(1) not later than 6 months after the date of en-
actment of this Act, establish a design data clearing-
house to identify, gather, validate, and disseminate 
existing design criteria, tools, guidelines, and stand-
ards; and 
(2) develop methods and resources required for 
testing an evaluation of safe and appropriate uses of 
composite materials for infrastructure, including— 
(A) conditioning protocols, procedures and 
models; 
(B) screening and acceptance tools; and 
(C) minimum allowable design data sets 
that can be converted into design tools. 
(b) STANDARDS COORDINATION.—The Secretary, act-
ing through the Director, shall assure that the appropriate 
Institute staff consult regularly with standards developers, 
members of the composites industry, institutions of higher 
education, and other stakeholders in order to facilitate the 
adoption of standards for use of composite materials in in-
frastructure that are based on the research and testing re-
sults and other information developed by the Institute. 
(c) FUNDING.—The Secretary of Commerce shall devote 
$11,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal year 2019, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, to come from 
amounts made available pursuant to section 2(b)(2)(A)(iv) 
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of this Act. This section shall be carried out using funds 
otherwise appropriated by law after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 6. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DATA SCIENCE. 
The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall con-
tinue to support the development of artificial intelligence 
and data science, including through— 
(1) the expansion of the Institute’s capabilities, 
including scientific staff and research infrastructure; 
(2) the implementation of rigorous scientific test-
ing to support the development of trustworthy and 
safe artificial intelligence and data systems; and 
(3) the development of machine learning and 
other artificial intelligence applications to support 
measurement science research programs and take 
steps to modernize the Institute’s research infrastruc-
ture. 
SEC. 7. INTERNET OF THINGS. 
The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall con-
tinue to conduct research with respect to and support the 
expanded connectivity, interoperability, and security of 
interconnected systems and other aspects of the internet of 
things, including through— 
(1) the development of new tools and methodolo-
gies for cybersecurity of the internet of things; 
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(2) the development of technologies to address 
network congestion and device interference, such as 
the development of testing tools for next generation 
wireless communications, internet of things protocols, 
coexistence of wireless communications systems, and 
spectrum sharing; 
(3) convening experts in the public and private 
sectors to develop recommendations for accelerating 
the adoption of sound interoperability standards, 
guidelines, and best practices for the internet of 
things; and 
(4) the development and publication of new cy-
bersecurity tools, encryption methods, and best prac-
tices for internet of things security. 
SEC. 8. HIRING AND MANAGEMENT. 
(a) APPOINTMENTS.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director shall have the authority to— 
(1) make appointments of scientific, engineering, 
and professional personnel without regard to the civil 
service laws as the Secretary, acting through the Di-
rector determines necessary for carrying out research 
and development functions which require the services 
of specially qualified personnel relating to cybersecu-
rity and quantum information science and technology 
and such other areas of national research priorities as 
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the Secretary, acting through the Director may deter-
mine; and 
(2) fix the basic pay of such personnel at a rate 
to be determined by the Secretary, acting through the 
Director at rates not in excess of the basic rate of pay 
of the Vice President under section 104 of title 3, 
United States Code, without regard to the civil service 
laws. 
(b) LIMITATION.—The Director may appoint not more 
than 10 individuals under this section. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 
(2) The term ‘‘Framework’’ means the Frame-
work for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecu-
rity developed by the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology and referred to in Executive Order 
13800 issued on May 11, 2017 (82 Fed. Reg. 22391 
et seq.). 
(3) The term ‘‘Institute’’ means the National In-
stitute of Standards and Technology. 
(4) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
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(5) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of 
Commerce. 
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Union Calendar No. 764 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6229 
[Report No. 115–977] 
A BILL 
To authorize the programs of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, and for other pur-
poses. 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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