IIB 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5312 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JUNE 14, 2016 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 
to authorize activities for support of networking and 
information technology research, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Networking and Infor-
mation Technology Research and Development Moderniza-
tion Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
Section 3 of the High-Performance Computing Act 
of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5502) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘high-performance computing’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘networking and information technology’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘expanding Federal support for 
research, development, and application of high- 
performance computing’’ and inserting ‘‘sup-
porting Federal research, development, and ap-
plication of networking and information tech-
nology’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘high-performance computing’’ both places it 
appears and inserting ‘‘networking and infor-
mation technology’’; 
(C) by striking subparagraphs (C) and 
(D); 
(D) by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
the following: 
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‘‘(C) stimulate research on and promote 
more rapid development of high-end computing 
systems software and applications software;’’; 
(E) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) 
through (H) as subparagraphs (D) through 
(G), respectively; 
(F) in subparagraph (D), as so redesig-
nated, by inserting ‘‘high-end’’ after ‘‘the devel-
opment of’’; 
(G) in subparagraphs (E) and (F), as so 
redesignated, by striking ‘‘high-performance 
computing’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘networking and information technology’’; and 
(H) in subparagraph (G), as so redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘high-performance’’ and in-
serting ‘‘high-end’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘high-performance com-
puting and’’ and inserting ‘‘networking and in-
formation technology and’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘high-performance com-
puting network’’ and inserting ‘‘networking and 
information technology’’. 
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SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 4 of the High-Performance Computing Act 
of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5503) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraphs (3) and (5); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (4), 
(6), and (7) as paragraphs (2), (3), (5), (7), and 
(8), respectively; 
(3) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so re-
designated, the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) ‘cyber-physical systems’ means physical or 
engineered systems whose networking and informa-
tion 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 func-
tions;’’; 
(4) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘high-performance computing’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘networking and information technology’’; 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (3), as so re-
designated, the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) ‘high-end computing’ means the most ad-
vanced and capable computing systems, including 
their hardware, storage, networking and software, 
encompassing both massive computational capability 
and large-scale data analytics;’’; 
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(6) by inserting after paragraph (5), as so re-
designated, the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) ‘networking and information technology’ 
means high-end computing, communications, and in-
formation technologies, high-capacity and high-speed 
networks, special purpose and experimental systems, 
high-end computing systems software and applica-
tions software, and the management of large data 
sets;’’; and 
(7) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘National High-Performance Computing 
Program’’ and inserting ‘‘Networking and Informa-
tion Technology Research and Development Pro-
gram’’. 
SEC. 4. TITLE I HEADING. 
The heading of title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511 
et seq.) is amended by striking ‘‘HIGH-PERFORM-
ANCE 
COMPUTING’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘NET-
WORKING 
AND 
INFORMATION 
TECH-
NOLOGY’’. 
SEC. 5. NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
Section 101 of the High-Performance Computing Act 
of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended— 
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(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘NA-
TIONAL
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING 
PROGRAM’’ and inserting ‘‘NETWORKING
AND 
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH
AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘NATIONAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING 
PROGRAM’’ and inserting ‘‘NETWORKING AND 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
AND 
DEVELOPMENT’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by striking ‘‘National High-Per-
formance Computing Program’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘Networking and Information Tech-
nology Research and Development Pro-
gram’’; 
(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’’; 
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(iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
‘‘high-performance computing and net-
working’’ and inserting ‘‘high-end com-
puting, distributed, and networking’’; 
(v) by amending subparagraph (D) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(D) provide for efforts to increase software se-
curity and reliability;’’; 
(vi) in subparagraph (H)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘support and 
guidance’’ after ‘‘provide’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(vii) in subparagraph (I)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘improving the se-
curity’’ and inserting ‘‘improving the 
security, reliability, and resilience’’; 
and 
(II) by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(viii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(J) provide for increased understanding of the 
scientific principles of cyber-physical systems and 
improve the methods available for the design, devel-
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opment, and operation of cyber-physical systems 
that are characterized by high reliability, safety, and 
security; 
‘‘(K) provide for research and development on 
human-computer interactions, visualization, and big 
data; 
‘‘(L) provide for research and development on 
the enhancement of cybersecurity; and 
‘‘(M) provide for a research framework to lever-
age cyber-physical systems, high capacity and high 
speed communication networks, and large-scale data 
analytics to integrate city-scale information tech-
nology and physical infrastructures.’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(A) establish the goals and priorities for Fed-
eral networking and information technology re-
search, development, education, and other activi-
ties;’’; 
(ii) by amending subparagraph (C) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(C) provide for interagency coordination of 
Federal networking and information technology re-
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search, development, education, and other activities 
undertaken pursuant to the Program;’’; 
(iii) by amending subparagraph (E) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(E) encourage and monitor the efforts of the 
agencies participating in the Program to allocate the 
level of resources and management attention nec-
essary to ensure that the strategic plan under sub-
section (e) is developed and executed effectively and 
that the objectives of the Program are met; and’’; 
and 
(iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
‘‘high-performance’’ and inserting ‘‘high- 
end’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(B), (C), (D), and (E) as subparagraphs 
(E), (F), (G), and (J), respectively; 
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(A) the following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(B) provide, as appropriate, a list of the senior 
steering groups and strategic plans that are planned 
or underway as addressed under section 104; 
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‘‘(C) provide a description of workshops and 
other activities conducted under section 104, includ-
ing participants and findings; 
‘‘(D) provide a detailed description of the na-
ture and scope of research infrastructure designated 
as such under the Program;’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (E), as so redes-
ignated— 
(I) by redesignating clauses (vii) 
through (xi) as clauses (viii) through 
(xii), respectively; and 
(II) by inserting after clause (vi) 
the following: 
‘‘(vii) the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity;’’; 
(iv) in subparagraph (F), as so redes-
ignated— 
(I) by striking ‘‘is submitted,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘is submitted, the levels 
for the previous fiscal year,’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘each Program 
Component 
Area;’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘each Program Component Area and 
research area supported in accordance 
with section 103;’’; 
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(v) by amending subparagraph (G), as 
so redesignated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(G) describe the levels of Federal funding for 
each agency and department participating in the 
Program, and for each Program Component Area, 
for the fiscal year during which such report is sub-
mitted, the levels for the previous fiscal year, and 
the levels proposed for the fiscal year with respect 
to which the budget submission applies;’’; and 
(vi) by inserting after subparagraph 
(G), as so redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(H) include a description of how the objectives 
for each Program Component Area, and the objec-
tives for activities that involve multiple Program 
Component Areas, relate to the objectives of the 
Program identified in the strategic plan required 
under subsection (e); 
‘‘(I) include— 
‘‘(i) a description of the funding required 
by the National Coordination Office to perform 
the functions specified under section 102(b) for 
the current fiscal year; 
‘‘(ii) a description of the estimated funding 
required by such Office to perform the func-
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tions specified under section 102(b) for the next 
fiscal year; and 
‘‘(iii) the amount of funding provided for 
such Office for the current fiscal year by each 
agency participating in the Program; and’’; 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A)— 
(i) 
by 
striking 
‘‘high-performance 
computing’’ both places it appears and in-
serting ‘‘networking and information tech-
nology’’; and 
(ii) after the first sentence, by insert-
ing the following: ‘‘Each chair of the advi-
sory committee shall meet the qualifica-
tions of committee membership and may 
be a member of the President’s Council of 
Advisors on Science and Technology.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking 
‘‘high-performance computing, networking tech-
nology, and related software’’ and inserting 
‘‘networking and information technology’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘2’’ and inserting ‘‘3’’; 
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(ii) by striking ‘‘Committee on Science 
and Technology’’ and inserting ‘‘Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘The first report shall 
be due within 1 year after the date of en-
actment of the America COMPETES 
Act.’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘high- 
performance computing’’ and inserting ‘‘networking 
and information technology’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(d) PERIODIC REVIEWS.—The agencies identified in 
subsection (a)(3)(B) shall— 
‘‘(1) periodically assess and update, as appro-
priate, the contents, scope, and funding levels of the 
Program Component Areas and work through the 
National Science and Technology Council and with 
the assistance of the National Coordination Office 
described under section 102 to restructure the Pro-
gram when warranted, taking into consideration any 
relevant recommendations of the advisory committee 
established under subsection (b); and 
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‘‘(2) working through the National Science and 
Technology Council and with the assistance of the 
National Coordination Office described under section 
102, ensure that the Program includes large-scale, 
long-term, interdisciplinary research and develop-
ment activities, including activities described in sec-
tion 103. 
‘‘(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 assist-
ance of the National Coordination Office described 
under section 102, shall develop, within 12 months 
after the date of enactment of the Networking and 
Information Technology Research and Development 
Modernization Act of 2016, and update every 5 
years thereafter, a 5-year strategic plan for the Pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The strategic plan shall 
specify near-term and long-term cross-cutting objec-
tives 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— 
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‘‘(A) address long-term challenges of na-
tional importance for which solutions require 
large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary research 
and development; 
‘‘(B) encourage and support mechanisms 
for interdisciplinary research and development 
in networking and information technology and 
for Grand Challenges, including through col-
laborations across agencies, across Program 
Component Areas, with industry, with Federal 
laboratories (as defined in section 4 of the Ste-
venson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)), and with international 
organizations; 
‘‘(C) foster the transfer of research and 
development results into new technologies and 
applications in the national interest, including 
through cooperation and collaborations with 
networking and information technology re-
search, development, and technology transition 
initiatives supported by the States; 
‘‘(D) provide for cyberinfrastructure needs, 
as appropriate, across federally funded large- 
scale research facilities that produce or will 
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produce large amounts of data that will need to 
be stored, curated, and made publicly available; 
‘‘(E) strengthen all levels of networking 
and information technology education and 
training programs to ensure an adequate, well- 
trained workforce; and 
‘‘(F) attract individuals identified in sec-
tions 33 and 34 of the Science and Engineering 
Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a and 
1885b) to networking and information tech-
nology fields. 
‘‘(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The entities in-
volved in developing the strategic plan under para-
graph (1) shall take into consideration the rec-
ommendations— 
‘‘(A) of the advisory committee established 
under subsection (b); 
‘‘(B) of the Committee on Science and rel-
evant subcommittees of the National Science 
and Technology Council; and 
‘‘(C) of the stakeholders whose input was 
solicited by the National Coordination Office, as 
required under section 102(b)(3). 
‘‘(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director of 
the National Coordination Office shall transmit the 
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strategic plan required under paragraph (1) to the 
advisory committee, the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.’’. 
SEC. 6. 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 maintain a Na-
tional Coordination Office with a Director and full-time 
staff. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The National Coordination Office 
shall— 
‘‘(1) provide technical and administrative sup-
port 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), as appropriate; 
‘‘(2) serve as the primary point of contact on 
Federal networking and information technology ac-
tivities for government organizations, academia, in-
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dustry, professional societies, State computing and 
networking technology programs, interested citizen 
groups, and others to exchange technical and pro-
grammatic information; 
‘‘(3) solicit input and recommendations from a 
wide range of stakeholders during the development 
of each strategic plan required under section 101(e) 
and the scope of the Program Component Areas 
through the convening of at least one workshop with 
invitees from academia, industry, Federal labora-
tories, and other relevant organizations and institu-
tions; 
‘‘(4) conduct and increase outreach, including 
to academia, industry, other relevant organizations 
and institutions, and the public, in order to increase 
awareness of the Program and the benefits of the 
Program and to increase potential opportunities for 
collaboration between agencies participating in the 
Program and the private sector; and 
‘‘(5) promote access to and early application of 
the technologies, innovations, and expertise derived 
from Program activities to agency missions and sys-
tems across the Federal Government and to United 
States industry. 
‘‘(c) SOURCE OF FUNDING.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The operation of the Na-
tional Coordination Office shall be supported by 
funds from each agency participating in the Pro-
gram, subject to the availability of appropriations 
for such purpose. 
‘‘(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—The portion of the total 
budget of such Office that is authorized to be pro-
vided 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). 
‘‘(3) WAIVER.—As appropriate, the Director 
may consider and approve a reduction or waiver of 
an agency contribution requirement under paragraph 
(2).’’. 
SEC. 7. NEXT GENERATION INTERNET. 
Section 103 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5513) is repealed. 
SEC. 8. GRAND CHALLENGES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IM-
PORTANCE. 
Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511 et seq.) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section: 
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‘‘SEC. 103. GRAND CHALLENGES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL 
IMPORTANCE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Program shall encourage 
agencies identified in section 101(a)(3)(E) to support 
large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary research and de-
velopment activities in networking and information tech-
nology directed toward agency mission 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 dem-
onstration of technical solutions, shall be designed to ad-
vance the development of fundamental discoveries. The ad-
visory committee established under section 101(b) shall 
make recommendations to the Program for candidate re-
search and development areas for support under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(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 competi-
tive, merit-based process; 
‘‘(B) involve collaborations among re-
searchers in institutions of higher education 
and industry, and may involve nonprofit re-
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search institutions and Federal laboratories, as 
appropriate; 
‘‘(C) leverage Federal investments through 
collaboration with related State and private sec-
tor initiatives; and 
‘‘(D) include a plan for fostering the trans-
fer of research discoveries and the results of 
technology demonstration activities, including 
from institutions of higher education and Fed-
eral laboratories, to industry for commercial de-
velopment. 
‘‘(2) COST-SHARING.—In selecting applications 
for support, the agencies may give special consider-
ation to projects that include cost sharing from non- 
Federal sources. 
‘‘(3) AGENCY COLLABORATION.—If two or more 
agencies identified in section 101(a)(3)(E), or other 
appropriate agencies, are working on large-scale net-
working and information technology research and 
development activities in the same area of national 
importance, then such agencies shall strive to col-
laborate through joint solicitation and selection of 
applications for support and subsequent funding of 
projects. 
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‘‘(4) 
INTERDISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH
CEN-
TERS.—Research and development activities under 
this section may be supported through interdiscipli-
nary research centers that are organized to inves-
tigate basic research questions and carry out tech-
nology demonstration activities in areas described in 
subsection (a). Research may be carried out through 
existing interdisciplinary centers.’’. 
SEC. 9. WORKSHOPS AND SENIOR STEERING GROUPS. 
Title I of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5511 et seq.) is amend-
ed further by adding after section 103, as added by section 
8 of this Act, the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 104. ADDRESSING EMERGING ISSUES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to address emerging 
issues, the Director of the National Coordination Office 
may conduct workshops and other activities on research 
areas of emerging importance, which may include the 
grand challenge areas identified under section 103, with 
participants from institutions of higher education, Federal 
laboratories, and industry, in order to help guide Program 
investments and strategic planning in those areas, includ-
ing areas identified in subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) FOCUS AREAS.—In selecting research areas 
under subsection (a), the Director of the National Coordi-
nation Office shall consider the following topics: 
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‘‘(1) Data analytics to identify the current and 
future state of performing inference, prediction, and 
other forms of analysis of data, and methods for the 
collection, management, preservation, and use of 
data. 
‘‘(2) The current and future state of the 
science, engineering, policy, and social under-
standing of privacy protection. 
‘‘(3) The current and future state of funda-
mental research on the systems and science of the 
interplay of people and computing as well as the co-
ordination and support being undertaken in areas 
such as social computing, human-robot interaction, 
privacy, and health-related aspects in human-com-
puter systems. 
‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS.—The participants in the workshops 
shall, as appropriate— 
‘‘(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 partner-
ships; 
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‘‘(2) develop options for research and develop-
ment for the specific issue areas that would be ad-
dressed through such partnerships; 
‘‘(3) propose guidelines for assigning intellec-
tual 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 sup-
port research and development partnerships for the 
specific issue areas. 
‘‘(d) PARTICIPANTS.—The Director of the National 
Coordination Office shall ensure that the participants in 
the workshops— 
‘‘(1) are individuals with knowledge and exper-
tise in the specific issue areas; and 
‘‘(2) represent a broad mix of relevant stake-
holders, including academic and industry researchers 
and, as appropriate, Federal agencies. 
‘‘(e) SENIOR STEERING GROUPS
AND STRATEGIC 
PLANS.—As appropriate, the Director of the National Co-
ordination Office shall establish senior steering groups and 
develop focused strategic plans to coordinate and guide ac-
tivities under the research areas identified under this sec-
tion, taking into consideration the findings and rec-
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ommendations from any workshops carried out on those 
research topics.’’. 
SEC. 10. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES. 
Section 201 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5521) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘high-end’’ after ‘‘Na-
tional Science Foundation shall provide’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘high-performance 
computing’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘networking;’’ and inserting ‘‘networking 
and information technology; and’’; 
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) through 
(4); and 
(C) 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 tech-
nology at all levels of education and to increase par-
ticipation in networking and information technology 
fields, including by individuals identified in sections 
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33 and 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal 
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a and 1885b).’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
SEC. 11. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINIS-
TRATION ACTIVITIES. 
Section 202 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5522) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) by striking ‘‘(a) GENERAL RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘high-performance computing’’ 
and inserting ‘‘networking and information tech-
nology’’. 
SEC. 12. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES. 
Section 203 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5523) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) by striking ‘‘(a) GENERAL RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—’’; 
(3) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘high-per-
formance computing and networking’’ and inserting 
‘‘networking and information technology’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘high-per-
formance’’ and inserting ‘‘high-end’’. 
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SEC. 13. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES. 
Section 204 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5524) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘high-performance computing systems and net-
works’’ and inserting ‘‘networking and informa-
tion technology systems and capabilities’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘interoperability 
of 
high-performance 
com-
puting 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’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘HIGH- 
PERFORMANCE COMPUTING
AND NETWORK’’ 
and inserting ‘‘NETWORKING
AND INFORMA-
TION TECHNOLOGY’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘Pursuant to the Com-
puter Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100– 
235; 101 Stat. 1724), the’’ and inserting 
‘‘The’’; and 
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(C) by striking ‘‘sensitive’’; and 
(3) by striking subsections (c) and (d). 
SEC. 14. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ACTIVI-
TIES. 
Section 205 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 5525) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) by striking ‘‘(a) GENERAL RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘basic and applied’’; 
(4) by striking ‘‘computational’’ and inserting 
‘‘networking and information technology’’; and 
(5) by inserting ‘‘All software and code, along 
with any subsequent updates to the software and 
code, developed by the Environmental Protection 
Agency under the Program and used in conducting 
scientific research shall be made publically available. 
In cases where the underlying software or code is 
proprietary or contains confidential business infor-
mation, the Agency shall disclose only the name and 
vendor of the software and code used for all propri-
etary or confidential business information portions 
of the software or code. The Environmental Protec-
tion Agency shall ensure that the research conducted 
under the Program does not duplicate the scope or 
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