DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017

To reauthorize the Department of Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017 2. Reauthorization of Department of Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (a) Modification of program objectives Subsection (b) of section 257 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 ( Public Law 103–337 10 U.S.C. 2358 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following new paragraph (1): (1) To increase the number of university researchers in eligible States capable of performing science and engineering research responsive to the needs of the Department of Defense. ; and (3) in paragraph (2), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by inserting relevant to the mission of the Department of Defense and that is (b) Modification of program activities Subsection (c) of such section is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3): (3) To provide assistance to science and engineering researchers at institutions of higher education in eligible States through collaboration between Department of Defense laboratories and such researchers. . (c) Modification of eligibility criteria for State participation Subsection (d) of such section is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting in areas relevant to the mission of the Department of Defense programs (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) The Under Secretary shall not remove a designation of a State under paragraph (2) because the State exceeds the funding levels specified under subparagraph (A) of such paragraph unless the State has exceeded such funding levels for at least two consecutive years. . (d) Modification of name (1) In general Such section is amended— (A) in subsections (a) and (e) by striking Experimental Established (B) in the section heading, by striking Experimental Established (2) Clerical amendment Such Act is amended, in the table of contents in section 2(b), by striking the item relating to section 257 and inserting the following new item: Sec. 257. Defense established program to stimulate competitive research. . (3) Conforming amendment Section 307 of the 1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and for Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including Those in Bosnia ( Public Law 105–18 Experimental Established

Summary: DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 to rename the Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research as the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. It modifies program objectives and activities to increase the number of researchers capable of performing science and engineering research responsive to Department of Defense (DOD) needs and to provide assistance to science and engineering researchers at institutions of higher education through collaboration between DOD and such researchers.