIELDS FOR ACADEMIC PARTICIPANTS.—In considering the participation of STEM department chairs and other 

academic researchers, the Director of the National Science 

Foundation shall prioritize workshops for the broad fields of 

STEM in which the national rate of representation of women 

among tenured or tenure-track faculty or non-faculty researchers at doctorate-granting institutions of higher education is 

less than 25 percent, according to the most recent data available from the National Center for Science and Engineering 

Statistics. 

(5) ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBLE TO CARRY OUT WORKSHOPS.— Federal science agencies may carry out the program of workshops under this subsection by making grants to eligible organizations. In addition to any other organizations made eligible 

by the Federal science agencies, the following organizations are 

eligible for grants under this subsection: 


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(A) Nonprofit scientific and professional societies and organizations that represent one or more STEM disciplines. 

(B) Nonprofit organizations that have the primary mission of advancing the participation of women or underrepresented minorities in STEM. 

(6) CHARACTERISTICS OF WORKSHOPS.—The workshops shall 

have the following characteristics: 

(A) Invitees to workshops shall include at least— 

(i) the chairs of departments in the relevant STEM 

discipline or disciplines from at least the top 50 institutions of higher education, as determined by the 

amount of Federal research and development funds 

obligated to each institution of higher education in the 

prior year based on data available from the National 

Science Foundation; and 

(ii) in the case of Federal laboratories, individuals 

with personnel management responsibilities comparable to those of an institution of higher education 

department chair. 

(B) Activities at the workshops shall include research 

presentations and interactive discussions or other activities that increase the awareness of the existence of implicit 

bias in recruitment, hiring, tenure review, promotion, and 

other forms of formal recognition of individual achievement for faculty and other federally funded STEM researchers and shall provide strategies to overcome such 

bias. 

(C) Research presentations and other workshop programs, as appropriate, shall include a discussion of the 

unique challenges faced by underrepresented subgroups, 

including minority women, minority men, and first generation minority graduates in research. 

(D) Workshop programs shall include information on 

best practices for mentoring undergraduate and graduate 

women and underrepresented minority students. 

(7) DATA ON WORKSHOPS.—Any proposal for funding by an 

organization seeking to carry out a workshop under this subsection shall include a description of how such organization 

will— 

(A) collect data on the rates of attendance by invitees in 

workshops, including information on the home institution 

and department of attendees, and the rank of faculty 

attendees; 

(B) conduct attitudinal surveys on workshop attendees 

before and after the workshops; and 

(C) collect follow-up data on any relevant institutional 

policy or practice changes reported by attendees not later 

than 1 year after attendance in such a workshop. 

(8) REPORT TO NSF.—Organizations receiving funding to 

carry out workshops under this subsection shall report the 

data required in paragraph (7) to the Director of the National 

Science Foundation in such form as required by such Director. 

(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 4 years after the date 

of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall submit a report to Congress that includes— 


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(1) a summary and analysis of the types and frequency of activities and policies developed and carried out under subsection 

(a) based on the reports submitted under paragraph (4) of such 

subsection; and 

(2) a description and evaluation of the status and effectiveness of the program of workshops required under subsection 

(c), including a summary of any data reported under paragraph 

(8) of such subsection. 

(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 

$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out 

this section. 

SEC. 218. RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE 

FOUNDATION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award research grants and carry out dissemination activities consistent with the purposes of this subtitle, including— 

(1) research grants to analyze the record-level data collected 

under section 214 and section 216, consistent with policies to 

ensure the privacy of individuals identifiable by such data; 

(2) research grants to study best practices for work-life accommodation; 

(3) research grants to study the impact of policies and practices that are implemented under this subtitle or that are otherwise consistent with the purposes of this subtitle; 

(4) collaboration with other Federal science agencies and professional associations to exchange best practices, harmonize 

work-life accommodation policies and practices, and overcome 

common barriers to work-life accommodation; and 

(5) collaboration with institutions of higher education in 

order to clarify and catalyze the adoption of a coherent and 

consistent set of work-life accommodation policies and practices. 

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 

$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out 

this section. 

SEC. 219. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 

the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 

submit a report to Congress that includes— 

(1) a description and evaluation of the status and usage of 

caregiver policies at all Federal science agencies, including any 

recommendations for revising or expanding such policies; 

(2) a description of any significant updates to the policies for 

review of Federal research grants required under section 215, 

and any evidence of the impact of such policies on the review 

or awarding of Federal research grants; and 

(3) a description and evaluation of the status of Federal laboratory policies and practices required under section 217(b), including any recommendations for revising or expanding such 

policies. 


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SEC. 220. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR INCREASING DIVERSITY AMONG STEM FACULTY AT INSTITUTIONS 

OF HIGHER EDUCATION. 

(a) GRANTS.—The Director of the National Science Foundation 

shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia 

thereof) for the development of innovative reform efforts designed 

to increase the recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in academic STEM careers. 

(b) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION.—Grants shall be awarded 

under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. 

(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants under this 

section may include— 

(1) institutional assessment activities, such as data analyses 

and policy review, in order to identify and address specific 

issues in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups; 

(2) implementation of institution-wide improvements in 

workload distribution, such that faculty members from underrepresented minority groups are not disadvantaged in the 

amount of time available to focus on research, publishing papers, and engaging in other activities required to achieve tenure status and run a productive research program; 

(3) development and implementation of training courses for 

administrators and search committee members to ensure that 

candidates from underrepresented minority groups are not subject to implicit biases in the search and hiring process; 

(4) development and hosting of intra- or inter-institutional 

workshops to propagate best practices in recruiting, retaining, 

and advancing faculty members from underrepresented minority groups; 

(5) professional development opportunities for faculty members from underrepresented minority groups; 

(6) activities aimed at making undergraduate STEM students from underrepresented minority groups aware of opportunities for academic careers in STEM fields; 

(7) activities to identify and engage exceptional graduate students from underrepresented minority groups at various stages 

of their studies and to encourage them to enter academic careers; and 

(8) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation. 

(d) SELECTION PROCESS.— 

(1) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher education (or consortia thereof) seeking funding under this section shall submit 

an application to the Director of the National Science Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as such Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of— 

(A) the reform effort that is being proposed for implementation by the institution of higher education; 

(B) any available evidence of specific difficulties in the 

recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups in STEM academic careers within the institution of higher education 


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submitting an application, and how the proposed reform 

effort would address such issues; 

(C) how the institution of higher education submitting 

an application plans to sustain the proposed reform effort 

beyond the duration of the grant; and 

(D) how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for 

catalyzing institutional change. 

(2) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In selecting grant recipients 

under this section, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a minimum— 

(A) the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed 

reform effort at the institution of higher education submitting the application, including the extent to which the administrators of the institution are committed to making 

the proposed reform effort a priority; 

(B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort will 

contribute to change in institutional culture and policy 

such that greater value is placed on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups; 

(C) the likelihood that the institution of higher education 

will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond 

the period of the grant; and 

(D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans 

are included in the design of the proposed reform effort. 

(3) GRANT DISTRIBUTION.—The Director of the National 

Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that 

grants awarded under this section are made to a variety of 

types of institutions of higher education. 

(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 

$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out 

this section. 

SEC. 221. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION. 

(a) GRANTS.—The Director of the National Science Foundation 

shall award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia 

thereof) to implement or expand research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM education for the purpose of recruiting and retaining students from minority groups who are underrepresented in 

STEM fields, with a priority focus on natural science and engineering fields. 

(b) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION.—Grants shall be awarded 

under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. 

(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants under this 

section may include— 

(1) implementation or expansion of innovative, researchbased approaches to broaden participation of underrepresented 

minority groups in STEM fields; 

(2) implementation or expansion of bridge, cohort, tutoring, 

or mentoring programs designed to enhance the recruitment 


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and retention of students from underrepresented minority 

groups in STEM fields; 

(3) implementation or expansion of outreach programs linking institutions of higher education and K–12 school systems 

in order to heighten awareness among pre-college students 

from underrepresented minority groups of opportunities in college-level STEM fields and STEM careers; 

(4) implementation or expansion of faculty development programs focused on improving retention of undergraduate STEM 

students from underrepresented minority groups; 

(5) implementation or expansion of mechanisms designed to 

recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate a 

commitment to increasing the participation of students from 

underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields; 

(6) expansion of successful reforms aimed at increasing the 

number of STEM students from underrepresented minority 

groups beyond a single course or group of courses to achieve 

reform within an entire academic unit, or expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single academic unit to other STEM 

academic units within an institution of higher education; 

(7) expansion of opportunities for students from underrepresented minority groups to conduct STEM research in industry, at Federal laboratories, and at international research institutions or research sites; 

(8) provision of stipends for students from underrepresented 

minority groups participating in research; 

(9) development of research collaborations between researchintensive universities and primarily undergraduate minorityserving institutions; 

(10) support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows 

from underrepresented minority groups to participate in instructional or assessment activities at primarily undergraduate 

institutions, including primarily undergraduate minority-serving institutions and two-year institutions of higher education; 

and 

(11) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation. 

(d) SELECTION PROCESS.— (1) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher education (or consortium thereof) seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Director of the National Science 

Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

information and assurances as such Director may require. The 

application shall include, at a minimum— 

(A) a description of the proposed reform effort; 

(B) a description of the research findings that will serve 

as the basis for the proposed reform effort or, in the case 

of applications that propose an expansion of a previously 

implemented reform, a description of the previously implemented reform effort, including data about the recruitment, retention, and academic achievement of students 

from underrepresented minority groups; 

(C) evidence of an institutional commitment to, and support for, the proposed reform effort, including a long-term 

commitment to implement successful strategies from the 


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current reform beyond the academic unit or units included 

in the grant proposal; 

(D) a description of existing or planned institutional policies and practices regarding faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, and teaching assignment that reward faculty contributions to improving the education of students from 

underrepresented minority groups in STEM; and 

(E) how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for 

catalyzing institutional change. 

(2) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In selecting grant recipients 

under this section, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a minimum— 

(A) the likelihood of success of the proposed reform effort 

at the institution submitting the application, including the 

extent to which the faculty, staff, and administrators of 

the institution are committed to making the proposed institutional reform a priority of the participating academic 

unit or units; 

(B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort will 

contribute to change in institutional culture and policy 

such that greater value is placed on faculty engagement in 

the retention of students from underrepresented minority 

groups; 

(C) the likelihood that the institution will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the 

grant; and 

(D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans 

are included in the design of the proposed reform effort. 

(3) PRIORITY.—For applications that include an expansion of 

existing reforms beyond a single academic unit, the Director of 

the National Science Foundation shall give priority to applications for which a senior institutional administrator, such as a 

dean or other administrator of equal or higher rank, serves as 

the principal investigator. 

(4) GRANT DISTRIBUTION.—The Director of the National 

Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that 

grants awarded under this section are made to a variety of 

types of institutions of higher education, including two-year 

and minority-serving institutions of higher education. 

(e) EDUCATION RESEARCH.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—All grants made under this section shall include an education research component that will support the 

design and implementation of a system for data collection and 

evaluation of proposed reform efforts in order to build the 

knowledge base on promising models for increasing recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM education at the undergraduate level 

across a diverse set of institutions. 

(2) DISSEMINATION.—The Director of the National Science 

Foundation shall coordinate with relevant Federal agencies in 

disseminating the results of the research under this subsection 

to ensure that best practices in broadening participation in 

STEM education at the undergraduate level are made readily 


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available to all institutions of higher education, other Federal 

agencies that support STEM programs, non-Federal funders of 

STEM education, and the general public. 

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to 

be appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 

$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out 

this section. 

SEC. 222. DEFINITIONS. 

(a) THIS SUBTITLE.—In this subtitle: 

(1) FEDERAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Federal laboratory’’ 

has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the StevensonWydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703). 

(2) FEDERAL SCIENCE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal science 

agency’’ means any Federal agency with at least $100,000,000 

in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2014. 

(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning given such term in 

section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1001(a)). 

(4) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including other academic subjects 

that build on these disciplines such as computer science. 

(b) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF

2002.—Section 4 of the National Science Foundation Authorization 

Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note) is amended— 

(1) by redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (17); and 

(2) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(16) STEM.—The term ‘STEM’ means science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics, including other academic subjects that build on these disciplines such as computer science.’’. 

TITLE III—NATIONAL SCIENCE 

FOUNDATION 

Subtitle A—General Provisions 

SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) FISCAL YEAR 2016.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $7,723,550,000 for fiscal year 2016. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized under 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available for research 

and related activities; 

(B) $962,570,000 shall be made available for education 

and human resources; 

(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; 

(D) $354,840,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; 

(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

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pensation for members of the Board and staff appointed 

under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 

1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), travel and training costs for members of the Board and such staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational expenses for the Board, 

honorary awards made by the Board, Board reports (other 

than the report entitled ‘‘Science and Engineering Indicators’’), and contracts; and 

(F) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

Inspector General. 

(b) FISCAL YEAR 2017.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Foundation $8,099,010,000 for fiscal year 2017. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized under 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $6,495,620,000 shall be made available for research 

and related activities; 

(B) $1,010,700,000 shall be made available for education 

and human resources; 

(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; 

(D) $372,580,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; 

(E) $4,500,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

the National Science Board, including salaries and compensation for members of the Board and staff appointed 

under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 

1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), travel and training costs for members of the Board and such staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational expenses for the Board, 

honorary awards made by the Board, Board reports (other 

than the report entitled ‘‘Science and Engineering Indicators’’), and contracts; and 

(F) $15,610,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

Inspector General. 

(c) FISCAL YEAR 2018.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $8,493,560,000 for fiscal year 2018. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized under 

paragraph (1)— (A) $6,820,400,000 shall be made available for research 

and related activities; 

(B) $1,061,230,000 shall be made available for education 

and human resources; 

(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; (D) $391,210,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; (E) $4,640,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

the National Science Board, including salaries and compensation for members of the Board and staff appointed 

under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 

1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), travel and training costs for members of the Board and such staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational expenses for the Board, 


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honorary awards made by the Board, Board reports (other 

than the report entitled ‘‘Science and Engineering Indicators’’), and contracts; and 

(F) $16,080,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

Inspector General. 

(d) FISCAL YEAR 2019.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $8,907,820,000 for fiscal year 2019. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized under 

paragraph (1)— (A) $7,161,420,000 shall be made available for research 

and related activities; 

(B) $1,114,300,000 shall be made available for education 

and human resources; 

(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; (D) $410,770,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; (E) $4,780,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

the National Science Board, including salaries and compensation for members of the Board and staff appointed 

under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 

1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), travel and training costs for members of the Board and such staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational expenses for the Board, 

honorary awards made by the Board, Board reports (other 

than the report entitled ‘‘Science and Engineering Indicators’’), and contracts; and 

(F) $16,570,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

Inspector General. 

(e) FISCAL YEAR 2020.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Foundation $9,342,790,000 for fiscal year 2020. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized under 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $7,519,490,000 shall be made available for research 

and related activities; 

(B) $1,170,010,000 shall be made available for education 

and human resources; 

(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; 

(D) $431,310,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; 

(E) $4,920,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

the National Science Board, including salaries and compensation for members of the Board and staff appointed 

under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 

1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), travel and training costs for members of the Board and such staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational expenses for the Board, 

honorary awards made by the Board, Board reports (other 

than the report entitled ‘‘Science and Engineering Indicators’’), and contracts; and 

(F) $17,060,000 shall be made available for the Office of 

Inspector General. 


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SEC. 302. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SUPPORT FOR ALL 

FIELDS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. 

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that the Foundation’s investments 

in social, behavioral, and economic research have addressed challenges, including— 

(1) in medicine, matching organ donors to patients, leading 

to a dramatic growth in paired kidney transplants; 

(2) in policing, implementing predictive models that help to 

yield significant reductions in crime; 

(3) in resource allocation, developing the theories underlying 

the Federal Communications Commission spectrum auction, 

which has generated over $60,000,000,000 in revenue; 

(4) in disaster preparation and recovery, identifying barriers 

to effective disaster evacuation strategies; 

(5) in national defense, assisting United States troops in 

cross-cultural communication and in identifying threats; and 

(6) in areas such as economics, education, cybersecurity, 

transportation, and national defense, supporting informed decisionmaking in foreign and domestic policy. 

(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that in 

order to achieve its mission ‘‘to promote the progress of science; to 

advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the 

national defense’’ the Foundation must continue to support unfettered, competitive, merit-reviewed basic research across all fields of 

science and engineering, including the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. 

SEC. 303. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MERIT REVIEW. 

(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that— 

(1) the Foundation’s Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts 

criteria remain appropriate for evaluating grant proposals, as 

concluded by the 2011 National Science Board Task Force on 

Merit Review; 

(2) evaluating proposals on the basis of the Foundation’s Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria ensures that— 

(A) proposals funded by the Foundation are of high quality and advance scientific knowledge; and 

(B) the Foundation’s overall funding portfolio addresses 

societal needs through research findings or through related 

activities; and 

(3) as evidenced by the Foundation’s contributions to scientific advancement, economic development, human health, 

and national security, its peer review and merit review processes have successfully identified and funded scientifically and 

societally relevant research, remain the gold standard for the 

world, and must be preserved. 

(b) CRITERIA.—The Foundation shall maintain the Intellectual 

Merit and Broader Impacts criteria as the basis for evaluating 

grant proposals in the merit review process. 

SEC. 304. MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES. 

(a) LARGE FACILITIES OFFICE.—The Director shall maintain a 

Large Facilities Office within the Foundation. The functions of the 

Large Facilities Office shall be to support the research directorates 

in the development and implementation of major research facilities, 

including by— 


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(1) serving as the Foundation’s primary resource for all policy or process issues related to the development and implementation of major research facilities; 

(2) serving as a Foundation-wide resource on project management, including providing expert assistance on nonscientific 

and nontechnical aspects of project planning, budgeting, implementation, management, and oversight; and 

(3) coordinating and collaborating with research directorates 

to share best management practices and lessons learned from 

prior projects. 

(b) OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES.—The Director shall appoint 

a senior agency official within the Office of the Director whose primary responsibility is oversight of major research facilities. The duties of this official shall include— 

(1) oversight of the development, construction, and operation 

of major research facilities across the Foundation; 

(2) in collaboration with the directors of the research directorates and other senior agency officials as appropriate, ensuring that the requirements of section 14(a) of the National 

Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 are satisfied; 

(3) serving as a liaison to the National Science Board for approval and oversight of major research facilities; and 

(4) periodically reviewing and updating as necessary Foundation policies and guidelines for the development and construction of major research facilities. 

(c) POLICIES FOR COSTING LARGE FACILITIES.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall ensure that the Foundation’s policies for developing and managing major research facility construction costs are consistent with the best practices 

described in the March 2009 General Accountability Office Report GAO–09–3SP. 

(2) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress a report describing the Foundation’s policies for developing and 

managing major research facility construction costs, including 

a description of any aspects of the policies that diverge from 

the best practices recommended in General Accountability Office Report GAO–09–3SP. 

SEC. 305. SUPPORT FOR POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish and periodically 

update grant solicitation, merit review, and funding policies and 

mechanisms designed to identify and provide support for high-risk, 

high-reward basic research proposals. 

(b) POLICIES AND MECHANISMS.—Such policies and mechanisms 

may include— 

(1) development of solicitations specifically for high-risk, 

high-reward basic research; 

(2) establishment of review panels for the primary purpose 

of selecting high-risk, high-reward proposals; 

(3) development of guidance to standard review panels to encourage the identification and consideration of high-risk, highreward proposals; and 

(4) support for workshops and other conferences with the primary purpose of identifying new opportunities for high-risk, 


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high-reward basic research, especially at interdisciplinary 

interfaces. 

(c) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘highrisk, high-reward basic research’’ means research driven by ideas 

that have the potential to radically change our understanding of an 

important existing scientific or engineering concept, or leading to 

the creation of a new paradigm or field of science or engineering, 

and that is characterized by its challenge to current understanding 

or its pathway to new frontiers. 

SEC. 306. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—For any Foundation research grant, in an 

amount greater than $5,000,000, to be carried out through a partnership that includes one or more minority-serving institutions or 

predominantly undergraduate institutions and one or more institutions described in subsection (b), the Director shall award funds directly, according to the budget justification described in the grant 

proposal, to at least two of the institutions of higher education in 

the partnership, including at least one minority-serving institution 

or one predominantly undergraduate institution, to ensure a strong 

and equitable partnership. 

(b) INSTITUTIONS.—The institutions referred to in subsection (a) 

are institutions of higher education that are among the 100 institutions receiving, over the 3-year period immediately preceding the 

awarding of grants, the highest amount of research funding from 

the Foundation. 

(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the Director shall provide a report to Congress on institutional research partnerships identified in subsection (a) funded in 

the 2 previous fiscal years and make any recommendations for how 

such partnerships can continue to be strengthened. 

SEC. 307. INNOVATION CORPS. 

(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that— 

(1) the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (ICorps) was established to foster a national innovation ecosystem by encouraging institutions, scientists, engineers, and 

entrepreneurs to identify and explore the innovation and commercial potential of Foundation-funded research well beyond 

the laboratory; 

(2) the Foundation’s I-Corps includes investments in entrepreneurship and commercialization education, training, and 

mentoring, ultimately leading to the practical deployment of 

technologies, products, processes, and services that improve the 

Nation’s competitiveness, promote economic growth, and benefit society; and 

(3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, educators, mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and supporting specialized education and training, I-Corps is at the leading edge of 

a strong, lasting foundation for an American innovation ecosystem. 

(b) PROGRAM.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a program to 

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cation to Foundation-funded researchers to increase the economic and social impact of federally funded research. 

(2) PURPOSES.—The purpose of the program shall be to increase the capacity of STEM researchers and students to successfully engage in entrepreneurial activities and to help transition the results of federally funded research into the marketplace by— 

(A) identifying STEM research that can lead to the practical deployment of technologies, products, processes, and 

services that improve the Nation’s economic competitiveness; 

(B) bringing STEM researchers and students together 

with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other industry 

representatives experienced in commercialization of new 

technologies; 

(C) supporting entrepreneurship and commercialization 

education and training for faculty, students, postdoctoral 

fellows, and other STEM researchers; and 

(D) promoting the development of regional and national 

networks of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other 

industry representatives who can serve as mentors to researchers and students at Foundation-funded institutions 

across the country. 

(3) ADDITIONAL USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this 

subsection may be used to help support— 

(A) prototype and proof-of-concept development for the 

funded project; and 

(B) additional activities needed to build a national infrastructure for STEM entrepreneurship. 

(4) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The Director may establish 

agreements with other Federal agencies that fund scientific research to make researchers funded by those agencies eligible to 

participate in the Foundation’s Innovation Corps program. 

SEC. 308. DEFINITIONS. 

For purposes of this title: 

(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 

the Foundation. 

(2) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ means the National Science Foundation. 

(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning given such term in 

section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1001(a)). 

(4) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including other academic subjects 

that build on these disciplines such as computer science. 

Subtitle B—STEM Education 

SEC. 321. NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD REPORT ON CONSOLIDATION OF 

STEM EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AT THE FOUNDATION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Science Board shall review and 

evaluate the appropriateness of the Foundation’s portfolio of STEM 

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graduate levels, including informal education, taking into account 

the mission of the Foundation and the 2013 Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan. 

(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the National Science Board shall submit to Congress a 

report summarizing their findings and including— 

(1) an analysis of how well the Foundation’s portfolio of 

STEM education programs is contributing to the mission of the 

Foundation; 

(2) an analysis of how well STEM education programs and 

activities are coordinated and best practices are shared across 

the Foundation; 

(3) an analysis of how well the Foundation’s portfolio of 

STEM education programs is aligned with and contributes to 

priority STEM education investment areas described in the 

2013 Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan; 

(4) any Board recommendations regarding internal reorganization, including consolidation, of the Foundation’s STEM 

education programs and activities, taking into account both the 

mission of the Foundation and the 2013 Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan; 

(5) any Board recommendations regarding the Foundation’s 

role in helping to implement the Federal STEM Education 5- 

Year Strategic Plan, including opportunities for the Foundation 

to more effectively partner and collaborate with other Federal 

agencies; and 

(6) any additional Board recommendations regarding specific 

management, policy, budget, or other steps the Foundation 

should take to increase effectiveness and accountability across 

its portfolio of STEM education programs and activities. 

SEC. 322. MODELS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall enter into an agreement 

with the National Research Council to convene a workshop or 

roundtable to examine models of Federal support for STEM graduate students, including the Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship program and comparable fellowship programs at other 

agencies, traineeship programs, and the research assistant model. 

(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the workshop or roundtable shall 

be to compare and evaluate the extent to which each of these models helps to prepare graduate students for diverse careers utilizing 

STEM degrees, including at diverse types of institutions of higher 

education, in industry, and at government agencies and research 

laboratories, and to make recommendations regarding— 

(1) how current Federal programs and models, including programs and models at the Foundation, can be improved; 

(2) the appropriateness of the current distribution of funding 

among the different models at the Foundation and across the 

agencies; and 

(3) the appropriateness of creating a new education and 

training program for graduate students distinct from programs 

that provide direct financial support, including the grants authorized in section 527 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p–15). 

(c) CRITERIA.—At a minimum, in comparing programs and models, the workshop or roundtable participants shall consider the caVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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pacity of such programs or models to provide students with knowledge and skills— 

(1) to become independent, creative, successful researchers; 

(2) to participate in large interdisciplinary research projects, 

including in an international context; 

(3) to adhere to the highest standards for research ethics; 

(4) to become high-quality teachers utilizing the most currently available evidence-based pedagogy; 

(5) in oral and written communication, to both technical and 

nontechnical audiences; 

(6) in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business ethics; and 

(7) in program management. 

(d) GRADUATE STUDENT INPUT.—The participants in the workshop or roundtable shall include current or recent STEM graduate 

students. 

(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the National Research Council shall submit to Congress 

a summary report of the findings and recommendations of the 

workshop or roundtable convened under this section. 

SEC. 323. UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION REFORM. 

Section 17 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act 

of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–6) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 17. UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION REFORM. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director, through the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, shall award grants, on a competitive, 

merit-reviewed basis, to institutions of higher education (or to consortia thereof) and to other eligible nonprofit organizations to reform undergraduate STEM education for the purpose of increasing 

the number and quality of students studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees in STEM and improving the STEM 

learning outcomes for all undergraduate students. 

‘‘(b) INTERDIRECTORATE WORKING GROUP ON UNDERGRADUATE

STEM EDUCATION.—In carrying out the requirements of this section, the Directorate for Education and Human Resources shall collaborate and coordinate with the Research Directorates, including 

through the establishment of an interdirectorate working group on 

undergraduate STEM education reform, in order to identify and 

implement new and expanded opportunities for collaboration between STEM disciplinary researchers and education researchers on 

the reform of undergraduate STEM education. 

‘‘(c) GRANTS.—Research and development supported by grants 

under this section may encompass a single discipline, multiple disciplines, or interdisciplinary education at the undergraduate level, 

and may include— 

‘‘(1) research foundational to the improvement of teaching, 

learning, and retention; 

‘‘(2) development, implementation, and assessment of innovative, research-based approaches to transforming teaching, 

learning, and retention; and 

‘‘(3) scaling of successful efforts on learning and learning environments, broadening participation, workforce preparation, 

employing emerging technologies, or other reforms in STEM 

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form within an entire academic unit, or expansion of successful 

reform efforts beyond a single academic unit to other STEM 

academic units within an institution or to comparable academic units at other institutions. 

‘‘(d) SELECTION PROCESS.— ‘‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher education or 

other eligible nonprofit organization seeking a grant under this 

section shall submit an application to the Director at such 

time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 

Director may require. In addition to a description of the proposed research, development, or scaling effort, including a description of the research findings that will serve as the basis 

for the proposed effort, applications shall include, at a minimum— 

‘‘(A) evidence of institutional support for, and commitment to, the proposed effort, including long-term commitment to implement and scale successful strategies resulting from the current effort; 

‘‘(B) a description of existing or planned institutional 

policies and practices regarding faculty hiring, promotion, 

tenure, and teaching assignment that reward faculty contributions to undergraduate STEM education; and 

‘‘(C) a description of the plans for assessment and evaluation of the effort, including evidence of participation by 

individuals with experience in assessment and evaluation 

of teaching and learning programs. 

‘‘(2) REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.—In selecting grant recipients 

for funding under this section, the Director shall consider, as 

appropriate to the scale of the proposed effort— 

‘‘(A) the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed effort at the institution submitting the application, 

including the extent to which the faculty, staff, and administrators of the institution are committed to making undergraduate STEM education reform a priority of the participating academic unit or units; 

‘‘(B) the degree to which the proposed effort will contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such 

that a greater value is placed on faculty engagement in 

undergraduate education; 

‘‘(C) the likelihood that the institution will sustain or expand the effort beyond the period of the grant; and 

‘‘(D) the degree to which the proposed effort will contribute to the systematic accumulation of knowledge on 

STEM education. 

‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—The Director shall give priority to proposals 

focused on the first 2 years of undergraduate education, including STEM education at 2-year institutions of higher education. 

‘‘(4) GRANT DISTRIBUTION.—The Director shall ensure, to the 

extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are 

made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education.’’. 

SEC. 324. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION. 

Section 506(b) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act 

of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p–1(b)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(b) ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION.—The Director shall 

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nity colleges for the development and implementation of innovative 

advanced manufacturing education reforms to ensure an adequate 

and well-trained advanced manufacturing workforce. Activities supported by grants under this subsection may include— 

‘‘(1) the development or expansion of educational materials, 

courses, curricula, strategies, and methods that will lead to improved advanced manufacturing degree or certification programs, including the integration of industry standards and 

workplace competencies into the curriculum; 

‘‘(2) the development and implementation of faculty professional development programs that enhance a faculty member’s 

capabilities and teaching skills in advanced manufacturing, including efforts to understand current advanced manufacturing 

technologies and practices; 

‘‘(3) the establishment of centers that provide models and 

leadership in advanced manufacturing education and serve as 

regional or national clearinghouses for educational materials 

and methods, including in rural areas; 

‘‘(4) activities to enhance the recruitment and retention of 

students into certification and degree programs in advanced 

manufacturing, including the provision of improved mentoring 

and internship opportunities; 

‘‘(5) the establishment of partnerships with private sector entities to ensure the development of an advanced manufacturing 

workforce with the skills necessary to meet regional economic 

needs; and 

‘‘(6) other activities as determined appropriate by the Director.’’. 

SEC. 325. STEM EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS. 

Section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act 

of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n) is amended— 

(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘MATHEMATICS 

AND SCIENCE’’ and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(2) by striking ‘‘mathematics and science’’ each place it appears in subsections (a) and (b) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(3) by striking ‘‘mathematics or science’’ each place it appears in subsection (a)(3) and (4)(A) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(4) by striking ‘‘mathematics, science, or engineering’’ in subsection (a)(2)(B) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(5) by striking ‘‘mathematics, science, and technology’’ in 

subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii)(II) and (8) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(6) by striking ‘‘professional mathematicians, scientists, and 

engineers’’ in subsection (a)(3)(F) and inserting ‘‘STEM professionals’’; 

(7) by striking ‘‘mathematicians, scientists, and engineers’’ in 

subsection (a)(3)(J) and (M) and inserting ‘‘STEM professionals’’; 

(8) by striking ‘‘scientists, technologists, engineers, or mathematicians’’ in subsection (a)(8) and inserting ‘‘STEM professionals’’; 

(9) by striking ‘‘science, technology, engineering, and mathematics’’ each place it appears in subsection (a)(3)(K) and (10) 

and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(10) by striking ‘‘science, technology, engineering, or mathematics’’ in subsection (a)(10)(A)(ii)(II) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 


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(11) by striking ‘‘science, mathematics, engineering, and 

technology’’ each place it appears in subsection (a)(5) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(12) by striking ‘‘science, mathematics, engineering, or technology’’ in subsection (a)(5) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

(13) by striking ‘‘mathematics, science, engineering, and 

technology’’ in subsection (b)(1) and (2) and inserting ‘‘STEM’’; 

and 

(14) by striking subsection (d). 

SEC. 326. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS. 

Section 10A of the National Science Foundation Authorization 

Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1a) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘or bachelor’s’’ after 

‘‘master’s’’; 

(2) in subsection (c)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (2)(B); 

(B) in paragraph (3), by— 

(i) inserting ‘‘for teachers with master’s degrees in 

their field’’ after ‘‘Teaching Fellowships’’; and 

(ii) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master 

Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor’s degrees in 

their field— 

‘‘(A) offering academic courses leading to a master’s degree and leadership training to prepare individuals to become master teachers in elementary and secondary 

schools; and 

‘‘(B) offering programs both during and after matriculation in the program for which the fellowship is received to 

enable fellows to become highly effective mathematics and 

science teachers, including mentoring, training, induction, 

and professional development activities, to fulfill the service requirements of this section, including the requirements of subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with others 

in their fields.’’; 

(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘subsection (g)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; and 

(4) by adding after subsection (f) the following new subsection: 

‘‘(g) SUPPORT FOR MASTER TEACHING FELLOWS WHILE ENROLLED

IN A MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM.—A National Science Foundation 

Master Teacher Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of fellowship support while enrolled in a master’s degree program as described in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if such fellow is enrolled 

in a part-time program, such amount shall be prorated according 

to the length of the program.’’. 

SEC. 327. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION. 

(a) GRANTS.—The Director, through the Directorate for Education 

and Human Resources, shall continue to award competitive, meritreviewed grants to support— 

(1) research and development of innovative out-of-school 

STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments in 


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order to improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement in 

STEM; and 

(2) research that advances the field of informal STEM education. 

(b) USES OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants under this 

section may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple STEM 

disciplines, or integrative STEM initiatives and shall include— 

(1) research and development that improves our understanding of learning and engagement in informal environments, including the role of informal environments in broadening participation in STEM; and 

(2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models, 

programs, and other resources for informal learning environments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase engagement for K–12 students, K–12 teachers, and the general 

public, including design and testing of the scalability of models, 

programs, and other resources. 

SEC. 328. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT IMPROVED K– 

12 LEARNING. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director, acting through the Directorate 

for Education and Human Resources, shall award competitive, 

merit-reviewed grants to support research and development on 

alignment, implementation, impact, and ongoing improvement of 

standards and equivalent learning expectations used by States in 

mathematics, science, and, as appropriate, other State-based STEM 

standards. 

(b) RESEARCH AREAS.—In making awards under this section, the 

Director shall consider proposals for research and development, including, as appropriate, large-scale research and development, of— 

(1) resources, including virtual resources such as web portals, for content, professional development, and research results; 

(2) teacher education and professional development; 

(3) learning progressions; 

(4) assessments; 

(5) metrics for evaluating the impact of standards; and 

(6) other areas of research and development that are likely 

to contribute to the alignment, implementation, impact, and 

ongoing improvement of standards in STEM subjects. 

TITLE IV—NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 

STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY 

SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE. 

This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Institute of Standards 

and Technology Authorization Act of 2015’’. 

SEC. 402. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) FISCAL YEAR 2016.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce $1,119,700,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2016. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized by 

paragraph (1)— 


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(A) $754,700,000 shall be authorized for scientific and 

technical research and services laboratory activities; (B) $59,000,000 shall be authorized for the construction 

and maintenance of facilities; and 

(C) $306,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities, of which— (i) $141,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 

25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) and the program under 

section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278l), of which not 

more than $20,000,000 shall be for the competitive 

grant program under section 25(f) of such Act; and (ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 

(b) FISCAL YEAR 2017.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce $1,174,390,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2017. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized by 

paragraph (1)— (A) $792,440,000 shall be authorized for scientific and 

technical research and services laboratory activities; (B) $61,950,000 shall be authorized for the construction 

and maintenance of facilities; and 

(C) $320,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities, of which— (i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 

25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) and the program under 

section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278l), of which not 

more than $20,000,000 shall be for the competitive 

grant program under section 25(f) of such Act; and 

(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 

(c) FISCAL YEAR 2018.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Secretary of Commerce $1,207,100,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2018. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized by 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $832,060,000 shall be authorized for scientific and 

technical research and services laboratory activities; 

(B) $65,050,000 shall be authorized for the construction 

and maintenance of facilities; and 

(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities, of which— (i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 

25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) and the program under 

section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278l), of which not 


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more than $20,000,000 shall be for the competitive 

grant program under section 25(f) of such Act; and 

(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 

(d) FISCAL YEAR 2019.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Secretary of Commerce $1,251,960,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2019. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized by 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $873,660,000 shall be authorized for scientific and 

technical research and services laboratory activities; 

(B) $68,300,000 shall be authorized for the construction 

and maintenance of facilities; and 

(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities, of which— 

(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 

25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) and the program under 

section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278l), of which not 

more than $20,000,000 shall be for the competitive 

grant program under section 25(f) of such Act; and 

(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 

(e) FISCAL YEAR 2020.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Secretary of Commerce $1,299,060,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2020. 

(2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount authorized by 

paragraph (1)— 

(A) $917,340,000 shall be authorized for scientific and 

technical research and services laboratory activities; 

(B) $71,710,000 shall be authorized for the construction 

and maintenance of facilities; and 

(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities, of which— 

(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 

25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) and the program under 

section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278l), of which not 

more than $20,000,000 shall be for the competitive 

grant program under section 25(f) of such Act; and 

(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 

SEC. 403. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP. 

Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP. 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.— 


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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, through the Director shall 

provide assistance for the creation and support of regional 

manufacturing extension centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology and best business practices. These centers 

shall be known as the ‘Hollings Manufacturing Extension Centers’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘Centers’). The program 

under this section shall be known as the ‘Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership’. 

‘‘(2) AFFILIATIONS.—Such Centers shall be affiliated with any 

United States-based public or nonprofit institution or organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is awarded financial 

assistance under this section. 

‘‘(3) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the program is to enhance 

productivity, competitiveness, and technological performance in 

United States manufacturing through— 

‘‘(A) the transfer of manufacturing technology and techniques to Centers and, through them, to manufacturing 

companies throughout the United States; 

‘‘(B) the participation of individuals from industry, institutions of higher education, State governments, other Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the Institute in cooperative technology transfer activities; 

‘‘(C) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and 

processes usable by United States-based small and medium-sized companies; 

‘‘(D) the active dissemination of scientific, engineering, 

technical, and management information about manufacturing to industrial firms, including small and mediumsized manufacturing companies; 

‘‘(E) the development of new partnerships, networks, and 

services that will assist small and medium-sized manufacturing companies expand into new markets, including 

global markets; 

‘‘(F) the utilization, when appropriate, of the expertise 

and capability that exists in Federal laboratories other 

than the Institute; and 

‘‘(G) the provision to community colleges and area career 

and technical education schools of information about the 

job skills needed in small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in the regions they serve. 

‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Centers shall include— 

‘‘(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing systems 

and other advanced production technologies, based on research 

by the Institute and other entities, for the purpose of demonstrations and technology transfer; 

‘‘(2) assistance to Federal agencies in supporting United 

States-based manufacturing by identifying and providing technical assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers to 

help them meet Federal agency procurement and acquisition 

needs; 

‘‘(3) the active transfer and dissemination of research findings and Center expertise to a wide range of companies and 

enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized manufacturers; and 


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‘‘(4) the facilitation of collaborations and partnerships between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and 

community colleges and area career and technical education 

schools to help such colleges and schools better understand the 

specific needs of manufacturers and to help manufacturers better understand the skill sets that students learn in the programs offered by such colleges and schools. 

‘‘(c) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND REQUIREMENTS.— ‘‘(1) FINANCIAL SUPPORT.—The Secretary may provide financial support to any Center created under subsection (a) for an 

initial period of 5 years, which may be renewed for an additional 5-year period. The Secretary may provide to a Center up 

to 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain such Center. 

‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall implement, review, 

and update the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations related to this section at least once every 5 years. 

‘‘(3) APPLICATION.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any public or nonprofit institution, or 

consortium thereof, may submit to the Secretary an application for financial support under this section, in accordance with the procedures established by the Secretary. 

‘‘(B) COST-SHARING.—In order to receive assistance 

under this section, an applicant for financial assistance 

under subparagraph (A) shall provide adequate assurances 

that non-Federal assets obtained from the applicant and 

the applicant’s partnering organizations will be used as a 

funding source to meet not less than 50 percent of the 

costs incurred. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the 

costs incurred means the costs incurred in connection with 

the activities undertaken to improve the management, productivity, competitiveness, and technological performance 

of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. 

‘‘(C) AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER ENTITIES.—In meeting the 

50-percent requirement, it is anticipated that a Center will 

enter into agreements with other entities such as private 

industry, institutions of higher education, and State governments to accomplish programmatic objectives and access new and existing resources that will further the impact of the Federal investment made on behalf of small 

and medium-sized manufacturing companies. 

‘‘(D) LEGAL RIGHTS.—Each applicant under subparagraph (A) shall submit a proposal for the allocation of the 

legal rights associated with any invention that may result 

from the proposed Center’s activities. 

‘‘(4) MERIT REVIEW.—The Secretary shall subject each such 

application to merit review. In making a decision whether to 

approve such application and provide financial support under 

this section, the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the 

following: 

‘‘(A) The merits of the application, particularly those portions of the application regarding technology transfer, 

training and education, and adaptation of manufacturing 

technologies to the needs of particular industrial sectors. 

‘‘(B) The quality of service to be provided. 


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‘‘(C) Geographical diversity and extent of service area. 

‘‘(D) The percentage of funding and amount of in-kind 

commitment from other sources. 

‘‘(5) EVALUATION.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each Center that receives financial 

assistance under this section shall be evaluated during its 

third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed 

by the Secretary. 

‘‘(B) COMPOSITION.—Each such evaluation panel shall be 

composed of independent experts, none of whom shall be 

connected with the involved Center, and Federal officials. 

‘‘(C) CHAIR.—An official of the Institute shall chair the 

panel. 

‘‘(D) PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT.—Each evaluation 

panel shall measure the involved Center’s performance 

against the objectives specified in this section. 

‘‘(E) POSITIVE EVALUATION.—If the evaluation is positive, 

the Secretary may provide continued funding through the 

fifth year. 

‘‘(F) CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.—The Secretary may not 

provide funding for the remaining years of a Center’s operation unless the evaluation is positive. A Center that has 

not received a positive evaluation by the evaluation panel 

shall be notified by the panel of the deficiencies in its performance and shall be placed on a corrective action plan 

and provided the opportunity to address deficiencies unless 

immediate action is necessary to protect the public interest. The program shall re-evaluate the Center within one 

year and if the Center has not addressed the deficiencies 

identified by the panel, or shown a significant improvement in its performance, the Director shall conduct a new 

competition or may close the Center. 

‘‘(G) ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.—After the fifth 

year, a Center may receive additional financial support 

under this section if it has received a positive evaluation 

through an independent review, under procedures established by the Institute. 

‘‘(H) RECOMPETITION.—If a Center has received financial 

support for 10 consecutive years, the Director shall conduct a new competition. An existing Center may submit an 

application as part of the new competition. 

‘‘(I) RECOMPETITION PLAN.—Not later than 180 days 

after the date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Director shall submit a plan 

to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 

House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate detailing 

how the program will implement the new competitions required under subparagraph (H). The Director shall consult 

with the MEP Advisory Board established under subsection (f) in the development and implementation of the 

plan. 

‘‘(6) OVERSIGHT BOARD.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each Center that receives financial 

assistance under this section shall establish an oversight 


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board that is broadly representative of regional stakeholders with a majority of board members drawn from 

local small and medium-sized manufacturing firms. 

‘‘(B) BYLAWS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—Each board 

under subparagraph (A) shall adopt and submit to the Director bylaws to govern the operation of the board, including a conflict of interest policy to ensure relevant relationships are disclosed and proper recusal procedures are in 

place. 

‘‘(C) LIMITATION.—Board members may not serve simultaneously on more than one Center’s oversight board or 

serve as a contractor providing services to a Center. 

‘‘(7) PROTECTION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall ensure that the following are not publically disclosed: 

‘‘(A) Confidential information on the business operations 

of— 

‘‘(i) a participant under the program; or 

‘‘(ii) a client of a Center. 

‘‘(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of a Center. 

‘‘(8) PATENT RIGHTS.—The provisions of chapter 18 of title 35, 

United States Code, shall apply, to the extent not inconsistent 

with this section, to the promotion of technology from research 

by Centers under this section except for contracts for such specific technology extension or transfer services as may be specified by statute or by the Director. 

‘‘(d) REPORTING AND AUDITING REQUIREMENTS.—The Director 

shall establish procedures regarding Center financial reporting and 

auditing to ensure that awards are used for the purposes specified 

in this section and are in accordance with sound accounting practices. 

‘‘(e) ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to such sums as may be appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Secretary and Director also may accept funds from other Federal departments 

and agencies and, under section 2(c)(7), from the private sector, 

to be available to the extent provided by appropriations Acts, 

for the purpose of strengthening United States manufacturing. 

‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.— 

‘‘(A) FUNDS ACCEPTED FROM OTHER FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES.—The Director shall determine whether funds accepted from other Federal departments or agencies shall be counted in the calculation of the Federal 

share of capital and annual operating and maintenance 

costs under subsection (c). 

‘‘(B) FUNDS ACCEPTED FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.— 

Funds accepted from the private sector under section 

2(c)(7), if allocated to a Center, may not be considered in 

the calculation of the Federal share under subsection (c) of 

this section. 

‘‘(f) MEP ADVISORY BOARD.— ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within the Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board 

(in this subsection referred to as the ‘MEP Advisory Board’). 


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‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The MEP Advisory Board shall consist of not fewer than 10 members broadly representative 

of stakeholders, to be appointed by the Director. At least 

2 members shall be employed by or on an advisory board 

for the Centers, at least 1 member shall represent a community college, and at least 5 other members shall be from 

United States small businesses in the manufacturing sector. No member shall be an employee of the Federal Government. 

‘‘(B) TERM.—Except as provided in subparagraph (C) or 

(D), the term of office of each member of the MEP Advisory Board shall be 3 years. 

‘‘(C) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for 

which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for 

the remainder of such term. 

‘‘(D) SERVING CONSECUTIVE TERMS.—Any person who has 

completed two consecutive full terms of service on the 

MEP Advisory Board shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during the one-year period following the expiration of the second such term. 

‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not 

less than 2 times annually and shall provide to the Director— 

‘‘(A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs, plans, and policies; 

‘‘(B) assessments of the soundness of Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and strategies; and 

‘‘(C) assessments of current performance against Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program 

plans. 

‘‘(4) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICABILITY.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In discharging its duties under this 

subsection, the MEP Advisory Board shall function solely 

in an advisory capacity, in accordance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act. 

‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act shall not apply to the MEP Advisory 

Board. 

‘‘(5) REPORT.—The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit an 

annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to Congress 

within 30 days after the submission to Congress of the President’s annual budget request in each year. Such report shall 

address the status of the program established pursuant to this 

section and comment on the relevant sections of the programmatic planning document and updates thereto transmitted to Congress by the Director under subsections (c) and 

(d) of section 23. 

‘‘(g) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.— 

‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall establish, within 

the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program 

of competitive awards among participants described in paragraph (2) for the purposes described in paragraph (3). 


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‘‘(2) PARTICIPANTS.—Participants receiving awards under this 

subsection shall be the Centers, or a consortium of such Centers. 

‘‘(3) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program under this subsection is to add capabilities to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, including the development of projects to 

solve new or emerging manufacturing problems as determined 

by the Director, in consultation with the Director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the MEP Advisory 

Board, and small and medium-sized manufacturers. 

‘‘(4) THEMES.—One or more themes for the competition may 

be identified, which may vary from year to year, depending on 

the needs of manufacturers and the success of previous competitions. These themes may include— 

‘‘(A) supply chain integration and quality management; 

‘‘(B) the creation of partnerships to encourage the development of a workforce with the skills necessary to meet 

the needs of a region, including the creation of apprenticeship opportunities and the adoption of universally recognized credential programs, as appropriate; 

‘‘(C) energy efficiency, including efficient building technologies and environmentally friendly materials, products, 

and processes; 

‘‘(D) enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers in the global marketplace; 

‘‘(E) the transfer of technology based on the technological 

needs of manufacturers and available technologies from institutions of higher education, laboratories, and other technology producing entities; and 

‘‘(F) areas that extend beyond traditional areas of manufacturing extension activities, including projects related to 

construction industry modernization. 

‘‘(5) REIMBURSEMENT.—Centers may be reimbursed for costs 

incurred under the program under this subsection. 

‘‘(6) APPLICATIONS.—Applications for awards under this subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at such time, and 

containing such information as the Director shall require, in 

consultation with the MEP Advisory Board. 

‘‘(7) SELECTION.—Awards under this subsection shall be peer 

reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director shall endeavor to have broad geographic diversity among selected proposals. The Director shall select proposals to receive awards 

that will— 

‘‘(A) utilize innovative or collaborative approaches to 

solving the problem described in the competition; 

‘‘(B) improve the competitiveness of industries in the region in which the Center or Centers are located; and 

‘‘(C) contribute to the long-term economic stability of 

that region, including the creation of jobs or training employees. 

‘‘(8) PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION.—Recipients of awards under 

this subsection shall not be required to provide a matching 

contribution. 

‘‘(9) DURATION.—Awards under this subsection shall last no 

longer than 5 years. 


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‘‘(h) INNOVATIVE SERVICES INITIATIVE.— ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director, in coordination with the 

Advanced Manufacturing Office of the Department of Energy, 

shall establish, within the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership, an innovative services initiative to assist small 

and medium-sized manufacturers in— 

‘‘(A) reducing their energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental waste to improve profitability; 

‘‘(B) accelerating the domestic commercialization of new 

product technologies, including components for renewable 

energy and energy efficiency systems; and 

‘‘(C) identifying and diversifying to new markets, including support for transitioning to the production of components for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems. 

‘‘(2) MARKET DEMAND.—The Director may not undertake any 

activity to accelerate the domestic commercialization of a new 

product technology under this subsection unless an analysis of 

market demand for the new product technology has been conducted. 

‘‘(i) EXPORT ASSISTANCE TO SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED MANUFAC- TURERS.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall— 

‘‘(A) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small and medium-sized manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from effectively competing in the global market; 

‘‘(B) implement a comprehensive export assistance initiative through the Centers to help small and medium-sized 

manufacturers address such obstacles; and 

‘‘(C) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the 

activities carried out under this subsection are coordinated 

with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, other export assistance programs within the Federal Government. 

‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The initiative shall include— 

‘‘(A) export assistance counseling; 

‘‘(B) the development of partnerships that will provide 

small and medium-sized manufacturers with greater access to and knowledge of global markets; and 

‘‘(C) improved communication between the Centers to assist such manufacturers in implementing appropriate, targeted solutions to such obstacles. 

‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

‘‘(1) AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION SCHOOL.—The 

term ‘area career and technical education school’ has the 

meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins 

Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (20 

U.S.C. 2302). 

‘‘(2) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘community college’ 

means an institution of higher education (as defined under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1001(a))) at which the highest degree that is predominately 

awarded to students is an associate’s degree.’’. 

SEC. 404. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REVIEW. 

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 

the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

shall enter into a contract with the National Academies to conduct 


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a single, comprehensive review of the Institute’s laboratory programs. The review shall— 

(1) assess the technical merits and scientific caliber of the research conducted at the laboratories; 

(2) examine the strengths and weaknesses of the 2010 laboratory reorganization on the Institute’s ability to fulfill its 

mission; 

(3) evaluate how cross-cutting research and development activities are planned, coordinated, and executed across the laboratories; and 

(4) assess how the laboratories are engaging industry, including the incorporation of industry need, into the research 

goals and objectives of the Institute. 

SEC. 405. IMPROVING NIST COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES. 

Section 8 of the National Bureau of Standards Authorization Act 

for Fiscal Year 1983 (15 U.S.C. 275b) is amended— 

(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘AND WITH’’ after 

‘‘PERFORMED FOR’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘The Secretary may 

accept, apply for, use, and spend Federal, State, and non-governmental acquisition and assistance funds to further the mission of the Institute without regard to the source or the period 

of availability of these funds as well as share personnel, associates, facilities, and property with these partner organizations, 

with or without reimbursement, upon mutual agreement.’’. 

SEC. 406. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. 

(a) FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES.—Section 15 of the of the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278e) is 

amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘of the Government; and’’ and inserting ‘‘of 

the Government;’’; 

(2) by striking ‘‘transportation services for employees of the 

Institute’’ and inserting ‘‘transportation services for employees, 

associates, or fellows of the Institute’’; and 

(3) by striking ‘‘Code.’’ and inserting ‘‘Code; and (i) the protection of Institute buildings and other plant facilities, equipment, and property, and of employees, associates, visitors, or 

other persons located therein or associated therewith, notwithstanding any other provision of law.’’. 

(b) POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.—Section 19 of the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 

278g–2) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘SEC. 19. POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 

‘‘The Director, in conjunction with the National Academy of 

Sciences, shall establish and conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program that shall include not less than 20 new fellows per fiscal 

year. In evaluating applications for fellowships under this section, 

the Director shall give consideration to the goal of promoting the 

participation of underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by the Institute.’’. 


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TITLE V—INNOVATION 

SEC. 501. OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. 

Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 

1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a) by inserting ‘‘with a Director and fulltime staff’’ after ‘‘Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’’; 

(2) in subsection (b)— 

(A) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: 

‘‘(3) providing access to relevant data, research, and technical assistance on innovation and commercialization, including best practices for university-based incubators and accelerators;’’; 

(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (6) and (7), respectively; and 

(C) by inserting the following after paragraph (3): 

‘‘(4) overseeing the implementation of the loan guarantee 

programs and the Regional Innovation Program established 

under sections 26 and 27, respectively; 

‘‘(5) developing, within 180 days after the date of enactment 

of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015, and updating at least every 5 years, a strategic plan to guide the activities of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship that 

shall— 

‘‘(A) specify and prioritize near-term and long-term 

goals, objectives, and policies to accelerate innovation and 

advance the commercialization of research and development, including federally funded research and development, set forth the anticipated time for achieving the objectives, and identify metrics for use in assessing progress 

toward such objectives; 

‘‘(B) describe how the Department of Commerce is working in conjunction with other Federal agencies to foster innovation and commercialization across the United States; 

and 

‘‘(C) provide a summary of the activities, including the 

development of metrics to evaluate regional innovation 

strategies undertaken through the Regional Innovation Research and Information Program established under section 

27(e);’’; 

(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: 

‘‘(c) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish or designate an advisory committee, which shall meet at least twice 

each fiscal year, to provide advice to the Secretary on carrying 

out the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Innovation 

and Entrepreneurship. 

‘‘(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The advisory committee shall 

prepare a report, to be submitted to the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 

Senate every 3 years. The first report shall be submitted not 

later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the America 

Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015 and shall include— 


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‘‘(A) an assessment of the strategic plan developed under 

subsection (b)(5) and the progress made in implementing 

the plan and the duties of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship; 

‘‘(B) an assessment of how the Office of Innovation and 

Entrepreneurship is working with other Federal agencies 

to meet the goals and duties of the office; and 

‘‘(C) any recommendations for how the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship could be improved.’’; and 

(4) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 

to be appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 

years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this section.’’. 

SEC. 502. FEDERAL LOAN GUARANTEES FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN MANUFACTURING. 

Section 26(t) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act 

of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3721(t)) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal years 

2011 through 2013’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2016 through 2020’’. 

SEC. 503. INNOVATION VOUCHER PILOT PROGRAM. 

Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 

1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) as amended by section 501 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(e) INNOVATION VOUCHER PILOT PROGRAM.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the Office 

of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and in conjunction with 

the States, shall establish an innovation voucher pilot program 

to accelerate innovative activities and enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers in the United 

States. The pilot program shall— 

‘‘(A) foster collaborations between small and mediumsized manufacturers and research institutions; and 

‘‘(B) enable small and medium-sized manufacturers to 

access technical expertise and capabilities that will lead to 

the development of innovative products or manufacturing 

processes, including through— 

‘‘(i) research and development, including proof of 

concept, technical development, and compliance testing activities; 

‘‘(ii) early-stage product development, including engineering design services; and 

‘‘(iii) technology transfer and related activities. 

‘‘(2) AWARD SIZE.—The Secretary shall competitively award 

vouchers worth up to $20,000 to small and medium-sized manufacturers for use at eligible research institutions to acquire 

the services described in paragraph (1)(B). 

‘‘(3) STREAMLINED PROCEDURES.—The Secretary shall 

streamline and simplify the application, administrative, and 

reporting procedures for vouchers administered under the program. 

‘‘(4) REGULATIONS.—Prior to awarding any vouchers under 

the program, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations— 

‘‘(A) establishing criteria for the selection of recipients of 

awards under this subsection; 


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‘‘(B) establishing procedures regarding financial reporting and auditing— 

‘‘(i) to ensure that awards are used for the purposes 

of the program; and 

‘‘(ii) that are in accordance with sound accounting 

practices; and 

‘‘(C) describing any other policies, procedures, or information necessary to implement this subsection, including 

those intended to streamline and simplify the program in 

accordance with paragraph (3). 

‘‘(5) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may transfer 

funds appropriated to the Department of Commerce to other 

Federal agencies for the performance of services authorized 

under this subsection. 

‘‘(6) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—All of the amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year shall be 

used for vouchers awarded under this subsection, except that 

the Secretary may set aside a percentage of such amounts for 

eligible research institutions performing the services described 

in paragraph (1)(B) to defray administrative costs associated 

with the services. The Secretary shall establish a single, fixed 

percentage for such purposes that will apply to all eligible research institutions. 

‘‘(7) OUTREACH.—The Secretary may use centers established 

under section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) to provide information about 

the program established under this subsection and to conduct 

outreach to potential applicants, as appropriate. 

‘‘(8) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 

‘‘(A) PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 

2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a plan that 

will serve as a guide for the activities of the program. The 

plan shall include a description of the specific objectives of 

the program and the metrics that will be used in assessing 

progress toward those objectives. 

‘‘(B) OUTCOMES.—Not later than 3 years after the date 

of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization 

Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report containing— 

‘‘(i) a summary of the activities carried out under 

this subsection; 

‘‘(ii) an assessment of the impact of such activities 

on the innovative capacity of small and medium-sized 

manufacturers receiving assistance under the pilot 

program; and 

‘‘(iii) any recommendations for administrative and 

legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness 

of the pilot program. 

‘‘(9) COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.—To the maximum 

extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the activities carried out under this subsection are coordinated with, and 

do not duplicate the efforts of, other programs within the Federal Government. 


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‘‘(10) ELIGIBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS DEFINED.—For the 

purposes of this subsection, the term ‘eligible research institution’ means— 

‘‘(A) an institution of higher education, as such term is 

defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 

1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)); 

‘‘(B) a Federal laboratory; 

‘‘(C) a federally funded research and development center; 

or 

‘‘(D) a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center established under section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k). 

‘‘(11) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the pilot 

program in this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

2016 through 2020.’’. 

SEC. 504. FEDERAL ACCELERATION OF STATE TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM. 

The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 

U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘SEC. 28. FEDERAL ACCELERATION OF STATE TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM. 

‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.— 

‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a Federal Acceleration of State Technology Commercialization Pilot 

Program or FAST Commercialization Pilot Program to award 

grants to States, or consortia thereof, for the purposes described in paragraph (2). Awards under this section shall be 

made through a competitive, merit-based process. 

‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program under this section is to advance United States productivity and global competitiveness by accelerating commercialization of innovative 

technology by leveraging Federal support for State commercialization efforts. The program shall provide matching funds 

to a State, or consortium thereof, for the acceleration of commercialization activities and the promotion of small manufacturing enterprises in the United States. 

‘‘(b) APPLICATION.—Applications for awards under this section 

shall be submitted in such a manner, at such a time, and containing such information as the Secretary shall require, including— 

‘‘(1) a description of the current state of technology commercialization in the State or States, including successes and barriers to commercialization; and 

‘‘(2) a description of the State’s or consortium’s plan for increasing commercialization of new technologies, products, processes, and services. 

‘‘(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall establish criteria 

for the selection of awardees, which shall consider at a minimum 

a review of efforts during the fiscal year prior to submitting an application to— 

‘‘(1) promote manufacturing; and 

‘‘(2) commercialize new technologies, products, processes, and 

services, including activities to translate federally funded research and technologies to small manufacturing enterprises. 


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‘‘(d) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—A State or consortium receiving 

a grant under this section shall provide non-Federal cash contributions in an amount equal to 50 percent of the total cost of the 

project for which the grant is provided. 

‘‘(e) COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.—In carrying out the 

program under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that grants 

made under the program are coordinated with, and do not duplicate, the efforts of other commercialization programs within the 

Federal Government. 

‘‘(f) EVALUATION.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date of 

enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 

2015, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with an independent entity, such as the National Academy of Sciences, to 

conduct an evaluation of the program established under subsection (a). 

‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The evaluation shall— 

‘‘(A) assess whether the program is achieving its goals; 

‘‘(B) include any recommendations for how the program 

may be improved; and 

‘‘(C) include a recommendation as to whether the program should be continued or terminated. 

‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

‘‘(1) the term ‘State’ has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 

1965 (42 U.S.C. 3122); and 

‘‘(2) the term ‘commercialization’ has the meaning given that 

term in section 9(e)(10) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 

638(e)(10)). 

‘‘(h) DURATION.—Each award shall be for a 5-year period. 

‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 

to be appropriated to the Secretary $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 

years 2016 through 2018 to carry out this section.’’. 

TITLE VI—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Subtitle A—Office of Science 

SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE. 

This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Energy Office 

of Science Authorization Act of 2015’’. 

SEC. 602. DEFINITIONS. 

Except as otherwise provided, in this subtitle: 

(1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ means the Department of Energy. 

(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 

the Office of Science. 

(3) OFFICE OF SCIENCE.—The term ‘‘Office of Science’’ means 

the Department of Energy Office of Science. 

(4) UNDER SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Under Secretary’’ means 

the Under Secretary for Science and Energy. 

(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of Energy. 


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SEC. 603. MISSION OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE. 

Section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 

U.S.C. 7139) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(c) MISSION.—The mission of the Office of Science shall be the 

delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and major scientific 

tools to transform the understanding of nature and to advance the 

energy, economic, and national security of the United States. 

‘‘(d) DUTIES.—In support of this mission, the Director shall carry 

out programs, including those in basic energy sciences, biological 

and environmental research, advanced scientific computing research, fusion energy sciences, high energy physics, and nuclear 

physics, through activities focused on— 

‘‘(1) Science for Discovery to unravel nature’s mysteries 

through activities which range from the study of subatomic 

particles, atoms, and molecules that make up the materials of 

our everyday world to the study of DNA, proteins, cells, and 

entire biological systems; 

‘‘(2) Science for National Need by— 

‘‘(A) advancing a clean energy agenda through research 

on energy production, storage, transmission, efficiency, and 

use; and 

‘‘(B) advancing our understanding of the Earth and its 

climate through research in atmospheric and environmental sciences and climate change; and 

‘‘(3) National Scientific User Facilities to deliver the 21st 

century tools of science, engineering, and technology and provide the Nation’s researchers with the most advanced tools of 

modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, and facilities for 

studying complex molecular systems and the nanoworld. 

‘‘(e) SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES.—The activities described in subsection (d) shall include providing for relevant facilities and infrastructure, programmatic analysis, interagency coordination, and 

workforce development and outreach activities. 

‘‘(f) USER FACILITIES.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out the construction, operation, and maintenance of user facilities, including 

underground research facilities, to support the activities described in subsection (d). As practicable, these facilities shall 

serve the needs of the Department, industry, the academic 

community, and other relevant entities for the purposes of advancing the missions of the Department. 

‘‘(2) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The Director may form partnerships to enhance the utilization of and 

ensure access to user facilities, including underground research 

facilities, by other Federal agencies. 

‘‘(g) OTHER AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—In addition to the activities 

authorized under the Department of Energy Office of Science Authorization Act of 2015, the Office of Science shall carry out other 

such activities as it is authorized or required to carry out by law. 

‘‘(h) COORDINATION AND JOINT ACTIVITIES WITH OTHER DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROGRAMS.—The Under Secretary shall ensure 

the coordination of activities under the Department of Energy Office of Science Authorization Act of 2015 with the other activities 


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of the Department, and shall support joint activities among the 

programs of the Department. 

‘‘(i) DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY FOR OFFICE OF

SCIENCE FACILITIES REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 

date of enactment of the Department of Energy Office of Science 

Authorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit a report to 

the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. The report shall— 

‘‘(1) assess the current ability of domestic manufacturers to 

meet the procurement requirements for major ongoing projects 

funded by the Office of Science, including a calculation of the 

percentage of equipment acquired from domestic manufacturers for this purpose; and 

‘‘(2) identify steps that can be taken by the Federal Government and by private industry to increase the capability of domestic manufacturers to meet procurement requirements of the 

Office of Science for major projects.’’. 

SEC. 604. BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES PROGRAM. 

(a) PROGRAM.—As part of the activities authorized under the 

amendment made by section 603, the Director shall carry out a 

program in basic energy sciences, including materials sciences and 

engineering, chemical sciences, physical biosciences, and geosciences, for the purpose of providing the scientific foundations for 

new energy technologies and addressing scientific grand challenges. 

(b) BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES USER FACILITIES.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a subprogram 

to support and oversee the construction, operation, and maintenance of national user facilities that support the program 

under this section. As practicable, these facilities shall serve 

the needs of the Department, industry, the academic community, and other relevant entities to create and examine new 

materials and chemical processes for the purposes of advancing 

new energy technologies and improving the competitiveness of 

the United States. These facilities shall include— 

(A) x-ray light sources; 

(B) neutron sources; 

(C) nanoscale science research centers; and 

(D) other facilities the Director considers appropriate, 

consistent with section 209(f) of the Department of Energy 

Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139(f)). 

(2) FACILITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—The Director 

shall carry out research and development on advanced accelerator and storage ring technologies relevant to the Basic Energy Sciences user facilities, in consultation with the Office of 

Science’s High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics programs. 

(3) FACILITY CONSTRUCTION AND UPGRADES.—Consistent with 

the Office of Science’s project management practices, the Director shall support construction of— 

(A) an upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source to optimize and enhance beam brightness; 

(B) a Second Target Station at the Spallation Neutron 

Source to double user capacity and expand the suite of instruments to meet new scientific challenges; 


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(C) the Linac Coherent Light Source II to expand the xray wavelength range, incorporate high repetition rate operation for soft and medium energy x-rays, and increase 

user capacity of the Linac Coherent Light Source; and 

(D) an upgrade to the Advanced Light Source to improve 

brightness and performance. 

(c) ENERGY FRONTIER RESEARCH CENTERS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a program to 

provide awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to 

multi-institutional collaborations or other appropriate entities 

to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs related to needs identified 

in— 

(A) the Grand Challenges report of the Department’s 

Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee; 

(B) the report of the Department’s Basic Energy Sciences 

Advisory Committee entitled ‘‘From Quanta to the Continuum: Opportunities for Mesoscale Science’’; 

(C) the Basic Energy Sciences Basic Research Needs 

workshop report; or 

(D) other relevant reports identified by the Director. 

(2) COLLABORATIONS.—A collaboration receiving an award 

under this subsection may include multiple types of institutions and private sector entities. 

(3) SELECTION AND DURATION.— (A) IN GENERAL.—A collaboration under this subsection 

shall be selected for a period of 5 years. An Energy Frontier Research Center already in existence and supported 

by the Director on the date of enactment of this Act may 

continue to receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the date of establishment of that center. 

(B) REAPPLICATION.—After the end of the period described in subparagraph (A), an awardee may reapply for 

selection for a second period of 5 years on a competitive, 

merit-reviewed basis. 

(C) TERMINATION.—Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Director may terminate an 

underperforming center for cause during the performance 

period. 

(4) NO FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION.—No funding provided 

pursuant to this subsection may be used for the construction 

of new buildings or facilities. 

SEC. 605. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities authorized under section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 

7139), and coordinated with the activities authorized under section 

604 and section 606, the Director shall carry out a program of research and development in the areas of biological systems science 

and climate and environmental science, including subsurface 

science, to support the energy and environmental missions of the 

Department. 

(b) BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS SCIENCE ACTIVITIES.— 

(1) ACTIVITIES.—As part of the activities authorized under 

subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research and development activities in fundamental, structural, computational, 


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and systems biology to increase systems-level understanding of 

the complex biological systems, which shall include activities 

to— 

(A) accelerate breakthroughs and new knowledge that 

will enable cost-effective sustainable production of— 

(i) biomass-based liquid transportation fuels; 

(ii) bioenergy; and 

(iii) biobased materials; 

(B) improve understanding of the global carbon cycle, including processes for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, through photosynthesis and other biological 

processes, for sequestration and storage; and 

(C) understand the biological mechanisms used to transform, immobilize, or remove contaminants from subsurface 

environments. 

(2) BIOENERGY RESEARCH CENTERS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out activities under paragraph (1), the Director shall support at least 3 bioenergy 

research centers to accelerate advanced research and development of biomass-based liquid transportation fuels, 

bioenergy, or biobased materials that are produced from a 

variety of regionally diverse feedstocks. 

(B) SELECTION AND DURATION.—A center established 

under subparagraph (A) shall be selected on a competitive, 

merit-reviewed basis for a period of 5 years beginning on 

the date of establishment of that center. A center already 

in existence on the date of enactment of this Act may continue to receive support for a period of 5 years beginning 

on the date of establishment of that center. 

(C) RENEWAL.—After the end of the period described in 

subparagraph (B), an awardee may apply for a second period of 5 years on a merit-reviewed basis. 

(D) TERMINATION.—Consistent with the existing authorities of the Department, the Director may terminate an 

underperforming center for cause during the performance 

period. 

(3) LOW DOSE RADIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a research 

program on low dose radiation. The purpose of the program is to enhance the scientific understanding of and reduce uncertainties associated with the effects of exposure 

to low dose radiation in order to inform improved risk 

management methods. 

(B) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the term ‘‘low dose 

radiation’’ means a radiation dose of less than 100 

millisieverts. 

(C) STUDY.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study assessing the current status and development of a long-term 

strategy for low dose radiation research. The study shall 

be conducted in coordination with Federal agencies that 

perform ionizing radiation effects research. 

(D) CONTENTS.—The study performed under subparagraph (C) shall— 


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(i) identify current scientific challenges for understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation; 

(ii) assess the status of current low dose radiation 

research in the United States and internationally; 

(iii) formulate overall scientific goals for the future 

of low-dose radiation research in the United States; 

(iv) recommend a long-term strategic and prioritized 

research agenda to address scientific research goals 

for overcoming the identified scientific challenges in 

coordination with other research efforts; 

(v) define the essential components of a research 

program that would address this research agenda 

within the universities and the National Laboratories; 

and 

(vi) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such a 

program. 

(E) 5-YEAR RESEARCH PLAN.—Not later than 90 days 

after the completion of the assessment performed under 

subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall deliver to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a five-year research plan that 

responds to the assessment’s findings and recommendations and identifies and prioritizes research needs. 

(4) REPEAL.—Section 977 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

(42 U.S.C. 16317) is repealed. 

(c) CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ACTIVITIES.— (1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities authorized under 

subsection (a), and in coordination with activities carried out 

under subsection (b), the Director shall carry out climate and 

environmental science research, which shall include activities 

to— 

(A) understand, observe, and model the response of 

Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere to increased concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions and any associated 

changes in climate; 

(B) understand the processes for immobilization, or removal of, and understand the movement of, energy production-derived contaminants such as radionuclides and heavy 

metals, and understand the process of sequestration and 

transformation of carbon dioxide in subsurface environments; and 

(C) inform potential mitigation and adaptation options 

for increased concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions 

and any associated changes in climate. 

(2) SUBSURFACE BIOGEOCHEMICAL RESEARCH.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities described in 

paragraph (1), the Director shall carry out research to advance a fundamental understanding of coupled physical, 

chemical, and biological processes for controlling the movement of sequestered carbon and subsurface environmental 

contaminants. 

(B) COORDINATION.— 

(i) DIRECTOR.—The Director shall carry out activities under this paragraph in accordance with priorities 


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established by the Under Secretary to support and accelerate the decontamination of relevant facilities 

managed by the Department. 

(ii) UNDER SECRETARY.—The Under Secretary shall 

ensure the coordination of activities of the Department, including activities under this paragraph, to 

support and accelerate the decontamination of relevant facilities managed by the Department. 

(3) CLIMATE AND EARTH MODELING.—As part of the activities 

described in paragraph (1), the Director, in collaboration with 

the Advanced Scientific Computing Research program described in section 606, shall carry out research to develop, 

evaluate, and use high-resolution regional climate, global climate, and Earth models to inform decisions on reducing the 

impacts of a changing climate. Such modeling shall include, 

among other critical elements, greenhouse gas emissions, land 

use, and interaction among human and Earth systems. 

SEC. 606. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities authorized under section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 

7139), the Director shall carry out a research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program to advance computational and networking capabilities for data-driven discovery 

and to analyze, model, simulate, and predict complex phenomena 

relevant to the development of new energy technologies and the 

competitiveness of the United States. 

(b) COORDINATION.—The Under Secretary shall ensure the coordination of the activities of the Department, including activities 

under this section, to determine and meet the computational and 

networking research and facility needs of the Office of Science and 

all other relevant energy technology and energy efficiency programs 

within the Department. 

(c) RESEARCH TO SUPPORT ENERGY APPLICATIONS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities authorized under 

subsection (a), the program shall support research in high-performance computing and networking relevant to energy applications including modeling, simulation, and advanced data 

analytics for basic and applied energy research programs carried out by the Secretary. 

(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress 

a plan to integrate and leverage the expertise and capabilities 

of the program described in subsection (a), as well as other relevant computational and networking research programs and 

resources supported by the Federal Government, to advance 

the missions of the Department’s applied energy and energy efficiency programs. 

(d) APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR

HIGH-END COMPUTING SYSTEMS.—The Director shall carry out activities to develop, test, and support mathematics, models, and algorithms for complex systems, as well as programming environments, tools, languages, and operating systems for high-end computing systems (as defined in section 2 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 

5541)). 


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(e) EXASCALE COMPUTING PROGRAM.—Section 3 of the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 

U.S.C. 5542) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘program’’ and inserting 

‘‘coordinated program across the Department’’; 

(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (1); 

(C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) 

and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(D) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

‘‘(3) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the technology developed in this program to other challenges in 

science, engineering, medicine, and industry.’’; 

(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘vector’’ and all that follows through ‘‘architectures’’ and inserting ‘‘computer technologies that show promise of substantial reductions in power 

requirements and substantial gains in parallelism of multicore 

processors, concurrency, memory and storage, bandwidth, and 

reliability’’; and 

(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(d) EXASCALE COMPUTING PROGRAM.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a coordinated 

research program to develop exascale computing systems to advance the missions of the Department. 

‘‘(2) EXECUTION.—The Secretary shall, through competitive 

merit review, establish two or more National Laboratory-industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale architectures, 

and— 

‘‘(A) conduct mission-related co-design activities in developing such exascale platforms; 

‘‘(B) develop those advancements in hardware and software technology required to fully realize the potential of 

an exascale production system in addressing Department 

target applications and solving scientific problems involving predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale 

data analytics and management; and 

‘‘(C) explore the use of exascale computing technologies 

to advance a broad range of science and engineering. 

‘‘(3) ADMINISTRATION.—In carrying out this program, the Secretary shall— 

‘‘(A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, access for researchers in United States industry, institutions 

of higher education, National Laboratories, and other Federal agencies to these exascale systems, as appropriate; 

and 

‘‘(B) conduct outreach programs to increase the readiness 

for the use of such platforms by domestic industries, including manufacturers. 

‘‘(4) REPORTS.— ‘‘(A) INTEGRATED STRATEGY AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

PLAN.—The Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later 

than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Department of Energy Office of Science Authorization Act of 


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2015, a report outlining an integrated strategy and program management plan, including target dates for 

prototypical and production exascale platforms, interim 

milestones to reaching these targets, functional requirements, roles and responsibilities of National Laboratories 

and industry, acquisition strategy, and estimated resources 

required, to achieve this exascale system capability. The 

report shall include the Secretary’s plan for Departmental 

organization to manage and execute the Exascale Computing Program, including definition of the roles and responsibilities within the Department to ensure an integrated program across the Department. The report shall 

also include a plan for ensuring balance and prioritizing 

across ASCR subprograms in a flat or slow-growth budget 

environment. 

‘‘(B) STATUS REPORTS.—At the time of the budget submission of the Department for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that describes the 

status of milestones and costs in achieving the objectives 

of the exascale computing program. 

‘‘(C) EXASCALE MERIT REPORT.—At least 18 months prior 

to the initiation of construction or installation of any 

exascale-class computing facility, the Secretary shall transmit a plan to the Congress detailing— 

‘‘(i) the proposed facility’s cost projections and capabilities to significantly accelerate the development of 

new energy technologies; 

‘‘(ii) technical risks and challenges that must be 

overcome to achieve successful completion and operation of the facility; and 

‘‘(iii) an independent assessment of the scientific and 

technological advances expected from such a facility 

relative to those expected from a comparable investment in expanded research and applications at 

terascale-class and petascale-class computing facilities, 

including an evaluation of where investments should 

be made in the system software and algorithms to enable these advances.’’. 

(f) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2 of the Department of Energy HighEnd Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 5541) is 

amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and inserting the 

following: 

‘‘(1) CO-DESIGN.—The term ‘co-design’ means the joint development of application algorithms, models, and codes with computer technology architectures and operating systems to maximize effective use of high-end computing systems. 

‘‘(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘Department’ means the Department of Energy. 

‘‘(3) EXASCALE.—The term ‘exascale’ means computing system performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point 

operations per second. 

‘‘(4) HIGH-END COMPUTING SYSTEM.—The term ‘high-end computing system’ means a computing system with performance 

that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly 

available for advanced scientific and engineering applications. 


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‘‘(5) LEADERSHIP SYSTEM.—The term ‘Leadership System’ 

means a high-end computing system that is among the most 

advanced in the world in terms of performance in solving scientific and engineering problems. 

‘‘(6) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning given the term in 

section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 

‘‘(7) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘National Laboratory’ 

has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 

‘‘(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 

of Energy. 

‘‘(9) SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘software technology’ 

includes optimal algorithms, programming environments, tools, 

languages, and operating systems for high-end computing systems.’’. 

SEC. 607. FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH. 

(a) PROGRAM.—As part of the activities authorized under section 

209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139) 

and section 972 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16312), 

the Director shall carry out a fusion energy sciences research and 

enabling technology development program to effectively address the 

scientific and engineering challenges to building a cost-competitive 

fusion power plant and to establish a competitive fusion power industry in the United States. As part of this program, the Director 

shall carry out research activities to expand the fundamental understandings of plasmas and matter at very high temperatures and 

densities for fusion applications and for other plasma science applications. 

(b) TOKAMAK RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— (1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Director shall support research and development activities and facility operations to— 

(A) optimize the tokamak approach to fusion energy; and 

(B) determine the viability of the tokamak approach to 

fusion energy to lead to a commercial fusion power plant. 

(2) ITER.— 

(A) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Director shall coordinate 

and carry out the responsibilities of the United States with 

respect to the ITER international fusion project pursuant 

to the Agreement on the Establishment of the International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project. 

(B) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 

a report providing an assessment of— 

(i) the most recent schedule for ITER that has been 

approved by the ITER Council; and 

(ii) progress of the ITER Council and the ITER Director-General toward implementation of the recommendations of the Third Biennial International Organization Management Assessment Report. 

(C) FAIRNESS IN COMPETITION FOR SOLICITATIONS FOR

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ACTIVITIES.—Section 33 of the 

Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended by 


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adding at the end the following: ‘‘For purposes of this section, with respect to international research projects, the 

term ‘private facilities or laboratories’ shall refer to facilities or laboratories located in the United States.’’. 

(D) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 

that the United States should support a robust, diverse 

program in addition to meeting its commitments to ITER. 

It is further the sense of Congress that developing the scientific basis for fusion, providing research results key to 

the success of ITER, and training the next generation of 

fusion scientists are of critical importance to the United 

States and should in no way be diminished by participation of the United States in the ITER project. 

(c) INERTIAL FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall carry out a program of research and 

technology development in inertial fusion for energy applications, 

including ion beam, laser, and pulsed power fusion systems. 

(d) ALTERNATIVE AND ENABLING CONCEPTS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Director shall support research and development activities and facility operations at United States universities, national laboratories, and private facilities for a portfolio 

of alternative and enabling fusion energy concepts that may 

provide solutions to significant challenges to the establishment 

of a commercial magnetic fusion power plant, prioritized based 

on the ability of the United States to play a leadership role in 

the international fusion research community. Fusion energy 

concepts and activities explored under this paragraph may include— 

(A) high magnetic field approaches facilitated by high 

temperature superconductors; 

(B) advanced stellarator concepts; 

(C) non-tokamak confinement configurations operating 

at low magnetic fields; 

(D) magnetized target fusion energy concepts; 

(E) liquid metals to address issues associated with fusion 

plasma interactions with the inner wall of the encasing device; 

(F) immersion blankets for heat management and fuel 

breeding; 

(G) advanced scientific computing activities: and 

(H) other promising fusion energy concepts identified by 

the Director. 

(2) COORDINATION WITH ARPA–E.—The Under Secretary and 

the Director shall coordinate with the Director of the Advanced 

Research Projects Agency–Energy (in this paragraph referred 

to as ‘‘ARPA–E’’) to— 

(A) assess the potential for any fusion energy project 

supported by ARPA–E to represent a promising approach 

to a commercially viable fusion power plant; 

(B) determine whether the results of any fusion energy 

project supported by ARPA–E merit the support of followon research activities carried out by the Office of Science; 

and 

(C) avoid unintentional duplication of activities. 


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(e) FUSION MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—As part of 

the activities authorized in section 978 of the Energy Policy Act of 

2005 (42 U.S.C. 16318), the Director, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the Department, shall 

carry out research and development activities to identify, characterize, and create materials that can endure the neutron, plasma, 

and heat fluxes expected in a commercial fusion power plant. As 

part of the activities authorized under subsection (g), the Secretary 

shall— 

(1) provide an assessment of the need for a facility or facilities that can examine and test potential fusion and next generation fission reactor materials and other enabling technologies relevant to the development of commercial fusion 

power plants; and 

(2) provide an assessment of whether a single new facility 

that substantially addresses magnetic fusion, inertial fusion, 

and next generation fission materials research needs is feasible, in conjunction with the expected capabilities of facilities 

operational at the time of this assessment. 

(f) GENERAL PLASMA SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS.—Not later than 

2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

provide to Congress an assessment of opportunities in which the 

United States can provide world-leading contributions to advancing 

plasma science and non-fusion energy applications, and identify opportunities for partnering with other Federal agencies both within 

and outside of the Department of Energy. 

(g) IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES.— (1) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the Department’s proposed fusion energy research and 

development activities over the following 10 years under at 

least 3 realistic budget scenarios, including a scenario based on 

3 percent annual growth in the non-ITER portion of the budget 

for fusion energy research and development activities. The report shall— 

(A) identify specific areas of fusion energy research and 

enabling technology development in which the United 

States can and should establish or solidify a lead in the 

global fusion energy development effort; 

(B) identify priorities for initiation of facility construction and facility decommissioning under each of those scenarios; 

(C) provide a roadmap addressing critical scientific challenges to ensure that within 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act there is sufficient basis to justify and 

motivate the initiation of an applied fusion energy development program; and 

(D) assess the ability of the United States fusion workforce to carry out the activities identified in subparagraphs 

(A) through (C), including the adequacy of college and university programs to train the leaders and workers of the 

next generation of fusion energy researchers. 

(2) PROCESS.—In order to develop the report required under 

paragraph (1), the Secretary shall leverage best practices and 

lessons learned from the process used to develop the most reVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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cent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel 

of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. No member of the 

Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee shall be excluded 

from participating in developing or voting on final approval of 

the report required under paragraph (1). 

SEC. 608. HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS PROGRAM. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of the activities authorized under section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 

7139), the Director shall carry out a research program on the elementary constituents of matter and energy and the nature of space 

and time. 

(b) ENERGY FRONTIER RESEARCH.—As part of the program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research 

using high energy accelerators and advanced detectors to create 

and study interactions of novel particles and investigate fundamental forces. 

(c) NEUTRINO RESEARCH.—As part of the program described in 

subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research activities on 

rare decay processes and the nature of the neutrino, which may include collaborations with the National Science Foundation or international collaborations on relevant research projects. 

(d) DARK ENERGY AND DARK MATTER RESEARCH.—As part of the 

program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research activities on the nature of dark energy and dark matter. 

These activities shall be consistent with the research priorities 

identified by the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel or the National Academy of Sciences, and may include— 

(1) collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, the National Science Foundation, or international collaborations on relevant research projects; and 

(2) the development of space-based, land-based, and underground facilities and experiments. 

(e) FACILITY CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT.— Consistent with the Office of Science’s project management practices, the Director shall support construction or fabrication of— 

(1) an international Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility based in 

the United States; 

(2) the Muon to Electron Conversion Experiment; 

(3) Second Generation Dark Matter experiments; 

(4) the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument; 

(5) the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope camera; 

(6) upgrades to components of the Large Hadron Collider; 

and 

(7) other high priority projects recommended in the most recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel 

of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. 

(f) ACCELERATOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—As part of the 

program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research and development in advanced accelerator concepts and technologies, including laser technologies, to reduce the necessary scope 

and cost for the next generation of particle accelerators, in coordination with the Office of Science’s Basic Energy Sciences and Nuclear Physics programs. 

(g) INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.—The Director, as practicable and in coordination with other appropriate Federal agencies 


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as necessary, shall ensure the access of United States researchers 

to the most advanced accelerator facilities and research capabilities 

in the world, including the Large Hadron Collider. 

SEC. 609. NUCLEAR PHYSICS PROGRAM. 

(a) PROGRAM.—As part of the activities authorized under section 

209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 

7139), the Director shall carry out a research program, and support 

relevant facilities, to discover and understand various forms of nuclear matter. 

(b) FACILITY CONSTRUCTION.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with the Office of Science’s 

project management practices, the Director shall continue to 

support the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope 

Beams. 

(2) REPEAL.—Section 981 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

(42 U.S.C. 16321) is repealed. 

(c) ISOTOPE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION FOR RESEARCH APPLICATIONS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a program for 

the production of isotopes that the Director determines are 

needed for research and applications, including— 

(A) the development of techniques to produce isotopes; 

and 

(B) support for infrastructure required for isotope research and production. 

(2) COORDINATION.—In making the determination described 

in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 

(A) ensure that isotope production activities do not compete with private industry unless critical national interests 

necessitate the Federal Government’s involvement; and 

(B) consider any relevant recommendations made by 

Federal advisory committees, the National Academies, and 

interagency working groups in which the Department participates. 

SEC. 610. SCIENCE LABORATORIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM. 

(a) PROGRAM.—The Director shall carry out a program to improve 

the safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of infrastructure at Office of Science laboratories. The program shall include projects to— 

(1) renovate or replace space that does not meet research 

needs; 

(2) replace facilities that are no longer cost effective to renovate or operate; 

(3) modernize utility systems to prevent failures and ensure 

efficiency; 

(4) remove excess facilities to allow safe and efficient operations; and 

(5) construct modern facilities to conduct advanced research 

in controlled environmental conditions. 

(b) APPROACH.—In carrying out this section, the Director shall 

utilize all available approaches and mechanisms, including capital 

line items, minor construction projects, energy savings performance 

contracts, utility energy service contracts, alternative financing, 

and expense funding, as appropriate. 


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(c) DEFINITION.—The term ‘‘Office of Science laboratory’’ means a 

subset of National Laboratories as defined in section 2(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801) consisting of subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (D), (F), (K), (L), (M), (P), and (Q). 

SEC. 611. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the 

activities of the Office of Science— 

(1) $5,339,794,000 for fiscal year 2016; 

(2) $5,606,783,700 for fiscal year 2017; 

(3) $5,887,122,885 for fiscal year 2018; 

(4) $6,181,479,029 for fiscal year 2019; and 

(5) $6,490,552,981 for fiscal year 2020. 

Subtitle B—ARPA–E 

SEC. 621. SHORT TITLE. 

This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘ARPA–E Reauthorization Act 

of 2015’’. 

SEC. 622. ARPA–E AMENDMENTS. 

Section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538) 

is amended— 

(1) by redesignating subsection (n) as subsection (o) and inserting after subsection (m) the following new subsection: 

‘‘(n) PROTECTION OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.—The following 

categories of information collected by the Advanced Research 

Projects Agency-Energy from recipients of financial assistance 

awards shall be considered privileged and confidential and not subject to disclosure pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States 

Code: 

‘‘(1) Plans for commercialization of technologies developed 

under the award, including business plans, technology to market plans, market studies, and cost and performance models. 

‘‘(2) Investments provided to an awardee from third parties, 

such as venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firms, including amounts and percentage of ownership of the awardee 

provided in return for such investments. 

‘‘(3) Additional financial support that the awardee plans to 

invest or has invested into the technology developed under the 

award, or that the awardee is seeking from third parties. 

‘‘(4) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new products or 

services resulting from the research conducted under the 

award.’’; and 

(2) in paragraph (2) of subsection (o), as so redesignated by 

paragraph (1) of this section, by— 

(A) striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subparagraph (D); 

(B) striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E) 

and inserting a semicolon; and 

(C) adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(F) $325,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; 

‘‘(G) $341,250,000 for fiscal year 2017; 

‘‘(H) $358,312,500 for fiscal year 2018; 

‘‘(I) $376,228,125 for fiscal year 2019; and 

‘‘(J) $395,039,531 for fiscal year 2020.’’. 


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Subtitle C—Energy Innovation 

SEC. 641. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a 

program to enhance the Nation’s economic, environmental, and 

energy security by making awards to consortia for establishing 

and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct and support, 

whenever practicable at one centralized location, multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, demonstration, 

and commercial application of advanced energy technologies. 

(2) TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOCUS.—The Secretary shall 

designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology 

focus. 

(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall ensure the coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the activities of 

Hubs with those of other Department of Energy research entities, including the National Laboratories, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Energy Frontier Research Centers, and within industry. 

(b) CONSORTIA.— 

(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive an award under 

this section for the establishment and operation of a Hub, a 

consortium shall— 

(A) be composed of no fewer than 2 qualifying entities; 

and 

(B) operate subject to an agreement entered into by its 

members that documents— 

(i) the proposed partnership agreement, including 

the governance and management structure of the Hub; 

(ii) measures to enable cost-effective implementation 

of the program under this section; 

(iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions from non-Federal sources; 

(iv) a plan for managing intellectual property rights; 

and 

(v) an accounting structure that enables the Secretary to ensure that the consortium has complied 

with the requirements of this section. 

(2) APPLICATION.—A consortium seeking to establish and operate a Hub under this section, acting through a prime applicant, shall transmit to the Secretary an application at such 

time, in such form, and accompanied by such information as 

the Secretary shall require, including a detailed description of 

the elements of the consortium agreement required under 

paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium members will not be located at one centralized location, such application shall include 

a communications plan that ensures close coordination and integration of the Hub’s activities. 

(c) SELECTION AND SCHEDULE.—The Secretary shall select consortia for awards for the establishment and operation of Hubs 

through competitive selection processes. In selecting consortia, the 

Secretary shall consider the information a consortium must disclose according to subsection (b), as well as any existing facilities 


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a consortium will provide for Hub activities. Awards made to a Hub 

shall be for a period not to exceed 5 years, after which the award 

may be renewed, subject to a rigorous merit review. A Hub already 

in existence on the date of enactment of this Act may continue to 

receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the date of establishment of that Hub. 

(d) HUB OPERATIONS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Each Hub shall conduct or provide for multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, demonstration, and, where appropriate, commercial application of advanced energy technologies within the technology development 

focus designated under subsection (a)(2). Each Hub shall— 

(A) encourage collaboration and communication among 

the member qualifying entities of the consortium and 

awardees by conducting activities whenever practicable at 

one centralized location; 

(B) develop and publish on the Department of Energy’s 

website proposed plans and programs; 

(C) submit an annual report to the Secretary summarizing the Hub’s activities, including detailing organizational expenditures, and describing each project undertaken by the Hub; and 

(D) monitor project implementation and coordination. 

(2) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— (A) PROCEDURES.—Hubs shall maintain conflict of interest procedures, consistent with those of the Department of 

Energy, to ensure that employees and consortia designees 

for Hub activities who are in decisionmaking capacities 

disclose all material conflicts of interest. 

(B) DISQUALIFICATION AND REVOCATION.—The Secretary 

may disqualify an application or revoke funds distributed 

to a Hub if the Secretary discovers a failure to comply with 

conflict of interest procedures established under subparagraph (A). 

(3) PROHIBITION ON CONSTRUCTION.— (A) IN GENERAL.—No funds provided pursuant to this 

section may be used for construction of new buildings or 

facilities for Hubs. Construction of new buildings or facilities shall not be considered as part of the non-Federal 

share of a Hub cost-sharing agreement. 

(B) TEST BED AND RENOVATION EXCEPTION.—Nothing in 

this subsection shall prohibit the use of funds provided 

pursuant to this section, or non-Federal cost share funds, 

for research or for the construction of a test bed or renovations to existing buildings or facilities for the purposes of 

research if the Secretary determines that the test bed or 

renovations are limited to a scope and scale necessary for 

the research to be conducted. 

(e) TERMINATION.—Consistent with the existing authorities of the 

Department, the Secretary may terminate an underperforming Hub 

for cause during the performance period. 

(f) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

(1) ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘advanced 

energy technology’’ means— 

(A) an innovative technology— 


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(i) that produces energy from solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or other renewable energy resources; 

(ii) that produces nuclear energy; 

(iii) for carbon capture and sequestration; 

(iv) that enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components, and related technologies that result in significant energy savings; 

(v) that generates, transmits, distributes, utilizes, or 

stores energy more efficiently than conventional technologies, including through Smart Grid technologies; 

or 

(vi) that enhances the energy independence and security of the United States by enabling improved or 

expanded supply and production of domestic energy 

resources, including coal, oil, and natural gas; 

(B) research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities necessary to ensure the longterm, secure, and sustainable supply of energy critical elements; or 

(C) another innovative energy technology area identified 

by the Secretary. 

(2) ENERGY CRITICAL ELEMENT.—The term ‘‘energy critical 

element’’ means any of a class of chemical elements that have 

a high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to one or 

more new, energy-related technologies such that a shortage of 

such element would significantly inhibit large-scale deployment 

of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or conserve energy. 

(3) HUB.—The term ‘‘Hub’’ means an Energy Innovation Hub 

established or operating in accordance with this section, including any Energy Innovation Hub existing as of the date of 

enactment of this Act. 

(4) QUALIFYING ENTITY.—The term ‘‘qualifying entity’’ 

means— 

(A) an institution of higher education; 

(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including the 

Department of Energy Federally Funded Research and Development Centers; 

(C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise in 

advanced energy technology research, development, demonstration, or commercial application; or 

(D) any other relevant entity the Secretary considers appropriate. 

SEC. 642. PARTICIPATION IN THE INNOVATION CORPS PROGRAM. 

(a) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary of Energy shall enter into an 

agreement with the Director of the National Science Foundation to 

enable researchers funded by the Department of Energy to participate in the Innovation Corps program authorized by section 307. 

(b) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Energy may also establish 

a Department of Energy Innovation Corps program, modeled after 

the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program, to incorporate experts from the Department of Energy National Laboratories in the training curriculum of the program. 


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SEC. 643. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 

(a) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Energy shall 

transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 

the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 

Natural Resources of the Senate a report which shall include— 

(1) an assessment of the Department’s current ability to 

carry out the goals of section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 

2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391), including an assessment of the role 

and effectiveness of the Director of the Office of Technology 

Transitions; and 

(2) recommended departmental policy changes and legislative changes to section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

(42 U.S.C. 16391) to improve the Department’s ability to successfully transfer new energy technologies to the private sector. 

(b) AMENDMENTS.—Section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

(42 U.S.C. 16391) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘for commercial purposes’’ 

and inserting ‘‘of any sort for commercial purposes, including 

energy technologies not currently supported by the Department 

of Energy’’; 

(2) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (h) 

and (i), respectively; and 

(3) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsections: 

‘‘(f) AGREEMENTS FOR COMMERCIALIZING TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out the Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program of the Department, as announced by the Secretary on December 8, 2011, 

in accordance with this subsection. 

‘‘(2) TERMS.—Each agreement entered into pursuant to the 

pilot program referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide to the 

contractor of the applicable National Laboratory, to the maximum extent determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, 

increased authority to negotiate contract terms, such as intellectual property rights, payment structures, performance guarantees, and multiparty collaborations. 

‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any director of a National Laboratory 

may enter into an agreement pursuant to the pilot program referred to in paragraph (1). 

‘‘(B) AGREEMENTS WITH NON-FEDERAL ENTITIES.—To 

carry out subparagraph (A) and subject to subparagraph 

(C), the Secretary shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to execute agreements with a non-Federal entity, including a non-Federal entity already receiving Federal funding that will be used to support activities 

under agreements executed pursuant to subparagraph (A), 

provided that such funding is solely used to carry out the 

purposes of the Federal award. 

‘‘(C) RESTRICTION.—The requirements of chapter 18 of 

title 35, United States Code (commonly known as the 

‘Bayh-Dole Act’) shall apply if— 


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‘‘(i) the agreement is a funding agreement (as that 

term is defined in section 201 of that title); and 

‘‘(ii) at least 1 of the parties to the funding agreement is eligible to receive rights under that chapter. 

‘‘(4) SUBMISSION TO SECRETARY.—Each affected director of a 

National Laboratory shall submit to the Secretary, with respect to each agreement entered into under this subsection— 

‘‘(A) a summary of information relating to the relevant 

project; 

‘‘(B) the total estimated costs of the project; 

‘‘(C) estimated commencement and completion dates of 

the project; and 

‘‘(D) other documentation determined to be appropriate 

by the Secretary. 

‘‘(5) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall require the contractor of the affected National Laboratory to certify that each 

activity carried out under a project for which an agreement is 

entered into under this subsection— 

‘‘(A) is not in direct competition with the private sector; 

and 

‘‘(B) does not present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict of interest, and avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of interest, as a result of the agreement under this 

subsection. 

‘‘(6) EXTENSION.—The pilot program referred to in paragraph 

(1) shall be extended until October 31, 2017. 

‘‘(7) REPORTS.— ‘‘(A) OVERALL ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 

the date described in paragraph (6), the Secretary, in coordination with directors of the National Laboratories, 

shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 

report that— 

‘‘(i) assesses the overall effectiveness of the pilot program referred to in paragraph (1); 

‘‘(ii) identifies opportunities to improve the effectiveness of the pilot program; 

‘‘(iii) assesses the potential for program activities to 

interfere with the responsibilities of the National Laboratories to the Department; and 

‘‘(iv) provides a recommendation regarding the future of the pilot program. 

‘‘(B) TRANSPARENCY.—The Secretary, in coordination 

with directors of the National Laboratories, shall submit to 

the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 

House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 

and Natural Resources of the Senate an annual report that 

accounts for all incidences of, and provides a justification 

for, non-Federal entities using funds derived from a Federal contract or award to carry out agreements pursuant 

to this subsection. 

‘‘(g) INCLUSION OF TECHNOLOGY MATURATION IN AUTHORIZED

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall permit 

the directors of the National Laboratories to use funds authorized 


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to support technology transfer, following the standard practices of 

the Department, to carry out technology maturation activities to 

identify and improve potential commercial application opportunities and demonstrate applications of research and technologies arising from National Laboratory activities.’’. 

(c) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

AGREEMENTS.— 

(1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Energy shall delegate to 

directors of the National Laboratories signature authority for 

any technology transfer agreement with a total cost of not 

more than $500,000, including both National Laboratory contributions and the project recipient cost share contribution, if 

such an agreement falls within the scope of a strategic plan for 

the National Laboratory that has been approved by the Department. 

(2) AGREEMENTS INCLUDED.—The agreements to which this 

subsection applies include— 

(A) Cooperative Research and Development Agreements; 

and 

(B) non-Federal Work for Others Agreements. 

(3) AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS.— 

(A) Not later than 7 days after the date on which the director of a National Laboratory enters into an agreement 

under this subsection, such director shall submit to the 

Secretary of Energy for monitoring and review all records 

of the National Laboratory relating to the agreement. 

(B) Not later than 30 days after the date on which the 

director of a specific National Laboratory enters into an 

agreement under this subsection, the Secretary may terminate the agreement and the authority of any director of 

such National Laboratory to enter into agreements under 

this subsection if— 

(i) all records of the National Laboratory relating to 

the agreement have not been transmitted to the Secretary in accordance with subparagraph (A); or 

(ii) the Secretary determines that this agreement is 

inconsistent with the mission of the Department. 

(4) LIMITATION.—This subsection does not apply to any 

agreement with a majority foreign-owned company. 

(5) SUNSET.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—This subsection shall apply only during the 4-year period beginning on the date of enactment 

of this Act. 

(B) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than the date that is 180 

days prior to the last day of the period described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an assessment of the effectiveness of the authority provided to the directors of the 

National Laboratories under this subsection to accelerate 

the development of new technologies, and an assessment of 

any incidences of potential misuse of this authority in the 

opinion of the Secretary. 


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SEC. 644. FUNDING COMPETITIVENESS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 

EDUCATION AND OTHER NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS. 

Section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 

16352(b)) is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(4) EXEMPTION FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND

OTHER NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a research or development activity performed by an institution 

of higher education or nonprofit institution (as defined in 

section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation 

Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)). 

‘‘(B) TERMINATION DATE.—The exemption under subparagraph (A) shall apply during the 6-year period beginning 

on the date of enactment of this paragraph.’’. 

SEC. 645. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND ENERGY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(b) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7132(b)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘Under Secretary for Science’’ each place it 

appears and inserting ‘‘Under Secretary for Science and Energy’’; and 

(2) in paragraph (4)— 

(A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the 

end and inserting a semicolon; and 

(C) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following: 

‘‘(H) establish appropriate linkages between offices 

under the jurisdiction of the Under Secretary; and 

‘‘(I) perform such functions and duties as the Secretary 

shall prescribe, consistent with this section.’’. 

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— (1) Section 3164(b)(1) of the Department of Energy Science 

Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381a(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘Under Secretary for Science’’ and inserting 

‘‘Under Secretary for Science and Energy’’. 

(2) Section 641(h)(2) of the United States Energy Storage 

Competitiveness Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(h)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘Under Secretary for Science’’ and inserting 

‘‘Under Secretary for Science and Energy’’. 

SEC. 646. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary shall have the authority 

to— 

(1) make appointments of scientific, engineering, and professional personnel, without regard to civil service laws, to assist 

the Department in meeting specific project or research needs; 

(2) fix the basic pay of any employee appointed under this 

section at a rate to be determined by the Under Secretary at 

rates not in excess of the Executive Schedule (EX–II) without 

regard to the civil service laws; and 

(3) pay any employee appointed under this section payments 

in addition to basic pay, except that the total amount of addiVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:32 May 19, 2015 Jkt 049008 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR120.XXX HR120

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tional payments paid to an employee under this subsection for 

any 12-month period shall not exceed the least of the following 

amounts: 

(A) $25,000. 

(B) The amount equal to 25 percent of the annual rate 

of basic pay of that employee. 

(C) The amount of the limitation that is applicable for a 

calendar year under section 5307(a)(1) of title 5, United 

States Code. 

(b) TERM.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The term of any employee appointed under 

this section shall not exceed 3 years. 

(2) TERMINATION.—The Under Secretary shall have the authority to terminate any employee appointed under this section 

at any time based on performance or changing project or research needs of the Department. 

PART B—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 2250 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE RATCLIFFE

OF TEXAS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 29, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by 

$5,700,000)’’. 

Page 37, line 15, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by 

$5,700,000)’’. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE FLORES OF

TEXAS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: 

SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be 

used to deliver a printed copy of the Congressional Pictorial Directory to the office of a Member of the House of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress). 

3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BLACKBURN OF TENNESSEE OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: 

SEC. ll. (a) Each amount made available by this Act is hereby 

reduced by 1 percent. 

(b) The reduction in subsection (a) shall not apply with respect 

to— 

(1) accounts under the heading ‘‘Capitol Police’’; 

(2) ‘‘Architect of the Capitol—Capitol Police Buildings, 

Grounds and Security’’; or 

(3) the amount provided for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms under the heading ‘‘House of Representatives—Salaries, Officers and Employees’’. 

Æ 


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