I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5356 
To authorize the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy 
Office of Science to provide grants to early career researchers to establish 
innovative research programs and integrate education and research, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 11, 2006 
Mr. MCCAUL of Texas (for himself, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. 
CALVERT, Mr. EHLERS, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, 
and Mr. SCHWARZ of Michigan) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Science 
A BILL 
To authorize the National Science Foundation and the De-
partment of Energy Office of Science to provide grants 
to early career researchers to establish innovative re-
search programs and integrate education and research, 
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 ‘‘Early Career Research 
Act’’. 
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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 re-
search institutions to conduct research in fields relevant 
to the mission of the Foundation. The existing Faculty 
Early Career Development (CAREER) Program 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 
assistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an 
equivalent 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 organiza-
tion such as a museum, observatory, or research lab-
oratory. 
(d) SELECTION.—Award recipients shall be selected 
on a merit-reviewed and competitive basis. 
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(e) SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this sec-
tion shall submit a proposal to the Director at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Director may require. In evaluating the proposals sub-
mitted 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 
research and education, including undergraduate 
education in science and engineering disciplines; and 
(4) the potential of the applicant for leadership 
at the frontiers of knowledge. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For each 
of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011, the Director shall 
allocate at least 3.5 percent of funds appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation for Research and Related 
Activities to the grants program under this section. 
(g) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide to the 
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives 
and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate a report describing the distribution 
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of the institutions of the awardees of the Faculty Early 
Career Development Program since fiscal year 2001 
among each of the categories of institutions of higher edu-
cation defined by the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad-
vancement of Teaching and the organizations in sub-
section (c)(2). 
(h) EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide 
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representa-
tives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report evaluating the im-
pact of the Faculty Early Career Development Program 
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 Under Secretary for 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 research institutions to conduct research in fields rel-
evant to the mission of the Department. 
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(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 
assistant professor or equivalent title, or who hold an 
equivalent 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 organiza-
tion such as a museum, observatory, or research lab-
oratory. 
(d) SELECTION.—Award recipients shall be selected 
on a merit-reviewed and competitive basis. 
(e) SELECTION
PROCESS
AND
CRITERIA
FOR 
AWARDS.—An applicant seeking funding under this sec-
tion shall submit a proposal to the Under Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Under Secretary may require. In evaluating 
the proposals submitted under this section, the Under Sec-
retary shall consider, at a minimum— 
(1) the intellectual merit of the proposed work; 
(2) the innovative or transformative nature of 
the proposed research; 
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