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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4186 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4186

To provide for investment in innovation through scientific research and 
 development, to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2014

    Mr. Bucshon (for himself and Mr. Smith of Texas) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To provide for investment in innovation through scientific research and 
 development, to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Frontiers in 
Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014'' or the 
``FIRST Act of 2014''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Policy objectives.
Sec. 104. Definitions.
Sec. 105. Accountability and transparency.
Sec. 106. Greater accountability in Federal funding for research.
Sec. 107. Obligation of major research equipment and facilities 
                            construction funds.
Sec. 108. Graduate student support.
Sec. 109. Permissible support.
Sec. 110. Expanding STEM opportunities.
Sec. 111. Prohibition.
Sec. 112. Review of education programs.
Sec. 113. Recompetition of awards.
Sec. 114. Sense of the Congress regarding industry investment in STEM 
                            education.
Sec. 115. Misrepresentation of research results.
Sec. 116. Citations supporting research grant applications.
Sec. 117. Research grant conditions.
Sec. 118. Computing resources study.
Sec. 119. Scientific breakthrough prizes.
Sec. 120. Rotating personnel.
Sec. 121. Report of the NSB Task Force on Administrative Burden.
Sec. 122. Sense of Congress regarding Innovation Corps.
Sec. 123. United States-Israeli cooperation.
Sec. 124. Sense of Congress regarding agricultural and drug 
                            interdisciplinary research.
Sec. 125. Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies 
                            Initiative.
      TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS

Sec. 201. Findings; sense of Congress.
Sec. 202. STEM Education Advisory Panel.
Sec. 203. Committee on STEM education.
Sec. 204. STEM Education Coordinating Office.
           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency.
Sec. 303. Public access to research articles and data.
Sec. 304. Strategic plan for advanced manufacturing research and 
                            development.
Sec. 305. Coordination of international science and technology 
                            partnerships.
Sec. 306. Alternative research funding models.
Sec. 307. Amendments to prize competitions.
              TITLE IV--INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

                    Subtitle A--NIST Reauthorization

Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 402. Standards and conformity assessment and other transaction 
                            authority.
Sec. 403. Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.
Sec. 404. Police and security authority.
Sec. 405. International activities.
Sec. 406. Education and outreach.
Sec. 407. Programmatic planning report.
Sec. 408. Assessments by the National Research Council.
Sec. 409. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
Sec. 410. Elimination of obsolete reports.
Sec. 411. Modifications to grants and cooperative agreements.
        Subtitle B--Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer

Sec. 421. Innovative approaches to technology transfer.
TITLE V--NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Program planning and coordination.
Sec. 503. Large-scale research in areas of national importance.
Sec. 504. Cyber-physical systems.
Sec. 505. Cloud computing services for research.
Sec. 506. National Coordination Office.
Sec. 507. Improving networking and information technology education.
Sec. 508. Conforming and technical amendments.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``STEM'' means the subjects of science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics; and
            (2) the term ``STEM education'' means education in the 
        subjects of STEM, including other academic subjects that build 
        on these disciplines such as computer science and other 
        academic subjects that a State identifies as important to the 
        workforce of the State.

                  TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2014.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Foundation $7,171,918,000 for fiscal year 2014.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $5,808,918,000 shall be made available to carry 
                out research and related activities, including--
                            (i) $742,930,000 for the Biological Science 
                        Directorate;
                            (ii) $940,638,000 for the Computer and 
                        Information Science and Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                            (iii) $890,170,000 for the Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                            (iv) $1,265,840,000 for the Geosciences 
                        Directorate;
                            (v) $1,367,940,000 for the Mathematical and 
                        Physical Science Directorate;
                            (vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, 
                        Behavioral, and Economics Directorate;
                            (vii) $400,000,000 for the International 
                        and Integrative Activities Directorate; and
                            (viii) $1,400,000 for the United States 
                        Arctic Commission;
                    (B) $846,500,000 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) $298,000,000 shall be made available for agency 
                operations and award management;
                    (E) $4,300,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of the National Science Board; and
                    (F) $14,200,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2015.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Foundation $7,279,496,770 for fiscal year 2015.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $5,900,496,770 shall be made available to carry 
                out research and related activities, including--
                            (i) $760,030,000 for the Biological Science 
                        Directorate;
                            (ii) $963,186,770 for the Computer and 
                        Information Science and Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                            (iii) $910,640,000 for the Engineering 
                        Directorate;
                            (iv) $1,265,840,000 for the Geosciences 
                        Directorate;
                            (v) $1,399,400,000 for the Mathematical and 
                        Physical Science Directorate;
                            (vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, 
                        Behavioral, and Economics Directorate;
                            (vii) $400,000,000 for the International 
                        and Integrative Activities Directorate; and
                            (viii) $1,400,000 for the United States 
                        Arctic Commission;
                    (B) $858,500,000 shall be made available for 
                education and human resources;
                    (C) $203,000,000 shall be made available for major 
                research equipment and facilities construction;
                    (D) $298,000,000 shall be made available for agency 
                operations and award management;
                    (E) $4,300,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of the National Science Board; and
                    (F) $15,200,000 shall be made available for the 
                Office of Inspector General.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Taxpayer-supported research investments administered by 
        the Foundation should serve the national interest.
            (2) The Foundation has made major contributions for more 
        than 50 years to strengthen and sustain the Nation's academic 
        research enterprise.
            (3) The economic strength and national security of the 
        United States, and the quality of life of all Americans, are 
        grounded in the Nation's scientific and technological 
        capabilities.
            (4) Providing support for basic research is an investment 
        in our Nation's future security and economic prosperity.
            (5) Congress applauds the Foundation's recognition that 
        wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars is necessary to maintain 
        and ensure the public's trust for funding of fundamental 
        scientific and engineering research.
            (6) Other nations are increasing their public investments 
        in basic research in the physical sciences in order to boost 
        long-term economic growth.
            (7) Longstanding United States leadership in 
        supercomputing, genomics, nanoscience, photonics, quantum 
        physics, and other key technological areas is jeopardized if 
        United States investments in basic research in the natural 
        sciences do not keep pace.
            (8) Redundant regulations and reporting requirements 
        imposed by Federal agencies on research institutions and 
        researchers increase costs by tens of millions of dollars 
        annually.
            (9) The Foundation carries out important functions by 
        supporting basic research in all science and engineering 
        disciplines and in supporting science, mathematics, 
        engineering, and technology education at all levels.
            (10) The research and education activities of the 
        Foundation promote the discovery, integration, dissemination, 
        and application of new knowledge in service to society and 
        prepare future generations of scientists, mathematicians, and 
        engineers who will be necessary to ensure America's leadership 
        in the global marketplace.
            (11) The Foundation should meet the highest standards of 
        efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its stewardship 
        of public funds.
            (12) The Foundation is charged with the responsibilities--
                    (A) to develop and encourage the pursuit of a 
                national policy for the promotion of basic research and 
                education in the sciences;
                    (B) to initiate, support, and conduct basic 
                scientific research and to appraise the impact of 
                research on industrial development and the general 
                welfare;
                    (C) to initiate, support, and conduct scientific 
                research activities in connection with matters relating 
                to the national defense, at the request of the 
                Secretary of Defense;
                    (D) to award scholarships and graduate fellowships 
                in the sciences;
                    (E) to foster the interchange of scientific 
                information among scientists and across scientific 
                disciplines;
                    (F) to evaluate scientific research programs 
                undertaken by agencies of the Federal Government, and 
                to correlate the Foundation's scientific research with 
                that undertaken by individuals and by public and 
                private research groups;
                    (G) to communicate effectively to American citizens 
                the relevance of public investments in scientific 
                discovery and technological innovation to the Nation's 
                security, prosperity, and welfare; and
                    (H) to establish such special commissions as the 
                Board considers necessary.
            (13) The emerging global economic, scientific, and 
        technical environment challenges long standing assumptions 
        about domestic and international policy, requiring the 
        Foundation to play a more proactive role in sustaining the 
        competitive advantage of the United States through superior 
        research capabilities.
            (14) Commercial application of the results of Federal 
        investment in basic and computing science is consistent with 
        longstanding United States technology transfer policy for 
        cybersecurity and other homeland security applications, because 
        of the urgent needs of commercial, academic, and individual 
        users, as well as the Federal and State governments.

SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVES.

    In allocating resources made available under this title, the 
Foundation shall have the following policy objectives:
            (1) To renew and maintain the Nation's international 
        leadership in science and technology by--
                    (A) increasing the national investment in general 
                scientific research and increasing interdisciplinary 
                investment in strategic areas vital to the national 
                interest;
                    (B) balancing the Nation's research portfolio among 
                the life sciences, mathematics, the physical sciences, 
                computer and information science, geosciences, 
                engineering, and social, behavioral, and economic 
                sciences, all of which are important for the continued 
                development of enabling technologies necessary for 
                sustained economic competitiveness;
                    (C) encouraging investments in potentially 
                transformative scientific research to benefit our 
                Nation and its citizens;
                    (D) expanding the pool of scientists and engineers 
                in the United States, including among segments of the 
                population that have been historically underrepresented 
                in STEM fields; and
                    (E) modernizing the Nation's research 
                infrastructure and establishing and maintaining 
                cooperative international relationships with premier 
                research institutions.
            (2) To increase overall workforce skills by--
                    (A) improving the quality of STEM education and 
                tools provided both inside and outside of the 
                classroom, particularly in kindergarten through grade 
                12; and
                    (B) expanding STEM training opportunities at 
                institutions of higher education.
            (3) To strengthen innovation by expanding the focus of 
        competitiveness and innovation at the regional and local level.

SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Science 
        Board.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Foundation.
            (3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National 
        Science Foundation established under section 2 of the National 
        Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
            (4) 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)).
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means one of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other 
        territory or possession of the United States.
            (6) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the 
        several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other 
        territory or possession of the United States.

SEC. 105. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) sustained, predictable Federal funding is essential to 
        United States leadership in science and technology;
            (2) building understanding of and confidence in investments 
        in basic research are essential to public support for 
        sustained, predictable Federal funding; and
            (3) the Foundation should commit itself fully to 
        transparency and accountability and to clear, consistent public 
        communication regarding the national interest for each 
        Foundation-awarded grant and cooperative agreement.

SEC. 106. GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RESEARCH.

    (a) Standard for Award of Grants.--The Foundation shall award 
Federal funding for basic research and education in the sciences 
through a new research grant or cooperative agreement only if an 
affirmative determination is made by the Foundation under subsection 
(b) and written justification relating thereto is published under 
subsection (c).
    (b) Determination.--A determination referred to in subsection (a) 
is a determination by the responsible Foundation official as to why the 
research grant or cooperative agreement--
            (1) is worthy of Federal funding; and
            (2) is in the national interest, as indicated by having the 
        potential to achieve--
                    (A) increased economic competitiveness in the 
                United States;
                    (B) advancement of the health and welfare of the 
                American public;
                    (C) development of a STEM workforce and increased 
                public scientific literacy in the United States;
                    (D) increased partnerships between academia and 
                industry in the United States;
                    (E) support for the national defense of the United 
                States; or
                    (F) promotion of the progress of science in the 
                United States.
    (c) Written Justification.--Public announcement of each award of 
Federal funding described in subsection (a) shall include a written 
justification from the responsible Foundation official that a grant or 
cooperative agreement meets the requirements of subsection (b).
    (d) Implementation.--A determination under subsection (b) shall be 
made after a research grant or cooperative agreement proposal has 
satisfied the Foundation's reviews for Merit and Broader Impacts. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering the Foundation's 
intellectual merit or broader impacts criteria for evaluating grant 
applications.
    (e) Policy.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Board shall develop and the Director shall implement a 
policy for carrying out subsections (a), (b), and (c) that provides for 
educating professional staff at the Foundation and applicants for 
Foundation research grants on the policies developed.
    (f) National Science Board Report.--Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall transmit a report to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate describing plans for implementing 
subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d).
    (g) Annual Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall ensure that this 
        section is properly applied by transmitting an annual report to 
        the Board and to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Committee 
        on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
            (2) National science board review.--Not later than 30 days 
        after the transmission of an annual report under this 
        subsection, the Board shall transmit in writing its review of 
        the findings of the Director's report to the Committee on 
        Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
        the Senate.

SEC. 107. OBLIGATION OF MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 
              CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.

    No funds may be obligated for a fiscal year for a construction 
project for the Foundation that has not commenced before the date of 
enactment of this Act until 30 days after the report required with 
respect to each such fiscal year under section 14(a)(2) of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-4(a)(2)) 
is transmitted to the Congress.

SEC. 108. GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT.

    Section 510(b) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 
(42 U.S.C. 1869 note) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Equal Treatment of IGERT and GRF.--
            ``(1) Rate of funding increases.--For any fiscal year, the 
        Director may only increase funding for the Foundation's 
        Graduate Research Fellowship program (or any successor thereto) 
        over the previous fiscal year's funding level at the same rate 
        as a corresponding funding increase for the Foundation's 
        Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program 
        (or any successor thereto).
            ``(2) Essential elements of igert.--The essential elements 
        of the Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research 
        Traineeship program (or any successor thereto) shall be 
        maintained, including--
                    ``(A) collaborative research that transcends 
                traditional disciplinary boundaries to solve large and 
                complex research problems of significant scientific and 
                societal importance; and
                    ``(B) providing students the opportunity to become 
                leaders in the science and engineering of the 
                future.''.

SEC. 109. PERMISSIBLE SUPPORT.

    A grant made by the Education and Human Resources Directorate to 
support informal education may be used--
            (1) to support the participation of students in nonprofit 
        competitions, out-of-school activities, and field experiences 
        related to STEM subjects (such as robotics, science research, 
        invention, mathematics, and technology competitions), 
        including--
                    (A) the purchase of parts and supplies needed to 
                participate in such competitions; and
                    (B) incentives and stipends for teachers and 
                instructional leaders who are involved in assisting 
                students and preparing students for such competitions, 
                if such activities fall outside the regular duties and 
                responsibilities of such teachers and instructional 
                leaders; and
            (2) to broaden secondary school students' access to, and 
        interest in, careers that require academic preparation in STEM 
        subjects.

SEC. 110. EXPANDING STEM OPPORTUNITIES.

    (a) In General.--Within the Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources (or any successor thereto), under existing programs targeting 
broadening participation such as, but not limited to, Innovative 
Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers, Advancing Informal 
STEM Learning, and ADVANCE, the Director shall provide grants on a 
merit-reviewed, competitive basis for research on programming that 
engages underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through 8 in 
STEM in order to prepare these students to pursue undergraduate and 
graduate degrees or careers in STEM.
    (b) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        used toward research to advance the engagement of 
        underrepresented students grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM 
        through providing before-school, after-school, out-of-school, 
        or summer activities, including programs (if applicable to the 
        target population) provided in a single-gender environment, 
        that are designed to encourage interest, engagement, and skills 
        development of underrepresented students in STEM. Such research 
        shall be conducted in learning environments that actively 
        provide programming to underrepresented students in grades 
        kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
            (2) Permitted activities.--Such activities may include--
                    (A) the provision of programming described in 
                subsection (a) for the purpose of research;
                    (B) the use of a variety of engagement methods, 
                including cooperative and hands-on learning;
                    (C) exposure of underrepresented youth to role 
                models in the fields of STEM and near-peer mentors;
                    (D) training of informal learning educators and 
                youth-serving professionals using evidence-based 
                methods consistent with the target student population 
                being served;
                    (E) education of students on the relevance and 
                significance of STEM careers, provision of academic 
                advice and assistance, and activities designed to help 
                students make real-world connections to STEM content 
                activities;
                    (F) the attendance of underrepresented youth at 
                events, competitions, and academic programs to provide 
                content expertise and encourage career exposure in 
                STEM;
                    (G) activities designed to engage parents of 
                underrepresented youth;
                    (H) innovative strategies to engage 
                underrepresented youth, such as using leadership skill 
                outcome measures to encourage youth with the confidence 
                to pursue STEM coursework and academic study;
                    (I) coordination with STEM-rich environments, 
                including other nonprofit, nongovernmental 
                organizations, classroom and out-of-classroom settings, 
                institutions of higher education, vocational 
                facilities, corporations, museums, or science centers; 
                and
                    (J) the acquisition of instructional materials or 
                technology-based tools to conduct applicable grant 
                activity.
    (c) Application.--An applicant seeking funding under the section 
shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as may be required. The application shall 
include, at a minimum, the following:
            (1) A description of the target audience to be served by 
        the program, including an explanation and justification for why 
        the target group ought to be considered as underrepresented 
        students in one or more of the STEM fields.
            (2) A description of the process for recruitment and 
        selection of students.
            (3) A description of how such research activity may inform 
        programming that engages underrepresented students in grades 
        kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
            (4) A description of how such research activity may inform 
        programming that promotes student academic achievement in STEM.
            (5) An evaluation plan that includes, at a minimum, the use 
        of outcome-oriented measures to determine the impact and 
        efficacy of programming being researched.
    (d) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the Director 
shall give priority to applicants which, for the purpose of grant 
activity, include or partner with a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
organization that has extensive experience and expertise in increasing 
the participation of underrepresented students in STEM.
    (e) Evaluations.--Each applicant that receives funds under this 
section shall provide, at the conclusion of every year during which the 
funds are received, an evaluation in a form prescribed by the Director. 
This evaluation shall include both formative and summative evaluation.
    (f) Accountability and Dissemination.--
            (1) Evaluation required.--Not later than 3 years after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall evaluate the 
        program established under this section. In addition to 
        evaluating the effectiveness of the program, such evaluation 
        shall--
                    (A) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment 
                tools to identify best practices and materials 
                developed or demonstrated by the research; and
                    (B) to the extent practicable, combine the research 
                resulting from the grant activity with the current 
                research on serving underrepresented students in grades 
                kindergarten through 8.
            (2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the 
        Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available to 
        the public a report that includes--
                    (A) the results of the evaluation; and
                    (B) any recommendations for administrative and 
                legislative action that could optimize the 
                effectiveness of the program.
    (g) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall 
consult, cooperate, and coordinate, to enhance program effectiveness 
and to avoid duplication, with the programs and policies of other 
relevant Federal agencies.

SEC. 111. PROHIBITION.

    The Foundation may not implement any STEM education program and 
activity changes proposed for the Foundation in the budget for fiscal 
year 2014 transmitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, 
United States Code.

SEC. 112. REVIEW OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall review the education programs 
of the Foundation that are in operation as of the date of enactment of 
this Act to determine--
            (1) whether any of such programs duplicate target groups, 
        services provided, fields of focus, or objectives; and
            (2) how those programs are being evaluated and assessed for 
        outcome-oriented effectiveness.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the annual budget 
submission to Congress, the Director shall complete a report on the 
review carried out under this section and shall submit the report to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate.

SEC. 113. RECOMPETITION OF AWARDS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (1) the merit-reviewed competition of grant and award 
        proposals is a hallmark of the Foundation grant and award 
        making process;
            (2) the majority of Foundation-funded multiuser facilities 
        have transitioned to five-year cooperative agreements, and 
        every five years the program officer responsible for the 
        facility makes a recommendation to the National Science Board 
        as to the renewal, recompetition, or termination of support for 
        the facility; and
            (3) requiring the recompetition of expiring awards is based 
        on the conviction that competition is most likely to ensure the 
        effective stewardship of Foundation funds for supporting 
        research and education.
    (b) Recompetition.--The Director shall ensure that the system for 
recompetition of Maintenance and Operations of facilities, equipment 
and instrumentation is fair, consistent, and transparent and is applied 
in a manner that renews grants and awards in a timely manner. The 
Director shall periodically evaluate whether the criteria of the system 
are being applied in a manner that is transparent, reliable, and valid.

SEC. 114. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING INDUSTRY INVESTMENT IN STEM 
              EDUCATION.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) in order to bolster the STEM workforce pipeline, many 
        industry sectors are becoming involved in K-12 initiatives and 
        supporting undergraduate and graduate work in STEM subject 
        areas and fields;
            (2) partnerships with education providers, STEM focused 
        competitions, and other opportunities have become important 
        aspects of private sector efforts to strengthen the STEM 
        workforce;
            (3) understanding the work that private sector 
        organizations are undertaking in STEM fields should inform the 
        Federal Government's role in STEM education; and
            (4) successful private sector STEM initiatives, as 
        reflected by measurements of relevant outcomes, should be 
        encouraged and supported by the Foundation.

SEC. 115. MISREPRESENTATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS.

    (a) Certification.--As a condition of receiving a research grant 
from the Foundation, a principal investigator shall sign a statement 
certifying that the findings and conclusions of any article authored by 
such principal investigator, using the results of the research 
conducted under the grant, that is published in a peer-reviewed 
publication, otherwise made publicly available, or incorporated in an 
application for a research grant or grant extension from the 
Foundation, will contain no falsification or fabrication and will be 
free of any plagiarism.
    (b) Investigation.--The Inspector General of the Foundation shall 
investigate suspected violations of a certification signed under 
subsection (a), and shall submit to the Director the results of such 
investigation, along with a recommendation with respect to whether a 
violation has occurred.
    (c) Determination.--Based on the results of the investigation 
conducted under subsection (b), the Director shall make a determination 
of whether the principal investigator knowingly violated a 
certification signed pursuant to subsection (a).
    (d) 10-Year Ban.--If the Director determines under subsection (c) 
that a principal investigator knowingly violated a certification signed 
pursuant to subsection (a), the Foundation shall not, for a period 
determined by the Director of no less than 5 years and no more than 10 
years, provide a research grant or research extension to such principal 
investigator, except as provided in subsection (f).
    (e) Notification.--Not later than 7 days after making a 
determination under subsection (c), the Director shall notify the 
principal investigator of such determination in writing.
    (f) Appeal.--The Director shall establish a process by which a 
principal investigator may, within 30 days after receipt of a 
notification under subsection (e), appeal a determination made under 
subsection (c) and a ban under subsection (d). If the Director 
concludes that the determination under subsection (c) was not correct, 
the Director may reduce or eliminate the period of the ban under 
subsection (d) based on information provided in the appeal process 
under this subsection. A ban may not be reduced under this subsection 
to a period less than 5 years, unless it is eliminated.
    (g) Publication.--The Director shall not make publicly available 
any determination made under subsection (c) that a knowing violation 
has occurred until after the later of the expiration of the 30-day 
period described in subsection (f) or the end of an appeal process 
under subsection (f). At such time, the Director shall make publicly 
available any such determination, which shall include the name of the 
principal investigator.

SEC. 116. CITATIONS SUPPORTING RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS.

    The portion of a peer-reviewed research grant application to the 
Foundation supporting the credentials of the principal investigator may 
not include more than 5 citations to articles published by the 
principal investigator in a peer-reviewed publication. The Foundation 
may not consider more than 5 citations to such articles in determining 
whether to award such a research grant.

SEC. 117. RESEARCH GRANT CONDITIONS.

    The Foundation shall establish procedures to ensure that--
            (1) a research grant awarded by the Foundation to a 
        principal investigator does not duplicate the scientific aims 
        and scope of any grant awarded to the same investigator by 
        another Federal agency;
            (2) a principal investigator includes in any application 
        for a research grant awarded by the Foundation a list of all 
        Federal research funding received by the principal 
        investigator, as well as any funding that is being requested as 
        of that time;
            (3) unpublished research results used to support a grant 
        proposal made to the Foundation do not include any knowing 
        misrepresentations of data;
            (4) principal investigators who have received more than 5 
        years of Foundation funding at any point in their careers, 
        other than graduate and post-doctoral traineeship awards, are 
        only awarded additional research grants by the Foundation if 
        they will be contributing original, creative, and 
        transformative research under the grant; and
            (5) principal investigators who receive Foundation research 
        grant funding under more than one grant at the same time have 
        sufficient resources to conduct the proposed research under 
        each of those grants appropriately under the terms of the 
        grant.

SEC. 118. COMPUTING RESOURCES STUDY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General shall transmit to the Congress a report detailing 
the results of a study on the use of scientific computing resources 
funded by the Foundation at institutions of higher education. Such 
study shall assess--
            (1) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        scientific computing resources for projects that have similar 
        scientific computing requirements or projects where specialized 
        software solutions could be shared with other practitioners in 
        the scientific community;
            (2) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        hardware that can be cost effectively procured from cloud 
        computing services;
            (3) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared 
        software from an open source repository or platform; and
            (4) cost savings that could be achieved by potential 
        sharing of scientific computing resources across all Foundation 
        grants.

SEC. 119. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH PRIZES.

    The Director shall place a high priority on designing and 
administering pilot programs for scientific breakthrough prizes, in 
conjunction with private entities, that are consistent with Office of 
Science and Technology Policy guidelines. Breakthrough prizes shall 
center around technological breakthroughs that are of strategic 
importance to the Nation, and have the capacity to spur new economic 
growth.

SEC. 120. ROTATING PERSONNEL.

    The Director shall ensure that the cost to the Foundation of 
employing individuals who are not permanent employees of the 
Foundation, including individuals employed pursuant to the 
Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4701 note), does not 
exceed 110 percent of the cost of employing permanent employees of the 
Foundation to perform the same functions.

SEC. 121. REPORT OF THE NSB TASK FORCE ON ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.

    The National Science Board Task Force on Administrative Burden 
shall provide a report to Congress on its activities, findings, and 
recommendations not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 122. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INNOVATION CORPS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) 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 investment 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.

SEC. 123. UNITED STATES-ISRAELI COOPERATION.

    Section 917(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 
(42 U.S.C. 17337(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (6);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (7) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) the National Science Foundation of the United States 
        should collaborate with the Israel Science Foundation.''.

SEC. 124. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING AGRICULTURAL AND DRUG 
              INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH.

    It is the sense of Congress that the Foundation should support--
            (1) basic science research in the plant sciences that will 
        identify and preserve valuable plant genes; and
            (2) interdisciplinary research to understand important 
        basic research problems in the plant sciences.

SEC. 125. BRAIN RESEARCH THROUGH ADVANCING INNOVATIVE NEUROTECHNOLOGIES 
              INITIATIVE.

    The Foundation shall support research activities related to the 
Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies 
Initiative.

      TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS

SEC. 201. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the National Science Board's Science and 
        Engineering Indicators, the science and engineering workforce 
        has shown sustained growth for more than half a century, and 
        workers with science and engineering degrees tend to earn more 
        than comparable workers in other fields.
            (2) According to the Program for International Student 
        Assessment 2012 results, America lags behind many other nations 
        in STEM education. American students rank 21st in science and 
        26th in mathematics.
            (3) Junior Achievement USA and ING recently found a 
        decrease of 25 percent in the percentage of teenage students 
        interested in STEM careers.
            (4) According to a 2007 report from the Department of 
        Labor, industries and firms dependent on a strong science and 
        mathematics workforce have launched a variety of programs that 
        target K-12 students and undergraduate and graduate students in 
        STEM fields.
            (5) The Federal Government spends nearly $3 billion 
        annually on STEM education related program and activities, but 
        encouraging STEM education activities beyond the scope of the 
        Federal Government, including privately sponsored competitions 
        and programs in our schools, is crucial to the future technical 
        and economic competitiveness of the United States.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) more effective coordination and adoption of performance 
        measurement based on objective outcomes for federally supported 
        STEM programs is needed;
            (2) leveraging private and nonprofit investments in STEM 
        education will be essential to strengthening the Federal STEM 
        portfolio;
            (3) strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio may require 
        program consolidations and terminations, but such changes 
        should be based on evidence with stakeholder input;
            (4) the President's fiscal year 2014 budget proposal did 
        not adequately explain proposed program consolidations and 
        terminations in the Federal STEM portfolio, nor did it elicit 
        stakeholder input and outside expertise, resulting in the need 
        for Congress to limit the Administration's implementation of 
        that proposal; and
            (5) coordinating STEM programs and activities across the 
        Federal Government in order to limit duplication and engage 
        stakeholders in STEM programs and related activities for which 
        objective outcomes can be measured will bolster results of 
        Federal STEM education programs, improve the return on 
        taxpayers' investments in STEM education programs, and in turn 
        strengthen the United States economy.

SEC. 202. STEM EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish or designate a 
STEM Education Advisory Panel that incorporates key stakeholders from 
the education and industry sectors within the President's Council of 
Advisors on Science and Technology.
    (b) Qualifications.--The Advisory Panel established or designated 
by the President under subsection (a) shall consist primarily of 
members from academic institutions and industry and shall include in-
school, out-of-school, and informal educational practitioners. Members 
of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to provide advice and 
information on STEM education research, development, training, 
implementation, interventions, professional development, or workforce 
needs or concerns. In selecting or designating an Advisory Panel, the 
President may also seek and give consideration to recommendations from 
the Congress, industry, the scientific community (including the 
National Academy of Sciences, scientific professional societies, and 
academia), State and local governments, and other appropriate 
organizations.
    (c) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the President, the 
committee on STEM education established under the National Science and 
Technology Council, and the STEM Education Coordinating Office on 
matters relating to STEM education, and shall each year provide general 
guidance to every Federal agency with STEM education programs or 
activities, including in the preparation of requests for appropriations 
for activities related to STEM education. The Advisory Panel shall also 
assess--
            (1) trends and developments in STEM education;
            (2) progress made in STEM education both inside and outside 
        of the classroom;
            (3) criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of Federal 
        STEM education programs and activities;
            (4) ways to encourage public private-partnerships to 
        strengthen STEM education;
            (5) ways to leverage private and nonprofit investments and 
        utilize expertise resulting from STEM-related competitions to 
        help build the STEM education and workforce pipeline;
            (6) ways to incorporate workforce needs into Federal STEM 
        education programs;
            (7) the management, coordination, implementation, and 
        activities of the STEM Education Coordinating Office and the 
        committee on STEM education established under the National 
        Science and Technology Council; and
            (8) whether societal and workforce concerns are adequately 
        addressed by current Federal STEM education programs and 
        activities.
    (d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not less frequently 
than once every 2 fiscal years, to the President and Congress on its 
assessments under subsection (c) and its recommendations for ways to 
improve Federal STEM education programs. The first report under this 
subsection shall be submitted within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
    (e) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal members of 
the Advisory Panel, while attending meetings of the Advisory Panel or 
while otherwise serving at the request of the head of the Advisory 
Panel away from their homes or regular places of business, may be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as 
authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for 
individuals in the Government serving without pay. Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the Advisory Panel 
who are officers or employees of the United States from being allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with existing law.

SEC. 203. COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION.

    Section 101(b) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 
(42 U.S.C. 6621(b)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The committee described in subsection (a) 
shall develop recommendations for the STEM Education Coordinating 
office to consider. These recommendations shall focus on--
            ``(1) priority areas for Federal funding in STEM education, 
        which may include student engagement, student retention, 
        informal education, and teaching;
            ``(2) access to innovations and expertise derived from 
        agency activities across the Federal Government;
            ``(3) significant links among K-12 education, higher 
        education, and industry; and
            ``(4) the teaching of innovation and entrepreneurship as 
        part of STEM education activities.''.

SEC. 204. STEM EDUCATION COORDINATING OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall establish within the Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources a STEM Education Coordinating Office, which shall have a 
Director and staff that shall include career employees detailed from 
Federal agencies that fund STEM education programs and activities.
    (b) Responsibilities.--The STEM Education Coordinating Office 
shall--
            (1) coordinate the STEM education activities and programs 
        of the Federal Government, including at the National Science 
        Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other 
        Federal agency with STEM education programs or activities;
            (2) coordinate STEM education activities and programs with 
        the Office of Management and Budget;
            (3) review STEM education activities and programs to ensure 
        they are not redundant, overlapping, or duplicative of similar 
        efforts within the Federal Government;
            (4) periodically update and maintain the inventory of 
        federally sponsored STEM education programs and activities 
        conducted by the committee on STEM education established under 
        the National Science and Technology Council, including 
        documentation of assessments of the outcome-oriented 
        effectiveness of such programs and activities and metrics used 
        to evaluate those programs and activities;
            (5) provide technical and administrative support to the 
        committee on STEM education established under the National 
        Science and Technology Council and the Advisory Panel 
        established under section 202; and
            (6) serve as the point of contact on Federal STEM education 
        activities for government agencies, academia, industry, 
        professional societies, State STEM education programs, 
        interested citizen groups, and other STEM stakeholders to 
        exchange technical and programmatic information.
    (c) 3-Year Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The STEM Education Coordinating Office 
        shall--
                    (A) at the time of the President's budget request, 
                and every 3 years thereafter, in consultation with 
                Federal agencies having STEM education programs or 
                activities, the committee on STEM education established 
                under the National Science and Technology Council, and 
                the Advisory Panel established under section 202, 
                update the Federal Government STEM education strategic 
                plan established in May 2013 by the committee on STEM 
                education established under the National Science and 
                Technology Council; and
                    (B) coordinate the implementation of such plan 
                through such agencies.
            (2) Contents.--The strategic plan shall--
                    (A) specify and prioritize annual and long-term 
                objectives, including a description of the role of each 
                agency in supporting programs and activities designed 
                to achieve the objectives;
                    (B) specify the common metrics that will be used to 
                assess progress toward achieving the objectives; and
                    (C) describe the approaches that will be taken by 
                each agency to assess the effectiveness of its STEM 
                education programs and activities.
    (d) Report.--The Director of the STEM Education Coordinating Office 
shall transmit a report annually to Congress at the time of the 
President's budget request. The annual report shall include--
            (1) a description of the STEM education programs and 
        activities across the Federal Government for the previous and 
        current fiscal years, and the proposed programs and activities 
        under the President's budget request, of every Federal agency 
        with STEM education programs or activities;
            (2) an evaluation of the extent of duplication and 
        fragmentation of the programs and activities described under 
        paragraph (1), and any recommendations for consolidations or 
        terminations to remedy those problems;
            (3) a description of ways the Federal Government is 
        leveraging private and nonprofit investments and utilizing 
        expertise resulting from STEM-related competitions to build the 
        STEM education workforce pipeline; and
            (4) a description of the progress made in carrying out the 
        3-year strategic plan, including a description of the outcome 
        of any program assessments completed in the previous year, and 
        any changes made to that plan since the previous annual report.
    (e) Responsibilities of NSF.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall encourage and monitor the efforts of the STEM 
Education Coordinating Office to ensure that the strategic plan under 
subsection (c) is implemented effectively and that the objectives of 
the strategic plan are met.

           TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy--
            (1) $5,555,000 for fiscal year 2014; and
            (2) $5,555,000 for fiscal year 2015.

SEC. 302. REGULATORY EFFICIENCY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) high and increasing administrative burdens and costs in 
        Federal research administration, particularly in the higher 
        education sector where most federally sponsored research is 
        performed, are eroding funds available to carry out basic 
        scientific research;
            (2) progress has been made over the last decade in 
        streamlining the pre-award grant application process through 
        Grants.gov, the Federal Government's website portal;
            (3) post-award administrative costs have grown as Federal 
        research agencies have continued to impose agency-unique 
        compliance and reporting requirements on researchers and 
        research institutions;
            (4) facilities and administration costs at research 
        universities can exceed 50 percent of the total value of 
        Federal research grants, and it is estimated that nearly 30 
        percent of the funds invested annually in federally funded 
        research is consumed by paperwork and other administrative 
        processes required by Federal agencies;
            (5) the Office of Management and Budget has recently 
        released an omnibus grant administration regulation that allows 
        agency-unique approaches and fails to provide necessary 
        guidance for agencies to simplify, standardize, or consolidate 
        common reporting and compliance requirements; and
            (6) it is a matter of critical importance to American 
        competitiveness that administrative costs of federally funded 
        research be streamlined so that a higher proportion of taxpayer 
        dollars flow into direct research activities.
    (b) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish a working group under the authority 
of the National Science and Technology Council, to include the Office 
of Management and Budget. The working group shall be responsible for 
reviewing Federal regulations affecting research and research 
universities and making recommendations on how to--
            (1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative 
        Federal regulations and reporting requirements; and
            (2) minimize the regulatory burden on United States 
        institutions of higher education performing federally funded 
        research while maintaining accountability for Federal tax 
        dollars.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Director shall 
report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate on what steps have been taken to carry out 
the recommendations of the working group established under subsection 
(b).

SEC. 303. PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH ARTICLES AND DATA.

    (a) Public Access Policies and Procedures.--
            (1) Plan.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the National Science and Technology 
        Council shall deliver a plan to Congress containing policies, 
        procedures, and standards for the Federal science agencies to 
        enable archiving and retrieving covered material in digital 
        form for public availability in perpetuity. The plan shall--
                    (A) provide a data-driven justification for the 
                plan, including the embargo periods set under 
                subsections (c)(2)(A) and (e);
                    (B) be developed in a transparent and open manner;
                    (C) indicate what procedures were followed to 
                ensure that this process of developing the plan allowed 
                for the full consideration of all stakeholder concerns; 
                and
                    (D) draw on information developed under section 103 
                of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 
                U.S.C. 6623).
            (2) Requirements.--Such policies, procedures, and standards 
        shall--
                    (A) use existing information technology 
                infrastructure to the extent practicable, including 
                infrastructure of the National Center for Biotechnology 
                Information, the National Center for Atmospheric 
                Research, and the private sector that facilitate public 
                access to covered material;
                    (B) minimize the cost of storing, archiving, and 
                retrieving articles and data; and
                    (C) minimize the burden of providing articles and 
                data archiving, and of retrieving articles and data.
            (3) Stakeholder input.--In developing policies, procedures, 
        and standards under paragraph (1), the National Science and 
        Technology Council shall use a transparent process for 
        soliciting views from stakeholders, including federally funded 
        researchers, institutions of higher education, libraries, 
        publishers, users of federally funded research results, and 
        civil science society groups.
    (b) Grant Recipient Requirements.--A recipient of a research grant 
made by a Federal science agency shall make, or enable others on their 
behalf to make, covered material associated with such grant available 
consistent with the policies, procedures, and standards established 
under subsection (a).
    (c) Federal Science Agency Requirements.--In implementing the 
policies, procedures, and standards established pursuant to subsection 
(a), each Federal science agency shall provide for--
            (1) submission of, or linking to, an electronic version of 
        covered material by or on behalf of recipients of research 
        grants made by the agency;
            (2) free online public access to such covered material--
                    (A) in the case of a research article, consistent 
                with appropriate embargo periods but not later than 24 
                months after publication of the research article in a 
                peer-reviewed publication; and
                    (B) in the case of data used to support the 
                findings and conclusions of such article, not later 
                than 60 days after the article is published in a peer-
                reviewed publication;
            (3) implementation in a manner and format that enables and 
        ensures full-text search, productive use, and long-term 
        preservation;
            (4) production of an online bibliography of all research 
        papers that are publicly accessible in its repository, with 
        each entry linking to the corresponding free online full text 
        and supporting data; and
            (5) access to all data that is used directly or indirectly 
        by the agency to support the promulgation of a Federal 
        regulation.
    (d) Review.--At least once every 5 years, the National Science and 
Technology Council shall review the policies, procedures, and standards 
established under subsection (a) and revise such policies, procedures, 
and standards as appropriate.
    (e) Extension.--Each Federal science agency may extend the time 
period specified in subsection (c)(2)(A) by 6 to 12 months, in 
consultation with the stakeholders described in subsection (a)(3), if 
the agency head, or designee, determines that the scientific field and 
stakeholders described in subsection (a)(3) will be uniquely harmed 
without such extension.
    (f) Patent or Copyright Law.--Except as provided in this section, 
nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any right under 
the provisions of title 17 or title 35, United States Code.
    (g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Covered material.--The term ``covered material'' 
        means--
                    (A) a manuscript of an article accepted for 
                publication in a peer-reviewed publication that results 
                from research funded by a grant from a Federal science 
                agency; and
                    (B) data that was used to support the findings and 
                conclusions of such article, except for data that is 
                protected from disclosure under section 552 of title 5, 
                United States Code.
            (2) Data.--The term ``data'' includes raw data, computer 
        code, and algorithms, but does not include--
                    (A) commercially available software used to analyze 
                the data or code;
                    (B) preliminary work and analyses;
                    (C) drafts of scientific papers not accepted or 
                intended for publication; or
                    (D) plans for future research.
            (3) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science 
        agency'' means--
                    (A) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration;
                    (B) the National Science Foundation;
                    (C) the National Institute of Standards and 
                Technology; and
                    (D) the National Weather Service.
            (4) Peer-reviewed publication.--The term ``peer-reviewed 
        publication'' means a publication for which articles are 
        assigned to at least 1 external reviewer to assess the validity 
        of the articles' scientific findings and conclusions.

SEC. 304. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 102 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 
U.S.C. 6622) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 102. COORDINATION OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) Interagency Committee.--The Director shall establish or 
designate a Committee on Technology under the National Science and 
Technology Council. The Committee shall be responsible for planning and 
coordinating Federal programs and activities in advanced manufacturing 
research and development.
    ``(b) Responsibilities of Committee.--The Committee shall--
            ``(1) coordinate the advanced manufacturing research and 
        development programs and activities of the Federal agencies, in 
        consultation with the National Economic Council;
            ``(2) establish goals and priorities for advanced 
        manufacturing research and development that will strengthen 
        United States manufacturing;
            ``(3) work with industry organizations, Federal agencies, 
        and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers not 
        represented on the Committee, to identify and reduce 
        regulatory, logistical, and fiscal barriers within the Federal 
        Government and State governments that inhibit United States 
        advanced manufacturing;
            ``(4) facilitate the transfer of intellectual property and 
        technology based on federally supported university research 
        into commercialization and manufacturing;
            ``(5) identify technological, market, or business 
        challenges that may best be addressed by public-private 
        partnerships, and are likely to attract both participation and 
        primary funding from industry;
            ``(6) encourage the formation of public-private 
        partnerships to respond to those challenges for transition for 
        United States advanced manufacturing; and
            ``(7) develop, and update every 4 years, a strategic plan 
        to guide Federal programs and activities in support of advanced 
        manufacturing research and development, which shall--
                    ``(A) specify and prioritize near-term and long-
                term research and development objectives, the 
                anticipated time frame for achieving the objectives, 
                and the metrics for use in assessing progress toward 
                the objectives;
                    ``(B) describe the progress made in achieving the 
                objectives from the National Strategic Plan for 
                Advanced Manufacturing issued in February 2012 and any 
                subsequent updates, including a discussion of why 
                specific objectives were not met;
                    ``(C) specify the role and budget resources of each 
                Federal agency in carrying out or sponsoring research 
                and development to meet the objectives of the strategic 
                plan;
                    ``(D) describe how the Federal agencies and 
                Federally Funded Research and Development Centers 
                supporting advanced manufacturing research and 
                development will foster the transfer of research and 
                development results into new manufacturing technologies 
                and United States based manufacturing of new products 
                and processes for the benefit of society to ensure 
                national, energy, and economic security;
                    ``(E) describe how Federal agencies and Federally 
                Funded Research and Development Centers supporting 
                advanced manufacturing research and development will 
                strengthen all levels of manufacturing education and 
                training programs to ensure an adequate, well-trained 
                workforce;
                    ``(F) describe how the Federal agencies and 
                Federally Funded Research and Development Centers 
                supporting advanced manufacturing research and 
                development will assist small- and medium-sized 
                manufacturers in developing and implementing new 
                products and processes;
                    ``(G) analyze factors that impact innovation and 
                competitiveness for United States advanced 
                manufacturing, including--
                            ``(i) technology transfer and 
                        commercialization activities;
                            ``(ii) the adequacy of the national 
                        security industrial base;
                            ``(iii) the capabilities of the domestic 
                        manufacturing workforce;
                            ``(iv) export opportunities and trade 
                        policies;
                            ``(v) financing, investment, and taxation 
                        policies and practices;
                            ``(vi) emerging technologies and markets; 
                        and
                            ``(vii) advanced manufacturing research and 
                        development undertaken by competing nations; 
                        and
                    ``(H) elicit and consider the recommendations of a 
                wide range of stakeholders, including representatives 
                from diverse manufacturing companies, academia, and 
                other relevant organizations and institutions.
    ``(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
the FIRST Act of 2014, the Director shall transmit the initial 
strategic plan developed under subsection (b)(7) to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, 
which shall update the National Strategic Plan for Advanced 
Manufacturing issued in February 2012. Subsequent updates of this 
strategic plan shall be transmitted to those committees and posted on a 
public website not later than May 1, 2018, and every 4 years 
thereafter.
    ``(d) Advisory Committee.--The President's Council of Advisors for 
Science and Technology shall appoint an advisory committee of private 
sector leaders to provide input, perspective, and recommendations to 
assist in the development of the strategic plan and subsequent updates 
reported under subsection (c). Such panel shall have no more than 15 
members, and shall include representatives of manufacturing businesses, 
the manufacturing workforce, academia, and groups representing 
interests affected by manufacturing activities.
    ``(e) Requirement To Consider Strategy in the Budget.--In preparing 
the budget for a fiscal year under section 1105(a) of title 31, United 
States Code, the President shall include information regarding the 
consistency of the budget with the goals and recommendations for United 
States advanced manufacturing that are developed under this section.''.

SEC. 305. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
              PARTNERSHIPS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish a body under the National Science and 
Technology Council 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.
    (b) NSTC Body Leadership.--The body established under subsection 
(a) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials from the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy and the Department of State.
    (c) Responsibilities.--The body established under subsection (a) 
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;
            (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.
    (d) 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 (c)(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. 306. ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH FUNDING MODELS.

    (a) Pilot Program Authority.--The heads of Federal science 
agencies, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, shall conduct appropriate pilot programs to 
validate alternative research funding models, including--
            (1) scientific breakthrough prize programs that are of 
        strategic importance to the Nation and have the capacity to 
        spur new economic growth; and
            (2) novel mechanisms of funding including obtaining non-
        Federal funds through crowd source funding.
    (b) Non-Federal Partners.--A pilot program may be conducted under 
this section through an agreement, grant, or contractual relationship 
with a non-Federal entity regarding the design, administration, and 
funding of the program.
    (c) Prize Competition Judges.--
            (1) Requirements.--Judges for a prize competition carried 
        out under this section shall not be required to be Federal 
        employees. An individual who serves as a judge for a prize 
        competition carried out under this section who is not a Federal 
        employee shall be required to sign an agreement, developed by 
        the Office of Science and Technology Policy, with respect to 
        nondisclosure, conflict of interest, and judging code of 
        conduct requirements. All judges shall be required to disclose 
        all personal financial interests.
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 30 days after the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy completes development 
        of an agreement under paragraph (1), it shall transmit a report 
        to Congress describing the requirements of such agreement.
    (d) Public Notice.--The heads of Federal science agencies shall 
widely advertise prize competitions to be conducted under this section 
to ensure maximum participation.
    (e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term ``Federal 
science agency'' means--
            (1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (2) the National Science Foundation;
            (3) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
            (4) the National Weather Service.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the annual 
budget submission to Congress, the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall transmit to the Congress a report on 
programs identified and conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 307. 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'';
            (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 a detailed explanation of the reasons 
        for granting the waivers.'';
            (6) 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;
            (7) 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.'';
            (8) 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 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
                            (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'';
            (9) in subsection (n), by inserting ``for both for-profit 
        and nonprofit entities,'' after ``contract vehicle'';
            (10) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ``or providing a 
        prize'' and insert ``a prize competition or providing a cash 
        prize purse''; and
            (11) in subsection (p)(2)(C), by striking ``cash prizes'' 
        both places it occurs and inserting ``cash prize purses''.

              TITLE IV--INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

                    Subtitle A--NIST Reauthorization

SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2014.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary of Commerce $850,000,000 for the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2014.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $651,000,000 shall be for scientific and 
                technical research and services laboratory activities;
                    (B) $56,000,000 shall be for the construction and 
                maintenance of facilities; and
                    (C) $143,000,000 shall be for industrial technology 
                services activities, of which $128,000,000 shall be for 
                the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under 
                sections 25 and 26 of the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278l).
    (b) Fiscal Year 2015.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Secretary of Commerce $862,750,000 for the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2015.
            (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) $660,765,000 shall be for scientific and 
                technical research and services laboratory activities;
                    (B) $56,840,000 shall be for the construction and 
                maintenance of facilities; and
                    (C) $145,145,000 shall be for industrial technology 
                services activities, of which $129,920,000 shall be for 
                the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under 
                sections 25 and 26 of the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278l).

SEC. 402. STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT AND OTHER TRANSACTION 
              AUTHORITY.

    Section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
(15 U.S.C. 272) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``authorized to take'' and inserting 
                ``authorized to serve as the President's principal 
                adviser on standards policy pertaining to the Nation's 
                technological competitiveness and innovation ability 
                and to take'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``compare 
                standards'' and all that follows through ``Federal 
                Government'' and inserting ``facilitate standards-
                related information sharing and cooperation between 
                Federal agencies'';
                    (C) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(4) to enter into and perform such contracts, cooperative 
        research and development arrangements, grants, cooperative 
        agreements, leases, or other transactions as may be necessary 
        in the conduct of its work and on such terms as it may consider 
        appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of this Act;''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (13), by striking ``Federal, 
                State, and local'' and all that follows through 
                ``private sector'' and inserting ``technical standards 
                activities and conformity assessment activities of 
                Federal, State, and local governments with private 
                sector''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (21), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (22) as paragraph 
                (24); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (21) the 
                following:
            ``(22) participate in and support scientific and technical 
        conferences;
            ``(23) perform pre-competitive measurement science and 
        technology research in partnership with institutions of higher 
        education and industry to promote United States industrial 
        competitiveness; and''.

SEC. 403. VISITING COMMITTEE ON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.

    Section 10 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``15 members'' and inserting ``not 
                fewer than 9 members'';
                    (B) by striking ``at least 10'' and inserting ``at 
                least three-fifths''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following: ``The 
                Committee may consult with the National Research 
                Council in making recommendations regarding general 
                policy for the Institute.''; and
            (2) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``, including the 
        Program established under section 28,''.

SEC. 404. POLICE AND SECURITY AUTHORITY.

    Section 15 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;''; and
            (2) by striking ``United States Code.'' and inserting 
        ``United States Code; and (i) for 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, the direction of such of the officers 
        and employees of the Institute as the Secretary considers 
        necessary in the public interest to carry firearms while in the 
        conduct of their official duties, and the authorization of 
        employees of contractors and subcontractors of the Institute 
        who are engaged in the protection of property owned by the 
        United States, and located at facilities owned by, leased by, 
        used by, or under the control of the United States, to carry 
        firearms while in the conduct of their official duties, and, 
        under regulations prescribed by the Secretary and approved by 
        the Attorney General, the authorization of officers and 
        employees of the Institute and of its contractors and 
        subcontractors authorized to carry firearms to arrest without 
        warrant for any offense against the United States committed in 
        their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of 
        the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe 
        that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing 
        such felony, provided that such authority to make arrests may 
        be exercised only while guarding and protecting buildings and 
        other plant facilities, equipment, and property owned or leased 
        by, used by, or under the control of the United States under 
        the administration and control of the Secretary''.

SEC. 405. INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    Section 17(a) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278g(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``financial assistance,'' and inserting 
        ``financial and logistical assistance,''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following: ``Financial and 
        logistical assistance may include transportation to and from 
        the Institute of foreign dignitaries and representatives of 
        foreign national metrology institutes.''.

SEC. 406. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

    (a) In General.--The National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by striking sections 18, 19, and 
19A and inserting the following:

``SEC. 18. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director may support, promote, and 
coordinate activities and efforts to enhance public awareness and 
understanding of measurement sciences, standards, and technology by the 
general public, industry, and academia in support of the Institute's 
mission.
    ``(b) Research Fellowships.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director may award research 
        fellowships and other forms of financial and logistical 
        assistance, including direct stipend awards, to--
                    ``(A) students at institutions of higher education 
                within the United States who show promise as present or 
                future contributors to the mission of the Institute; 
                and
                    ``(B) United States citizens for research and 
                technical activities of the Institute.
            ``(2) Selection.--The Director shall select persons to 
        receive such fellowships and assistance on the basis of ability 
        and of the relevance of the proposed work to the mission and 
        programs of the Institute.
            ``(3) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, 
        financial and logistical assistance includes, notwithstanding 
        section 1345 of title 31, United States Code, or any contrary 
        provision of law, temporary housing and local transportation to 
        and from the Institute facilities.
    ``(c) Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program.--The Director shall 
establish and conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program, subject to 
the availability of appropriations, that shall include not less than 20 
nor more than 120 new fellows per fiscal year. In evaluating 
applications for fellowships under this subsection, the Director shall 
give consideration to the goal of promoting the participation of 
underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by the 
Institute.''.
    (b) Prohibition.--The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology may not implement any STEM education program and activity 
changes proposed for the Institute in the budget for fiscal year 2014 
transmitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United 
States Code.

SEC. 407. PROGRAMMATIC PLANNING REPORT.

    Section 23(d) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278i(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
``The 3-year programmatic planning document shall also describe how the 
Director is addressing recommendations from the Visiting Committee on 
Advanced Technology established under section 10.''.

SEC. 408. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

    Section 24 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 278j) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 24. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

    ``(a) In General.--The Institute shall contract with the National 
Research Council to perform and report on assessments of the technical 
quality and impact of the work conducted at Institute laboratories.
    ``(b) Schedule.--Individual assessments shall be completed 
biennially by conducting annual assessments of at least 3 laboratories.
    ``(c) Summary Report.--In the second year of each biennial period 
under subsection (b), the Institute shall contract with the National 
Research Council to prepare a report that summarizes the findings 
common across the individual assessment reports.
    ``(d) Additional Assessments.--The Institute, at the discretion of 
the Director, also may contract with the National Research Council to 
conduct additional assessments of Institute programs and projects that 
involve collaboration across the Institute laboratories and centers and 
assessments of selected scientific and technical topics.
    ``(e) Consultation With Visiting Committee on Advanced 
Technology.--The National Research Council may consult with the 
Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology established under section 10 
in performing the assessments under this section.
    ``(f) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after the completion of each 
assessment, the Institute shall transmit the report on such assessment 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.''.

SEC. 409. 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.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Director and, 
        if appropriate, through other officials, shall provide 
        assistance for the creation and support of manufacturing 
        extension centers, to be known as the `Hollings Manufacturing 
        Extension Centers', for the transfer of manufacturing 
        technology and best business practices (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 Centers is to 
        enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological 
        performance in United States manufacturing through--
                    ``(A) the transfer of manufacturing technology and 
                techniques developed at the Institute 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 medium-sized manufacturing companies;
                    ``(E) the utilization, when appropriate, of the 
                expertise and capability that exists in Federal 
                laboratories other than the Institute; and
                    ``(F) the provision to community colleges 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 Institute-
        supported research, for the purpose of demonstrations and 
        technology transfer; and
            ``(2) 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.
    ``(c) Operations.--
            ``(1) Financial support.--The Secretary may provide 
        financial support to any Center created under subsection (a). 
        The Secretary may not provide to a Center more than 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 3 years.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any nonprofit institution, or 
                consortium thereof, or State or local government, 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 the 
                first 3 years and an increasing share for each of the 
                next 3 years. For purposes of the preceding sentence, 
                the costs incurred means the costs incurred in 
                connection with the activities undertaken to improve 
                the competitiveness, management, productivity, 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 also submit a proposal for the 
                allocation of the legal rights associated with any 
                invention which 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.
                    ``(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 private 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 sixth year at declining levels.
                    ``(F) Probation.--The Secretary shall not provide 
                funding 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 
                probation for one year, after which time the panel 
                shall reevaluate the Center. 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 to select an 
                operator for the Center or may close the Center.
                    ``(G) Additional financial support.--After the 
                sixth 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. Funding 
                received for a fiscal year under this section after the 
                sixth year of operation shall not exceed one third of 
                the capital and annual operating and maintenance costs 
                of the Center under the program.
                    ``(H) Eight-year review.--A Center shall undergo an 
                independent review in the 8th year of operation. Each 
                evaluation panel shall measure the Center's performance 
                against the objectives specified in this section. A 
                Center that has not received a positive evaluation as a 
                result of an independent review shall be notified by 
                the Program of the deficiencies in its performance and 
                shall be placed on probation for one year, after which 
                time the Program shall reevaluate the Center. If the 
                Center has not addressed the deficiencies identified by 
                the review, or shown a significant improvement in its 
                performance, the Director shall conduct a new 
                competition to select an operator for the Center or may 
                close the Center.
                    ``(I) Recompetition.--If a recipient of a Center 
                award has received financial assistance for 10 
                consecutive years, the Director shall conduct a new 
                competition to select an operator for the Center 
                consistent with the plan required in this Act. 
                Incumbent Center operators in good standing shall be 
                eligible to compete for the new award.
                    ``(J) Reports.--
                            ``(i) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after 
                        the date of enactment of the FIRST Act of 2014, 
                        the Director 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 
                        plan as to how the Institute will conduct 
                        reviews, assessments, and reapplication 
                        competitions under this paragraph.
                            ``(ii) Independent assessment.--The 
                        Director shall contract with an independent 
                        organization to perform an assessment of the 
                        implementation of the reapplication competition 
                        process under this paragraph within 3 years 
                        after the transmittal of the report under 
                        clause (i). The organization conducting the 
                        assessment under this clause may consult with 
                        the MEP Advisory Board.
                            ``(iii) Comparison of centers.--Not later 
                        than 2 years after the date of enactment of the 
                        FIRST Act of 2014, the Director 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 report providing 
                        information on the first and second years of 
                        operations for centers operating from new 
                        competitions or recompetition as compared to 
                        longstanding centers. The report shall provide 
                        detail on the engagement in services provided 
                        by Centers and the characteristics of services 
                        provided, including volume and type of 
                        services, so that the Committees can evaluate 
                        whether the cost-sharing ratio has an effect on 
                        the services provided at Centers.
            ``(6) 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.
            ``(7) Protection of center client confidential 
        information.--Section 552 of title 5, United States Code, shall 
        apply to the following information obtained by the Federal 
        Government on a confidential basis in connection with the 
        activities of any participant involved in the Hollings 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
                    ``(A) Information on the business operation of any 
                participant in a Hollings Manufacturing Extension 
                Partnership program or of a client of a Center.
                    ``(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of a 
                Center.
            ``(8) Advisory boards.--Each Center's advisory boards shall 
        institute a conflict of interest policy, approved by the 
        Director, that ensures the Board represents local small- and 
        medium-sized manufacturers in the Center's region. Board 
        Members may not serve as a vendor or provide services to the 
        Center, nor may they serve on more than one Center's oversight 
        board simultaneously.
    ``(d) 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 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.
    ``(e) 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').
            ``(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, 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.
    ``(f) Competitive Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, within 
        the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, under this 
        section and section 26, a program of competitive awards among 
        participants described in paragraph (2) for the purposes 
        described in paragraph (3).
            ``(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 program, the MEP Advisory 
        Board, and small- and medium-sized manufacturers. 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. Centers may be reimbursed 
        for costs incurred under the program.
            ``(4) 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.
            ``(5) 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) improve the competitiveness of industries in 
                the region in which the Center or Centers are located;
                    ``(B) create jobs or train newly hired employees; 
                and
                    ``(C) promote the transfer and commercialization of 
                research and technology from institutions of higher 
                education, national laboratories, and nonprofit 
                research institutes.
            ``(6) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards under 
        this subsection shall not be required to provide a matching 
        contribution.
            ``(7) Global marketplace projects.--In making awards under 
        this subsection, the Director, in consultation with the MEP 
        Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take into consideration 
        whether an application has significant potential for enhancing 
        the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized United States 
        manufacturers in the global marketplace.
            ``(8) Duration.--Awards under this subsection shall last no 
        longer than 3 years.
    ``(g) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small Manufacturers.--The 
Director shall--
            ``(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small 
        manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from effectively 
        competing in the global market;
            ``(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the Centers 
        to address such obstacles; and
            ``(3) facilitate improved communication between the Centers 
        to assist such manufacturers in implementing appropriate, 
        targeted solutions to such obstacles.
    ``(h) Community College Defined.--In this section, 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. 410. ELIMINATION OF OBSOLETE REPORTS.

    (a) Enterprise Integration Standardization and Implementation 
Activities Report.--Section 3 of the Enterprise Integration Act of 2002 
(15 U.S.C. 278g-5) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (c); and
            (2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (c) and (d), respectively.
    (b) TIP Reports.--Section 28 of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (g); and
            (2) in subsection (k), by striking paragraph (5).

SEC. 411. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

    Section 8(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3706(a)) is amended by striking ``The total amount of 
any such grant or cooperative agreement may not exceed 75 percent of 
the total cost of the program.''.

        Subtitle B--Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer

SEC. 421. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

    Section 9(jj) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638(jj)) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(jj) Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer.--
            ``(1) Grant program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each Federal agency required by 
                subsection (n) to establish an STTR program shall carry 
                out a grant program to support innovative approaches to 
                technology transfer at institutions of higher education 
                (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), nonprofit research 
                institutions, and Federal laboratories in order to 
                improve or accelerate the commercialization of 
                federally funded research and technology by small 
                business concerns, including new businesses.
                    ``(B) Awarding of grants and awards.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Each Federal agency 
                        required by subparagraph (A) to participate in 
                        this program shall award, through a 
                        competitive, merit-based process, grants, in 
                        the amounts listed in subparagraph (C) to 
                        institutions of higher education, technology 
                        transfer organizations that facilitate the 
                        commercialization of technologies developed by 
                        one or more such institutions of higher 
                        education, Federal laboratories, other public 
                        and private nonprofit entities, and consortia 
                        thereof, for initiatives that help identify 
                        high-quality, commercially viable federally 
                        funded research and technologies and to 
                        facilitate and accelerate their transfer into 
                        the marketplace.
                            ``(ii) Use of funds.--Activities supported 
                        by grants under this subsection may include--
                                    ``(I) providing early-stage proof 
                                of concept funding for translational 
                                research;
                                    ``(II) identifying research and 
                                technologies at institutions that have 
                                the potential for accelerated 
                                commercialization;
                                    ``(III) technology maturation 
                                funding to support activities such as 
                                prototype construction, experiment 
                                analysis, product comparison, and the 
                                collection of performance data;
                                    ``(IV) technical validations, 
                                market research, clarifying 
                                intellectual property rights position 
                                and strategy, and investigating 
                                commercial and business opportunities;
                                    ``(V) programs to provide advice, 
                                mentoring, entrepreneurial education, 
                                project management, and technology and 
                                business development expertise to 
                                innovators and recipients of technology 
                                transfer licenses to maximize 
                                commercialization potential; and
                                    ``(VI) conducting outreach to small 
                                business concerns as potential 
                                licensees of federally funded research 
                                and technology, and providing 
                                technology transfer services to such 
                                small business concerns.
                            ``(iii) Selection process and 
                        applications.--Qualifying institutions seeking 
                        a grant under this subsection shall submit an 
                        application to a Federal agency required by 
                        subparagraph (A) to participate in this program 
                        at such time, in such manner, and containing 
                        such information as the agency may require. The 
                        application shall include, at a minimum--
                                    ``(I) a description of innovative 
                                approaches to technology transfer, 
                                technology development, and commercial 
                                readiness that have the potential to 
                                increase or accelerate technology 
                                transfer outcomes and can be adopted by 
                                other qualifying institutions, or a 
                                demonstration of proven technology 
                                transfer and commercialization 
                                strategies, or a plan to implement 
                                proven technology transfer and 
                                commercialization strategies that can 
                                achieve greater commercialization of 
                                federally funded research and 
                                technologies with program funding;
                                    ``(II) a description of how the 
                                qualifying institution will contribute 
                                to local and regional economic 
                                development efforts; and
                                    ``(III) a plan for sustainability 
                                beyond the duration of the funding 
                                award.
                            ``(iv) Program oversight boards.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Successful 
                                proposals shall include a plan to 
                                assemble a Program Oversight Board, the 
                                members of which shall have technical, 
                                scientific, or business expertise 
                                three-fifths of whom shall be drawn 
                                from industry, start-up companies, 
                                venture capital or other equity 
                                investment mechanism, technical 
                                enterprises, financial institutions, 
                                and business development organizations 
                                with a track record of success in 
                                commercializing innovations. Proposals 
                                may use oversight boards in existence 
                                on the date of the enactment of the 
                                FIRST Act of 2014 that meet the 
                                requirements of this subclause.
                                    ``(II) Program oversight boards 
                                responsibilities.--Program Oversight 
                                Boards shall--
                                            ``(aa) establish award 
                                        programs for individual 
                                        projects;
                                            ``(bb) provide rigorous 
                                        evaluation of project 
                                        applications;
                                            ``(cc) determine which 
                                        projects should receive awards, 
                                        in accordance with guidelines 
                                        established under subparagraph 
                                        (C)(ii);
                                            ``(dd) establish milestones 
                                        and associated award amounts 
                                        for projects that reach 
                                        milestones;
                                            ``(ee) determine whether 
                                        awarded projects are reaching 
                                        milestones; and
                                            ``(ff) develop a process to 
                                        reallocate outstanding award 
                                        amounts from projects that are 
                                        not reaching milestones to 
                                        other projects with more 
                                        potential.
                                    ``(III) Conflict of interest.--
                                Program Oversight Boards shall be 
                                composed of members who do not have a 
                                conflict of interest. Boards shall 
                                adopt conflict of interest policies to 
                                ensure relevant relationships are 
                                disclosed and proper recusal procedures 
                                are in place.
                    ``(C) Grant and award amounts.--
                            ``(i) Grant amounts.--Each Federal agency 
                        required by subparagraph (A) to carry out a 
                        grant program may make grants of up to 
                        $3,000,000 to a qualifying institution.
                            ``(ii) Award amounts.--Each qualifying 
                        institution that receives a grant under 
                        subparagraph (B) shall provide awards for 
                        individual projects of not more than $100,000, 
                        to be provided in phased amounts, based on 
                        reaching the milestones established by the 
                        qualifying institution's Program Oversight 
                        Board.
                    ``(D) Authorized expenditures for innovative 
                approaches to technology transfer grant program.--
                            ``(i) Percentage.--The percentage of the 
                        extramural budget for research, or research and 
                        development, each Federal agency required by 
                        subsection (n) to establish an STTR program 
                        shall expend on the Innovative Approaches to 
                        Technology Transfer Grant Program shall be--
                                    ``(I) 0.05 percent for each of 
                                fiscal years 2014 and 2015; and
                                    ``(II) 0.1 percent for each of 
                                fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
                            ``(ii) Treatment of expenditures.--Any 
                        portion of the extramural budget expended by a 
                        Federal agency on the Innovative Approaches to 
                        Technology Transfer Grant Program shall apply 
                        towards the agency's expenditure requirements 
                        under subsection (n).
            ``(2) Program evaluation and data collection and 
        dissemination.--
                    ``(A) Evaluation plan and data collection.--Each 
                Federal agency required by paragraph (1)(A) to 
                establish an Innovative Approaches to Technology 
                Transfer Grant Program shall develop a program 
                evaluation plan and collect annually such information 
                from grantees as is necessary to assess the Program. 
                Program evaluation plans shall require the collection 
                of data aimed at identifying outcomes resulting from 
                the transfer of technology with assistance from the 
                Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer Grant 
                Program. Such data may include--
                            ``(i) specific follow-on funding identified 
                        or obtained, including follow-on funding 
                        sources, such as Federal sources or private 
                        sources, within 3 years of the completion of 
                        the award;
                            ``(ii) the number of projects which, within 
                        5 years of receiving an award under paragraph 
                        (1), result in a license to a start-up company 
                        or an established company with sufficient 
                        resources for effective commercialization;
                            ``(iii) the number of invention disclosures 
                        received, United States patent applications 
                        filed, and United States patents issued within 
                        5 years of the award;
                            ``(iv) the number of projects receiving a 
                        grant under paragraph (1) that secure Phase I 
                        or Phase II SBIR or STTR awards;
                            ``(v) available information on revenue, 
                        sales, or other measures of products that have 
                        been commercialized as a result of projects 
                        awarded under paragraph (1) within 5 years of 
                        the award;
                            ``(vi) the number and location of jobs 
                        created resulting from projects awarded under 
                        paragraph (1); and
                            ``(vii) other data as deemed appropriate by 
                        a Federal agency required by this subparagraph 
                        to develop a program evaluation plan.
                    ``(B) Evaluative report to congress.--The head of 
                each Federal agency that participates in the Innovative 
                Approaches to Technology Transfer Grant Program shall 
                submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                Technology and the Committee on Small Business of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Small 
                Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate an 
                evaluative report regarding the activities of the 
                program. The report shall include--
                            ``(i) a detailed description of the 
                        implementation of the program;
                            ``(ii) a detailed description of the 
                        grantee selection process;
                            ``(iii) an accounting of the funds used in 
                        the program; and
                            ``(iv) a summary of the data collected 
                        under subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) Data dissemination.--For the purposes of 
                program transparency and dissemination of best 
                practices, the Administrator shall include on the 
                public database under subsection (k)(1) information on 
                the Innovative Approaches to Technology Transfer Grant 
                Program, including--
                            ``(i) the program evaluation plan required 
                        under subparagraph (A);
                            ``(ii) a list of recipients by State of 
                        awards under paragraph (1); and
                            ``(iii) information on the use of grants 
                        under paragraph (1) by recipient 
                        institutions.''.

TITLE V--NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Advancing America's Networking and 
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2014''.

SEC. 502. PROGRAM PLANNING AND COORDINATION.

    (a) Periodic Reviews.--Section 101 of the High-Performance 
Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Periodic Reviews.--The agencies identified in subsection 
(a)(3)(B) shall--
            ``(1) periodically assess the contents and funding levels 
        of the Program Component Areas and restructure the Program when 
        warranted, taking into consideration any relevant 
        recommendations of the advisory committee established under 
        subsection (b); and
            ``(2) ensure that the Program includes large-scale, long-
        term, interdisciplinary research and development activities, 
        including activities described in section 104.''.
    (b) Development of Strategic Plan.--Section 101 of such Act (15 
U.S.C. 5511) is amended further by adding after subsection (d), as 
added by subsection (a) of this Act, the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Strategic Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--The agencies identified in subsection 
        (a)(3)(B), working through the National Science and Technology 
        Council and with the assistance of the National Coordination 
        Office described under section 102, shall develop, within 12 
        months after the date of enactment of the Advancing America's 
        Networking and Information Technology Research and Development 
        Act of 2014, and update every 3 years thereafter, a 5-year 
        strategic plan to guide the activities described under 
        subsection (a)(1).
            ``(2) Contents.--The strategic plan shall specify near-term 
        and long-term objectives for the Program, the anticipated time 
        frame for achieving the near-term objectives, the metrics to be 
        used for assessing progress toward the objectives, and how the 
        Program will--
                    ``(A) foster the transfer of research and 
                development results into new technologies and 
                applications for the benefit of society, including 
                through cooperation and collaborations with networking 
                and information technology research, development, and 
                technology transition initiatives supported by the 
                States;
                    ``(B) encourage and support mechanisms for 
                interdisciplinary research and development in 
                networking and information technology, including 
                through collaborations across agencies, across Program 
                Component Areas, with industry, with Federal 
                laboratories (as defined in section 4 of the Stevenson-
                Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
                3703)), and with international organizations;
                    ``(C) address long-term challenges of national 
                importance for which solutions require large-scale, 
                long-term, interdisciplinary research and development;
                    ``(D) place emphasis on innovative and high-risk 
                projects having the potential for substantial societal 
                returns on the research investment;
                    ``(E) strengthen all levels of networking and 
                information technology education and training programs 
                to ensure an adequate, well-trained workforce; and
                    ``(F) attract more women and underrepresented 
                minorities to pursue postsecondary degrees in 
                networking and information technology.
            ``(3) National research infrastructure.--The strategic plan 
        developed in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be accompanied 
        by milestones and roadmaps for establishing and maintaining the 
        national research infrastructure required to support the 
        Program, including the roadmap required by subsection 
        (a)(2)(E).
            ``(4) Recommendations.--The entities involved in developing 
        the strategic plan under paragraph (1) shall take into 
        consideration the recommendations--
                    ``(A) of the advisory committee established under 
                subsection (b); and
                    ``(B) of the stakeholders whose input was solicited 
                by the National Coordination Office, as required under 
                section 102(b)(3).
            ``(5) Report to congress.--The Director of the National 
        Coordination Office shall transmit the strategic plan required 
        under paragraph (1) to the advisory committee, the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives.''.
    (c) Additional Responsibilities of Director.--Section 101(a)(2) of 
such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ``education,'' before 
        ``and other activities'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as 
        subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(E) encourage and monitor the efforts of the agencies 
        participating in the Program to allocate the level of resources 
        and management attention necessary to ensure that the strategic 
        plan under subsection (e) is developed and executed effectively 
        and that the objectives of the Program are met;''.
    (d) Advisory Committee.--Section 101(b)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 
5511(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) after the first sentence, by inserting the following: 
        ``The co-chairs of the advisory committee shall meet the 
        qualifications of committee membership and may be members of 
        the President's Council of Advisors on Science and 
        Technology.''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``high-performance'' 
        and inserting ``high-end''.
    (e) Report.--Section 101(a)(3) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(3)) 
is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) by redesignating clauses (vii) through (xi) as 
                clauses (viii) through (xii), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
                            ``(vii) the Department of Homeland 
                        Security;'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) by striking ``is submitted,'' and inserting 
                ``is submitted, the levels for the previous fiscal 
                year,''; and
                    (B) by striking ``each Program Component Area;'' 
                and inserting ``each Program Component Area and 
                research area supported in accordance with section 
                104;'';
            (3) in subparagraph (D)--
                    (A) by striking ``each Program Component Area,'' 
                and inserting ``each Program Component Area and 
                research area supported in accordance with section 
                104,'';
                    (B) by striking ``is submitted,'' and inserting 
                ``is submitted, the levels for the previous fiscal 
                year,''; and
                    (C) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
            (4) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (G); 
        and
            (5) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
        subparagraphs:
            ``(E) include a description of how the objectives for each 
        Program Component Area, and the objectives for activities that 
        involve multiple Program Component Areas, relate to the 
        objectives of the Program identified in the strategic plan 
        required under subsection (e);
            ``(F) include--
                    ``(i) a description of the funding required by the 
                National Coordination Office to perform the functions 
                specified under section 102(b) for the next fiscal year 
                by category of activity;
                    ``(ii) a description of the funding required by 
                such Office to perform the functions specified under 
                section 102(b) for the current fiscal year by category 
                of activity; and
                    ``(iii) the amount of funding provided for such 
                Office for the current fiscal year by each agency 
                participating in the Program; and''.
    (f) Definition.--Section 4 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5503) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as 
        paragraphs (2) through (8), respectively;
            (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 
        the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) `cyber-physical systems' means physical or engineered 
        systems whose networking and information technology functions 
        and physical elements are deeply integrated and are actively 
        connected to the physical world through sensors, actuators, or 
        other means to perform monitoring and control functions;'';
            (3) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``high-performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and 
        information technology'';
            (4) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated--
                    (A) by striking ``high-performance computing'' and 
                inserting ``networking and information technology''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``supercomputer'' and inserting 
                ``high-end computing'';
            (5) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``network referred to as'' and all that follows through the 
        semicolon and inserting ``network, including advanced computer 
        networks of Federal agencies and departments;''; and
            (6) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``National High-Performance Computing Program'' and inserting 
        ``networking and information technology research and 
        development program''.

SEC. 503. LARGE-SCALE RESEARCH IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

    Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section:

``SEC. 104. LARGE-SCALE RESEARCH IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Program shall encourage agencies identified 
in section 101(a)(3)(B) to support large-scale, long-term, 
interdisciplinary research and development activities in networking and 
information technology directed toward application areas that have the 
potential for significant contributions to national economic 
competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits. Such 
activities, ranging from basic research to the demonstration of 
technical solutions, shall be designed to advance the development of 
research discoveries. The advisory committee established under section 
101(b) 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 
                institutions of higher education 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, including from institutions 
                of higher education and Federal laboratories, to 
                industry for commercial development.
            ``(2) Cost-sharing.--In selecting applications for support, 
        the agencies shall give special consideration to projects that 
        include cost sharing from non-Federal sources.
            ``(3) Agency collaboration.--If 2 or more agencies 
        identified in section 101(a)(3)(B), or other appropriate 
        agencies, are working on large-scale research and development 
        activities in the same area of national importance, then such 
        agencies shall strive to collaborate through joint solicitation 
        and selection of applications for support and subsequent 
        funding of projects.
            ``(4) Interdisciplinary research centers.--Research and 
        development activities under this section may be supported 
        through interdisciplinary research centers that are organized 
        to investigate basic research questions and carry out 
        technology demonstration activities in areas described in 
        subsection (a). Research may be carried out through existing 
        interdisciplinary centers, including those authorized under 
        section 7024(b)(2) of the America COMPETES Act (Public Law 110-
        69; 42 U.S.C. 1862o-10).''.

SEC. 504. CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS.

    (a) Additional Program Characteristics.--Section 101(a)(1) of such 
Act (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in subparagraph (I)--
                    (A) by striking ``improving the security'' and 
                inserting ``improving the security, reliability, and 
                resilience''; and
                    (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
            ``(J) provide for increased understanding of the scientific 
        principles of cyber-physical systems and improve the methods 
        available for the design, development, and operation of cyber-
        physical systems that are characterized by high reliability, 
        safety, and security; and
            ``(K) provide for research and development on human-
        computer interactions, visualization, and big data.''.
    (b) Workshop.--Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended 
further by adding after section 104, as added by section 503 of this 
Act, the following new section:

``SEC. 105. UNIVERSITY/INDUSTRY WORKSHOP.

    ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the Advancing America's Networking and Information 
Technology Research and Development Act of 2014, the Director of the 
National Coordination Office shall convene a workshop, with 
participants from institutions of higher education, Federal 
laboratories, and industry, to explore mechanisms for carrying out 
collaborative research and development activities for cyber-physical 
systems, including the related technologies required to enable these 
systems, and to develop grand challenges in cyber-physical systems 
research and development.
    ``(b) Functions.--The workshop participants shall--
            ``(1) develop options for models for research and 
        development partnerships among institutions of higher 
        education, Federal laboratories, and industry, including 
        mechanisms for the support of research and development carried 
        out under these partnerships;
            ``(2) develop options for grand challenges in cyber-
        physical systems research and development that would be 
        addressed through such partnerships;
            ``(3) propose guidelines for assigning intellectual 
        property rights and for the transfer of research results to the 
        private sector; and
            ``(4) make recommendations for how Federal agencies 
        participating in the Program can help support research and 
        development partnerships in cyber-physical systems, including 
        through existing or new grant programs.
    ``(c) Participants.--The Director of the National Coordination 
Office shall ensure that participants in the workshop are individuals 
with knowledge and expertise in cyber-physical systems and that 
participants represent a broad mix of relevant stakeholders, including 
academic and industry researchers, cyber-physical systems and 
technologies manufacturers, cyber-physical systems and technologies 
users, and, as appropriate, Federal Government regulators.
    ``(d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of the Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology 
Research and Development Act of 2014, the Director of the National 
Coordination Office shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report 
describing the findings and recommendations resulting from the workshop 
required under this section.''.

SEC. 505. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES FOR RESEARCH.

    Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended further by adding 
after section 105, as added by section 504(b) of this Act, the 
following new section:

``SEC. 106. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES FOR RESEARCH.

    ``(a) Interagency Working Group.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of the Advancing America's Networking and Information 
Technology Research and Development Act of 2014, the Director of the 
National Coordination Office, working through the National Science and 
Technology Council, shall convene an interagency working group to 
examine--
            ``(1) the research and development needed--
                    ``(A) to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency 
                of cloud computing environments;
                    ``(B) to increase the trustworthiness of cloud 
                applications and infrastructure; and
                    ``(C) to enhance the foundations of cloud 
                architectures, programming models, and 
                interoperability; and
            ``(2) how Federal science agencies can facilitate the use 
        of cloud computing for federally funded science and engineering 
        research, including--
                    ``(A) making recommendations on changes in funding 
                mechanisms, budget models, and policies needed to 
                remove barriers to the adoption of cloud computing 
                services for research and for data preservation and 
                sharing; and
                    ``(B) providing guidance to organizations and 
                researchers on opportunities and guidelines for using 
                cloud computing services for federally supported 
                research and related activities.
    ``(b) Consultation.--In carrying out the tasks in paragraphs (1) 
and (2) of subsection (a), the working group shall consult with 
academia, industry, Federal laboratories, and other relevant 
organizations and institutions, as appropriate.
    ``(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
the Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology Research 
and Development Act of 2014, the Director of the National Coordination 
Office 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 report describing 
the findings and any recommendations of the working group.
    ``(d) Termination.--The interagency working group shall terminate 
upon transmittal of the report required under subsection (c).''.

SEC. 506. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE.

    Section 102 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5512) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 102. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE.

    ``(a) Office.--The Director shall continue a National Coordination 
Office with a Director and full-time staff.
    ``(b) Functions.--The National Coordination Office shall--
            ``(1) provide technical and administrative support to--
                    ``(A) the agencies participating in planning and 
                implementing the Program, including such support as 
                needed in the development of the strategic plan under 
                section 101(e); and
                    ``(B) the advisory committee established under 
                section 101(b);
            ``(2) serve as the primary point of contact on Federal 
        networking and information technology activities for government 
        organizations, academia, industry, professional societies, 
        State computing and networking technology programs, interested 
        citizen groups, and others to exchange technical and 
        programmatic information;
            ``(3) solicit input and recommendations from a wide range 
        of stakeholders during the development of each strategic plan 
        required under section 101(e) through the convening of at least 
        1 workshop with invitees from academia, industry, Federal 
        laboratories, and other relevant organizations and 
        institutions;
            ``(4) conduct public outreach, including the dissemination 
        of findings and recommendations of the advisory committee, as 
        appropriate; and
            ``(5) promote access to and early application of the 
        technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from Program 
        activities to agency missions and systems across the Federal 
        Government and to United States industry.
    ``(c) Source of Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--The operation of the National 
        Coordination Office shall be supported by funds from each 
        agency participating in the Program.
            ``(2) Specifications.--The portion of the total budget of 
        such Office that is provided by each agency for each fiscal 
        year shall be in the same proportion as each such agency's 
        share of the total budget for the Program for the previous 
        fiscal year, as specified in the report required under section 
        101(a)(3).''.

SEC. 507. IMPROVING NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.

    Section 201(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5521(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) the National Science Foundation shall use its 
        existing programs, in collaboration with other agencies, as 
        appropriate, to improve the teaching and learning of networking 
        and information technology at all levels of education and to 
        increase participation in networking and information technology 
        fields, including by women and underrepresented minorities;''.

SEC. 508. CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 3.--Section 3 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5502) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``high-performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and 
        information technology'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``high-performance computing'' and inserting 
                ``networking and information technology'';
                    (B) in subparagraphs (A), (F), and (G), by striking 
                ``high-performance computing'' each place it appears 
                and inserting ``networking and information 
                technology''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``high-
                performance'' and inserting ``high-end''; and
            (3) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking ``high-performance computing and'' 
                and inserting ``networking and information technology 
                and''; and
                    (B) by striking ``high-performance computing 
                network'' and inserting ``networking and information 
                technology''.
    (b) Title I.--The heading of title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) 
is amended by striking ``HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING'' and inserting 
``NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY''.
    (c) Section 101.--Section 101 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511) is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``high-performance 
        computing'' and inserting ``networking and information 
        technology research and development'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``National High-Performance Computing'' and inserting 
                ``Networking and Information Technology Research and 
                Development'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1) of such subsection--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``National High-Performance 
                        Computing Program'' and inserting ``networking 
                        and information technology research and 
                        development program'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``high-performance computing, including 
                        networking'' and inserting ``networking and 
                        information technology'';
                            (iii) in subparagraphs (B) and (G), by 
                        striking ``high-performance'' each place it 
                        appears and inserting ``high-end''; and
                            (iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``high-performance computing and networking'' 
                        and inserting ``high-end computing, 
                        distributed, and networking''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2) of such subsection--
                            (i) in subparagraphs (A) and (C)--
                                    (I) by striking ``high-performance 
                                computing'' each place it appears and 
                                inserting ``networking and information 
                                technology''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``development, 
                                networking,'' each place it appears and 
                                inserting ``development,''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraphs (F) and (G), as 
                        redesignated by section 2(c)(1) of this Act, by 
                        striking ``high-performance'' each place it 
                        appears and inserting ``high-end'';
            (3) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-performance 
                computing'' both places it appears and inserting 
                ``networking and information technology''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), in the second sentence, by 
                striking ``2'' and inserting ``3''; and
            (4) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking ``high-performance 
        computing'' and inserting ``networking and information 
        technology''.
    (d) Section 201.--Section 201(a)(1) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 
5521(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``high-performance computing'' and 
all that follows through ``networking;'' and inserting ``networking and 
information research and development;''.
    (e) Section 202.--Section 202(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5522(a)) is 
amended by striking ``high-performance computing'' and inserting 
``networking and information technology''.
    (f) Section 203.--Section 203(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5523(a)(1)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``high-performance 
        computing and networking'' and inserting ``networking and 
        information technology''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``high-performance'' 
        and inserting ``high-end''.
    (g) Section 204.--Section 204 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5524) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``high-
                performance computing systems and networks'' and 
                inserting ``networking and information technology 
                systems and capabilities'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                ``interoperability of high-performance computing 
                systems in networks and for common user interfaces to 
                systems'' and inserting ``interoperability and 
                usability of networking and information technology 
                systems''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``high-
                performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and 
                information technology''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``High-Performance 
                Computing and Network'' and inserting ``Networking and 
                Information Technology''; and
                    (B) by striking ``sensitive''.
    (h) Section 205.--Section 205(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5525(a)) is 
amended by striking ``computational'' and inserting ``networking and 
information technology''.
    (i) Section 206.--Section 206(a) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5526(a)) is 
amended by striking ``computational research'' and inserting 
``networking and information technology research''.
    (j) Section 207.--Section 207(b) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5527(b)) is 
amended by striking ``high-performance computing'' and inserting 
``networking and information technology''.
    (k) Section 208.--Section 208 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5528) is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``high-performance 
        computing'' and inserting ``networking and information 
        technology''; and
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``High-
                performance computing and associated'' and inserting 
                ``Networking and information'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``high-
                performance computing'' and inserting ``networking and 
                information technologies'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``high-
                performance'' and inserting ``high-end'';
                    (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``high-
                performance computers and associated'' and inserting 
                ``networking and information''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``high-
                performance computing and associated'' and inserting 
                ``networking and information''.
                                 <all>
```