I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5056 

To improve the efficiency of Federal research and development, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 10, 2014 

Mr. BUCSHON (for himself and Mr. PETERS of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology 

A BILL 

To improve the efficiency of Federal research and 

development, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Research and Develop5 ment Efficiency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REGULATORY EFFICIENCY. 

7 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con8 gress that— 

9 (1) high and increasing administrative burdens 

10 and costs in Federal research administration, parmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 ticularly in the higher education sector where most 

2 federally sponsored research is performed, are erod3 ing funds available to carry out basic scientific re4 search; 

5 (2) progress has been made over the last decade 

6 in streamlining the pre-award grant application 

7 process through Grants.gov, the Federal Govern8 ment’s website portal; 

9 (3) post-award administrative costs have grown 

10 as Federal research agencies have continued to im11 pose agency-unique compliance and reporting re12 quirements on researchers and research institutions; 

13 (4) facilities and administration costs at re14 search universities can exceed 50 percent of the total 

15 value of Federal research grants, and it is estimated 

16 that nearly 30 percent of the funds invested annu17 ally in federally funded research is consumed by pa18 perwork and other administrative processes required 

19 by Federal agencies; and 

20 (5) it is a matter of critical importance to 

21 American competitiveness that administrative costs 

22 of federally funded research be streamlined so that 

23 a higher proportion of taxpayer dollars flow into di24 rect research activities. 

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1 (b) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 

2 Science and Technology Policy shall establish a working 

3 group under the authority of the National Science and 

4 Technology Council, to include the Office of Management 

5 and Budget. The working group shall be responsible for 

6 reviewing Federal regulations affecting research and re7 search universities and making recommendations on how 

8 to— 

9 (1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate dupli10 cative Federal regulations and reporting require11 ments; and 

12 (2) minimize the regulatory burden on United 

13 States institutions of higher education performing 

14 federally funded research while maintaining account15 ability for Federal tax dollars. 

16 (c) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.—In carrying out the re17 sponsibilities under subsection (b), the working group 

18 shall take into account input and recommendations from 

19 non-Federal stakeholders, including federally funded and 

20 nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher 

21 education, scientific disciplinary societies and associations, 

22 nonprofit research institutions, industry, including small 

23 businesses, federally funded research and development 

24 centers, and others with a stake in ensuring effectiveness, 

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1 efficiency, and accountability in the performance of sci2 entific research. 

3 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

4 of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 

5 years, the Director shall report to the Committee on 

6 Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep7 resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

8 and Transportation of the Senate on what steps have been 

9 taken to carry out the recommendations of the working 

10 group established under subsection (b). 

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