I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2118 
To establish the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to provide 
funding for the support of fundamental agricultural research of the 
highest quality, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 2, 2007 
Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota (for himself, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. MARSHALL, 
Mr. GRAVES, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, and Mr. 
AKIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To establish the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 
to provide funding for the support of fundamental agri-
cultural research of the highest quality, 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 Institute of 
Food and Agriculture Act of 2007’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purpose of this Act is to establish a national in-
stitute— 
(1) to ensure that the technological superiority 
of agriculture in the United States effectively serves 
the people of the United States in the coming dec-
ades; and 
(2) to support and promote fundamental agri-
cultural research and science of the highest caliber 
to achieve the goals of— 
(A) increasing the international competi-
tiveness of agriculture in the United States; 
(B) developing foods that improve human 
health and combat obesity; 
(C) creating new and more useful products 
from plants and animals; 
(D) improving food safety and food secu-
rity by protecting plants and animals in the 
United States from insects, diseases, and the 
threat of bioterrorism; 
(E) enhancing agricultural sustainability; 
(F) improving natural resources; 
(G) strengthening the economies of rural 
communities in the United States; 
(H) decreasing dependence of the United 
States on foreign sources of petroleum by devel-
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oping biobased fuels and products, enhancing 
production technologies at biofuels plants and 
biorefineries, reducing energy consumption at 
such plants and increasing the use and value of 
the co-products of biofuels production; 
(I) strengthening national security by im-
proving the agricultural productivity of farmers 
in developing countries to combat hunger and 
the political instability that hunger produces; 
(J) assisting in modernizing and revital-
izing agricultural research in the United States 
at institutions of higher education, independent, 
nonprofit research institutions, and consortia of 
those institutions, through capital investment; 
(K) achieving such other goals, and meet-
ing such other needs, as the Secretary or the 
Institute determines to be appropriate; and 
(L) ensuring the ability of United States 
producers to successfully combat sanitary and 
phytosanitary nontrade barriers. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Council’’ means the 
Standing Council of Advisors established in section 
4. 
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(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Agriculture. 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Institute. 
(4) FUNDAMENTAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 
AND SCIENCE.—The term ‘‘fundamental agricultural 
research and science’’ means research and science 
that, as determined by the Secretary— 
(A) advances the frontiers of knowledge so 
as to lead to practical results or to further sci-
entific discovery; and 
(B) has an effect on agriculture, food, 
human health, or another purpose of this Act 
as described in section 2(b). 
(5) INSTITUTE.—The term ‘‘Institute’’ means 
the National Institute of Food and Agriculture es-
tablished by section 4. 
(6) MULTIDISCIPLINARY
GRANT.—The term 
‘‘multidisciplinary grant’’ means a grant provided to 
2 or more collaborating investigators to carry out co-
ordinated, multidisciplinary research programs in-
volving multiple disciplines that have been approved 
by the Institute. 
(7) PROJECT
GRANT.—The term ‘‘project 
grant’’ means a grant provided to 1 or more prin-
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cipal investigators to conduct research that has been 
approved by the Institute. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 
(A) each of the several States of the 
United States; 
(B) the District of Columbia; 
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
(D) Guam; 
(E) American Samoa; 
(F) the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; 
(G) the Federated States of Micronesia; 
(H) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; 
(I) the Republic of Palau; and 
(J) the United States Virgin Islands. 
(10) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘‘United 
States’’, when used in a geographical sense, means 
all of the States. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT; COMPOSITION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Department an agency to be known as the ‘‘National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture’’. 
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(b) COMPOSITION.—The Institute shall be composed 
of the Council (including committees and offices estab-
lished under section 5) and the Director. 
(c) STANDING COUNCIL OF ADVISORS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a 
Standing Council of Advisors. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The Council shall be com-
posed of 25 members, including— 
(A) the Director; and 
(B) 18 members appointed by the Sec-
retary, with the concurrence of the Director, 3 
members appointed by the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives, and 3 
members appointed by the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, 
of whom— 
(i) 12 members shall be highly-quali-
fied scientists who, 6 as determined and 
appointed by the Secretary, 3 as deter-
mined and appointed by the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representa-
tives, and 3 as determined and appointed 
by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry of the Senate— 
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(I) are not employees of the Fed-
eral Government; 
(II) have expertise in the fields of 
agricultural research, science, or re-
lated appropriate fields; 
(III) are appropriate for member-
ship on the Council solely on the basis 
of established records of distinguished 
service; and 
(IV) collectively represent the 
views of agricultural research and sci-
entific leaders in all regions of the 
United States; and 
(ii) 12 members shall be distinguished 
members of the public, as determined by 
the Secretary, including— 
(I) representatives of agricultural 
organizations and industry; and 
(II) individuals with expertise in 
natural resources, sustainable agri-
culture, energy, and human health 
and disease. 
(3) TERM.—The members of the Council shall 
serve staggered, 4-year terms, as determined by the 
Secretary and Congress. 
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(4) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet at the 
call of the Director and the Secretary, but not less 
often than annually. 
(5) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 
The Council shall elect to 1-year terms a Chair-
person and Vice Chairperson from among the mem-
bers of the Council. One shall be elected from among 
the members described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) and 
one shall be elected from among the members de-
scribed in paragraph (2)(B)(ii). 
(6) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 
(A) assist the Director in— 
(i) establishing research priorities of 
the Institute; and 
(ii) reviewing, judging, and maintain-
ing the relevance of the programs of the 
Institute; 
(B) review all proposals approved by the 
scientific committees established under section 
5(a)(1) to ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that the purposes of this Act are being 
met; and 
(C) through the meetings described in 
paragraph (4), provide an interface between sci-
entists and stakeholders to ensure, to the max-
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imum extent practicable, that the Institute is 
coordinating national goals with realistic sci-
entific opportunities. 
(d) DIRECTOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Institute shall be head-
ed by a Director, who shall be an individual who 
is— 
(A) a distinguished agricultural researcher 
and scientist; and 
(B) appointed by the President (after tak-
ing into consideration recommendations pro-
vided by the Council), by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate. 
(2) TERM.—The Director shall serve for a sin-
gle, 6-year term. 
(3) COMPENSATION.—The Director shall re-
ceive basic pay at the rate provided for level II of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5513 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(4) SUPERVISION.—The Director shall report 
directly to the Secretary. 
(5) AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DI-
RECTOR.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise 
specifically provided in this Act, the Director 
shall— 
(i) exercise all of the authority pro-
vided to the Institute by this Act (includ-
ing any powers and functions delegated to 
the Director by the Council); 
(ii) in consultation with the Council, 
formulate programs in accordance with 
policies adopted by the Institute; 
(iii) establish committees and offices 
within the Institute in accordance with sec-
tion 5; 
(iv) establish procedures for the peer 
review of research funded by the Institute; 
(v) establish procedures for the provi-
sion and administration of grants by the 
Institute in accordance with this Act; 
(vi) assess the personnel needs of ag-
ricultural research in the areas supported 
by the Institute, and, if determined to be 
appropriate by the Director or the Sec-
retary, for other areas of food and agricul-
tural research; and 
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(vii) cooperate with the Council to 
plan programs that will help meet agricul-
tural personnel needs in the future, includ-
ing portable fellowship and training pro-
grams in fundamental agricultural re-
search and science. 
(B) FINALITY
OF
ACTIONS.—An action 
taken by the Director in accordance with this 
Act (or in accordance with the terms of a dele-
gation of authority from the Council) shall be 
final and binding upon the Institute. 
(C) DELEGATION AND REDELEGATION OF 
FUNCTIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clauses (ii) and (iii), the Director may, 
from time to time and as the Director con-
siders to be appropriate, authorize the per-
formance by any other officer, agency, or 
employee of the Institute of any of the 
functions of the Director under this Act, 
including functions delegated to the Direc-
tor by the Council. 
(ii) POLICYMAKING FUNCTIONS.—The 
Director may not redelegate policymaking 
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functions delegated to the Director by the 
Council. 
(iii) 
CONTRACTS, 
GRANTS, 
AND 
OTHER
ARRANGEMENTS.—The 
Director 
may enter into contracts and other ar-
rangements, and provide grants, in accord-
ance with this Act— 
(I) only with the prior approval 
of the Council or under authority del-
egated by the Council; and 
(II) subject to such conditions as 
the Council may specify. 
(iv) REPORTING.—The Director shall 
promptly report each contract or other ar-
rangement entered into, each grant award-
ed, and each other action of the Director 
taken, under clause (iii) to the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of 
the Senate and the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives. 
(6) STATUS ON COUNCIL.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall be 
an ex officio member of the Council. 
(B) COMPENSATION
AND
TENURE.—Ex-
cept with respect to compensation and tenure, 
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the service of the Director on the Council shall 
be coordinated with the service of other mem-
bers of the Council. 
(C) VOTING; 
ELECTION.—The Director 
shall be— 
(i) a voting member of the Council; 
and 
(ii) eligible for election by the Council 
as Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the 
Council. 
(7) STAFF.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to this para-
graph, the Director shall recruit and hire such 
senior staff and other personnel as are nec-
essary to assist the Director in carrying out 
this Act. 
(B) SENIOR STAFF.—Each individual hired 
as senior staff of the Director shall— 
(i) be a highly accomplished agricul-
tural researcher and scientist, as deter-
mined by the Director; 
(ii) be recruited from the active agri-
cultural research and science community; 
and 
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(iii) be appointed and serve on the 
basis of 4-year, rotating appointments. 
(C) TEMPORARY
STAFF.—Staff hired by 
the Director under this paragraph may include 
agricultural researchers and scientists and other 
technical and professional personnel hired for 
limited terms, or on temporary bases, including 
individuals on leave of absence from academic, 
industrial, research, or science institutions to 
work for the Institute. 
(D) COMPENSATION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clause (ii), subject to such policies as 
the Council shall periodically prescribe, the 
Director may fix the compensation of staff 
hired under this paragraph without regard 
to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
States Code, relating to classification of 
positions and General Schedule pay rates. 
(ii) MAXIMUM
RATE
OF
PAY.—The 
rate of pay for an individual hired under 
this paragraph shall not exceed the rate 
payable for level V of the Executive Sched-
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ule under section 5316 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(8) REPORTING AND CONSULTATION.—The Di-
rector shall— 
(A) periodically report to the Secretary 
with respect to activities carried out by the In-
stitute; and 
(B) consult regularly with the Secretary to 
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, 
that— 
(i) research of the Institute is relevant 
to agriculture in the United States and 
otherwise serves the national interest; and 
(ii) the research of the Institute sup-
plements and enhances, and does not re-
place, research conducted or funded by— 
(I) other agencies of the Depart-
ment; 
(II) the National Science Foun-
dation; or 
(III) the National Institutes of 
Health. 
SEC. 5. COMMITTEES AND OFFICES OF INSTITUTE. 
(a) STANDING SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director may establish 
such number of standing scientific committees with-
in the Institute as the Director determines to be ap-
propriate. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—A standing scientific com-
mittee established under paragraph (1) shall consist 
of such members of the Council appointed under sec-
tion 4(d)(2)(B)(i) as the Director may select. 
(3) TERM.—Members of a standing scientific 
committee established under paragraph (1) shall 
serve for staggered, 4-year terms, as determined by 
the Director. 
(4) REVIEW OF PROPOSALS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A standing scientific 
committee shall apply rigorous merit review to 
research proposals received by the Institute to 
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
research funded by the Institute is scientifically 
of high quality. 
(B) 
DETERMINATION
OF
SCIENTIFIC 
MERIT.—A research proposal received by the 
Institute and reviewed by a standing scientific 
committee under subparagraph (A) shall be— 
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(i) assigned a score based on the sci-
entific merit of the proposal, as determined 
by the standing scientific committee; and 
(ii) if approved by the standing sci-
entific committee, forwarded, along with 
the score, to the Council for final review. 
(C) DECLINATION OF PROPOSALS.—If the 
Council determines that a research proposal 
forwarded under this paragraph does not meet 
standards of scientific review established by a 
standing scientific committee or any similar 
standard established by the Director, the Coun-
cil shall decline to recommend the research pro-
posal for funding by the Institute. 
(5) AD HOC REVIEW MEMBERS.—The Director 
may supplement a standing scientific committee 
under this subsection with 1 or more ad hoc review-
ers in a case in which a research proposal received 
by the Institute requires specialized knowledge not 
represented on that or any other standing scientific 
committee. 
(b) OFFICES.— 
(1) OFFICE OF ADVANCED SCIENCE AND APPLI-
CATION.— 
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(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall 
establish within the Institute an Office of Ad-
vanced Science and Application (referred to in 
this paragraph as the ‘‘Office’’). 
(B) DUTIES.—The Office shall— 
(i) closely monitor national needs and 
advances in fundamental agricultural re-
search and science with the goal of identi-
fying pressing problems for which solutions 
are realistically achievable through funda-
mental agricultural research and science; 
(ii) coordinate creative talent from di-
verse disciplines to bridge potential gaps 
between fundamental agricultural research 
and science and high-priority, practical 
needs; and 
(iii) recommend to the Director ways 
in which existing fundamental agricultural 
research and science may be applied to the 
most urgent problems addressed by the In-
stitute. 
(C) STAFF.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Office shall 
employ a small, focused staff of rotating 
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experts 
in 
agricultural 
research 
and 
science. 
(ii) TALENT
POOL; TERM.—Primary 
staff of the Office— 
(I) shall be appointed from the 
ranks of active agricultural research-
ers and scientists; and 
(II) shall serve terms of not to 
exceed 3 years. 
(D) INTENSIVE STUDY GROUPS.—The Of-
fice shall— 
(i) focus primarily on the most urgent 
problems addressed by the Institute; and 
(ii) assemble such intensive study 
groups as are necessary to address those 
problems. 
(E) REPORTS.—The Office shall submit to 
the Director and the Council periodic reports 
that— 
(i) describe the activities being carried 
out by the Office; and 
(ii) recommend new research priorities 
for the Office, as appropriate. 
(2) OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT AND 
LIAISON.— 
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(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall 
establish within the Institute an Office of Sci-
entific Assessment and Liaison (referred to in 
this paragraph as the ‘‘Office’’). 
(B) DUTIES.—The Office shall— 
(i) monitor the effectiveness of the sci-
entific expenditures by the Institute; 
(ii) oversee the coordination of re-
search efforts of the Institute with those of 
other programs; 
(iii) assess the effectiveness of pro-
grams of the Institute by evaluating— 
(I) the quality of the science 
funded by the Institute, using such 
tools as are readily available; and 
(II) the contributions of the In-
stitute to the national research effort, 
including ways in which the Institute 
collaborates and cooperates with the 
Department and with other Federal 
agencies; and 
(iv) encourage cooperative approaches 
among various research agencies within the 
Federal Government. 
(3) OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL.— 
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(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall 
establish within the Institute an Office of Sci-
entific Personnel (referred to in this paragraph 
as the ‘‘Office’’). 
(B) DUTIES.—The Office shall— 
(i) cooperate with scientific and agri-
cultural experts to assess— 
(I) the number of scientists in 
agriculture and related fields in the 
United States; and 
(II) how many additional sci-
entists in agriculture and related 
fields are needed to meet the purposes 
of this Act; and 
(ii) generate and maintain data that 
may assist the Director and the Council in 
planning appropriate Institute fellowship 
and training programs. 
(4) ADDITIONAL OFFICES.—The Director may 
establish such additional offices within the Institute 
as the Director or the Council determines to be nec-
essary to carry out the duties of the Institute under 
this Act. 
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SEC. 6. DUTIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Institute shall provide com-
petitive, peer-reviewed grants in accordance with section 
8(b) to support and promote the highest quality of funda-
mental agricultural research and science, including grants 
to fund research proposals submitted by— 
(1) individual scientists; 
(2) research consortiums composed of a single 
institution or multiple institutions; and 
(3) other individuals and entities from the pri-
vate and public sectors, including researchers of the 
Department and other Federal agencies. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Decem-
ber 31, 2008, and biennially thereafter, the Institute shall 
submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a com-
prehensive report that describes the research funded and 
other activities carried out by the Institute during the pe-
riod covered by the report. 
SEC. 7. POWERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Institute shall have such au-
thority as is necessary to carry out this Act, including the 
authority— 
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(1) to promulgate such regulations as the Insti-
tute considers to be necessary for governance of op-
erations, organization, and personnel; 
(2) to make such expenditures as are necessary 
to carry out this Act; 
(3) to enter into contracts or other arrange-
ments, or modifications of contracts or other ar-
rangements— 
(A) to provide for the conduct, by organi-
zations or individuals in the United States (in-
cluding other agencies of the Department, Fed-
eral agencies, and agencies of foreign coun-
tries), of such fundamental agricultural re-
search and science, or related activities as the 
Institute considers to be necessary to carry out 
this Act; and 
(B) at the request of the Secretary, for the 
conduct of such specific fundamental agricul-
tural research and science as is in the national 
interest or is otherwise of critical importance, 
as determined by the Secretary, with the con-
currence of the Institute; 
(4) to make advance, progress, and other pay-
ments relating to research and scientific activities 
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without regard to subsections (a) and (b) of section 
3324 of title 31, United States Code; 
(5) to acquire by purchase, lease, loan, gift, or 
condemnation, and to hold and dispose of by grant, 
sale, lease, or loan, real and personal property of all 
kinds necessary for, or resulting from, the exercise 
of authority under this Act; 
(6) to receive and use donated funds, if the 
funds are donated without restriction other than 
that the funds be used in furtherance of 1 or more 
of the purposes of the Institute; 
(7) to publish or arrange for the publication of 
research and scientific information to further the 
full dissemination of information of scientific value 
consistent with the national interest, without regard 
to section 501 of title 44, United States Code; 
(8)(A) to accept and use the services of vol-
untary and uncompensated personnel; and 
(B) to provide such transportation and subsist-
ence as are authorized by section 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code, for individuals serving without 
compensation; 
(9) to prescribe, with the approval of the Comp-
troller General of the United States, the extent to 
which vouchers for funds expended under contracts 
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for scientific or engineering research shall be subject 
to itemization or substantiation prior to payment, 
without regard to the limitations of other laws relat-
ing to the expenditure and accounting of public 
funds; 
(10) to arrange with and reimburse the Sec-
retary, and the heads of other Federal agencies, for 
the performance of any activity that the Institute is 
authorized to conduct; and 
(11) to enter into contracts, at the request of 
the Secretary, for the carrying out of such specific 
agricultural research as is in the national interest or 
otherwise of critical importance, as determined by 
the Secretary, with the consent of the Institute. 
(b) TRANSFER OF RESEARCH FUNDS OF OTHER DE-
PARTMENTS OR AGENCIES.—If the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the Com-
mittee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, 
and any other Committees of jurisdiction are notified not 
less than 30 days in advance of any transfer, funds avail-
able to the Secretary, or any other department or agency 
of the Federal Government, for agricultural or scientific 
research shall be— 
(1) available for transfer, with the approval of 
the Secretary or the head of the other appropriate 
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department or agency involved, in whole or in part, 
to the Institute for use in providing grants in ac-
cordance with the purposes for which the funds were 
made available; and 
(2) if so transferred, expendable by the Insti-
tute for those purposes. 
(c) RESTRICTION ON ACTIVITIES.—The Institute— 
(1) shall be a grant-making entity only; and 
(2) shall not— 
(A) conduct fundamental agricultural re-
search or research relating to fundamental 
science; or 
(B) operate any laboratory or pilot facility. 
SEC. 8. BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS. 
(a) BUDGETARY MANAGEMENT GOALS.—The Direc-
tor, in coordination with the Secretary, shall manage the 
budget of the Institute to achieve the goals of— 
(1) providing sufficient funds over a period of 
time to achieve the purposes of this Act; 
(2) fostering outstanding scientific talent, and 
directing that talent toward work on issues relating 
to agriculture; and 
(3) adequately reimbursing grant-receiving in-
stitutions for costs to encourage the pursuit of fun-
damental agricultural research and science. 
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(b) BUDGETARY GUIDELINES FOR GRANTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—To achieve the goals de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Institute shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, ensure that grants 
awarded for each fiscal year comply with the guide-
lines described in paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(2) PROJECT GRANTS.—With respect to project 
grants, to the maximum extent practicable— 
(A) the Institute shall award approxi-
mately 1,000 new project grants annually; 
(B) the average project grant amount, in-
cluding 
overhead, 
shall 
be 
approximately 
$225,000 for each fiscal year, as adjusted in ac-
cordance with the Consumer Price Index for all- 
urban consumers, United States city average, 
as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics; 
(C) a project grant shall be provided for a 
maximum period of 5 years, with an average 
award duration of 3.5 years; 
(D) the Institute shall require the recipi-
ents of a project grant to submit appropriate 
reports on research carried out using funds 
from the project grant; and 
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(E) the Institute shall provide such num-
ber of training project grants as the Director or 
the Institute determines to be appropriate. 
(3) MULTIDISCIPLINARY
GRANTS.—With re-
spect to multidisciplinary grants, to the maximum 
extent practicable— 
(A) for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
2011, the Institute shall provide 10 multidisci-
plinary grants; 
(B) for fiscal year 2012 and subsequent 
fiscal years, the Institute shall provide multi-
disciplinary grants to fund not fewer than 40 
research consortiums, on the conditions that— 
(i) sufficient funds are available; and 
(ii) a sufficient number of qualified 
research proposals are received; 
(C) the research consortiums provided mul-
tidisciplinary grants may be composed of a sin-
gle institution or multiple institutions; 
(D) the average multidisciplinary grant 
amount, including overhead, shall be approxi-
mately $3,000,000 for each fiscal year, as ad-
justed in accordance with the Consumer Price 
Index for all-urban consumers, United States 
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city average, as published by the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics; 
(E) a multidisciplinary grant shall be pro-
vided for a maximum period of 5 years; 
(F) in the aggregate, multidisciplinary 
grants provided under this paragraph for a fis-
cal year shall represent approximately 15 per-
cent of the total grants provided by the Insti-
tute for the fiscal year, on the condition that a 
sufficient number of qualified research pro-
posals are received for the fiscal year; and 
(G) merit review of the research proposal 
relating to the multidisciplinary grant is con-
ducted to ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that only quality research proposals are 
funded. 
(c) INDIRECT COSTS.—As part of a project grant or 
multidisciplinary grant provided under this Act, the Insti-
tute shall pay indirect costs of conducting research, in-
cluding the costs of overhead, to the recipient of the grant 
at a rate that is not less than any standard negotiated 
rate applicable to similar grants made by the National In-
stitutes of Health or the National Science Foundation, as 
of the date of enactment of this Act, as determined by 
the Secretary. 
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SEC. 9. FUNDING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The following funds, facilities, 
and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation are 
authorized to be used to carry out this Act: 
(1) For fiscal year 2008, $245,000,000 for 
project grants, of which not more than $20,000,000 
shall be made available for administrative expenses 
incurred by the Institute. 
(2) For fiscal year 2009, $515,000,000, of 
which— 
(A) not less than $450,000,000 shall be 
made available for project grants; 
(B) not less than $30,000,000 shall be 
made available for multidisciplinary grants; and 
(C) not more than $35,000,000 shall be 
available for administrative expenses incurred 
by the Institute. 
(3) For fiscal year 2010, $780,000,000, of 
which— 
(A) not less than $675,000,000 shall be 
made available for project grants; 
(B) not less than $60,000,000 shall be 
made available for multidisciplinary grants; and 
(C) not more than $45,000,000 shall be 
made available for administrative expenses in-
curred by the Institute. 
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