[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4664 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.4664

                      One Hundred Seventh Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
          the twenty-third day of January, two thousand and two


                                 An Act


 
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 
    2007 for the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Science Foundation 
Authorization Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
        (1) The National Science Foundation has made major 
    contributions for more than 50 years to strengthen and sustain the 
    Nation's academic research enterprise that is the envy of the 
    world.
        (2) 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.
        (3) The National Science Foundation carries out important 
    functions in supporting basic research in all science and 
    engineering disciplines and in supporting science, mathematics, 
    engineering, and technology education at all levels.
        (4) The research and education activities of the National 
    Science 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.
        (5) The National Science Foundation must be provided with 
    sufficient resources to enable it to carry out its responsibilities 
    to develop intellectual capital, strengthen the scientific 
    infrastructure, integrate research and education, enhance the 
    delivery of mathematics and science education in the United States, 
    and improve the technological literacy of all people in the United 
    States.
        (6) The emerging global economic, scientific, and technical 
    environment challenges long-standing assumptions about domestic and 
    international policy, requiring the National Science Foundation to 
    play a more proactive role in sustaining the competitive advantage 
    of the United States through superior research capabilities.
        (7) Commercial application of the results of Federal investment 
    in basic and computing science is consistent with longstanding 
    United States technology transfer policy and is a critical national 
    priority, particularly with regard to cybersecurity and other 
    homeland security applications, because of the urgent needs of 
    commercial, academic, and individual users as well as the Federal 
    and State Governments.

SEC. 3. POLICY OBJECTIVES.

    In allocating resources made available under section 5, the 
Foundation shall have the following policy objectives:
        (1) To strengthen the Nation's lead in science and technology 
    by--
            (A) increasing the national investment in general 
        scientific research and increasing investment in strategic 
        areas;
            (B) balancing the Nation's research portfolio among the 
        life sciences, mathematics, the physical sciences, computer and 
        information science, geoscience, engineering, and social, 
        behavioral, and economic sciences, all of which are important 
        for the continued development of enabling technologies 
        necessary for sustained international competitiveness;
            (C) expanding the pool of scientists and engineers in the 
        United States;
            (D) modernizing the Nation's research infrastructure; and
            (E) establishing and maintaining cooperative international 
        relationships with premier research institutions, with the goal 
        of such relationships being the exchange of personnel, data, 
        and information in an effort to alleviate problems common to 
        the global community.
        (2) To increase overall workforce skills by--
            (A) improving the quality of mathematics and science 
        education, particularly in kindergarten through grade 12;
            (B) promoting access to information technology for all 
        students;
            (C) raising postsecondary enrollment rates in science, 
        mathematics, engineering, and technology disciplines for 
        individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and 
        Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b);
            (D) increasing access to higher education in science, 
        mathematics, engineering, and technology fields for students 
        from low-income households; and
            (E) expanding science, mathematics, engineering, and 
        technology training opportunities at institutions of higher 
        education.
        (3) To strengthen innovation by expanding the focus of 
    competitiveness and innovation policy at the regional and local 
    level.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
        (1) Academic unit.--The term ``academic unit'' means a 
    department, division, institute, school, college, or other 
    subcomponent of an institution of higher education.
        (2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Science Board 
    established under section 2 of the National Science Foundation Act 
    of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
        (3) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has the 
    meaning given such term in section 3301(3) of the Elementary and 
    Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7011(3)).
        (4) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the 
    National Science Foundation established under section 2 of the 
    National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
        (5) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has the 
    meaning given that term by section 9101(18) of the Elementary and 
    Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(18)).
        (6) Eligible nonprofit organization.--The term ``eligible 
    nonprofit organization'' means a nonprofit research institute, or a 
    nonprofit professional association, with demonstrated experience 
    and effectiveness in mathematics or science education as determined 
    by the Director.
        (7) 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).
        (8) High-need local educational agency.--The term ``high-need 
    local educational agency'' means a local educational agency that 
    meets one or more of the following criteria:
            (A) It has at least one school in which 50 percent or more 
        of the enrolled students are eligible for participation in the 
        free and reduced price lunch program established by the Richard 
        B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
            (B) It has at least one school in which--
                (i) more than 34 percent of the academic classroom 
            teachers at the secondary level (across all academic 
            subjects) do not have an undergraduate degree with a major 
            or minor in, or a graduate degree in, the academic field in 
            which they teach the largest percentage of their classes; 
            or
                (ii) more than 34 percent of the teachers in two of the 
            academic departments do not have an undergraduate degree 
            with a major or minor in, or a graduate degree in, the 
            academic field in which they teach the largest percentage 
            of their classes.
            (C) It has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate 
        has been 15 percent or more over the last three school years.
        (9) 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)).
        (10) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
    agency'' has the meaning given such term by section 9101(26) of the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
    7801(26)).
        (11) Master teacher.--The term ``master teacher'' means a 
    mathematics or science teacher who works to improve the instruction 
    of mathematics or science in kindergarten through grade 12 
    through--
            (A) participating in the development or revision of 
        science, mathematics, engineering, or technology curricula;
            (B) serving as a mentor to mathematics or science teachers;
            (C) coordinating and assisting teachers in the use of 
        hands-on inquiry materials, equipment, and supplies, and when 
        appropriate, supervising acquisition and repair of such 
        materials;
            (D) providing in-classroom teaching assistance to 
        mathematics or science teachers; and
            (E) providing professional development, including for the 
        purposes of training other master teachers, to mathematics and 
        science teachers.
        (12) National research facility.--The term ``national research 
    facility'' means a research facility funded by the Foundation which 
    is available, subject to appropriate policies allocating access, 
    for use by all scientists and engineers affiliated with research 
    institutions located in the United States.
        (13) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has the 
    meaning given that term by section 9101(38) of the Elementary and 
    Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(38)).
        (14) State.--Except with respect to the Experimental Program to 
    Stimulate Competitive Research, 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.
        (15) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
    agency'' has the meaning given such term by section 9101(41) of the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
    7801(41)).
        (16) 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.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2003.--
        (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
    Foundation $5,536,390,000 for fiscal year 2003.
        (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under 
    paragraph (1)--
            (A) $4,155,690,000 shall be made available to carry out 
        research and related activities, of which $704,000,000 shall be 
        for information technology research described in paragraph (1) 
        of section 8 and $301,000,000 shall be for nanoscale science 
        and engineering described in paragraph (2) of section 8;
            (B) $1,006,250,000 shall be made available for education 
        and human resources, of which--
                (i) $200,000,000 shall be for mathematics and science 
            education partnerships described in section 9;
                (ii) $20,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce 
            Scholarship Program described in section 10; and
                (iii) $25,000,000 shall be for the science, 
            mathematics, engineering, and technology talent expansion 
            program described in paragraph (7) of section 8;
            (C) $172,050,000 shall be made available for major research 
        equipment and facilities construction;
            (D) $191,200,000 shall be made available for salaries and 
        expenses;
            (E) $3,500,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        the National Science Board, including salaries and compensation 
        for members of the Board and staff appointed under section 4 of 
        the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863), 
        travel and training costs for members of the Board and such 
        staff, general and Board operating expenses, representational 
        expenses for the Board, honorary awards made by the Board, 
        Board reports (other than the report entitled ``Science and 
        Engineering Indicators''), and contracts; and
            (F) $7,700,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        Inspector General.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2004.--
        (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
    Foundation $6,390,832,000 for fiscal year 2004.
        (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under 
    paragraph (1)--
            (A) $4,799,822,000 shall be made available to carry out 
        research and related activities, of which $774,000,000 shall be 
        for information technology research described in paragraph (1) 
        of section 8 and $350,000,000 shall be for nanoscale science 
        and engineering described in paragraph (2) of section 8;
            (B) $1,157,188,000 shall be made available for education 
        and human resources, of which--
                (i) $300,000,000 shall be for mathematics and science 
            education partnerships described in section 9;
                (ii) $20,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce 
            Scholarship Program described in section 10; and
                (iii) $30,000,000 shall be for the science, 
            mathematics, engineering, and technology talent expansion 
            program described in paragraph (7) of section 8;
            (C) $211,182,000 shall be made available for major research 
        equipment and facilities construction;
            (D) $210,320,000 shall be made available for salaries and 
        expenses;
            (E) $3,850,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        the National Science Board for the purposes described in 
        subsection (a)(2)(E); and
            (F) $8,470,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        Inspector General.
    (c) Fiscal Year 2005.--
        (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
    Foundation $7,378,343,000 for fiscal year 2005.
        (2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under 
    paragraph (1)--
            (A) $5,543,794,000 shall be made available to carry out 
        research and related activities;
            (B) $1,330,766,000 shall be made available to carry out 
        education and human resources, of which--
                (i) $400,000,000 shall be for mathematics and science 
            education partnerships described in section 9;
                (ii) $20,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce 
            Scholarship Program described in section 10; and
                (iii) $35,000,000 shall be for the science, 
            mathematics, engineering, and technology talent expansion 
            program described in paragraph (7) of section 8;
            (C) $258,879,000 shall be made available for major research 
        equipment and facilities construction;
            (D) $231,337,000 shall be made available for salaries and 
        expenses;
            (E) $4,250,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        the National Science Board for the purposes described in 
        subsection (a)(2)(E); and
            (F) $9,317,000 shall be made available for the Office of 
        Inspector General.
    (d) Fiscal Year 2006.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Foundation $8,519,776,000 for fiscal year 2006.
    (e) Fiscal Year 2007.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Foundation $9,839,262,000 for fiscal year 2007.
    (f) Contingent Authorization.--
        (1) In general.--Funds are authorized to be appropriated under 
    subsections (d) and (e), contingent on a determination by Congress 
    that the Foundation has made successful progress toward meeting 
    management goals consisting of--
            (A) strategic management of human capital;
            (B) competitive sourcing;
            (C) improved financial performance;
            (D) expanded electronic government; and
            (E) budget and performance integration.
        (2) Consideration.--In making that determination, Congress 
    shall take into consideration whether or not the Director of the 
    Office of Management and Budget has certified that the Foundation 
    has, overall, made successful progress toward meeting those goals.

SEC. 6. OBLIGATION OF MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 
              CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2003.--None of the funds authorized under section 
5(a)(2)(C) may be obligated until 30 days after the first report 
required under section 14(a)(2) is transmitted to the Congress.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2004.--None of the funds authorized under section 
5(b)(2)(C) may be obligated until 30 days after the report required by 
June 15, 2003, under section 14(a)(2) is transmitted to the Congress.
    (c) Fiscal Year 2005.--None of the funds authorized under section 
5(c)(2)(C) may be obligated until 30 days after the report required by 
June 15, 2004, under section 14(a)(2) is transmitted to the Congress.
    (d) Fiscal Year 2006.--None of the funds authorized under section 
5(d) may be obligated for major research equipment and facilities 
construction until 30 days after the report required by June 15, 2005, 
under section 14(a)(2) is transmitted to the Congress.
    (e) Fiscal Year 2007.--None of the funds authorized under section 
5(e) may be obligated for major research equipment and facilities 
construction until 30 days after the report required by June 15, 2006, 
under section 14(a)(2) is transmitted to the Congress.

SEC. 7. ANNUAL PLAN FOR ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of legislation 
providing for the annual appropriation of funds for the Foundation, the 
Director shall submit to the Committee on Science and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate, a plan for the allocation of funds authorized by this Act 
for the corresponding fiscal year. The portion of the plan pertaining 
to Research and Related Activities shall include a description of how 
the allocation of funding--
        (1) will affect the average size and duration of research 
    grants supported by the Foundation by field of science, 
    mathematics, and engineering;
        (2) will affect trends in research support for major fields and 
    subfields of science, mathematics, and engineering, including for 
    emerging multidisciplinary research areas; and
        (3) is designed to achieve an appropriate balance among major 
    fields and subfields of science, mathematics, and engineering.

SEC. 8. SPECIFIC PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS.

    From amounts authorized to be appropriated under section 5, the 
Director shall carry out the Foundation's research and education 
programs, including the following initiatives in accordance with this 
section:
        (1) Information technology.--An information technology research 
    program to support competitive, merit-reviewed proposals for 
    research, education, and infrastructure support in areas related to 
    cybersecurity, terascale computing systems, software, networking, 
    scalability, communications, data management, and remote sensing 
    and geospatial information technologies.
        (2) Nanoscale science and engineering.--A nanoscale science and 
    engineering research and education program to support competitive, 
    merit-reviewed proposals that emphasize--
            (A) research aimed at discovering novel phenomena, 
        processes, materials, and tools that address grand challenges 
        in materials, electronics, optoelectronics and magnetics, 
        manufacturing, the environment, and health care; and
            (B) supporting new research and interdisciplinary centers 
        and networks of excellence, including shared national user 
        facilities, infrastructure, research, and education activities 
        on the societal implications of advances in nanoscale science 
        and engineering.
        (3) Plant genome research.--(A) A plant genome research program 
    to support competitive, merit-reviewed proposals--
            (i) that advance the understanding of the structure, 
        organization, and function of plant genomes; and
            (ii) that accelerate the use of new knowledge and 
        innovative technologies toward a more complete understanding of 
        basic biological processes in plants, especially in 
        economically important plants such as corn and soybeans.
        (B) Regional plant genome and gene expression research centers 
    to conduct research and dissemination activities that may include--
            (i) basic plant genomics research and genomics 
        applications, including those related to cultivation of crops 
        in extreme environments and to cultivation of crops with 
        reduced reliance on fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides;
            (ii) basic research that will contribute to the development 
        or use of innovative plant-derived products;
            (iii) basic research on alternative uses for plants and 
        plant materials, including the use of plants as renewable 
        feedstock for alternative energy production and nonpetroleum-
        based industrial chemicals and precursors; and
            (iv) basic research and dissemination of information on the 
        ecological and other consequences of genetically engineered 
        plants.
    Competitive, merit-based awards for centers under this subparagraph 
    shall be to consortia of institutions of higher education or 
    nonprofit organizations. The Director shall, to the extent 
    practicable, ensure that research centers established under this 
    subparagraph collectively examine as many different agricultural 
    environments as possible, enhance the excellence of existing 
    Foundation programs, and focus on plants of economic importance.
        (C) Research partnerships to focus on--
            (i) basic genomic research on crops grown in the developing 
        world;
            (ii) basic plant genome research that will advance and 
        expedite the development of improved cultivars, including those 
        that are pest-resistant, produce increased yield, reduce the 
        need for fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, or have 
        increased tolerance to stress;
            (iii) basic research that could lead to the development of 
        technologies to produce pharmaceutical compounds such as 
        vaccines and medications in plants that can be grown in the 
        developing world; and
            (iv) research on the impact of plant biotechnology on the 
        social, political, economic, health, and environmental 
        conditions in countries in the developing world.
    Competitive, merit-based awards for partnerships under this 
    subparagraph shall be to institutions of higher education, 
    nonprofit organizations, or consortia of such entities that enter 
    into a partnership that shall include one or more research 
    institutions in one or more developing nations, and that may also 
    include for-profit companies involved in plant biotechnology. The 
    Director, by means of outreach, shall encourage inclusion of 
    historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving 
    institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska 
    Native-serving institutions, and Native Hawaiian-serving 
    institutions in consortia that enter into such partnerships.
        (4) Innovation partnerships.--An innovation partnerships 
    program to support competitive, merit-reviewed proposals that seek 
    to stimulate innovation at the regional level through new 
    partnerships involving States, regional governmental entities, 
    local governmental entities, industry, academic institutions, and 
    other related organizations in strategically important fields of 
    science and technology.
        (5) Mathematics and science education partnerships.--The 
    mathematics and science education partnerships program described in 
    section 9.
        (6) Robert noyce scholarship program.--The Robert Noyce 
    Scholarship Program described in section 10.
        (7) Science, mathematics, engineering, and technology talent 
    expansion program.--(A) A program of competitive, merit-based, 
    multi-year grants for eligible applicants to increase the number of 
    students studying toward and completing associate's or bachelor's 
    degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, 
    particularly in fields that have faced declining enrollment in 
    recent years.
        (B) In selecting projects under this paragraph, the Director 
    shall strive to increase the number of students studying toward and 
    completing baccalaureate degrees, concentrations, or certificates 
    in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology who are 
    individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and 
    Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
        (C) The types of projects the Foundation may support under this 
    paragraph include those that promote high quality--
            (i) interdisciplinary teaching;
            (ii) undergraduate-conducted research;
            (iii) mentor relationships for students;
            (iv) bridge programs that enable students at community 
        colleges to matriculate directly into baccalaureate science, 
        mathematics, engineering, or technology programs;
            (v) internships carried out in partnership with industry; 
        and
            (vi) innovative uses of digital technologies, particularly 
        at institutions of higher education that serve high numbers or 
        percentages of economically disadvantaged students.
        (D)(i) In order to receive a grant under this paragraph, an 
    eligible applicant shall establish targets to increase the number 
    of students studying toward and completing associate's or 
    bachelor's degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, or 
    technology.
        (ii) A grant under this paragraph shall be awarded for a period 
    of 5 years, with the final 2 years of funding contingent on the 
    Director's determination that satisfactory progress has been made 
    by the grantee toward meeting the targets established under clause 
    (i).
        (iii) In the case of community colleges, a student who 
    transfers to a baccalaureate program, or receives a certificate 
    under an established certificate program, in science, mathematics, 
    engineering, or technology shall be counted toward meeting a target 
    established under clause (i).
        (E) For each grant awarded under this paragraph to an 
    institution of higher education, at least 1 principal investigator 
    shall be in a position of administrative leadership at the 
    institution of higher education, and at least 1 principal 
    investigator shall be a faculty member from an academic department 
    included in the work of the project. For each grant awarded to a 
    consortium or partnership, at each institution of higher education 
    participating in the consortium or partnership, at least 1 of the 
    individuals responsible for carrying out activities authorized 
    under this paragraph at that institution shall be in a position of 
    administrative leadership at the institution, and at least 1 shall 
    be a faculty member from an academic department included in the 
    work of the project at that institution.
        (F) In this paragraph, the term ``eligible applicant'' means--
            (i) an institution of higher education;
            (ii) a consortium of institutions of higher education; or
            (iii) a partnership between--
                (I) an institution of higher education or a consortium 
            of such institutions; and
                (II) a nonprofit organization, a State or local 
            government, or a private company, with demonstrated 
            experience and effectiveness in science, mathematics, 
            engineering, or technology education.
        (8) Secondary School Systemic Initiative.--A program of 
    competitive, merit-based grants for State educational agencies or 
    local educational agencies that supports the planning and 
    implementation of agency-wide secondary school reform initiatives 
    designed to promote scientific and technological literacy, meet the 
    mathematics and science education needs of students at risk of not 
    achieving State student academic achievement standards, reduce the 
    need for basic skill training by employers, and heighten college 
    completion rates through activities, such as--
            (A) systemic alignment of secondary school curricula and 
        higher education freshman placement requirements;
            (B) development of materials and curricula that support 
        small, theme-oriented schools and learning communities;
            (C) implementation of enriched mathematics and science 
        curricula for all secondary school students;
            (D) strengthened teacher training in mathematics, science, 
        and reading as it relates to technical and specialized texts;
            (E) laboratory improvement and provision of instrumentation 
        as part of a comprehensive program to enhance the quality of 
        mathematics, science, engineering, and technology instruction; 
        or
            (F) other secondary school systemic initiatives that enable 
        grantees to leverage private sector funding for mathematics, 
        science, engineering, and technology scholarships.
    In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Director shall give 
    priority to agencies that serve high poverty communities.
        (9) Experimental program to stimulate competitive research.--
    The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, 
    established under section 113 of the National Science Foundation 
    Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862g), that is designed to 
    enhance--
            (A) research in mathematics, science, and engineering 
        throughout the States eligible to participate in the program 
        and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
            (B) research infrastructure in the States eligible to 
        participate in the program and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
        and
            (C) the geographic distribution of Federal research and 
        development support.
        (10) The science and engineering equal opportunities act.--A 
    comprehensive program designed to advance the goals of the Science 
    and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885 et seq.), 
    including programs to--
            (A) provide support to minority-serving institutions; and
            (B) ensure that reports required under sections 36 and 37 
        of such Act are submitted to the--
                (i) Committee on Science of the House of 
            Representatives;
                (ii) Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
            Pensions of the Senate; and
                (iii) Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
            Transportation of the Senate.
        (11) Astronomical research and instrumentation.--An 
    astronomical research program to support competitive, merit-
    reviewed proposals that--
            (A) will advance understanding of--
                (i) the origins and characteristics of planets, the 
            Sun, other stars, the Milky Way Galaxy, and extragalactic 
            objects (such as clusters of galaxies and quasars); and
                (ii) the structure and origin of the universe; and
            (B) support related activities such as developing advanced 
        technologies and instrumentation, funding undergraduate and 
        graduate students, and satisfying other instrumentation and 
        research needs.

SEC. 9. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS.

    (a) Program Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--(A) The Director shall carry out a program to 
    award grants to institutions of higher education or eligible 
    nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or 
    organizations) to establish mathematics and science education 
    partnership programs to improve elementary and secondary 
    mathematics and science instruction.
        (B) Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a 
    competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
        (2) Partnerships.--(A) In order to be eligible to receive a 
    grant under this subsection, an institution of higher education or 
    eligible nonprofit organization (or consortium of such institutions 
    or organizations) shall enter into a partnership with one or more 
    local educational agencies that may also include a State 
    educational agency or one or more businesses.
        (B) A participating institution of higher education shall 
    include mathematics, science, or engineering departments in the 
    programs carried out through a partnership under this paragraph.
        (3) Uses of funds.--Grants awarded under this subsection shall 
    be used for activities that draw upon the expertise of the partners 
    to improve elementary or secondary education in mathematics or 
    science and that are consistent with State mathematics and science 
    student academic achievement standards, including--
            (A) recruiting and preparing students for careers in 
        elementary or secondary mathematics or science education;
            (B) offering professional development programs, including 
        summer or academic year institutes or workshops, designed to 
        strengthen the capabilities of mathematics and science 
        teachers;
            (C) offering innovative preservice and inservice programs 
        that instruct teachers on using technology more effectively in 
        teaching mathematics and science, including programs that 
        recruit and train undergraduate and graduate students to 
        provide technical support to teachers;
            (D) developing distance learning programs for teachers or 
        students, including developing courses, curricular materials, 
        and other resources for the in-service professional development 
        of teachers that are made available to teachers through the 
        Internet;
            (E) developing a cadre of master teachers who will promote 
        reform and improvement in schools;
            (F) offering teacher preparation and certification programs 
        for professional mathematicians, scientists, and engineers who 
        wish to begin a career in teaching;
            (G) developing tools to evaluate activities conducted under 
        this subsection;
            (H) developing or adapting elementary school and secondary 
        school mathematics and science curricular materials that 
        incorporate contemporary research on the science of learning;
            (I) developing initiatives to increase and sustain the 
        number, quality, and diversity of prekindergarten through grade 
        12 teachers of mathematics and science, especially in 
        underserved areas;
            (J) using mathematicians, scientists, and engineers 
        employed by private businesses to help recruit and train 
        mathematics and science teachers;
            (K) developing and offering mathematics or science 
        enrichment programs for students, including after-school and 
        summer programs;
            (L) providing research opportunities in business or 
        academia for students and teachers;
            (M) bringing mathematicians, scientists, and engineers from 
        business and academia into elementary school and secondary 
        school classrooms; and
            (N) any other activities the Director determines will 
        accomplish the goals of this subsection.
        (4) Master teachers.--Activities carried out in accordance with 
    paragraph (3)(E) shall--
            (A) emphasize the training of master teachers who will 
        improve the instruction of mathematics or science in 
        kindergarten through grade 12;
            (B) include training in both content and pedagogy; and
            (C) provide training only to teachers who will be granted 
        sufficient nonclassroom time to serve as master teachers, as 
        demonstrated by assurances their employing school has provided 
        to the Director, in such time and such manner as the Director 
        may require.
        (5) Science enrichment programs for girls.--Activities carried 
    out in accordance with paragraph (3)(K) and (L) shall include 
    elementary school and secondary school programs to encourage the 
    ongoing interest of girls in science, mathematics, engineering, and 
    technology and to prepare girls to pursue undergraduate and 
    graduate degrees and careers in science, mathematics, engineering, 
    or technology. Funds made available through awards to partnerships 
    for the purposes of this paragraph may support programs for--
            (A) encouraging girls to pursue studies in science, 
        mathematics, engineering, and technology and to major in such 
        fields in postsecondary education;
            (B) tutoring girls in science, mathematics, engineering, 
        and technology;
            (C) providing mentors for girls in person and through the 
        Internet to support such girls in pursuing studies in science, 
        mathematics, engineering, and technology;
            (D) educating the parents of girls about the difficulties 
        faced by girls to maintain an interest and desire to achieve in 
        science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, and 
        enlisting the help of parents in overcoming these difficulties; 
        and
            (E) acquainting girls with careers in science, mathematics, 
        engineering, and technology and encouraging girls to plan for 
        careers in such fields.
        (6) Research in secondary schools.--Activities carried out in 
    accordance with paragraph (3)(K) may include support for research 
    projects performed by students at secondary schools. Uses of funds 
    made available through awards to partnerships for purposes of this 
    paragraph may include--
            (A) training secondary school mathematics and science 
        teachers in the design of research projects for students;
            (B) establishing a system for students and teachers 
        involved in research projects funded under this subsection to 
        exchange information about their projects and research results; 
        and
            (C) assessing the educational value of the student research 
        projects by such means as tracking the academic performance and 
        choice of academic majors of students conducting research.
        (7) Stipends.--Grants awarded under this subsection may be used 
    to provide stipends for teachers or students participating in 
    training or research activities that would not be part of their 
    typical classroom activities.
    (b) Selection Process.--
        (1) Application.--An institution of higher education or an 
    eligible nonprofit organization (or a consortium of such 
    institutions or organizations) seeking funding under subsection (a) 
    shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such 
    manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
    require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
            (A) a description of the partnership and the role that each 
        member will play in implementing the proposal;
            (B) a description of each of the activities to be carried 
        out, including--
                (i) how such activities will be aligned with State 
            mathematics and science student academic achievement 
            standards and with other activities that promote student 
            achievement in mathematics and science;
                (ii) how such activities will be based on a review of 
            relevant research;
                (iii) why such activities are expected to improve 
            student performance and strengthen the quality of 
            mathematics and science instruction; and
                (iv) any activities that will encourage the interest of 
            individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science 
            and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 
            1885b) in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology 
            and will help prepare such individuals to pursue 
            postsecondary studies in these fields;
            (C) a description of the number, size, and nature of any 
        stipends that will be provided to students or teachers and the 
        reasons such stipends are needed;
            (D) a description of how the partnership will serve as a 
        catalyst for reform of mathematics and science education 
        programs;
            (E) a description of how the partnership will assess its 
        success;
            (F) a description of how the partnership will collaborate 
        with the State educational agency to ensure that successful 
        partnership activities may be replicated throughout the State; 
        and
            (G) a description of the manner in which the partnership 
        will be continued after assistance under this section ends.
        (2) Review of applications.--In evaluating the applications 
    submitted under paragraph (1), the Director shall consider, at a 
    minimum--
            (A) the ability of the partnership to carry out effectively 
        the proposed programs;
            (B) the extent to which the members of the partnership are 
        committed to making the partnership a central organizational 
        focus;
            (C) the degree to which activities carried out by the 
        partnership are based on relevant research and are likely to 
        result in increased student achievement;
            (D) the degree to which such activities are aligned with 
        State mathematics and science student academic achievement 
        standards;
            (E) the likelihood that the partnership will demonstrate 
        activities that can be widely implemented as part of larger 
        scale reform efforts; and
            (F) the extent to which the activities will encourage the 
        interest of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the 
        Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1885a or 1885b) in mathematics, science, engineering, and 
        technology and will help prepare such individuals to pursue 
        postsecondary studies in these fields.
        (3) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
    Director shall--
            (A) give priority to applications in which the partnership 
        includes a high-need local educational agency or a high-need 
        local educational agency in which at least one school does not 
        make adequate yearly progress, as determined pursuant to part A 
        of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.); and
            (B) ensure that, to the extent practicable, a substantial 
        number of the partnerships funded under this section include 
        businesses.
    (c) Accountability and Dissemination.--
        (1) Assessment required.--The Director shall evaluate the 
    program established under subsection (a). At a minimum, such 
    evaluation shall--
            (A) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment tools to 
        identify best practices and materials developed and 
        demonstrated by the partnerships; and
            (B) to the extent practicable, compare the effectiveness of 
        practices and materials developed and demonstrated by the 
        partnerships authorized under this section with those of 
        partnerships funded by other State or Federal agencies.
        (2) Dissemination of results.--(A) The results of the 
    evaluation required under paragraph (1) shall be made available to 
    the public and shall be provided to the Committee on Science of the 
    House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
        (B) Materials developed under the program established under 
    subsection (a) that are demonstrated to be effective shall be made 
    widely available to the public.
        (3) Annual meeting.--The Director, in consultation with the 
    Secretary of Education, shall convene an annual meeting of the 
    partnerships participating under this section to foster greater 
    national collaboration.
        (4) Report on coordination.--The Director, in consultation with 
    the Secretary of Education, shall provide an annual report to the 
    Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
    on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, the 
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
    and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
    Senate describing how the program authorized under this section has 
    been and will be coordinated with the program authorized under part 
    B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
    (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.). The report under this paragraph shall be 
    submitted along with the President's annual budget request.
        (5) Technical assistance.--At the request of an eligible 
    partnership or a State educational agency, the Director shall 
    provide the partnership or agency with technical assistance in 
    meeting any requirements of this section, including providing 
    advice from experts on how to develop--
            (A) a quality application for a grant; and
            (B) quality activities from funds received from a grant 
        under this section.

SEC. 10. ROBERT NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Scholarship Program.--
        (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to 
    award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia of 
    such institutions) to provide scholarships, stipends, and 
    programming designed to recruit and train mathematics and science 
    teachers. Such program shall be known as the ``Robert Noyce 
    Scholarship Program''.
        (2) Merit review.--Grants shall be provided under this 
    subsection on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
        (3) Use of grants.--Grants provided under this section shall be 
    used by institutions of higher education or consortia--
            (A) to develop and implement a program to encourage top 
        college juniors and seniors majoring in mathematics, science, 
        and engineering at the grantee's institution to become 
        mathematics and science teachers, through--
                (i) administering scholarships in accordance with 
            subsection (c);
                (ii) offering programs to help scholarship recipients 
            to teach in elementary schools and secondary schools, 
            including programs that will result in teacher 
            certification or licensing; and
                (iii) offering programs to scholarship recipients, both 
            before and after they receive their baccalaureate degree, 
            to enable the recipients to become better mathematics and 
            science teachers, to fulfill the service requirements of 
            this section, and to exchange ideas with others in their 
            fields; or
            (B) to develop and implement a program to encourage 
        science, mathematics, or engineering professionals to become 
        mathematics and science teachers, through--
                (i) administering stipends in accordance with 
            subsection (d);
                (ii) offering programs to help stipend recipients 
            obtain teacher certification or licensing; and
                (iii) offering programs to stipend recipients, both 
            during and after matriculation in the program for which the 
            stipend is received, to enable recipients to become better 
            mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service 
            requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with 
            others in their fields.
    (b) Selection Process.--
        (1) Application.--An institution of higher education or 
    consortium seeking funding under this section shall submit an 
    application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and 
    containing such information as the Director may require. The 
    application shall include, at a minimum--
            (A) a description of the scholarship or stipend program 
        that the applicant intends to operate, including the number of 
        scholarships or the size and number of stipends the applicant 
        intends to award, and the selection process that will be used 
        in awarding the scholarships or stipends;
            (B) evidence that the applicant has the capability to 
        administer the scholarship or stipend program in accordance 
        with the provisions of this section; and
            (C) a description of the programming that will be offered 
        to scholarship or stipend recipients during and after their 
        matriculation in the program for which the scholarship or 
        stipend is received.
        (2) Review of applications.--In evaluating the applications 
    submitted under paragraph (1), the Director shall consider, at a 
    minimum--
            (A) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out 
        the program;
            (B) the extent to which the applicant is committed to 
        making the program a central organizational focus;
            (C) the degree to which the proposed programming will 
        enable scholarship or stipend recipients to become successful 
        mathematics and science teachers;
            (D) the number and quality of the students that will be 
        served by the program; and
            (E) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who 
        would otherwise not pursue a career in teaching.
    (c) Scholarship Requirements.--
        (1) In general.--Scholarships under this section shall be 
    available only to students who are--
            (A) majoring in science, mathematics, or engineering; and
            (B) in the last 2 years of a baccalaureate degree program.
        (2) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to receive 
    scholarships primarily on the basis of academic merit, with 
    consideration given to financial need and to the goal of promoting 
    the participation of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of 
    the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 
    1885a or 1885b).
        (3) Amount.--The Director shall establish for each year the 
    amount to be awarded for scholarships under this section for that 
    year, which shall be not less than $7,500 per year, except that no 
    individual shall receive for any year more than the cost of 
    attendance at that individual's institution. Individuals may 
    receive a maximum of 2 years of scholarship support.
        (4) Service obligation.--If an individual receives a 
    scholarship, that individual shall be required to complete, within 
    6 years after graduation from the baccalaureate degree program for 
    which the scholarship was awarded, 2 years of service as a 
    mathematics or science teacher for each year a scholarship was 
    received. Service required under this paragraph shall be performed 
    in a high-need local educational agency.
    (d) Stipends.--
        (1) In general.--Stipends under this section shall be available 
    only to mathematics, science, and engineering professionals who, 
    while receiving the stipend, are enrolled in a program to receive 
    certification or licensing to teach.
        (2) Selection.--Individuals shall be selected to receive 
    stipends under this section primarily on the basis of academic 
    merit, with consideration given to financial need and to the goal 
    of promoting the participation of individuals identified in section 
    33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 
    U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
        (3) Duration.--Individuals may receive a maximum of 1 year of 
    stipend support.
        (4) Service obligation.--If an individual receives a stipend 
    under this section, that individual shall be required to complete, 
    within 6 years after graduation from the program for which the 
    stipend was awarded, 2 years of service as a mathematics or science 
    teacher for each year a stipend was received. Service required 
    under this paragraph shall be performed in a high-need local 
    educational agency.
    (e) Conditions of Support.--As a condition of acceptance of a 
scholarship or stipend under this section, a recipient shall enter into 
an agreement with the institution of higher education--
        (1) accepting the terms of the scholarship or stipend pursuant 
    to subsections (c) and (g), or subsection (d);
        (2) agreeing to provide the awarding institution of higher 
    education with annual certification of employment and up-to-date 
    contact information and to participate in surveys provided by the 
    institution of higher education as part of an ongoing assessment 
    program; and
        (3) establishing that any scholarship recipient shall be liable 
    to the United States for any amount that is required to be repaid 
    in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g).
    (f) Collection for Noncompliance.--
        (1) Monitoring compliance.--An institution of higher education 
    (or consortium thereof) receiving a grant under this section shall, 
    as a condition of participating in the program, enter into an 
    agreement with the Director to monitor the compliance of 
    scholarship and stipend recipients with their respective service 
    requirements.
        (2) Collection of repayment.--(A) In the event that a 
    scholarship recipient is required to repay the scholarship under 
    subsection (g), the institution shall be responsible for collecting 
    the repayment amounts.
        (B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), any such repayment 
    shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.
        (C) A grantee may retain a percentage of any repayment it 
    collects to defray administrative costs associated with the 
    collection. The Director shall establish a single, fixed percentage 
    that will apply to all grantees.
    (g) Failure to Complete Service Obligation.--
        (1) General rule.--If an individual who has received a 
    scholarship under this section--
            (A) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic 
        standing in the educational institution in which the individual 
        is enrolled, as determined by the Director;
            (B) is dismissed from such educational institution for 
        disciplinary reasons;
            (C) withdraws from the baccalaureate degree program for 
        which the award was made before the completion of such program;
            (D) declares that the individual does not intend to fulfill 
        the service obligation under this section; or
            (E) fails to fulfill the service obligation of the 
        individual under this section,
    such individual shall be liable to the United States as provided in 
    paragraph (2).
        (2) Amount of repayment.--(A) If a circumstance described in 
    paragraph (1) occurs before the completion of one year of a service 
    obligation under this section, the United States shall be entitled 
    to recover from the individual, within one year after the date of 
    the occurrence of such circumstance, an amount equal to--
            (i) the total amount of awards received by such individual 
        under this section; plus
            (ii) the interest on the amounts of such awards which would 
        be payable if at the time the awards were received they were 
        loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as 
        determined by the Treasurer of the United States,
    multiplied by 2.
        (B) If a circumstance described in paragraph (1)(D) or (E) 
    occurs after the completion of one year of a service obligation 
    under this section, the United States shall be entitled to recover 
    from the individual, within one year after the date of the 
    occurrence of such circumstance, an amount equal to the total 
    amount of awards received by such individual under this section 
    minus \1/2\ of the amount of the award received per year for each 
    full year of service completed, plus the interest on such amounts 
    which would be payable if at the time the amounts were received 
    they were loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing 
    rate, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States.
        (3) Exceptions.--The Director may provide for the partial or 
    total waiver or suspension of any service or payment obligation by 
    an individual under this section whenever compliance by the 
    individual with the obligation is impossible or would involve 
    extreme hardship to the individual, or if enforcement of such 
    obligation with respect to the individual would be unconscionable.
    (h) Data Collection.--Institutions or consortia receiving grants 
under this section shall supply to the Director any relevant 
statistical and demographic data on scholarship recipients and stipend 
recipients the Director may request, including information on 
employment required by subsection (e).
    (i) Definitions.--In this section--
        (1) the term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning given such 
    term in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
    1087ll);
        (2) the term ``mathematics and science teacher'' means a 
    mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary 
    school or secondary school level;
        (3) the term ``mathematics, science, or engineering 
    professional'' means a person who holds a baccalaureate, masters, 
    or doctoral degree in science, mathematics, or engineering and is 
    working in that field or a related area;
        (4) the term ``scholarship'' means an award under subsection 
    (c); and
        (5) the term ``stipend'' means an award under subsection (d).

SEC. 11. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON MATHEMATICS AND 
              SCIENCE LEARNING AND EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--
        (1) In general.--(A) The Director shall award grants to 
    institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to 
    establish multidisciplinary Centers for Research on Learning and 
    Education Improvement.
        (B) Grants shall be awarded under this paragraph on a 
    competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
        (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Centers shall be to conduct 
    and evaluate research in cognitive science, education, and related 
    fields and to develop ways in which the results of such research 
    can be applied in elementary school and secondary school classrooms 
    to improve the teaching of mathematics and science.
        (3) Focus.--(A) Each Center shall be focused on a different 
    challenge faced by elementary school or secondary school teachers 
    of mathematics and science. In determining the research focus of 
    the Centers, the Director shall consult with the National Academy 
    of Sciences and the Secretary of Education and take into account 
    the extent to which other Federal programs support research on 
    similar questions.
        (B) The proposal solicitation issued by the Director shall 
    state the focus of each Center and applicants shall apply for 
    designation as a specific Center.
        (C) At least one Center shall focus on developing ways in which 
    the results of research described in paragraph (2) can be applied, 
    duplicated, and scaled up for use in low-performing elementary 
    schools and secondary schools to improve the teaching and student 
    achievement levels in mathematics and science.
        (D) To the extent practicable and relevant to its focus, every 
    Center shall include, as part of its research, work designed to 
    quantitatively assess and improve the ways that information 
    technology is used in the teaching of mathematics and science.
    (b) Selection Process.--
        (1) Application.--An institution of higher education (or a 
    consortium of such institutions) seeking funding under this section 
    shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such 
    manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
    require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description 
    of--
            (A) the initial research projects that will be undertaken 
        by the Center and the process by which new projects will be 
        identified;
            (B) how the Center will work with other research 
        institutions and schools to broaden the national research 
        agenda on learning and teaching;
            (C) how the Center will promote active collaboration among 
        physical, biological, and social science researchers;
            (D) how the Center will promote active participation by 
        elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers and 
        administrators; and
            (E) how the results of the Center's research can be 
        incorporated into educational practices, and how the Center 
        will assess the success of those practices.
        (2) Review of applications.--In evaluating the applications 
    submitted under paragraph (1), the Director shall consider, at a 
    minimum--
            (A) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out 
        the research program, including the activities described in 
        paragraph (1)(E);
            (B) the experience of the applicant in conducting research 
        on the science of teaching and learning and the capacity of the 
        applicant to foster new multidisciplinary collaborations;
            (C) the capacity of the applicant to attract elementary 
        school and secondary school teachers from a diverse array of 
        schools, and with diverse professional experiences, for 
        participation in Center activities; and
            (D) the capacity of the applicant to attract and provide 
        adequate support for graduate students to pursue research at 
        the intersection of educational practice and basic research on 
        human cognition and learning.
        (3) Awards.--The Director shall ensure, to the extent 
    practicable, that the Centers funded under this section conduct 
    research and develop educational practices designed to improve the 
    educational performance of a broad range of students, including 
    individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and 
    Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
    (c) Annual Conference.--The Director shall convene an annual 
meeting of the Centers to foster collaboration among the Centers and to 
further disseminate the results of the Centers' activities.
    (d) Coordination.--The Director shall coordinate with the Secretary 
of Education in--
        (1) disseminating the results of the research conducted 
    pursuant to grants awarded under this section to elementary school 
    teachers and secondary school teachers; and
        (2) providing programming, guidance, and support to ensure that 
    such teachers--
            (A) understand the implications of the research 
        disseminated under paragraph (1) for classroom practice; and
            (B) can use the research to improve such teachers' 
        performance in the classroom.

SEC. 12. DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall review the education programs 
of the Foundation that are in operation as of the date of enactment of 
this Act to determine whether any of such programs duplicate the 
programs authorized under this Act.
    (b) Implementation.--As programs authorized under this Act are 
implemented, the Director shall--
        (1) terminate any duplicative program being carried out by the 
    Foundation or merge the duplicative program into a program 
    authorized under this Act; and
        (2) not establish any new program that duplicates a program 
    that has been implemented pursuant to this Act.
    (c) Report.--
        (1) Review.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
    Technology Policy shall review the education programs of the 
    Foundation to ensure compliance with the provisions of this 
    section.
        (2) Submission.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the 
    annual Office of Science and Technology Policy's budget submission 
    to Congress, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
    Policy shall complete a report on the review carried out under this 
    subsection and shall submit the report to the Committee on Science 
    and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
    Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
    Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 13. MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION.

    (a) Review and Assessment.--The Director shall conduct a review and 
assessment of the major research instrumentation program and, not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, submit a report of 
findings and recommendations to the Committee on Science of the House 
of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. The report shall include--
        (1) estimates of the needs, by major field of science and 
    engineering and by types of institutions of higher education, for 
    the types of research instrumentation that are eligible for 
    acquisition under the guidelines of the major research 
    instrumentation program;
        (2) a description of the distribution of awards and funding 
    levels by year, by major field of science and engineering, and by 
    type of institution of higher education for the program, since the 
    inception of the major research instrumentation program; and
        (3) an analysis of the impact of the major research 
    instrumentation program on the research instrumentation needs that 
    were documented in the Foundation's 1994 survey of academic 
    research instrumentation needs.
    (b) National Academy of Sciences Assessment on Interdisciplinary 
Research and Advanced Instrumentation Centers.--
        (1) Assessment.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an arrangement 
    with the National Academy of Sciences to assess the need for an 
    interagency program to establish and support fully equipped, state-
    of-the-art university-based centers for interdisciplinary research 
    and advanced instrumentation development.
        (2) Transmittal to congress.--Not later than 15 months after 
    the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit 
    to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the 
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
    and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
    Senate the assessment conducted by the National Academy of Sciences 
    together with the Foundation's reaction to the assessment 
    authorized under paragraph (1).

SEC. 14. MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PLAN.

    (a) Prioritization of Proposed Major Research Equipment and 
Facilities Construction.--
        (1) Development of priorities.--(A) The Director shall--
            (i) develop a list indicating by number the relative 
        priority for funding under the major research equipment and 
        facilities construction account that the Director assigns to 
        each project the Board has approved for inclusion in a future 
        budget request; and
            (ii) submit the list described in clause (i) to the Board 
        for approval.
        (B) The Director shall update the list prepared under 
    subparagraph (A) each time the Board approves a new project that 
    would receive funding under the major research equipment and 
    facilities construction account, as necessary to prepare reports 
    under paragraph (2), and, from time to time, submit any updated 
    list to the Board for approval.
        (2) Annual report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, and not later than each June 15 thereafter, 
    the Director shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the 
    House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report containing--
            (A) the most recent Board-approved priority list developed 
        under paragraph (1)(A);
            (B) a description of the criteria used to develop such 
        list; and
            (C) a description of the major factors for each project 
        that determined the ranking of such project on the list, based 
        on the application of the criteria described pursuant to 
        subparagraph (B).
        (3) Criteria.--The criteria described pursuant to paragraph 
    (2)(B) shall include, at a minimum--
            (A) scientific merit;
            (B) broad societal need and probable impact;
            (C) consideration of the results of formal prioritization 
        efforts by the scientific community;
            (D) readiness of plans for construction and operation;
            (E) the applicant's management and administrative capacity 
        of large research facilities;
            (F) international and interagency commitments; and
            (G) the order in which projects were approved by the Board 
        for inclusion in a future budget request.
    (b) Facilities Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Section 201(a)(1) of the National Science 
    Foundation Authorization Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 1862l(a)(1)) is 
    amended to read as follows:
        ``(1) In general.--The Director shall prepare, and include as 
    part of the Foundation's annual budget request to Congress, a plan 
    for the proposed construction of, and repair and upgrades to, 
    national research facilities, including full life-cycle cost 
    information.''.
        (2) Contents of plan.--Section 201(a)(2) of the National 
    Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 
    1862l(a)(2)) is amended--
            (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``(1);'' and inserting 
        ``(1), including costs for instrumentation development;'';
            (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``construction.'' and 
        inserting ``construction;''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(D) for each project funded under the major research 
        equipment and facilities construction account--
                ``(i) estimates of the total project cost (from 
            planning to commissioning); and
                ``(ii) the source of funds, including Federal funding 
            identified by appropriations category and non-Federal 
            funding;
            ``(E) estimates of the full life-cycle cost of each 
        national research facility;
            ``(F) information on any plans to retire national research 
        facilities; and
            ``(G) estimates of funding levels for grants supporting 
        research that will be conducted using each national research 
        facility.''.
        (3) Definition.--Section 2 of the National Science Foundation 
    Authorization Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 1862k note) is amended--
            (A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
        paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and
            (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
        ``(3) Full life-cycle cost.--The term `full life-cycle cost' 
    means all costs of planning, development, procurement, 
    construction, operations and support, and shut-down costs, without 
    regard to funding source and without regard to what entity manages 
    the project or facility involved.''.
    (c) Project Management.--No national research facility project 
funded under the major research equipment and facilities construction 
account shall be managed by an individual whose appointment to the 
Foundation is temporary.
    (d) Board Approval of Major Research Equipment and Facilities 
Projects.--
        (1) In general.--The Board shall explicitly approve any project 
    to be funded out of the major research equipment and facilities 
    construction account before any funds may be obligated from such 
    account for such project.
        (2) Report.--Not later than September 15 of each fiscal year, 
    the Board shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Health, Education, 
    Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Science of 
    the House of Representatives on the conditions of any delegation of 
    authority under section 4 of the National Science Foundation Act of 
    1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863) that relates to funds appropriated for any 
    project in the major research equipment and facilities construction 
    account.
    (e) National Academy of Sciences Study on Major Research Equipment 
and Facilities Construction.--
        (1) Study.--Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment 
    of this Act, the Director shall enter into an arrangement with the 
    National Academy of Sciences to perform a study on setting 
    priorities for a diverse array of disciplinary and 
    interdisciplinary Foundation-sponsored large research facility 
    projects.
        (2) Transmittal to congress.--Not later than 15 months after 
    the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit 
    to the Committee on Science and the Committee on Appropriations of 
    the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce, 
    Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Health, Education, 
    Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
    Senate, the study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences 
    together with the Foundation's reaction to the study authorized 
    under paragraph (1).

SEC. 15. ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Board Meetings.--
        (1) In general.--Section 4(e) of the National Science 
    Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863(e)) is amended by striking 
    the second and third sentences and inserting ``The Board shall 
    adopt procedures governing the conduct of its meetings, including 
    delivery of notice and a definition of a quorum, which in no case 
    shall be less than one-half plus one of the confirmed members of 
    the Board.''.
        (2) Open meetings.--The Board and all of its committees, 
    subcommittees, and task forces (and any other entity consisting of 
    members of the Board and reporting to the Board) shall be subject 
    to section 552b of title 5, United States Code.
        (3) Compliance audit.--The Inspector General of the Foundation 
    shall conduct an annual audit of the compliance by the Board with 
    the requirements described in paragraph (2). The audit shall 
    examine the proposed and actual content of closed meetings and 
    determine whether the closure of the meetings was consistent with 
    section 552b of title 5, United States Code.
        (4) Report.--Not later than February 15 of each year, the 
    Inspector General of the Foundation shall transmit to the Committee 
    on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
    Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate 
    the audit required under paragraph (3) along with recommendations 
    for corrective actions that need to be taken to achieve fuller 
    compliance with the requirements described in paragraph (2), and 
    recommendations on how to ensure public access to the Board's 
    deliberations.
    (b) Confidentiality of Certain Information.--Section 14(i) of the 
National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1873(i)) is amended 
to read as follows:
    ``(i)(1)(A) Information supplied to the Foundation or a contractor 
of the Foundation in survey forms, questionnaires, or similar 
instruments for purposes of section 3(a)(5) or (6) by an individual, an 
industrial or commercial organization, or an educational, academic, or 
other nonprofit institution when the institution has received a pledge 
of confidentiality from the Foundation, shall not be disclosed to the 
public unless the information has been transformed into statistical or 
abstract formats that do not allow for the identification of the 
supplier.
    ``(B) Information that has not been transformed into formats 
described in subparagraph (A) may be used only for statistical or 
research purposes.
    ``(C) The identities of individuals, organizations, and 
institutions supplying information described in subparagraph (A) may 
not be disclosed to the public.
    ``(2) In support of functions authorized by section 3(a)(5) or (6), 
the Foundation may designate, at its discretion, authorized persons, 
including employees of Federal, State, or local agencies or 
instrumentalities (including local educational agencies) and employees 
of private organizations, to have access, for statistical or research 
purposes only, to information collected pursuant to section 3(a)(5) or 
(6) that allows for the identification of the supplier. No such person 
may--
        ``(A) publish information collected pursuant to section 3(a)(5) 
    or (6) in such a manner that either an individual, an industrial or 
    commercial organization, or an educational, academic, or other 
    nonprofit institution that has received a pledge of confidentiality 
    from the Foundation can be specifically identified;
        ``(B) permit anyone other than individuals authorized by the 
    Foundation to examine data that allows for such identification 
    relating to an individual, an industrial or commercial 
    organization, or an academic, educational, or other nonprofit 
    institution that has received a pledge of confidentiality from the 
    Foundation; or
        ``(C) knowingly and willfully request or obtain any 
    nondisclosable information described in paragraph (1) from the 
    Foundation under false pretenses.
    ``(3) Violation of this subsection is punishable by a fine of not 
more than $10,000, imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both.''.
    (c) Appointment.--Section 4(g) of the National Science Foundation 
Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863(g)) is amended by striking the second 
sentence and inserting ``Such staff shall be appointed by the Chairman 
and assigned at the direction of the Board.''.
    (d) Scholarship Eligibility.--The Director shall not exclude part-
time students from eligibility for scholarships under the Computer 
Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarship program.

SEC. 16. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES ACT AMENDMENTS.

    Section 32 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1885) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``backgrounds.'' and 
    inserting ``backgrounds, including persons with disabilities.''; 
    and
        (2) in subsection (b)--
            (A) by inserting ``, including persons with disabilities,'' 
        after ``backgrounds''; and
            (B) by striking ``and minorities'' each place the term 
        appears and inserting ``, minorities, and persons with 
        disabilities''.

SEC. 17. UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION REFORM.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall award grants, on a competitive, 
merit-reviewed basis, to institutions of higher education to expand 
previously implemented reforms of undergraduate science, mathematics, 
engineering, or technology education that have been demonstrated to 
have been successful in increasing the number and quality of students 
studying toward and completing associate's or baccalaureate degrees in 
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
    (b) Uses of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under this 
section may include--
        (1) expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single 
    course or group of courses to achieve reform within an entire 
    academic unit;
        (2) expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single 
    academic unit to other science, mathematics, engineering, or 
    technology academic units within an institution;
        (3) creation of multidisciplinary courses or programs that 
    formalize collaborations for the purpose of improved student 
    instruction and research in science, mathematics, engineering, and 
    technology;
        (4) expansion of undergraduate research opportunities beyond a 
    particular laboratory, course, or academic unit to engage multiple 
    academic units in providing multidisciplinary research 
    opportunities for undergraduate students;
        (5) expansion of innovative tutoring or mentoring programs 
    proven to enhance student recruitment or persistence to degree 
    completion in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology;
        (6) improvement of undergraduate science, mathematics, 
    engineering, and technology education for nonmajors, including 
    education majors; and
        (7) implementation of technology-driven reform efforts, 
    including the installation of technology to facilitate such reform, 
    that directly impact undergraduate science, mathematics, 
    engineering, or technology instruction or research experiences.
    (c) Selection Process.--
        (1) Applications.--An institution of higher education seeking a 
    grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
    Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the Director may require. The application shall 
    include, at a minimum--
            (A) a description of the proposed reform effort;
            (B) a description of the previously implemented reform 
        effort that will serve as the basis for the proposed reform 
        effort and evidence of success of that previous effort, 
        including data on student recruitment, persistence to degree 
        completion, and academic achievement;
            (C) evidence of active participation in the proposed 
        project by individuals who were central to the success of the 
        previously implemented reform effort; and
            (D) evidence of institutional support for, and commitment 
        to, the proposed reform effort, including a description of 
        existing or planned institutional policies and practices 
        regarding faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, and teaching 
        assignment that reward faculty contributions to undergraduate 
        education equal to, or greater than, scholarly scientific 
        research.
        (2) Review of applications.--In evaluating applications 
    submitted under paragraph (1), the Director shall consider at a 
    minimum--
            (A) the evidence of past success in implementing 
        undergraduate education reform and the likelihood of success in 
        undertaking the proposed expanded effort;
            (B) the extent to which the faculty, staff, and 
        administrators of the institution are committed to making the 
        proposed institutional reform a priority of the participating 
        academic unit;
            (C) the degree to which the proposed reform will contribute 
        to change in institutional culture and policy such that a 
        greater value is placed on faculty engagement in undergraduate 
        education, as evidenced through promotion and tenure policies; 
        and
            (D) the likelihood that the institution will sustain or 
        expand the reform beyond the period of the grant.
        (3) Grant distribution.--The Director shall ensure, to the 
    extent practicable, that grants awarded under this section are made 
    to a variety of types of institutions of higher education.

SEC. 18. REPORTS.

    (a) Grant Size and Duration.--Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to the 
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report 
describing the impact that increasing the average grant size and 
duration would have on minority-serving institutions and on 
institutions located in States where the Foundation's Experimental 
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (established under section 
113 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 (42 
U.S.C. 1862g)) is carrying out activities.
    (b) Faculty.--Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall enter into an arrangement with the 
National Academy of Sciences to assess gender differences in the 
careers of science and engineering faculty. This study shall build on 
the Academy's work on gender differences in the carriers of doctoral 
scientists and engineers and examine issues such as faculty hiring, 
promotion, tenure, and allocation of resources including laboratory 
space. Upon completion, the results of this study shall be transmitted 
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
    (c) Grant Funding.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement with 
an appropriate party to assess gender differences in the distribution 
of external Federal research and development funding. This study shall 
examine differences in amounts requested and awarded, by gender, in 
major Federal external grant programs. Upon completion, the results of 
this study shall be transmitted to the Committee on Science of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
    (d) Study of Broadband Network Access for Schools and Libraries.--
        (1) Report to congress.--The Director shall conduct a study of 
    the issues described in paragraph (3), and not later than 1 year 
    after the date of the enactment of this Act, transmit to the 
    Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
    on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
    report including recommendations to address those issues. Such 
    report shall be updated annually for 4 additional years.
        (2) Consultation.--In preparing the reports under paragraph 
    (1), the Director shall consult with Federal agencies and 
    educational entities as the Director considers appropriate.
        (3) Issues to be addressed.--The reports shall--
            (A) identify the availability of high-speed, large 
        bandwidth capacity access to different demographic groups 
        served by elementary schools, secondary schools, and libraries 
        in the United States;
            (B) identify how the provision of high-speed, large 
        bandwidth capacity access to the Internet to such schools and 
        libraries can be effectively utilized within each school and 
        library;
            (C) consider the effect that specific or regional 
        circumstances may have on the ability of such institutions to 
        acquire high-speed, large bandwidth capacity access to achieve 
        universal connectivity as an effective tool in the education 
        process; and
            (D) include options and recommendations to address the 
        challenges and issues identified in the reports.
    (e) Minority-Serving Institution Funding.--
        (1) Annual reporting required.--The Director shall submit an 
    annual report, along with the President's annual budget request, to 
    the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the 
    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
    and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
    Senate on the amount of funding awarded by the Foundation to 
    minority-serving institutions, including funding received as 
    members of consortia. The report shall include information on such 
    funding to minority-serving institutions--
            (A) expressed as a percentage of funding to all 
        institutions of higher education for each appropriations 
        account within the Foundation's budget; and
            (B) for the preceding 10 years.
        (2) Report on ways to improve funding.--Within one year after 
    the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the 
    Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
    on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
    report on recommendations on how the Foundation can improve funding 
    to minority-serving institutions.

SEC. 19. EVALUATIONS.

    (a) Education.--
        (1) In general.--The Director, through the Research, Evaluation 
    and Communication Division of the Education and Human Resources 
    Directorate of the Foundation, shall evaluate the effectiveness of 
    all undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology 
    education activities supported by the Foundation in increasing the 
    number and quality of students, including individuals identified in 
    section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities 
    Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) studying toward and completing 
    associate's or baccalaureate degrees in science, mathematics, 
    engineering, and technology. In conducting the evaluation, the 
    Director shall consider information on--
            (A) the number of students enrolled in undergraduate 
        science, mathematics, engineering, and technology programs;
            (B) student academic achievement, including quantifiable 
        measurements of students' mastery of content and skills;
            (C) persistence to degree completion, including students 
        who transfer from science, mathematics, engineering, and 
        technology programs to programs in other academic disciplines; 
        and
            (D) placement during the first year after degree completion 
        in post-graduate education or career pathways.
        (2) Assessment benchmarks and tools.--The Director, through the 
    Research, Evaluation and Communication Division of the Education 
    and Human Resources Directorate of the Foundation, shall establish 
    a common set of assessment benchmarks and tools, and shall enable 
    every Foundation-sponsored project to incorporate the use of these 
    benchmarks and tools in their project-based assessment activities.
        (3) Reports to congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
    of the enactment of this Act, and once every 3 years thereafter, 
    the Director shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the 
    House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report containing 
    the results of evaluations under paragraph (1).
    (b) Awards.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the 
Director shall annually evaluate a random sample of grants, contracts, 
or other awards made pursuant to this Act.
    (c) Dissemination.--The Director shall--
        (1) provide for the dissemination of the results of the 
    evaluations conducted pursuant to this section to the public; and
        (2) provide notice to the public that such evaluations are 
    available.

SEC. 20. REPORT BY COMMITTEE ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN SCIENCE AND 
              ENGINEERING.

    As part of the first report required by section 36(e) of the 
Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(e)) 
transmitted to Congress after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering shall 
include--
        (1) a summary of its findings over the previous 10 years;
        (2) a description of past and present policies and activities 
    of the Foundation to encourage full participation of women, 
    minorities, and persons with disabilities in science, mathematics, 
    and engineering fields, including activities in support of 
    minority-serving institutions; and
        (3) an assessment of the trends in participation in Foundation 
    activities, and an assessment of the success of Foundation policies 
    and activities, along with proposals for new strategies or the 
    broadening of existing successful strategies toward facilitating 
    the goals of that Act.

SEC. 21. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Core Science and Mathematics Courses.--Section 3(a) of the 
Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i(a)) is 
amended--
        (1) by inserting ``, and to improve the quality of their core 
    education courses in science and mathematics'' after ``education in 
    advanced-technology fields'';
        (2) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``and in core science and 
    mathematics courses'' after ``advanced-technology fields''; and
        (3) in paragraph (2) by striking ``in advanced-technology 
    fields'' and inserting ``who provide instruction in science, 
    mathematics, and advanced-technology fields''.
    (b) Articulation Partnerships.--Section 3(c)(1)(B) of the 
Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 
1862i(c)(1)(B)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (i);
        (2) by striking the period at the end of clause (ii) and 
    inserting a semicolon; and
        (3) by adding after clause (ii) the following new clauses:
            ``(iii) provide students with research experiences at 
        bachelor's-degree-granting institutions participating in the 
        partnership, including stipend support for students 
        participating in summer programs; and
            ``(iv) provide faculty mentors for students participating 
        in activities under clause (iii), including summer salary 
        support for faculty mentors.''.
    (c) National Science Foundation Report.--Within 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit a report 
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate 
on--
        (1) efforts by the Foundation and awardees under the program 
    carried out under section 3 of the Scientific and Advanced-
    Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i) to disseminate information 
    about the results of projects;
        (2) the effectiveness of national centers of scientific and 
    technical education established under section 3(b) of the 
    Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i(b)) 
    in serving as national and regional clearinghouses of information 
    and models for best practices in undergraduate science, 
    mathematics, and technology education; and
        (3) efforts to satisfy the requirement of section 3(f)(4) of 
    the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 
    1862i(f)(4)).

SEC. 22. REPORT ON FOUNDATION BUDGETARY AND PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION.

    The Board shall prepare a report to address and examine the 
Foundation's budgetary and programmatic growth provided for by this 
Act. The report shall be submitted to the Committee on Science of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate within one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and shall include--
        (1) recommendations on how the increased funding should be 
    utilized;
        (2) an examination of the projected impact that the budgetary 
    increases will have on the Nation's scientific and technological 
    workforce;
        (3) a description of new or expanded programs that will enable 
    institutions of higher education to expand their participation in 
    Foundation-funded activities;
        (4) an estimate of the national scientific and technological 
    research infrastructure needed to adequately support the 
    Foundation's increased funding and additional programs; and
        (5) a description of the impact the budgetary increases 
    provided under this Act will have on the size and duration of 
    grants awarded by the Foundation.

SEC. 23. ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Foundation and the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall jointly establish an Astronomy and 
Astrophysics Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Advisory Committee'').
    (b) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall--
        (1) assess, and make recommendations regarding, the 
    coordination of astronomy and astrophysics programs of the 
    Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
        (2) assess, and make recommendations regarding, the status of 
    the activities of the Foundation and the National Aeronautics and 
    Space Administration as they relate to the recommendations 
    contained in the National Research Council's 2001 report entitled 
    ``Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium'', and the 
    recommendations contained in subsequent National Research Council 
    reports of a similar nature; and
        (3) not later than March 15 of each year, transmit a report to 
    the Director, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
    Space Administration, and the Committee on Science of the House of 
    Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate on the Advisory 
    Committee's findings and recommendations under paragraphs (1) and 
    (2).
    (c) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall consist of 13 
members, none of whom shall be a Federal employee, including--
        (1) 5 members selected by the Director;
        (2) 5 members selected by the Administrator of the National 
    Aeronautics and Space Administration; and
        (3) 3 members selected by the Director of the Office of Science 
    and Technology Policy.
    (d) Selection Process.--Initial selections under subsection (c) 
shall be made within 3 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as provided in 
subsection (c).
    (e) Chairperson.--The Advisory Committee shall select a chairperson 
from among its members.
    (f) Coordination.--The Advisory Committee shall coordinate with the 
advisory bodies of other Federal agencies, such as the Department of 
Energy, which may engage in related research activities.
    (g) Compensation.--The members of the Advisory Committee shall 
serve without compensation, but shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 
5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (h) Meetings.--The Advisory Committee shall convene, in person or 
by electronic means, at least 4 times a year.
    (i) Quorum.--A majority of the members serving on the Advisory 
Committee shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting the 
business of the Advisory Committee.
    (j) Duration.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.

SEC. 24. MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Director is authorized to establish a new 
program to award grants on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to 
Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native-serving institutions, 
Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and other institutions of higher 
education serving a substantial number of minority students to enhance 
the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering 
education at such institutions and to increase the retention and 
graduation rates of students pursuing associate's or baccalaureate 
degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
    (b) Program Components.--Grants awarded under this section shall 
support--
        (1) activities to improve courses and curriculum in science, 
    mathematics, and engineering;
        (2) faculty development;
        (3) stipends for undergraduate students participating in 
    research; and
        (4) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as 
    determined by the Director.
    (c) Program Coordination.--This program shall be coordinated with 
and in addition to the ongoing Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities Undergraduate Program and the Tribal Colleges and 
Universities Program.
    (d) Instrumentation.--Funding for instrumentation is an allowed use 
of grants awarded under this section and under the ongoing Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program and the Tribal 
Colleges and Universities Program.

SEC. 25. STUDY ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING DATA DISCREPANCIES.

    (a) Study.--The Director, in consultation with the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget and the heads of other Federal 
agencies, shall enter into agreement with the National Academy of 
Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study to determine the source of 
discrepancies in Federal reports on obligations and actual expenditures 
of Federal research and development funding.
    (b) Contents.--The study shall--
        (1) examine the relevance and accuracy of reporting 
    classifications and definitions used in the reports described in 
    subsection (a);
        (2) examine whether the classifications and definitions are 
    used consistently across Federal agencies for data gathering;
        (3) examine whether and how Federal agencies use reports 
    described in subsection (a), and describe any other sources of 
    similar data used by those agencies;
        (4) recommend alternatives for modifications to the current 
    reporting process and system that would--
            (A) accommodate emerging fields of science and changing 
        practices in the conduct of research and development;
            (B) minimize, to the extent possible, the burden imposed on 
        the reporters of these data;
            (C) increase the consistency of application of the system 
        across the Federal agencies including the Office of Management 
        and Budget and the Foundation;
            (D) encourage the use of new technologies to increase 
        accuracy, timeliness, and consistency of the reported data 
        between the agencies and the research performers; and
            (E) overcome systemic shortfalls; and
        (5) recommend an implementation timeline for the modifications 
    recommended under paragraph (4), and recommend specific 
    responsibilities for the program and budget offices in the 
    agencies, taking into consideration required changes to the current 
    computer systems and processes used by the agencies.
    (c) Submission.--The Director shall submit a report on the results 
of the study to the Committee on Science of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate within one year after the date of enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Implementation.--Within 6 months after the completion of the 
study required by subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall submit to the Committee on Science of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a plan for implementation of the 
recommendations of the study.

SEC. 26. PLANNING GRANTS.

    The Director is authorized to accept planning proposals from 
applicants who are within .075 percentage points of the current 
eligibility level for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 
Research. Such proposals shall be reviewed by the Foundation to 
determine their merit for support under the Experimental Program to 
Stimulate Competitive Research or any other appropriate program.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.