42 U.S.C. § 1862p (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE)
§ 1862p. National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
(a) Establishment
There is established within the Foundation a National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics that shall serve as a central Federal clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on science, engineering, technology, and research and development.
(b) Duties
In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Director, acting through the Center shall—
(1) collect, acquire, analyze, report, and disseminate statistical data related to the science and engineering enterprise in the United States and other nations that is relevant and useful to practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public, including statistical data on—
(A) research and development trends;
(B) the science and engineering workforce;
(C) United States competitiveness in science, engineering, technology, and research and development; and
(D) the condition and progress of United States STEM education;
(2) support research using the data it collects, and on methodologies in areas related to the work of the Center; and
(3) support the education and training of researchers in the use of large-scale, nationally representative data sets.
(c) Statistical reports
The Director or the National Science Board, acting through the Center, shall issue regular, and as necessary, special statistical reports on topics related to the national and international science and engineering enterprise such as the biennial report required by section 1863(j)(1) of this title on indicators of the state of science and engineering in the United States.
(Pub. L. 111–358, title V, § 505, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 4007.)
heading: Codification
text: Section was enacted as part of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, also known as the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010, and also as part of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2010, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.
heading: Definitions
text: For definition of “STEM” as used in this section, see section 2 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out as a note under section 6621 of this title.
Pub. L. 111–358, title V, § 502, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 4005, as amended by Pub. L. 114–329, title I, § 103(e)(1), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2975, provided that:
“In this subtitle [subtitle A (§§ 501–527) of title V of Pub. L. 111–358, enacting this section and sections 1862p–1 to 1862p–15 of this title, amending sections 1862n–1a, 1862n–5, 1863, and 1869 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1862p and 1869 of this title]:
“(1) Director.—
The term ‘Director’ means the Director of the National Science Foundation.
“(2) EPSCoR.—
The term ‘EPSCoR’ means—
“(A) the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research established by the Foundation; or
“(B) a program similar to the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research at another Federal agency.
“(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).
“(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 Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.”
heading: Research on Efficiency of Skilled Technical Labor Markets
text: Pub. L. 115–402, § 4, Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5346, provided that:
“(a) Efficiency of Skilled Technical Labor Markets.—
The Director of the National Science Foundation, working through the Directorate of Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, shall support research on labor market analysis innovations, data and information sciences, electronic information tools and methodologies, and metrics.
“(b) Skilled Technical Workforce.—
“(1) Review.—
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics of the National Science Foundation shall consult and coordinate with other relevant Federal statistical agencies, including the Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of Education, and the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education of the National Science and Technology Council established under section 101 of the America COMPETES [Reauthorization] Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358) [42 U.S.C. 6621], to explore the feasibility of expanding its surveys to include the collection of objective data on the skilled technical workforce.
“(2) Report.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2018], the Director of the National Science Foundation shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made in expanding the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics surveys to include the skilled technical workforce, including a plan for multi-agency collaboration to improve data collection and reporting of data on the skilled technical workforce.
“(3) Definition of skilled technical workforce.—
The term ‘ “skilled technical workforce” ’ [sic] means workers with high school diplomas and two-year technical training or certifications who employ significant levels of STEM knowledge in their jobs.”