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ticularly in the higher education sector where most 
federally sponsored research is performed, are erod-
ing funds available to carry out basic scientific re-
search; 
(2) progress has been made over the last decade 
in streamlining the pre-award grant application 
process through Grants.gov, the Federal Govern-
ment’s website portal; 
(3) post-award administrative costs have grown 
as Federal research agencies have continued to im-
pose agency-unique compliance and reporting re-
quirements on researchers and research institutions; 
(4) facilities and administration costs at re-
search universities can exceed 50 percent of the total 
value of Federal research grants, and it is estimated 
that nearly 30 percent of the funds invested annu-
ally in federally funded research is consumed by pa-
perwork and other administrative processes required 
by Federal agencies; and 
(5) it is a matter of critical importance to 
American competitiveness that administrative costs 
of federally funded research be streamlined so that 
a higher proportion of taxpayer dollars flow into di-
rect research activities. 
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(b) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall establish a working 
group under the authority of the National Science and 
Technology Council, to include the Office of Management 
and Budget. The working group shall be responsible for 
reviewing Federal regulations affecting research and re-
search universities and making recommendations on how 
to— 
(1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate dupli-
cative Federal regulations and reporting require-
ments; 
(2) minimize the regulatory burden on United 
States institutions of higher education performing 
federally funded research while maintaining account-
ability for Federal tax dollars; and 
(3) identify and update specific regulations to 
refocus on performance-based goals rather than on 
process while still meeting the desired outcome. 
(c) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.—In carrying out the re-
sponsibilities under subsection (b), the working group 
shall take into account input and recommendations from 
non-Federal stakeholders, including federally funded and 
nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher 
education, scientific disciplinary societies and associations, 
nonprofit research institutions, industry, including small 
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businesses, federally funded research and development 
centers, and others with a stake in ensuring effectiveness, 
efficiency, and accountability in the performance of sci-
entific research. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 
years, the Director shall report to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate on what steps have been 
taken to carry out the recommendations of the working 
group established under subsection (b). 
SEC. 303. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE 
AND TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall establish a body 
under the National Science and Technology Council with 
the responsibility to identify and coordinate international 
science and technology cooperation that can strengthen 
the United States science and technology enterprise, im-
prove economic and national security, and support United 
States foreign policy goals. 
(b) NSTC BODY LEADERSHIP.—The body estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall be co-chaired by senior 
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level officials from the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy and the Department of State. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The body established under 
subsection (a) shall— 
(1) plan and coordinate interagency inter-
national science and technology cooperative research 
and training activities and partnerships supported or 
managed by Federal agencies and work with other 
National Science and Technology Council commit-
tees to help plan and coordinate the international 
component of national science and technology prior-
ities; 
(2) establish Federal priorities and policies for 
aligning, as appropriate, international science and 
technology cooperative research and training activi-
ties and partnerships supported or managed by Fed-
eral agencies with the foreign policy goals of the 
United States; 
(3) identify opportunities for new international 
science and technology cooperative research and 
training partnerships that advance both the science 
and technology and the foreign policy priorities of 
the United States; 
(4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input 
and recommendations from non-Federal science and 
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technology stakeholders, including universities, sci-
entific and professional societies, industry, and rel-
evant organizations and institutions; and 
(5) identify broad issues that influence the abil-
ity of United States scientists and engineers to col-
laborate with foreign counterparts, including bar-
riers to collaboration and access to scientific infor-
mation. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director of the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a re-
port, to be updated every 2 years, to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
The report shall also be made available to the public on 
the reporting agency’s website. The report shall contain 
a description of— 
(1) the priorities and policies established under 
subsection (c)(2); 
(2) the ongoing and new partnerships estab-
lished since the last update to the report; 
(3) the means by which stakeholder input was 
received, as well as summary views of stakeholder 
input; and 
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