I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1806 
To provide for technological innovation through the prioritization of Federal 
investment in basic research, fundamental scientific discovery, and devel-
opment to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 15, 2015 
Mr. SMITH of Texas (for himself, Mr. LUCAS, Mrs. COMSTOCK, Mr. WEBER 
of Texas, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. KNIGHT, 
Mr. BABIN, and Mr. LOUDERMILK) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and 
in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce and Over-
sight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for technological innovation through the 
prioritization of Federal investment in basic research, 
fundamental scientific discovery, and development to im-
prove the competitiveness of the United States, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 102. Findings. 
Sec. 103. Policy objectives. 
Sec. 104. Definitions. 
Sec. 105. Accountability and transparency. 
Sec. 106. Greater accountability in Federal funding for research. 
Sec. 107. Obligation of major research equipment and facilities construction 
funds. 
Sec. 108. Management and oversight of large facilities. 
Sec. 109. Whistleblower education. 
Sec. 110. Graduate student support. 
Sec. 111. Permissible support. 
Sec. 112. Expanding STEM opportunities. 
Sec. 113. Review of education programs. 
Sec. 114. Recompetition of awards. 
Sec. 115. Sense of the Congress regarding industry investment in STEM edu-
cation. 
Sec. 116. Misrepresentation of research results. 
Sec. 117. Research reproducibility and replication. 
Sec. 118. Research grant conditions. 
Sec. 119. Computing resources study. 
Sec. 120. Scientific breakthrough prizes. 
Sec. 121. Rotating personnel. 
Sec. 122. Sense of Congress regarding Innovation Corps. 
Sec. 123. Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Ini-
tiative. 
Sec. 124. Noyce scholarship program amendments. 
Sec. 125. Informal STEM education. 
TITLE II—SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND 
MATHEMATICS 
Sec. 201. Findings; sense of Congress. 
Sec. 202. STEM Education Advisory Panel. 
Sec. 203. Committee on STEM Education. 
Sec. 204. STEM Education Coordinating Office. 
TITLE III—OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY 
Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency. 
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Sec. 303. Coordination of international science and technology partnerships. 
Sec. 304. Alternative research funding models. 
Sec. 305. Amendments to prize competitions. 
Sec. 306. United States Chief Technology Officer. 
Sec. 307. National Research Council study on technology for emergency notifi-
cations on university campuses. 
TITLE IV—NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 
TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 402. Standards and conformity assessment. 
Sec. 403. Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. 
Sec. 404. Police and security authority. 
Sec. 405. Education and outreach. 
Sec. 406. Programmatic planning report. 
Sec. 407. Assessments by the National Research Council. 
Sec. 408. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. 
Sec. 409. Elimination of obsolete reports. 
Sec. 410. Modifications to grants and cooperative agreements. 
Sec. 411. Information systems standards consultation. 
Sec. 412. United States-Israeli cooperation. 
TITLE V—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE 
Sec. 501. Mission. 
Sec. 502. Basic energy sciences. 
Sec. 503. Advanced scientific computing research. 
Sec. 504. High energy physics. 
Sec. 505. Biological and environmental research. 
Sec. 506. Fusion energy. 
Sec. 507. Nuclear physics. 
Sec. 508. Science laboratories infrastructure program. 
Sec. 509. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 510. Definitions. 
TITLE VI—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT 
Subtitle A—Crosscutting Research and Development 
Sec. 601. Crosscutting research and development. 
Sec. 602. Strategic research portfolio analysis and coordination plan. 
Sec. 603. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure. 
Subtitle B—Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and 
Development 
Sec. 611. Distributed energy and electric energy systems. 
Sec. 612. Electric transmission and distribution research and development. 
Subtitle C—Nuclear Energy Research and Development 
Sec. 621. Objectives. 
Sec. 622. Program objectives study. 
Sec. 623. Nuclear energy research and development programs. 
Sec. 624. Small modular reactor program. 
Sec. 625. Fuel cycle research and development. 
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Sec. 626. Nuclear energy enabling technologies program. 
Sec. 627. Technical standards collaboration. 
Sec. 628. Available facilities database. 
Sec. 629. Nuclear waste disposal. 
Subtitle D—Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research and 
Development 
Sec. 641. Energy efficiency. 
Sec. 642. Next Generation Lighting Initiative. 
Sec. 643. Building standards. 
Sec. 644. Secondary electric vehicle battery use program. 
Sec. 645. Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program. 
Sec. 646. Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers. 
Sec. 647. Renewable energy. 
Sec. 648. Bioenergy program. 
Sec. 649. Concentrating solar power research program. 
Sec. 650. Renewable energy in public buildings. 
Subtitle E—Fossil Energy Research and Development 
Sec. 661. Fossil energy. 
Sec. 662. Research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
programs. 
Sec. 663. High efficiency gas turbines research and development. 
Subtitle F—Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy 
Sec. 671. ARPA–E amendments. 
Subtitle G—Authorization of Appropriations 
Sec. 681. Authorization of appropriations. 
Subtitle H—Definitions 
Sec. 691. Definitions. 
TITLE VII—DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 
Subtitle A—In General 
Sec. 701. Definitions. 
Sec. 702. Savings clause. 
Subtitle B—Innovation Management at Department of Energy 
Sec. 711. Under Secretary for Science and Energy. 
Sec. 712. Technology transfer and transitions assessment. 
Sec. 713. Sense of Congress. 
Sec. 714. Nuclear energy innovation. 
Subtitle C—Cross-Sector Partnerships and Grant Competitiveness 
Sec. 721. Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program. 
Sec. 722. Public-private partnerships for commercialization. 
Sec. 723. Inclusion of early-stage technology demonstration in authorized tech-
nology transfer activities. 
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Sec. 724. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education and 
other nonprofit institutions. 
Sec. 725. Participation in the Innovation Corps program. 
Subtitle D—Assessment of Impact 
Sec. 731. Report by Government Accountability Office. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘STEM’’ means the subjects of 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; 
(2) the term ‘‘STEM education’’ means edu-
cation in the subjects of STEM, including computer 
science; and 
(3) the term ‘‘Committee on STEM Education’’ 
means the Committee on Science, Technology, Engi-
neering, and Mathematics Education established 
under section 101 of the America COMPETES Re-
authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621). 
TITLE I—NATIONAL SCIENCE 
FOUNDATION 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) FISCAL YEAR 2016.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for 
fiscal year 2016. 
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount 
authorized by paragraph (1)— 
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(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made avail-
able to carry out research and related activities, 
including— 
(i) $834,800,000 for the Biological 
Science Directorate; 
(ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer 
and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate; 
(iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineer-
ing Directorate; 
(iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geo-
sciences Directorate; 
(v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathe-
matical and Physical Science Directorate; 
(vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Be-
havioral, and Economics Directorate, of 
which $50,000,000 shall be for the Na-
tional Center for Science and Engineering 
Statistics; 
(vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of 
International Science and Engineering; 
(viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative 
Activities; and 
(ix) $1,480,000 for the United States 
Arctic Commission; 
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(B) $866,000,000 shall be made available 
for education and human resources; 
(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available 
for major research equipment and facilities con-
struction; 
(D) $325,000,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
(E) $3,870,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $15,660,000 shall be made available 
for the Office of Inspector General. 
(b) FISCAL YEAR 2017.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for 
fiscal year 2017. 
(2) SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS.—Of the amount 
authorized by paragraph (1)— 
(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made avail-
able to carry out research and related activities, 
including— 
(i) $834,800,000 for the Biological 
Science Directorate; 
(ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer 
and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate; 
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(iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineer-
ing Directorate; 
(iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geo-
sciences Directorate; 
(v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathe-
matical and Physical Science Directorate; 
(vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Be-
havioral, and Economics Directorate, of 
which $50,000,000 shall be for the Na-
tional Center for Science and Engineering 
Statistics; 
(vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of 
International Science and Engineering; 
(viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative 
Activities; and 
(ix) $1,480,000 for the United States 
Arctic Commission; 
(B) $866,000,000 shall be made available 
for education and human resources; 
(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available 
for major research equipment and facilities con-
struction; 
(D) $325,000,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
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(E) $3,870,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $15,660,000 shall be made available 
for the Office of Inspector General. 
SEC. 102. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Taxpayer-supported research investments 
administered by the Foundation should serve the na-
tional interest. 
(2) The Foundation has made major contribu-
tions for more than 60 years to strengthen and sus-
tain the Nation’s academic research enterprise. 
(3) The economic strength and national security 
of the United States, and the quality of life of all 
Americans, are grounded in the Nation’s scientific 
and technological capabilities. 
(4) Providing support for basic research is an 
investment in our Nation’s future security and eco-
nomic prosperity. 
(5) Congress applauds the Foundation’s rec-
ognition that wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars is 
necessary to maintain and ensure the public’s trust 
for funding of fundamental scientific and engineer-
ing research. 
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(6) Other nations are increasing their public in-
vestments in basic research in the physical sciences 
in order to boost long-term economic growth. 
(7) Longstanding United States leadership in 
supercomputing, genomics, nanoscience, photonics, 
quantum physics, and other key technological areas 
is jeopardized if United States investments in basic 
research in the natural sciences do not keep pace. 
(8) Redundant regulations and reporting re-
quirements imposed by Federal agencies on research 
institutions and researchers increase costs by tens of 
millions of dollars annually. 
(9) The Foundation carries out important func-
tions by supporting basic research in all science and 
engineering disciplines and in supporting STEM 
education at all levels. 
(10) The research and education activities of 
the Foundation promote the discovery, integration, 
dissemination, and application of new knowledge in 
service to society and prepare future generations of 
scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who will 
be necessary to ensure America’s leadership in the 
global marketplace. 
(11) Many of the complex problems and chal-
lenges facing the Nation increasingly require the col-
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laboration of multiple scientific disciplines. The 
Foundation should continue to emphasize cross-di-
rectorate research collaboration and activities to ad-
dress these issues and encourage interdisciplinary re-
search. 
(12) The Foundation should meet the highest 
standards of efficiency, transparency, and account-
ability in its stewardship of public funds. 
(13) The Foundation is charged with the re-
sponsibilities— 
(A) to develop and encourage the pursuit 
of a national policy for the promotion of basic 
research and education in the sciences; 
(B) to initiate, support, and conduct basic 
scientific research and to appraise the impact of 
research on industrial development and the gen-
eral welfare; 
(C) to initiate, support, and conduct sci-
entific research activities in connection with 
matters relating to the national defense, at the 
request of the Secretary of Defense; 
(D) to award scholarships and graduate 
fellowships in the sciences; 
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(E) to foster the interchange of scientific 
information among scientists and across sci-
entific disciplines; 
(F) to evaluate scientific research pro-
grams undertaken by agencies of the Federal 
Government, and to correlate the Foundation’s 
scientific research with that undertaken by indi-
viduals and by public and private research 
groups; 
(G) to communicate effectively to Amer-
ican citizens the relevance of public investments 
in scientific discovery and technological innova-
tion to the Nation’s security, prosperity, and 
welfare; and 
(H) to establish such special commissions 
as the Board considers necessary. 
(14) The emerging global economic, scientific, 
and technical environment challenges long standing 
assumptions about domestic and international policy, 
requiring the Foundation to play a more proactive 
role in sustaining the competitive advantage of the 
United States through superior research capabilities. 
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SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVES. 
In allocating resources made available under this 
title, the Foundation shall have the following policy objec-
tives: 
(1) To renew and maintain the Nation’s inter-
national leadership in science and technology by— 
(A) increasing the national investment in 
basic scientific research and increasing inter-
disciplinary investment in strategic areas vital 
to the national interest; 
(B) balancing the Nation’s research port-
folio among the life sciences, mathematics, the 
physical sciences, computer and information 
science, geosciences, engineering, and social, be-
havioral, and economic sciences, all of which are 
important for the continued development of en-
abling technologies necessary for sustained eco-
nomic competitiveness; 
(C) encouraging investments in potentially 
transformative scientific research to benefit our 
Nation and its citizens; 
(D) expanding the pool of scientists and 
engineers in the United States, including among 
segments of the population that have been his-
torically underrepresented in STEM fields; and 
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(E) modernizing the Nation’s research in-
frastructure and establishing and maintaining 
cooperative international relationships with pre-
mier research institutions. 
(2) To increase overall workforce skills by— 
(A) improving the quality of STEM edu-
cation and tools provided both inside and out-
side of the classroom, including in kindergarten 
through grade 12; and 
(B) expanding STEM training opportuni-
ties at institutions of higher education. 
(3) To strengthen innovation by expanding the 
focus of competitiveness and innovation at the re-
gional and local level. 
SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the Na-
tional Science Board. 
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Foundation. 
(3) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘‘Foundation’’ 
means the National Science Foundation established 
under section 2 of the National Science Foundation 
Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861). 
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(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means one of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, or any other territory or 
possession of the United States. 
(6) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United 
States’’ means the several States, the District of Co-
lumbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Vir-
gin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any 
other territory or possession of the United States. 
SEC. 105. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) sustained, predictable Federal funding is es-
sential to United States leadership in science and 
technology; 
(2) building understanding of and confidence in 
investments in basic research are essential to public 
support for sustained, predictable Federal funding; 
and 
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(3) the Foundation should commit itself fully to 
transparency and accountability and to clear, con-
sistent public communication regarding the national 
interest for each Foundation-awarded grant and co-
operative agreement. 
SEC. 106. GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUND-
ING FOR RESEARCH. 
(a) STANDARD FOR AWARD OF GRANTS.—The Foun-
dation shall award Federal funding for basic research and 
education in the sciences through a new research grant 
or cooperative agreement only if an affirmative determina-
tion is made by the Foundation under subsection (b) and 
written justification relating thereto is published under 
subsection (c). 
(b) DETERMINATION.—A determination referred to 
in subsection (a) is a justification by the responsible Foun-
dation official as to how the research grant or cooperative 
agreement promotes the progress of science in the United 
States, consistent with the Foundation mission as estab-
lished in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 
U.S.C. 1861 et seq.), and further— 
(1) is worthy of Federal funding; and 
(2) is in the national interest, as indicated by 
having the potential to achieve— 
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(A) increased economic competitiveness in 
the United States; 
(B) advancement of the health and welfare 
of the American public; 
(C) development of an American STEM 
workforce that is globally competitive; 
(D) increased public scientific literacy and 
public engagement with science and technology 
in the United States; 
(E) increased partnerships between aca-
demia and industry in the United States; 
(F) support for the national defense of the 
United States; or 
(G) promotion of the progress of science in 
the United States. 
(c) WRITTEN
JUSTIFICATION.—Public announce-
ment of each award of Federal funding described in sub-
section (a) shall include a written justification from the 
responsible Foundation official as to how a grant or coop-
erative agreement meets the requirements of subsection 
(b). 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—A determination under sub-
section (b) shall be made after a research grant or cooper-
ative agreement proposal has satisfied the Foundation’s 
reviews for Merit and Broader Impacts. Nothing in this 
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section shall be construed as altering the Foundation’s in-
tellectual merit or broader impacts criteria for evaluating 
grant applications. 
SEC. 107. OBLIGATION OF MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT 
AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION FUNDS. 
No funds may be obligated for a fiscal year for a con-
struction project for the Foundation that has not com-
menced before the date of enactment of this Act until 30 
days after the report required with respect to each such 
fiscal year under section 14(a)(2) of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n– 
4(a)(2)) is transmitted to the Congress. 
SEC. 108. MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FA-
CILITIES. 
(a) LARGE FACILITIES OFFICE.—The Director shall 
maintain a Large Facilities Office within the Office of the 
Director. The functions of the Large Facilities Office shall 
be to support the research directorates in the development, 
implementation, and assessment of major multi-user re-
search facilities, including by— 
(1) serving as the Foundation’s primary re-
source for all policy or process issues related to the 
development and implementation of major multi-user 
research facilities; 
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(2) serving as a Foundation-wide resource on 
project management, including providing expert as-
sistance on nonscientific and nontechnical aspects of 
project planning, budgeting, implementation, man-
agement, and oversight; 
(3) coordinating and collaborating with research 
directorates to share best management practices and 
lessons learned from prior projects; and 
(4) assessing projects during preconstruction 
and construction phases for cost and schedule risk. 
(b) OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES.—The Direc-
tor shall appoint a senior agency official within the Office 
of the Director whose primary responsibility is oversight 
of major multi-user research facilities. The duties of this 
official shall include— 
(1) oversight of the development, construction, 
and operation of major multi-user research facilities 
across the Foundation; 
(2) in collaboration with the directors of the re-
search directorates and other senior agency officials 
as appropriate, ensuring that the requirements of 
section 14(a) of the National Science Foundation 
Authorization Act of 2002 are satisfied; 
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(3) serving as a liaison to the National Science 
Board for approval and oversight of major multi- 
user research facilities; and 
(4) periodically reviewing and updating as nec-
essary Foundation policies and guidelines for the de-
velopment and construction of major multi-user re-
search facilities. 
(c) POLICIES FOR LARGE FACILITY COSTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall ensure 
that the Foundation’s polices for developing and 
maintaining major multi-user research facility con-
struction costs are consistent with the best practices 
described in the March 2009 Government Account-
ability Office Report GAO–09–3SP, or any successor 
report thereto, and the Uniform Guidance in 2 
C.F.R. part 200. 
(2) COST PROPOSAL AUDITS.— 
(A) GENERAL REQUIREMENT.—The Direc-
tor shall ensure that a cost proposal audit is 
conducted on any project with a total project 
cost over $50,000,000, in accordance with Gov-
ernment Auditing Standards as established in 
Government Accountability Office Report GAO– 
12–331G, or any successor report thereto. 
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(B) CORRECTION OF ISSUES FOUND.—The 
Director must certify in writing that all issues 
identified by the auditor, including any finding 
of unjustified or questionable costs items, are 
corrected before the Foundation may execute a 
construction agreement with respect to the au-
dited project. 
(C) TRANSMITTAL
TO
CONGRESS.—The 
Director shall transmit each certification made 
under subparagraph (B) to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Appro-
priations of the Senate. 
(3) INCURRED
COST
AUDITS.—The Director 
shall ensure that an incurred cost submission and 
audit is conducted annually on any project with a 
total project cost over $50,000,000, in accordance 
with Government Auditing Standards as established 
in Government Accountability Office Report GAO– 
12–331G, or any successor report thereto. 
(4) CONTINGENCIES.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The Foundation shall 
not make any award which provides for con-
tributions to a contingency reserve held or man-
aged by the awardee, or any similar provision 
made for events the occurrence of which cannot 
be foretold with certainty as to time or inten-
sity, or with an assurance of their happening. 
For budgeting purposes, the Foundation shall 
estimate costs associated with unforeseen events 
that could occur, and shall retain the funds al-
located for such purposes except as provided in 
this paragraph. 
(B) UPDATING
POLICY
MANUAL.—The 
Foundation shall update its NSF Grant Policy 
Manual and any other applicable guidance for 
contingencies on major multi-user research fa-
cilities with regard to estimating, monitoring, 
and accounting for contingency expenditures. 
(C) FOUNDATION
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
policy updated under subparagraph (B) shall 
require that the Foundation— 
(i) may only include contingency 
amounts in an award made to a recipient 
to the extent that those amounts are for 
occurrences that are foreseeable with cer-
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tainty as to time, intensity, or the assur-
ance of them happening and are supported 
by verifiable cost data; 
(ii) shall retain control over funds 
budgeted for unforeseeable events and re-
lease those funds only when the awardee 
demonstrates a bona fide need for the 
funds supported by verifiable cost data; 
and 
(iii) shall ensure that supporting cost 
data described in clauses (i) and (ii) are 
sufficient to establish that the amounts are 
reasonable, allocable, and allowable. 
(D) AWARDEE REQUIREMENTS.—The pol-
icy updated under subparagraph (B) shall re-
quire that an awardee shall— 
(i) provide verifiable cost data for any 
amounts proposed for contingencies; 
(ii) support requests for the release of 
contingency funds with evidence of a bona 
fide need and verifiable cost data to estab-
lish that the amounts sought are reason-
able, allocable, and allowable; and 
(iii) record and report all contingency 
expenditures to the Foundation. 
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(E) CURRENT AWARDEES.—The Founda-
tion shall work with awardees for whom awards 
with contingency provisions have been made be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act— 
(i) to determine if any of their use of 
contingency funds represents out-of-scope 
changes for which Foundation’s prior writ-
ten approval was not obtained; and 
(ii) if out-of-scope changes are found, 
to identify any financial action that may be 
appropriate. 
(5) MANAGEMENT FEES.— 
(A) DEFINITION.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘‘management fee’’ means a portion of an 
award made by the Foundation for the purpose 
of covering ordinary and necessary business ex-
penses necessary to maintain operational sta-
bility which are not otherwise allowable under 
Cost Principles Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. 
part 200, Subpart E, or any successor regula-
tion thereto. 
(B) LIMITATION.—The Foundation may 
provide management fees under an award only 
if the awardee has demonstrated that it has 
limited or no other financial resources for cov-
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ering the expenses for which the management 
fees are sought. 
(C) 
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION.—The 
Foundation shall require award applicants to 
provide income and financial information cov-
ering a period of no less than three prior years 
(or in the case of an entity established less than 
three years prior to the entity’s application 
date, the period beginning on the date of estab-
lishment and ending on the application date), 
including cash on hand and net asset informa-
tion, in support of a request for management 
fees. The Foundation shall also require award-
ees to report to the Foundation, within 30 days 
of receipt, any sources of non-Federal funds re-
ceived in excess of $50,000 during the award 
period. 
(D) EXPENSE REPORTING.—The Founda-
tion shall require awardees to track and report 
to the Foundation annually all expenses reim-
bursed or otherwise paid for with management 
fee funds, in accordance with Federal account-
ing practices as established in Government Ac-
countability Office Report GAO–12–331G, or 
any successor report thereto. 
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(E) AUDITS.—The Inspector General of 
the Foundation may audit any Foundation 
award for compliance with this paragraph. 
(F) PROHIBITED USES.—An awardee may 
not use management fees for— 
(i) costs allowable under Cost Prin-
ciples Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 
200, Subpart E, or any successor regula-
tion thereto; 
(ii) alcoholic beverages; 
(iii) tickets to concerts, or sporting 
and other entertainment events; 
(iv) vacation or other travel for non-
business purposes; 
(v) charitable contributions; 
(vi) social or sporting club member-
ships; 
(vii) meals for nonbusiness purposes; 
(viii) luxury or personal items; 
(ix) lobbying, as described in the Uni-
form Guidance at 2 C.F.R. 200.450; or 
(x) any other purpose the Foundation 
determines is inappropriate. 
(G) REVIEW.—The Foundation shall re-
view management fee usage under each Foun-
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dation award on at least an annual basis for 
compliance with this paragraph and the Foun-
dation’s Large Facilities Manual. 
(6) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
submit to Congress a report describing the Founda-
tion’s policies for developing and managing major 
multi-user research facility construction costs, in-
cluding a description of any aspects of the policies 
that diverge from the best practices recommended in 
Government Accountability Office Report GAO–09– 
3SP, or any successor report thereto, and the Uni-
form Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 200. 
SEC. 109. WHISTLEBLOWER EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Foundation shall be subject 
to section 4712 of title 41, United States Code. 
(b) EDUCATION AND TRAINING.—The Foundation 
shall provide education and training for Foundation man-
agers and staff on the requirements of such section 4712, 
and provide information on the law to all grantees, con-
tractors, and employees of such grantees and contractors. 
SEC. 110. GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the essential elements of the NSF Research 
Traineeship Program, formerly the Integrative Graduate 
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Education and Research Traineeship program, (or any 
successor thereto) should be maintained, including— 
(1) collaborative research that transcends tradi-
tional disciplinary boundaries to solve large and 
complex research problems of significant scientific 
and societal importance; and 
(2) providing students the opportunity to be-
come leaders in the science and engineering of the 
future. 
(b) MODELS
FOR SUPPORT.—The Director shall 
enter into an agreement with the National Research Coun-
cil to convene a workshop or roundtable to examine models 
of Federal support for STEM graduate students, includ-
ing the Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship pro-
gram and comparable fellowship programs at other agen-
cies, traineeship programs, and the research assistant 
model. 
(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the workshop or 
roundtable shall be to compare and evaluate the extent 
to which each of these models helps to prepare graduate 
students for diverse careers utilizing STEM degrees, in-
cluding at diverse types of institutions of higher education, 
in industry, and at government agencies and research lab-
oratories, and to make recommendations regarding— 
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(1) how current Federal programs and models, 
including programs and models at the Foundation, 
can be improved; 
(2) the appropriateness of the current distribu-
tion of funding among the different models at the 
Foundation and across the agencies; and 
(3) the appropriateness of creating a new edu-
cation and training program for graduate students 
distinct from programs that provide direct financial 
support, including the grants authorized in section 
527 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization 
Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p–15). 
(d) CRITERIA.—At a minimum, in comparing pro-
grams and models, the workshop or roundtable partici-
pants shall consider the capacity of such programs or 
models to provide students with knowledge and skills— 
(1) to become independent, creative, successful 
researchers; 
(2) to participate in large interdisciplinary re-
search projects, including in an international con-
text; 
(3) to adhere to the highest standards for re-
search ethics; 
(4) to become high-quality teachers utilizing the 
most currently available evidence-based pedagogy; 
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(5) in oral and written communication, to both 
technical and nontechnical audiences; 
(6) in innovation, entrepreneurship, and busi-
ness ethics; and 
(7) in program management. 
(e) GRADUATE STUDENT INPUT.—The participants 
in the workshop or roundtable shall include current or re-
cent STEM graduate students. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the National Research Council 
shall submit to Congress a summary report of the findings 
and recommendations of the workshop or roundtable con-
vened under this section. 
SEC. 111. PERMISSIBLE SUPPORT. 
A grant made by the Education and Human Re-
sources Directorate to support informal education may be 
used— 
(1) to support the participation of underrep-
resented students in nonprofit competitions, out-of- 
school activities, and field experiences related to 
STEM subjects (such as robotics, science research, 
invention, mathematics, and technology competi-
tions), including— 
(A) the purchase of parts and supplies 
needed to participate in such competitions; and 
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(B) incentives and stipends for teachers 
and instructional leaders who are involved in 
assisting students and preparing students for 
such competitions, if such activities fall outside 
the regular duties and responsibilities of such 
teachers and instructional leaders; and 
(2) to broaden underrepresented secondary 
school students’ access to, and interest in, careers 
that require academic preparation in STEM sub-
jects. 
SEC. 112. EXPANDING STEM OPPORTUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Within the Directorate for Edu-
cation and Human Resources (or any successor thereto), 
under existing programs targeting broadening participa-
tion, the Director shall provide grants on a merit-reviewed, 
competitive basis for research on programming that en-
gages underrepresented students in grades kindergarten 
through 8 in STEM. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants awarded under this 
section shall be used for research to advance the en-
gagement of underrepresented students in grades 
kindergarten through 8 in STEM through the devel-
opment and implementation of innovative before- 
school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer activi-
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ties, including programs (if applicable to the target 
population) provided in a single-gender environment, 
that are designed to encourage interest, engagement, 
and skills development of underrepresented students 
in STEM. Such research shall be conducted in learn-
ing environments that actively provide programming 
to underrepresented students in grades kindergarten 
through 8 in STEM. 
(2) PERMITTED
ACTIVITIES.—Such activities 
may include— 
(A) the development and implementation of 
programming described in subsection (a) for the 
purpose of research; 
(B) the use of a variety of engagement 
methods, including cooperative and hands-on 
learning; 
(C) exposure of underrepresented youth to 
role models in the fields of STEM and nearpeer 
mentors; 
(D) training of informal learning educators 
and youth-serving professionals using evidence- 
based methods consistent with the target stu-
dent population being served; 
(E) education of students on the relevance 
and significance of STEM careers, provision of 
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academic advice and assistance, and activities 
designed to help students make real-world con-
nections to STEM content activities; 
(F) the attendance of underrepresented 
youth at events, competitions, and academic 
programs to provide content expertise and en-
courage career exposure in STEM; 
(G) activities designed to engage parents of 
underrepresented youth; 
(H) innovative strategies to engage under-
represented youth, such as using leadership 
skill outcome measures to encourage youth with 
the confidence to pursue STEM coursework and 
academic study; 
(I) coordination with STEM-rich environ-
ments, including other nonprofit, nongovern-
mental organizations, classroom and out-of- 
classroom settings, institutions of higher edu-
cation, vocational facilities, corporations, muse-
ums, or science centers; and 
(J) the acquisition of instructional mate-
rials or technology-based tools to conduct appli-
cable grant activity. 
(c) APPLICATION.—An applicant seeking funding 
under the section shall submit an application at such time, 
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in such manner, and containing such information as may 
be required. The application shall include, at a minimum, 
the following: 
(1) A description of the target audience to be 
served by the program. 
(2) A description of the process for recruitment 
and selection of students, as appropriate. 
(3) A description of how such research activity 
may inform programming that engages underrep-
resented students in grades kindergarten through 8 
in STEM. 
(4) A description of how such research activity 
may inform programming that promotes student 
academic achievement in STEM. 
(5) An evaluation plan that includes, at a min-
imum, the use of outcome-oriented measures to de-
termine the impact and efficacy of activities being 
researched. 
(d) AWARDS.—In awarding grants under this section, 
the Director shall give priority to applicants which, for the 
purpose of grant activity, include or partner with a non-
profit, nongovernmental organization that has extensive 
experience and expertise in increasing the participation of 
underrepresented students in STEM. 
(e) ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISSEMINATION.— 
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(1) EVALUATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 5 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Director shall evaluate the grants provided under 
this section. In addition to evaluating the effective-
ness of the grant activities, such evaluation shall— 
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and 
assessment tools to identify best practices and 
materials developed or demonstrated by the re-
search; and 
(B) to the extent practicable, combine the 
research resulting from the grant activity with 
the current research on serving underrep-
resented 
students 
in 
grades 
kindergarten 
through 8. 
(2) REPORT ON EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 
180 days after the completion of the evaluation 
under paragraph (1), the Director shall submit to 
Congress and make widely available to the public a 
report that includes— 
(A) the results of the evaluation; and 
(B) any recommendations for administra-
tive and legislative action that could optimize 
the effectiveness of the program. 
(f) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Director shall consult, cooperate, and coordinate, to en-
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hance program effectiveness and to avoid duplication, with 
the programs and policies of other relevant Federal agen-
cies. 
SEC. 113. REVIEW OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall review the edu-
cation programs of the Foundation that are in operation 
as of the date of enactment of this Act to determine— 
(1) whether any of such programs duplicate tar-
get groups, services provided, fields of focus, or ob-
jectives; and 
(2) how those programs are being evaluated 
and assessed for outcome-oriented effectiveness. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as part 
of the annual budget submission to Congress, the Director 
shall complete a report on the review carried out under 
this section and shall submit the report to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate, and shall make the report widely available to the 
public. 
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SEC. 114. RECOMPETITION OF AWARDS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) the merit-reviewed competition of grant and 
award proposals is a hallmark of the Foundation 
grant and award making process; 
(2) the majority of Foundation-funded multi- 
user research facilities have transitioned to five-year 
cooperative agreements, and every five years the pro-
gram officer responsible for the facility makes a rec-
ommendation to the National Science Board as to 
the renewal, recompetition, or termination of sup-
port for the facility; and 
(3) requiring the recompetition of expiring 
awards is based on the conviction that competition 
is most likely to ensure the effective stewardship of 
Foundation funds for supporting research and edu-
cation. 
(b) RECOMPETITION.—The Director shall ensure that 
the system for recompetition of Maintenance and Oper-
ations of facilities, equipment and instrumentation is fair, 
consistent, and transparent and is applied in a manner 
that renews grants and awards in a timely manner. The 
Director shall periodically evaluate whether the criteria of 
the system are being applied in a manner that is trans-
parent, reliable, and valid. 
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SEC. 115. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING INDUSTRY 
INVESTMENT IN STEM EDUCATION. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) in order to bolster the STEM workforce 
pipeline, many industry sectors are becoming in-
volved in K–12 initiatives and supporting under-
graduate and graduate work in STEM subject areas 
and fields; 
(2) partnerships with education providers, 
STEM focused competitions, and other opportunities 
have become important aspects of private sector ef-
forts to strengthen the STEM workforce; 
(3) understanding the work that private sector 
organizations are undertaking in STEM fields 
should inform the Federal Government’s role in 
STEM education; and 
(4) successful private sector STEM initiatives, 
as reflected by measurements of relevant outcomes, 
should be encouraged and supported by the Founda-
tion. 
SEC. 116. MISREPRESENTATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—The findings and conclusions of 
any article authored by a principal investigator receiving 
a research grant from the Foundation, using the results 
of the research conducted under the grant, that is pub-
lished in a peer-reviewed publication, otherwise made pub-
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licly available, or incorporated in an application for a re-
search grant or grant extension from the Foundation may 
not contain any falsification, fabrication, or plagiarism, as 
established in the Foundation’s Research Misconduct reg-
ulation (45 C.F.R. 689). 
(b) PUBLICATION.—The Director shall make publicly 
available any finding that research misconduct (as defined 
in 45 C.F.R. 689) has been committed, including the 
name of the principal investigator, within 30 days of the 
final administration action of the Foundation. 
SEC. 117. RESEARCH REPRODUCIBILITY AND REPLICA-
TION. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the gold standard of good science is the 
ability of a researcher or research lab to reproduce 
a published method and finding; 
(2) there is growing concern that a significant 
amount of published research findings cannot be re-
produced or replicated, which can negatively affect 
the public’s trust in science; 
(3) there are a complex set of factors affecting 
reproducibility and replication; and 
(4) the increasing interdisciplinary nature and 
complexity of scientific research may be a contrib-
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uting factor to issues with research reproducibility 
and replication. 
(b) REPORT.—The Director shall— 
(1) not later than 45 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, enter into an agreement with 
the National Research Council to provide, within 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, a re-
port to assess research and data reproducibility and 
replicability issues in interdisciplinary research and 
to make recommendations on how to improve rigor 
and transparency in scientific research; and 
(2) not later than 60 days after receiving the 
results of the assessment under paragraph (1), sub-
mit a report to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate on the findings of the assess-
ment, together with the agreement or disagreement 
of the Director and Board with each of its findings 
and recommendations. 
SEC. 118. RESEARCH GRANT CONDITIONS. 
The Foundation shall establish procedures to ensure 
that— 
(1) a research grant awarded by the Founda-
tion to a principal investigator supports a scope of 
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work not otherwise being directly funded by grants 
provided by other Federal agencies; 
(2) a principal investigator includes in any ap-
plication for a research grant awarded by the Foun-
dation a list of all Federal research funding received 
by the principal investigator, as well as any funding 
that is being requested as of that time; 
(3) unpublished research results used to sup-
port a grant proposal made to the Foundation do 
not include any knowing misrepresentations of data; 
(4) principal investigators who receive Founda-
tion research grant funding under more than one 
grant at the same time have sufficient resources to 
conduct the proposed research under each of those 
grants appropriately under the terms of the grant; 
and 
(5) barriers to early career and new investigator 
applicants are addressed, including taking into ac-
count the broader accomplishments and potential of 
the individual investigator in addition to the poten-
tial impact of the project. 
SEC. 119. COMPUTING RESOURCES STUDY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the 
Congress a report detailing the results of a study on the 
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use of scientific computing resources funded by the Foun-
dation at institutions of higher education. Such study shall 
assess— 
(1) efficiencies that can be achieved by using 
shared scientific computing resources for projects 
that have similar scientific computing requirements 
or projects where specialized software solutions could 
be shared with other practitioners in the scientific 
community; 
(2) efficiencies that can be achieved by using 
shared hardware that can be cost effectively pro-
cured from cloud computing services; 
(3) efficiencies that can be achieved by using 
shared software from an open source repository or 
platform; and 
(4) cost savings that could be achieved by po-
tential sharing of scientific computing resources 
across all Foundation grants. 
SEC. 120. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH PRIZES. 
The Director shall place a high priority on designing 
and administering pilot programs for scientific break-
through prizes, in conjunction with private entities, that 
are consistent with Office of Science and Technology Pol-
icy guidelines. Breakthrough prizes shall center around 
technological breakthroughs that are of strategic impor-
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tance to the Nation, and have the capacity to spur new 
economic growth. 
SEC. 121. ROTATING PERSONNEL. 
In order to control the costs to the Foundation of 
individuals employed pursuant to the Intergovernmental 
Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4701 note)— 
(1) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a 
written justification and waiver by the Deputy Di-
rector in instances in which such an individual is to 
be paid at a rate that exceeds the maximum rate of 
pay for the Senior Executive Service, including, if 
applicable, adjustment for the certified Senior Exec-
utive Service Performance Appraisal System; 
(2) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a 
written justification and waiver by the Director in 
instances in which such an individual is to be paid 
at a rate that exceeds the annual salary rate of the 
Vice President of the United States; and 
(3) the Foundation shall provide an annual re-
port to Congress on the costs to the Foundation of 
employing such individuals, including— 
(A) the timeliness and completeness of 
Foundation actions in response to recommenda-
tions and findings from the Office of Inspector 
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General related to the employment of such indi-
viduals; 
(B) actions taken by the Foundation to re-
duce the cost to the Foundation of the employ-
ment of such individuals at pay levels that ex-
ceed the threshold described in paragraph (1); 
(C) the value to the Foundation of employ-
ing individuals pursuant to the Intergovern-
mental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4701 
note) whose pay is set below the threshold de-
scribed in paragraph (1); and 
(D) the value to the Foundation of employ-
ing individuals who are not permanent employ-
ees whose pay requires a justification and waiv-
er under paragraph (1) or (2). 
SEC. 122. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INNOVATION 
CORPS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I- 
Corps) was established to foster a national innova-
tion ecosystem by encouraging institutions, sci-
entists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to identify and 
explore the innovation and commercial potential of 
Foundation-funded research well beyond the labora-
tory; 
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(2) the Foundation’s I-Corps includes invest-
ment in entrepreneurship and commercialization 
education, training, and mentoring, ultimately lead-
ing to the practical deployment of technologies, 
products, processes, and services that improve the 
Nation’s competitiveness, promote economic growth, 
and benefit society; and 
(3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, edu-
cators, mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and 
supporting specialized education and training, I- 
Corps is at the leading edge of a strong, lasting 
foundation for an American innovation ecosystem. 
SEC. 123. BRAIN RESEARCH THROUGH ADVANCING INNO-
VATIVE NEUROTECHNOLOGIES INITIATIVE. 
The Foundation shall support research activities re-
lated to the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative 
Neurotechnologies Initiative. The Foundation is encour-
aged to work in conjunction with the Interagency Working 
Group on Neuroscience (IWGN) to determine how to use 
the data infrastructure of the Foundation and other appli-
cable agencies to help neuroscientists collect, standardize, 
manage, and analyze the large amounts of data that will 
result from research attempting to understand how the 
brain functions. 
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SEC. 124. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 10A of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
1862n–1a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘or 
bachelor’s’’ after ‘‘master’s’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (2)(B); 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘for teachers with 
master’s degrees in their field’’ after 
‘‘Teaching Fellowships’’; and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
of subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) in the case of National Science Foundation 
Master Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bach-
elor’s degrees in their field and working toward a 
master’s degree— 
‘‘(A) offering academic courses leading to 
a master’s degree and leadership training to 
prepare individuals to become master teachers 
in elementary and secondary schools; and 
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‘‘(B) offering programs both during and 
after matriculation in the program for which 
the fellowship is received to enable fellows to 
become 
highly 
effective 
mathematics 
and 
science teachers, including mentoring, training, 
induction, and professional development activi-
ties, to fulfill the service requirements of this 
section, including the requirements of sub-
section (e), and to exchange ideas with others 
in their fields.’’; 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(g)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; 
(4) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) 
as subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and 
(5) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(g) SUPPORT FOR MASTER TEACHING FELLOWS 
WHILE ENROLLED IN A MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM.— 
A National Science Foundation Master Teacher Fellow 
may receive a maximum of 1 year of fellowship support 
while enrolled in a master’s degree program as described 
in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if such fellow is en-
rolled in a part-time program, such amount shall be pro-
rated according to the length of the program.’’. 
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(b) DEFINITION.—Section 10(i)(5) of the National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
1862n–1(i)(5)) is amended by inserting ‘‘computer 
science,’’ after ‘‘means a science,’’. 
SEC. 125. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Director, through the Directorate 
for Education and Human Resources, shall continue to 
award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support— 
(1) research and development of innovative out- 
of-school STEM learning and emerging STEM 
learning environments in order to improve STEM 
learning outcomes and engagement in STEM; and 
(2) research that advances the field of informal 
STEM education. 
(b) USES OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants 
under this section may encompass a single STEM dis-
cipline, multiple STEM disciplines, or integrative STEM 
initiatives and shall include— 
(1) research and development that improves our 
understanding of learning and engagement in infor-
mal environments, including the role of informal en-
vironments in broadening participation in STEM; 
and 
(2) design and testing of innovative STEM 
learning models, programs, and other resources for 
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informal learning environments to improve STEM 
learning outcomes and increase engagement for K– 
12 students, K–12 teachers, and the general public, 
including design and testing of the scalability of 
models, programs, and other resources. 
TITLE 
II—SCIENCE, 
TECH-
NOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND 
MATHEMATICS 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to the National Science Board’s 
Science and Engineering Indicators, the science and 
engineering workforce has shown sustained growth 
for more than half a century, and workers with 
science and engineering degrees tend to earn more 
than comparable workers in other fields. 
(2) According to the Program for International 
Student Assessment 2012 results, America lags be-
hind many other nations in STEM education. Amer-
ican students rank 21st in science and 26th in 
mathematics. 
(3) Junior Achievement USA and ING found a 
decrease of 25 percent in the percentage of teenage 
students interested in STEM careers. 
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(4) According to a 2007 report from the De-
partment of Labor, industries and firms dependent 
on a strong science and mathematics workforce have 
launched a variety of programs that target K–12 
students and undergraduate and graduate students 
in STEM fields. 
(5) The Federal Government spends nearly $3 
billion annually on STEM education related program 
and activities, but encouraging STEM education ac-
tivities beyond the scope of the Federal Government, 
including privately sponsored competitions and pro-
grams in our schools, is crucial to the future tech-
nical and economic competitiveness of the United 
States. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) more effective coordination and adoption of 
performance measurement based on objective out-
comes for federally supported STEM programs is 
needed; 
(2) leveraging private and nonprofit invest-
ments in STEM education will be essential to 
strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio; 
(3) strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio 
may require program consolidations and termi-
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nations, but such changes should be based on evi-
dence with stakeholder input; 
(4) coordinating STEM programs and activities 
across the Federal Government in order to limit du-
plication and engage stakeholders in STEM pro-
grams and related activities for which objective out-
comes can be measured will bolster results of Fed-
eral STEM education programs, improve the return 
on taxpayers’ investments in STEM education pro-
grams, and in turn strengthen the United States 
economy; and 
(5) as the Committee on STEM Education im-
plements the 5-year Strategic Plan for Federal 
STEM education required under section 101(b)(5) 
of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621(b)(5)), STEM education 
stakeholders must be engaged and outcome-based 
evaluation metrics should be considered in the co-
ordination and consolidation efforts for the Federal 
STEM portfolio. 
SEC. 202. STEM EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish 
or designate a STEM Education Advisory Panel that in-
corporates key stakeholders from the education and indus-
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try sectors. The co-chairs shall be members of the Presi-
dent’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Advisory Panel estab-
lished or designated by the President under subsection (a) 
shall consist primarily of members from academic institu-
tions, nonprofit organizations, and industry and shall in-
clude in-school, out-of-school, and informal educational 
practitioners. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be 
qualified to provide advice and information on STEM edu-
cation research, development, training, implementation, 
interventions, professional development, or workforce 
needs or concerns. In selecting or designating an Advisory 
Panel, the President may also seek and give consideration 
to recommendations from the Congress, industry, the sci-
entific community (including the National Academy of 
Sciences, scientific professional societies, and academia), 
State and local governments, and other appropriate orga-
nizations. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Advisory Panel shall advise the 
President, the Committee on STEM Education, and the 
STEM Education Coordinating Office established under 
section 204 on matters relating to STEM education, and 
shall each year provide general guidance to every Federal 
agency with STEM education programs or activities, in-
cluding in the preparation of requests for appropriations 
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for activities related to STEM education. The Advisory 
Panel shall also assess and develop recommendations 
for— 
(1) progress made in implementing the STEM 
education Strategic Plan required under section 101 
of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), and any needs or opportuni-
ties to update the strategic plan; 
(2) the management, coordination, and imple-
mentation of STEM education programs and activi-
ties across the Federal Government; 
(3) the appropriateness of criteria used by Fed-
eral agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of Federal 
STEM education programs and activities; 
(4) ways to leverage private and nonprofit 
STEM investments and encourage public-private 
partnerships to strengthen STEM education and 
help build the STEM workforce pipeline; 
(5) ways to incorporate workforce needs into 
Federal STEM education programs, particularly in 
areas experiencing high unemployment rates; 
(6) ways to better vertically and horizontally in-
tegrate Federal STEM programs and activities from 
pre-K through graduate study and the workforce, 
and from in-school to out-of-school in order to im-
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prove transitions for students moving through the 
STEM pipeline; 
(7) whether societal and workforce concerns are 
adequately addressed by current Federal STEM 
education programs and activities; 
(8) the extent to which Federal STEM edu-
cation programs and activities are contributing to 
recruitment and retention of women and underrep-
resented students in the STEM education and work-
force pipeline; and 
(9) ways to encourage geographic diversity in 
STEM education and the workforce pipeline. 
(d) REPORTS.—The Advisory Panel shall report, not 
less frequently than once every 3 fiscal years, to the Presi-
dent and Congress on its assessments under subsection 
(c) and its recommendations for ways to improve Federal 
STEM education programs. The first report under this 
subsection shall be submitted within 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
(e) TRAVEL EXPENSES
OF NON-FEDERAL MEM-
BERS.—Non-Federal members of the Advisory Panel, 
while attending meetings of the Advisory Panel or while 
otherwise serving at the request of the head of the Advi-
sory Panel away from their homes or regular places of 
business, may be allowed travel expenses, including per 
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diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 
of title 5, United States Code, for individuals in the Gov-
ernment serving without pay. Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to prohibit members of the Advisory 
Panel who are officers or employees of the United States 
from being allowed travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, in accordance with existing law. 
SEC. 203. COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION. 
Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthor-
ization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621) is amended— 
(1) in the first subsection (b)— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(3) 
through (6) as paragraphs (5) through (8), re-
spectively; 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(3) collaborate with the STEM Education Ad-
visory Panel established under section 202 of the 
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 
and other outside stakeholders to ensure the engage-
ment of the STEM education community; 
‘‘(4) review evaluation measures used for Fed-
eral STEM education programs;’’; and 
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(C) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated 
by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by 
striking ‘‘, periodically update,’’; and 
(2) in the second subsection (b) and in sub-
section (c), by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(5)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsection (b)(7)’’. 
SEC. 204. STEM EDUCATION COORDINATING OFFICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall establish within the Directorate 
for Education and Human Resources a STEM Education 
Coordinating Office, which shall have a Director and staff 
that shall include career employees detailed from Federal 
agencies that fund STEM education programs and activi-
ties. 
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The STEM Education Co-
ordinating Office shall— 
(1) provide technical and administrative support 
to— 
(A) the Committee on STEM Education, 
especially in its coordination of Federal STEM 
programs and strategic planning responsibil-
ities; 
(B) the Advisory Panel established under 
section 202; and 
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(C) Federal agencies with STEM edu-
cation programs; 
(2) periodically update and maintain the inven-
tory of federally sponsored STEM education pro-
grams and activities established under section 
101(b)(8) of the America COMPETES Reauthoriza-
tion Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621); and 
(3) provide for dissemination of information on 
Federal STEM education programs and activities, as 
appropriate, to stakeholders in academia, industry, 
nonprofit organizations with expertise in STEM edu-
cation, State and local educational agencies, and 
other STEM stakeholders. 
(c) REPORT.—The Director of the STEM Education 
Coordinating Office shall transmit a report annually to 
Congress not later than 60 days after the submission of 
the President’s budget request. The annual report shall 
include— 
(1) any updates to the inventory required under 
subsection (b)(2); 
(2) a description of all consolidations and ter-
minations of Federal STEM education programs im-
plemented in the previous fiscal year, including an 
explanation of the reasons for consolidations and 
terminations; 
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(3) recommendations for consolidations and ter-
minations of STEM education programs or activities 
in the upcoming fiscal year; 
(4) a description of any significant new STEM 
Education public-private partnerships; and 
(5) description of the progress made in carrying 
out the strategic plan required under section 101 of 
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), including a description of 
the outcome of any program assessments completed 
in the previous year. 
(d) RESPONSIBILITIES OF NSF.—The Director of 
the National Science Foundation shall encourage and 
monitor the efforts of the STEM Education Coordinating 
Office to ensure that the Coordinating Office is carrying 
out its responsibilities under subsection (b) appropriately. 
TITLE III—OFFICE OF SCIENCE 
AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY 
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated for the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy— 
(1) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2016; and 
(2) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2017. 
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(D) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ‘‘a 
prize’’ and inserting ‘‘a cash prize purse’’; 
(E) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting 
‘‘competition’’ after ‘‘prize’’; 
(F) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘‘a 
prize’’ and inserting ‘‘a cash prize purse’’; and 
(G) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ‘‘cash 
prizes’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 
(9) in subsection (n), by inserting ‘‘for both for- 
profit and nonprofit entities,’’ after ‘‘contract vehi-
cle’’; 
(10) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ‘‘or pro-
viding a prize’’ and insert ‘‘a prize competition or 
providing a cash prize purse’’; and 
(11) in subsection (p)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘cash 
prizes’’ both places it occurs and inserting 
‘‘cash prize purses’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(G) PLAN.—A description of crosscutting 
topical areas and agency-specific mission needs 
that may be the strongest opportunities for 
prize competitions during the upcoming 2 fiscal 
years.’’. 
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section 34 of the National Institute of Stand-
ards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 
SEC. 402. STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT. 
Section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘authorized to take’’ and inserting 
‘‘authorized to serve as the President’s principal 
adviser on standards policy pertaining to the 
Nation’s technological competitiveness and in-
novation ability and to take’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘compare 
standards’’ and all that follows through ‘‘Fed-
eral Government’’ and inserting ‘‘facilitate 
standards-related information sharing and co-
operation between Federal agencies’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘Fed-
eral, State, and local’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘private sector’’ and inserting ‘‘tech-
nical standards activities and conformity assess-
ment activities of Federal, State, and local gov-
ernments with private sector’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
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146 
be open to materially affected organizations involved 
in the development or application of nuclear energy- 
related standards. 
(2) CO-CHAIRS.—The technical standards com-
mittee shall be co-chaired by a representative from 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
and a representative from a private sector standards 
organization. 
(c) DUTIES.—The technical standards committee 
shall, in cooperation with appropriate Federal agencies— 
(1) perform a needs assessment to identify and 
evaluate the technical standards that are needed to 
support nuclear energy, including those needed to 
support new and existing nuclear power plants and 
advanced nuclear technologies; 
(2) formulate, coordinate, and recommend pri-
orities for the development of new technical stand-
ards and the revision of existing technical standards 
to address the needs identified under paragraph (1); 
(3) facilitate and support collaboration and co-
operation among standards developers to address the 
needs and priorities identified under paragraphs (1) 
and (2); 
(4) as appropriate, coordinate with other na-
tional, regional, or international efforts on nuclear 
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153 
‘‘(iv) lighting systems that integrate 
sunlight and electrical lighting in com-
plement to each other; and 
‘‘(v) development of technologies that 
can be easily integrated into new and exist-
ing buildings. 
‘‘(B) WIND ENERGY.—The Secretary shall 
conduct a program of research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application for 
wind energy, including innovations in— 
‘‘(i) low speed wind energy; 
‘‘(ii) testing and verification tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(iii) distributed wind energy genera-
tion; and 
‘‘(iv) transformational technologies for 
harnessing wind energy. 
‘‘(C) GEOTHERMAL.—The Secretary shall 
conduct a program of research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application for 
geothermal energy, including technologies for— 
‘‘(i) improving detection of geothermal 
resources; 
‘‘(ii) decreasing drilling costs; 
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