I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4500
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2001 and 2002 for the National
Science Foundation, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 19, 2000
Mr. SMITH of Michigan introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Science
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2001 and 2002
for the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) FISCAL YEAR 2001.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
appropriated to the National Science Foundation
$3,773,710,000 for fiscal year 2001.
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount
authorized under paragraph (1)—
(A) $2,813,500,000 shall be made avail-
able to carry out Research and Related Activi-
ties, of which—
(i) $480,560,000 shall be made avail-
able for Biological Sciences;
(ii) $9,770,000 shall be made avail-
able for Computer and Information Science
and Engineering;
(iii) $403,650,000 shall be made
available for Engineering;
(iv) $549,730,000 shall be made avail-
able for Geosciences;
(v) $807,200,000 shall be made avail-
able 
for 
Mathematical 
and 
Physical
Sciences;
(vi) $159,790,000 shall be made avail-
able for Social, Behavioral, and Economic
Sciences;
(vii) $220,970,000 shall be made
available for United States Polar Research
Programs;
(viii) $62,600,000 shall be made avail-
able for United States Antarctic Logistical
Support Activities; and
(ix) $119,230,000 shall be made avail-
able for Integrative Activities;
(B) $726,700,000 shall be made available
for Education and Human Resources, of which
$53,080,000 shall be for Graduate Research
Fellowships;
(C) $65,340,000 shall be made available
for Major Research Equipment, of which—
(i) $17,440,000 shall be made avail-
able for the EarthScope;
(ii) $16,400,000 shall be made avail-
able for the Large Hadron Collider;
(iii) $6,000,000 shall be made avail-
able for Millimeter Array;
(iv) $12,000,000 shall be made avail-
able for the National Ecological Observ-
atory Network; and
(v) $13,500,000 shall be made avail-
able for the South Pole Station;
(D) $160,580,000 shall be made available
for Salaries and Expenses, of which $4,700,000
shall be made available for travel; and
(E) $6,280,000 shall be made available for
the Office of Inspector General.
(b) FISCAL YEAR 2002.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
appropriated to the National Science Foundation
$3,926,164,000 for fiscal year 2002.
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount
authorized under paragraph (1)—
(A) $2,909,490,000 shall be made avail-
able to carry out Research and Related Activi-
ties, of which—
(i) $496,955,000 shall be made avail-
able for Biological Sciences;
(ii) $10,103,000 shall be made avail-
able for Computer and Information Science
and Engineering;
(iii) $417,422,000 shall be made
available for Engineering;
(iv) $568,486,000 shall be made avail-
able for Geosciences;
(v) $834,740,000 shall be made avail-
able 
for 
Mathematical 
and 
Physical
Sciences;
(vi) $165,242,000 shall be made avail-
able for Social, Behavioral, and Economic
Sciences;
(vii) $228,508,000 shall be made
available for United States Polar Research
Programs;
(viii) $64,736,000 shall be made avail-
able for United States Antarctic Logistical
Support Activities; and
(ix) $123,298,000 shall be made avail-
able for Integrative Activities;
(B) $751,866,000 shall be made available
for Education and Human Resources, of which
$54,400,000 shall be for Graduate Research
Fellowships;
(C) $90,900,000 shall be made available
for Major Research Equipment, of which—
(i) $28,460,000 shall be made avail-
able for the EarthScope;
(ii) $16,900,000 shall be made avail-
able for the Large Hadron Collider; and
(iii) $20,000,000 shall be made avail-
able for the National Ecological Observ-
atory Network;
(D) $167,094,000 shall be made available
for Salaries and Expenses, of which $4,862,400
shall be made available for travel; and
(E) $6,494,000 shall be made available for
the Office of Inspector General.
(c) LIMITATION.—Funds made available pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) shall not be used to employ more
than 75 full-time equivalent positions in the Office of the
Director for either fiscal year 2001 or 2002.
SEC. 3. PLANT GENOMICS.
(a) PLANT GENOME AND GENE EXPRESSION RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.—The National
Science Foundation is authorized to make grants for the
establishment of regional plant genome and gene expres-
sion research and development centers, the purpose of
which shall be to—
(1) develop capabilities in basic plant genome
research;
(2) extend basic plant genomics research
through plant breeding programs and accelerate its
application to crop improvement, particularly the de-
velopment and testing of new varieties of enhanced
food crops; and
(3) serve as centers for scientific and safety in-
formation on plant genomics.
(b) GRANT AWARDS.—Grant awards under this sec-
tion shall be made through an open, peer-reviewed com-
petition. When making awards, the National Science
Foundation shall ensure that as many different agronomic
environments as possible are represented.
(c) MATCHING FUNDS.—The National Science Foun-
dation shall not provide under this section more than 50
percent of the cost of establishing any research and devel-
opment center.
(d) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—The National Science
Foundation may use up to—
(1) $3,000,000 of the funds authorized by sec-
tion 2(a)(2)(A)(i) for fiscal year 2001; and
(2) $3,100,000 of the funds authorized by sec-
tion 2(b)(2)(A)(i) for fiscal year 2002,
to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON LEARNING.
(a) RESEARCH ON LEARNING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Science Foun-
dation shall make grant awards to support research
on learning focusing on the following 4 areas:
(A) Brain research as a foundation for re-
search on human learning.
(B) Behavioral, cognitive, affective, and so-
cial aspects of human learning.
(C) Science, mathematics, engineering, and
technological learning in formal and informal
educational settings.
(D) Learning in complex educational sys-
tems.
The goals of this research shall be to integrate sci-
entific disciplines into research on learning, to gain
a better understanding of how research and edu-
cational practice can be reconciled, and to test,
evaluate, and refine hypotheses across disciplines.
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts
authorized 
under 
section 
2(a)(1) 
and 
(b)(1),
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and $29,000,000
for fiscal year 2002 shall be available for carrying
out this subsection.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH ON LEARNING
CENTERS.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The National Science
Foundation shall make grants for the establishment
of centers of research on learning. The purpose of
these centers shall be to bring together multidisci-
plinary teams of researchers to support the research
goals described in subsection (a)(1). Grant awards
under this subsection shall be made through an
open, peer-reviewed competition.
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts
authorized 
under 
section 
2(a)(1) 
and 
(b)(1),
$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and $6,000,000 for
fiscal year 2002 shall be available for carrying out
this subsection.
(c) INTERAGENCY EDUCATION RESEARCH INITIA-
TIVE.—
(1) PARTICIPATION.—The National Science
Foundation is authorized to participate in the Inter-
agency Education Research Initiative.
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts
authorized 
under 
section 
2(a)(1) 
and 
(b)(1),
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and $28,000,000
for fiscal year 2002 shall be available for carrying
out this subsection.
(d) RESEARCH ON LEARNING CONFERENCE.—With-
in 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the National Science Foundation shall sponsor a con-
ference on human learning and education research, the
goal of which shall be to bring together researchers from
many disciplines, including the physical sciences, neuro-
logical sciences, social sciences, and education practi-
tioners. The purposes of that conference shall be to review
past research on learning, assess current research efforts,
and develop recommendations to address outstanding re-
search issues and to disseminate research results to edu-
cation practitioners.
SEC. 5. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 is
amended—
(1) in section 3(b) (42 U.S.C. 1862(b)), by
striking ‘‘including the Office of Technology Assess-
ment,’’
(2) in section 5(e)(2) (42 U.S.C. 1864(e)(2)),
by striking ‘‘Labor and Human Resources’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’’;
and
(3) in section 13(a) (42 U.S.C. 1872(a)), by
striking ‘‘or the affidavit of allegiance to the United
States required by section 15(d)(2) of this Act’’.
SEC. 6. REPORTS ELIMINATION.
Section 3003(a)(1) of the Federal Reports Elimi-
nation and Sunset Act of 1995 (31 U.S.C. 1113 note)
does not apply to any report required to be submitted
under any of the following provisions of law:
(1) Section 4(j)(1) of the National Science
Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863(j)(1)).
(2) Section 36(f) of the Science and Engineer-
ing Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(f)).
(3) Section 37 of the Science and Engineering
Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d).
(4) Section 108 of the National Science Foun-
dation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1986 (42
U.S.C. 1886).
(5) Section 101(a)(3) of the High-Performance
Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511(a)(3)).
(6) Section 3(a)(7) and (f) of the National
Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C.
1862(a)(7) and (f)).
(7) Section 7(a) of the National Science Foun-
dation Authorization Act, 1977 (42 U.S.C. 1873
note).
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