H. R. 5116—34 
(C) the number of programs or large collaborator 
awards involving a partnership of organizations and 
institutions from EPSCoR and non-EPSCoR States; and 
(3) an analysis of the gains in academic research quality 
and competitiveness, and in science and technology human 
resource development, achieved by the program in the last 
year. 
(f) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Director shall contract with the 
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on all Federal 
agencies that administer an Experimental Program to Stimu-
late Competitive Research or a program similar to the Experi-
mental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. 
(2) MATTERS
TO
BE
ADDRESSED.—The study conducted 
under paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A delineation of the policies of each Federal agency 
with respect to the awarding of grants to EPSCoR States. 
(B) The effectiveness of each program. 
(C) Recommendations for improvements for each 
agency to achieve EPSCoR goals. 
(D) An assessment of the effectiveness of EPSCoR 
States in using awards to develop science and engineering 
research and education, and science and engineering infra-
structure within their States. 
(E) Such other issues that address the effectiveness 
of EPSCoR as the National Academy of Sciences considers 
appropriate. 
SEC. 518. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING THE SCIENCE, TECH-
NOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS TALENT 
EXPANSION PROGRAM. 
It is the sense of the Congress that— 
(1) the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
Talent Expansion Program established by the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 continues to be an effec-
tive program to increase the number of students, who are 
citizens or permanent residents of the United States, receiving 
associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging 
fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, 
and its authorization continues; 
(2) the strategies employed continue to strengthen men-
toring and tutoring between faculty and students and provide 
students with information and exposure to potential career 
pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
areas; 
(3) this highly competitive program awarded 145 Program 
implementation awards and 12 research projects in the first 
6 years of operations; and 
(4) the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
Talent Expansion Program should continue to be supported 
by the National Science Foundation. 
SEC. 519. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING THE NATIONAL 
SCIENCE FOUNDATION’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO BASIC 
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) the National Science Foundation is an independent 
Federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to, among other
H. R. 5116—35 
things, promote the progress of science, to advance the national 
health, prosperity, and welfare, and to secure the national 
defense; 
(2) the Foundation is the funding source for approximately 
20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted 
by America’s colleges and universities, and is the major source 
of Federal backing for mathematics, computer science and other 
sciences; 
(3) the America COMPETES Act of 2007 helped rejuvenate 
our focus on increasing basic research investment in the phys-
ical sciences, strengthening educational opportunities in the 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and 
developing a robust innovation infrastructure; and 
(4) reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act should 
continue a robust investment in basic research and education 
and preserve the essence of the original Act by increasing 
the investment focus on science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics basic research and education as a national pri-
ority. 
(b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress 
that— 
(1) the National Science Foundation is the finest scientific 
foundation in the world, and is a vital agency that must support 
basic research needed to advance the United States into the 
21st century; 
(2) the National Science Foundation should focus Federal 
research and development resources primarily in the areas 
of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics basic 
research and education; and 
(3) the National Science Foundation should strive to ensure 
that federally-supported research is of the finest quality, is 
ground breaking, and answers questions or solves problems 
that are of utmost importance to society at large. 
SEC. 520. ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND COMMERCIALIZA-
TION OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Any institution of higher education (as such 
term is defined in section 101(A) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) that receives National Science Founda-
tion research support and has received at least $25,000,000 in 
total Federal research grants in the most recent fiscal year shall 
keep, maintain, and report annually to the National Science 
Foundation the universal record locator for a public website that 
contains information concerning its general approach to and mecha-
nisms for transfer of technology and the commercialization of 
research results, including— 
(1) contact information for individuals and university offices 
responsible for technology transfer and commercialization; 
(2) information for both university researchers and industry 
on the institution’s technology licensing and commercialization 
strategies; 
(3) success stories, statistics, and examples of how the 
university supports commercialization of research results; 
(4) technologies available for licensing by the university 
where appropriate; and
H. R. 5116—36 
(5) any other information deemed by the institution to 
be helpful to companies with the potential to commercialize 
university inventions. 
(b) NSF WEBSITE.—The National Science Foundation shall 
create and maintain a website accessible to the public that links 
to each website mentioned under (a). 
(c) TRADE SECRET INFORMATION.—Notwithstanding subsection 
(a), an institution shall not be required to reveal confidential, trade 
secret, or proprietary information on its website. 
SEC. 
521. 
STUDY 
TO 
DEVELOP 
IMPROVED 
IMPACT-ON-SOCIETY 
METRICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Within 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall 
contract with the National Academy of Sciences to initiate a study 
to evaluate, develop, or improve metrics for measuring the potential 
impact-on-society, including— 
(1) the potential for commercial applications of research 
studies funded in whole or in part by grants of financial assist-
ance from the Foundation or other Federal agencies; 
(2) the manner in which research conducted at, and individ-
uals graduating from, an institution of higher education con-
tribute to the development of new intellectual property and 
the success of commercial activities; 
(3) the quality of relevant scientific and international 
publications; and 
(4) the ability of such institutions to attract external 
research funding. 
(b) REPORT.—Within 1 year after initiating the study required 
by subsection (a), the Director shall submit a report to the Senate 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology 
setting forth the Director’s findings, conclusions, and recommenda-
tions. 
SEC. 522. NSF GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF SPONSORED POST-DOCTORAL 
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS. 
The Director of the National Science Foundation may utilize 
funds appropriated to carry out grants to institutions of higher 
education (as such term is defined in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) to provide financial 
support for post-graduate research in fields with potential commer-
cial applications to match, in whole or in part, any private sector 
grant of financial assistance to any post-doctoral program in such 
a field of study. 
SEC. 523. COLLABORATION IN PLANNING FOR STEWARDSHIP OF 
LARGE-SCALE FACILITIES. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the Foundation should, in its planning for construction 
and stewardship of large facilities, coordinate and collaborate 
with other Federal agencies, including the Department of 
Energy’s Office of Science, to ensure that joint investments 
may be made when practicable; 
(2) in particular, the Foundation should ensure that it 
responds to recommendations by the National Academy of 
Sciences and working groups convened by the National Science
H. R. 5116—37 
and Technology Council regarding such facilities and opportuni-
ties for partnership with other agencies in the design and 
construction of such facilities; and 
(3) for facilities in which research in multiple disciplines 
will be possible, the Director should include multiple units 
within the Foundation during the planning process. 
SEC. 524. CLOUD COMPUTING RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT. 
(a) RESEARCH FOCUS AREA.—The Director may support a 
national research agenda in key areas affected by the increased 
use of public and private cloud computing, including— 
(1) new approaches, techniques, technologies, and tools 
for— 
(A) optimizing the effectiveness and efficiency of cloud 
computing environments; and 
(B) mitigating security, identity, privacy, reliability, 
and manageability risks in cloud-based environments, 
including as they differ from traditional data centers; 
(2) new algorithms and technologies to define, assess, and 
establish large-scale, trustworthy, cloud-based infrastructures; 
(3) models and advanced technologies to measure, assess, 
report, and understand the performance, reliability, energy 
consumption, and other characteristics of complex cloud 
environments; and 
(4) advanced security technologies to protect sensitive or 
proprietary information in global-scale cloud environments. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall initiate a review 
and assessment of cloud computing research opportunities and 
challenges, including research areas listed in subsection (a), 
as well as related issues such as— 
(A) the management and assurance of data that are 
the subject of Federal laws and regulations in cloud com-
puting environments, which laws and regulations exist on 
the date of enactment of this Act; 
(B) misappropriation of cloud services, piracy through 
cloud technologies, and other threats to the integrity of 
cloud services; 
(C) areas of advanced technology needed to enable 
trusted communications, processing, and storage; and 
(D) other areas of focus determined appropriate by 
the Director. 
(2) UNSOLICITED
PROPOSALS.—The Director may accept 
unsolicited proposals that review and assess the issues 
described in paragraph (1). The proposals may be judged 
according to existing criteria of the National Science Founda-
tion. 
(c) REPORT.—The Director shall provide an annual report for 
not less than 5 consecutive years to Congress on the outcomes 
of National Science Foundation investments in cloud computing 
research, recommendations for research focus and program improve-
ments, or other related recommendations. The reports, including 
any interim findings or recommendations, shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the National Science Foundation. 
(d) NIST SUPPORT.—The Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall—