National Science Foundation Authorization Act
PL 94-86 (H.R.4723), enacted 08/09/1975

PUBLIC LAW 94-86—AUG. 9, 1975 
89 STAT. 427 
Public Law 94-86 
94th Congress 
An Act 
Authorizing appropriations to the National Science Foundation for 
fiscal year 1976. 
Be, it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That there is hereby 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for 
the fiscal year ending June 30,1976, for the following categories: 
(1) Scientific Research Project Support, $377,600,000. 
(2) National and Special Research Programs, $109,800,000. 
(3) National Research Centers, $60,200,000. 
(4) Research Applied to National Needs, $70,500,000. 
(5) Science Education Innovation, $39,800,000. 
(6) Science Education Support, $35,300,000. 
(7) Graduate Student Support, $16,400,000. 
(8) Science Information Activities, $6,600,000. 
(9) International Cooperative Scientific Activities, $8,000,000. 
(10) Intergovernmental Science and R. & D. Incentives Program, 
$10,000,000. 
(11) Science 
Assessment, 
Policy, 
and 
Advisory 
Activities, 
$11,100,000. 
(12) Program Development and Management, $41,700,000. 
SEC. 2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this or any other 
Act— 
(1) of the total amount authorized under section 1, not less than 
$39,800,000 shall be available for the purpose of "Science Educa-
tion Innovation"; 
(2) of the total amount authorized under section 1, not less than 
$35,300,000 shall be available for the purpose of "Science Educa-
tion Support"; 
(3) of the total amount authorized under section 1, not less than 
$16,400,000 shall be available for the purpose of "Graduate Stu-
dent Support"; 
(4) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category (6), 
not less than $3,000,000 shall be available for "Undergraduate 
Research Participation"; 
(5) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category (6), 
not less than $2,500,000 shall be available for "Secondary School 
Student Science Projects"; 
(6) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category (6), 
not less than $2,000,000 shall be available for "Science Faculty 
Fellowships"; 
(7) of the total amount authorized under section 1, not less than 
$6,600,000 shall be available for "Science Information Activities"; 
(8) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category (4), 
not less than $25,000,000 shall be available for environmental 
research, including $5,500,000 for earthquake engineering; 
(9) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(4), not less than $23,000,000 shall be available for "Applied 
Social Research" and for "Policy-Sciences Research" directed 
toward increasing the cost-effectiveness of policies and programs 
dealing with urban and human service problems at the Federal, 
Aug. 9, 1975 
[H.R. 4723] 
National Science 
Foundation 
Authorization 
Act, 1976. 
89 STAT. 428 
PUBLIC LAW 94-86—AUG. 9, 1975 
State, and local government levels. Such funds shall not be avail-
able for use with respect to any program or activity if such use 
would result in a substantial duplication of any program or 
activity which is receiving other Federal financial assistance. Such 
funds may be used to identify, analyze, and contribute knowledge 
to improve productivity in the public sector; identify, analy^ze, 
and evaluate more effective, efficient, and equitable ways to deliver 
human services; and develop the data base and analytical tech-
niques required for improving applied research on municipal 
systems and human service delivery; 
(10) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(4), not less than $1,000,000 shall be available for the purpose of 
"Fire Research." The transfer of this program to the Fire 
Research Center of the National Bureau of Standards (15 U.S.C. 
278 f.) during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976, is authorized; 
(11) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(4), not less than 7.5 per centum of such amount shall be expended 
to small business concerns; 
(12) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(6), not less than $7,000,000 shall be available for "Ethnic 
Minorities and Women in Science Program"; and not less than 
$1,500,000 thereof shall be available to develop and test meth-
ods of increasing the flow of women into careers in science; 
(13) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(10), not less than $8,000,000 shall be available for the "Inter-
governmental Science Program"; 
(14) of the total amount authorized under section 1, category 
(11), not less than $1,500,000 shall be available for programs 
related to the ethical and human value implications of science 
and technology; and 
(15) the amount of $5,500,000 for "Institutional Improvement 
for Science" which was authorized and appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 
1975, and which remains unobligated as of the close of the fiscal 
year ending June 30,1975, shall be merged with and added to the 
amount authorized under section 1, category (6) ("Science Edu-
cation Support"), of this Act. 
42 use 1869a. 
(b) After the date of enactment of this Act the Director of the 
National Science Foundation, shall require, as a condition of any 
award made by the National Science Foundation for the purpose of 
precoUege science curriculum development activities, that the awardee, 
and any subcontractors involved in the distribution, marketing, or 
selling of such science curricula, shall include in any testing agree^ 
ment, sales contract, or other comparable legal instrument a provision 
requiring that all instructional materials, including teacher's manuals, 
films, tapes, or other supplementary instructional materials developed 
or provided under such award, subcontract, or other legal instrument, 
will be made available within the school district using such materials 
for inspection by parents or guardians of children engaged in educa-
tional programs or projects of that school district. In addition, the 
Director of the National Science Foundation shall take such action 
as may be necessary and feasible to modify awards made for the 
purpose of precollege science curriculum development and implemen-
tation activities on or before the date of enactment of this Act to 
include such a provision in all possible cases. 
PUBLIC LAW 94-86—AUG. 9, 1975 
89 STAT. 429 
(c) The National Science Foundation is authorized and directed to 
conduct a Research Initiation and Support program, referred to here-
inafter as RIAS. RIAS shall have the purpose of strengthening pro-
grams of training and research for young scientists at the graduate 
and postgraduate levels at educational institutions. Awards under this 
program may include support for exploratory research by such young 
scientists, the acquisition of instruments, equipment, and facilities for 
research and training, and other programs and activities aimed at 
meeting departmental, interdepartmental, or institutionwide training 
and research needs, or a combination thereof. Awards under RIAS 
shall be made on a competitive basis and may cover periods not to 
exceed four years. Notwithstanding any provisions of this or any other 
Act, of the total amount authorized under section 1, category (6), not 
less than $5,000,000 shall be available for RIAS. 
(d) The National Science Foundation is authorized and directed to 
conduct a Comprehensive Assistance to Undergraduate Science Educa-
tion program, referred to hereinafter as CAUSE. CAUSE shall have 
the purpose of strengthening the science education capabilities of pre-
dominantly undergraduate educational institutions and departments 
or groups of departments thereof through awards to four-year colleges, 
to two-year colleges, to the undergraduate component of advanced 
degree institutions, and to groups of such institutions. Notwithstand-
ing any provisions of this or any other Act, of the total amount author-
ized under section 1, category (6), not less than $15,000,000 shall be 
available for CAUSE and not less than $3,500,000 thereof shall be 
awarded to two-year institutions. Awards within each category of 
CAUSE shall be made on a competitive basis. 
(e) As used in this Act, "Science Education Innovation" means 
projects aimed at the development of new approaclies to the teaching 
of science to students, teachers, and professionals, including but not 
limited to new curricula, new technologies, new methods, and retrain-
ing or other efforts to make the existing scientific manpower pool better 
able to fulfill the Nation's manpower needs. As used in this Act, "Sci-
ence Education Support" means projects aimed at building a capa-
bility to teach science, including but not limited to awards for 
equipment, conferences, and institutional development. 
SEC. 3. The Director of the National Science Foundation is author-
ized and directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for the establish-
ment and conduct of a "Science for Citizens Program". Such program 
shall be designed— 
(1) to improve public understanding of public policy issues 
involving science and technology; 
(2) to facilitate the participation of experienced scientists and 
engineers as well as graduate and undergraduate students in 
public activities, including community and citizen group activi-
ties, aimed at the resolution of public policy issues having signifi-
cant scientific and technical aspects; 
(3) to enable nonprofit citizens public interest groups to acquire 
necessary technical expertise to assist them in dealing with the 
scientific and technical aspects of public policy issues; and 
(4) to provide grants and contracts to academic and other non-
profit organizations for the conduct of applied research designed 
to improve the effectiveness of the programs conducted under 
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this section. 
Research 
Initiation and 
Support program. 
Comprehensive 
Assistance to 
Undergraduate 
Science 
Education 
program. 
"Science 
Education 
Innovation. 
Science for 
Citizens Program. 
Comprehensive 
plan. 
42 use 18<34 
note. 
89 STAT. 430 
PUBLIC LAW 94-86—AUG. 9, 1975 
Submittal to 
congressional 
committees. 
Comprehensive 
plan, submittal to 
congressional 
committees. 
42 use 1864 
note. 
42 use 5820 
note. 
Alan T. 
Waterman 
Award. 
Establishment. 
42 u s e 1881a. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
Funds transfer, 
limitation. 
Report to 
Speaker of the 
House, President 
of the Senate and 
congressional 
committees. 
The comprehensive plan provided for in this section shall be submitted 
to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Kepre-
sentatives and the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare of the 
Senate within six months from the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. The Director of the National Science Foundation is author-
ized and directed to prepare a comprehensive plan to facilitate the 
participation of members of the public in the formulation, develop-
ment, and conduct of the National Science Foundation's programs, 
policies, and priorities and to submit the resulting recommendations, 
plans, and other findings to the Committee on Science and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and 
Public Welfare of the Senate within one hundred and twenty days from 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. In the conduct of the energy research and development activ-
ities under the "Research Applied to National Needs" category, the 
National Science Foundation shall coordinate all new project awards 
with the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development 
Administration or his designee. 
SEC. 6. (a) The National Science Foundation is authorized to estab-
lish the Alan T. Waterman Award for research or advanced study in 
the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, engineering, social, or 
other sciences. The award authorized by this section shall consist of a 
suitable medal and a grant not to exceed $50,000 per year for a period 
not to exceed three years to support further research or study by the 
recipient. 
(b) Awards under this section shall be made to recognize and 
encourage the work of younger scientists whose capabilities and accom-
plishments show exceptional promise of significant future achievement. 
(c) No more than one award shall be made under this section in any 
one fiscal year. 
SEC. 7. Appropriations made pursuant to this Act may be used, but 
not to exceed $5,000, for official consultation, representation, or other 
extraordinary expenses upon the approval or authorit}^ of the Director 
of the National Science Foundation, and his determination shall be 
final and conclusive upon the accounting officers of the Government. 
SEC. 8. In addition to such sums as are authorized by section 1, not 
to exceed $4,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year 
ending June 30,1976, for expenses of the National Science Foundation 
incurred outside the United States to be paid for in foreign currencies 
which the Treasury Department determines to be excess to the normal 
requirements of the United States. 
SEC. 9. Appropriations made pursuant to authority provided in 
sections 1 and 8 shall remain available for obligation, for expenditure, 
or for obligation and expenditure, for such period or periods as may be 
specified in the Acts making such appropriations. 
SEC. 10. No funds may be transferred from any particular category 
listed in section 1 to any other category or categories listed in such sec-
tion if the total of the funds so transferred from that particular cate-
gory would exceed 10 per centum thereof, and no funds may be 
transferred to any particular category listed in section 1 from any 
other category or categories listed in such section if the total of the 
funds so transferred to that particular category would exceed 10 
per centum thereof, unless— 
(A) a period of thirty legislative days has passed after the 
Director of the National Science Foundation or his designee has 
PUBLIC LAW 94-86—AUG. 9, 1975 
89 STAT. 431 
transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
to the President of the Senate and to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Com-
mittee on Labor and Public Welfare of the Senate a written report 
containing a full and complete statement concerning the nature 
of the transfer and the reason therefor, or 
(B) each such committee before the expiration of such period 
has transmitted to the Director written notice to the effect that 
such committee has no objection to the proposed action. 
SEC. 11. Notwithstanding any other provision of this or any other 
42 USC 1882. 
Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall keep the 
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare of the Senate fully 
and currently informed with respect to all of the activities of the 
National Science Foundation. 
SEC. 12. This Act may be cited as the "National Science Foundation Short title. 
Authorization Act, 1976". 
Approved August 9, 1975. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: Nos. 94-66 and 94-99 (Coram, on Science and Technology) and No. 
94-422 (Coram, of Conference). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 94-112 accorapanying S. 1539 (Coram, on Labor and Public 
Welfare) and No. 94-339 (Coram, of Conference). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 121 (1975): 
Apr. 9, considered and passed House. 
May 13, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 1539. 
June 17, considered in House. 
July 30, Senate agreed to conference report. 
Aug. 1, House agreed to conference report.