IIB 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1806 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 21, 2015 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
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. 
Sec. 126. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. 
Sec. 127. Hispanic Opportunity Program in Education and Science. 
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 
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Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency. 
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. Domestic manufacturing. 
Sec. 510. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 511. 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. 
Sec. 604. Energy Innovation Hubs. 
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. 
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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. 
Sec. 626. Nuclear energy enabling technologies program. 
Sec. 627. Technical standards collaboration. 
Sec. 628. Available facilities database. 
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. Coal research, development, demonstration, and commercial applica-
tion 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. 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. 
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Sec. 723. Inclusion of early-stage technology demonstration in authorized tech-
nology transfer activities. 
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. 
TITLE VIII—SENSE OF CONGRESS 
Sec. 801. Sense of Congress. 
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. 
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(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) $823,000,000 for the Biological 
Science Directorate; 
(ii) $1,038,000,000 for the Computer 
and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate; 
(iii) $1,010,000,000 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) $425,300,000 for Integrative 
Activities; and 
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(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; 
(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $15,160,000 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) $823,000,000 for the Biological 
Science Directorate; 
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(ii) $1,038,000,000 for the Computer 
and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate; 
(iii) $1,010,000,000 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) $425,300,000 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; 
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(D) $325,000,000 shall be made available 
for agency operations and award management; 
(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for 
the Office of the National Science Board; and 
(F) $15,160,000 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 
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for funding of fundamental scientific and engineer-
ing research. 
(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. 
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