IB 
Union Calendar No. 15 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 363 
[Report No. 110–39] 
To authorize appropriations for basic research and research infrastructure 
in science and engineering, and for support of graduate fellowships, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 10, 2007 
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Science and Technology 
MARCH 8, 2007 
Additional sponsors: Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BAIRD, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. HONDA, 
Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Min-
nesota, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. 
WEXLER, Ms. GIFFORDS, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. COSTELLO, 
Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, and Mr. CARNAHAN 
MARCH 8, 2007 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 10, 2007] 
A BILL 
To authorize appropriations for basic research and research 
infrastructure in science and engineering, and for sup-
port of graduate fellowships, and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Sowing the Seeds 
Through Science and Engineering Research Act’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION EARLY CAREER 
AWARDS FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 
RESEARCHERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall carry out a program to award 
grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage of their 
careers at institutions of higher education and organiza-
tions described in subsection (c)(2) to conduct research in 
fields relevant to the mission of the Foundation. The exist-
ing Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Pro-
gram may be designated as the mechanism for awarding 
such grants. 
(b) SIZE AND DURATION OF AWARD.—The duration 
of awards under this section shall be 5 years, and the 
amount per year shall be at least $80,000. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—Award recipients shall be individ-
uals who are employed in a tenure-track position as an as-
sistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an equiva-
lent position, at— 
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(1) an institution of higher education in the 
United States; or 
(2) an organization in the United States that is 
a nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organization 
such as a museum, observatory, or research labora-
tory. 
(d) SELECTION.—Award recipients shall be selected on 
a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. 
(e) 
SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this section 
shall submit a proposal to the Director at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Di-
rector may require. In evaluating the proposals submitted 
under this section, the Director shall consider, at a min-
imum— 
(1) the intellectual merit of the proposed work; 
(2) the innovative or transformative nature of 
the proposed research; 
(3) the extent to which the proposal integrates re-
search and education, including undergraduate edu-
cation in science and engineering disciplines; and 
(4) the potential of the applicant for leadership 
at the frontiers of knowledge. 
(f) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients are 
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from a variety of types of institutions of higher education 
and nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organizations. 
In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly dissemi-
nate information about when and how to apply for grants 
under this section, including by conducting outreach to His-
torically Black Colleges and Universities that are part B 
institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority insti-
tutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 
1067k(3))). 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.— For each 
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012, the Director shall 
allocate at least 3.5 percent of funds appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation for Research and Related Ac-
tivities to the grants program under this section. 
(h) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report describing the 
distribution of the institutions from which individuals have 
participated in the Faculty Early Career Development Pro-
gram since fiscal year 2001 among each of the categories 
of institutions of higher education defined by the Carnegie 
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Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the orga-
nizations in subsection (c)(2). 
(i) EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report evaluating the 
impact of the program carried out under this section on 
the ability of young faculty to compete for National Science 
Foundation research grants. 
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY EARLY CAREER AWARDS 
FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH-
ERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of Science 
of the Department of Energy shall carry out a program to 
award grants to scientists and engineers at the early stage 
of their careers at institutions of higher education and orga-
nizations described in subsection (c)(2) to conduct research 
in fields relevant to the mission of the Department. 
(b) SIZE AND DURATION OF AWARD.—The duration 
of awards under this section shall be up to 5 years, and 
the amount per year shall be at least $80,000. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—Award recipients shall be individ-
uals who are employed in a tenure-track position as an as-
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sistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an equiva-
lent position, at— 
(1) an institution of higher education in the 
United States; or 
(2) an organization in the United States that is 
a nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organization 
such as a museum, observatory, or research labora-
tory. 
(d) SELECTION.— Award recipients shall be selected 
on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis. 
(e) 
SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this section 
shall submit a proposal to the Director of the Office of 
Science at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Director may require. In evaluating the 
proposals submitted under this section, the Director shall 
consider, at a minimum— 
(1) the intellectual merit of the proposed work; 
(2) the innovative or transformative nature of 
the proposed research; 
(3) the extent to which the proposal integrates re-
search and education, including undergraduate edu-
cation in science and engineering disciplines; and 
(4) the potential of the applicant for leadership 
at the frontiers of knowledge. 
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(f) 
COLLABORATION
WITH
NATIONAL
LABORA-
TORIES.—In awarding grants under this section, the Direc-
tor shall give priority to proposals in which the proposed 
work includes collaboration with the Department of Energy 
National Laboratories. 
(g) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients are 
from a variety of types of institutions of higher education 
and nonprofit, nondegree-granting research organizations. 
In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly dissemi-
nate information about when and how to apply for grants 
under this section, including by conducting outreach to His-
torically Black Colleges and Universities that are part B 
institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority insti-
tutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 
1067k(3))). 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
to carry out the Director’s responsibilities under this section 
$25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
(i) REPORT ON RECRUITING AND RETAINING EARLY 
CAREER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS AT 
THE NATIONAL LABORATORIES.—Not later than 3 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
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Office of Science shall transmit to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
a report on efforts to recruit and retain young scientists 
and engineers at the early stages of their careers at the De-
partment of Energy National Laboratories. The report shall 
include— 
(1) a description of Department of Energy and 
National Laboratory policies and procedures, includ-
ing financial incentives, awards, promotions, time set 
aside for independent research, access to equipment or 
facilities, and other forms of recognition, designed to 
attract and retain young scientists and engineers; 
(2) an evaluation of the impact of these incen-
tives on the careers of young scientists and engineers 
at Department of Energy National Laboratories, and 
also on the quality of the research at the National 
Laboratories and in Department of Energy programs; 
(3) a description of what barriers, if any, exist 
to efforts to recruit and retain young scientists and 
engineers, including limited availability of full time 
equivalent positions, legal and procedural require-
ments, and pay grading systems; and 
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(4) the amount of funding devoted to efforts to 
recruit and retain young researchers and the source 
of such funds. 
SEC. 4. INTEGRATIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION AND RE-
SEARCH TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) FUNDING.—For each of the fiscal years 2008 
through 2012, the Director of the National Science Founda-
tion shall allocate at least 1.5 percent of funds appropriated 
for Research and Related Activities to the Integrative Grad-
uate Education and Research Traineeship program. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The Director shall coordinate 
with Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, to 
expand the interdisciplinary nature of the Integrative 
Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program. 
(c) AUTHORITY
TO ACCEPT FUNDS FROM OTHER 
AGENCIES.—The Director is authorized to accept funds 
from other Federal departments and agencies to carry out 
the 
Integrative 
Graduate 
Education 
and 
Research 
Traineeship program. 
SEC. 5. PRESIDENTIAL INNOVATION AWARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall periodi-
cally present the Presidential Innovation Award, on the 
basis of recommendations received from the Director of the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy or on the basis of 
such other information as the President considers appro-
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priate, to individuals who develop one or more unique sci-
entific or engineering ideas in the national interest at the 
time the innovation occurs. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The awards under this section shall be 
made to— 
(1) stimulate scientific and engineering advances 
in the national interest; 
(2) illustrate the linkage between science and en-
gineering and national needs; and 
(3) provide an example to students of the con-
tribution they could make to society by entering the 
science and engineering profession. 
(c) CITIZENSHIP.—An individual is not eligible to re-
ceive the award under this section unless at the time such 
award is made the individual— 
(1) is a citizen or other national of the United 
States; or 
(2) is an alien lawfully admitted to the United 
States for permanent residence who— 
(A) has filed an application for naturaliza-
tion in the manner prescribed by section 334 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1445); and 
(B) is not permanently ineligible to become 
a citizen of the United States. 
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Union Calendar No. 15 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 363 
[Report No. 110–39] 
A BILL 
To authorize appropriations for basic research and 
research infrastructure in science and engineer-
ing, and for support of graduate fellowships, and 
for other purposes. 
MARCH 8, 2007 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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