I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3846 
To direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to create a program 
that plans for, establishes, and supports Technology Research Institutes, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2021 
Ms. ROSS (for herself and Mr. BAIRD) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To direct the Director of the National Science Foundation 
to create a program that plans for, establishes, and 
supports Technology Research Institutes, 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 ‘‘NSF Technology Re-
search Institutes Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation may awards grants and cooperative 
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agreements to institutions of higher education, or con-
sortia thereof, for the planning, establishment, and sup-
port of Technology Research Institutes in key technology 
areas, as determined by the Director. 
(b) USES OF FUNDS.—Funds awarded under this 
section may be used by a Technology Research Institute 
to— 
(1) conduct fundamental research to advance 
innovation in a key technology area; 
(2) conduct research involving a key technology 
area to solve challenges with social, economic, 
health, scientific, and national security implications; 
(3) further the development, adoption, and com-
mercialization of innovations in key technology 
areas, including through partnership with other Fed-
eral agencies and Federal laboratories, industry, in-
cluding startup companies, labor organizations, civil 
society organizations, and State, local, and Tribal 
governments; 
(4) develop and manage multi-user research 
testbeds and instrumentation for key technologies; 
(5) develop and manage an accessible reposi-
tory, as appropriate, for research data and computa-
tional models relevant to the relevant key technology 
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area, consistent with applicable privacy and intellec-
tual property laws; 
(6) convene national workshops for researchers 
and other stakeholders in the relevant key tech-
nology area; 
(7) establish traineeship programs for graduate 
students who pursue research related to the key 
technology area leading to a masters or doctorate 
degree by providing funding and other assistance, 
and by providing graduate students opportunities for 
research experiences in government or industry re-
lated to the students’ studies in such technology 
area; 
(8) engage in outreach and engagement to 
broaden participation in technology research and 
education; and 
(9) support any other activities that the Direc-
tor determines appropriate. 
(c) CONSIDERATIONS.—In making awards under this 
section, the Director may consider the extent to which the 
activities proposed— 
(1) have the potential to create an innovation 
ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, to trans-
late research from a Technology Research Institute 
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into applications and products, as appropriate to the 
topic of each Institute; 
(2) supports transdisciplinary research and de-
velopment across multiple institutions of higher edu-
cation and organizations; 
(3) supports transdisciplinary education activi-
ties, including curriculum development, research ex-
periences, and faculty professional development 
across undergraduate, graduate, and professional 
academic programs; 
(4) involves partnerships with multiple types of 
institutions, including emerging research institu-
tions, HBCUs, and minority serving institutions, 
and with other Federal agencies, Federal labora-
tories, industry, State governments, local govern-
ments, Tribal governments, labor organizations, civil 
society organizations, and other entities that may 
use or be affected by the technology; and 
(5) includes a component that addresses the 
ethical, societal, safety, and security implications rel-
evant to the application of the technology. 
(d) DURATION.— 
(1) INITIAL PERIOD.—An award under this sec-
tion shall be for an initial period of 5 years. 
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(2) RENEWAL.—An established Technology Re-
search Institute may apply for, and the Director 
may grant, extended funding for periods of 5 years 
on a merit-reviewed basis. 
(e) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher edu-
cation or consortia thereof seeking financial assistance 
under this section shall submit to the Director an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Director may require. 
(f) 
COMPETITIVE, 
MERIT-REVIEW.—In 
making 
awards under the section, the Director shall— 
(1) use a competitive, merit review process that 
includes peer review by a diverse group of individ-
uals with relevant expertise from both the private 
and public sectors; and 
(2) ensure the focus areas of the Institute do 
not substantially and unnecessarily duplicate the ef-
forts of any other Technology Research Institute or 
any other similar effort at another Federal agency. 
(g) COLLABORATION.—In making awards under this 
section, the Director may collaborate with Federal depart-
ments and agencies whose missions contribute to, or are 
affected by, the key technology area of the Institute. 
Æ 
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