H. R. 4346—232 
(ii) evaluate and make recommendations to ensure 
coordination of the Directorate for Technology, Innova-
tion, and Partnerships with other directorates and 
offices of the Foundation and other Federal agencies. 
(B) REVIEW.—Upon completion of the study under 
subparagraph (A), the Foundation shall review the rec-
ommendations from the National Academy of Public 
Administration and provide a briefing to Congress on the 
plans of the Foundation to implement any such rec-
ommendations. 
(7) PROVIDING AUTHORITY TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION.— 
Section 11 of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 
(42 U.S.C. 1870) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon; 
(B) in subsection (k), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(l) to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate 
dissemination of information within the United States concerning 
the Foundation’s activities and the results of those activities.’’. 
SEC. 10397. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the activities of the Direc-
torate, the Director shall coordinate and collaborate as appropriate 
with the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, and the heads of other Federal 
research agencies, as appropriate, to further the goals of this sub-
title. 
(b) AVOID DUPLICATION.—The Director shall ensure, to the 
greatest extent practicable, that activities carried out by the Direc-
torate are not duplicative of activities supported by other parts 
of the Foundation or other relevant Federal agencies. In carrying 
out the activities prescribed by this division, the Director shall 
coordinate with the interagency working group established under 
subtitle F of title VI and heads of other Federal research agencies 
to ensure these activities enhance and complement, but do not 
constitute unnecessary duplication of effort and to ensure the 
responsible stewardship of funds. 
(c) EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.—After completion of the studies 
regarding emerging technologies conducted by the Secretary of Com-
merce under title XV of division FF of the Consolidated Appropria-
tions Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), the Director shall consider 
the results of such studies in carrying out the activities of the 
Directorate. 
SEC. 10398. ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIETAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
The Director shall engage, as appropriate, experts in the social 
dimensions of science and technology and set up formal avenues 
for public input, as appropriate, to ensure that ethical, legal, and 
societal considerations are taken into account in the priorities and 
activities of the Directorate, including in the selection of the chal-
lenges and key technology focus areas under section 10387 and 
the award-making process, and throughout all stages of supported 
projects.
H. R. 4346—233 
SEC. 10399. REPORTS AND ROADMAPS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director shall provide to the relevant 
authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress an annual 
report describing projects supported by the Directorate during the 
previous year. 
(b) ROADMAP.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall provide to the relevant authorizing 
and appropriations committees of Congress a roadmap describing 
the strategic vision that the Directorate will use to guide investment 
decisions over the following 3 years. 
(c) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act and every 3 years thereafter, the Director, in consultation 
with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, shall prepare and 
submit to Congress— 
(1) a strategic vision for the next 5 years for the Directorate, 
including a description of how the Foundation will increase 
funding for research and education for populations underrep-
resented in STEM and geographic areas; and 
(2) a description of the planned activities of the Directorate 
to secure federally funded science and technology pursuant 
to section 1746 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 42 U.S.C. 6601 note) 
and section 223 of William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 
116–283) and the requirements under subtitle D of this title 
and subtitle E of title VI . 
(d) SELECTION CRITERIA REPORT.—Not later than 24 months 
after the establishment of the Directorate, the Director shall prepare 
and submit a report to Congress regarding the use of alternative 
methods for the selection of award recipients and the distribution 
of funding to recipients, as compared to the traditional peer review 
process. 
SEC. 10399A. EVALUATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—After the Directorate has been in operation 
for 6 years, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the 
National Academies to provide an evaluation of how well the Direc-
torate is achieving the purposes identified in section 10382. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The evaluation shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the impact of Directorate activities 
on the Foundation’s primary science mission; 
(2) an assessment of the Directorate’s impact on the chal-
lenges and key technology focus areas under section 10387; 
(3) an assessment of efforts to ensure coordination between 
the Directorate and other Federal agencies, and with external 
entities; 
(4) a description of lessons learned from operation of the 
Directorate; and 
(5) recommended funding levels for the Directorate; 
(c) AVAILABILITY.—On completion of the evaluation, the evalua-
tion shall be made available to Congress and the public.
H. R. 4346—234 
Subtitle H—Administrative Amendments 
SEC. 10399D. SUPPORTING VETERANS IN STEM CAREERS. 
Section 3(c) of the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1862t) is amended by striking ‘‘annual’’ and inserting 
‘‘biennial’’. 
SEC. 10399E. SUNSHINE ACT COMPLIANCE. 
Section 15(a) of the National Science Foundation Authorization 
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n–5(a)) is amended— 
(1) so that paragraph (3) reads as follows: 
‘‘(3) COMPLIANCE REVIEW.—The Inspector General of the 
Foundation shall conduct a review of the compliance by the 
Board with the requirements described in paragraph (2) as 
necessary based on a triennial risk assessment. Any review 
deemed necessary shall examine the proposed and actual con-
tent of closed meetings and determine whether the closure 
of the meetings was consistent with section 552b of title 5, 
United States Code.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (4) and (5) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(4) 
MATERIALS
RELATING
TO
CLOSED
PORTIONS
OF 
MEETING.—To facilitate the risk assessment required under 
paragraph (3) of this subsection, and any subsequent review 
conducted by the Inspector General, the Office of the National 
Science Board shall maintain the General Counsel’s certificate, 
the presiding officer’s statement, and a transcript or recording 
of any closed meeting, for at least 3 years after such meeting.’’. 
SEC. 10399F. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INDICATORS REPORT 
SUBMISSION. 
Section 4(j)(1) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 
(42 U.S.C. 1863(j)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘January 15’’ and 
inserting ‘‘March 15’’. 
TITLE IV—BIOECONOMY RESEARCH 
AND DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 10401. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) INITIATIVE.—The term ‘‘Initiative’’ means the National 
Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative 
established under section 10402. 
(2) OMICS.—The term ‘‘omics’’ refers to the collective tech-
nologies used to explore the roles, relationships, and actions 
of the various types of molecules that make up the cells and 
systems of an organism and the systems level analysis of their 
functions. 
SEC. 10402. NATIONAL ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy, shall implement a National 
Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative to
H. R. 4346—235 
advance societal well-being, national security, sustainability, and 
economic productivity and competitiveness through the following: 
(1) Advancing areas of research at the intersection of the 
biological, physical, chemical, data, and computational and 
information sciences and engineering to accelerate scientific 
understanding and technological innovation in engineering 
biology. 
(2) Advancing areas of biomanufacturing research to opti-
mize, standardize, scale, and deliver new products and solu-
tions. 
(3) Supporting social and behavioral sciences and economics 
research that advances the field of engineering biology and 
contributes to the development and public understanding of 
new products, processes, and technologies. 
(4) Improving the understanding of engineering biology 
of the scientific and lay public and supporting greater evidence- 
based public discourse about its benefits and risks. 
(5) Supporting research relating to the risks and benefits 
of engineering biology, including under subsection (d). 
(6) Supporting the development of novel tools and tech-
nologies to accelerate scientific understanding and technological 
innovation in engineering biology. 
(7) Expanding the number of researchers, educators, and 
students and a retooled workforce with engineering biology 
training, including from traditionally underrepresented and 
underserved populations. 
(8) Accelerating the translation and commercialization of 
engineering biology and biomanufacturing research and 
development by the private sector. 
(9) Improving the interagency planning and coordination 
of Federal Government activities related to engineering biology. 
(b) INITIATIVE ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Initiative shall 
include the following: 
(1) Sustained support for engineering biology research and 
development through the following: 
(A) Grants to fund the work of individual investigators 
and teams of investigators, including interdisciplinary 
teams. 
(B) Projects funded under joint solicitations by a 
collaboration of not fewer than two agencies participating 
in the Initiative. 
(C) Interdisciplinary research centers that are orga-
nized to investigate basic research questions, carry out 
technology development and demonstration activities, and 
increase understanding of how to scale up engineering 
biology processes, including biomanufacturing. 
(2) Sustained support for databases and related tools, 
including the following: 
(A) Support for the establishment, curation, and 
maintenance of curated genomics, epigenomics, and other 
relevant omics databases, including plant, animal, and 
microbial databases, that are available to researchers to 
carry out engineering biology research in a manner that 
does not compromise national security or the privacy or 
security of information within such databases.