I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3717 

To provide for the establishment of a grant program to support United 

States-Israel cooperation for neuroscience-related research and related 

technological innovation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 8, 2015 

Mr. FATTAH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To provide for the establishment of a grant program to 

support United States-Israel cooperation for neuroscience-related research and related technological innovation, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S.–Israel Global 

5 Neuroscience Partnership Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) It is in the highest national security inter2 ests of the United States to develop neuroscience-re3 lated research and neurotechnology. 

4 (2) The State of Israel is a steadfast ally of the 

5 United States. 

6 (3) The four existing bilateral research and de7 velopment (in this Act referred to as ‘‘R&D’’) foun8 dations are successful tools for implementation of di9 verse programmatic R&D cooperation and include— 

10 (A) the United States-Israel Binational In11 dustrial Research and Development Founda12 tion; 

13 (B) the United States-Israel Binational 

14 Science Foundation; 

15 (C) the United States-Israel Binational 

16 Agricultural Research and Development Foun17 dation; and 

18 (D) the United States-Israel Science & 

19 Technology Foundation. 

20 (4) Given this proven success, it is in the eco21 nomic interest of the United States to develop closer 

22 research, high-technology and innovation ties with 

23 Israel in strategic areas of mutual interest. 

24 (5) Both governments agreed to reach an um25 brella Science & Technology Agreement under which 


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1 existing R&D and Innovation funding programs can 

2 operate jointly on common priorities, in order to in3 tensify, further and deepen the science and tech4 nology (in this Act referred to as ‘‘S&T’’) and inno5 vation links between the United States and Israel 

6 beyond the existing bilateral foundations operations. 

7 The United States Department of State is drafting 

8 this Agreement. Congress supports this agreement 

9 and its implementation through Federal R&D and 

10 innovation programs. 

11 (6) The State of Israel has a centralized mecha12 nism for policy and funding industrial R&D within 

13 the Ministry of Economy’s Industrial R&D Adminis14 tration, known as the Office of the Chief Scientist 

15 (in this Act referred to as ‘‘OCS’’). The OCS is the 

16 State of Israel’s national authority in charge of pol17 icy and budgeting of industrial R&D and innovation. 

18 (7) The U.S.–Israel Joint Economic Develop19 ment Group, a binational economic dialogue between 

20 both governments (in this Act referred to as 

21 ‘‘JEDG’’) to further enhance cooperation between 

22 the United States and Israel, requested the United 

23 States-Israel Science & Technology Foundation map 

24 and identify mechanisms of research and developVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:49 Oct 14, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3717.IH H3717

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1 ment in neuroscience and neurotechnology that can 

2 support further collaboration between the countries. 

3 (8) Israeli scientists and engineers are at the 

4 forefront of research and development in the field of 

5 neuroscience. 

6 (9) Israel Brain Technologies is a nonprofit or7 ganization whose mission is to turn Israel into a 

8 global brain technology and research leader by— 

9 (A) supporting applied brain research; 

10 (B) accelerating brain technology develop11 ment; 

12 (C) creating and fostering a community 

13 around neurotechnology; and 

14 (D) attracting key stakeholders to partner 

15 and support brain technology in Israel. 

16 (10) Enhanced cooperation between the United 

17 States and Israel for the purpose of research and de18 velopment of neuroscience that would be in the na19 tional interests of both countries. 

20 (b) BILATERAL INDUSTRIAL R&D AND INNOVATION

21 PROGRAMS.— 

22 (1) Congress supports the expansion of U.S.– 

23 Israel industry driven R&D with Federal and State 

24 entities through innovation linkages to promote eco25 nomic growth and job creation. 


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1 (2) It is in the best interest of the United 

2 States to hold a regular dialogue with Israel’s OCS 

3 aiming to identify potential synergies and coordi4 nating bilateral cooperation between R&D programs 

5 supported by the Federal Government and the Gov6 ernment of Israel detailing pathways to partnership 

7 with the OCS, and Israel’s Ministry of Science, 

8 Technology, and Space (in this Act referred to as 

9 ‘‘MOST’’). 

10 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR NEUROSCIENCE-RELATED RESEARCH. 

11 (a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Health and 

12 Human Services, acting through the Director of the Na13 tional Institutes of Health, in consultation with their gov14 ernment counterparts at OCS and MOST, shall award 

15 grants to eligible entities for neuroscience-related research 

16 and related technological innovation. 

17 (b) APPLICATION.— 

18 (1) SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS.—To receive 

19 a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall 

20 submit an application to the Secretary containing 

21 such information and assurances as the Secretary, in 

22 consultation with the OCS and MOST, may require. 

23 (2) SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The 

24 Secretary, in consultation with the Directors of the 

25 OCS and MOST, may review any application subVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:49 Oct 14, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3717.IH H3717

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1 mitted by any eligible entity and select any eligible 

2 entity meeting criteria established by the Secretary, 

3 in consultation with the Advisory Committee, for a 

4 grant under this section. 

5 (c) RELATION TO SBIR AND STTR PROGRAMS.— 

6 The Secretary shall carry out this section through the 

7 Small Business Innovation Research (‘‘SBIR’’) and Small 

8 Business Technology Transfer (‘‘STTR’’) programs of the 

9 National Institutes of Health. 

10 (d) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of each grant 

11 awarded for a fiscal year under this section shall be deter12 mined by the Secretary, in consultation with the OCS and 

13 MOST. 

14 (e) PRIVATE FUNDS.—The Secretary may accept 

15 contributions of funds from private sources to carry out 

16 this Act. 

17 (f) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after receiving 

18 a grant under this section, each recipient shall submit a 

19 report to the Secretary— 

20 (1) documenting how the recipient used the 

21 grant funds; and 

22 (2) evaluating the level of success of each 

23 project funded by the grant. 


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1 SEC. 4. U.S.–ISRAEL NEUROSCIENCE ADVISORY COM2 MITTEE. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 

4 National Institutes of Health a U.S.–Israel Neuroscience 

5 Advisory Committee. 

6 (b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall advise 

7 the Secretary on— 

8 (1) criteria for the recipients of grants awarded 

9 under section 3(a); and 

10 (2) the total amount of grant money to be 

11 awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in 

12 consultation with the OCS and MOST. 

13 (c) MEMBERSHIP.— 

14 (1) COMPOSITION.—The Advisory Committee 

15 shall be composed of— 

16 (A) 3 members appointed by the Director 

17 of the National Institutes of Health; and 

18 (B) in addition to the members appointed 

19 under subparagraph (A), 3 members who shall 

20 be Israeli citizens, appointed by the Director of 

21 the National Institutes of Health after con22 sultation with appropriate officials in the Israeli 

23 Government. 

24 (2) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENTS.—The ini25 tial appointments under paragraph (1) shall be 


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1 made not later than 60 days after the date of enact2 ment of this Act. 

3 (3) TERM.—Each member of the Advisory 

4 Committee shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. 

5 (4) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Advisory 

6 Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the 

7 original appointment was made. 

8 (5) BASIC PAY.— 

9 (A) COMPENSATION.—A member of the 

10 Advisory Committee shall serve without pay. 

11 (B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of 

12 the Advisory Committee shall receive travel ex13 penses, including per diem in lieu of subsist14 ence, in accordance with applicable provisions of 

15 subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

16 States Code. 

17 (6) QUORUM.—Three members of the Advisory 

18 Committee shall constitute a quorum. 

19 (7) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the 

20 Advisory Committee shall be designated by the Di21 rector of the National Institutes of Health from 

22 among the members appointed by the Director at 

23 the time of the appointment. 


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1 (8) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee shall 

2 meet at least once annually at the call of the Chair3 person. 

4 (d) TERMINATION.—Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Fed5 eral Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 

6 apply to the Advisory Committee. 

7 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Advi10 sory Committee’’ means the U.S.–Israel Neuro11 science Advisory Committee established by section 

12 4(a). 

13 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti14 ty’’ means a joint venture that— 

15 (A) is comprised of— 

16 (i) Israeli and United States private 

17 business entities; 

18 (ii) Israeli academic persons and 

19 United States academic persons; 

20 (iii) one or more Israeli private busi21 ness entities and one or more United 

22 States academic persons; or 

23 (iv) one or more United States private 

24 business entities and one or more Israeli 

25 academic persons; 


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1 (B) carries out an eligible project; and 

2 (C) is selected by the Secretary, in con3 sultation with the OCS or MOST, using the cri4 teria established by the Secretary, in consulta5 tion with the Advisory Committee. 

6 (3) ELIGIBLE PROJECT.—The term ‘‘eligible 

7 project’’ means a project to encourage cooperation 

8 between the United States and Israel on neuro9 science-related research and related technological in10 novation. 

11 (4) ISRAELI ACADEMIC PERSON.—The term 

12 ‘‘Israeli academic person’’ means— 

13 (A) an institution of higher education that 

14 is located in Israel; 

15 (B) a subsidiary or affiliate of such an in16 stitution that is located in Israel; or 

17 (C) an individual who— 

18 (i) conducts research for such an in19 stitution, subsidiary, or affiliate as an em20 ployee or contractor; and 

21 (ii) resides and works in Israel. 

22 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

24 (6) UNITED STATES ACADEMIC PERSON.—The 

25 term ‘‘United States academic person’’ means— 


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1 (A) an institution of higher education that 

2 is located in the United States; 

3 (B) a subsidiary or affiliate of such an in4 stitution that is located in the United States; or 

5 (C) an individual who— 

6 (i) conducts research for such an in7 stitution, subsidiary, or affiliate as an em8 ployee or contractor; and 

9 (ii) resides and works in the United 

10 States. 

11 SEC. 6. TERMINATION. 

12 The grant program authorized under section 3 and 

13 the Advisory Committee shall terminate upon the expira14 tion of the 7-year period which begins on the date of the 

15 enactment of this Act. 

16 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 The Secretary is authorized to expend not more than 

18 $20,000,000 to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 

19 2016 through 2022. 

Æ 


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