I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3293 

To provide for greater accountability in Federal funding for scientific research, to promote the progress of science in the United States that 

serves that national interest. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 29, 2015 

Mr. SMITH of Texas (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. GRAYSON, 

Mrs. COMSTOCK, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. KNIGHT, 

Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. BABIN, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. 

NEUGEBAUER, Mr. POSEY, Mr. PALMER, Mr. ABRAHAM, and Mr. 

NEWHOUSE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To provide for greater accountability in Federal funding for 

scientific research, to promote the progress of science 

in the United States that serves that national interest. 

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 ‘‘Scientific Research in 

5 the National Interest Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUNDING 

2 FOR RESEARCH. 

3 (a) STANDARD FOR AWARD OF GRANTS.—The Na4 tional Science Foundation shall award Federal funding for 

5 basic research and education in the sciences through a new 

6 research grant or cooperative agreement only if an affirm7 ative determination is made by the Foundation under sub8 section (b) and written justification relating thereto is 

9 published under subsection (c). 

10 (b) DETERMINATION.—A determination referred to 

11 in subsection (a) is a justification by the responsible Foun12 dation official as to how the research grant or cooperative 

13 agreement promotes the progress of science in the United 

14 States, consistent with the Foundation mission as estab15 lished in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 

16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.), and further— 

17 (1) is worthy of Federal funding; and 

18 (2) is in the national interest, as indicated by 

19 having the potential to achieve— 

20 (A) increased economic competitiveness in 

21 the United States; 

22 (B) advancement of the health and welfare 

23 of the American public; 

24 (C) development of an American STEM 

25 workforce that is globally competitive; 


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1 (D) increased public scientific literacy and 

2 public engagement with science and technology 

3 in the United States; 

4 (E) increased partnerships between aca5 demia and industry in the United States; 

6 (F) support for the national defense of the 

7 United States; or 

8 (G) promotion of the progress of science 

9 for the United States. 

10 (c) WRITTEN JUSTIFICATION.—Public announce11 ment of each award of Federal funding described in sub12 section (a) shall include a written justification from the 

13 responsible Foundation official as to how a grant or coop14 erative agreement meets the requirements of subsection 

15 (b). 

16 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—A determination under sub17 section (b) shall be made after a research grant or cooper18 ative agreement proposal has satisfied the Foundation’s 

19 reviews for Merit and Broader Impacts. Nothing in this 

20 section shall be construed as altering the Foundation’s in21 tellectual merit or broader impacts criteria for evaluating 

22 grant applications. 

Æ 


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