(A) in subsection (a)(3)(E), by striking 
‘‘master teachers’’ and inserting ‘‘teacher lead-
ers’’; and 
(B) in subsection (a)(4)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘MASTER TEACHERS’’ 
and inserting ‘‘TEACHER LEADERS’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘master teachers’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘teach-
er leaders’’. 
SEC. 128. LABORATORY SCIENCE PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
(1) To remain competitive in science and tech-
nology in the global economy, the United States 
must increase the number of students graduating 
from high school prepared to pursue postsecondary 
education in science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics. 
(2) There is broad agreement in the scientific 
community that learning science requires direct in-
volvement by students in scientific inquiry and that 
laboratory experience is so integral to the nature of 
science that it must be included in every science pro-
gram for every science student. 
(3) In America’s Lab Report, the National Re-
search Council concluded that the current quality of
laboratory experiences is poor for most students and 
that educators and researchers do not agree on how 
to define high school science laboratories or on their 
purpose, hampering the accumulation of research on 
how to improve labs. 
(4) The National Research Council found that 
schools with higher concentrations of non-Asian mi-
norities and schools with higher concentrations of 
poor students are less likely to have adequate labora-
tory facilities than other schools. 
(5) The Government Accountability Office re-
ported that 49.1 percent of schools where the minor-
ity student population is greater than 50.5 percent 
reported not meeting functional requirements for 
laboratory science well or at all. 
(6) 40 percent of those college students who left 
the science fields reported some problems related to 
high school science preparation, including lack of 
laboratory experience and no introduction to theo-
retical or to analytical modes of thought. 
(7) It is in the national interest for the Federal 
Government to invest in research and demonstration 
projects to improve the teaching of laboratory 
science in the Nation’s high schools.
(b) GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 8(8) of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through 
(F) as clauses (i) through (vi), respectively; 
(2) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘A program of 
competitive’’; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following new 
subparagraphs: 
‘‘(B) In accordance with subparagraph (A)(v), 
the Director shall establish a research pilot program 
designated as ‘Partnerships for Access to Labora-
tory Science’ to award grants to partnerships to im-
prove laboratories and provide instrumentation as 
part of a comprehensive program to enhance the 
quality of mathematics, science, engineering, and 
technology instruction at the secondary school level. 
Grants under this subparagraph may be used for— 
‘‘(i) purchase, rental, or leasing of equip-
ment, instrumentation, and other scientific edu-
cational materials; 
‘‘(ii) maintenance, renovation, and im-
provement of laboratory facilities; 
‘‘(iii) development of instructional pro-
grams designed to integrate the laboratory ex-
perience with classroom instruction and to be 
consistent with State mathematics and science 
academic achievement standards; 
‘‘(iv) training in laboratory safety for 
school personnel; 
‘‘(v) design and implementation of hands- 
on laboratory experiences to encourage the in-
terest of individuals identified in section 33 or 
34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Op-
portunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in 
mathematics, science, engineering, and tech-
nology and help prepare such individuals to 
pursue postsecondary studies in these fields; 
and 
‘‘(vi) assessment of the activities funded 
under this subparagraph. 
‘‘(C) Grants may be made under subparagraph 
(B) only to a partnership— 
‘‘(i) for a project that includes significant 
teacher training and professional development 
components; or 
‘‘(ii) that establishes that appropriate 
teacher training and professional development 
is being addressed, or has been addressed, 
through other means.
‘‘(D) Grants awarded under subparagraph (B) 
shall be to a partnership that— 
‘‘(i) includes an institution of higher edu-
cation or a community college; 
‘‘(ii) includes a high-need local educational 
agency; 
‘‘(iii) includes a business or eligible non-
profit organization; and 
‘‘(iv) may include a State educational 
agency, other public agency, National Labora-
tory, or community-based organization. 
‘‘(E) The Federal share of the cost of activities 
carried out using amounts from a grant under sub-
paragraph (B) shall not exceed 50 percent. 
‘‘(F) The Director shall require grant recipients 
to submit a report to the Director on the results of 
the project supported by the grant.’’. 
(c) REPORT.—The Director shall evaluate the effec-
tiveness of activities carried out under the research pilot 
projects funded by the grant program established pursu-
ant to the amendment made by subsection (b) in improv-
ing student performance in mathematics, science, engi-
neering, and technology. A report documenting the results 
of that evaluation shall be submitted to the Committee on 
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives
and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation and on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
the Senate not later than 5 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. The report shall identify best practices 
and materials developed and demonstrated by grant 
awardees. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 
the amount authorized in section 303(a)(2)(B), (b)(2)(B), 
and (c)(2)(B) of this Act, there are authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out this section and the amendments 
made by this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the 2 suc-
ceeding fiscal years. 
SEC. 129. STUDY ON LABORATORY EQUIPMENT DONATIONS 
FOR SCHOOLS. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall transmit a report to the 
Congress examining the extent to which institutions of 
higher education are donating used laboratory equipment 
to elementary and secondary schools. The Director, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Education, shall survey in-
stitutions of higher education to determine— 
(1) how often, how much, and what type of 
equipment is donated;
(2) what criteria or guidelines the institutions 
are using to determine what types of equipment can 
be donated, what condition the equipment should be 
in, and which schools receive the equipment; 
(3) whether the institutions provide any support 
to, or follow-up with the schools; and 
(4) how appropriate donations can be encour-
aged. 
TITLE II—SCIENCE AND 
ENGINEERING RESEARCH 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Sowing the Seeds 
Through Science and Engineering Research Act’’. 
SEC. 202. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION EARLY CAREER 
AWARDS FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 
RESEARCHERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall carry out a program to award 
grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of 
their careers at institutions of higher education and orga-
nizations described in subsection (c)(2) to conduct re-
search in fields relevant to the mission of the Foundation. 
The existing Faculty Early Career Development (CA-
REER) Program may be designated as the mechanism for 
awarding such grants.
(b) SIZE AND DURATION OF AWARD.—The duration 
of awards under this section shall be 5 years, and the 
amount per year shall be at least $80,000. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—Award recipients shall be individ-
uals who are employed in a tenure-track position as an 
assistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an 
equivalent position, at— 
(1) an institution of higher education in the 
United States; or 
(2) an organization in the United States that is 
a nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organiza-
tion such as a museum, observatory, or research lab-
oratory. 
(d) SELECTION.—Award recipients shall be selected 
on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. 
(e) SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this sec-
tion shall submit a proposal to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Director may require. In evaluating the proposals sub-
mitted under this section, the Director shall consider, at 
a minimum— 
(1) the intellectual merit of the proposed work; 
(2) the innovative or transformative nature of 
the proposed research;
(3) the extent to which the proposal integrates 
research and education, including undergraduate 
education in science and engineering disciplines; and 
(4) the potential of the applicant for leadership 
at the frontiers of knowledge. 
(f) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients 
are from a variety of types of institutions of higher edu-
cation and nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organi-
zations. In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly 
disseminate information about when and how to apply for 
grants under this section, including by conducting out-
reach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities that 
are part B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and 
minority institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3))). In awarding grants under this 
section, the Director shall give special consideration to eli-
gible early-career researchers who have followed alter-
native career paths such as working part-time or in non-
academic settings, or who have taken a significant career 
break or other leave of absence. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—For each 
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012, the Director shall 
allocate at least 3.5 percent of funds appropriated to the
National Science Foundation for Research and Related 
Activities to the grants program under this section, except 
to the extent that a sufficient number of meritorious grant 
applications have not been received for a fiscal year. 
(h) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to 
the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report de-
scribing the distribution of the institutions from which in-
dividuals have participated in the Faculty Early Career 
Development Program since fiscal year 2001 among each 
of the categories of institutions of higher education de-
fined by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement 
of Teaching and the organizations in subsection (c)(2). 
(i) EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report evalu-
ating the impact of the program carried out under this 
section on the ability of young faculty to compete for Na-
tional Science Foundation research grants.
SEC. 203. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY EARLY CAREER 
AWARDS FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 
RESEARCHERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 
Science of the Department of Energy shall carry out a 
program to award grants to scientists and engineers at 
the early stage of their careers at institutions of higher 
education and organizations described in subsection (c)(2) 
to conduct research in fields relevant to the mission of the 
Department, giving priority to grants to expand domestic 
energy production and use through coal-to-liquids tech-
nology and advanced nuclear reprocessing. 
(b) SIZE AND DURATION OF AWARD.—The duration 
of awards under this section shall be up to 5 years, and 
the amount per year shall be at least $80,000. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—Award recipients shall be individ-
uals who are employed in a tenure-track position as an 
assistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an 
equivalent position, at— 
(1) an institution of higher education in the 
United States; or 
(2) an organization in the United States that is 
a nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organiza-
tion such as a museum, observatory, or research lab-
oratory.
(d) SELECTION.—Award recipients shall be selected 
on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. 
(e) SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this sec-
tion shall submit a proposal to the Director of the Office 
of Science at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Director may require. In evalu-
ating the proposals submitted under this section, the Di-
rector shall consider, at a minimum— 
(1) the intellectual merit of the proposed work; 
(2) the innovative or transformative nature of 
the proposed research; 
(3) the extent to which the proposal integrates 
research and education, including undergraduate 
education in science and engineering disciplines; and 
(4) the potential of the applicant for leadership 
at the frontiers of knowledge. 
(f) COLLABORATION
WITH
NATIONAL
LABORA-
TORIES.—In awarding grants under this section, the Di-
rector shall give priority to proposals in which the pro-
posed work includes collaboration with the Department of 
Energy National Laboratories. 
(g) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients 
are from a variety of types of institutions of higher edu-
cation and nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organi-
zations. In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly 
disseminate information about when and how to apply for 
grants under this section, including by conducting out-
reach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities that 
are part B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and 
minority institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3))). 
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of En-
ergy to carry out the Director’s responsibilities under this 
section $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 
through 2012. 
(i) REPORT ON RECRUITING AND RETAINING EARLY 
CAREER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS AT 
THE
NATIONAL
LABORATORIES.—Not later than 3 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Direc-
tor of the Office of Science shall transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report on efforts to recruit and 
retain young scientists and engineers at the early stages 
of their careers at the Department of Energy National 
Laboratories. The report shall include—
(1) a description of Department of Energy and 
National Laboratory policies and procedures, includ-
ing financial incentives, awards, promotions, time set 
aside for independent research, access to equipment 
or facilities, and other forms of recognition, designed 
to attract and retain young scientists and engineers; 
(2) an evaluation of the impact of these incen-
tives on the careers of young scientists and engi-
neers at Department of Energy National Labora-
tories, and also on the quality of the research at the 
National Laboratories and in Department of Energy 
programs; 
(3) a description of what barriers, if any, exist 
to efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and 
engineers, including limited availability of full time 
equivalent positions, legal and procedural require-
ments, and pay grading systems; and 
(4) the amount of funding devoted to efforts to 
recruit and retain young researchers and the source 
of such funds. 
SEC. 204. INTEGRATIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION AND RE-
SEARCH TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) FUNDING.—For each of the fiscal years 2008 
through 2012, the Director of the National Science Foun-
dation shall allocate at least 1.5 percent of funds appro-
priated for Research and Related Activities to the Integra-
tive Graduate Education and Research Traineeship pro-
gram. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The Director shall coordinate 
with Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, 
to expand the interdisciplinary nature of the Integrative 
Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT FUNDS FROM OTHER 
AGENCIES.—The Director is authorized to accept funds 
from other Federal departments and agencies to carry out 
the Integrative Graduate Education and Research 
Traineeship program. 
SEC. 205. PRESIDENTIAL INNOVATION AWARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall periodi-
cally present the Presidential Innovation Award, on the 
basis of recommendations received from the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy or on the 
basis of such other information as the President considers 
appropriate, to individuals who develop one or more 
unique scientific or engineering ideas in the national inter-
est at the time the innovation occurs. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The awards under this section shall 
be made to— 
(1) stimulate scientific and engineering ad-
vances in the national interest;
(2) illustrate the linkage between science and 
engineering and national needs; 
(3) show the potential of such innovation to 
substantively enhance the economic competitiveness 
of the United States through development of 
commercializable intellectual property; and 
(4) provide an example to students of the con-
tribution they could make to society by entering the 
science and engineering profession. 
(c) CITIZENSHIP.—An individual is not eligible to re-
ceive the award under this section unless at the time such 
award is made the individual— 
(1) is a citizen or other national of the United 
States; or 
(2) is an alien lawfully admitted to the United 
States for permanent residence who— 
(A) has filed an application for naturaliza-
tion in the manner prescribed by section 334 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1445); and 
(B) is not permanently ineligible to become 
a citizen of the United States. 
(d) PRESENTATION.—The presentation of the award 
shall be made by the President with such ceremonies as
he may deem proper, including attendance by appropriate 
Members of Congress. 
SEC. 206. NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE FOR RE-
SEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy shall establish a National Coordination Of-
fice for Research Infrastructure. Such Office shall— 
(1) identify and prioritize the deficiencies in re-
search facilities and major instrumentation located 
at academic institutions and at national laboratories 
that are available for use by academic researchers; 
and 
(2) institute and coordinate the planning by 
Federal agencies for the acquisition, refurbishment, 
and maintenance of research facilities and major in-
strumentation required to address the deficiencies 
identified under paragraph (1). 
In prioritizing the deficiencies identified under paragraph 
(1), the Office shall consider research needs in areas rel-
evant to the Nation’s economic competitiveness. 
(b) STAFFING.—The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall appoint individuals to serve 
in the Office established under subsection (a) from among 
the principal Federal agencies that support research in the 
sciences, mathematics, and engineering, and shall at a
minimum include individuals from the National Science 
Foundation and the Department of Energy. 
(c) REPORT.—The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall provide annually a report to 
Congress at the time of the President’s budget proposal— 
(1) describing the research infrastructure needs 
identified in accordance with subsection (a); 
(2) listing research facilities projects and budg-
et proposals, by agency, for major instrumentation 
acquisitions that are included in the President’s 
budget proposal; and 
(3) explaining how these facilities projects and 
instrumentation acquisitions relate to the defi-
ciencies and priorities arrived at in accordance with 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 207. RESEARCH ON INNOVATION AND INVENTIVENESS. 
In carrying out its research programs on science pol-
icy and on the science of learning, the National Science 
Foundation may support research on the process of inno-
vation and the teaching of inventiveness.
SEC. 208. REPORT ON NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STAND-
ARDS AND TECHNOLOGY EFFORTS TO RE-
CRUIT AND RETAIN EARLY CAREER SCIENCE 
AND ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS. 
Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report on efforts to 
recruit and retain young scientists and engineers at the 
early stages of their careers at the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology laboratories and joint insti-
tutes. The report shall include— 
(1) a description of National Institute of Stand-
ards and Technology policies and procedures, includ-
ing financial incentives, awards, promotions, time set 
aside for independent research, access to equipment 
or facilities, and other forms of recognition, designed 
to attract and retain young scientists and engineers; 
(2) an evaluation of the impact of these incen-
tives on the careers of young scientists and engi-
neers at the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, and also on the quality of the research 
at the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology’s laboratories and in the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology’s programs; 
(3) a description of what barriers, if any, exist 
to efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and 
engineers, including limited availability of full time 
equivalent positions, legal and procedural require-
ments, and pay grading systems; and 
(4) the amount of funding devoted to efforts to 
recruit and retain young researchers and the source 
of such funds. 
SEC. 209. NASA’S CONTRIBUTION TO INNOVATION. 
(a) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that— 
(1) a balanced science program as authorized 
by section 101(d) of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 
(Public Law 109–155) contributes significantly to 
innovation in and the economic competitiveness of 
the United States; and 
(2) a robust National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, funded at the levels authorized 
under sections 202 and 203 of that Act, would offer 
a balance among science, aeronautics, exploration, 
and human space flight programs, all of which can 
attract and employ scientists, engineers, and techni-
cians across a broad range of fields in science, tech-
nology, mathematics, and engineering. 
(b) PARTICIPATION IN INNOVATION AND COMPETI-
TIVENESS PROGRAMS.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration shall fully 
participate in any interagency efforts to promote innova-
tion and economic competitiveness through scientific re-
search and development within the spending levels cited 
in subsection (a). 
SEC. 210. UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCIENCE, 
TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHE-
MATICS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The National Science Foun-
dation shall establish a program, to be known as the Un-
dergraduate Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engi-
neering, and Mathematics, or US–STEM, program, for 
awarding scholarships to undergraduate scholars in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—A student is eligible for a scholar-
ship under this section only if the student— 
(1) is enrolled at a public, 4-year college or uni-
versity; 
(2) will have completed at least one-half of the 
credit requirements for an undergraduate degree be-
fore beginning studies to be funded by the scholar-
ship; 
(3) has maintained a grade point average in un-
dergraduate studies of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, 
or an equivalent level as calculated by the National 
Science Foundation, except that if the student’s in-
stitution appeals this criterion on the basis of undue 
hardship on the student, the National Science Foun-
dation may waive this paragraph; 
(4) has a total family income of less than 
$75,000 per year, with such amount to be adjusted 
annually by the National Science Foundation for in-
flation; 
(5) has not been convicted of a felony; and 
(6) is a citizen or permanent resident alien of 
the United States. 
(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Scholarship recipients 
shall be selected on the basis of merit and such other cri-
teria as the National Science Foundation shall establish. 
(d) AWARDS.—The National Science Foundation 
shall announce awards before April 1 for each upcoming 
academic year, and may make up to 2,500 awards per 
year. Awards may be made for a maximum of 2 academic 
years for each student, and scholarship amounts shall be 
paid to the institution.
(e) ADVISORY BOARD.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall establish an advisory board, 
which shall make recommendations to the Director for se-
lection criteria for scholarship recipients, and provide 
guidance and oversight for the program. 
TITLE III—NATIONAL SCIENCE 
FOUNDATION 
SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the Na-
tional Science Board established under section 2 of 
the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 
U.S.C. 1861). 
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Foundation. 
(3) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen-
tary school’’ has the meaning given that term by 
section 9101(18) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(18)). 
(4) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ 
means the National Science Foundation.
(5) 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)). 
(6) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ has the meaning given that term by 
section 9101(38) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(38)). 
SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) FISCAL YEAR 2008.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $6,500,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2008. 
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount 
authorized under paragraph (1)— 
(A) $5,080,000,000 shall be made avail-
able for research and related activities, of which 
$115,000,000 shall be made available for the 
Major Research Instrumentation program; 
(B) $873,000,000 shall be made available 
for education and human resources, of which— 
(i) $94,000,000 shall be for Mathe-
matics and Science Education Partner-
ships established under section 9 of the 
National Science Foundation Authorization
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n), of which 
$32,000,000 shall be made available for 
the purposes of section 122(a) of this Act 
and $46,000,000 shall be made available 
for the purposes of section 123 of this Act; 
(ii) $70,000,000 shall be for the Rob-
ert Noyce Scholarship Program established 
under section 10 of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 
U.S.C. 1862n–1); 
(iii) $44,000,000 shall be for the 
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and 
Technology Talent Expansion Program es-
tablished under section 8(7) of the Na-
tional Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–368); and 
(iv) $51,620,000 shall be for the Ad-
vanced Technological Education program 
established by section 3(a) of the Scientific 
and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 
(Public Law 102–476); 
(C) $245,000,000 shall be made available 
for major research equipment and facilities con-
struction;
(D) $285,600,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
(E) $4,050,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $12,350,000 shall be made available 
for the Office of Inspector General. 
(b) FISCAL YEAR 2009.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $6,980,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2009. 
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount 
authorized under paragraph (1)— 
(A) $5,457,400,000 shall be made avail-
able for research and related activities, of which 
$123,100,000 shall be made available for the 
Major Research Instrumentation program; 
(B) $934,000,000 shall be made available 
for education and human resources, of which— 
(i) $100,600,000 shall be for Mathe-
matics and Science Education Partner-
ships established under section 9 of the 
National Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n), of which 
$35,200,000 shall be made available for 
the purposes of section 122(a) of this Act
and $50,600,000 shall be made available 
for the purposes of section 123 of this Act; 
(ii) $101,000,000 shall be for the 
Robert Noyce Scholarship Program estab-
lished under section 10 of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 
2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1); 
(iii) $55,000,000 shall be for the 
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and 
Technology Talent Expansion Program es-
tablished under section 8(7) of the Na-
tional Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–368); and 
(iv) $55,200,000 shall be for the Ad-
vanced Technological Education program 
as established by section 3(a) of the Sci-
entific and Advanced-Technology Act of 
1992 (Public Law 102–476); 
(C) $262,000,000 shall be made available 
for major research equipment and facilities con-
struction; 
(D) $309,760,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
(E) $4,120,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and
(F) $12,720,000 shall be made available 
for the Office of Inspector General. 
(c) FISCAL YEAR 2010.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $7,493,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2010. 
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount 
authorized under paragraph (1)— 
(A) $5,863,200,000 shall be made avail-
able for research and related activities, of which 
$131,700,000 shall be made available for the 
Major Research Instrumentation program; 
(B) $1,003,000,000 shall be made avail-
able for education and human resources, of 
which— 
(i) $107,600,000 shall be for Mathe-
matics and Science Education Partner-
ships established under section 9 of the 
National Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n), of which 
$38,700,000 shall be made available for 
the purposes of section 122(a) of this Act 
and $55,700,000 shall be made available 
for the purposes of section 123 of this Act;
(ii) $133,000,000 shall be for the 
Robert Noyce Scholarship Program estab-
lished under section 10 of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 
2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–1); 
(iii) $60,000,000 shall be for the 
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and 
Technology Talent Expansion Program es-
tablished under section 8(7) of the Na-
tional Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–368); and 
(iv) $59,100,000 shall be for the Ad-
vanced Technological Education program 
as established by section 3(a) of the Sci-
entific and Advanced-Technology Act of 
1992 (Public Law 102–476); 
(C) $280,000,000 shall be made available 
for major research equipment and facilities con-
struction; 
(D) $329,450,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
(E) $4,250,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $13,100,000 shall be made available 
for the Office of Inspector General.
(d) MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION.— 
(1) AWARD AMOUNT.—The minimum amount 
of an award under the Major Research Instrumenta-
tion program shall be $100,000. The maximum 
amount of an award under the program shall be 
$4,000,000, except if the total amount appropriated 
for 
the 
program 
for 
a 
fiscal 
year 
exceeds 
$125,000,000, in which case the maximum amount 
of an award shall be $6,000,000. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—In addition to the acquisi-
tion of instrumentation and equipment, funds made 
available by awards under the Major Research In-
strumentation program may be used to support the 
operations and maintenance of such instrumentation 
and equipment. 
(3) COST SHARING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher 
education receiving an award shall provide at 
least 30 percent of the cost from private or 
non-Federal sources. 
(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Institutions of higher 
education that are not Ph.D.-granting institu-
tions are exempt from the cost sharing require-
ment in subparagraph (A), and the Director
may reduce or waive the cost sharing require-
ment for— 
(i) institutions— 
(I) which are not ranked among 
the top 100 institutions receiving Fed-
eral research and development fund-
ing, as documented by the statistical 
data published by the Foundation; 
and 
(II) for which the proposed 
project will make a substantial im-
provement in the institution’s capa-
bilities to conduct leading edge re-
search, to provide research experi-
ences 
for 
undergraduate 
students 
using leading edge facilities, and to 
broaden the participation in science 
and engineering research by individ-
uals identified in section 33 or 34 of 
the Science and Engineering Equal 
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a 
or 1885b); and 
(ii) consortia of institutions of higher 
education that include at least one institu-
tion that is not a Ph.D-granting institu-
tion. 
(e) UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.—The 
Director shall continue to carry out programs in support 
of undergraduate education, including those authorized in 
section 17 of the National Science Foundation Authoriza-
tion Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–6). Funding for these 
programs shall increase in proportion to the increase in 
the total amount appropriated to the Foundation in any 
year for which appropriations are authorized by this title. 
(f) LIMIT ON PROPOSALS.— 
(1) POLICY.—For programs that require as 
part of the selection process for awards the submis-
sion of preproposals and that also limit the number 
of preproposals that may be submitted by an institu-
tion, the Director shall allow the subsequent submis-
sion of a full proposal based on each preproposal 
that is determined to have merit following the Foun-
dation’s merit review process. 
(2) REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF POLICIES.— 
The Board shall review and assess the effects on in-
stitutions of higher education of the policies of the 
Foundation regarding the imposition of limitations 
on the number of proposals that may be submitted 
by a single institution for programs supported by the
Foundation. The Board shall determine whether cur-
rent policies are well justified and appropriate for 
the types of programs that limit the number of pro-
posal submissions. Not later that 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall sum-
marize its findings and any recommendations re-
garding changes to the current policy on the restric-
tion of proposal submissions in a report to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen-
ate. 
(g) RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
FOR UNDERGRADU-
ATES.—The Director shall increase funding for the Re-
search Experiences for Undergraduates program in pro-
portion to the increase in the total amount appropriated 
to the Foundation for research and related activities in 
any year for which appropriations are authorized by this 
title. 
(h) GLOBAL WARMING EDUCATION.— 
(1) INFORMAL EDUCATION.—As part of Infor-
mal Science Education activities, the Director shall 
support activities to create informal educational ma-
terials, exhibits, and multimedia presentations rel-
evant to global warming, climate science, and green-
house gas reduction strategies. 
(2) K–12 
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS.—As 
part of Discovery Research K–12 activities, the Di-
rector shall support the development of K–12 edu-
cational materials relevant to global warming, cli-
mate science, and greenhouse gas reduction strate-
gies. 
SEC. 304. CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON LEARNING AND 
EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT. 
(a) FUNDING
FOR CENTERS.—The Director shall 
continue to carry out the program of Centers for Research 
on Learning and Education Improvement as established 
in section 11 of the National Science Foundation Author-
ization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–2). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR CENTERS.—Section 11 of the 
National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 
(42 U.S.C. 1862n–2) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘or eligi-
ble nonprofit organizations’’ after ‘‘institutions of 
higher education’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1) by inserting ‘‘or an eli-
gible nonprofit organization’’ after ‘‘institution of 
higher education’’; and
(3) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ‘‘of such in-
stitutions’’ and inserting ‘‘thereof’’. 
SEC. 305. INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall evaluate the role 
of the Foundation in supporting interdisciplinary research, 
including through the Major Research Instrumentation 
program, the effectiveness of the Foundation’s efforts in 
providing information to the scientific community about 
opportunities for funding of interdisciplinary research pro-
posals, and the process through which interdisciplinary 
proposals are selected for support. The Board shall also 
evaluate the effectiveness of the Foundation’s efforts to 
engage undergraduate students in research experiences in 
interdisciplinary settings, including through the Research 
in Undergraduate Institutions program and the Research 
Experiences for Undergraduates program. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Board shall provide the re-
sults of its evaluation under subsection (a), including a 
recommendation for the proportion of the Foundation’s re-
search and related activities funding that should be allo-
cated for interdisciplinary research, to the Committee on 
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions of the Senate. 
SEC. 306. PILOT PROGRAM OF GRANTS FOR NEW INVES-
TIGATORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a 
pilot program to award one-year grants to individuals to 
assist them in improving research proposals that were pre-
viously submitted to the Foundation but not selected for 
funding. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this sec-
tion shall be used to enable an individual to resubmit an 
updated research proposal for review by the Foundation 
through the agency’s competitive merit review process. 
Uses of funds made available under this section may in-
clude the generation of new data and the performance of 
additional analysis. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an individual shall— 
(1) not have previously received funding as the 
principal investigator of a research grant from the 
Foundation; and 
(2) have submitted a proposal to the Founda-
tion, which may include a proposal submitted to the 
Research in Undergraduate Institutions program,