[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 78 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H3419-H3490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2015
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 1806.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Denham). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 271 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 1806.
The Chair appoints the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Yoder) to preside
over the Committee of the Whole.
{time} 1519
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 1806) to provide for technological innovation through the
prioritization of Federal investment in basic research, fundamental
scientific discovery, and development to improve the competitiveness of
the United States, and for other purposes, with Mr. Yoder in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to sponsor H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, a pro-science, fiscally responsible bill
that sets America on a path to remain the world's leader in innovation.
This bill reauthorizes civilian research programs at the National
Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
the Department of Energy, and the Office of Science and Technology
Policy. H.R. 1806 prioritizes basic research and development, while
staying within the caps set by the Budget Control Act.
America's businesses rely on government support for basic research to
produce the scientific breakthroughs that spur technological
innovation, jump-start new industries, and spur economic growth. Title
I of the bill reauthorizes the National Science Foundation for 2 years
and provides a 4.3 percent increase for research and related
activities.
The bill prioritizes funding for the Directorates of Biological
Sciences, Computer and Information Science and Engineering,
Engineering, and Mathematics and Physical Sciences and recognizes the
need to make strategic investments in basic R&D for the U.S. to remain
the global leader in science and innovation. The bill reprioritizes
research spending at NSF by cutting funding for the Directorate for
Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and the Directorate for
Geosciences.
Federal budget restraints require all taxpayers' dollars to be spent
on high-value science in the national interest. Unfortunately, NSF has
funded a number of projects that do not meet the highest standards of
scientific merit, from climate change musicals, to evaluating animal
photographs in National Geographic, to studying human-set fires in New
Zealand in the 1800s. There are dozens of other examples.
The bill ensures accountability by restoring the original intent of
the 1950 NSF Act and requiring that all grants serve the ``national
interest.'' The NSF has endorsed this goal.
Title II represents the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's
commitment to enhancing STEM education programs. A healthy and viable
STEM workforce is critical to American industries and ensures our
future economic prosperity.
The definition of STEM is expanded to include computer science, which
connects all STEM subjects. The bill also creates an advisory panel on
STEM education to ensure outside stakeholders have a role in assessing
the Federal STEM education portfolio.
Title III includes three bipartisan bills the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee approved in March. Those bills, H.R. 1119, the
Research and Development Efficiency Act; H.R. 1156, the International
Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2015; and H.R. 1162, the
Science Prize Competitions Act, passed the committee by voice vote. Two
of these were sponsored by the Democrats.
Title IV supports the important measurement, standards, and
technology work taking place at the National Institute of Standards and
Technology laboratories, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
program, and the recently authorized Network for Manufacturing
Innovation.
Measurement science conducted at NIST contributes to industrial
competitiveness by supporting the technical infrastructure and
advancements for nanotechnology, global positioning systems, material
sciences, cybersecurity, health information technology, and a variety
of other fields.
Title V reauthorizes the Department of Energy Office of Science for 2
years, at a 5.4 percent increase over fiscal year 2015. It prioritizes
basic research that enables researchers in all 50 States to have access
to world-class user facilities, including supercomputers and high-
intensity light sources.
This bill also prevents duplication and requires DOE to certify that
its climate science work is unique and not being undertaken by another
Federal agency.
Title VI reauthorizes the DOE applied research and development
programs and activities for fiscal year 2016 and 2017. They include the
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, the Office of
Nuclear Energy, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
the Office of Fossil Energy, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-
Energy.
H.R. 1806 refocuses some spending on late-stage commercialization
efforts within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to
research and development efforts.
The bill requires DOE to provide a regular strategic analysis of
science and technology activities within the Department, identifying
key areas for collaboration across science and applied research
programs.
Title VII proposes to cut red tape and bureaucracy in the DOE
technology transfer process. It allows contractor-operators at DOE
national laboratories to work with the private sector more efficiently
by delegating signature authority to the directors of the labs
[[Page H3420]]
themselves, rather than to DOE contracting officers, for cooperative
agreements valued at less than $1 million.
This title also requires DOE to assess its capability to authorize,
host, and oversee privately funded fusion research and the next
generation fission reactor prototypes. Currently, the private sector
has little incentive to build reactor prototypes due to regulatory
uncertainty from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In summary, Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1806 sets the right priorities for
Federal civilian research, which enhances innovation and U.S.
competitiveness without adding to the Federal deficit and debt.
I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Today, I must unfortunately rise in opposition to the America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act. It is unfortunate because I was a strong
supporter of both the original COMPETES Act, as well as the 2010
reauthorization.
Both of those bills passed with bipartisan support, and both bills
reflected the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences'
groundbreaking 2005 report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm.''
It is worth reflecting on what the National Academy's panel found and
why they made the recommendations they did.
First, the panel that wrote the report was composed of a
distinguished group of individuals from industry, academia, and
science; and it was headed by the former Lockheed CEO Norm Augustine.
The panel noted that much of America's economic growth and success in
the decades following World War II was the direct result of our
Nation's sustained investment in research and development. However,
they noted that a gathering storm was approaching. America's economic
and military competitors around the world had begun to catch up with
our Nation's technological lead.
Moreover, research and development budgets in the United States were
stagnating. The panel determined that America was sorely in need of a
recommitment to research and development in order to maintain our
competitive edge.
The Augustine panel gave specific recommendations that we increase
R&D spending, revitalize STEM education across the country, and also
create and support a new ARPA-E for breakthrough energy research
modeled on the renowned DARPA program at the Department of Defense.
The original COMPETES Act implemented these recommendations across
the board. Supporting this bill was one of the highlights of my two
decades of service here in Congress.
I have highlighted this history because it is important to understand
what we are doing here today and why these issues are so important.
Since 2010, when we passed the last COMPETES reauthorization, R&D
spending in America has begun to stagnate again and, by some measures,
even declined.
In the meantime, our economic competitors have doubled down on their
investments in research and development. Over the past decade, China
has averaged a 23 percent increase in R&D spending each year. Perhaps,
not surprisingly, in 2014, China overtook the United States to become
the world's largest economic power.
The crisis that the Augustine committee warned us about in 2005 has
now arrived.
{time} 1530
What is the response of our majority to this crisis? Absolutely
nothing. That is what is in H.R. 1806: absolutely nothing.
H.R. 1806 completely abandons the recommendations of the Augustine
committee and the original COMPETES Act. It abandons the legacy of
COMPETES by flat-funding R&D investments. It abandons the legacy by
slashing funding for the very ARPA-E program envisioned by this
committee, the Augustine committee. It abandons that legacy by
politicizing the scientific grant-making process and pitting different
research disciplines against each other.
I want to be clear about what it is that this majority is abandoning.
They are abandoning our future.
America is the greatest nation on Earth, but our greatness is not
guaranteed. We have to work for it. We have to do the things that are
necessary to ensure a bright future for our country. That means making
the same kinds of investments in science and technology that previous
generations made. Our predecessors understood what was at stake. They
made a commitment to invest in research and development and science
education, and we still benefit from those past investments today.
The world is not standing still. If we do not recommit to our
investments in science education, research, and development, we will be
surpassed.
The bill before us fails to secure our Nation's future, and for that
reason, I must strenuously oppose it.
I am not alone in my opposition. We have received more than 40
letters or statements of concern or outright opposition from over 70
different groups, including the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the Association of American Universities, the
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the Business Council
for Sustainable Energy, the Coalition for National Science Funding, the
STEM Education Coalition, the Truman National Security Project, and
many, many others. I will put the full list of these organizations in
the Record at this time.
75 organizations in opposition to h.r. 1806, the america competes
reauthorization act of 2015
1. Alliance to Save Energy
2. American Academy of Political and Social Science
3. American Anthropological Association
4. American Association for the Advancement of Science
5. American Association of Petroleum Geologists
6. American Association of Physics Teachers
7. American Educational Research Association
8. American Geophysical Union
9. American Geosciences Institute
10. American Institute of Biological Sciences
11. American Institute of Physics
12. American Meteorological Society
13. American Physical Society
14. American Political Science Association
15. American Psychological Association
16. American Society for Microbiology
17. American Sociological Association
18. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
19. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and
Oceanography
20. Association of American Universities
21. Association of Population Centers
22. Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
23. AVS: Science & Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and
Processing
24. Biophysical Society
25. Business Council for Sustainable Energy
26. Center for Small Business and the Environment
27. Clay Minerals Society
28. Coalition for National Science Funding
29. Computing Research Association
30. Consortium for Ocean Leadership
31. Consortium of Social Science Associations
32. Council of Undergraduate Research
33. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz
34. Earth Day Network
35. Ecological Society of America
36. Energy Sciences Coalition
37. Environment America
38. Environment and Energy Study Institute
39. Environmental Defense Fund
40. Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology
41. Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain
Sciences
42. Geological Society of America
43. Incorporated Institutions for Seismology
44. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
45. Law and Society Association
46. League of Conservation Voters
47. Learning and Education Academic Research Network
48. Michigan State University
49. National Association of Geoscience Teachers
50. National Association of Marine Laboratories
51. National Cave and Karst Research Institute
52. National Ground Water Association
53. Natural Resources Defense Council
54. Nobel Laureates
55. Ohio State University
56. Paleontological Research Institution
57. Pew
58. Population Association of America
59. Princeton University
60. Research!America
61. Seismological Society of America
[[Page H3421]]
62. Sierra Club
63. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
64. Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists
65. Soil Science Society of America
66. STEM Education Coalition
67. Taskforce on American Innovation
68. The Optical Society
69. Truman National Security Project--Operation Free
70. Union of Concerned Scientists
71. United States Permafrost Association
72. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
73. University of Colorado at Boulder
74. University of Michigan
75. Wayne State University.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Again, I strongly, strongly
oppose this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Weber), who is the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee
of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. I thank Chairman Smith for yielding me time to
speak on this important legislation that is on the floor today.
Mr. Chair, H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2015, authorizes the science and energy research programs at the
Department of Energy, providing funding for research and development
conducted in our universities and national labs across the country.
DOE is the largest Federal supporter of basic research in the
physical sciences and provides user facilities for over 31,000
scientific researchers each year.
The America COMPETES Act prioritizes funding for the Office of
Science, which conducts critical research in high energy physics,
advanced scientific computing, biological and environmental research,
nuclear physics, fusion energy sciences, and basic energy sciences.
This basic R&D has broad applications for our economy and for our
national security, providing tools and user facilities for researchers
in all energy fields.
The America COMPETES Act also reauthorizes the Department's applied
energy programs in nuclear energy, fossil energy, energy efficiency and
renewable energy, and electricity research and development.
By prioritizing research and development in these programs, we can
maximize Federal dollars and leave commercialization and deployment to
the private sector, Mr. Chairman, which has the most incentive to bring
new, cost-effective, and efficient technologies to market.
This legislation is fiscally responsible and cuts funding to lower-
priority and duplicative programs like EERE, which has grown by almost
60 percent in the last decade. With our national debt of $18 trillion
and rising, Congress must prioritize fundamental research to lay the
foundation for the next technological breakthrough.
We simply cannot afford to spend limited Federal dollars on promoting
today's technology. This is so yesterday when we do that. Instead of
duplicating work that could be done in the private sector, the America
COMPETES Act prioritizes basic research and development with broad
application to all forms of energy and energy efficiencies.
Mr. Chairman, over the past 5 months, the Science Committee has held
hearings on the Department of Energy research and development for
advanced nuclear reactors, high-performance computing, energy
efficiency and renewable energy, energy storage, and the Department of
Energy budget proposal. With limited time, this Science Committee in
this Congress has conducted five hearings in support of this
legislation, prioritizing oversight of the DOE programs authorized in
this bill.
By supporting the America COMPETES Act, Congress can promote
fundamental research, build a foundation for the private sector to
bring innovative new technologies to market, and grow the American
economy.
I urge my colleagues to support the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 3
minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).
Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Chairman, it is actually quite disappointing that we
are here at this point today. And I join the ranking member and our
colleagues on this side of the aisle in opposing this harmful
antiscience bill, H.R. 1806.
When I first came into Congress, I was excited because we were
actually working on reauthorizing the COMPETES Act. We were making
investments in important research and development and technologies for
the 21st century. And we were doing that in a bipartisan fashion based
on bipartisan scientific and research-based recommendations. But that
is not where we are today.
H.R. 1806 contains severe funding cuts to the Department of Energy,
including cutting close to one-third of the budget of the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and half the budget of ARPA-E.
In fact, you could argue that this is not an investment in the 21st
century at all: it is a throwback bill to the 20th century.
These cuts are going to cripple our Nation's research into high-
impact technologies to generate, store, and use energy and will harm
our ability to compete successfully with other countries.
The bill also contains many harmful provisions restricting the
Department of Energy, such as a provision preventing the results of any
Department of Energy-supported fossil fuel energy research and
development from being ``used for regulatory assessments or
determinations by Federal regulatory authorities.'' That would
essentially bar the EPA or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
from using the most current research results when they set rules to
protect our air, our land, and our water.
How unfortunate that this antiscience bill also includes a misguided
attempt to impose a level of political review on the National Science
Foundation's gold-standard merit review system.
This is the National Science Foundation, not a political
organization.
The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield the gentlewoman an
additional 1 minute.
Ms. EDWARDS. This is a dangerous proposal that would stifle the kind
of high-risk, outside-the-box thinking that has put the United States
on the cutting edge of scientific research.
If this bill were to become law, it would eliminate valuable and
scientifically sound research on climate change within the Department
of Energy under the guise of a cost-cutting measure.
After all, Mr. Chairman, isn't that what this is about? It is about
the other side just not believing in climate change, despite the
science.
In addition to all of the dangerous and harmful things that this bill
does do, it lacks any substantively helpful provisions in a number of
areas.
I actually proposed an amendment that would simply look at our 21st
century workforce by supporting research at minority-serving
institutions, growing STEM fields for young people who we know have to
go into the 21st century workforce. It flat-funds the education
directorate at the National Science Foundation.
I can't think of anything more harmful than doing a COMPETES
legislation that is, at its core, the most anticompetitive legislation
that could be put on this floor. It is a danger to the 21st century.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), who is the majority whip.
Mr. SCALISE. I thank my colleague, the chairman from Texas, for
yielding and for his leadership in bringing the America COMPETES Act to
the floor.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Act.
If you look at what we are trying to do here, we want America to
maintain our competitive edge, to create good-paying jobs here at home.
But to do that, we need to invest wisely and responsibly in basic
scientific research.
After years of overspending and the administration expanding programs
way beyond the core missions of the National Science Foundation and the
Department of Energy, the COMPETES Act prioritizes taxpayer dollars to
support basic research in biology, chemistry, math, engineering, and
computer science. American taxpayers' dollars are being spent on
programs that do
[[Page H3422]]
not meet the national interest or help invest in our future.
I want to point out some of the wasteful spending that is being
eliminated by this legislation, the America COMPETES Act.
Mr. Chairman, $340,000 of taxpayer money is being spent to study
human-set fires in New Zealand in the 1800s--taxpayer dollars here in
America are being spent on that; $50,000 to study civil lawsuits in
Peru from 1600 to 1700; $487,000 to study textiles and gender in
Iceland from 874-1800, during the Viking era; $697,000 for ``The Great
Immensity,'' a musical about climate change.
This is what taxpayer dollars are being spent on, Mr. Chairman, at a
time when Americans are tightening their belts and are looking to
Washington to do what they are doing in being fiscally responsible.
This refocuses what we are supposed to be trying to do to promote
science, to promote computer science, as a computer scientist, the
things that are going to help American workers be successful--not all
of this foolishness that is wasting taxpayer money. It is a great bill
that actually prioritizes the taxpayer dollars of this country. I urge
my colleagues to pass it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes
to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the COMPETES Reauthorization
Act, which is an attempt to disinvest, in my view, in research,
innovation, and education at a time when we ought to be investing in
those areas even more greatly.
This bill places our competitiveness at a serious risk over the long
term. The public must be awfully confused, I understand, by both sides
claiming that they are enhancing research. Many interest groups,
however, disagree with our Republican friends.
I had hoped that this year's COMPETES legislation would have been
written so that we could continue the tradition of the strong
bipartisan support that it received in 2007 and 2010. Overwhelmingly,
Republicans voted for these bills initially and the reauthorization.
Unfortunately, the severe cuts and partisan policy changes it makes
preclude that from happening. The Republicans who wrote this
legislation have decided that they know better than America's
scientists and innovators. They arbitrarily pick and choose research
programs they like at the expense of those they ideologically oppose--
in other words, not peer review but political review. And they cut key
areas of research far below the levels appropriated for fiscal year
2015, including the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program and R&D
for renewable energy technologies.
How ironic that we have an R&D bill on the floor and they are cutting
R&D technology here.
Furthermore, this bill would slash our investments in the cutting
edge ARPA-E program by 50 percent, which funds high-risk and high-
reward research in energy technologies that might not otherwise be
pursued.
Now, of course, if global warming is not an issue, who cares.
This bill, though called the America COMPETES Act, really ought to be
titled the Everyone Else Competes Act because it will cause us to fall
farther and farther behind our overseas competitors, who are already
far outpacing us in how much they invest in science and technology
research.
Alongside this bill today, the House also is considering a bill that
tries to do something many of us agree ought to be done but it does it
in a fiscally irresponsible way. I am opposing and urge my colleagues
to oppose making the R&D tax credit permanent because we ought to pay
for it, Mr. Chairman--not make our children and grandchildren pay for
it.
Over and over and over again, the Republicans claim that the tax cuts
that they are passing will pay for themselves. I came here in 1981.
That was the claim. Under President Reagan, we increased the debt 189
percent.
The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield the gentleman from
Maryland an additional 1 minute.
{time} 1545
Mr. HOYER. Now, Bush did better after 2001 and 2003. He only
increased the deficit 87 percent, or almost three times that increased
under President Clinton; and none of the tax cuts ended up paying for
themselves, and Greenspan said so.
Since the beginning of this Congress, Republicans have brought to the
floor and passed nine tax cuts. It is so easy to vote for tax cuts. It
is so hard to pay for what we are buying. And that is why we have a
deficit, because we do not pay for what we buy.
Today the House is being asked to vote on another unpaid-for tax
extender that, on its own, would increase the deficit by $182 billion.
That is a total of $586 billion--over half a trillion dollars--that
Republicans are proposing to add to the deficit this year.
We have heard Republicans argue that making the R&D tax credit
permanent would benefit the economy.
The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has again expired.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield the
gentleman an additional 1 minute.
Mr. HOYER. They are right about that, and I support the R&D being
made permanent--if we pay for it. That is a principle the American
public expects us to pursue. Many Democrats agree as well.
However, what will be an even greater benefit to the economy is for
Congress to set aside the misguided mantra that tax cuts pay for
themselves and, instead, put America's fiscal house in order. Let's
start a real conversation about fixing our broken Tax Code in a
fiscally sustainable way. Passing this R&D tax credit will undermine
that effort.
I am urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who care deeply
about fiscal sustainability, about tax reform, and about economic
competitiveness to oppose these bills.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Knight), an active member of the Science, Space,
and Technology Committee.
Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the America COMPETES
Act, and I would like to thank the chair for his leadership in this
field.
Mr. Chairman, today the Federal Government spends about $3 billion
across STEM education efforts. This bill creates a new STEM education
advisory panel to provide feedback and advise the President and Federal
agencies with STEM programs to better inform plans and budgets. The
bill directs that STEM education efforts are to be coordinated across
the Federal Government to limit duplication. Industry also recognizes
the benefits of STEM. This is evidenced by its support of various STEM
programs with equipment, facilities, and volunteers.
In my district alone, aerospace thrives with high-technical, high-
paying jobs. Without STEM, without reaching out with STEM education, we
don't get those folks to jump in there. We have to talk about other
things like visas and bringing people in for these types of jobs
instead of working with our kids to get them educated and moving toward
a good career.
This bill provides for grants for research on STEM programming that
engages underrepresented students. Again, in my district, we have the
Lancaster Robotics Team. It started more than 10 years ago. When it
started, it was about 2 percent women, or 2 percent girls; today it is
over 40 percent. Forty percent of the Lancaster Robotics Team is girls
working towards a STEM degree, working towards an engineering degree, a
mathematics degree, and a computer science degree. Again, aerospace
brings many of the highest paying and most technical jobs not just to
my district, but to this country.
Mr. Chairman, STEM education is not just a buzzword; it is something
that actually works. STEM education is the lifeblood for what we do in
a high technical society. If we don't do it, someone else will. We
should do it right here in America. I ask for an ``aye'' vote.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).
Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding.
Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1806, the America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act. The original
[[Page H3423]]
COMPETES Act was visionary in its commitment to increased R&D funding,
and I strongly believe we should continue to increase funding for
worthwhile investments in our Nation's future. However, I have serious
concerns with this bill that the majority has offered.
In 2010, as a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee,
I had the opportunity to work on a truly bipartisan reauthorization of
COMPETES. We worked together and chose to make certain that we innovate
and we made certain that we would compete.
This year I returned to the Science, Space, and Technology Committee,
excited to again work on a smart and targeted COMPETES reauthorization.
Unfortunately, there was no bipartisan process, and the result is a
bill that does not live up to the original COMPETES vision. It would be
more appropriately named the ``America Concedes'' bill. Why? Because at
a time when the rest of the world is taking extraordinary steps to
innovate, this bill would have America do the opposite. Its efforts are
misguided, at the least. Major areas of research are not adequately
funded, and the policy changes would take us in the wrong direction.
Mr. Chair, I am concerned by the majority's fixation on allocating
funding for NSF by directorate. This creates a dangerous precedent in
denying NSF adequate flexibility and instead places political whims
ahead of the need to independently foster true innovative research. I
am also concerned by the effort to impose political review on NSF's
gold-standard merit review system. The scientific community in our
Nation and around the world agrees that NSF's review system works, and
works very well. So why would we make it more difficult to encourage
high risk, high rewards research?
Instead, we should be increasing research funding, providing NSF the
appropriate flexibility to fund innovative research, and we should be
investing in a sustained commitment to STEM education. My district
needs and deserves STEM as an education process. It doesn't want simple
buzzwords. It wants a real STEM education effort.
As a nation, we are woefully underproducing scientists and engineers.
In order to remain a competitive global economic power in the 21st
century, we must place a strong focus on STEM education. Instead, this
bill provides flat funding for STEM education along with increased
administrative burdens. That is not a commitment to STEM education. In
practical terms, it is a decrease in funding.
I am also concerned by the cuts in funding for the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership program and by the strike in funding for the
National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, or NNMI. These
initiatives are smart investments and opportunities for our Nation to
truly collaborate, to compete, and to be truly cutting-edge. This bill
denies our American pioneer spirit.
The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield the
gentleman an additional 1 minute.
Mr. TONKO. This bill also makes huge cuts to funding for Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy research and development as well as the
funding for ARPA-E. These cuts ignore the reality that a modern society
needs energy, and the only way we are going to meet our energy
challenge is through smart investments in research and development.
Energy is essential to our economy, and if we pull back resources and
do not invest, we will put our economic and national security at risk.
We will also not meet the energy challenge if we blindly ignore
existing research and refuse to access the most up-to-date information.
We also cannot solve our budget deficit with these types of cuts. In
fact, they are more likely to make the problem worse. The best way to
reduce our budget deficit is by fostering new businesses and industries
that generate economic wealth, revenue, and jobs, and the fuel for that
task is research and development. We are missing a golden opportunity
with this measure. For these reasons I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this bill does not touch merit
review.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Babin), who is a valuable member of the Science, Space, and Technology
Committee.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1806,
the America COMPETES Act.
Mr. Chairman, when the American people pay their taxes, they expect
their tax dollars to be spent effectively and efficiently. Too often
that has not been the case across government, and there is nothing
worse than seeing taxes taken out of their paychecks and wasted. Not
only is that fiscally irresponsible, it is insulting to the taxpayers.
The bill before us is fiscally responsible and takes important steps
to cut wasteful spending. Traditionally, when the National Science
Foundation was mentioned, Americans thought of hard sciences--basic
research, advanced technologies in biology, engineering, mathematics,
and the physical sciences. It is investments in these fields that
advance American technology and help the United States maintain its
competitive edge.
Unfortunately, some recent National Science Foundation expenditures
have brought widespread criticism to the NSF and its priorities. There
was the expenditure, for example, of $856,000 on a grant to teach three
captive mountain lions how to use a treadmill. NSF spent another
$387,000 on a mechanical device that simulates Swedish massages for
rabbits. This is unquestionably a waste of taxpayer money, particularly
when we are over $18 trillion in debt.
Our bill cuts spending on lower priority government social and
behavioral programs at the National Science Foundation by 45 percent,
saving taxpayer dollars and setting a higher priority on the harder
sciences. The American people want Washington to be responsible with
their money, and when Federal agencies get out of hand, they need to be
reined in, and our bill does just that.
I want to thank Chairman Smith and his staff for their hard work and
leadership on this bill, and I ask my colleagues to join me in
supporting it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes
to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman
from Texas for yielding.
Bentley University is a renowned business school in my district, and
when a class from Bentley visited me just a few weeks ago, they were
advocating for a critical underpinning of our economy. These students
came to discuss the importance of funding the geosciences in the NSF.
Why? Because it is good business.
These students and the business community understand the critical
role that geoscience has in disaster resilience, helping us to address
drought, looking at solar storms that can cripple our electric grid,
impacts on fisheries and ocean health, and in maintaining agriculture
and in healthy soil.
Business leaders know that extreme weather like hurricanes, droughts,
tornadoes, and landslides result in billions of dollars in damage, and
by using what we learn from geoscience, we can identify ways to
mitigate these costs and save us money. Business leaders understand
this connection, so why doesn't Congress?
Rather than support investment in geoscience research, this
legislation specifically targets it for drastic cuts in funding.
Climate change is real. Human activity contributes to it, and it is bad
for the bottom line. It is irresponsible for us to cut funding for
research that helps us understand what is happening and how to address
it.
Adequately funding geoscience research is critical to protecting and
growing our economy and to the security of the American people. Let's
vote for our economy, let's vote for our security, and let's reject
this bill.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds.
Mr. Chairman, as set forth in the report that accompanied the
Science, Space, and Technology Committee approval of the America
COMPETES Act, NSF will maintain full funding for research in the hard
science areas of geoscience like deep-ocean drilling and geological
research to find new energy resources. What our bill does do is reduce
funds that have been used by NSF to fund low priorities like a survey
of
[[Page H3424]]
Norwegian tourism, teaching TV meteorologists about climate change, and
creating climate change video games.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
McCaul), my colleague and the chairman of the Homeland Security
Committee.
{time} 1600
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of reauthorization
of the America COMPETES Act. In this tough budget environment, I
applaud Chairman Smith and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee
for crafting a bill that provides for much-needed investments in
scientific research in a fiscally responsible manner. By setting
priorities and eliminating duplicative activities, we are actually able
to increase funding for new and promising research while keeping
overall spending constant.
This bill is designed to secure America's premier status in
scientific and technological advancement in several ways. First, it
improves our STEM education programs by adding computer sciences to the
definition of STEM education, which will allow these programs to be
used to train the next generation of high-tech workers and
cybersecurity professionals. As our high-tech sector continues to
expand in places like my hometown of Austin, it is important to make
sure that we are producing enough qualified workers to fill these jobs.
Second, this bill also helps researchers at our national labs
commercialize their discoveries by removing bureaucratic obstacles.
This will bring innovative new products to market faster, encouraging
job creation and private sector investment.
Most importantly, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act provides a
substantial increase in funding for research activities at the National
Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
and the Department of Energy. This will allow the scientists at our
universities, such as the University of Texas, to advance our
understanding of the physical world and provide the foundation for
future innovations by business and new entrepreneurs.
I urge strong support of this bill.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Chairman. I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Ted Lieu).
Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to oppose the
America COMPETES Act in part because it cuts over $62 million of
funding to the hard science of studying the effects of climate change.
The effects of climate change are not a partisan issue. We know that
our sea levels have risen by over 6.7 inches in the last century, and
they have accelerated in the last decade. Rising sea levels affect not
just Democratic districts; it also affects Republican districts.
We can measure with precision that we have had, over 20 years, the
hottest records in terms of temperatures in recorded history having
occurred since 1980. We know that, in 2012, over 19 States broke the
hottest records in their States. More extreme weather events and more
weather uncertainty affect not just red States and blue States and
purple States, it affects all of America. And that is why, last month,
former Reagan Secretary of State George Shultz wrote an op-ed in The
Washington Post saying: Climate change is happening. We need to take
action on it, and we need to ensure our future against climate change.
He called it the Reagan way. He said that is what President Reagan
would have done.
As you know, this America COMPETES Act, the funding for the hard
science of the effects of climate change, was put in place under
President Bush in 2007. Just today, our President announced what the
U.S. military is saying about climate change.
I served on Active Duty in the United States Air Force. I am now 19
years in with the Reserves. One of the amazing strengths of America is
that our military is nonpartisan, nonideological; and our military
takes the world as it is, not as they hope it to be. Our military does
not live in a fantasy world, and they understand that climate change is
happening. They know it is a national security threat. They are telling
the American public we need to act on climate change now because we
can't have flooding of our bases; we can't have droughts and more
severe weather events that cause conflicts in all the parts of the
world.
So I ask the American public to trust former Reagan Secretary of
State George Shultz, trust President Bush, trust our United States
military who are saying climate change is a problem. Keep in mind, our
military relies on hard science and technology and all that makes this
world possible. So trust our military, and trust everyone who has
looked at it. Please reject the America COMPETES Act because we need to
deal with climate change. We need to deal with it now.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar), who is a member of the Science Committee
and also a vice chairman of the Research and Technology Subcommittee.
Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Chairman, the America COMPETES Act is good
legislation that will help build a better future for our country. The
COMPETES Act expands the definition of STEM education to include
computer science.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every computer
science graduate between 2013 and 2023, there will be two jobs
available. That is why programs in my district like Go IT, offered free
of charge to middle and high school students, are so important to
creating career awareness in computer science and other STEM fields.
This legislation increases government accountability. It requires the
National Science Foundation grants meet a national interest standard
and to publicly justify why they should receive taxpayer dollars.
Requiring government agencies to prioritize the national interest is
common sense. It enhances accountability to the American people.
I am proud to be a cosponsor of the America COMPETES Act, and I urge
my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chair, I have no other speakers at this time
as well, so I will reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Chair, I have no further requests for
speaking.
I just urge everyone to vote ``no'' on this bill, and I yield back
the balance of time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle today would have you
believe that the only way you can be pro-science is to spend more
taxpayer money than the Budget Control Act allows. That is
irresponsible.
If everything is a priority, then nothing is. Real priorities require
making real choices.
If synthetic biology research at NSF is a priority, we should stop
using the American people's tax dollars to fund reviews of animal
photographs in National Geographic magazine. If robotics and batteries
are priorities, we should not continue to spend taxpayer dollars on
climate change musicals.
H.R. 1806 proves that we can set priorities, make tough choices, and
still invest more in breakthrough research and innovation.
I thank the members of the Science Committee who provided valuable
input into H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015;
and that includes the cosponsors of the bill: Committee Vice Chairman
Frank Lucas; all of our subcommittee chairs, Barbara Comstock, Randy
Weber, Barry Loudermilk, and Jim Bridenstine; as well as
Representatives Steve Palazzo, Randy Hultgren, Steve Knight, Brian
Babin, and John Moolenaar.
I urge the adoption of this pro-science, fiscally responsible bill.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into the Record an exchange of
letters between the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the
Committees on Education and the Workforce, Oversight and Government
Reform, and Energy and Commerce.
House of Representatives, Committee on Education and the
Workforce
Washington, DC, May 4, 2015.
Hon. Lamar Smith,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House
of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual
understanding with respect
[[Page H3425]]
to H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2015. Thank you for consulting with the Committee on
Education and the Workforce with regard to H.R. 1806 on those
matters within the Committee's jurisdiction.
In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of
H.R. 1806, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will
forgo further consideration of this bill. However, I do so
only with the understanding this procedural route will not be
construed to prejudice my Committee's jurisdictional interest
and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar
legislation and will not be considered as precedent for
consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my
Committee in the future.
I respectfully request your support for the appointment of
outside conferees from the Committee on Education and the
Workforce should this bill or a similar bill be considered in
a conference with the Senate. I also request you include our
exchange of letters on this matter in the Committee Report on
H.R. 1806 and in the Congressional Record during
consideration of this bill on the house Floor. Thank you for
your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
John Kline,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology,
Washington, DC, May 4, 2015.
Hon. John Kline,
Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rayburn
House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the
Committee on Education and the Workforce's jurisdictional
interest in H.R. 1806, the ``America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2015,'' and your willingness to forego consideration
of H.R. 1806 by your committee.
I agree that the Committee on Education and the Workforce
has a valid jurisdictional interest in certain provisions of
H.R. 1806, and that the Committee's jurisdiction will not be
adversely affected by your decision to forego consideration
of H.R. 1806. As you have requested, I will support your
request for an appropriate appointment of outside conferees
from your Committee in the event of a House-Senate conference
on this or similar legislation should such a conference be
convened.
Finally, I will include a copy of your letter and this
response in the Committee Report and in the Congressional
Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you
again for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform,
Washington, DC, May 4, 2015.
Hon. Lamar Smith,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 1806, the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015. As you know,
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology received an
original referral and the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform a secondary referral when the bill was
introduced on April 15, 2015. I recognize and appreciate your
desire to bring this legislation before the House of
Representatives in an expeditious manner, and accordingly,
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will forego
action on the bill.
The Committee takes this action with our mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 1806 at
this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation. Further, I
request your support for the appointment of conferees from
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform during any
House-Senate conference convened on this or related
legislation.
Finally, I would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters
on this matter be included in the bill report filed by the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, as well as in
the Congressional Record during floor consideration, to
memorialize our understanding.
Sincerely,
Jason Chaffetz,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology,
Washington, DC, May 4, 2015.
Hon. Jason Chaffetz,
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's jurisdictional
interest in H.R. 1806, the ``America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2015,'' and your willingness to forego consideration
of H.R. 1806 by your committee.
I agree that the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform has a valid jurisdictional interest in certain
provisions of H.R. 1806, and that the Committee's
jurisdiction will not be adversely affected by your decision
to forego consideration of H.R. 1806. As you have requested,
I will support your request for an appropriate appointment of
outside conferees from your Committee in the event of a
House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation should
such a conference be convened.
Finally, I will include a copy of your letter and this
response in the Committee Report and in the Congressional
Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you
again for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith,
Chairman,
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology,
Washington, DC, May 12, 2015.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the
Committee on Energy and Commerce's jurisdictional interest in
H.R. 1806, the ``America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2015,'' and your willingness to forego consideration of H.R.
1806 by your committee.
I agree that the Committee on Energy and Commerce has a
valid jurisdictional interest in certain provisions of H.R.
1806, and that the Committee's jurisdiction will not be
adversely affected by your decision to forego consideration
of H.R. 1806. As you have requested, I will support your
request for an appropriate appointment of outside conferees
from your Committee in the event of a House-Senate conference
on this or similar legislation should such a conference be
convened.
Finally, I will include a copy of your letter and this
response in the Committee Report and in the Congressional
Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you
again for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and
Commerce,
Washington, DC, May 11, 2015.
Hon. Lamar Smith,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Smith: I write in regard to H.R. 1806,
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015. As you are
aware, the bill was referred to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology, but the Committee on Energy and
Commerce has a jurisdictional interest in the bill. I wanted
to notify you that the Committee on Energy and Commerce will
forgo requesting a sequential referral on the bill so that it
may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for
consideration.
This is done with the understanding that the Committee on
Energy and Commerce's jurisdictional interests over this and
similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In
addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees
on H.R. 1806 and requests your support when such a request is
made.
I would appreciate your response confirming this
understanding with respect to H.R. 1806 and ask that a copy
of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the
House floor.
Sincerely,
Fred Upton,
Chairman.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chair, I would like to submit for the Record my
strong opposition to H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2015.
This harmful bill undermines key investments in science and
innovation, as well as our nation's commitment to world class research,
including the research that is taking place in my congressional
district on the Central Coast of California.
Specifically, this bill cuts several important programs at NSF,
including research and development related to climate science, natural
hazards, and renewable energy.
Furthermore, H.R. 1806 cripples support for international research
collaborations--an instrumental tool at UC Santa Barbara, which has led
to groundbreaking research and produced multiple Nobel Prize winners.
As we move to affirm our nation's leadership in science and
technology, we should be working in a bipartisan manner to strengthen
our investments in scientific research--not weaken them.
This bill is sadly a step backward for American innovation, and I
urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1806.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Poe of Texas). All time for general debate has
expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment
under the 5-minute rule.
In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, printed in the bill,
it shall
[[Page H3426]]
be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of
amendment under the 5-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a
substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 114-15. That
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:
H.R. 1806
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Policy objectives.
Sec. 104. Definitions.
Sec. 105. Accountability and transparency.
Sec. 106. Greater accountability in Federal funding for research.
Sec. 107. Obligation of major research equipment and facilities
construction funds.
Sec. 108. Management and oversight of large facilities.
Sec. 109. Whistleblower education.
Sec. 110. Graduate student support.
Sec. 111. Permissible support.
Sec. 112. Expanding STEM opportunities.
Sec. 113. Review of education programs.
Sec. 114. Recompetition of awards.
Sec. 115. Sense of the Congress regarding industry investment in STEM
education.
Sec. 116. Misrepresentation of research results.
Sec. 117. Research reproducibility and replication.
Sec. 118. Research grant conditions.
Sec. 119. Computing resources study.
Sec. 120. Scientific breakthrough prizes.
Sec. 121. Rotating personnel.
Sec. 122. Sense of Congress regarding Innovation Corps.
Sec. 123. Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies
Initiative.
Sec. 124. Noyce scholarship program amendments.
Sec. 125. Informal STEM education.
Sec. 126. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
Sec. 201. Findings; sense of Congress.
Sec. 202. STEM Education Advisory Panel.
Sec. 203. Committee on STEM Education.
Sec. 204. STEM Education Coordinating Office.
TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Regulatory efficiency.
Sec. 303. Coordination of international science and technology
partnerships.
Sec. 304. Alternative research funding models.
Sec. 305. Amendments to prize competitions.
Sec. 306. United States Chief Technology Officer.
Sec. 307. National Research Council study on technology for emergency
notifications on university campuses.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 402. Standards and conformity assessment.
Sec. 403. Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.
Sec. 404. Police and security authority.
Sec. 405. Education and outreach.
Sec. 406. Programmatic planning report.
Sec. 407. Assessments by the National Research Council.
Sec. 408. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
Sec. 409. Elimination of obsolete reports.
Sec. 410. Modifications to grants and cooperative agreements.
Sec. 411. Information systems standards consultation.
Sec. 412. United States-Israeli cooperation.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE
Sec. 501. Mission.
Sec. 502. Basic energy sciences.
Sec. 503. Advanced scientific computing research.
Sec. 504. High energy physics.
Sec. 505. Biological and environmental research.
Sec. 506. Fusion energy.
Sec. 507. Nuclear physics.
Sec. 508. Science laboratories infrastructure program.
Sec. 509. Domestic manufacturing.
Sec. 510. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 511. Definitions.
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Subtitle A--Crosscutting Research and Development
Sec. 601. Crosscutting research and development.
Sec. 602. Strategic research portfolio analysis and coordination plan.
Sec. 603. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.
Subtitle B--Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and
Development
Sec. 611. Distributed energy and electric energy systems.
Sec. 612. Electric transmission and distribution research and
development.
Subtitle C--Nuclear Energy Research and Development
Sec. 621. Objectives.
Sec. 622. Program objectives study.
Sec. 623. Nuclear energy research and development programs.
Sec. 624. Small modular reactor program.
Sec. 625. Fuel cycle research and development.
Sec. 626. Nuclear energy enabling technologies program.
Sec. 627. Technical standards collaboration.
Sec. 628. Available facilities database.
Sec. 629. Nuclear waste disposal.
Subtitle D--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research and
Development
Sec. 641. Energy efficiency.
Sec. 642. Next Generation Lighting Initiative.
Sec. 643. Building standards.
Sec. 644. Secondary electric vehicle battery use program.
Sec. 645. Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program.
Sec. 646. Advanced Energy Technology Transfer Centers.
Sec. 647. Renewable energy.
Sec. 648. Bioenergy program.
Sec. 649. Concentrating solar power research program.
Sec. 650. Renewable energy in public buildings.
Subtitle E--Fossil Energy Research and Development
Sec. 661. Fossil energy.
Sec. 662. Coal research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application programs.
Sec. 663. High efficiency gas turbines research and development.
Subtitle F--Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
Sec. 671. ARPA-E amendments.
Subtitle G--Authorization of Appropriations
Sec. 681. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle H--Definitions
Sec. 691. Definitions.
TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Subtitle A--In General
Sec. 701. Definitions.
Sec. 702. Savings clause.
Subtitle B--Innovation Management at Department of Energy
Sec. 711. Under Secretary for Science and Energy.
Sec. 712. Technology transfer and transitions assessment.
Sec. 713. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 714. Nuclear energy innovation.
Subtitle C--Cross-Sector Partnerships and Grant Competitiveness
Sec. 721. Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program.
Sec. 722. Public-private partnerships for commercialization.
Sec. 723. Inclusion of early-stage technology demonstration in
authorized technology transfer activities.
Sec. 724. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education
and other nonprofit institutions.
Sec. 725. Participation in the Innovation Corps program.
Subtitle D--Assessment of Impact
Sec. 731. Report by Government Accountability Office.
TITLE VIII--SENSE OF CONGRESS
Sec. 801. Sense of Congress.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``STEM'' means the subjects of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics;
(2) the term ``STEM education'' means education in the
subjects of STEM, including computer science; and
(3) the term ``Committee on STEM Education'' means the
Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Education established under section 101 of the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C.
6621).
TITLE I--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for fiscal year 2016.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available to carry out
research and related activities, including--
(i) $834,800,000 for the Biological Science Directorate;
(ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer and Information
Science and Engineering Directorate;
(iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineering Directorate;
(iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geosciences Directorate;
(v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathematical and Physical
Science Directorate;
(vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Behavioral, and Economics
Directorate, of which $50,000,000 shall be for the National
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics;
(vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of International Science
and Engineering;
(viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative Activities; and
[[Page H3427]]
(ix) $1,480,000 for the United States Arctic Commission;
(B) $866,000,000 shall be made available for education and
human resources;
(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $325,000,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office of
the National Science Board; and
(F) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $7,597,140,000 for fiscal year 2017.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available to carry out
research and related activities, including--
(i) $834,800,000 for the Biological Science Directorate;
(ii) $1,050,000,000 for the Computer and Information
Science and Engineering Directorate;
(iii) $1,034,000,000 for the Engineering Directorate;
(iv) $1,200,000,000 for the Geosciences Directorate;
(v) $1,500,000,000 for the Mathematical and Physical
Science Directorate;
(vi) $150,000,000 for the Social, Behavioral, and Economics
Directorate, of which $50,000,000 shall be for the National
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics;
(vii) $38,520,000 for the Office of International Science
and Engineering;
(viii) $377,500,000 for Integrative Activities; and
(ix) $1,480,000 for the United States Arctic Commission;
(B) $866,000,000 shall be made available for education and
human resources;
(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $325,000,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office of
the National Science Board; and
(F) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
SEC. 102. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Taxpayer-supported research investments administered by
the Foundation should serve the national interest.
(2) The Foundation has made major contributions for more
than 60 years to strengthen and sustain the Nation's academic
research enterprise.
(3) The economic strength and national security of the
United States, and the quality of life of all Americans, are
grounded in the Nation's scientific and technological
capabilities.
(4) Providing support for basic research is an investment
in our Nation's future security and economic prosperity.
(5) Congress applauds the Foundation's recognition that
wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars is necessary to maintain
and ensure the public's trust for funding of fundamental
scientific and engineering research.
(6) Other nations are increasing their public investments
in basic research in the physical sciences in order to boost
long-term economic growth.
(7) Longstanding United States leadership in
supercomputing, genomics, nanoscience, photonics, quantum
physics, and other key technological areas is jeopardized if
United States investments in basic research in the natural
sciences do not keep pace.
(8) Redundant regulations and reporting requirements
imposed by Federal agencies on research institutions and
researchers increase costs by tens of millions of dollars
annually.
(9) The Foundation carries out important functions by
supporting basic research in all science and engineering
disciplines and in supporting STEM education at all levels.
(10) The research and education activities of the
Foundation promote the discovery, integration, dissemination,
and application of new knowledge in service to society and
prepare future generations of scientists, mathematicians, and
engineers who will be necessary to ensure America's
leadership in the global marketplace.
(11) Many of the complex problems and challenges facing the
Nation increasingly require the collaboration of multiple
scientific disciplines. The Foundation should continue to
emphasize cross-directorate research collaboration and
activities to address these issues and encourage
interdisciplinary research.
(12) The Foundation should meet the highest standards of
efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its
stewardship of public funds.
(13) The Foundation is charged with the responsibilities--
(A) to develop and encourage the pursuit of a national
policy for the promotion of basic research and education in
the sciences;
(B) to initiate, support, and conduct basic scientific
research and to appraise the impact of research on industrial
development and the general welfare;
(C) to initiate, support, and conduct scientific research
activities in connection with matters relating to the
national defense, at the request of the Secretary of Defense;
(D) to award scholarships and graduate fellowships in the
sciences;
(E) to foster the interchange of scientific information
among scientists and across scientific disciplines;
(F) to evaluate scientific research programs undertaken by
agencies of the Federal Government, and to correlate the
Foundation's scientific research with that undertaken by
individuals and by public and private research groups;
(G) to communicate effectively to American citizens the
relevance of public investments in scientific discovery and
technological innovation to the Nation's security,
prosperity, and welfare; and
(H) to establish such special commissions as the Board
considers necessary.
(14) The emerging global economic, scientific, and
technical environment challenges long standing assumptions
about domestic and international policy, requiring the
Foundation to play a more proactive role in sustaining the
competitive advantage of the United States through superior
research capabilities.
SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVES.
In allocating resources made available under this title,
the Foundation shall have the following policy objectives:
(1) To renew and maintain the Nation's international
leadership in science and technology by--
(A) increasing the national investment in basic scientific
research and increasing interdisciplinary investment in
strategic areas vital to the national interest;
(B) balancing the Nation's research portfolio among the
life sciences, mathematics, the physical sciences, computer
and information science, geosciences, engineering, and
social, behavioral, and economic sciences, all of which are
important for the continued development of enabling
technologies necessary for sustained economic
competitiveness;
(C) encouraging investments in potentially transformative
scientific research to benefit our Nation and its citizens;
(D) expanding the pool of scientists and engineers in the
United States, including among segments of the population
that have been historically underrepresented in STEM fields;
and
(E) modernizing the Nation's research infrastructure and
establishing and maintaining cooperative international
relationships with premier research institutions.
(2) To increase overall workforce skills by--
(A) improving the quality of STEM education and tools
provided both inside and outside of the classroom, including
in kindergarten through grade 12; and
(B) expanding STEM training opportunities at institutions
of higher education.
(3) To strengthen innovation by expanding the focus of
competitiveness and innovation at the regional and local
level.
SEC. 104. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Science
Board.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Foundation.
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Science Foundation established under section 2 of the
National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given
such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means one of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other
territory or possession of the United States.
(6) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the
several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other
territory or possession of the United States.
SEC. 105. ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) sustained, predictable Federal funding is essential to
United States leadership in science and technology;
(2) building understanding of and confidence in investments
in basic research are essential to public support for
sustained, predictable Federal funding; and
(3) the Foundation should commit itself fully to
transparency and accountability and to clear, consistent
public communication regarding the national interest for each
Foundation-awarded grant and cooperative agreement.
SEC. 106. GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR
RESEARCH.
(a) Standard for Award of Grants.--The Foundation shall
award Federal funding for basic research and education in the
sciences through a new research grant or cooperative
agreement only if an affirmative determination is made by the
Foundation under subsection (b) and written justification
relating thereto is published under subsection (c).
(b) Determination.--A determination referred to in
subsection (a) is a justification by the responsible
Foundation official as to how the research grant or
cooperative agreement promotes the progress of science in the
United States, consistent with the Foundation mission as
established in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950
(42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.), and further--
(1) is worthy of Federal funding; and
(2) is in the national interest, as indicated by having the
potential to achieve--
(A) increased economic competitiveness in the United
States;
(B) advancement of the health and welfare of the American
public;
(C) development of an American STEM workforce that is
globally competitive;
(D) increased public scientific literacy and public
engagement with science and technology in the United States;
(E) increased partnerships between academia and industry in
the United States;
[[Page H3428]]
(F) support for the national defense of the United States;
or
(G) promotion of the progress of science in the United
States.
(c) Written Justification.--Public announcement of each
award of Federal funding described in subsection (a) shall
include a written justification from the responsible
Foundation official as to how a grant or cooperative
agreement meets the requirements of subsection (b).
(d) Implementation.--A determination under subsection (b)
shall be made after a research grant or cooperative agreement
proposal has satisfied the Foundation's reviews for Merit and
Broader Impacts. Nothing in this section shall be construed
as altering the Foundation's intellectual merit or broader
impacts criteria for evaluating grant applications.
SEC. 107. OBLIGATION OF MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND
FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.
No funds may be obligated for a fiscal year for a
construction project for the Foundation that has not
commenced before the date of enactment of this Act until 30
days after the report required with respect to each such
fiscal year under section 14(a)(2) of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-
4(a)(2)) is transmitted to the Congress.
SEC. 108. MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES.
(a) Large Facilities Office.--The Director shall maintain a
Large Facilities Office within the Office of the Director.
The functions of the Large Facilities Office shall be to
support the research directorates in the development,
implementation, and assessment of major multi-user research
facilities, including by--
(1) serving as the Foundation's primary resource for all
policy or process issues related to the development and
implementation of major multi-user research facilities;
(2) serving as a Foundation-wide resource on project
management, including providing expert assistance on
nonscientific and nontechnical aspects of project planning,
budgeting, implementation, management, and oversight;
(3) coordinating and collaborating with research
directorates to share best management practices and lessons
learned from prior projects; and
(4) assessing projects during preconstruction and
construction phases for cost and schedule risk.
(b) Oversight of Large Facilities.--The Director shall
appoint a senior agency official within the Office of the
Director whose primary responsibility is oversight of major
multi-user research facilities. The duties of this official
shall include--
(1) oversight of the development, construction, and
operation of major multi-user research facilities across the
Foundation;
(2) in collaboration with the directors of the research
directorates and other senior agency officials as
appropriate, ensuring that the requirements of section 14(a)
of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002
are satisfied;
(3) serving as a liaison to the National Science Board for
approval and oversight of major multi-user research
facilities; and
(4) periodically reviewing and updating as necessary
Foundation policies and guidelines for the development and
construction of major multi-user research facilities.
(c) Policies for Large Facility Costs.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall ensure that the
Foundation's policies for developing and managing major
multi-user research facility construction costs are
consistent with the best practices described in the March
2009 Government Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP, or
any successor report thereto.
(2) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress
the results of a study and a report reforming the
Foundation's policies on financial management of major multi-
user research facilities, including a description of any
aspects of the policies that diverge from the best practices
recommended in Government Accountability Office Report GAO-
09-3SP and the Uniform Guidance in 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
(3) Management fees.--
(A) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term ``management
fee'' means a portion of an award made by the Foundation for
the purpose of covering ordinary and necessary business
expenses necessary to maintain operational stability which
are not otherwise allowable under Cost Principles Uniform
Guidance in 2 C.F.R. part 200, Subpart E, , or any successor
regulation thereto.
(B) Limitation.--The Foundation may provide management fees
under an award only if the awardee has demonstrated that it
has limited or no other financial resources for covering the
expenses for which the management fees are sought.
(C) Financial information.--The Foundation shall require
award applicants to provide income and financial information
covering a period of no less than three prior years (or in
the case of an entity established less than three years prior
to the entity's application date, the period beginning on the
date of establishment and ending on the application date),
including cash on hand and net asset information, in support
of a request for management fees. The Foundation shall also
require awardees to report to the Foundation, within 30 days
of receipt, any sources of non-Federal funds received in
excess of $50,000 during the award period.
(D) Expense reporting.--The Foundation shall require
awardees to track and report to the Foundation annually all
expenses reimbursed or otherwise paid for with management fee
funds, in accordance with Federal accounting practices as
established in Government Accountability Office Report GAO-
12-331G, or any successor report thereto.
(E) Audits.--The Inspector General of the Foundation may
audit any Foundation award for compliance with this
paragraph.
(F) Prohibited uses.--An awardee may not use management
fees for--
(i) costs allowable under Cost Principles Uniform Guidance
in 2 C.F.R. part 200, Subpart E, or any successor regulation
thereto;
(ii) alcoholic beverages;
(iii) tickets to concerts, or sporting and other
entertainment events;
(iv) vacation or other travel for nonbusiness purposes;
(v) charitable contributions;
(vi) social or sporting club memberships;
(vii) meals for nonbusiness purposes;
(viii) luxury or personal items;
(ix) lobbying, as described in the Uniform Guidance at 2
C.F.R. 200.450; or
(x) any other purpose the Foundation determines is
inappropriate.
(G) Review.--The Foundation shall review management fee
usage under each Foundation award on at least an annual basis
for compliance with this paragraph and the Foundation's Large
Facilities Manual.
(4) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress
a report describing the Foundation's policies for developing
and managing major multi-user research facility construction
costs, including a description of any aspects of the policies
that diverge from the best practices recommended in
Government Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP, or any
successor report thereto, and the Uniform Guidance in 2
C.F.R. part 200.
SEC. 109. WHISTLEBLOWER EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--The Foundation shall be subject to section
4712 of title 41, United States Code.
(b) Education and Training.--The Foundation shall provide
education and training for Foundation managers and staff on
the requirements of such section 4712, and provide
information on the law to all grantees, contractors, and
employees of such grantees and contractors.
SEC. 110. GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the essential elements of the NSF Research Traineeship
Program, formerly the Integrative Graduate Education and
Research Traineeship program, (or any successor thereto)
should be maintained, including--
(1) collaborative research that transcends traditional
disciplinary boundaries to solve large and complex research
problems of significant scientific and societal importance;
and
(2) providing students the opportunity to become leaders in
the science and engineering of the future.
(b) Models for Support.--The Director shall enter into an
agreement with the National Research Council to convene a
workshop or roundtable to examine models of Federal support
for STEM graduate students, including the Foundation's
Graduate Research Fellowship program and comparable
fellowship programs at other agencies, traineeship programs,
and the research assistant model.
(c) Purpose.--The purpose of the workshop or roundtable
shall be to compare and evaluate the extent to which each of
these models helps to prepare graduate students for diverse
careers utilizing STEM degrees, including at diverse types of
institutions of higher education, in industry, and at
government agencies and research laboratories, and to make
recommendations regarding--
(1) how current Federal programs and models, including
programs and models at the Foundation, can be improved;
(2) the appropriateness of the current distribution of
funding among the different models at the Foundation and
across the agencies; and
(3) the appropriateness of creating a new education and
training program for graduate students distinct from programs
that provide direct financial support, including the grants
authorized in section 527 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-15).
(d) Criteria.--At a minimum, in comparing programs and
models, the workshop or roundtable participants shall
consider the capacity of such programs or models to provide
students with knowledge and skills--
(1) to become independent, creative, successful
researchers;
(2) to participate in large interdisciplinary research
projects, including in an international context;
(3) to adhere to the highest standards for research ethics;
(4) to become high-quality teachers utilizing the most
currently available evidence-based pedagogy;
(5) in oral and written communication, to both technical
and nontechnical audiences;
(6) in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business ethics;
and
(7) in program management.
(e) Graduate Student Input.--The participants in the
workshop or roundtable shall include current or recent STEM
graduate students.
(f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the National Research Council shall
submit to Congress a summary report of the findings and
recommendations of the workshop or roundtable convened under
this section.
SEC. 111. PERMISSIBLE SUPPORT.
A grant made by the Education and Human Resources
Directorate to support informal education may be used--
(1) to support the participation of underrepresented
students in nonprofit competitions, out-of-school activities,
and field experiences related to STEM subjects (such as
robotics, science research, invention, mathematics, and
technology competitions), including--
[[Page H3429]]
(A) the purchase of parts and supplies needed to
participate in such competitions; and
(B) incentives and stipends for teachers and instructional
leaders who are involved in assisting students and preparing
students for such competitions, if such activities fall
outside the regular duties and responsibilities of such
teachers and instructional leaders; and
(2) to broaden underrepresented secondary school students'
access to, and interest in, careers that require academic
preparation in STEM subjects.
SEC. 112. EXPANDING STEM OPPORTUNITIES.
(a) In General.--Within the Directorate for Education and
Human Resources (or any successor thereto), under existing
programs targeting broadening participation, the Director
shall provide grants on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis
for research on programming that engages underrepresented
students in grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
(b) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be
used for research to advance the engagement of
underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through 8 in
STEM through the development and implementation of innovative
before-school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer
activities, including programs (if applicable to the target
population) provided in a single-gender environment, that are
designed to encourage interest, engagement, and skills
development of underrepresented students in STEM. Such
research shall be conducted in learning environments that
actively provide programming to underrepresented students in
grades kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
(2) Permitted activities.--Such activities may include--
(A) the development and implementation of programming
described in subsection (a) for the purpose of research;
(B) the use of a variety of engagement methods, including
cooperative and hands-on learning;
(C) exposure of underrepresented youth to role models in
the fields of STEM, including researchers in the National
Laboratories, and nearpeer mentors;
(D) training of informal learning educators and youth-
serving professionals using evidence-based methods consistent
with the target student population being served;
(E) education of students on the relevance and significance
of STEM careers, provision of academic advice and assistance,
and activities designed to help students make real-world
connections to STEM content activities;
(F) the attendance of underrepresented youth at events,
competitions, and academic programs to provide content
expertise and encourage career exposure in STEM;
(G) activities designed to engage parents of
underrepresented youth;
(H) innovative strategies to engage underrepresented youth,
such as using leadership skill outcome measures to encourage
youth with the confidence to pursue STEM coursework and
academic study;
(I) coordination with STEM-rich environments, including
other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, classroom and
out-of-classroom settings, institutions of higher education,
vocational facilities, corporations, museums, National
Laboratories, or science centers; and
(J) the acquisition of instructional materials or
technology-based tools to conduct applicable grant activity.
(c) Application.--An applicant seeking funding under the
section shall submit an application at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as may be required.
The application shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) A description of the target audience to be served by
the program.
(2) A description of the process for recruitment and
selection of students, as appropriate.
(3) A description of how such research activity may inform
programming that engages underrepresented students in grades
kindergarten through 8 in STEM.
(4) A description of how such research activity may inform
programming that promotes student academic achievement in
STEM.
(5) An evaluation plan that includes, at a minimum, the use
of outcome-oriented measures to determine the impact and
efficacy of activities being researched.
(d) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Director shall give priority to applicants which, for the
purpose of grant activity, include or partner with a
nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that has extensive
experience and expertise in increasing the participation of
underrepresented students in STEM.
(e) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall evaluate
the grants provided under this section. In addition to
evaluating the effectiveness of the grant activities, such
evaluation shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and assessment tools to
identify best practices and materials developed or
demonstrated by the research; and
(B) to the extent practicable, combine the research
resulting from the grant activity with the current research
on serving underrepresented students in grades kindergarten
through 8.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after
the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the
Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available
to the public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and legislative
action that could optimize the effectiveness of the program.
(f) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the
Director shall consult, cooperate, and coordinate, to enhance
program effectiveness and to avoid duplication, with the
programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
SEC. 113. REVIEW OF EDUCATION 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--
(1) whether any of such programs duplicate target groups,
services provided, fields of focus, or objectives; and
(2) how those programs are being evaluated and assessed for
outcome-oriented effectiveness.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as part of the
annual budget submission to Congress, the Director shall
complete a report on the review carried out under this
section and shall submit the report to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology 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, and shall make the
report widely available to the public.
SEC. 114. RECOMPETITION OF AWARDS.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) the merit-reviewed competition of grant and award
proposals is a hallmark of the Foundation grant and award
making process;
(2) the majority of Foundation-funded multi-user research
facilities have transitioned to five-year cooperative
agreements, and every five years the program officer
responsible for the facility makes a recommendation to the
National Science Board as to the renewal, recompetition, or
termination of support for the facility; and
(3) requiring the recompetition of expiring awards is based
on the conviction that competition is most likely to ensure
the effective stewardship of Foundation funds for supporting
research and education.
(b) Recompetition.--The Director shall ensure that the
system for recompetition of Maintenance and Operations of
facilities, equipment and instrumentation is fair,
consistent, and transparent and is applied in a manner that
renews grants and awards in a timely manner. The Director
shall periodically evaluate whether the criteria of the
system are being applied in a manner that is transparent,
reliable, and valid.
SEC. 115. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING INDUSTRY INVESTMENT
IN STEM EDUCATION.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) in order to bolster the STEM workforce pipeline, many
industry sectors are becoming involved in K-12 initiatives
and supporting undergraduate and graduate work in STEM
subject areas and fields;
(2) partnerships with education providers, STEM focused
competitions, and other opportunities have become important
aspects of private sector efforts to strengthen the STEM
workforce;
(3) understanding the work that private sector
organizations are undertaking in STEM fields should inform
the Federal Government's role in STEM education; and
(4) successful private sector STEM initiatives, as
reflected by measurements of relevant outcomes, should be
encouraged and supported by the Foundation.
SEC. 116. MISREPRESENTATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS.
(a) Prohibition.--The findings and conclusions of any
article authored by a principal investigator receiving a
research grant from the Foundation, using the results of the
research conducted under the grant, that is published in a
peer-reviewed publication, otherwise made publicly available,
or incorporated in an application for a research grant or
grant extension from the Foundation may not contain any
falsification, fabrication, or plagiarism, as established in
the Foundation's Research Misconduct regulation (45 C.F.R.
689).
(b) Publication.--The Director shall make publicly
available any finding that research misconduct (as defined in
45 C.F.R. 689) has been committed, including the name of the
principal investigator, within 30 days of the final
administration action of the Foundation.
SEC. 117. RESEARCH REPRODUCIBILITY AND REPLICATION.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the gold standard of good science is the ability of a
researcher or research lab to reproduce a published method
and finding;
(2) there is growing concern that some published research
findings cannot be reproduced or replicated, which can
negatively affect the public's trust in science;
(3) there are a complex set of factors affecting
reproducibility and replication; and
(4) the increasing interdisciplinary nature and complexity
of scientific research may be a contributing factor to issues
with research reproducibility and replication.
(b) Report.--The Director shall--
(1) not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, enter into an agreement with the National Research
Council to provide, within 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, a report to assess research and data
reproducibility and replicability issues in interdisciplinary
research and to make recommendations on how to improve rigor
and transparency in scientific research; and
(2) not later than 60 days after receiving the results of
the assessment under paragraph (1), submit a report to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate on
[[Page H3430]]
the findings of the assessment, together with the agreement
or disagreement of the Director and Board with each of its
findings and recommendations.
SEC. 118. RESEARCH GRANT CONDITIONS.
The Foundation shall establish procedures to ensure that--
(1) a research grant awarded by the Foundation to a
principal investigator supports a scope of work not otherwise
being directly funded by grants provided by other Federal
agencies;
(2) a principal investigator includes in any application
for a research grant awarded by the Foundation a list of all
Federal research funding received by the principal
investigator, as well as any funding that is being requested
as of that time;
(3) unpublished research results used to support a grant
proposal made to the Foundation do not include any knowing
misrepresentations of data;
(4) principal investigators who receive Foundation research
grant funding under more than one grant at the same time have
sufficient resources to conduct the proposed research under
each of those grants appropriately under the terms of the
grant; and
(5) barriers to early career and new investigator
applicants are addressed, including taking into account the
broader accomplishments and potential of the individual
investigator in addition to the potential impact of the
project.
SEC. 119. COMPUTING RESOURCES STUDY.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the Congress a
report detailing the results of a study on the use of
scientific computing resources funded by the Foundation at
institutions of higher education. Such study shall assess--
(1) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared
scientific computing resources for projects that have similar
scientific computing requirements or projects where
specialized software solutions could be shared with other
practitioners in the scientific community;
(2) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared
hardware that can be cost effectively procured from cloud
computing services;
(3) efficiencies that can be achieved by using shared
software from an open source repository or platform; and
(4) cost savings that could be achieved by potential
sharing of scientific computing resources across all
Foundation grants.
SEC. 120. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH PRIZES.
The Director shall place a high priority on designing and
administering pilot programs for scientific breakthrough
prizes, in conjunction with private entities, that are
consistent with Office of Science and Technology Policy
guidelines. Breakthrough prizes shall center around
technological breakthroughs that are of strategic importance
to the Nation, and have the capacity to spur new economic
growth.
SEC. 121. ROTATING PERSONNEL.
In order to control the costs to the Foundation of
individuals employed pursuant to the Intergovernmental
Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4701 note)--
(1) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a written
justification and waiver by the Deputy Director in instances
in which such an individual is to be paid at a rate that
exceeds the maximum rate of pay for the Senior Executive
Service, including, if applicable, adjustment for the
certified Senior Executive Service Performance Appraisal
System;
(2) the Foundation shall provide to Congress a written
justification and waiver by the Director in instances in
which such an individual is to be paid at a rate that exceeds
the annual salary rate of the Vice President of the United
States; and
(3) the Foundation shall provide an annual report to
Congress on the costs to the Foundation of employing such
individuals, including--
(A) the timeliness and completeness of Foundation actions
in response to recommendations and findings from the Office
of Inspector General related to the employment of such
individuals;
(B) actions taken by the Foundation to reduce the cost to
the Foundation of the employment of such individuals at pay
levels that exceed the threshold described in paragraph (1);
(C) the value to the Foundation of employing individuals
pursuant to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42
U.S.C. 4701 note) whose pay is set below the threshold
described in paragraph (1); and
(D) the value to the Foundation of employing individuals
who are not permanent employees whose pay requires a
justification and waiver under paragraph (1) or (2).
SEC. 122. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INNOVATION CORPS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) was
established to foster a national innovation ecosystem by
encouraging institutions, scientists, engineers, and
entrepreneurs to identify and explore the innovation and
commercial potential of Foundation-funded research well
beyond the laboratory;
(2) the Foundation's I-Corps includes investment in
entrepreneurship and commercialization education, training,
and mentoring, ultimately leading to the practical deployment
of technologies, products, processes, and services that
improve the Nation's competitiveness, promote economic
growth, and benefit society; and
(3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, educators,
mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and supporting
specialized education and training, I-Corps is at the leading
edge of a strong, lasting foundation for an American
innovation ecosystem.
SEC. 123. BRAIN RESEARCH THROUGH ADVANCING INNOVATIVE
NEUROTECHNOLOGIES INITIATIVE.
The Foundation shall support research activities related to
the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative
Neurotechnologies Initiative. The Foundation is encouraged to
work in conjunction with the Interagency Working Group on
Neuroscience (IWGN) to determine how to use the data
infrastructure of the Foundation and other applicable
agencies to help neuroscientists collect, standardize,
manage, and analyze the large amounts of data that will
result from research attempting to understand how the brain
functions.
SEC. 124. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.
(a) Amendments.--Section 10A of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n--1a) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ``or bachelor's''
after ``master's'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2)(B);
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``for teachers with master's degrees in
their field'' after ``Teaching Fellowships''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master
Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's degrees in
their field and working toward a master's degree--
``(A) offering academic courses leading to a master's
degree and leadership training to prepare individuals to
become master teachers in elementary and secondary schools;
and
``(B) offering programs both during and after matriculation
in the program for which the fellowship is received to enable
fellows to become highly effective mathematics and science
teachers, including mentoring, training, induction, and
professional development activities, to fulfill the service
requirements of this section, including the requirements of
subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with others in their
fields.'';
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ``subsection (g)'' and
inserting ``subsection (h)'';
(4) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as
subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and
(5) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new
subsection:
``(g) Support for Master Teaching Fellows While Enrolled in
a Master's Degree Program.--A National Science Foundation
Master Teacher Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of
fellowship support while enrolled in a master's degree
program as described in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if
such fellow is enrolled in a part-time program, such amount
shall be prorated according to the length of the program.''.
(b) Definition.--Section 10(i)(5) of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n--
1(i)(5)) is amended by inserting ``computer science,'' after
``means a science,''.
SEC. 125. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION.
(a) Grants.--The Director, through the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources, shall continue to award
competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support--
(1) research and development of innovative out-of-school
STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments in
order to improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement in
STEM; and
(2) research that advances the field of informal STEM
education.
(b) Uses of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under
this section may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple
STEM disciplines, or integrative STEM initiatives and shall
include--
(1) research and development that improves our
understanding of learning and engagement in informal
environments, including the role of informal environments in
broadening participation in STEM; and
(2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models,
programs, and other resources for informal learning
environments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase
engagement for K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general
public, including design and testing of the scalability of
models, programs, and other resources.
SEC. 126. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE
RESEARCH.
The Foundation shall continue to operate a robust
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
(EPSCoR). The EPSCoR program helps ensure that academic
research institutions in more than half the States develop a
strong research infrastructure and participate fully in
federally funded research activities. The program should be a
high priority for the Foundation.
TITLE II--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
SEC. 201. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the National Science Board's Science and
Engineering Indicators, the science and engineering workforce
has shown sustained growth for more than half a century, and
workers with science and engineering degrees tend to earn
more than comparable workers in other fields.
(2) According to the Program for International Student
Assessment 2012 results, America lags behind many other
nations in STEM education. American students rank 21st in
science and 26th in mathematics.
(3) Junior Achievement USA and ING found a decrease of 25
percent in the percentage of teenage students interested in
STEM careers.
[[Page H3431]]
(4) According to a 2007 report from the Department of
Labor, industries and firms dependent on a strong science and
mathematics workforce have launched a variety of programs
that target K-12 students and undergraduate and graduate
students in STEM fields.
(5) The Federal Government spends nearly $3 billion
annually on STEM education related program and activities,
but encouraging STEM education activities beyond the scope of
the Federal Government, including privately sponsored
competitions and programs in our schools, is crucial to the
future technical and economic competitiveness of the United
States.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) more effective coordination and adoption of performance
measurement based on objective outcomes for federally
supported STEM programs is needed;
(2) leveraging private and nonprofit investments in STEM
education will be essential to strengthening the Federal STEM
portfolio;
(3) strengthening the Federal STEM portfolio may require
program consolidations and terminations, but such changes
should be based on evidence with stakeholder input;
(4) coordinating STEM programs and activities across the
Federal Government in order to limit duplication and engage
stakeholders in STEM programs and related activities for
which objective outcomes can be measured will bolster results
of Federal STEM education programs, improve the return on
taxpayers' investments in STEM education programs, and in
turn strengthen the United States economy; and
(5) as the Committee on STEM Education implements the 5-
year Strategic Plan for Federal STEM education required under
section 101(b)(5) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621(b)(5)), STEM education stakeholders
must be engaged and outcome-based evaluation metrics should
be considered in the coordination and consolidation efforts
for the Federal STEM portfolio.
SEC. 202. STEM EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) Establishment.--The President shall establish or
designate a STEM Education Advisory Panel that incorporates
key stakeholders from the education and industry sectors. The
co-chairs shall be members of the President's Council of
Advisors on Science and Technology.
(b) Qualifications.--The Advisory Panel established or
designated by the President under subsection (a) shall
consist primarily of members from academic institutions,
nonprofit organizations, and industry and shall include in-
school, out-of-school, and informal educational
practitioners. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be
qualified to provide advice and information on STEM education
research, development, training, implementation,
interventions, professional development, or workforce needs
or concerns. In selecting or designating an Advisory Panel,
the President may also seek and give consideration to
recommendations from the Congress, industry, the scientific
community (including the National Academy of Sciences,
scientific professional societies, and academia), State and
local governments, and other appropriate organizations.
(c) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the President,
the Committee on STEM Education, and the STEM Education
Coordinating Office established under section 204 on matters
relating to STEM education, and shall each year provide
general guidance to every Federal agency with STEM education
programs or activities, including in the preparation of
requests for appropriations for activities related to STEM
education. The Advisory Panel shall also assess and develop
recommendations for--
(1) progress made in implementing the STEM education
Strategic Plan required under section 101 of the America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), and
any needs or opportunities to update the strategic plan;
(2) the management, coordination, and implementation of
STEM education programs and activities across the Federal
Government;
(3) the appropriateness of criteria used by Federal
agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of Federal STEM
education programs and activities;
(4) ways to leverage private and nonprofit STEM investments
and encourage public-private partnerships to strengthen STEM
education and help build the STEM workforce pipeline;
(5) ways to incorporate workforce needs into Federal STEM
education programs, particularly for specific fields of
national interest and areas experiencing high unemployment
rates;
(6) ways to better vertically and horizontally integrate
Federal STEM programs and activities from pre-K through
graduate study and the workforce, and from in-school to out-
of-school in order to improve transitions for students moving
through the STEM pipeline;
(7) whether societal and workforce concerns are adequately
addressed by current Federal STEM education programs and
activities;
(8) the extent to which Federal STEM education programs and
activities are contributing to recruitment and retention of
women and underrepresented students in the STEM education and
workforce pipeline; and
(9) ways to encourage geographic diversity in STEM
education and the workforce pipeline.
(d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not less
frequently than once every 3 fiscal years, to the President
and Congress on its assessments under subsection (c) and its
recommendations for ways to improve Federal STEM education
programs. The first report under this subsection shall be
submitted within 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act.
(e) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal
members of the Advisory Panel, while attending meetings of
the Advisory Panel or while otherwise serving at the request
of the head of the Advisory Panel away from their homes or
regular places of business, may be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for individuals
in the Government serving without pay. Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the
Advisory Panel who are officers or employees of the United
States from being allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with existing law.
SEC. 203. COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION.
Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621) is amended--
(1) in the first subsection (b)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (6) as
paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively;
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
paragraphs:
``(3) collaborate with the STEM Education Advisory Panel
established under section 202 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015 and other outside stakeholders to
ensure the engagement of the STEM education community;
``(4) review evaluation measures used for Federal STEM
education programs;''; and
(C) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated by subparagraph
(A) of this paragraph, by striking ``, periodically
update,''; and
(2) in the second subsection (b) and in subsection (c), by
striking ``subsection (b)(5)'' and inserting ``subsection
(b)(7)''.
SEC. 204. STEM EDUCATION COORDINATING OFFICE.
(a) Establishment.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall establish within the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources a STEM Education Coordinating
Office, which shall have a Director and staff that shall
include career employees detailed from Federal agencies that
fund STEM education programs and activities.
(b) Responsibilities.--The STEM Education Coordinating
Office shall--
(1) provide technical and administrative support to--
(A) the Committee on STEM Education, especially in its
coordination of Federal STEM programs and strategic planning
responsibilities;
(B) the Advisory Panel established under section 202; and
(C) Federal agencies with STEM education programs;
(2) periodically update and maintain the inventory of
federally sponsored STEM education programs and activities
established under section 101(b)(8) of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621); and
(3) provide for dissemination of information on Federal
STEM education programs and activities, as appropriate, to
stakeholders in academia, industry, nonprofit organizations
with expertise in STEM education, State and local educational
agencies, and other STEM stakeholders.
(c) Report.--The Director of the STEM Education
Coordinating Office shall transmit a report annually to
Congress not later than 60 days after the submission of the
President's budget request. The annual report shall include--
(1) any updates to the inventory required under subsection
(b)(2);
(2) a description of all consolidations and terminations of
Federal STEM education programs implemented in the previous
fiscal year, including an explanation of the reasons for
consolidations and terminations;
(3) recommendations for consolidations and terminations of
STEM education programs or activities in the upcoming fiscal
year;
(4) a description of any significant new STEM Education
public-private partnerships; and
(5) description of the progress made in carrying out the
strategic plan required under section 101 of the America
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621),
including a description of the outcome of any program
assessments completed in the previous year.
(d) Responsibilities of NSF.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall encourage and monitor the efforts of
the STEM Education Coordinating Office to ensure that the
Coordinating Office is carrying out its responsibilities
under subsection (b) appropriately.
TITLE III--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated for the Office of
Science and Technology Policy--
(1) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
(2) $4,550,000 for fiscal year 2017.
SEC. 302. REGULATORY EFFICIENCY.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) high and increasing administrative burdens and costs in
Federal research administration, particularly in the higher
education sector where most federally sponsored research is
performed, are eroding funds available to carry out basic
scientific research;
(2) progress has been made over the last decade in
streamlining the pre-award grant application process through
Grants.gov, the Federal Government's website portal;
(3) post-award administrative costs have grown as Federal
research agencies have continued to impose agency-unique
compliance and reporting requirements on researchers and
research institutions;
(4) facilities and administration costs at research
universities can exceed 50 percent of the total value of
Federal research grants, and it is estimated that nearly 30
percent of the funds invested annually in federally funded
research is consumed by paperwork and other administrative
processes required by Federal agencies; and
(5) it is a matter of critical importance to American
competitiveness that administrative
[[Page H3432]]
costs of federally funded research be streamlined so that a
higher proportion of taxpayer dollars flow into direct
research activities.
(b) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall establish a working group under the
authority of the National Science and Technology Council, to
include the Office of Management and Budget. The working
group shall be responsible for reviewing Federal regulations
affecting research and research universities and making
recommendations on how to--
(1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative
Federal regulations and reporting requirements;
(2) minimize the regulatory burden on United States
institutions of higher education performing federally funded
research while maintaining accountability for Federal tax
dollars; and
(3) identify and update specific regulations to refocus on
performance-based goals rather than on process while still
meeting the desired outcome.
(c) Stakeholder Input.--In carrying out the
responsibilities under subsection (b), the working group
shall take into account input and recommendations from non-
Federal stakeholders, including federally funded and
nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher
education, scientific disciplinary societies and
associations, nonprofit research institutions, industry,
including small businesses, federally funded research and
development centers, and others with a stake in ensuring
effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability in the
performance of scientific research.
(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years,
the Director shall report to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate on what steps have been taken to carry out the
recommendations of the working group established under
subsection (b).
SEC. 303. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS.
(a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall establish a body under the
National Science and Technology Council with the
responsibility to identify and coordinate international
science and technology cooperation that can strengthen the
United States science and technology enterprise, improve
economic and national security, and support United States
foreign policy goals.
(b) NSTC Body Leadership.--The body established under
subsection (a) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials
from the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the
Department of State.
(c) Responsibilities.--The body established under
subsection (a) shall--
(1) plan and coordinate interagency international science
and technology cooperative research and training activities
and partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and
work with other National Science and Technology Council
committees to help plan and coordinate the international
component of national science and technology priorities;
(2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning,
as appropriate, international science and technology
cooperative research and training activities and partnerships
supported or managed by Federal agencies with the foreign
policy goals of the United States;
(3) identify opportunities for new international science
and technology cooperative research and training partnerships
that advance both the science and technology and the foreign
policy priorities of the United States;
(4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and
recommendations from non-Federal science and technology
stakeholders, including universities, scientific and
professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations
and institutions; and
(5) identify broad issues that influence the ability of
United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with
foreign counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and
access to scientific information.
(d) Report to Congress.--The Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a report, to be
updated every 2 years, to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate. The report shall also be made
available to the public on the reporting agency's website.
The report shall contain a description of--
(1) the priorities and policies established under
subsection (c)(2);
(2) the ongoing and new partnerships established since the
last update to the report;
(3) the means by which stakeholder input was received, as
well as summary views of stakeholder input; and
(4) the issues influencing the ability of United States
scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign
counterparts.
(e) Additional Reports to Congress.--The Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit, not
later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act
and annually thereafter, to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate, a report that lists and describes
all foreign travel by Office of Science and Technology Policy
staff and detailees. Each report shall specify the dates of
each trip, the purpose of the trip, Office of Science and
Technology Policy participants on the trip, total Office of
Science and Technology Policy costs associated with the trip,
and details of all international meetings, including meeting
participants and topics addressed.
SEC. 304. ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH FUNDING MODELS.
(a) Pilot Program Authority.--The heads of Federal science
agencies, in consultation with the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, shall conduct appropriate
pilot programs to validate alternative research funding
models, including--
(1) scientific breakthrough prize programs that are of
strategic importance to the Nation and have the capacity to
spur new economic growth; and
(2) novel mechanisms of funding including obtaining non-
Federal funds through crowd source funding.
(b) Non-Federal Partners.--A pilot program may be conducted
under this section through an agreement, grant, or
contractual relationship with a non-Federal entity regarding
the design, administration, and funding of the program.
(c) Prize Competition Judges.--
(1) Requirements.--Judges for a prize competition carried
out under this section shall not be required to be Federal
employees. An individual who serves as a judge for a prize
competition carried out under this section who is not a
Federal employee shall be required to sign an agreement,
developed by the Office of Science and Technology Policy,
with respect to nondisclosure, conflict of interest, and
judging code of conduct requirements.
(2) Disclosure of personal financial interests.--A judge
for a prize competition with a total purse of $10,000 or
more, or for an aggregate of prize competitions with a total
purse of $50,000 or more, shall be required to disclose all
personal financial interests.
(3) Report to congress.--Not later than 30 days after the
Office of Science and Technology Policy completes development
of an agreement under paragraph (1), it shall transmit a
report to Congress describing the requirements of such
agreement.
(d) Public Notice.--The heads of Federal science agencies
shall widely advertise prize competitions to be conducted
under this section to ensure maximum participation.
(e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
``Federal science agency'' means--
(1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
(2) the National Science Foundation;
(3) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
(4) the National Weather Service.
(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter as
part of the annual budget submission to Congress, the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall
transmit to the Congress a report on programs identified and
conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 305. AMENDMENTS TO PRIZE COMPETITIONS.
Section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) by inserting ``competition'' after ``section, a
prize'';
(B) by inserting ``types'' after ``following''; and
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prizes'' and inserting
``prize competitions'';
(2) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``in the Federal Register'' and inserting
``on a publicly accessible Government website, such as
www.challenge.gov,''; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prize'' and inserting
``cash prize purse'';
(3) in subsection (g), by striking ``prize'' and inserting
``cash prize purse'';
(4) in subsection (h), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'' both places it appears;
(5) in subsection (i)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'' both places it appears;
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Waiver.--An agency may waive the requirement under
paragraph (2). The annual report under subsection (p) shall
include a list of such waivers granted during the preceding
fiscal year, along with a detailed explanation of the reasons
for granting the waivers.'';
(6) in subsection (k)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition''; and
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competitions'' both places it appears;
(7) in subsection (l), by striking all after ``may enter
into'' and inserting ``a grant, contract, cooperative
agreement, or other agreement with a private sector for-
profit or nonprofit entity to administer the prize
competition, subject to the provisions of this section.'';
(8) in subsection (m)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--Support for a prize competition under
this section, including financial support for the design and
administration of a prize competition or funds for a cash
prize purse, may consist of Federal appropriated funds and
funds provided by private sector for-profit and nonprofit
entities. The head of an agency may accept funds from other
Federal agencies, private sector for-profit entities, and
nonprofit entities to support such prize competitions. The
head of an agency may not give any special consideration to
any private sector for-profit or nonprofit entity in return
for a donation.'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``prize awards'' and
inserting ``cash prize purses'';
[[Page H3433]]
(C) in paragraph (3)(A)--
(i) by striking ``No prize'' and inserting ``No prize
competition''; and
(ii) by striking ``the prize'' and inserting ``the cash
prize purse'';
(D) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``a prize'' and
inserting ``a cash prize purse'';
(E) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting ``competition''
after ``prize'';
(F) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``a prize'' and
inserting ``a cash prize purse''; and
(G) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``cash prizes'' and
inserting ``cash prize purses'';
(9) in subsection (n), by inserting ``for both for-profit
and nonprofit entities,'' after ``contract vehicle'';
(10) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ``or providing a
prize'' and insert ``a prize competition or providing a cash
prize purse''; and
(11) in subsection (p)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``cash prizes'' both
places it occurs and inserting ``cash prize purses''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) Plan.--A description of crosscutting topical areas
and agency-specific mission needs that may be the strongest
opportunities for prize competitions during the upcoming 2
fiscal years.''.
SEC. 306. UNITED STATES CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
Title II of the National Science and Technology Policy,
Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6611 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``united states chief technology officer
``Sec. 210. (a) Appointment.--The President may appoint a
United States Chief Technology Officer. Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, such officer shall be one of the
Associate Directors of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy.
``(b) Duties.--The duties of the United States Chief
Technology Officer should include--
``(1) advising the President and the Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy on Federal information
systems, technology, data, and innovation policies and
initiatives;
``(2) promoting an improved exchange of information among
the Federal Government, the public, and Congress;
``(3) promoting the use of innovative technological
approaches across the Federal Government to ensure a modern
information technology infrastructure;
``(4) working with the Chief Technology Officers and Chief
Information Officers of all Federal agencies to ensure the
use of best technologies and security practices for
information systems;
``(5) establishing a working group with such Officers to
exchange best practices about information systems;
``(6) promoting transparency and accountability across the
Federal Government for all technological implementation by
working with agencies to ensure that each arm of the Federal
Government, including the executive branch, makes its records
open and accessible;
``(7) promoting security and privacy protection policies
for all Federal information technology systems that are
consistent with Federal law, regulations, and current best
practices;
``(8) promoting technological interoperability of key
Government functions;
``(9) in consultation with the Office of Management and
Budget, providing an annual report to the President, the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and
Congress on the current state of information systems of all
Federal agencies, including--
``(A) the status of information systems, including
potential technology and security concerns about these
information systems in all Federal agencies;
``(B) a review of all Federal websites with third-party
embedded tools that--
``(i) identifies each embedded tool, who it belongs to, and
the data it collects; and
``(ii) addresses effects on cybersecurity and consumer
privacy, including whether each website provides prominent
notice to consumers about the presence of the tool and
whether the consumer may opt-out of the tool;
``(C) the amount of money being spent on various
technologies; and
``(D) technology recommendations and best practices; and
``(10) such other functions and activities as the President
and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
may assign.
``(c) Report.--In the absence of a United States Chief
Technology Officer, the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall be responsible for providing the
report required under subsection (b)(9).''.
SEC. 307. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STUDY ON TECHNOLOGY FOR
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall enter into an arrangement with
the National Research Council to conduct and complete a study
to identify and review technologies employed at institutions
of higher education to provide notifications to students,
faculty, and other personnel during emergency situations in
accordance with the requirements of existing law. The study
shall address--
(1) the timeliness of notifications during emergency
situations provided by various technologies;
(2) the durability of such technologies in delivering such
notifications to students, faculty, and other personnel; and
(3) the limitations exhibited by such technologies to
successfully deliver notifications not more than 30 seconds
after the institution of higher education transmits such
notifications.
(b) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the National Research Council enters into the
arrangement required by subsection (a), the Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy shall submit to
Congress a report on the study conducted under such
subsection.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $933,700,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2016.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $744,700,000 shall be for scientific and technical
research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $59,000,000 shall be for the construction and
maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $130,000,000 shall be for industrial technology
services activities, of which $125,000,000 shall be for the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under sections 25
and 26 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278I) and $5,000,000 shall be for the
Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program under section 34
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278s).
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $933,700,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2017.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $744,700,000 shall be for scientific and technical
research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $59,000,000 shall be for the construction and
maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $130,000,000 shall be for industrial technology
services activities, of which $125,000,000 shall be for the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program under sections 25
and 26 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act (15 U.S.C. 278k and 278I) and $5,000,000 shall be for the
Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program under section 34
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278s).
SEC. 402. STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT.
Section 2 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 272) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``authorized to take'' and inserting ``authorized to serve as
the President's principal adviser on standards policy
pertaining to the Nation's technological competitiveness and
innovation ability and to take'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``compare standards'' and
all that follows through ``Federal Government'' and inserting
``facilitate standards-related information sharing and
cooperation between Federal agencies''; and
(C) in paragraph (13), by striking ``Federal, State, and
local'' and all that follows through ``private sector'' and
inserting ``technical standards activities and conformity
assessment activities of Federal, State, and local
governments with private sector''; and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (22), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) by redesignating paragraph (23) as paragraph (25); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (22) the following:
``(23) participate in and support scientific and technical
conferences;
``(24) perform pre-competitive measurement science and
technology research in partnership with institutions of
higher education and industry to promote United States
industrial competitiveness; and''.
SEC. 403. VISITING COMMITTEE ON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.
Section 10 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``15 members'' and inserting ``not fewer
than 11 members'';
(B) by striking ``at least 10'' and inserting ``at least
two-thirds''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following: ``The Committee may
consult with the National Research Council in making
recommendations regarding general policy for the
Institute.''; and
(2) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``, including the
Program established under section 28,''.
SEC. 404. POLICE AND SECURITY AUTHORITY.
Section 15 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278e) is amended--
(1) by striking ``of the Government; and'' and inserting
``of the Government;''; and
(2) by striking ``United States Code.'' and inserting
``United States Code; and (i) the protection of Institute
buildings and other plant facilities, equipment, and
property, and of employees, associates, visitors, or other
persons located therein or associated therewith,
notwithstanding any other provision of law.''.
SEC. 405. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is amended by striking sections 18, 19,
and 19A and inserting the following:
``SEC. 18. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
``(a) In General.--The Director may support, promote, and
coordinate activities and efforts to enhance public awareness
and understanding of
[[Page H3434]]
measurement sciences, standards, and technology by the
general public, industry, and academia in support of the
Institute's mission.
``(b) Research Fellowships.--
``(1) In general.--The Director may award research
fellowships and other forms of financial and logistical
assistance, including direct stipend awards, to--
``(A) students at institutions of higher education within
the United States who show promise as present or future
contributors to the mission of the Institute; and
``(B) United States citizens for research and technical
activities of the Institute.
``(2) Selection.--The Director shall select persons to
receive such fellowships and assistance on the basis of
ability and of the relevance of the proposed work to the
mission and programs of the Institute.
``(3) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection,
financial and logistical assistance includes, notwithstanding
section 1345 of title 31, United States Code, or any contrary
provision of law, temporary housing and local transportation
to and from the Institute facilities.
``(c) Post-doctoral Fellowship Program.--The Director shall
establish and conduct a post-doctoral fellowship program,
subject to the availability of appropriations, that shall
include not fewer than 20 fellows per fiscal year. In
evaluating applications for fellowships under this
subsection, the Director shall give consideration to the goal
of promoting the participation of underrepresented students
in research areas supported by the Institute.''.
SEC. 406. PROGRAMMATIC PLANNING REPORT.
Section 23(d) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278i(d)) is amended by adding at
the end the following: ``The 3-year programmatic planning
document shall also describe how the Director is addressing
recommendations from the Visiting Committee on Advanced
Technology established under section 10.''.
SEC. 407. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.
(a) National Academy of Sciences Review.--Not later than 6
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall
enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences
to conduct a single, comprehensive review of the Institute's
laboratory programs. The review shall--
(1) assess the technical merits and scientific caliber of
the research conducted at the laboratories;
(2) examine the strengths and weaknesses of the 2010
laboratory reorganization on the Institute's ability to
fulfill its mission;
(3) evaluate how cross-cutting research and development
activities are planned, coordinated, and executed across the
laboratories; and
(4) assess how the laboratories are engaging industry,
including the incorporation of industry need, into the
research goals and objectives of the Institute.
(b) Additional Assessments.--Section 24 of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278j) is
amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 24. ASSESSMENTS BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.
``(a) In General.--The Institute shall contract with the
National Research Council to perform and report on
assessments of the technical quality and impact of the work
conducted at Institute laboratories.
``(b) Schedule.--Two laboratories shall be assessed under
subsection (a) each year, and each laboratory shall be
assessed at least once every 3 years.
``(c) Summary Report.--Beginning in the year after the
first assessment is conducted under subsection (a), and once
every two years thereafter, the Institute shall contract with
the National Research Council to prepare a report that
summarizes the findings common across the individual
assessment reports.
``(d) Additional Assessments.--The Institute, at the
discretion of the Director, also may contract with the
National Research Council to conduct additional assessments
of Institute programs and projects that involve collaboration
across the Institute laboratories and centers and assessments
of selected scientific and technical topics.
``(e) Consultation With Visiting Committee on Advanced
Technology.--The National Research Council may consult with
the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology established
under section 10 in performing the assessments under this
section.
``(f) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after the completion
of each assessment, the Institute shall transmit the report
on such assessment to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.''.
SEC. 408. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.
Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.
``(a) Establishment and Purpose.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Director and,
if appropriate, through other officials, shall provide
assistance for the creation and support of manufacturing
extension centers, to be known as the `Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Centers', for the transfer of manufacturing
technology and best business practices (in this Act referred
to as the `Centers'). The program under this section shall be
known as the `Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership'.
``(2) Affiliations.--Such Centers shall be affiliated with
any United States-based public or nonprofit institution or
organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is
awarded financial assistance under this section.
``(3) Objective.--The objective of the Centers is to
enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological
performance in United States manufacturing through--
``(A) the transfer of manufacturing technology and
techniques developed at the Institute to Centers and, through
them, to manufacturing companies throughout the United
States;
``(B) the participation of individuals from industry,
institutions of higher education, State governments, other
Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the Institute in
cooperative technology transfer activities;
``(C) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and
processes usable by United States-based small and medium-
sized companies;
``(D) the active dissemination of scientific, engineering,
technical, and management information about manufacturing to
industrial firms, including small and medium-sized
manufacturing companies;
``(E) the utilization, when appropriate, of the expertise
and capability that exists in Federal laboratories other than
the Institute;
``(F) the provision to community colleges and area career
and technical education schools of information about the job
skills needed in small and medium-sized manufacturing
businesses in the regions they serve; and
``(G) promoting and expanding certification systems offered
through industry, associations, and local colleges, when
appropriate.
``(b) Activities.--The activities of the Centers shall
include--
``(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing systems
and other advanced production technologies, based on
Institute-supported research, for the purpose of
demonstrations and technology transfer;
``(2) the active transfer and dissemination of research
findings and Center expertise to a wide range of companies
and enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized
manufacturers; and
``(3) the facilitation of collaborations and partnerships
between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and
community colleges and area career and technical education
schools to help such colleges and schools better understand
the specific needs of manufacturers and to help manufacturers
better understand the skill sets that students learn in the
programs offered by such colleges and schools.
``(c) Operations.--
``(1) Financial support.--The Secretary may provide
financial support to any Center created under subsection (a).
The Secretary may not provide to a Center more than 50
percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance
funds required to create and maintain such Center.
``(2) Regulations.--The Secretary shall implement, review,
and update the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations
related to this section at least once every 3 years.
``(3) Application.--
``(A) In general.--Any nonprofit institution, or consortium
thereof, or State or local government, may submit to the
Secretary an application for financial support under this
section, in accordance with the procedures established by the
Secretary.
``(B) Cost sharing.--In order to receive assistance under
this section, an applicant for financial assistance under
subparagraph (A) shall provide adequate assurances that non-
Federal assets obtained from the applicant and the
applicant's partnering organizations will be used as a
funding source to meet not less than 50 percent of the costs
incurred. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the costs
incurred means the costs incurred in connection with the
activities undertaken to improve the competitiveness,
management, productivity, and technological performance of
small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
``(C) Agreements with other entities.--In meeting the 50
percent requirement, it is anticipated that a Center will
enter into agreements with other entities such as private
industry, institutions of higher education, and State
governments to accomplish programmatic objectives and access
new and existing resources that will further the impact of
the Federal investment made on behalf of small and medium-
sized manufacturing companies.
``(D) Legal rights.--Each applicant under subparagraph (A)
shall also submit a proposal for the allocation of the legal
rights associated with any invention which may result from
the proposed Center's activities.
``(4) Merit review.--The Secretary shall subject each such
application to merit review. In making a decision whether to
approve such application and provide financial support under
this section, the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the
following:
``(A) The merits of the application, particularly those
portions of the application regarding technology transfer,
training and education, and adaptation of manufacturing
technologies to the needs of particular industrial sectors.
``(B) The quality of service to be provided.
``(C) Geographical diversity and extent of service area.
``(D) The percentage of funding and amount of in-kind
commitment from other sources.
``(5) Evaluation.--
``(A) In general.--Each Center that receives financial
assistance under this section shall be evaluated during its
third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by
the Secretary.
``(B) Composition.--Each such evaluation panel shall be
composed of private experts, none of whom shall be connected
with the involved Center, and Federal officials.
``(C) Chair.--An official of the Institute shall chair the
panel.
``(D) Performance measurement.--Each evaluation panel shall
measure the involved
[[Page H3435]]
Center's performance against the objectives specified in this
section.
``(E) Positive evaluation.--If the evaluation is positive,
the Secretary may provide continued funding through the sixth
year.
``(F) Probation.--The Secretary shall not provide funding
unless the Center has received a positive evaluation. A
Center that has not received a positive evaluation by the
evaluation panel shall be notified by the panel of the
deficiencies in its performance and shall be placed on
probation for one year, after which time the panel shall
reevaluate the Center. If the Center has not addressed the
deficiencies identified by the panel, or shown a significant
improvement in its performance, the Director shall conduct a
new competition to select an operator for the Center or may
close the Center.
``(G) Additional financial support.--After the sixth year,
a Center may receive additional financial support under this
section if it has received a positive evaluation through an
independent review, under procedures established by the
Institute.
``(H) Eight-year review.--A Center shall undergo an
independent review in the 8th year of operation. Each
evaluation panel shall measure the Center's performance
against the objectives specified in this section. A Center
that has not received a positive evaluation as a result of an
independent review shall be notified by the Program of the
deficiencies in its performance and shall be placed on
probation for one year, after which time the Program shall
reevaluate the Center. If the Center has not addressed the
deficiencies identified by the review, or shown a significant
improvement in its performance, the Director shall conduct a
new competition to select an operator for the Center or may
close the Center.
``(I) Recompetition.--If a recipient of a Center award has
received financial assistance for 10 consecutive years, the
Director shall conduct a new competition to select an
operator for the Center consistent with the plan required in
this Act. Incumbent Center operators in good standing shall
be eligible to compete for the new award.
``(J) Reports.--
``(i) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2015, the Director shall transmit to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a plan as to how the Institute
will conduct reviews, assessments, and reapplication
competitions under this paragraph.
``(ii) Independent assessment.--The Director shall contract
with an independent organization to perform an assessment of
the implementation of the reapplication competition process
under this paragraph within 3 years after the transmittal of
the report under clause (i). The organization conducting the
assessment under this clause may consult with the MEP
Advisory Board.
``(iii) Comparison of centers.--Not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Director shall transmit to
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate a report providing
information on the first and second years of operations for
centers operating from new competitions or recompetition as
compared to longstanding centers. The report shall provide
detail on the engagement in services provided by Centers and
the characteristics of services provided, including volume
and type of services, so that the Committees can evaluate
whether the cost-sharing ratio has an effect on the services
provided at Centers.
``(6) Patent rights.--The provisions of chapter 18 of title
35, United States Code, shall apply, to the extent not
inconsistent with this section, to the promotion of
technology from research by Centers under this section except
for contracts for such specific technology extension or
transfer services as may be specified by statute or by the
Director.
``(7) Protection of center client confidential
information.--Section 552 of title 5, United States Code,
shall apply to the following information obtained by the
Federal Government on a confidential basis in connection with
the activities of any participant involved in the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
``(A) Information on the business operation of any
participant in a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership
program or of a client of a Center.
``(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of a Center.
``(8) Advisory boards.--Each Center's advisory boards shall
institute a conflict of interest policy, approved by the
Director, that ensures the Board represents local small and
medium-sized manufacturers in the Center's region. Board
Members may not serve as a vendor or provide services to the
Center, nor may they serve on more than one Center's
oversight board simultaneously.
``(d) Acceptance of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to such sums as may be
appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate the
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Secretary
and Director also may accept funds from other Federal
departments and agencies and, under section 2(c)(7), from the
private sector for the purpose of strengthening United States
manufacturing.
``(2) Allocation of funds.--
``(A) Funds accepted from other federal departments or
agencies.--The Director shall determine whether funds
accepted from other Federal departments or agencies shall be
counted in the calculation of the Federal share of capital
and annual operating and maintenance costs under subsection
(c).
``(B) Funds accepted from the private sector.--Funds
accepted from the private sector under section 2(c)(7), if
allocated to a Center, may not be considered in the
calculation of the Federal share under subsection (c) of this
section.
``(e) MEP Advisory Board.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory
Board (in this subsection referred to as the `MEP Advisory
Board').
``(2) Membership.--
``(A) In general.--The MEP Advisory Board shall consist of
not fewer than 10 members broadly representative of
stakeholders, to be appointed by the Director. At least 2
members shall be employed by or on an advisory board for the
Centers, at least 1 member shall represent a community
college, and at least 5 other members shall be from United
States small businesses in the manufacturing sector. No
member shall be an employee of the Federal Government.
``(B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph (C) or (D),
the term of office of each member of the MEP Advisory Board
shall be 3 years.
``(C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy
occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his
predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the
remainder of such term.
``(D) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person who has
completed two consecutive full terms of service on the MEP
Advisory Board shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment
during the one-year period following the expiration of the
second such term.
``(3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not less
than 2 times annually and shall provide to the Director--
``(A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership programs, plans, and policies;
``(B) assessments of the soundness of Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and strategies; and
``(C) assessments of current performance against Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program plans.
``(4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.--
``(A) In general.--In discharging its duties under this
subsection, the MEP Advisory Board shall function solely in
an advisory capacity, in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act.
``(B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act shall not apply to the MEP Advisory Board.
``(5) Report.--The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit an
annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to Congress
within 30 days after the submission to Congress of the
President's annual budget request in each year. Such report
shall address the status of the program established pursuant
to this section and comment on the relevant sections of the
programmatic planning document and updates thereto
transmitted to Congress by the Director under subsections (c)
and (d) of section 23.
``(f) Competitive Grant Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, within
the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, under this
section and section 26, a program of competitive awards among
participants described in paragraph (2) for the purposes
described in paragraph (3).
``(2) Participants.--Participants receiving awards under
this subsection shall be the Centers, or a consortium of such
Centers.
``(3) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this
subsection is to add capabilities to the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, including the
development of projects to solve new or emerging
manufacturing problems as determined by the Director, in
consultation with the Director of the Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Partnership program, the MEP Advisory Board, and
small and medium-sized manufacturers. One or more themes for
the competition may be identified, which may vary from year
to year, depending on the needs of manufacturers and the
success of previous competitions. Centers may be reimbursed
for costs incurred under the program.
``(4) Applications.--Applications for awards under this
subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at such time,
and containing such information as the Director shall
require, in consultation with the MEP Advisory Board.
``(5) Selection.--Awards under this subsection shall be
peer reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director shall
endeavor to have broad geographic diversity among selected
proposals. The Director shall select proposals to receive
awards that will--
``(A) improve the competitiveness of industries in the
region in which the Center or Centers are located;
``(B) create jobs or train newly hired employees; and
``(C) promote the transfer and commercialization of
research and technology from institutions of higher
education, national laboratories, and nonprofit research
institutes.
``(6) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards under
this subsection shall not be required to provide a matching
contribution.
``(7) Global marketplace projects.--In making awards under
this subsection, the Director, in consultation with the MEP
Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take into consideration
whether an application has significant potential for
enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized
United States manufacturers in the global marketplace.
``(8) Duration.--Awards under this subsection shall last no
longer than 3 years.
``(g) Evaluation of Obstacles Unique to Small
Manufacturers.--The Director shall--
``(1) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small
manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers from
effectively competing in the global market;
[[Page H3436]]
``(2) implement a comprehensive plan to train the Centers
to address such obstacles; and
``(3) facilitate improved communication between the Centers
to assist such manufacturers in implementing appropriate,
targeted solutions to such obstacles.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `area career and technical education school'
has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of
2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302); and
``(2) the term `community college' means an institution of
higher education (as defined under section 101(a) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which
the highest degree that is predominately awarded to students
is an associate's degree.''.
SEC. 409. ELIMINATION OF OBSOLETE REPORTS.
Section 28 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (g); and
(2) in subsection (k)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(B) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``; and'' at the end
and inserting a period; and
(C) by striking paragraph (5).
SEC. 410. MODIFICATIONS TO GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
Section 8(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3706(a)) is amended by striking ``The
total amount of any such grant or cooperative agreement may
not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the program.''.
SEC. 411. INFORMATION SYSTEMS STANDARDS CONSULTATION.
Section 20(c)(1) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278g--3(c)(1)) is amended by
striking ``the National Security Agency,''.
SEC. 412. UNITED STATES-ISRAELI COOPERATION.
It is the Sense of Congress that--
(1) partnerships that facilitate basic scientific research
between the United States and Israel advance technology
development, innovation, and commercialization leading to
growth in various sectors, including manufacturing, and
creating benefits for both nations;
(2) joint research and development agreements carried out
through government organizations like the National Institute
of Standards and Technology support these efforts;
(3) partnerships between the United States and Israel that
further the basic scientific enterprise should be encouraged;
and
(4) the National Institute of Standards and Technology
should continue to facilitate scientific collaborations
between Israel and United States' technical agencies working
in measurement science and standardization.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE
SEC. 501. MISSION.
Section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act
(42 U.S.C. 7139) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(c) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Science shall
be the delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and
major scientific tools to transform the understanding of
nature and to advance the energy, economic, and national
security of the United States. In support of this mission,
the Director shall carry out programs on basic energy
sciences, advanced scientific computing research, high energy
physics, biological and environmental research, fusion energy
sciences, and nuclear physics, including as provided under
subtitle A of title V of the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2015, through activities focused on--
``(1) fundamental scientific discoveries through the study
of matter and energy;
``(2) science in the national interest, including--
``(A) advancing an agenda for American energy security
through research on energy production, storage, transmission,
efficiency, and use; and
``(B) advancing our understanding of the Earth's climate
through research in atmospheric and environmental sciences;
and
``(3) National Scientific User Facilities to deliver the
21st century tools of science, engineering, and technology
and provide the Nation's researchers with the most advanced
tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders,
supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, and
facilities for studying materials science.
``(d) Coordination With Other Department of Energy
Programs.--The Under Secretary for Science and Energy shall
ensure the coordination of Office of Science activities and
programs with other activities of the Department.''.
SEC. 502. BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program in
basic energy sciences, including materials sciences and
engineering, chemical sciences, physical biosciences, and
geosciences, for the purpose of providing the scientific
foundations for new energy technologies.
(b) Mission.--The mission of the program described in
subsection (a) shall be to support fundamental research to
understand, predict, and ultimately control matter and energy
at the electronic, atomic, and molecular levels in order to
provide the foundations for new energy technologies and to
support Department missions in energy, environment, and
national security.
(c) Basic Energy Sciences User Facilities.--The Director
shall carry out a subprogram for the development,
construction, operation, and maintenance of national user
facilities to support the program under this section. As
practicable, these facilities shall serve the needs of the
Department, industry, the academic community, and other
relevant entities to create and examine new materials and
chemical processes for the purposes of advancing new energy
technologies and improving the competitiveness of the United
States. These facilities shall include--
(1) x-ray light sources;
(2) neutron sources;
(3) nanoscale science research centers; and
(4) other facilities the Director considers appropriate,
consistent with section 209 of the Department of Energy
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139).
(d) Light Source Leadership Initiative.--
(1) Establishment.--In support of the subprogram authorized
in subsection (c), the Director shall establish an initiative
to sustain and advance global leadership of light source user
facilities.
(2) Leadership strategy.--Not later than 9 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the
Director shall prepare, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders, and submit to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
light source leadership strategy that--
(A) identifies, prioritizes, and describes plans for the
development, construction, and operation of light sources
over the next decade;
(B) describes plans for optimizing management and use of
existing light source facilities; and
(C) assesses the international outlook for light source
user facilities and describes plans for United States
cooperation in such projects.
(3) Advisory committee feedback and recommendations.--Not
later than 45 days after submission of the strategy described
in paragraph (2), the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory
Committee shall provide the Director, the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report of the Advisory Committee's
analyses, findings, and recommendations for improving the
strategy, including a review of the most recent budget
request for the initiative.
(4) Proposed budget.--The Director shall transmit annually
to Congress a proposed budget corresponding to the activities
identified in the strategy.
(e) Accelerator Research and Development.--The Director
shall carry out research and development on advanced
accelerator and storage ring technologies relevant to the
development of Basic Energy Sciences user facilities, in
consultation with the Office of Science's High Energy Physics
and Nuclear Physics programs.
(f) Energy Frontier Research Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to
provide awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to
multi-institutional collaborations or other appropriate
entities to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy
research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
(2) Collaborations.--A collaboration receiving an award
under this subsection may include multiple types of
institutions and private sector entities.
(3) Selection and duration.--
(A) In general.--A collaboration under this subsection
shall be selected for a period of 5 years. An Energy Frontier
Research Center already in existence and supported by the
Director on the date of enactment of this Act may continue to
receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the date
of establishment of that center.
(B) Reapplication.--After the end of the period described
in subparagraph (A), an awardee may reapply for selection for
a second period of 5 years on a competitive, merit-reviewed
basis.
(C) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Director may terminate an
underperforming center for cause during the performance
period.
(4) No funding for construction.--No funding provided
pursuant to this subsection may be used for the construction
of new buildings or facilities.
SEC. 503. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING RESEARCH.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a research,
development, and demonstration program to advance
computational and networking capabilities to analyze, model,
simulate, and predict complex phenomena relevant to the
development of new energy technologies and the
competitiveness of the United States.
(b) Facilities.--The Director, as part of the program
described in subsection (a), shall develop and maintain
world-class computing and network facilities for science and
deliver critical research in applied mathematics, computer
science, and advanced networking to support the Department's
missions.
(c) Definitions.--Section 2 of the Department of Energy
High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C.
5541) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and
inserting the following:
``(1) Co-design.--The term `co-design' means the joint
development of application algorithms, models, and codes with
computer technology architectures and operating systems to
maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
``(2) Department.--The term `Department' means the
Department of Energy.
``(3) Exascale.--The term `exascale' means computing system
performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point
operations per second.
``(4) High-end computing system.--The term `high-end
computing system' means a computing system with performance
that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly
available for advanced scientific and engineering
applications.
``(5) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given the
term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15801).
[[Page H3437]]
``(6) Leadership system.--The term `leadership system'
means a high-end computing system that is among the most
advanced in the world in terms of performance in solving
scientific and engineering problems.
``(7) National laboratory.--The term `National Laboratory'
means any one of the seventeen laboratories owned by the
Department.
``(8) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Energy.
``(9) Software technology.--The term `software technology'
includes optimal algorithms, programming environments, tools,
languages, and operating systems for high-end computing
systems.''.
(d) Department of Energy High-end Computing Research and
Development Program.--Section 3 of the Department of Energy
High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C.
5542) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``program'' and inserting
``coordinated program across the Department'';
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
(C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and
industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the
technology developed in this program to other challenges in
science, engineering, medicine, and industry.'';
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``vector'' and all
that follows through ``architectures'' and inserting
``computer technologies that show promise of substantial
reductions in power requirements and substantial gains in
parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, memory and
storage, bandwidth, and reliability''; and
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Exascale Computing Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
coordinated research program to develop exascale computing
systems to advance the missions of the Department.
``(2) Execution.--The Secretary shall, through competitive
merit review, establish two or more National Laboratory-
industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated
research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale
architectures, and--
``(A) conduct mission-related co-design activities in
developing such exascale platforms;
``(B) develop those advancements in hardware and software
technology required to fully realize the potential of an
exascale production system in addressing Department target
applications and solving scientific problems involving
predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale data
analytics and management; and
``(C) explore the use of exascale computing technologies to
advance a broad range of science and engineering.
``(3) Administration.--In carrying out this program, the
Secretary shall--
``(A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis,
access for researchers in United States industry,
institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and
other Federal agencies to these exascale systems, as
appropriate; and
``(B) conduct outreach programs to increase the readiness
for the use of such platforms by domestic industries,
including manufacturers.
``(4) Reports.--
``(A) Integrated strategy and program management plan.--The
Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, a report outlining an integrated
strategy and program management plan, including target dates
for prototypical and production exascale platforms, interim
milestones to reaching these targets, functional
requirements, roles and responsibilities of National
Laboratories and industry, acquisition strategy, and
estimated resources required, to achieve this exascale system
capability. The report shall include the Secretary's plan for
Departmental organization to manage and execute the Exascale
Computing Program, including definition of the roles and
responsibilities within the Department to ensure an
integrated program across the Department. The report shall
also include a plan for ensuring balance and prioritizing
across ASCR subprograms in a flat or slow-growth budget
environment.
``(B) Status reports.--At the time of the budget submission
of the Department for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall
submit a report to Congress that describes the status of
milestones and costs in achieving the objectives of the
exascale computing program.
``(C) Exascale merit report.--At least 18 months prior to
the initiation of construction or installation of any
exascale-class computing facility, the Secretary shall
transmit a plan to the Congress detailing--
``(i) the proposed facility's cost projections and
capabilities to significantly accelerate the development of
new energy technologies;
``(ii) technical risks and challenges that must be overcome
to achieve successful completion and operation of the
facility; and
``(iii) an independent assessment of the scientific and
technological advances expected from such a facility relative
to those expected from a comparable investment in expanded
research and applications at terascale-class and petascale-
class computing facilities, including an evaluation of where
investments should be made in the system software and
algorithms to enable these advances.''.
SEC. 504. HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a research
program on the fundamental constituents of matter and energy
and the nature of space and time.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that--
(1) the Director should incorporate the findings and
recommendations of the Particle Physics Project
Prioritization Panel's report entitled ``Building for
Discovery: Strategic Plan for U.S. Particle Physics in the
Global Context'', into the Department's planning process as
part of the program described in subsection (a);
(2) the Director should prioritize domestically hosted
research projects that will maintain the United States
position as a global leader in particle physics and attract
the world's most talented physicists and foreign investment
for international collaboration; and
(3) the nations that lead in particle physics by hosting
international teams dedicated to a common scientific goal
attract the world's best talent and inspire future
generations of physicists and technologists.
(c) Neutrino Research.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research
activities on rare decay processes and the nature of the
neutrino, which may include collaborations with the National
Science Foundation or international collaborations.
(d) Dark Energy and Dark Matter Research.--As part of the
program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry
out research activities on the nature of dark energy and dark
matter, which may include collaborations with the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration or the National Science
Foundation, or international collaborations.
(e) Accelerator Research and Development.--The Director
shall carry out research and development in advanced
accelerator concepts and technologies, including laser
technologies, to reduce the necessary scope and cost for the
next generation of particle accelerators. The Director shall
ensure access to national laboratory accelerator facilities,
infrastructure, and technology for users and developers of
accelerators that advance applications in energy and the
environment, medicine, industry, national security, and
discovery science.
(f) International Collaboration.--The Director, as
practicable and in coordination with other appropriate
Federal agencies as necessary, shall ensure the access of
United States researchers to the most advanced accelerator
facilities and research capabilities in the world, including
the Large Hadron Collider.
SEC. 505. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program of
research, development, and demonstration in the areas of
biological systems science and climate and environmental
science to support the energy and environmental missions of
the Department.
(b) Priority Research.--In carrying out this section, the
Director shall prioritize fundamental research on biological
systems and genomics science with the greatest potential to
enable scientific discovery.
(c) Assessment.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a
report to Congress identifying climate science-related
initiatives under this section that overlap or duplicate
initiatives of other Federal agencies and the extent of such
overlap or duplication.
(d) Limitation.--The Director shall not approve new climate
science-related initiatives to be carried out through the
Office of Science without making a determination that such
work is unique and not duplicative of work by other Federal
agencies. Not later than 3 months after receiving the
assessment required under subsection (c), the Director shall
cease those climate science-related initiatives identified in
the assessment as overlapping or duplicative, unless the
Director justifies that such work is critical to achieving
American energy security.
(e) Low Dose Radiation Research Program.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the Department of Energy
Office of Science shall carry out a research program on low
dose radiation. The purpose of the program is to enhance the
scientific understanding of and reduce uncertainties
associated with the effects of exposure to low dose radiation
in order to inform improved risk management methods.
(2) Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an
agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study
assessing the current status and development of a long-term
strategy for low dose radiation research. Such study shall be
completed not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act. The study shall be conducted in
coordination with Federal agencies that perform ionizing
radiation effects research and shall leverage the most
current studies in this field. Such study shall--
(A) identify current scientific challenges for
understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation;
(B) assess the status of current low dose radiation
research in the United States and internationally;
(C) formulate overall scientific goals for the future of
low-dose radiation research in the United States;
(D) recommend a long-term strategic and prioritized
research agenda to address scientific research goals for
overcoming the identified scientific challenges in
coordination with other research efforts;
(E) define the essential components of a research program
that would address this research agenda within the
universities and the National Laboratories; and
(F) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such a
program.
(3) Research plan.--Not later than 90 days after the
completion of the study performed under paragraph (2) the
Secretary of Energy
[[Page H3438]]
shall deliver to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 5-year
research plan that responds to the study's findings and
recommendations and identifies and prioritizes research
needs.
(4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``low dose
radiation'' means a radiation dose of less than 100
millisieverts.
(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall
be construed to subject any research carried out by the
Director under the research program under this subsection to
any limitations described in section 977(e) of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16317(e)).
SEC. 506. FUSION ENERGY.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a fusion energy
sciences research program to expand the fundamental
understanding of plasmas and matter at very high temperatures
and densities and to build the scientific foundation
necessary to enable fusion power.
(b) Fusion Materials Research and Development.--As part of
the activities authorized in section 978 of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16318)--
(1) the Director, in coordination with the Assistant
Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the Department, shall carry
out research and development activities to identify,
characterize, and demonstrate materials that can endure the
neutron, plasma, and heat fluxes expected in a fusion power
system; and
(2) the Secretary shall--
(A) provide an assessment of the need for a facility or
facilities that can examine and test potential fusion and
next generation fission materials and other enabling
technologies relevant to the development of fusion power; and
(B) provide an assessment of whether a single new facility
that substantially addresses magnetic fusion and next
generation fission materials research needs is feasible, in
conjunction with the expected capabilities of facilities
operational as of the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Tokamak Research and Development.--
(1) In general.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall support research and
development activities and facility operations to optimize
the tokamak approach to fusion energy.
(2) ITER.--
(A) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report providing an assessment of--
(i) the most recent schedule for ITER that has been
approved by the ITER Council; and
(ii) progress of the ITER Council and the ITER Director
General toward implementation of the recommendations of the
Third Biennial International Organization Management
Assessment Report.
(B) Fairness in competition for solicitations for
international project activities.--Section 33 of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended by adding at
the end the following: ``For purposes of this section, with
respect to international research projects, the term `private
facilities or laboratories' shall refer to facilities or
laboratories located in the United States.''.
(C) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the United States should support a robust, diverse fusion
program. It is further the sense of Congress that developing
the scientific basis for fusion, providing research results
key to the success of ITER, and training the next generation
of fusion scientists are of critical importance to the United
States and should in no way be diminished by participation of
the United States in the ITER project.
(d) Inertial Fusion Energy Research and Development
Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a program of research
and technology development in inertial fusion for energy
applications, including ion beam, laser, and pulsed power
fusion systems.
(e) Alternative and Enabling Concepts.--
(1) In general.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall support research and
development activities and facility operations at United
States universities, national laboratories, and private
facilities for a portfolio of alternative and enabling fusion
energy concepts that may provide solutions to significant
challenges to the establishment of a commercial magnetic
fusion power plant, prioritized based on the ability of the
United States to play a leadership role in the international
fusion research community. Fusion energy concepts and
activities explored under this paragraph may include--
(A) high magnetic field approaches facilitated by high
temperature superconductors;
(B) advanced stellarator concepts;
(C) non-tokamak confinement configurations operating at low
magnetic fields;
(D) magnetized target fusion energy concepts;
(E) liquid metals to address issues associated with fusion
plasma interactions with the inner wall of the encasing
device;
(F) immersion blankets for heat management and fuel
breeding;
(G) advanced scientific computing activities; and
(H) other promising fusion energy concepts identified by
the Director.
(2) Coordination with arpa-e.--The Under Secretary and the
Director shall coordinate with the Director of the Advanced
Research Projects Agency-Energy (in this paragraph referred
to as ``ARPA-E'') to--
(A) assess the potential for any fusion energy project
supported by ARPA-E to represent a promising approach to a
commercially viable fusion power plant;
(B) determine whether the results of any fusion energy
project supported by ARPA-E merit the support of follow-on
research activities carried out by the Office of Science; and
(C) avoid unintentional duplication of activities.
(f) General Plasma Science and Applications.--Not later
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall provide to Congress an assessment of
opportunities in which the United States can provide world-
leading contributions to advancing plasma science and non-
fusion energy applications, and identify opportunities for
partnering with other Federal agencies both within and
outside of the Department of Energy.
(g) Identification of Priorities.--
(1) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to
Congress a report on the Department's proposed fusion energy
research and development activities over the following 10
years under at least 3 realistic budget scenarios, including
a scenario based on 3 percent annual growth in the non-ITER
portion of the budget for fusion energy research and
development activities. The report shall--
(A) identify specific areas of fusion energy research and
enabling technology development in which the United States
can and should establish or solidify a lead in the global
fusion energy development effort;
(B) identify priorities for initiation of facility
construction and facility decommissioning under each of those
scenarios; and
(C) assess the ability of the United States fusion
workforce to carry out the activities identified in
subparagraphs (A) and (B), including the adequacy of college
and university programs to train the leaders and workers of
the next generation of fusion energy researchers.
(2) Process.--In order to develop the report required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall leverage best practices
and lessons learned from the process used to develop the most
recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization
Panel of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. No member of
the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee shall be
excluded from participating in developing or voting on final
approval of the report required under paragraph (1).
SEC. 507. NUCLEAR PHYSICS.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program of
experimental and theoretical research, and support associated
facilities, to discover, explore, and understand all forms of
nuclear matter.
(b) Isotope Development and Production for Research
Applications.--The Director shall carry out a program for the
production of isotopes, including the development of
techniques to produce isotopes, that the Secretary determines
are needed for research, medical, industrial, or other
purposes. In making this determination, the Secretary shall--
(1) ensure that, as has been the policy of the United
States since the publication in 1965 of Federal Register
notice 30 Fed. Reg. 3247, isotope production activities do
not compete with private industry unless critical national
interests necessitate the Federal Government's involvement;
(2) ensure that activities undertaken pursuant to this
section, to the extent practicable, promote the growth of a
robust domestic isotope production industry; and
(3) consider any relevant recommendations made by Federal
advisory committees, the National Academies, and interagency
working groups in which the Department participates.
SEC. 508. SCIENCE LABORATORIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program to
improve the safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of
infrastructure at Office of Science laboratories. The program
shall include projects to--
(1) renovate or replace space that does not meet research
needs;
(2) replace facilities that are no longer cost effective to
renovate or operate;
(3) modernize utility systems to prevent failures and
ensure efficiency;
(4) remove excess facilities to allow safe and efficient
operations; and
(5) construct modern facilities to conduct advanced
research in controlled environmental conditions.
(b) Approach.--In carrying out this section, the Director
shall utilize all available approaches and mechanisms,
including capital line items, minor construction projects,
energy savings performance contracts, utility energy service
contracts, alternative financing, and expense funding, as
appropriate.
SEC. 509. DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report on the current ability of
domestic manufacturers to meet the procurement requirements
for major ongoing projects funded by the Office of Science of
the Department, including a calculation of the percentage of
equipment acquired from domestic manufacturers for this
purpose.
SEC. 510. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Science for
fiscal year 2016 $5,339,800,000, of which--
(1) $1,850,000,000 shall be for Basic Energy Science;
(2) $788,000,000 shall be for High Energy Physics;
(3) $550,000,000 shall be for Biological and Environmental
Research;
(4) $624,700,000 shall be for Nuclear Physics;
(5) $621,000,000 shall be for Advanced Scientific Computing
Research;
(6) $488,000,000 shall be for Fusion Energy Sciences;
[[Page H3439]]
(7) $113,600,000 shall be for Science Laboratories
Infrastructure;
(8) $181,000,000 shall be for Science Program Direction;
(9) $103,000,000 shall be for Safeguards and Security; and
(10) $20,500,000 shall be for Workforce Development for
Teachers and Scientists.
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for the Office of Science for
fiscal year 2017 $5,339,800,000, of which--
(1) $1,850,000,000 shall be for Basic Energy Science;
(2) $788,000,000 shall be for High Energy Physics;
(3) $550,000,000 shall be for Biological and Environmental
Research;
(4) $624,700,000 shall be for Nuclear Physics;
(5) $621,000,000 shall be for Advanced Scientific Computing
Research;
(6) $488,000,000 shall be for Fusion Energy Sciences;
(7) $113,600,000 shall be for Science Laboratories
Infrastructure;
(8) $181,000,000 shall be for Science Program Direction;
(9) $103,000,000 shall be for Safeguards and Security; and
(10) $20,500,000 shall be for Workforce Development for
Teachers and Scientists.
SEC. 511. DEFINITIONS.
In this title--
(1) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy;
(2) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the Office
of Science of the Department; and
(3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Subtitle A--Crosscutting Research and Development
SEC. 601. CROSSCUTTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Crosscutting Research and Development.--The Secretary
shall, through the Under Secretary for Science and Energy,
utilize the capabilities of the Department to identify
strategic opportunities for collaborative research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application of
innovative science and technologies for--
(1) advancing the understanding of the energy-water-land
use nexus;
(2) modernizing the electric grid by improving energy
transmission and distribution systems security and
resiliency;
(3) utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide in electric
power generation;
(4) subsurface technology and engineering;
(5) high performance computing;
(6) cybersecurity; and
(7) critical challenges identified through comprehensive
energy studies, evaluations, and reviews.
(b) Crosscutting Approaches.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Secretary shall seek to leverage existing
programs, and consolidate and coordinate activities,
throughout the Department to promote collaboration and
crosscutting approaches within programs.
(c) Additional Actions.--The Secretary shall--
(1) prioritize activities that promote the utilization of
all affordable domestic resources;
(2) develop a rigorous and realistic planning, evaluation,
and technical assessment framework for setting objective,
long-term strategic goals and evaluating progress that
ensures the integrity and independence to insulate planning
from political influence and the flexibility to adapt to
market dynamics;
(3) ensure that activities shall be undertaken in a manner
that does not duplicate other activities within the
Department or other Federal Government activities; and
(4) identify programs that may be more effectively left to
the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations,
institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.
SEC. 602. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND
COORDINATION PLAN.
Section 994 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16358)
is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 994. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND
COORDINATION PLAN.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall periodically review
all of the science and technology activities of the
Department in a strategic framework that takes into account
the frontiers of science to which the Department can
contribute, the national needs relevant to the Department's
statutory missions, and global energy dynamics.
``(b) Coordination Analysis and Plan.--As part of the
review under subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop a
plan to improve coordination and collaboration in research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application
activities across Department organizational boundaries.
``(c) Plan Contents.--The plan shall describe--
``(1) cross-cutting scientific and technical issues and
research questions that span more than one program or major
office of the Department;
``(2) how the applied technology programs of the Department
are coordinating their activities, and addressing those
questions;
``(3) ways in which the technical interchange within the
Department, particularly between the Office of Science and
the applied technology programs, can be enhanced, including
limited ways in which the research agendas of the Office of
Science and the applied programs can better interact and
assist each other;
``(4) a description of how the Secretary will ensure that
the Department's overall research agenda include, in addition
to fundamental, curiosity-driven research, fundamental
research related to topics of concern to the applied
programs, and applications in Departmental technology
programs of research results generated by fundamental,
curiosity-driven research;
``(5) critical assessments of any ongoing programs that
have experienced sub-par performance or cost over-runs of 10
percent or more over one or more years; and
``(6) activities that may be more effectively left to the
States, industry, nongovernmental organizations, institutions
of higher education, or other stakeholders.
``(d) Plan Transmittal.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
of 2015, and every 4 years thereafter, the Secretary shall
transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate the results of the review
under subsection (a) and the coordination plan under
subsection (b).''.
SEC. 603. STRATEGY FOR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) Amendments.--Section 993 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16357) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``STRATEGY FOR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``2008'' and
inserting ``2018''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The item relating to
section 993 in the table of contents of the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 993. Strategy for facilities and infrastructure.''.
Subtitle B--Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and
Development
SEC. 611. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.
Section 921 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16211) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 921. DISTRIBUTED ENERGY AND ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out programs
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application on distributed energy resources and systems
reliability and efficiency, to improve the reliability and
efficiency of distributed energy resources and systems,
integrating advanced energy technologies with grid
connectivity, including activities described in this
subtitle. The programs shall address advanced energy
technologies and systems and advanced grid security,
resiliency, and reliability technologies.
``(b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Secretary shall seek to--
``(1) leverage existing programs;
``(2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the
Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting
approaches;
``(3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that
does not duplicate other activities within the Department or
other Federal Government activities; and
``(4) identify programs that may be more effectively left
to the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations,
institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.''.
SEC. 612. ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Amendments.--Section 925 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16215) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT'';
(2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a
comprehensive research, development, and demonstration
program to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and
environmental integrity of electrical transmission and
distribution systems, which shall include innovations for--
``(1) advanced energy delivery technologies, energy storage
technologies, materials, and systems;
``(2) advanced grid reliability and efficiency technology
development;
``(3) technologies contributing to significant load
reductions;
``(4) advanced metering, load management, and control
technologies;
``(5) technologies to enhance existing grid components;
``(6) the development and use of high-temperature
superconductors to--
``(A) enhance the reliability, operational flexibility, or
power-carrying capability of electric transmission or
distribution systems; or
``(B) increase the efficiency of electric energy
generation, transmission, distribution, or storage systems;
``(7) integration of power systems, including systems to
deliver high-quality electric power, electric power
reliability, and combined heat and power;
``(8) supply of electricity to the power grid by small
scale, distributed, and residential-based power generators;
``(9) the development and use of advanced grid design,
operation, and planning tools; and
``(10) any other infrastructure technologies, as
appropriate.''; and
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
``(c) Implementation.--
``(1) Consortium.--The Secretary shall consider
implementing the program under this section using a
consortium of participants from industry, institutions of
higher education, and National Laboratories.
``(2) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable the
Secretary shall seek to--
``(A) leverage existing programs;
``(B) consolidate and coordinate activities, throughout the
Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting
approaches;
[[Page H3440]]
``(C) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that
does not duplicate other activities within the Department or
other Federal Government activities; and
``(D) identify programs that may be more effectively left
to the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations,
institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The item relating to
section 925 in the table of contents of the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 925. Electric transmission and distribution research and
development.''.
Subtitle C--Nuclear Energy Research and Development
SEC. 621. OBJECTIVES.
Section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16271) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of
civilian nuclear energy research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application, including activities described in
this subtitle. Such programs shall take into consideration
the following objectives:
``(1) Enhancing nuclear power's viability as part of the
United States energy portfolio.
``(2) Reducing used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste products
generated by civilian nuclear energy.
``(3) Supporting technological advances in areas that
industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of
technical and financial uncertainty.
``(4) Providing the technical means to reduce the
likelihood of nuclear proliferation.
``(5) Maintaining a cadre of nuclear scientists and
engineers.
``(6) Maintaining National Laboratory and university
nuclear programs, including their infrastructure.
``(7) Supporting both individual researchers and
multidisciplinary teams of researchers to pioneer new
approaches in nuclear energy, science, and technology.
``(8) Developing, planning, constructing, acquiring, and
operating special equipment and facilities for the use of
researchers.
``(9) Supporting technology transfer and other appropriate
activities to assist the nuclear energy industry, and other
users of nuclear science and engineering, including
activities addressing reliability, availability,
productivity, component aging, safety, and security of
nuclear power plants.
``(10) Reducing the environmental impact of nuclear energy-
related activities.
``(11) Researching and developing technologies and
processes to meet Federal and State requirements and
standards for nuclear power systems.'';
(2) by striking subsections (b) through (d); and
(3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (b).
SEC. 622. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES STUDY.
Section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16271) is further amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
``(c) Program Objectives Study.--In furtherance of the
program objectives listed in subsection (a) of this section,
the Government Accountability Office shall, within one year
after the date of enactment of this subsection, transmit to
the Congress a report on the results of a study on the
scientific and technical merit of major Federal and State
requirements and standards, including moratoria, that delay
or impede the further development and commercialization of
nuclear power, and how the Department can assist in
overcoming such delays or impediments.''.
SEC. 623. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16272) is amended by striking subsections (c) through (e) and
inserting the following:
``(c) Reactor Concepts.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application to advance nuclear power systems as well as
technologies to sustain currently deployed systems.
``(2) Designs and technologies.--In conducting the program
under this subsection, the Secretary shall examine advanced
reactor designs and nuclear technologies, including those
that--
``(A) have higher efficiency, lower cost, and improved
safety compared to reactors in operation as of the date of
enactment of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2015;
``(B) utilize passive safety features;
``(C) minimize proliferation risks;
``(D) substantially reduce production of high-level waste
per unit of output;
``(E) increase the life and sustainability of reactor
systems currently deployed;
``(F) use improved instrumentation;
``(G) are capable of producing large-scale quantities of
hydrogen or process heat;
``(H) minimize water usage or use alternatives to water as
a cooling mechanism; or
``(I) use nuclear energy as part of an integrated energy
system.
``(3) International cooperation.--In carrying out the
program under this subsection, the Secretary shall seek
opportunities to enhance the progress of the program through
international cooperation through such organizations as the
Generation IV International Forum or any other international
collaboration the Secretary considers appropriate.
``(4) Exceptions.--No funds authorized to be appropriated
to carry out the activities described in this subsection
shall be used to fund the activities authorized under
sections 641 through 645.''.
SEC. 624. SMALL MODULAR REACTOR PROGRAM.
Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16272) is further amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
``(d) Small Modular Reactor Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a small
modular reactor program to promote research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application of small modular
reactors, including through cost-shared projects for
commercial application of reactor systems designs.
``(2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with and
utilize the expertise of the Secretary of the Navy in
establishing and carrying out such program.
``(3) Additional activities.--Activities may also include
development of advanced computer modeling and simulation
tools, by Federal and non-Federal entities, which demonstrate
and validate new design capabilities of innovative small
modular reactor designs.
``(4) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, the
term `small modular reactor' means a nuclear reactor meeting
generally accepted industry standards--
``(A) with a rated capacity of less than 300 electrical
megawatts;
``(B) with respect to which most parts can be factory
assembled and shipped as modules to a reactor plant site for
assembly; and
``(C) that can be constructed and operated in combination
with similar reactors at a single site.''.
SEC. 625. FUEL CYCLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Amendments.--Section 953 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16273) is amended--
(1) in the section heading by striking ``ADVANCED FUEL
CYCLE INITIATIVE'' and inserting ``fuel cycle research and
development'';
(2) by striking subsection (a);
(3) by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as
subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and
(4) by inserting before subsection (d), as so redesignated
by paragraph (3) of this subsection, the following new
subsections:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a fuel cycle
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application program (referred to in this section as the
`program') on fuel cycle options that improve uranium
resource utilization, maximize energy generation, minimize
nuclear waste creation, improve safety, mitigate risk of
proliferation, and improve waste management in support of a
national strategy for spent nuclear fuel and the reactor
concepts research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application program under section 952(c).
``(b) Fuel Cycle Options.--Under this section the Secretary
may consider implementing the following initiatives:
``(1) Open cycle.--Developing fuels, including the use of
nonuranium materials and alternate claddings, for use in
reactors that increase energy generation, improve safety
performance and margins, and minimize the amount of nuclear
waste produced in an open fuel cycle.
``(2) Recycle.--Developing advanced recycling technologies,
including advanced reactor concepts to improve resource
utilization, reduce proliferation risks, and minimize
radiotoxicity, decay heat, and mass and volume of nuclear
waste to the greatest extent possible.
``(3) Advanced storage methods.--Developing advanced
storage technologies for both onsite and long-term storage
that substantially prolong the effective life of current
storage devices or that substantially improve upon existing
nuclear waste storage technologies and methods, including
repositories.
``(4) Fast test reactor.--Investigating the potential
research benefits of a fast test reactor user facility to
conduct experiments on fuels and materials related to fuel
forms and fuel cycles that will increase fuel utilization,
reduce proliferation risks, and reduce nuclear waste
products.
``(5) Advanced reactor innovation.--Developing an advanced
reactor innovation testbed where national laboratories,
universities, and industry can address advanced reactor
design challenges to enable construction and operation of
privately funded reactor prototypes to resolve technical
uncertainty for United States-based designs for future
domestic and international markets.
``(6) Other technologies.--Developing any other technology
or initiative that the Secretary determines is likely to
advance the objectives of the program.
``(c) Additional Advanced Recycling and Crosscutting
Activities.--In addition to and in support of the specific
initiatives described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of
subsection (b), the Secretary may support the following
activities:
``(1) Development and testing of integrated process flow
sheets for advanced nuclear fuel recycling processes.
``(2) Research to characterize the byproducts and waste
streams resulting from fuel recycling processes.
``(3) Research and development on reactor concepts or
transmutation technologies that improve resource utilization
or reduce the radiotoxicity of waste streams.
``(4) Research and development on waste treatment processes
and separations technologies, advanced waste forms, and
quantification of proliferation risks.
``(5) Identification and evaluation of test and
experimental facilities necessary to successfully implement
the advanced fuel cycle initiative.
``(6) Advancement of fuel cycle-related modeling and
simulation capabilities.
``(7) Research to understand the behavior of high-burnup
fuels.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The item relating to section 953
in the table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is
amended to read as follows:
[[Page H3441]]
``Sec. 953. Fuel cycle research and development.''.
SEC. 626. NUCLEAR ENERGY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.
(a) Amendment.--Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
``SEC. 958. NUCLEAR ENERGY ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a program to
support the integration of activities undertaken through the
reactor concepts research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application program under section 952(c) and the
fuel cycle research and development program under section
953, and support crosscutting nuclear energy concepts.
Activities commenced under this section shall be concentrated
on broadly applicable research and development focus areas.
``(b) Activities.--Activities conducted under this section
may include research involving--
``(1) advanced reactor materials;
``(2) advanced radiation mitigation methods;
``(3) advanced proliferation and security risk assessment
methods;
``(4) advanced sensors and instrumentation;
``(5) high performance computation modeling, including
multiphysics, multidimensional modeling simulation for
nuclear energy systems, and continued development of advanced
modeling simulation capabilities through national laboratory,
industry, and university partnerships for operations and
safety performance improvements of light water reactors for
currently deployed and near-term reactors and advanced
reactors and for the development of small modular reactors;
and
``(6) any crosscutting technology or transformative concept
aimed at establishing substantial and revolutionary
enhancements in the performance of future nuclear energy
systems that the Secretary considers relevant and appropriate
to the purpose of this section.
``(c) Report.--The Secretary shall submit, as part of the
annual budget submission of the Department, a report on the
activities of the program conducted under this section, which
shall include a brief evaluation of each activity's
progress.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by adding at the end of
the items for subtitle E of title IX the following new item:
``Sec. 958. Nuclear energy enabling technologies.''.
SEC. 627. TECHNICAL STANDARDS COLLABORATION.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall establish a nuclear energy
standards committee (in this section referred to as the
``technical standards committee'') to facilitate and support,
consistent with the National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act of 1995, the development or revision of
technical standards for new and existing nuclear power plants
and advanced nuclear technologies.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The technical standards committee shall
include representatives from appropriate Federal agencies and
the private sector, and be open to materially affected
organizations involved in the development or application of
nuclear energy-related standards.
(2) Co-chairs.--The technical standards committee shall be
co-chaired by a representative from the National Institute of
Standards and Technology and a representative from a private
sector standards organization.
(c) Duties.--The technical standards committee shall, in
cooperation with appropriate Federal agencies--
(1) perform a needs assessment to identify and evaluate the
technical standards that are needed to support nuclear
energy, including those needed to support new and existing
nuclear power plants and advanced nuclear technologies,
including developing the technical basis for regulatory
frameworks for advanced reactors;
(2) formulate, coordinate, and recommend priorities for the
development of new technical standards and the revision of
existing technical standards to address the needs identified
under paragraph (1);
(3) facilitate and support collaboration and cooperation
among standards developers to address the needs and
priorities identified under paragraphs (1) and (2);
(4) as appropriate, coordinate with other national,
regional, or international efforts on nuclear energy-related
technical standards in order to avoid conflict and
duplication and to ensure global compatibility; and
(5) promote the establishment and maintenance of a database
of nuclear energy-related technical standards.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To the extent
provided for in advance by appropriations Acts, the Secretary
may transfer to the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology not to exceed $1,000,000 for fiscal
year 2016 for the Secretary of Commerce to carry out this
section from amounts appropriated for nuclear energy research
and development within the Nuclear Energy Enabling
Technologies account for the Department.
SEC. 628. AVAILABLE FACILITIES DATABASE.
The Secretary shall prepare a database of non-Federal user
facilities receiving Federal funds that may be used for
unclassified nuclear energy research. The Secretary shall
make this database accessible on the Department's website.
SEC. 629. NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL.
To the extent consistent with the requirements of current
law, the Department shall be responsible for disposal of
high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel generated
by reactors under the programs authorized in this subtitle,
or the amendments made by this subtitle.
Subtitle D--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research and
Development
SEC. 641. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
Section 911 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16191) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 911. ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
``(a) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of
energy efficiency research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application, including activities described in
this subtitle. Such programs shall prioritize activities that
industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of
technical challenges or regulatory uncertainty, and take into
consideration the following objectives:
``(1) Increasing energy efficiency.
``(2) Reducing the cost of energy.
``(3) Reducing the environmental impact of energy-related
activities.
``(b) Programs.--Programs under this subtitle shall include
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application of--
``(1) innovative, affordable technologies to improve the
energy efficiency and environmental performance of vehicles,
including weight and drag reduction technologies,
technologies, modeling, and simulation for increasing vehicle
connectivity and automation, and whole-vehicle design
optimization;
``(2) cost-effective technologies, for new construction and
retrofit, to improve the energy efficiency and environmental
performance of buildings, using a whole-buildings approach;
``(3) advanced technologies to improve the energy
efficiency, environmental performance, and process efficiency
of energy-intensive and waste-intensive industries;
``(4) technologies to improve the energy efficiency of
appliances and mechanical systems for buildings in extreme
climates, including cogeneration, trigeneration, and
polygeneration units;
``(5) advanced battery technologies; and
``(6) fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.''.
SEC. 642. NEXT GENERATION LIGHTING INITIATIVE.
Section 912 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16192) and the item relating thereto in the table of contents
of that Act are repealed.
SEC. 643. BUILDING STANDARDS.
Section 914 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16194) is amended by striking subsection (c).
SEC. 644. SECONDARY ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY USE PROGRAM.
Section 915 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16195) and the item relating thereto in the table of contents
of that Act are repealed.
SEC. 645. NETWORK FOR MANUFACTURING INNOVATION PROGRAM.
To the extent provided for in advance by appropriations
Acts, the Secretary may transfer to the National Institute of
Standards and Technology up to $150,000,000 for the period
encompassing fiscal years 2015 through 2017 from amounts
appropriated for advanced manufacturing research and
development under this subtitle (and the amendments made by
this subtitle) for the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the
Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program authorized under
section 34 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
SEC. 646. ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS.
Section 917 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16197) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2)(B);
(B) by striking ``; and'' at the end of paragraph (3) and
inserting a period; and
(C) by striking paragraph (4);
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking paragraph (1);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (5) as
paragraphs (1) through (4), respectively; and
(C) by striking paragraph (6);
(3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
``(g) Prohibition.--None of the funds awarded under this
section may be used for the construction of facilities or the
deployment of commercially available technologies.''; and
(4) by striking subsection (i).
SEC. 647. RENEWABLE ENERGY.
Section 931 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16231) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 931. RENEWABLE ENERGY.
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Objectives.--The Secretary shall conduct programs of
renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application, including activities described in
this subtitle. Such programs shall prioritize discovery
research and development and take into consideration the
following objectives:
``(A) Increasing the conversion efficiency of all forms of
renewable energy through improved technologies.
``(B) Decreasing the cost of renewable energy generation
and delivery.
``(C) Promoting the diversity of the energy supply.
``(D) Decreasing the dependence of the United States on
foreign mineral resources.
``(E) Decreasing the environmental impact of renewable
energy-related activities.
``(F) Increasing the export of renewable generation
technologies from the United States.
``(2) Programs.--
``(A) Solar energy.--The Secretary shall conduct a program
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application for solar energy, including innovations in--
[[Page H3442]]
``(i) photovoltaics;
``(ii) solar heating;
``(iii) concentrating solar power;
``(iv) lighting systems that integrate sunlight and
electrical lighting in complement to each other; and
``(v) development of technologies that can be easily
integrated into new and existing buildings.
``(B) Wind energy.--The Secretary shall conduct a program
of research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application for wind energy, including innovations in--
``(i) low speed wind energy;
``(ii) testing and verification technologies;
``(iii) distributed wind energy generation; and
``(iv) transformational technologies for harnessing wind
energy.
``(C) Geothermal.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application for geothermal energy, including technologies
for--
``(i) improving detection of geothermal resources;
``(ii) decreasing drilling costs;
``(iii) decreasing maintenance costs through improved
materials;
``(iv) increasing the potential for other revenue sources,
such as mineral production; and
``(v) increasing the understanding of reservoir life cycle
and management.
``(D) Hydropower.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application for technologies that enable the development of
new and incremental hydropower capacity, including:
``(i) Advanced technologies to enhance environmental
performance and yield greater energy efficiencies.
``(ii) Ocean energy, including wave energy.
``(E) Miscellaneous projects.--The Secretary shall conduct
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application programs for--
``(i) the combined use of renewable energy technologies
with one another and with other energy technologies,
including the combined use of renewable power and fossil
technologies;
``(ii) renewable energy technologies for cogeneration of
hydrogen and electricity; and
``(iii) kinetic hydro turbines.
``(b) Rural Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out this
section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture, shall give priority to demonstrations that
assist in delivering electricity to rural and remote
locations including--
``(1) advanced renewable power technology, including
combined use with fossil technologies;
``(2) biomass; and
``(3) geothermal energy systems.
``(c) Analysis and Evaluation.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct analysis and
evaluation in support of the renewable energy programs under
this subtitle. These activities shall be used to guide budget
and program decisions, and shall include--
``(A) economic and technical analysis of renewable energy
potential, including resource assessment;
``(B) analysis of past program performance, both in terms
of technical advances and in market introduction of renewable
energy;
``(C) assessment of domestic and international market
drivers, including the impacts of any Federal, State, or
local grants, loans, loan guarantees, tax incentives,
statutory or regulatory requirements, or other government
initiatives; and
``(D) any other analysis or evaluation that the Secretary
considers appropriate.
``(2) Funding.--The Secretary may designate up to 1 percent
of the funds appropriated for carrying out this subtitle for
analysis and evaluation activities under this subsection.
``(3) Submittal to congress.--This analysis and evaluation
shall be submitted to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate at least 30
days before each annual budget request is submitted to
Congress.''.
SEC. 648. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.
Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16232) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 932. BIOENERGY PROGRAM.
``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application for bioenergy, including innovations in--
``(1) biopower energy systems;
``(2) biofuels;
``(3) bioproducts;
``(4) integrated biorefineries that may produce biopower,
biofuels, and bioproducts; and
``(5) cross-cutting research and development in feedstocks.
``(b) Biofuels and Bioproducts.--The goals of the biofuels
and bioproducts programs shall be to develop, in partnership
with industry and institutions of higher education--
``(1) advanced biochemical and thermochemical conversion
technologies capable of making fuels from lignocellulosic
feedstocks that are price-competitive with fossil-based fuels
and fully compatible with either internal combustion engines
or fuel cell-powered vehicles;
``(2) advanced conversion of biomass to biofuels and
bioproducts as part of integrated biorefineries based on
either biochemical processes, thermochemical processes, or
hybrids of these processes; and
``(3) other advanced processes that will enable the
development of cost-effective bioproducts, including
biofuels.
``(c) Retrofit Technologies for the Development of Ethanol
From Cellulosic Materials.--The Secretary shall establish a
program of research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application for technologies and processes to
enable biorefineries that exclusively use corn grain or corn
starch as a feedstock to produce ethanol to be retrofitted to
accept a range of biomass, including lignocellulosic
feedstocks.
``(d) Limitations.--None of the funds authorized for
carrying out this section may be used to fund commercial
biofuels production for defense purposes.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Biomass.--The term `biomass' means--
``(A) any organic material grown for the purpose of being
converted to energy;
``(B) any organic byproduct of agriculture (including
wastes from food production and processing) that can be
converted into energy; or
``(C) any waste material that can be converted to energy,
is segregated from other waste materials, and is derived
from--
``(i) any of the following forest-related resources: mill
residues, precommercial thinnings, slash, brush, or otherwise
nonmerchantable material;
``(ii) wood waste materials, including waste pallets,
crates, dunnage, manufacturing and construction wood wastes
(other than pressure-treated, chemically treated, or painted
wood wastes), and landscape or right-of-way tree trimmings,
but not including municipal solid waste, gas derived from the
biodegradation of municipal solid waste, or paper that is
commonly recycled; or
``(iii) solids derived from waste water treatment
processes.
``(2) Lignocellulosic feedstock.--The term `lignocellulosic
feedstock' means any portion of a plant or coproduct from
conversion, including crops, trees, forest residues, grasses,
and agricultural residues not specifically grown for food,
including from barley grain, grapeseed, rice bran, rice
hulls, rice straw, soybean matter, cornstover, and sugarcane
bagasse.''.
SEC. 649. CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER RESEARCH PROGRAM.
Section 934 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16234) and the item relating thereto in the table of contents
of that Act are repealed.
SEC. 650. RENEWABLE ENERGY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Section 935 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16235) and the item relating thereto in the table of contents
of that Act are repealed.
Subtitle E--Fossil Energy Research and Development
SEC. 661. FOSSIL ENERGY.
Section 961 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16291)
is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 961. FOSSIL ENERGY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application
programs in fossil energy, including activities under this
subtitle, with the goal of improving the efficiency,
effectiveness, and environmental performance of fossil energy
production, upgrading, conversion, and consumption. Such
programs shall take into consideration the following
objectives:
``(1) Increasing the energy conversion efficiency of all
forms of fossil energy through improved technologies.
``(2) Decreasing the cost of all fossil energy production,
generation, and delivery.
``(3) Promoting diversity of energy supply.
``(4) Decreasing the dependence of the United States on
foreign energy supplies.
``(5) Decreasing the environmental impact of energy-related
activities.
``(6) Increasing the export of fossil energy-related
equipment, technology, and services from the United States.
``(b) Objectives.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Secretary shall seek to--
``(1) leverage existing programs;
``(2) consolidate and coordinate activities throughout the
Department to promote collaboration and crosscutting
approaches;
``(3) ensure activities are undertaken in a manner that
does not duplicate other activities within the Department or
other Federal Government activities; and
``(4) identify programs that may be more effectively left
to the States, industry, nongovernmental organizations,
institutions of higher education, or other stakeholders.
``(c) Limitations.--
``(1) Uses.--None of the funds authorized for carrying out
this section may be used for Fossil Energy Environmental
Restoration.
``(2) Institutions of higher education.--Not less than 20
percent of the funds appropriated for carrying out section
964 of this Act for each fiscal year shall be dedicated to
research and development carried out at institutions of
higher education.
``(3) Use for regulatory assessments or determinations.--
The results of any research, development, demonstration, or
commercial application projects or activities of the
Department authorized under this subtitle may not be used for
regulatory assessments or determinations by Federal
regulatory authorities.
``(d) Assessments.--
``(1) Constraints against bringing resources to market.--
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary
shall transmit to Congress an assessment of the technical,
institutional, policy, and regulatory constraints to bringing
new domestic fossil resources to market.
``(2) Technology capabilities.--Not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to
Congress a long-term assessment of existing and projected
technological capabilities for expanded production from
domestic unconventional oil, gas, and methane reserves.''.
SEC. 662. COAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND
COMMERCIAL APPLICATION PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 962 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16292) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
[[Page H3443]]
(A) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(12) specific additional programs to address water use
and reuse;
``(13) the testing, including the construction of testing
facilities, of high temperature materials for use in advanced
systems for combustion or use of coal; and
``(14) innovations to application of existing coal
conversion systems designed to increase efficiency of
conversion, flexibility of operation, and other modifications
to address existing usage requirements.'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as
subsections (c) through (e), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Transformational Coal Technology Program.--
``(1) In general.--As part of the program established under
subsection (a), the Secretary may carry out a program
designed to undertake research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application of technologies, including the
accelerated development of--
``(A) chemical looping technology;
``(B) supercritical carbon dioxide power generation cycles;
``(C) pressurized oxycombustion, including new and retrofit
technologies; and
``(D) other technologies that are characterized by the use
of--
``(i) alternative energy cycles;
``(ii) thermionic devices using waste heat;
``(iii) fuel cells;
``(iv) replacement of chemical processes with
biotechnology;
``(v) nanotechnology;
``(vi) new materials in applications (other than extending
cycles to higher temperature and pressure), such as membranes
or ceramics;
``(vii) carbon utilization, such as in construction
materials, using low quality energy to reconvert back to a
fuel, or manufactured food;
``(viii) advanced gas separation concepts; and
``(ix) other technologies, including--
``(I) modular, manufactured components; and
``(II) innovative production or research techniques, such
as using 3-D printer systems, for the production of early
research and development prototypes.
``(2) Cost share.--In carrying out the program described in
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall enter into partnerships
with private entities to share the costs of carrying out the
program. The Secretary may reduce the non-Federal cost share
requirement if the Secretary determines that the reduction is
necessary and appropriate considering the technological risks
involved in the project.''; and
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated) by striking
paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--In carrying out programs authorized by
this section, the Secretary shall identify cost and
performance goals for coal-based technologies that would
permit the continued cost-competitive use of coal for the
production of electricity, chemical feedstocks,
transportation fuels, and other marketable products.''.
(b) Advisory Committee; Authorization of Appropriations.--
Section 963 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16293) is amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (6) of subsection (c) to read as
follows:
``(6) Advisory committee.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to undertake,
not less frequently than once every 3 years, a review and
prepare a report on the progress being made by the Department
of Energy to achieve the goals described in subsections (a)
and (b) of section 962 and subsection (b) of this section.
``(B) Membership requirements.--Members of the advisory
committee established under subparagraph (A) shall be
appointed by the Secretary.''; and
(2) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
``(d) Study of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall transmit to
Congress the results of a study to assess the cost and
feasibility of engineering, permitting, building,
maintaining, regulating, and insuring a national system of
carbon dioxide pipelines.''.
SEC. 663. HIGH EFFICIENCY GAS TURBINES RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, through the Office of
Fossil Energy, shall carry out a multiyear, multiphase
program of research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application to innovate technologies to maximize
the efficiency of gas turbines used in power generation
systems.
(b) Program Elements.--The program under this section
shall--
(1) support innovative engineering and detailed gas turbine
design for megawatt-scale and utility-scale electric power
generation, including--
(A) high temperature materials, including superalloys,
coatings, and ceramics;
(B) improved heat transfer capability;
(C) manufacturing technology required to construct complex
three-dimensional geometry parts with improved aerodynamic
capability;
(D) combustion technology to produce higher firing
temperature while lowering nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide
emissions per unit of output;
(E) advanced controls and systems integration;
(F) advanced high performance compressor technology; and
(G) validation facilities for the testing of components and
subsystems;
(2) include technology demonstration through component
testing, subscale testing, and full scale testing in existing
fleets;
(3) include field demonstrations of the developed
technology elements so as to demonstrate technical and
economic feasibility; and
(4) assess overall combined cycle and simple cycle system
performance.
(c) Program Goals.--The goals of the multiphase program
established under subsection (a) shall be--
(1) in phase I--
(A) to develop the conceptual design of advanced high
efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at least 62 percent
combined cycle efficiency or 47 percent simple cycle
efficiency on a lower heating value basis; and
(B) to develop and demonstrate the technology required for
advanced high efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at
least 62 percent combined cycle efficiency or 47 percent
simple cycle efficiency on a lower heating value basis; and
(2) in phase II, to develop the conceptual design for
advanced high efficiency gas turbines that can achieve at
least 65 percent combined cycle efficiency or 50 percent
simple cycle efficiency on a lower heating value basis.
(d) Proposals.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit grant and contract
proposals from industry, small businesses, universities, and
other appropriate parties for conducting activities under
this section. In selecting proposals, the Secretary shall
emphasize--
(1) the extent to which the proposal will stimulate the
creation or increased retention of jobs in the United States;
and
(2) the extent to which the proposal will promote and
enhance United States technology leadership.
(e) Competitive Awards.--The provision of funding under
this section shall be on a competitive basis with an emphasis
on technical merit.
(f) Cost Sharing.--Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to an award of financial
assistance made under this section.
Subtitle F--Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
SEC. 671. ARPA-E AMENDMENTS.
Section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538)
is amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (1) of subsection (c) to read as
follows:
``(1) In general.--The goals of ARPA-E shall be to enhance
the economic and energy security of the United States and to
ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead
through the development of advanced energy technologies.'';
(2) in subsection (i)(1), by inserting ``ARPA-E shall not
provide funding for a project unless the prospective grantee
demonstrates sufficient attempts to secure private financing
or indicates that the project is not independently
commercially viable.'' after ``relevant research agencies.'';
(3) in subsection (l)(1), by inserting ``and once every 6
years thereafter,'' after ``operation for 6 years,''; and
(4) by redesignating subsection (n) as subsection (o) and
inserting after subsection (m) the following new subsection:
``(n) Protection of Proprietary Information.--
``(1) In general.--The following categories of information
collected by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
from recipients of financial assistance awards shall be
considered privileged and confidential and not subject to
disclosure pursuant to section 552 of title 5, United States
Code:
``(A) Plans for commercialization of technologies developed
under the award, including business plans, technology to
market plans, market studies, and cost and performance
models.
``(B) Investments provided to an awardee from third
parties, such as venture capital, hedge fund, or private
equity firms, including amounts and percentage of ownership
of the awardee provided in return for such investments.
``(C) Additional financial support that the awardee plans
to invest or has invested into the technology developed under
the award, or that the awardee is seeking from third parties.
``(D) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new products or
services resulting from the research conducted under the
award.
``(2) Effect of subsection.--Nothing in this subsection
affects--
``(A) the authority of the Secretary to use information
without publicly disclosing such information; or
``(B) the responsibility of the Secretary to transmit
information to Congress as required by law.''.
Subtitle G--Authorization of Appropriations
SEC. 681. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research
and Development.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary for research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application for electrical delivery and energy
reliability technology activities within the Office of
Electricity $113,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and
2017.
(b) Nuclear Energy.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary for research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application for nuclear energy technology
activities within the Office of Nuclear Energy $504,600,000
for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
(2) Limitation.--Any amounts made available pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) shall not
be derived from the Nuclear Waste Fund established under
section 302(c) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42
U.S.C. 10222(c)).
[[Page H3444]]
(c) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application for
energy efficiency and renewable energy technology activities
within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
$1,198,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
(d) Fossil Energy.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary for research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application for fossil energy technology
activities within the Office of Fossil Energy $605,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
(e) ARPA-E.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
$140,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
Subtitle H--Definitions
SEC. 691. DEFINITIONS.
In this title--
(1) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy;
and
(2) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.
TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Subtitle A--In General
SEC. 701. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(2) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
means a Department of Energy nonmilitary national laboratory,
including--
(A) Ames Laboratory;
(B) Argonne National Laboratory;
(C) Brookhaven National Laboratory;
(D) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory;
(E) Idaho National Laboratory;
(F) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory;
(G) National Energy Technology Laboratory;
(H) National Renewable Energy Laboratory;
(I) Oak Ridge National Laboratory;
(J) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory;
(K) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory;
(L) Savannah River National Laboratory;
(M) Stanford Linear Accelerator Center;
(N) Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility; and
(O) any laboratory operated by the National Nuclear
Security Administration, but only with respect to the
civilian energy activities thereof.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 702. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
Nothing in this title or an amendment made by this title
abrogates or otherwise affects the primary responsibilities
of any National Laboratory to the Department.
Subtitle B--Innovation Management at Department of Energy
SEC. 711. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND ENERGY.
(a) In General.--Section 202(b) of the Department of Energy
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7132(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' each place
it appears and inserting ``Under Secretary for Science and
Energy''; and
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
``(H) establish appropriate linkages between offices under
the jurisdiction of the Under Secretary; and
``(I) perform such functions and duties as the Secretary
shall prescribe, consistent with this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 3164(b)(1) of the Department of Energy Science
Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381a(b)(1)) is amended
by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and inserting
``Under Secretary for Science and Energy''.
(2) Section 641(h)(2) of the United States Energy Storage
Competitiveness Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(h)(2)) is
amended by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and
inserting ``Under Secretary for Science and Energy''.
SEC. 712. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRANSITIONS ASSESSMENT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report which shall include--
(1) an assessment of the Department's current ability to
carry out the goals of section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391), including an assessment of the
role and effectiveness of the Director of the Office of
Technology Transitions; and
(2) recommended departmental policy changes and legislative
changes to section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 16391) to improve the Department's ability to
successfully transfer new energy technologies to the private
sector.
SEC. 713. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary should
encourage the National Laboratories and federally funded
research and development centers to inform small businesses
of the opportunities and resources that exist pursuant to
this title.
SEC. 714. NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the National
Laboratories, relevant Federal agencies, and other
stakeholders, shall transmit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
report assessing the Department's capabilities to authorize,
host, and oversee privately funded fusion and non-light water
reactor prototypes and related demonstration facilities at
Department-owned sites. For purposes of this report, the
Secretary shall consider the Department's capabilities to
facilitate privately-funded prototypes up to 20 megawatts
thermal output. The report shall address the following:
(1) The Department's safety review and oversight
capabilities.
(2) Potential sites capable of hosting research,
development, and demonstration of prototype reactors and
related facilities for the purpose of reducing technical
risk.
(3) The Department's and National Laboratories' existing
physical and technical capabilities relevant to research,
development, and oversight.
(4) The efficacy of the Department's available contractual
mechanisms, including cooperative research and development
agreements, work for others agreements, and agreements for
commercializing technology.
(5) Potential cost structures related to physical security,
decommissioning, liability, and other long-term project
costs.
(6) Other challenges or considerations identified by the
Secretary, including issues related to potential cases of
demonstration reactors up to 2 gigawatts of thermal output.
Subtitle C--Cross-Sector Partnerships and Grant Competitiveness
SEC. 721. AGREEMENTS FOR COMMERCIALIZING TECHNOLOGY PILOT
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out the
Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program of
the Department, as announced by the Secretary on December 8,
2011, in accordance with this section.
(b) Terms.--Each agreement entered into pursuant to the
pilot program referred to in subsection (a) shall provide to
the contractor of the applicable National Laboratory, to the
maximum extent determined to be appropriate by the Secretary,
increased authority to negotiate contract terms, such as
intellectual property rights, payment structures, performance
guarantees, and multiparty collaborations.
(c) Eligibility.--
(1) In general.--Any director of a National Laboratory may
enter into an agreement pursuant to the pilot program
referred to in subsection (a).
(2) Agreements with non-federal entities.--To carry out
paragraph (1) and subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary
shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to
execute agreements with a non-Federal entity, including a
non-Federal entity already receiving Federal funding that
will be used to support activities under agreements executed
pursuant to paragraph (1), provided that such funding is
solely used to carry out the purposes of the Federal award.
(3) Restriction.--The requirements of chapter 18 of title
35, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Bayh-Dole
Act'') shall apply if--
(A) the agreement is a funding agreement (as that term is
defined in section 201 of that title); and
(B) at least 1 of the parties to the funding agreement is
eligible to receive rights under that chapter.
(d) Submission to Secretary.--Each affected director of a
National Laboratory shall submit to the Secretary, with
respect to each agreement entered into under this section--
(1) a summary of information relating to the relevant
project;
(2) the total estimated costs of the project;
(3) estimated commencement and completion dates of the
project; and
(4) other documentation determined to be appropriate by the
Secretary.
(e) Certification.--The Secretary shall require the
contractor of the affected National Laboratory to certify
that each activity carried out under a project for which an
agreement is entered into under this section--
(1) is not in direct competition with the private sector;
and
(2) does not present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict
of interest, and avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of
interest, as a result of the agreement under this section.
(f) Extension.--The pilot program referred to in subsection
(a) shall be extended until October 31, 2017.
(g) Reports.--
(1) Overall assessment.--Not later than 60 days after the
date described in subsection (f), the Secretary, in
coordination with directors of the National Laboratories,
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that--
(A) assesses the overall effectiveness of the pilot program
referred to in subsection (a);
(B) identifies opportunities to improve the effectiveness
of the pilot program;
(C) assesses the potential for program activities to
interfere with the responsibilities of the National
Laboratories to the Department; and
(D) provides a recommendation regarding the future of the
pilot program.
(2) Transparency.--The Secretary, in coordination with
directors of the National Laboratories, shall submit to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate an annual report that accounts for
all incidences of, and provides a justification for, non-
Federal entities using funds derived from a Federal contract
or award to carry out agreements pursuant to this section.
[[Page H3445]]
SEC. 722. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the
Secretary shall delegate to directors of the National
Laboratories signature authority with respect to any
agreement described in subsection (b) the total cost of which
(including the National Laboratory contributions and project
recipient cost share) is less than $1,000,000.
(b) Agreements.--Subsection (a) applies to--
(1) a cooperative research and development agreement;
(2) a non-Federal work-for-others agreement; and
(3) any other agreement determined to be appropriate by the
Secretary, in collaboration with the directors of the
National Laboratories.
(c) Administration.--
(1) Accountability.--The director of the affected National
Laboratory and the affected contractor shall carry out an
agreement under this section in accordance with applicable
policies of the Department, including by ensuring that the
agreement does not compromise any national security,
economic, or environmental interest of the United States.
(2) Certification.--The director of the affected National
Laboratory and the affected contractor shall certify that
each activity carried out under a project for which an
agreement is entered into under this section does not
present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict of interest, and
avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of interest, as a
result of the agreement under this section.
(3) Availability of records.--On entering an agreement
under this section, the director of a National Laboratory
shall submit to the Secretary for monitoring and review all
records of the National Laboratory relating to the agreement.
(4) Rates.--The director of a National Laboratory may
charge higher rates for services performed under a
partnership agreement entered into pursuant to this section,
regardless of the full cost of recovery, if such funds are
used exclusively to support further research and development
activities at the respective National Laboratory.
(d) Exception.--This section does not apply to any
agreement with a majority foreign-owned company.
(e) Conforming Amendment.--Section 12 of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting the
subparagraphs appropriately;
(B) by striking ``Each Federal agency'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
each Federal agency''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in
accordance with section 722(a) of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, approval by the Secretary of
Energy shall not be required for any technology transfer
agreement proposed to be entered into by a National
Laboratory of the Department of Energy, the total cost of
which (including the National Laboratory contributions and
project recipient cost share) is less than $1,000,000.''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection (a)(1)''
each place it appears and inserting ``subsection (a)(1)(A)''.
SEC. 723. INCLUSION OF EARLY-STAGE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION
IN AUTHORIZED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES.
Section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16391) is amended by--
(1) redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
(2) inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Early-Stage Technology Demonstration.--The Secretary
shall permit the directors of the National Laboratories to
use funds authorized to support technology transfer within
the Department to carry out early-stage and pre-commercial
technology demonstration activities to remove technology
barriers that limit private sector interest and demonstrate
potential commercial applications of any research and
technologies arising from National Laboratory activities.''.
SEC. 724. FUNDING COMPETITIVENESS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION AND OTHER NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS.
Section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16352(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Except as provided in
paragraphs (2) and (3)'' and inserting ``Except as provided
in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Exemption for institutions of higher education and
other nonprofit institutions.--
``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a
research or development activity performed by an institution
of higher education or nonprofit institution (as defined in
section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act
of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)).
``(B) Termination date.--The exemption under subparagraph
(A) shall apply during the 6-year period beginning on the
date of enactment of this paragraph.''.
SEC. 725. PARTICIPATION IN THE INNOVATION CORPS PROGRAM.
The Secretary may enter into an agreement with the Director
of the National Science Foundation to enable researchers
funded by the Department to participate in the National
Science Foundation Innovation Corps program.
Subtitle D--Assessment of Impact
SEC. 731. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
submit to Congress a report--
(1) describing the results of the projects developed under
sections 721, 722, and 723, including information regarding--
(A) partnerships initiated as a result of those projects
and the potential linkages presented by those partnerships
with respect to national priorities and other taxpayer-funded
research; and
(B) whether the activities carried out under those projects
result in--
(i) fiscal savings;
(ii) expansion of National Laboratory capabilities;
(iii) increased efficiency of technology transfers; or
(iv) an increase in general efficiency of the National
Laboratory system; and
(2) assess the scale, scope, efficacy, and impact of the
Department's efforts to promote technology transfer and
private sector engagement at the National Laboratories, and
make recommendations on how the Department can improve these
activities.
TITLE VIII--SENSE OF CONGRESS
SEC. 801. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that climate change is real.
The Acting CHAIR. No amendment to that amendment in the nature of a
substitute shall be in order except those printed in part A of House
Report 114-120. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order
printed in the report, by a Member designated in the report, shall be
considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the
report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent,
shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand
for division of the question.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Smith of Texas
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment made in order
under the rule.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 5, line 13, strike ``$834,800,000'' and insert
``$823,000,000''.
Page 5, line 15, strike ``$1,050,000,000'' and insert
``$1,038,000,000''.
Page 5, line 18, strike ``$1,034,000,000'' and insert
``$1,010,000,000''.
Page 6, line 6, strike ``$377,500,000'' and insert
``$425,300,000''.
Page 7, line 6, strike ``$834,800,000'' and insert
``$823,000,000''.
Page 7, line 8, strike ``$1,050,000,000'' and insert
``$1,038,000,000''.
Page 7, line 11, strike ``$1,034,000,000'' and insert
``$1,010,000,000''.
Page 7, line 24, strike ``$377,500,000'' and insert
``$425,300,000''.
Page 20, line 19, insert ``available'' after ``financial
resources''.
Page 21, lines 7 through 11, strike ``The Foundation shall
also require awardees to report the Foundation, within 30
days of receipt, any sources of non-Federal funds received in
excess of $50,000 during the award period.'' and insert ``The
Foundation shall also require awardees seeking subsequent
management fees to report to the Foundation, prior to the
consideration of such a request, any sources of non-Federal
funds received in excess of $100,000. This reporting shall
apply to the period following any initial management fee
award and for the consideration of any subsequent fee.''.
Page 21, line 20, strike ``Audits'' and insert ``Review''.
Page 21, line 21, insert ``or review'' after ``may audit''.
Page 21, line 22, strike ``paragraph'' and insert
``subsection''.
Page 22, line 13, insert ``or social activities'' after
``meals''.
Page 22, line 16, insert ``or FAR 31.205-22'' after ``2
C.F.R. 200.450''.
Page 29, line 20, strike ``and''.
Page 29, line 23, strike the period and insert ``; and''.
Page 29, after line 23, insert the following:
(K) efforts to effectively expand, broaden, or scale-up
existing activities or programs.
Page 65, line 23, insert ``, to be available to the extent
provided by appropriations Acts,'' after ``nonprofit
entities,''.
Page 76, line 9, insert ``government,'' after
``industry,''.
Page 91, line 16, insert ``, to be available to the extent
provided by appropriations Acts,'' after ``sector,''.
Page 132, line 19, strike ``and''.
Page 132, line 23, strike the period and insert ``; and''.
Page 132, after line 23, insert the following:
``(7) detailed proposals for innovation hubs, institutes,
and research centers prior to establishment or renewal by the
Department, including--
``(A) certification that all hubs, institutes, and research
centers will advance the mission of the Department, and
prioritize research, development, and demonstration;
``(B) certification that the establishment or renewal of
hubs, institutes, or research centers will not diminish funds
available for basic research and development within the
Office of Science; and
[[Page H3446]]
``(C) certification that all hubs, institutes, and research
centers established or renewed within the Office of Science
are consistent with the mission of the Office of Science as
described in section 209(c) of the Department of Energy
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139(c)).''.
Page 136, line 14, strike ``and'' the end of paragraph (9).
Page 136, line 15, redesignate paragraph (10) as paragraph
(11).
Page 136, after line 14, insert the following:
``(10) technologies to enhance security for electrical
transmission and distributions systems; and
Page 151, lines 9 through 14, strike section 629.
Page 180, line 20, through page 182, line 3, strike section
711.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Smith) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this manager's amendment makes some
changes to improve the underlying legislation.
The amendment shifts $48 million in funding within the research and
related activities account at the National Science Foundation. This is
at the request of Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science and Related
Agencies Subcommittee chairman, John Culberson of Texas, and provides
additional funding for integrative activities to keep it at the fiscal
year '15 level.
This account includes the Graduate Research Fellowship Program and
the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which will
be fully funded at this level.
The amendment directs the Department of Energy to develop
technologies to enhance security for electrical transmission and
distribution systems.
The amendment includes additional direction on the development of
hubs, innovation institutes, and research centers at the Department of
Energy.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in
opposition to this amendment, although I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized
for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
I appreciate that this amendment makes a few small improvements to
the bill, so I will not oppose it. However, I want to take a moment to
reflect on how this amendment demonstrates how flawed the process on
the majority's bill has been.
In this amendment, the chairman restores an arbitrary 11 percent cut
to the EPSCoR program, in addition to the prestigious NSF Graduate
Research Fellowship Program, scientific instrumentation for smaller
institutions that cannot afford their own, and interdisciplinary
research centers.
Even our colleagues on Appropriations prioritized full funding for
this account at NSF while they made steep cuts to other accounts.
It just happens that EPSCoR States overall are represented by many
more Republicans than Democrats; so, when the Science Committee
Republicans proposed cutting funding for the EPSCoR program by 11
percent, their caucus took notice.
If only the chairman had actually given the stakeholder community,
his colleagues, and the research and development agencies an
opportunity for a hearing or to see and respond or work in subcommittee
on it and respond to this bill before introducing it, we wouldn't have
had to fix all of these very big mistakes today.
I am glad the chairman is now restoring the cut to EPSCoR and the
other important programs in that account. I only wish he would have
listened to an overwhelming call by the stakeholder community and even
some of his own colleagues to restore the other arbitrary and
shortsighted cuts in this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have no other speakers on this
side, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment
at the desk as the designee of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Foster).
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 15, line 13, through page 17, line 9, strike section
106.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr.
Foster for his leadership on this important issue.
Section 106 exemplifies the majority's efforts to impose their own
personal beliefs and ideologies on the process of scientific discovery.
Colleagues, science is not about belief; it is about discovery and the
pursuit of questions about both the natural world and the human world.
We should hold NSF accountable, and NSF should hold its grantees
accountable. However, accountability should be measured according to
the transparency and integrity of the grant review process, not
according to what types of science some of us believe in and some
don't.
Had we imposed the section 106 requirement on NSF earlier, they may
have never funded the grant that led to billions in revenue from the
spectrum auction. They may never have funded the grant that the DOD now
uses to help train our soldiers on the front lines to differentiate
between friend and foe. They may never have funded the grant that led
to the creation of Google.
Chairman Smith has been investigating NSF grants he doesn't like
since he became chairman of this committee. The entire purpose of
section 106 is to give him a bigger club to continue his unfounded
investigations in the future.
{time} 1615
This is bad for NSF, and it is worse for the U.S. leadership in
science and innovation. I urge my colleagues to think long and hard
about the consequences of imposing our own political views and review
on the NSF's gold-standard scientific merit review process, and I urge
the support of Mr. Foster's amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to this
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, it is just inconceivable to me that
any U.S. Representative would oppose requiring government grants funded
by the U.S. taxpayer to be spent in the national interest.
Throughout its history, the National Science Foundation has played an
integral part in funding breakthrough discoveries in fields as diverse
as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and
biology.
However, the NSF has approved a number of grants for which the
scientific merits and national interest are not obvious, to put it
politely. These include a climate change musical costing $800,000,
evaluating animal photographs in National Geographic for at least
$200,000, and studying early human-set fires in New Zealand, in the
1800s, for several hundred thousand dollars.
The section this amendment strikes ensures that the NSF is
transparent and accountable to the taxpayers about how their hard-
earned dollars are spent. The bill requires that every NSF public
announcement of a grant award be accompanied by a nontechnical
explanation of the project's scientific merits and how it serves the
national interest.
The NSF itself has recognized the need for this transparency and
accountability. Last January, the NSF released a new policy that
acknowledges that the NSF must communicate clearly and in nontechnical
terms the research projects it funds. The policy
[[Page H3447]]
emphasizes that the title abstract for each funded grant should explain
how the project serves the national interest, a requirement first cited
in the 1950 legislation that created the National Science Foundation.
Again, the national interest standard that the gentlewoman from Texas
opposes was in the NSF's first charter.
The current Director of the NSF herself has endorsed the national
interest standard. In her testimony before the House Science, Space,
and Technology Committee on February 25, NSF Director France Cordova
spoke about the very section the gentlewoman seeks to eliminate.
Dr. Cordova said: ``It is very compatible with the new internal NSF
guidelines and with the mission statement of NSF.''
The national interest standard does not interfere with the merit
review process. The bill clearly states: ``Nothing in this section
shall be construed as altering the Foundation's intellectual merit or
broader impacts criteria for evaluating grant applications.''
I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and to support the
underlying legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time
as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster), a
physicist.
Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Chairman, my amendment, which I understand has been
introduced, would strike section 106 of the bill, which, in my view,
adds a dangerous political filter to NSF's gold-standard merit review
process.
I do not stand alone in this view. The overwhelming majority of my
colleagues in the scientific community are still quite uncomfortable
with this language that would, as the American Society for Microbiology
stated, ``have an adverse impact on NSF's peer review process, which is
essential to funding meritorious research.'' All of us here want to be
good stewards of taxpayer money.
This is also true of the National Science Foundation, which currently
already requires that the NSF public award abstract consist of a
nontechnical component which will include ``a public justification for
NSF funding by articulating how the project serves the national
interest,'' as stated by NSF's mission: to promote the progress of
science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; or to
secure the national defense.
As the Biophysical Society has pointed out: ``NSF is committed to . .
. offering the public a better understanding of a research project's
intent, which will satisfy this section's objective.''
The whole intent of this mystifies me a little bit. I serve on two
committees--the Financial Services Committee and the Science, Space,
and Technology Committee. On the Financial Services Committee, there is
a steady drumbeat of Republican proposals to remove duplicitous and
redundant requirements that just waste everyone's time; whereas, it
seems to me that section 106 is exactly along this line. While it may
just seem an innocuous waste of time to some, we know that for the past
2 years scientists have had their projects targeted as potentially
wasteful or not ``in the national interest,'' often based on nothing
but their titles. Not only is this wrong, it is blatantly political.
It is easy to make cheap shots here. My parents, actually, both
worked for Senator Bill Proxmire, who for years and years did the
Golden Fleece Awards. He was a wonderful and thoughtful Senator, but on
this one, he consistently missed the mark. It is easy to make fun of
projects with funny sounding names or with strange topics, but the NSF
is the gold standard for a reason.
Take, for example, anthropologist Dr. Scott Atran, who received
funding from the NSF in 1994 for a study that was entitled, ``Local
Ecological Knowledge of Common-Pool Resources in Campeche, Mexico.''
Dr. Atran subsequently applied what he learned to questions of
extremism in the Middle East and is now a key national expert on
countering extremism in the Middle East, valued as a consultant by the
Department of Defense and the Department of State.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman from Texas has expired.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I will simply say to the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Foster) that I recognize and appreciate him. He is a
smart, thoughtful, and well-motivated member of the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee, so I am really sorry he opposes this national
interest standard that, I think, is the right thing to do for America
and for the American taxpayers.
I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Lipinski), who is a very active and talented member of the Science,
Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend my good friend from
Illinois for his strong commitment to advocating for scientific
research. I share many of his concerns about the underlying bill, and I
will be voting against this bill. However, I must also oppose this
amendment. I agree with Mr. Foster and I disagree with the chairman on
some of the attacks on some past grants that have been granted by the
NSF. I think section 106 helps to avoid that.
The first incarnation of what is now section 106 was the High Quality
Research Act, which was unveiled nearly 2 years ago. I strongly opposed
that, as did the vast majority of the research community, and we set
about getting that changed. Through a series of discussions, the
current language--vastly different and vastly improved from the
original--was reached with a broad definition of national interest that
does not do anything to undermine the gold-standard NSF peer review
system. I invite all to read the section and decide for themselves, or
to simply listen to the NSF and to the NSB, which oversees the NSF.
As the chairman said, NSF Director France Cordova stated her support
for section 106 at a committee hearing in February, saying it is ``very
compatible with the NSF internal guidelines and with the mission
statement of NSF.''
I applaud NSF for these new guidelines which explain to the public
why each proposal is being funded and how it is in the national
interest. This will help the NSF defend worthwhile grants that are
attacked by critics who sometimes misrepresent projects. In doing so,
it will also protect the NSF.
While the National Science Board does not formally endorse
legislation, at the meeting 2 weeks ago, the board passed a resolution
strongly endorsing the principle that all Foundation-funded research
must further the national interest by contributing to the Foundation's
mission.
So, while I agree with my friend on almost everything related to
science policy, I must reluctantly oppose this amendment. I wish we
could have been able to have worked out a COMPETES bill we could all
support. Regrettably, we did not, but let's not throw out this language
that was worked out and that will help the NSF defend its peer review
process.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will
be postponed.
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 29, line 20, strike ``and''.
Page 29, line 23, strike the period and insert a semicolon.
Page 29, after line 23, insert the following:
(K) creating State and regional workshops to train K-12
teachers in science and technology project-based learning to
provide instruction in how to initiate robotics and other
STEM competition team development programs; and
(L) encouraging and supporting efforts led by institutions
of higher education, businesses, and local public and private
educational agencies to establish collaborative
[[Page H3448]]
efforts to provide K-12 students residing in areas with
unemployment rates that exceed the national average by 1
percent or more.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, let me take a moment to thank both of my
fellow Texans and to acknowledge that I know that there is a difference
of opinion, but no one can disagree with the crucialness of America's
competitiveness and of the necessity for creating a workforce that can
compete.
Allow me to acknowledge Congressman Johnson for the steadfast
commitment and service to the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
I had the privilege of serving with her in the early stages of my
membership here in this august body, and I want to thank her personally
for the great strides and successes that she has had in expanding
opportunities for the most vulnerable in our community.
Mr. Chairman, my amendment speaks to this issue, and it continues to
seek to address the STEM education gap for K-12 students. Jackson Lee
amendment No. 3 creates State and regional workshops to train K-12
teachers in project-based science and technology learning, which will
allow them to provide instruction in initiating robotics and other STEM
competition team development programs.
I now serve on the Homeland Security Committee, and I note that the
extent of technology in securing this Nation is without comparison. It
is necessary. It is crucial. This amendment also leverages the
collaboration among higher education businesses and local and private/
public education agencies to support STEM efforts at schools located in
areas where unemployment is 1 percent or more above the national rate.
We want to get right to the core of the most vulnerable and the most
needy students. Robotic competitions and other similar competitive
opportunities have proven to be one of the most successful paths for
engaging young minds in STEM education. I have held a robotics
competition, and it is absolutely amazing to see the young people's
minds and hearts gather around it. My amendment has that capacity to
it. Of course, it responds to the fact that only 1 out of 10 high
schools in the U.S. offers computer science programs, and it is
estimated that the education systems in 25 States do not count computer
science classes toward high school graduation.
I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment, although I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for
5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would include
teacher training for STEM competitions and collaborations as permitted
activities under a program in the bill to encourage engagement in STEM
education activities. Supporting out-of-school activities, like
competitions, is consistent with the underlying bill, so I accept the
gentlewoman's amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Texas has 2\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I want to focus just a little bit on
competitions regarding this amendment, competitions such as FIRST,
which is a national robotics competition that engages 400,000 students
each year and that awards millions of dollars in scholarships, paving
the way for future STEM success.
I submit for the Record a document entitled, ``Disparities in STEM
Employment by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin.''
[From census.gov, Sept. 2013]
Disparities in STEM Employment by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin
(By Liana Christin Landivar)
american community survey reports
Introduction
Industry, government, and academic leaders cite increasing
the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
workforce as a top concern. The National Academy of Sciences,
National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of
Medicine describe STEM as ``high-quality, knowledge-intensive
jobs . . . that lead to discovery and new technology,''
improving the U.S. economy and standard of living. In 2007,
Congress passed the America COMPETES Act, reauthorized in
2010, to increase funding for STEM education and research.
One focus area for increasing the STEM workforce has been
to reduce disparities in STEM employment by sex, race, and
Hispanic origin. Historically, women, Blacks, and Hispanics
have been underrepresented in STEM employment. Researchers
find that women, Blacks, and Hispanics are less likely to be
in a science or engineering major at the start of their
college experience, and less likely to remain in these majors
by its conclusion. Because most STEM workers have a science
or engineering college degree, underrepresentation among
science and engineering majors could contribute to the
underrepresentation of women, Blacks, and Hispanics in STEM
employment.
This report details the historical demographic composition
of STEM occupations, followed by a detailed examination of
current STEM employment by age and sex, presence of children
in the household, and race and Hispanic origin based on the
2011 American Community Survey (ACS). The report concludes
with an examination of the demographic characteristics of
science and engineering graduates who are currently employed
in a STEM occupation.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Specifically, the language says: ``Industry,
government, and academic leaders cite increasing the science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce as a top
concern.''
This is in the American Community Survey Reports.
``One focus area for increasing the STEM workforce has been to reduce
disparities in STEM employment by sex, race, and Hispanic origin.
Historically, women, Blacks, and Hispanics have been underrepresented
in STEM employment,'' and it goes on to elaborate.
{time} 1630
This amendment gives an added opportunity to focus in, to hone in on
teacher training and reaching out to those very hungry minds in the
minority communities who are eager to be part of the changing fabric of
America that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math.
From financial services, to homeland security, to space and
aeronautics, to manufacturing, to the Silicon Valleys of the Nation,
STEM is crucial.
I would like to now acknowledge both the committee staff on the
majority and minority who assisted us, and I would like to acknowledge
my staff, Lillie Coney, for her excellent work on these matters.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I ask for support of the Jackson Lee
amendment.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for the opportunity
to speak on my amendment to H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015.
My amendment included in the Rule to H.R. 1806 would improve the bill
by addressing the STEM education gap for K-12 students.
Jackson Lee Amendment #3, creates state and regional workshops to
train K-12 teachers in project-based science and technology learning,
which will allow them to provide instruction in initiating robotics and
other STEM competition team development programs.
This amendment also leverages the collaboration among higher
education, businesses, local private and public education agencies to
support STEM efforts at schools located in areas with unemployment is 1
percent or more above the national rate.
Robotics competitions and other similar competitive opportunities
have proven to be one of the most successful paths for engaging young
minds in STEM education.
Competitions such as FIRST, a national robotics competition that
engages 400,000 students each year and awards millions of dollars in
scholarships are paving the way for future STEM success.
This Jackson Lee amendment focuses on reducing the STEM gaps that
currently exists between K-12 students attending schools in different
geographic regions or who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Only 1 out of 10 high schools in the U.S. offer computer science
programs
It is estimated that the education systems in 25 states do not count
computer science classes toward high school graduation.
Both economists and business leaders have identified that the future
of the American economy will be in STEM fields, which the Bureau of
Labor Statistics estimates will create more than 9 million jobs between
2012 and 2022.
The STEM gap is more pronounced when considering minority groups.
[[Page H3449]]
U.S. Census 2010 data from the National Science Foundation and the
U.S. Census Bureau, showed that underrepresented minorities earned 18.6
percent of total undergraduate degrees from 4-year colleges, but only
16.4 percent of the degrees in science fields and less than 13 percent
of degrees in physical sciences and engineering.
Many historically underrepresented groups, including low income
urban, rural and Native American communities have difficulty accessing
STEM education and job training opportunities.
Jackson Lee Amendment #17 would have increased awareness among
underrepresented groups in STEM employment and education opportunities
by providing information on certification, undergraduate and graduate
STEM programs.
One of the most enduring difficulties faced by underrepresented
populations is a lack of awareness and understanding of the connection
between STEM and employment opportunities.
In 2012, a survey found that despite the nation's growing demand for
more workers in science, technology, engineering, and math grows, the
skills gap among the largest ethnic and racial minorities groups remain
stubbornly wide.
Blacks and Latinos account for only 7 percent, of the STEM workforce
despite representing 28 percent of the U.S. population.
Jackson Lee Amendment #18 would have made sure that the issue of
reducing the skills and education gap of underrepresented groups in
STEM degree programs is considered as current STEM education federal
programs were reviewed.
Jackson Lee Amendment #19 could have furthered the skills development
and training of teachers who provide instruction in K-12 STEM courses
where 40 percent of the students are on free or reduced lunch programs
or in areas where unemployment is 1 percent or more above the national
average.
Although most STEM specific education occurs in college and graduate
school, interest in STEM fields must be fostered from a young age
through successful K-12 programs.
Many schools serving low-income students lack the resources to
provide continuity of STEM K-12 education, and as a result, students
lose the opportunity to develop the skills that will prepare them for
higher STEM education.
Jackson Lee Amendment #21 was an effort to identify no-cost or low-
cost summer and after school science and technology educations programs
and have that information broadly disseminated to the public.
Throughout primary and secondary education, skills retention is one
of the most pressing concerns facing underrepresented students.
Without access to after-school and summer programs, even those
students with a passion for STEM risk falling behind their peers.
Jackson Lee Amendment #22 made grants available to local education
agencies to support training in STEM education methods to teachers to
improve their instruction at schools serving neglected, delinquent, and
migrant students, English learners, at-risk students, and Native
Americans as determined by the director.
Jackson Lee Amendment #23 establishes within the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources an Office of STEM Education Gap Awareness
with the duties of reducing the STEM gap in K-12 and post-secondary
education among underrepresented populations.
The Jackson Lee amendments are intended to bridge the STEM gap in
rural and urban areas where opportunities for training in STEM that can
enhance the productivity of businesses large and small are lacking.
The Brookings' Metropolitan Policy Program's report ``The Hidden STEM
Economy,'' reported that in 2011, 26 million jobs or 20 percent of all
occupations required knowledge in 1 or more STEM areas.
Half of all STEM jobs are available to workers without a 4 year
degree and these jobs pay on average $53,000 a year, which is 10
percent higher than jobs with similar education requirements.
There will be STEM winners and losers not because the skills needed
are too difficult to obtain, but because people are not aware of the
jobs that are going unfilled today nor do they know what education or
training will create job security for the next 2 to 3 decades.
I am very aware of the importance of STEM job training and education.
A third of Houston jobs are in STEM-based fields.
Houston has the second largest concentrations of engineers (22.4 for
every 1,000 workers according to the Greater Houston Partnership).
Houston has 59,070 engineers, the second largest populations in the
nation.
STEM jobs are at the core of Houston's economic success, but what we
have done with STEM innovation and job creation in the city of Houston
is not enough to satisfy the regions demand for STEM trained workers.
Houston anticipates that in the next 5 years the gap in the number of
people with STEM skills and training will not keep up with the number
of positions requiring those skills.
This is not just true for Houston, Texas--it is true for every region
of the nation--whether you live in a rural community or urban center.
By 2018 the United States will need: 710,000 Computing workers;
160,000 Engineers; 70,000 Physical Scientists; 40,000 Life Science
workers; 20,000 Mathematics workers.
STEM Computing Jobs are critical to America's future: Software
engineers; Computer networking workers; Systems analysis; Computer
researcher or support workers.
Types of STEM Engineering Jobs: Structural Engineers; Mechanical
Engineers; Software Engineers; Electrical Engineers; Automotive
Engineers; Aeronautical Engineers; Naval Engineers; Architects.
Types of STEM Physical Sciences Jobs: Biologists; Zoologists;
Agricultural; Food Scientists; Conservation Scientists; Medical
Scientists; Climatologists.
Types of STEM Life Scientists [PhDs]: Political Science; Economists;
Anthropologists; Archaeology; Cultural Researchers; Language Experts
(Linguistic and Language Skills).
Types of STEM Mathematics: Teachers; Physicists; Cryptographers;
Statisticians; Accountants.
In order to ensure that underserved populations reach the level of
STEM education and opportunity they choose to pursue, I believe it is
integral to create an office that will focus on closing the STEM
education gap.
I ask that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle support this
amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Esty
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 41, line 7, strike ``and'' after ``society;''.
Page 41, line 12, strike the period at the end and insert
``; and''.
Page 41, after line 12, insert the following new paragraph:
(4) I-Corps should continue to promote a strong innovation
system by investing in and supporting female entrepreneurs,
who are historically underrepresented in entrepreneurial
fields, through mentorship, education, and training.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentlewoman
from Connecticut (Ms. Esty) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would increase support for women
in entrepreneurship at the National Science Foundation's Innovation
Corps, also known as the I-Corps. It has been an honor and privilege to
meet with women across Connecticut who are creating and building their
own startups and small businesses.
In March I hosted a Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Math roundtable, bringing together educators, innovators, and business
owners to identify barriers that women face when looking to advance in
the critical STEM and entrepreneurial fields.
These local leaders all agreed that one of the biggest problems for
women in the STEM fields is the lack of mentorship and support, and,
quite simply, women do not have the same support and mentorship as
their male counterparts because they are often the first women in
leadership positions in their fields.
In fact, our Smaller Manufacturers Association in Connecticut just
elected their first female president, Anne Strobel, and she has already
hit the ground running to build on our State's strong manufacturing
tradition.
National studies and experts echo the concerns women raised at the
STEM roundtable in my own district. The Kauffman Foundation recently
surveyed 350 female tech startup founders and found that the number one
shared concern is a lack of role models and mentors for women thinking
of going into business for themselves.
Recent news reports have noted the chronic underrepresentation of
women
[[Page H3450]]
in the booming tech sector, including startups. In fact, women make up
only 30 percent of the tech workforce and 22 percent of the leadership
roles, despite being 60 percent of the workforce. It is clear that we
must do more for women so they can build businesses and create good-
paying jobs.
My amendment would provide that support to women through the NSF's
Innovation Corps, known as the I-Corps, by expanding their mission to
specifically include support for and investment in female entrepreneurs
through mentorship, education, and training.
The I-Corps program fosters entrepreneurship by giving students the
tools they need to move discoveries and technology from the research
lab to the market. I-Corps is making a difference in helping teach and
support entrepreneurs across the country.
In my own State, the University of Connecticut recently received I-
Corps funding, and it is designated as an I-Corps site. Accelerate
UConn will build on the investment the State of Connecticut is already
making to ensure that they remain a leader in our national innovation
ecosystem.
Our competitiveness as a nation depends on robust research and
technology and on ensuring that we draw on the best and the brightest,
whether they be men or women. By increasing the number of women
entrepreneurs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
math, we as a nation will all benefit from the innovation that comes
from a diverse workforce.
It is not only morally right, but economically smart to foster
entrepreneurship of women. I encourage all my colleagues to support my
amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment, though I don't oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for
5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would add a sense of
Congress of Congress' support for the NSF's Innovation Corps program in
the underlying bill. This language would include the promotion of a
strong innovation system with investments and support for female
entrepreneurs. I-Corps is an excellent program. I support the
gentlewoman's amendment and appreciate her offering it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Connecticut has 2 minutes
remaining.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend for yielding and for her
leadership on this important issue. I especially enjoy being on the
same side of this issue with the chairman of the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to add my voice to Representative Esty's
voice in support of her amendment. I-Corps is a revolutionary
partnership that helps maximize the economic impact of taxpayer-funded
research by connecting the brilliant minds at NSF to the brilliant
minds in the private sector.
This amendment offered by Representative Esty today ensures that we
foster all of the brilliant minds by supporting female entrepreneurs.
Gender diversity makes good business sense. Research conducted by Dow
Jones on venture-backed companies found that successful ones had twice
the number of women on the founding teams, and there is more research
that shows that women-owned firms outperformed those owned by male
counterparts. Despite this and despite the fact that women earn more
college degrees than men, they comprise only 5 percent of Fortune 500
CEOs and only 19 percent of corporate board seats. Clearly, something
is wrong.
For us to fully realize our economic potential, we have got to do a
better job of supporting female entrepreneurs. That is why I strongly
support her amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I do not think I am going to
disagree with what the gentlewoman from Connecticut has to say during
her remaining time, so I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Connecticut has 1 minute
remaining.
Ms. ESTY. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the ranking member, with my
thanks.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support
of this amendment and want to thank the author for bringing it forward
and thank the chairman of the committee for supporting it.
Our support historically goes back to Congresswoman Connie Morella.
The two of us did a study maybe 15 or 16 years ago, and we both have
been very, very supportive of women in the sciences and hope that we
can get a better bill so that we can address getting them ready for
these jobs.
Ms. ESTY. I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Crowley
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 45, after line 14, insert the following:
SEC. 127. HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM IN EDUCATION AND
SCIENCE.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall
establish the program described in section 7033 of the
America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o-12) for Hispanic-
serving institutions (as defined in section 502 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a)).
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Crowley) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. Chairman, 8 years ago when the House first considered the America
COMPETES Act, I offered an amendment with my then-colleague Gabby
Giffords as well as Congressman Jerry McNerney to correct a
longstanding inequity at the National Science Foundation. Unlike their
counterparts in higher education, Hispanic-Serving Institutions have
not benefited from a specific program at the NSF to provide them with
grants for research, curriculum, and infrastructure development.
The amendment corrected this inequity, requiring the NSF to create a
separate program for HSIs. It was adopted, and it became law. But to
this day, the NSF has not implemented the program as codified in law.
This bipartisan amendment would correct that and require the HSI
program to finally be implemented within 4 months of the enactment of
this measure.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions serve the majority of nearly 2 million
Latino students enrolled in college today. In my district alone, about
10,000 students attend Hispanic-Serving Institutions offering degrees
in these fields of science. Without access to targeted grants, HSIs
have difficulty increasing the ranks of Latinos in the STEM fields,
where they have been historically underrepresented.
We must ensure that Latinos, the youngest and fastest growing ethnic
group in our Nation, are prepared with the knowledge and skills that
will contribute to our Nation's future economic strength, security, and
global leadership, because when education is available to everyone, our
entire Nation is stronger.
I want to thank my colleagues who worked with me on this issue: Mr.
Serrano, who has a stand-alone bill to make this fix permanent, and Mr.
Lujan, Mr. Hurd, as well as Mr. Curbelo, who have cosponsored this
amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment, though I don't oppose the amendment.
[[Page H3451]]
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for
5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would require NSF to
establish a program originally authorized in the 2007 COMPETES Act. I
support the gentleman's amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the comments from the
chairman.
I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), my
friend and a cosponsor of the amendment.
(Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SERRANO. I thank my colleague for yielding me this time.
Mr. Chairman, as my colleague has said, in 2007 he added a provision
to the original America COMPETES Act to give the NSF the discretion to
establish a dedicated grant program. However, after years of
persistence, the NSF has refused to act. That is why last month Mr.
Crowley, Mr. Lujan, and myself introduced the HOPES Act.
Today's amendment replicates the HOPES Act and requires the NSF to
establish an undergraduate grant program for Hispanic-Serving
Institutions. Hispanics are underrepresented in the STEM fields, and
more needs to be done to ensure that we are not missing the best and
the brightest from all the parts of America in developing the next
generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.
This amendment is a big step in the right direction. I thank
Representative Crowley for his leadership on this issue. I thank the
chairman for accepting the amendment.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Hurd).
Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment,
which will benefit the students at several fine institutions in the
23rd Congressional District of Texas.
One thing that everybody here wants is a healthy economy. We want the
American economy to continue to be the strongest in the world, and if
American businesses are going to compete and win in a global economy,
we have to have the best trained and best equipped workforce possible.
This means our institutions of higher learning need to be fully
capable of offering their students the opportunities to learn the
skills that are going to drive a 21st century economy, and that means
STEM degrees must be a priority for our colleges and universities. This
amendment will allow institutions that are designated as Hispanic-
Serving Institutions to have access to grant programs with the National
Science Foundation that they have been limited from participating in in
the past.
There are 47 institutions like this in the State of Texas, and more
than a dozen of them serve students in my district. This increased
access to grants will help increase the recruitment, retention, and
graduation rates of Hispanic students pursuing degrees in STEM fields.
That is good for these students; that is good for our universities, our
communities, our businesses, and our economy.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York, Mr. Crowley, for
introducing this amendment. I encourage my colleagues to support it.
Mr. CROWLEY. I thank Mr. Hurd for his comments.
I want the Record to reflect that I was willing and expecting to be
yielding the gentleman 1 minute. Since the cooperation is running so
smoothly, Mr. Chairman, thank you for yielding the 2 minutes to Mr.
Hurd.
With that, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Ben
Ray Lujan).
Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in
support of this amendment that I am proud to offer with my colleagues.
I want to thank Congressman Crowley for his leadership. I want to
recognize Chairman Smith for his responsibility in working and looking
out for these students as well.
In today's world, science, technology, engineering, and math degrees
translate into high-paying, in-demand jobs. While we are still
struggling with high unemployment in my home State of New Mexico, there
are sectors, especially in STEM, that are having difficulty finding
qualified workers. To help meet this demand, the National Science
Foundation manages a number of programs at minority-serving
institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities
and Tribal Colleges and Universities.
{time} 1645
These programs have filled an important void by preparing minority
students for meaningful careers in STEM. However, there is no such
program and, therefore, a lack of critical support for Hispanic
Americans. This is also evident in the fact that Hispanics are severely
underrepresented in the STEM workforce.
It is time that we fund the creation of a program for Hispanic-
Serving Institutions to develop infrastructure, curriculum, and recruit
Hispanic students into STEM fields. To do what is best for America, we
need to invest and promote these programs.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have no further speakers, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) has 1\1/
2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the
gentleman and all of the persons who sponsored this amendment. I want
to commend them.
When Mr. Lujan was on the Science Committee, we actually developed
that language that did pass in the last COMPETES Act, so I fully
support this amendment.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, let me just use the remaining time to
thank Chairman Smith for his cooperation and that of his staff, as well
as the cooperation of Ms. Johnson and her staff.
I do think that this amendment is the final tooth we need to make
this law work and to drive the money and the resources to the people we
intended for them to go to, and that is Latino or Hispanic young men
and women who want to strive to succeed in the fields of science and
medicine to help make our country an even better country.
I thank you both again for your cooperation, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Griffith
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 49, line 2, insert ``The Advisory Panel shall consist
of 15 members, with 3 members appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives and 2 members appointed by the
Majority Leader of the Senate.'' after ``other appropriate
organizations.''.
Page 171, line 2, insert ``, except that 3 members shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
2 members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of the
Senate. The total number of members of the advisory committee
shall be 15.'' after ``by the Secretary''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would make a couple of
slight changes to two new advisory boards created in this bill: the
STEM education advisory panel and a new Department of Energy advisory
committee.
My amendment sets the total number of members for these two new
advisory boards at 15 each, and most importantly, it ensures that five
of the members on each board are chosen by Congress, three by the
Speaker of the House and two by the Senate majority leader.
The purpose of my amendment is to ensure that the advisory boards
have congressional representation, that we have people on there who
work with Congress. The legislative branch is a
[[Page H3452]]
coequal branch of government, and I believe that, as an institution,
Congress should more aggressively assert itself as a coequal branch.
This amendment has nothing to do with which party controls the
legislative branch of government or which party, for that matter,
controls the executive branch at any given time, nor does it ask for a
majority of the members of these new boards to be congressionally
appointed.
The amendment would simply ensure that the legislative branch is
involved in these boards that it, the legislative branch, is creating
and that we are involved in the process of creating the reports which
both the legislative branch and executive branch will rely on to make
important decisions for these United States.
If Congress deems an issue important enough to warrant an advisory
board that is included in a bill we are passing, it just makes sense
that we also appoint a portion of that board's membership.
I hope we will do that as we go forward with many of our boards. I
also think it will facilitate more conversation between the executive
branch and the legislative branch as time goes forward.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in
opposition to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
This amendment allows the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
the majority leader of the Senate to appoint members to two scientific
advisory boards created in the bill. This amendment is the very
definition of politicalizing science when we have politicians choosing
who sits on scientific advisory boards.
While my colleagues across the aisle suggest that this amendment
ensures accountability, in reality, it only ensures the political
meddling in science. Unfortunately, this is consistent with many
provisions in the underlying bill.
Scientific advisory boards provide expert scientific advice and make
recommendations on subject matter from STEM education to energy
research and development. It is essential that advisory board members
be qualified and nonpolitical to provide nonpartisan advice and give
appropriate recommendations that are free of bias, advice and
recommendations based on the best available evidence, and advice and
recommendations that will further science in the country, not inhibit
it.
In this amendment, the Speaker of the House would appoint three
members, while the majority leader of the Senate would appoint two
additional members to this advisory board.
Some of these advisory boards have only 15 members. This amendment
would allow Republican--and only Republican--leaders of Congress to
appoint one-third of these members.
This amendment is clearly meant to politicize these advisory boards.
While the sponsor of this amendment is messaging it as giving Congress
a bigger voice, that is just not accurate, asked for, or necessary.
Congress already has the biggest and final voice. We control the
Federal budget. Congress writes authorization bills such as the one
before us today. We do not lack influence.
Let's keep our scientific advisory boards free from political
interference. If we choose to ignore the advice from our scientific
advisory boards, as we are doing with H.R. 1806, that is our right.
Congress doesn't also have to put its fingerprints directly on the
advice itself. We know by what has been said today that we are trying
to take over the responsibility on this bill that I am against, so that
is one way you can do it.
This amendment follows the underlying attack on science in this bill,
but this amendment goes further. It gives Republican politicians a
chance to directly influence the scientific process in our country.
I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment and the underlying
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I feel so bad that the gentlewoman thinks
this is politicizing this bill. That is the furthest thing from my
intent.
I know the gentlewoman does not know me and she does not know that,
for 17 years, I served in the Virginia House of Delegates. In Virginia,
any time we created a board or policy advisory group like this, we
generally had legislative members on there.
What we found when we did that was that, when an idea came from the
administrative branch, whether it was of the party that I was in or of
a different party, we generally found that, by having people that were
familiar with both sides of the issue, but people who also relied on
and came to talk to us on a regular basis in the legislature, we felt
more comfortable with those recommendations that had been made. We
understood better what the background was. It made for better
government.
That is what this is intended to do. I didn't ask for a majority. I
didn't say that Congress should have complete control. It just says
there ought to be some members appointed by the Senate and appointed by
the House. It doesn't matter which party is in control of the House or
Senate. Recently, that was divided. It doesn't matter which party is in
the executive branch.
It just says this is a way to make sure that when you think it is
important enough--when Congress thinks it is important enough to create
an advisory board--that we both have some members, both the House and
Senate, on that advisory board to make sure that there is interaction
with us, as well as with the executive branch.
Unless the belief is that the executive branch wants to politicize it
because they get all the appointments, I don't know why they would
think these appointments would be politicizing it. It is just for
informational purposes and to make sure that everybody is heard at the
table and that those ideas are shared.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GRIFFITH. I yield to the gentlewoman.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I served in both the house and
senate in Texas before coming here; I believe strongly in input, but
this very bill and its structure has become so political and so
politically tainted in attempting to manipulate what is going on in our
agencies, I just don't trust your amendment.
Mr. GRIFFITH. Reclaiming my time, I would say that I don't know the
gentlewoman's concerns on this particular bill. I do believe, as a
Congress, we ought to be working to make sure that we have input on all
of these advisory committees, whether it is on this bill or any other
bill.
Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia has 1 minute remaining.
Mr. GRIFFITH. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief. I support the gentleman's
amendment that will ensure that Congress has input on the composition
of the new boards and panels created in the bill, and I urge my
colleagues to support this amendment as well.
Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded
vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia
will be postponed.
Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 71, line 21, strike ``$933,700,000'' and insert
``$938,700,000''.
Page 72, line 6, strike ``$130,000,000'' and insert
``$135,000,000''.
Page 72, line 8, strike ``$125,000,000'' and insert
``$130,000,000''.
[[Page H3453]]
Page 72, line 19, strike ``$933,700,000'' and insert
``$938,700,000''.
Page 73, line 3, strike ``$130,000,000'' and insert
``$135,000,000''.
Page 73, line 5, strike ``$125,000,000'' and insert
``$130,000,000''.
Page 178, line 4, strike ``$1,198,500,000'' and insert
``$1,193,500,000''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, my amendment increases the
authorized funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership by $5
million and it offsets it by decreasing the authorized funding for the
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by $5 million, for
level funding.
If our goal is to create and retain more American jobs, there is no
better program to fund that than the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership. Administered by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, with centers in every single State, for every $1 of Federal
investment, this public-private partnership generates nearly $21 in new
sales. As a result, this translates into $2.5 billion annually. For
every $2,001 of Federal investment, MEP creates or retains one American
manufacturing job.
The MEP programs provides our Nation's nearly 350,000 small
manufacturers with services and access to resources that enhance
growth, improve productivity, and expand capacity. This program is a
win-win for our hard-working American taxpayers. Few, if any, other
Federal programs can claim such a good return on our taxpayers'
investment.
Considering this amendment authorizes the program at $130 million
that helps small American manufacturers directly and at a 50 percent
cost share, this gives taxpayers more bang for their buck.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has a total
budget of over $1 billion, so moving $5 million to this valuable
program for small businesses is simply good economic policy.
This program is not a government handout. Instead, it requires small
manufacturers who partner with their local MEP to have skin in the game
with a 50 percent cost share. That is good for our taxpayers; it is
good for manufacturing sectors, and it is good for American jobs.
Since 1988, MEP has worked with nearly 80,000 American manufacturers,
leading to $88 billion in sales and 14 billion in cost savings. It has
helped create more than 729,000 American jobs.
Last year alone, MEP projects created or retained nearly 64,000
American jobs, generated more than $6.7 billion in new and retained
sales, and provided cost savings of more than $1.1 billion to small
American manufacturers.
{time} 1700
With the average small- and mid-size American manufacturing employee
earning more than $77,000 a year in pay and benefits, these are exactly
the types of jobs that policymakers need to be encouraging. And at a
time when our economy is starting to recover, the MEP's work is crucial
in helping America's small manufacturers be stronger long-term
competitors, both domestically and internationally.
In turn, this will allow them to create good-paying, high-skilled
jobs for America's workers across the country. A growing manufacturing
sector in America means more well-paying jobs for low- to moderate-
income American families, reduced trade deficit and a robust economy,
and a flourishing innovation sector which can drive future growth.
By supporting this amendment, Congress will be sending a clear signal
to our small American manufacturers and our job creators that they will
continue to play a vital role in the reinvigoration of our economy.
MEP is currently appropriated at $130 million, and this amendment
would simply ensure that this popular, bipartisan program continues to
be authorized at its current funding level.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in
opposition to this amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
I strongly support the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program,
or the MEP, at NIST. Since its establishment in 1988, the MEP program
has generated billions of dollars in new sales; it has saved MEP
clients billions of dollars; and it has helped create more than 700,000
jobs.
However, I cannot support this amendment because it increases the
authorization for MEP by decreasing the authorization for the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy.
EERE conducts important research on energy efficiency and renewable
energy technologies, including critical advance manufacturing
initiatives.
Unfortunately, EERE has become a favorite target for my friends on
the other side of the aisle. The underlying bill cuts this office by
almost 30 percent, and this amendment would make that cut even larger.
I supported an amendment that would have increased MEP authorization
to $141 million for fiscal year 2016, at the President's request,
without cutting EERE. But the amendment was not made in order.
I strongly believe in MEP and want to see this funding level
increased. I think it is important to note that this bill is an
authorization bill, not an appropriations bill. In authorization bills,
Congress should be deciding authorization levels by determining what
the program needs to accomplish its responsibilities.
Notwithstanding current Republican protocols, authorization bills
should not have the same constraints as appropriation bills, including
needing to offset any increases. This is a bizarre approach to
legislating.
Because of the unnecessary cut to EERE, I cannot support this
amendment, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to
reject the false notion of needing to offset authorizations.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from
Pennsylvania for yielding me this time.
I just simply want to say that I believe his amendment restores
current funding levels for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology while
offsetting those costs. It is a great amendment, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I continue to
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I would just remark that if
we are really trying to create jobs, if we are really trying to boost
our economy, if we are really trying to do all these things, if we are
really trying to help small manufacturers, I don't think that asking to
transfer $15 million out of a $1 billion allotment is going to really
have that much effect on that.
This is not turning our back on some of the issues that you have, but
this is looking forward to the future and saying we have got to help
these people move forward.
This is not a government handout. This is not a free amount of money.
This is a 50 percent match. There are very few programs in our
government that require that.
This is something that just makes sense for America. It makes sense
for all those folks that I represent and you represent back home.
I have got to tell you something. Back in Western Pennsylvania, where
I live, in Pennsylvania's Third District, every morning, moms and dads
get up and they throw their feet out over their bed and they go to work
so that they can put a roof over the head for their children, food on
their table, clothes on their back, and a promise for the future.
This is a small investment. All we are doing is keeping it at $130
million. And in a government that spends trillions of dollars every
year, I don't know why we would quibble over $5 million because it is
going to help job creation and job retention. It allows us to compete
in a global market in a way that we actually win.
[[Page H3454]]
We don't have to get political about this. What I want to do is, I
want to think about all the people we represent and where those dollars
go because every single dollar belongs to the American taxpayer.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is reminded to address all of his
remarks to the Chair and not to other Members of the House.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate those
remarks. He is describing my constituents as well. And if we had done
as requested by the President, we would have left the authorization
levels at the level he is trying to bring it to, and it would not have
taken away from the other part of the research that is needed so badly
in the other areas.
I do not oppose what he is trying to do. What I oppose is how he is
trying to do it. And for that, I still oppose the total amount because
it is not treating the other program fairly.
It is not that I oppose MEP. My constituents are no different than
yours. They get up every day to work hard and need opportunities. I am
sure many of yours get more opportunities than some of mine. And so I
agree with that totally.
I agreed with the President's level of recommendation of where he
wants to take it. What I disagree with is he is taking it out of
another area when it is not necessary.
We are not appropriations. We are to recommend authorizations. We can
do the authorization for his level without taking away from an area
they don't like.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. Members are advised to address their remarks to the
Chair and not to each other.
The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Lowenthal
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 114, line 23, through page 115, line 18, strike
subsections (b) through (d).
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lowenthal) and a Member opposed each will control
5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
My amendment would do two important things. First, it would preserve
the Energy Department's ability to select projects based on merit, and,
second, it would preserve a very basic scientific tenet, the ability of
the Department of Energy to replicate scientific results.
Right now, the underlying bill mandates the prioritization of certain
scientific fields over others, and it terminates science initiatives
that can validate or question the results of previous scientific
research.
It is additionally unfortunate that in this formerly bipartisan bill,
the majority is again attempting to specifically target and terminate
the valuable research programs of some of our Nation's brightest
scientists if they study climate change. I think this is shortsighted,
I think it is irresponsible, and I believe it is wrong.
In order to ensure America's energy security, we must understand the
multiplying risks to our energy infrastructure due to a changing
climate. In order to ensure America's energy security, we must
understand the lifecycle impacts of the fuels we use. And in order to
ensure America's energy security, we must lead the world in developing
clean renewable sources of energy.
For this vision to become a reality, the Department of Energy must
support sound scientific processes that include selecting the most
meritorious methods and questions that they wish to research and
verifying those results through replication.
H.R. 1806, as it is currently written, specifically targets the
climate change research program in the Energy Department and instructs
the director to cease ``those climate science-related initiatives that
are identified as overlapping or duplicative.''
A basic tenet of science is that you have to reproduce scientific
results. You don't run an experiment once and go to the world and say,
``It's true. We've figured it out.''
No--science requires separate and independently verified results in
order to draw conclusions. But now Congress is trying to legislate
changes to the scientific method, and I think that is a shame.
Science works best when multiple groups and agencies collaborate to
find answers to important questions. And guess what? Congress has
already created a way to coordinate among the 13 Federal agencies to
ensure that each agency is researching the causes and effects of global
changes most relevant to their missions. And it is called the U.S.
Global Change Research Program. The proposed requirements in section
505 of H.R. 1806 are really just an attempt to create more roadblocks
to studying climate change.
My amendment preserves the scientific integrity of the Office of
Science, the U.S. Global Change Research Program and, more importantly,
the scientific process.
I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Lowenthal amendment, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman), who is a member
of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the
gentleman's amendment and in support of the underlying reforms included
in H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015.
This amendment would remove important measures that ensure greater
transparency for the Federal Government's climate science initiative
and require accountability for the Office of Science to justify the
value of related work going forward.
The gentleman's amendment would also remove underlying language in
the America COMPETES Act that would require the Government
Accountability Office to identify duplicative climate science
initiatives across the entire Federal Government.
All Members of Congress should support transparency in federally
funded research. It is our core responsibility to provide oversight for
Federal programs and make sure American taxpayer dollars are being
spent responsibly, not duplicating work that has already been done.
That said, the language in the America COMPETES Act does not ban any
particular area of science but, instead, requires that DOE justify the
science's merit and provide greater transparency if climate science
work is intentionally duplicated.
This provision in the America COMPETES Act is simply good governance
and is more important now than ever. The Obama administration has
unapologetically pushed forward a politicized climate agenda through
the Federal Government, prioritizing climate change research above all
else. Better transparency can help prevent wasteful spending and
prioritize the most valuable research.
H.R. 1806 authorizes the Office of Science within the Department of
Energy to support basic research in the physical sciences, including
research on Earth's atmosphere. By including these good government
measures, the America COMPETES Act gives Congress appropriate
oversight, funds valuable research, but does not provide a blank check
for the President's climate agenda.
This amendment would strike these important accountability measures
from the America COMPETES Act research. For that reason, I oppose the
amendment and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
{time} 1715
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chairman, could you tell me how much time I have
left.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has 1\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
[[Page H3455]]
Mr. LOWENTHAL. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Chairman, it is not surprising that the Biological and
Environmental Research program at DOE is targeted with harmful
provisions in this bill. It is targeted because the program is a leader
in advancing our understanding of the causes and impacts of climate
change.
Hiding our heads in the sand will not solve anything, and it
certainly won't stop the Earth from warming. Allowing partisan politics
to skew the scientific understanding of climate change is cynical and
shortsighted.
It is especially cynical considering that in the majority's own bill,
they state that climate change is happening. They just had to take the
statement out that it is caused by human beings.
The gentleman from California's amendment would simply strike those
harmful provisions so that scientists supported by BER can continue
their important work without political interference.
I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close, so I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I repeat: duplication is good science. Let
me repeat that: duplication is good science.
I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Lowenthal amendment to maintain the
Department of Energy's ability to select scientific projects based upon
scientific merit, that support the mission of the Department of Energy
and the broader energy security of our country.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would strike good
government accountability measures within the COMPETES bill that
require DOE's Office of Science to prioritize biological systems and
genomic science. It would also strike reforms included in the America
COMPETES Act that prevent duplication of research, which saves taxpayer
dollars.
I encourage Members to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California
will be postponed.
Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Grayson
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 9
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 133, before line 19, insert the following new section:
SEC. 604. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS.
(a) Authorization of Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a
program to enhance the Nation's economic, environmental, and
energy security by making awards to consortia for
establishing and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct
and support, whenever practicable at one centralized
location, multidisciplinary, collaborative research,
development, and demonstration of advanced energy
technologies.
(2) Technology development focus.--The Secretary shall
designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology
focus.
(3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure the
coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the
activities of Hubs with those of other Department of Energy
research entities, including the National Laboratories, the
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Energy Frontier
Research Centers, and within industry.
(b) Consortia.--
(1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award under
this section for the establishment and operation of a Hub, a
consortium shall--
(A) be composed of no fewer than 2 qualifying entities; and
(B) operate subject to an agreement entered into by its
members that documents--
(i) the proposed partnership agreement, including the
governance and management structure of the Hub;
(ii) measures to enable cost-effective implementation of
the program under this section;
(iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions
from non-Federal sources;
(iv) a plan for managing intellectual property rights; and
(v) an accounting structure that enables the Secretary to
ensure that the consortium has complied with the requirements
of this section.
(2) Application.--A consortium seeking to establish and
operate a Hub under this section, acting through a prime
applicant, shall transmit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such form, and accompanied by such information
as the Secretary shall require, including a detailed
description of the elements of the consortium agreement
required under paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium members
will not be located at one centralized location, such
application shall include a communications plan that ensures
close coordination and integration of the Hub's activities.
(c) Selection and Schedule.--The Secretary shall select
consortia for awards for the establishment and operation of
Hubs through competitive selection processes. In selecting
consortia, the Secretary shall consider the information a
consortium must disclose according to subsection (b), as well
as any existing facilities a consortium will provide for Hub
activities. Awards made to a Hub shall be for a period not to
exceed 5 years, subject to the availability of
appropriations, after which the award may be renewed, subject
to a rigorous merit review. A Hub already in existence on the
date of enactment of this Act may continue to receive support
for a period of 5 years, subject to the availability of
appropriations, beginning on the date of establishment of
that Hub.
(d) Hub Operations.--
(1) In general.--Each Hub shall conduct or provide for
multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development, and
demonstration of advanced energy technologies within the
technology development focus designated under subsection
(a)(2). Each Hub shall--
(A) encourage collaboration and communication among the
member qualifying entities of the consortium and awardees by
conducting activities whenever practicable at one centralized
location;
(B) develop and publish on the Department of Energy's
website proposed plans and programs;
(C) submit an annual report to the Secretary summarizing
the Hub's activities, including detailing organizational
expenditures, and describing each project undertaken by the
Hub; and
(D) monitor project implementation and coordination.
(2) Conflicts of interest.--
(A) Procedures.--Hubs shall maintain conflict of interest
procedures, consistent with those of the Department of
Energy, to ensure that employees and consortia designees for
Hub activities who are in decisionmaking capacities disclose
all material conflicts of interest, and avoid such conflicts.
(B) Disqualification and revocation.--The Secretary may
disqualify an application or revoke funds distributed to a
Hub if the Secretary discovers a failure to comply with
conflict of interest procedures established under
subparagraph (A).
(3) Prohibition on construction.--
(A) In general.--No funds provided pursuant to this section
may be used for construction of new buildings or facilities
for Hubs. Construction of new buildings or facilities shall
not be considered as part of the non-Federal share of a Hub
cost-sharing agreement.
(B) Test bed and renovation exception.--Nothing in this
subsection shall prohibit the use of funds provided pursuant
to this section, or non-Federal cost share funds, for
research or for the construction of a test bed or renovations
to existing buildings or facilities for the purposes of
research if the Secretary determines that the test bed or
renovations are limited to a scope and scale necessary for
the research to be conducted.
(e) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Secretary may terminate an
underperforming Hub for cause during the performance period.
(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Advanced energy technology.--The term ``advanced energy
technology'' means--
(A) an innovative technology--
(i) that produces energy from solar, wind, geothermal,
biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or other renewable energy
resources;
(ii) that produces nuclear energy;
(iii) for carbon capture and sequestration;
(iv) that enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components,
and related technologies that result in significant energy
savings;
(v) that generates, transmits, distributes, utilizes, or
stores energy more efficiently than conventional
technologies, including through Smart Grid technologies; or
(vi) that enhances the energy independence and security of
the United States by enabling improved or expanded supply and
production of domestic energy resources, including coal, oil,
and natural gas;
(B) research, development, and demonstration activities
necessary to ensure the long-term, secure, and sustainable
supply of energy critical elements; or
(C) another innovative energy technology area identified by
the Secretary.
[[Page H3456]]
(2) Hub.--The term ``Hub'' means an Energy Innovation Hub
established or operating in accordance with this section,
including any Energy Innovation Hub existing as of the date
of enactment of this Act.
(3) Qualifying entity.--The term ``qualifying entity''
means--
(A) an institution of higher education;
(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including the
Department of Energy Federally Funded Research and
Development Centers;
(C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise in
advanced energy technology research, development,
demonstration, or commercial application; or
(D) any other relevant entity the Secretary considers
appropriate.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Grayson) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chair, this amendment seeks to authorize the Energy
Innovation Hubs program within the Department of Energy.
I would like to thank Chairman Smith and his staff for working with
me to craft this amendment. Because I know that the chairman supports
the amendment, I will keep my remarks brief.
Energy Innovation Hubs are collaborative research centers that bring
together teams of scientists and engineers from academia, industry, and
national laboratories in order to accelerate scientific discoveries
that address critical energy issues. They were created in 2010 and have
received almost $500 million in funding already.
The four hubs currently focus on everything from improving nuclear
reactors through computer-based modeling to improving battery
technology for transportation and the grid.
The amendment before us would not only authorize this important
research but would also provide critical guidelines and accountability
measures for the program.
A rigorous merits-based renewal process would be implemented. The
Secretary would be empowered to terminate underperforming hubs at any
time, and funds would be prohibited from being used for the purpose of
constructing buildings so that every taxpayer dollar goes toward the
research for which it is intended.
Again, I thank the gentleman from Texas, Chairman Smith, for his help
and guidance in developing this amendment. I urge my colleagues to
support it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment, though I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would authorize the
Department of Energy Innovation Hubs. These integrated research
platforms conduct fundamental research to address critical challenges
in energy technology.
Currently, DOE operates four hubs, which all focus on the critical
energy issues. They include the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of
Light Water Reactors, which uses high performance computation modeling
to simulate and improve reactors. And it includes the Joint Center for
Energy Storage Research, which focuses on developing the next
generation of battery technologies.
My thanks go to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson), a very
active and alert member of the Science, Space, and Technology
Committee, for offering this amendment and for working with us to
develop this bipartisan amendment. I encourage Members to support it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAYSON. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 10 Offered by Ms. Bonamici
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 162, lines 3 through 5, strike subsection (d).
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentlewoman
from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today to address an issue of national security.
The Department of Defense is the world's largest institutional
consumer of fuel. As a result, the volatility of oil prices directly
affects military readiness. Every $10 increase on a barrel of oil costs
the Department of Defense an additional $1.3 billion a year.
To reduce our military's and our Nation's dependence on a single
source of fuel, the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture
have been working closely over the past 4 years with the private sector
to scale up an advanced ``drop-in'' biofuel production capability.
One of those projects is in Lakeview, Oregon, where a forest biomass
plant will produce fuel for the U.S. Navy and Marines. It is one of
three companies selected by the Departments of Defense, Energy, and
Agriculture to produce cost-competitive drop-in military biofuels. Once
at scale, these biorefineries will have a combined capacity to produce
100 million gallons of fuel for military ships and planes while
reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent compared to
conventional fuels.
Our military and Nation are faced with a growing global demand for
energy. We need to have a greater emphasis on renewable energy and
energy-efficient technologies. Yet, without any apparent logic, this
bill would prohibit the Department of Energy--the lead agency with
deep, technical expertise in this area--from partnering with the
Department of Defense to develop biofuels.
The amendment that I am offering strikes this prohibition and would
allow the Departments of Energy and Defense to continue their efforts
to learn from each other's expertise.
Mr. Chairman, I will introduce into the Record a letter opposing the
prohibition from the Truman National Security Project, where they
note--these are retired military--that 4 years of partnership between
the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture have seen
impressive progress in the development of advanced drop-in biofuels
that will allow the military to turn away from an outdated fuel source.
Members of the military from every rank and service have spoken out in
favor of the continued investment in biofuels for the reasons of cost
and capability.
Operation Free,
April 21, 2015.
Hon. Lamar Smith,
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson: The
American military is the greatest fighting force the world
has ever seen. The United States Congress has the critical
responsibility of empowering our military leaders by
equipping that force with the tools they need to engage
effectively in a world of ever-increasing security threats.
Accordingly, we urge you to withdraw the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, which would bar the Department
of Energy from continuing a four-year collaboration with the
Departments of Defense and Agriculture to develop cost-
effective advanced biofuels.
Time and again throughout our history, the military has
chosen to innovate towards new solutions. While the advances
resulting from these efforts have often benefited our nation
as a whole, they are undertaken not for the sake of novelty
or adventure but to fill a key operational or tactical need.
Advanced biofuels fills such a need: Reducing the dangerous
dependence of the U.S. military on fossil fuels.
The Department of Defense is the world's largest
institutional consumer of fuel. With approximately $15
billion per year budgeted simply to maintain freedom of
movement, the U.S. military is dangerously sensitive to the
volatility of oil prices; a $10 change in the price per
barrel of crude oil leaves the Department of Defense with a
$1.3 billion shortfall and sees increased profits to
countries who oppose our interests around the world. And
because oil is priced in a global market, no amount of
domestic production can insulate the military from these
effects.
We have learned firsthand that oil truly is the Achilles'
heel of our military. With most
[[Page H3457]]
of the world's oil traveling through two or three major
chokepoints, the military must allocate significant manpower
and resources to keeping those sea lanes open and secure.
Moreover, as the military transitions from large-scale land
engagements in the Middle East and towards a broader
engagement in the Asia-Pacific, the costs and logistical
challenges associated with moving fuel over thousands of
miles of ocean will only increase.
The threat of oil dependence along with the need for energy
security isn't going away any time soon. And we shouldn't
impede progress of alternatives that are moving forward now.
Four years of partnership between the Departments of Defense,
Energy, and Agriculture have seen impressive progress in the
development of advanced, ``drop in'' biofuels that will allow
the military to turn away from an outdated fuel source. Top
line military platforms as diverse as the super-sonic F/A-18
``Green Hornet,'' the Air Force's F16 fighter jets, the MH-
60S Seahawk helicopter, the AV-8B Harrier, the Fire Scout
unmanned vehicle, the Riverine Command Boat (RCB-X) and the
frigate USS Ford have all operated at full capacity and with
no averse side effects using American-made biofuels.
Members of the military from every rank and service have
spoken out in favor of the continued investment in biofuels
for reasons of cost and capabilities alike. These voices,
rather than political leanings or parochial interests, must
steer national security policy. Accordingly, we urge you to
withdraw the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 and
to ensure that the U.S. military is free to pursue the fuel
sources its leaders deign necessary for maximum operational
and tactical success.
Respectfully,
Michael Breen,
Executive Director, Truman National Security Project Army
Captain (Fmr.).
RADM Leendert ``Len'' Hering,
USN (Ret.).
Lt Gen Norman Seip,
USAF (Ret.).
Ms. BONAMICI. I urge adoption of the amendment, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Weber), who is the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee of the
Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. WEBER of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding to
me.
Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to the gentlewoman's amendment
and in support of the underlying reforms included in H.R. 1806, the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015.
This amendment would remove a limitation included in the underlying
bill that prevents the Department of Energy from using funding
authorized for the EERE Biofuels program to conduct commercial
production of biofuels for defense purposes.
The fact is that EERE already spends too much of their current budget
on deployment and commercialization of renewable and energy efficient
technologies instead of research and development.
The DOE's ongoing effort to fund commercial-scale biofuels production
for military purposes in cooperation with the Department of Defense and
USDA is just one example.
Redirecting funds from biofuels R&D is part of a broader problem.
Department of Energy research and development programs should be
focused on science, not creating a market for certain types of fuels.
The DOE should focus on a new idea for the market, not a market for the
new idea.
The Department of Defense spends billions annually on fuel costs,
billions. When viable biofuels technology is able to compete with
conventional fuels--trust me--the private sector can and will develop
commercial-scale biofuels production to meet demand. It is just that
simple, Mr. Chairman.
And despite significant Federal programs to support the use of
biofuels, a recent GAO, Government Accountability Office, study
concluded that the long-term viability of alternative fuels is
dependent on market factors, not Federal funds or mandates. That same
study reported that the Department of Defense paid $150 per gallon for
1,500 gallons of alternative jet fuel derived from algal oil. Taxpayers
should be outraged.
The other side may be, in fact, promoting their global warming theory
because when taxpayers find out about this kind of waste, there are
going to be a lot of them hot under the collar.
The Department of Energy should focus on research and development,
not commercial biofuels production. This limitation is consistent with
the broader goals of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which
prioritizes research and development in all R&D program areas while
cutting spending on deployment and commercialization.
I am aghast, Mr. Chairman, that the other side somehow thinks
Congress shouldn't be paying attention to the way taxpayer dollars are
spent.
For these reasons, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this
amendment.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chair, may I please inquire as to the amount of
time remaining.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 2\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Ms. BONAMICI. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Peters), a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. PETERS. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise as a cosponsor of this amendment, and I am glad
to be working with Congresswoman Bonamici and my colleague on the Armed
Services Committee, Ranking Member Adam Smith.
Our amendment simply allows the Department of Energy to continue its
collaborative work with the Department of Defense to produce biofuels
for the military.
The Department of Defense is the single largest institutional
consumer of fuel in the world, and this is all about saving money
because our military spends about $20 billion a year on energy, $16
billion of which goes to oil fuels.
As we have seen in recent years, global oil markets are volatile. And
despite massive production increases in the United States, according to
the Energy Information Administration, last year, our net imports of
petroleum were 5 million barrels per day, with our top five suppliers
being Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Iraq. That reliance
on a volatile, foreign-produced source of fuel puts our national
security at risk, particularly when we face dynamic, new threats from
nonstate actors such as ISIS, al Qaeda, or individual terrorists who
can disrupt oil production and supply lines in new and intimidating
ways.
The constraints of depending so heavily on a single source of fuel
also puts our readiness at risk, a problem that will only increase as
we are forced to respond to international incidents across the globe at
a moment's notice and as our military makes its strategic pivot toward
the vast Pacific Ocean.
Instead of standing idly by and waiting for a fuel-supply crisis that
would endanger our ability to confront those wanting to harm our
country, the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture have been
working with private sector innovators to develop renewable biofuels
that could be used by planes, tactical vehicles, and ships.
The Navy already has innovative partnerships with algae producers and
their high-skilled workers in my district in San Diego.
Congress should be laying the groundwork for more strategic public-
private partnerships to develop like those in San Diego, not mandating
that they cannot exist.
The military is not pursuing this fuel supply diversity because they
are tree-hugging environmentalists but because it is a national
security imperative.
Foolishly, today's COMPETES Act would bar the Department of Defense
from working with the Department of Energy on developing biofuels. Why
would we undercut an effort that our military commanders are for and
say will save lives?
{time} 1730
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Beyer), a member of the Science, Space, and Technology
Committee.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my dear friend, Ms. Bonamici, for
yielding and for her leadership on this important issue.
Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of this commonsense amendment to
allow
[[Page H3458]]
the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense to continue
working together to develop biofuel options for our Nation's military.
DOD's reliance on a single source of fuel deepens dependence on
foreign oil, threatens our national security, and contributes
significantly to spending. Why would we not want the Department of
Energy with their deep technical expertise in this area to assist DOD
to create alternatives for petroleum-based fuels? It makes no sense,
and I urge my colleagues' support.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, in closing, the gentlewoman's
amendment would remove an important limitation from the underlying bill
that prevents the Department of Energy from spending research dollars
to fund commercial-scale biofuels development for defense purposes. DOE
should focus on innovative research and development, not commercial
production of any particular form of energy.
For those reasons, Mr. Chairman, I encourage Members to oppose this
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Oregon
will be postponed.
Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Beyer
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk for Mr.
DeSaulnier and myself.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 174, lines 18 through 24, strike paragraph (1).
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Beyer) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I am proud to speak in support of our amendment, which
would restore the ARPA-E goal of developing energy technologies that
result in reductions in energy-related emissions, including greenhouse
gases. I believe this is an important and urgent area of research and
that it should remain explicitly stated in the statute as a goal for
ARPA-E.
When I look at the existing statute, it says:
The goals of ARPA-E shall be reductions of imports of
energy from foreign sources; reductions of energy-related
emissions, including greenhouses gases; and improvement in
the energy efficiency of all economic sectors.
These are the three goals which have been removed from the current
bill. Global carbon dioxide concentrations have risen more than 120
parts per million since preindustrial times, half of that arrived just
since 1980. The burning of coal, oil, and natural gas is driving the
acceleration of greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere. Just 2
weeks ago, NOAA reported that the monthly global average of
concentration of carbon dioxide has surpassed 400 parts per million.
The last time this happened was over 1 million years ago.
We must look to develop alternative energy sources that will reduce
manmade emissions. ARPA-E is a unique agency that can help us with this
mission. Since 2009, it has funded over 400 potentially
transformational energy technology projects. A number of these projects
have spurred follow-on private sector funding, and a number of ARPA-E
awardees have formed startup companies or partnered with other parts of
the government and industry to advance their technologies.
Reducing energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases, is an
important component to our Nation's economic and energy security.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support our amendment
to reinstate these three goals for ARPA-E, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Loudermilk), who is also the
chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee of the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee.
Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment to H.R.
1806 because I support research that will enhance both the economic
security and the energy security of the United States.
The original America COMPETES Act, which established the Advanced
Research Projects Agency within the Department of Energy, ARPA-E,
required the agency to only pursue projects that reduce greenhouse
gases. The bill before us today, the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act, allows any advanced energy technology that could enhance U.S.
economic and energy security to compete for ARPA-E funding. This levels
the playing field and ensures that ARPA-E funds research with the
greatest potential to have a positive impact on the American economy.
The COMPETES Act provides a balanced approach to ARPA-E by
reprioritizing funding towards innovative projects that are truly in
need of Federal research dollars. The bill also removes restrictions
that allow the administration to play favorites in the energy sector.
However, this amendment would strike the language which expands the
ARPA-E project eligibility. As a result, this amendment would then
limit innovative research and development.
With all of the national security challenges we face today, from
terrorism, to cybersecurity breaches, to our skyrocketing national
debt, we should focus our attention on broadening our energy base and
achieving energy independence, not limiting ourselves to one small area
of environmental science. I believe we must adopt an all-of-the-above
energy strategy that improves our energy security and emphasizes all
energy opportunities, including those which reduce greenhouse gases.
Congress should not put in place arbitrary limits on innovation that
will prevent groundbreaking technologies from across the energy sector
from participating in ARPA-E programs. I urge my colleagues to oppose
this amendment.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the ranking member of the Science, Space,
and Technology Committee.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the
gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, it is deeply troubling to me that this amendment had to
be offered. This amendment fixes a provision in this bill that strips
away a foundational component of the ARPA-E program.
As virtually every preeminent climatologist in the world agrees,
greenhouse gas emissions are growing so rapidly and are a growing
threat to our way of life. Why wouldn't we want one of the most
innovative agencies to develop technologies that could address this
critical issue?
ARPA-E has made good funding choices supporting valuable research, as
proven by its impressive track record of successful projects since it
was first authorized. I certainly see no value in changing something
that no serious energy policy analyst believes is broken.
Mr. DeSaulnier's and Mr. Beyer's amendment sets this clearly
misguided provision aside. I enthusiastically support it and urge my
colleagues to do so as well.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I listened with great interest to the rebuttal of the
alternative argument from my friend, Mr. Loudermilk, and I found myself
agreeing with almost everything that he said, but misunderstanding why
retaining these three goals somehow played favorites, how they created
arbitrary limits on innovation, and how they opposed efforts to find
our economic and
[[Page H3459]]
energy security. The purpose of the amendment is to recognize that
reducing dependence on foreign oil, that trying to find ways to limit
greenhouse gases, and improving the energy efficiency of all economic
sectors are worthy goals.
Perhaps what we need to do is add a fourth one, which I would be
happy to place first if the chairman would agree, that says the goals
will be, first, to develop any breakthroughs in innovation that help
the economic and energy security of the Nation so that there is no
playing of favorites and there are no arbitrary limitations. If we
could work that out, that would be great. Otherwise, Mr. Chairman, I
urge my colleagues to support the amendment as offered, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman's amendment would
remove key policy reforms to ARPA-E from the COMPETES bill and instead
place limitations on the research and development conducted at ARPA-E.
Federally funded research should include innovative technologies for
all forms of energy, not just the President's personal preferences. So
I encourage Members to oppose the amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia
will be postponed.
Amendment No. 12 Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 12
printed in part A of House Report 114-120.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment
at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``America
Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--OSTP; GOVERNMENTWIDE SCIENCE
Subtitle A--General Provisions
Sec. 101. Federal research and development funding.
Sec. 102. National Science and Technology Council amendments.
Sec. 103. Review of Federal regulations and reporting requirements.
Sec. 104. Amendments to prize competitions.
Sec. 105. Coordination of international science and technology
partnerships.
Sec. 106. Scientific and technical conferences.
Subtitle B--Reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
Sec. 111. Short title.
Sec. 112. National Nanotechnology Program amendments.
Sec. 113. Societal dimensions of nanotechnology.
Sec. 114. Nanotechnology education.
Sec. 115. Technology transfer.
Sec. 116. Signature initiatives in areas of national importance.
Sec. 117. Nanomanufacturing research.
Sec. 118. Definitions.
Subtitle C--Engineering Biology
Sec. 121. Short title.
Sec. 122. Findings.
Sec. 123. Definitions.
Sec. 124. National Engineering Biology Research and Development
Program.
Sec. 125. Advisory Committee.
Sec. 126. External review of ethical, legal, environmental, and
societal issues.
Sec. 127. Agency activities.
TITLE II--STEM EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY
Subtitle A--STEM Education and Workforce
Sec. 201. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 202. Coordination of Federal STEM education.
Sec. 203. Grand challenges in education research.
Sec. 204. National Research Council report on STEAM education.
Sec. 205. Engaging Federal scientists and engineers in STEM education.
Subtitle B--Broadening Participation in STEM
Sec. 211. Short title.
Sec. 212. Purpose.
Sec. 213. Federal science agency policies for caregivers.
Sec. 214. Collection and reporting of data on Federal research grants.
Sec. 215. Policies for review of Federal research grants.
Sec. 216. Collection of data on demographics of faculty.
Sec. 217. Cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic
and Federal STEM workforce.
Sec. 218. Research and dissemination at the National Science
Foundation.
Sec. 219. Report to Congress.
Sec. 220. National Science Foundation support for increasing diversity
among STEM faculty at institutions of higher education.
Sec. 221. National Science Foundation support for broadening
participation in undergraduate STEM education.
Sec. 222. Definitions.
TITLE III--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Subtitle A--General Provisions
Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Findings and sense of Congress on support for all fields of
science and engineering.
Sec. 303. National Science Foundation merit review.
Sec. 304. Management and oversight of large facilities.
Sec. 305. Support for potentially transformative research.
Sec. 306. Strengthening institutional research partnerships.
Sec. 307. Innovation Corps.
Sec. 308. Definitions.
Subtitle B--STEM Education
Sec. 321. National Science Board report on consolidation of STEM
education activities at the Foundation.
Sec. 322. Models for graduate student support.
Sec. 323. Undergraduate STEM education reform.
Sec. 324. Advanced manufacturing education.
Sec. 325. STEM education partnerships.
Sec. 326. Noyce scholarship program amendments.
Sec. 327. Informal STEM education.
Sec. 328. Research and development to support improved K-12 learning.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 403. Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
Sec. 404. National Academies review.
Sec. 405. Improving NIST collaboration with other agencies.
Sec. 406. Miscellaneous provisions.
TITLE V--INNOVATION
Sec. 501. Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Sec. 502. Federal loan guarantees for innovative technologies in
manufacturing.
Sec. 503. Innovation voucher pilot program.
Sec. 504. Federal Acceleration of State Technology Commercialization
Pilot Program.
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Subtitle A--Office of Science
Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Definitions.
Sec. 603. Mission of the Office of Science.
Sec. 604. Basic energy sciences program.
Sec. 605. Biological and environmental research.
Sec. 606. Advanced scientific computing research program.
Sec. 607. Fusion energy research.
Sec. 608. High energy physics program.
Sec. 609. Nuclear physics program.
Sec. 610. Science laboratories infrastructure program.
Sec. 611. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle B--ARPA-E
Sec. 621. Short title.
Sec. 622. ARPA-E amendments.
Subtitle C--Energy Innovation
Sec. 641. Energy Innovation Hubs.
Sec. 642. Participation in the Innovation Corps program.
Sec. 643. Technology transfer.
Sec. 644. Funding competitiveness for institutions of higher education
and other nonprofit institutions.
Sec. 645. Under Secretary for Science and Energy.
Sec. 646. Special hiring authority for scientific, engineering, and
project management personnel.
TITLE I--OSTP; GOVERNMENTWIDE SCIENCE
Subtitle A--General Provisions
SEC. 101. FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The predominant driver of gross domestic product growth
over the past half century has been scientific and
technological advancement.
(2) Investments in research and development have also
delivered significant benefits for national security, health,
energy security, education, and the personal well-being of
all Americans.
(3) Virtually every new technological product is traceable
to a research discovery, often one pursued with no
application in mind.
(4) Nondefense Federal research and development accounts
for only 1.7 percent of the
[[Page H3460]]
Federal budget. Federal basic research accounts for only 1
percent of the budget.
(5) There is a deficit between what America is investing
and what it should be investing to remain competitive, not
only in research but in technology transfer, innovation, and
job creation, thereby causing America's highly successful
science and technology enterprise to atrophy.
(6) Many research and development initiatives, due to the
long time periods required to achieve completion, have
benefited from stable and predictable investments and from
multiyear financial planning.
(7) The Federal science agencies should receive sustained
and steady growth in funding for research and development
activities, including basic research, across a wide range of
disciplines, including physical, geological, and life
sciences, mathematics, engineering, and social, behavioral,
and economic sciences.
SEC. 102. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL AMENDMENTS.
Section 401 of the National Science and Technology Policy,
Organization, and Priorities Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 6651) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Federal Coordinating
Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology'' and
inserting ``National Science and Technology Council'';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``and Energy Research
and Development Administration'' and inserting ``Department
of Energy, and any other agency designated by the
President''; and
(3) in subsection (e)--
(A) by striking ``engineering, and technology'' and
inserting ``engineering, technology, innovation, and STEM
education'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``engineering, and
technological'' and inserting ``engineering, technological,
innovation, and STEM education'';
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
paragraph:
``(3) address research needs identified under paragraph (2)
through appropriate funding mechanisms, which may include
solicitations involving 2 or more agencies and public-private
partnerships;''.
SEC. 103. REVIEW OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall establish or designate a working
group under the National Science and Technology Council with
the responsibility of reviewing Federal regulatory and
reporting requirements across Federal agencies that affect
the conduct of United States research in an effort to reduce
regulatory burdens and to eliminate and harmonize duplicative
regulatory and reporting requirements.
(b) Responsibilities.--The working group established or
designated under subsection (a) shall--
(1) periodically review all Federal regulations and
reporting requirements that affect the conduct of United
States research to--
(A) identify ways to harmonize overlapping or duplicative
research regulations and reporting requirements across
Federal agencies;
(B) evaluate such regulations and reporting requirements in
relationship to the risks the requirements seek to address to
determine if the benefits of the requirements are
commensurate with the costs to the progress of science or to
the taxpayer;
(C) identify any regulations that are applied to scientific
researchers or to research-performing institutions for which
exemptions could be reasonably applied or for which
adjustments could be made to better fit those regulations to
diverse research environments; and
(D) identify any specific regulations which could be
refocused on performance-based goals rather than on process
while still meeting the desired outcome;
(2) examine the extent to which agencies' guidance
documents adhere with the most recently updated version of
the Office of Management and Budget's Agency Good Guidance
Practices bulletin; and
(3) develop and update at least once every 3 years a
strategic plan for streamlining Federal regulations and
reporting requirements that affect the conduct of United
States research that contains, at a minimum--
(A) a priority list of research-related regulations,
reporting requirements, and agency guidance to be harmonized,
streamlined, updated, or eliminated; and
(B) a plan, including a timeline, for implementing the
regulatory and reporting reforms identified in subparagraph
(A).
(c) Stakeholder Input.--In carrying out the
responsibilities under subsection (b), including the
development of the strategic plan under subsection (b)(3),
the working group established or designated under subsection
(a) shall take into account input and recommendations from
non-Federal stakeholders, including federally funded and
nonfederally funded researchers, institutions of higher
education, scientific disciplinary societies and
associations, nonprofit research institutions, industry,
including small businesses, federally funded research and
development centers, and others with a stake in ensuring
effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability in the
performance of scientific research.
(d) Responsibilities of OSTP.--The Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with the
Office of Management and Budget Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, shall encourage and monitor the efforts
of the participating agencies to ensure that the strategic
plan is developed under subsection (b)(3) and that
appropriate steps are taken by the agencies to effectively
implement the recommendations, achieve the objectives, and to
adhere to the timeline in the strategic plan.
(e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall transmit the priority list and
strategic plan developed under subsection (b)(3) to the
Congress. The Director shall further provide a report
annually to the Congress, to be submitted not later than 60
days after the submission of the President's annual budget
request, on the progress toward implementation of the
regulatory reforms outlined in the strategic plan.
SEC. 104. AMENDMENTS TO PRIZE COMPETITIONS.
Section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) by inserting ``competition'' after ``section, a
prize'';
(B) by inserting ``types'' after ``following''; and
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prizes'' and inserting
``prize competitions'';
(2) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``in the Federal Register'' and inserting
``on a publicly accessible Government website, such as
www.challenge.gov,''; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``prize'' and inserting
``cash prize purse'';
(3) in subsection (g), by striking ``prize'' and inserting
``cash prize purse'';
(4) in subsection (h), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'' both places it appears;
(5) in subsection (i)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition'' both places it appears;
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Waiver.--An agency may waive the requirement under
paragraph (2). The annual report under subsection (p) shall
include a list of such waivers granted during the preceding
fiscal year, along with an explanation of the reasons for
granting the waivers.'';
(6) in subsection (j) by amending paragraph (2) to read as
follows:
``(2) Intellectual property.--
``(A) Licenses.--The Federal Government may negotiate a
license for the use of intellectual property developed by a
participant for a prize competition.
``(B) Other conditions.--A Federal agency or agencies in
cooperation may require participants to agree in advance to a
specific approach to intellectual property as a condition for
eligibility to participate in a prize competition.'';
(7) in subsection (k)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competition''; and
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``prize'' before
``competitions'' both places it appears;
(8) in subsection (l), by striking all after ``may enter
into'' and inserting ``a grant, contract, cooperative
agreement, or other agreement with a private sector for-
profit or nonprofit entity to administer the prize
competition, subject to the provisions of this section.'';
(9) in subsection (m)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--Support for a prize competition under
this section, including financial support for the design and
administration of a prize competition or funds for a cash
prize purse, may consist of Federal appropriated funds and
funds provided by private sector for-profit and nonprofit
entities. The head of an agency may accept funds from other
Federal agencies, private sector for-profit entities, and
nonprofit entities, to be available to the extent provided by
appropriations Acts, to support such prize competitions. The
head of an agency may not give any special consideration to
any private sector for-profit or nonprofit entity in return
for a donation.'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``prize awards'' and
inserting ``cash prize purses'';
(C) in paragraph (3)(A)--
(i) by striking ``No prize'' and inserting ``No prize
competition''; and
(ii) by striking ``the prize'' and inserting ``the cash
prize purse'';
(D) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``a prize'' and
inserting ``a cash prize purse'';
(E) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by inserting ``competition''
after ``prize'';
(F) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``a prize'' and
inserting ``a cash prize purse''; and
(G) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``cash prizes'' and
inserting ``cash prize purses'';
(10) in subsection (n), by inserting ``for both for-profit
and nonprofit entities,'' after ``contract vehicle'';
(11) in subsection (o)(1), by striking ``or providing a
prize'' and insert ``a prize competition or providing a cash
prize purse''; and
(12) in subsection (p)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``Annual Report'' and
inserting ``Biennial Report'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``of each year'' and inserting ``of each
odd-numbered year''; and
[[Page H3461]]
(ii) by striking ``preceding fiscal year'' and inserting
``preceding 2 fiscal years''; and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``cash prizes'' both
places it occurs and inserting ``cash prize purses''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) Plan.--A description of crosscutting topical areas
and agency-specific mission needs that may be the strongest
opportunities for prize competitions during the upcoming 2
fiscal years.''.
SEC. 105. COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of
2015''.
(b) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy shall establish a body under the
National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) with the
responsibility to identify and coordinate international
science and technology cooperation that can strengthen the
United States science and technology enterprise, improve
economic and national security, and support United States
foreign policy goals.
(c) NSTC Body Leadership.--The body established under
subsection (b) shall be co-chaired by senior level officials
from the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the
Department of State.
(d) Responsibilities.--The body established under
subsection (b) shall--
(1) plan and coordinate interagency international science
and technology cooperative research and training activities
and partnerships supported or managed by Federal agencies and
work with other National Science and Technology Council
committees to help plan and coordinate the international
component of national science and technology priorities;
(2) establish Federal priorities and policies for aligning,
as appropriate, international science and technology
cooperative research and training activities and partnerships
supported or managed by Federal agencies with the foreign
policy goals of the United States;
(3) identify opportunities for new international science
and technology cooperative research and training partnerships
that advance both the science and technology and the foreign
policy priorities of the United States;
(4) in carrying out paragraph (3), solicit input and
recommendations from non-Federal science and technology
stakeholders, including universities, scientific and
professional societies, industry, and relevant organizations
and institutions; and
(5) identify broad issues that influence the ability of
United States scientists and engineers to collaborate with
foreign counterparts, including barriers to collaboration and
access to scientific information.
(e) Report to Congress.--The Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a report, to be
updated annually, to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives, and to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate. The report shall also be made
available to the public on the reporting agency's website.
The report shall contain a description of--
(1) the priorities and policies established under
subsection (d)(2);
(2) the ongoing and new partnerships established since the
last update to the report;
(3) the means by which stakeholder input was received, as
well as summary views of stakeholder input; and
(4) the issues influencing the ability of United States
scientists and engineers to collaborate with foreign
counterparts.
SEC. 106. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Cooperative research and development activities,
including collaboration between domestic and international
government, industry, and academic science and engineering
organizations, are important to promoting innovation and
knowledge creation.
(2) Scientific and technical conferences and trade events
support the sharing of information, processes, and data
within the scientific and engineering communities.
(3) In hosting and attending scientific and technical
conferences and trade events, Federal agencies--
(A) gain greater access to top researchers and to new and
potentially transformative ideas;
(B) keep abreast of developments relevant to their
respective missions, as is relevant for future program
planning;
(C) help disseminate Federal research results;
(D) provide opportunities both for employee professional
development and for recruiting new employees;
(E) participate in scientific peer review; and
(F) support the reputation, visibility, and leadership both
of the specific agency and of the United States.
(4) For those Federal agencies that provide financial
support for external research and development activities,
participation in scientific and technical conferences can
help ensure that funds are directed toward the most promising
ideas, thereby maximizing the Federal investment.
(b) Policy.--To the extent practicable given budget,
security, and other constraints, the National Science
Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, and the Department of Energy, in addition to the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, should support
Federal employee and contractor attendance at scientific and
technical conferences and trade events as relevant both to
employee and contractor duties and to the agency's mission.
(c) Oversight.--Consistent with other relevant law, the
Federal agencies, through appropriate oversight, shall aim to
minimize the costs to the Federal Government related to
conference and trade event attendance, through methods such
as--
(1) ensuring that related fees collected by the Federal
agency help offset total costs to the Federal Government;
(2) developing or maintaining procedures for investigating
unexpected increases in related costs; and
(3) strengthening policies and training relevant to
conference and trade event planning and participation.
Subtitle B--Reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
SEC. 111. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``National Nanotechnology
Initiative Amendments Act of 2015''.
SEC. 112. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.
The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act (15 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 2--
(A) in subsection (c), by amending paragraph (4) to read as
follows:
``(4) develop, and update every 3 years thereafter, a
strategic plan to guide the activities described under
subsection (b) that specifies near-term and long-term
objectives for the Program, the anticipated timeframe for
achieving the near-term objectives, and the metrics to be
used for assessing progress toward the objectives, and that
describes--
``(A) how the Program will move results out of the
laboratory and into applications for the benefit of society,
including through cooperation and collaborations with
nanotechnology research, development, and technology
transition initiatives supported by the States; and
``(B) proposed research in areas of national importance in
accordance with the requirements of section 116 of the
National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2015;'';
(B) in subsection (d)--
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively;
(ii) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated by
clause (i), the following:
``(1) the Program budget, for the previous fiscal year, for
each agency that participates in the Program, and for each
program component area;''; and
(iii) by amending paragraph (6), as redesignated by clause
(i), to read as follows:
``(6) an assessment of how Federal agencies are
implementing the plan described in subsection (c)(7) and a
description of the amount of Small Business Innovative
Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Research
funds supporting the plan.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Standards Setting.--The agencies participating in the
Program shall support the activities of committees involved
in the development of standards for nanotechnology and may
reimburse the travel costs of scientists and engineers who
participate in activities of such committees.'';
(2) in section 3--
(A) by amending subsection (b)(1) to read as follows:
``(b) Funding.--
``(1) In general.--The operation of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall be supported by
funds from each agency participating in the Program.
``(2) Proportion.--The portion of such Office's total
budget provided by each agency for each fiscal year shall be
in the same proportion as the agency's share of the total
budget for the Program for the previous fiscal year, as
specified in the report required under section 2(d)(1).
``(3) Exception.--The Director of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office may establish a minimum
contribution or other exception to the requirement in
paragraph (2) for participating agencies whose share of the
total budget for the Program is below a threshold level, to
be set by the Director.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Public Information.--
``(1) Database.--
``(A) In general.--The National Nanotechnology Coordination
Office shall develop and maintain a database accessible by
the public of projects funded under at least the
Environmental, Health, and Safety program component area, or
any successor program component area, including, to the
extent practicable, a description of each project, its source
of funding by agency, and its funding history.
``(B) Organization.--Projects shall be grouped by major
objective as defined by the research plan required under
section 113(b) of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
Amendments Act of 2015.
``(2) Accessible facilities.--
[[Page H3462]]
``(A) In general.--The National Nanotechnology Coordination
Office shall develop, maintain, and publicize information on
nanotechnology facilities supported under the Program, and
may include information on nanotechnology facilities
supported by the States, that are accessible for use by
individuals from academic institutions and from industry.
``(B) Websites.--The National Nanotechnology Coordination
Office shall maintain active web links to the websites for
each of these facilities and shall work with each facility
supported under the Program to ensure that each facility
publishes on its respective website updated information on
the terms and conditions for the use of the facility, a
description of the capabilities of the instruments and
equipment available for use at the facility, and a
description of the technical support available to assist
users of the facility.'';
(3) in section 4--
(A) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
``The co-chairs of the Advisory Panel shall meet the
qualifications of Panel membership required in subsection (b)
and may be members of the President's Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology. The Advisory Panel shall include
members having specific qualifications tailored to enable it
to carry out the requirements of subsection (c)(6).'';
(B) in subsection (c)--
(i) by striking paragraph (1); and
(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) as
paragraphs (1) through (6), respectively; and
(C) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
``(d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report not less
frequently than every 3 years, and, to the extent
practicable, 1 year following each of the National Research
Council triennial reviews required under section 5, to the
President on its assessments under subsection (c) and its
recommendations for ways to improve the Program. The Director
of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit
a copy of each report under this subsection to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and other appropriate committees of the
Congress.'';
(4) by amending section 5 to read as follows:
``SEC. 5. TRIENNIAL EXTERNAL REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL
NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Director of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall enter into an
arrangement with the National Research Council of the
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a triennial review of
the Program. The Director shall ensure that the arrangement
with the National Research Council is concluded in order to
allow sufficient time for the reporting requirements of
subsection (b) to be satisfied. Each triennial review shall
include an evaluation of the--
``(1) research priorities and technical content of the
Program, including whether the balance of funding among
program component areas, as designated according to section
2(c)(2), is appropriate;
``(2) Program's scientific and technological
accomplishments and its success in transferring technology to
the private sector; and
``(3) adequacy of the Program's activities addressing
ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal
concerns, including human health concerns.
``(b) Priority Reports.--If the Director of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office, working with the National
Research Council and with input from the Advisory Panel,
determines that a more narrowly focused review of the Program
is in the best interests of the Program, the Director may
enter into such an arrangement with the National Research
Council in lieu of a full review as required under subsection
(a), but not more often than every second triennial review.
``(c) Evaluation To Be Transmitted to Congress.--The
National Research Council shall document the results of each
triennial review carried out in accordance with this section
in a report that includes any recommendations for changes to
the Program's objectives, technical content, or other policy
or Program changes. Each report shall be submitted to the
Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office,
who shall transmit it to the Advisory Panel, the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives.''; and
(5) in section 10--
(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Nanotechnology.--The term `nanotechnology' means the
science and technology that will enable one to understand,
measure, model, image, manipulate, and manufacture at the
nanoscale, aimed at creating materials, devices, and systems
with fundamentally new properties or functions.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(7) Nanoscale.--The term `nanoscale' means one or more
dimensions of between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers.''.
SEC. 113. SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY.
(a) Coordinator for Environmental, Health, and Safety
Research.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall designate an associate director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy or other
appropriate senior government official as the Coordinator for
Environmental, Health, and Safety Research. The Coordinator
shall be responsible for oversight of the coordination,
planning, and budget prioritization of research and other
activities related to environmental, health, safety, and
other appropriate societal concerns related to
nanotechnology. The responsibilities of the Coordinator shall
include--
(1) ensuring that a research plan for the environmental,
health, and safety research activities required under
subsection (b) is developed, updated, and implemented and
that the plan is responsive to the recommendations of the
Advisory Panel established under section 4(a) of the 21st
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15
U.S.C. 7503(a)); and
(2) encouraging and monitoring the efforts of the agencies
participating in the Program to allocate the level of
resources and management attention necessary to ensure that
the environmental, health, safety, and other appropriate
societal concerns related to nanotechnology are addressed
under the Program.
(b) Research Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Coordinator for Environmental, Health,
and Safety Research shall convene and chair a panel comprised
of representatives from the agencies funding research
activities under the Environmental, Health, and Safety
program component area of the Program, or any successor
program component area, and from such other agencies as the
Coordinator considers necessary to develop, periodically
update, and coordinate the implementation of a research plan
for this program component area. Such panel may be a subgroup
of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology
Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council.
In developing and updating the plan, the panel convened by
the Coordinator shall solicit and be responsive to
recommendations and advice from--
(A) the Advisory Panel established under section 4(a) of
the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act
(15 U.S.C. 7503(a)); and
(B) the agencies responsible for environmental, health, and
safety regulations associated with the production, use, and
disposal of nanoscale materials and products.
(2) Development of standards.--The plan required under
paragraph (1) shall include a description of how the Program
will help to ensure the development of--
(A) standards related to nomenclature associated with
engineered nanoscale materials;
(B) engineered nanoscale standard reference materials for
environmental, health, and safety testing; and
(C) standards related to methods and procedures for
detecting, measuring, monitoring, sampling, and testing
engineered nanoscale materials for environmental, health, and
safety impacts.
(3) Components of plan.--The plan required under paragraph
(1) shall, with respect to activities described in paragraphs
(1) and (2)--
(A) specify near-term research objectives and long-term
research objectives;
(B) specify milestones associated with each near-term
objective and the estimated time and resources required to
reach each milestone;
(C) with respect to subparagraphs (A) and (B), describe the
role of each agency carrying out or sponsoring research in
order to meet the objectives specified under subparagraph (A)
and to achieve the milestones specified under subparagraph
(B); and
(D) specify the funding allocated to each major objective
of the plan and the source of funding by agency for the
current fiscal year.
(4) Transmittal to congress.--Not later than 6 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the plan required under
paragraph (1) shall be transmitted to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives.
(5) Updating and appending to report.--The plan required
under paragraph (1) shall be updated at least every 3 years
and may be submitted as part of the report required under
section 2(c)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research
and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)(4)).
SEC. 114. NANOTECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
(a) Undergraduate Education Programs.--The Program shall
support efforts to introduce nanoscale science, engineering,
and technology into undergraduate science and engineering
education through a variety of interdisciplinary approaches.
Activities supported may include--
(1) development of courses of instruction or modules to
existing courses;
(2) faculty professional development; and
(3) acquisition of equipment and instrumentation suitable
for undergraduate education and research in nanotechnology.
(b) Interagency Coordination of Education.--The Committee
established under section 2(c) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(c)) shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Committee
established under section 101 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621)
[[Page H3463]]
to prioritize, plan, and assess the educational activities
supported under the Program.
(c) Societal Dimensions in Nanotechnology Education
Activities.--Activities supported under the Education and
Societal Dimensions program component area, or any successor
program component area, that involve informal, precollege, or
undergraduate nanotechnology education shall include
education regarding the environmental, health and safety, and
other societal aspects of nanotechnology.
(d) Remote Access to Nanotechnology Facilities.--
(1) In general.--Agencies supporting nanotechnology
research facilities as part of the Program shall require the
entities that operate such facilities to allow access via the
Internet, and support the costs associated with the provision
of such access, by secondary school students and teachers, to
instruments and equipment within such facilities for
educational purposes. The agencies may waive this requirement
for cases when particular facilities would be inappropriate
for educational purposes or the costs for providing such
access would be prohibitive.
(2) Procedures.--The agencies identified in paragraph (1)
shall require the entities that operate such nanotechnology
research facilities to establish and publish procedures,
guidelines, and conditions for the submission and approval of
applications for the use of the facilities for the purpose
identified in paragraph (1) and shall authorize personnel who
operate the facilities to provide necessary technical support
to students and teachers.
SEC. 115. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
(a) Prototyping.--
(1) Access to facilities.--In accordance with section
2(b)(7) of 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and
Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(7)), the agencies
supporting nanotechnology research facilities as part of the
Program shall provide access to such facilities to companies
for the purpose of assisting the companies in the development
of prototypes of nanoscale products, devices, or processes
(or products, devices, or processes enabled by
nanotechnology) for determining proof of concept. The
agencies shall publicize the availability of these facilities
and encourage their use by companies as provided for in this
section. The agencies may waive this requirement for academic
facilities for which the costs of providing such access would
be prohibitive.
(2) Procedures.--The agencies identified in paragraph (1)--
(A) shall establish and publish procedures, guidelines, and
conditions for the submission and approval of applications
for use of nanotechnology facilities;
(B) shall publish descriptions of the capabilities of
facilities available for use under this subsection, including
the availability of technical support; and
(C) may waive recovery, require full recovery, or require
partial recovery of the costs associated with use of the
facilities for projects under this subsection.
(3) Selection and criteria.--
(A) In general.--In cases when less than full cost recovery
is required pursuant to paragraph (2)(C), projects provided
access to nanotechnology facilities in accordance with this
subsection shall be selected through a competitive, merit-
based process, and the criteria for the selection of such
projects shall include at a minimum the readiness of the
project for technology demonstration.
(B) Special consideration.--The agencies may give special
consideration in selecting projects to applications that are
relevant to important national needs or requirements.
(b) Collaboration With Industry.--The Program shall
coordinate with industry from all industrial sectors that
would benefit from applications of nanotechnology by--
(1) enhancing communication of information related to
nanotechnology innovation, including information about
research, education and training, manufacturing issues, and
market-driven needs;
(2) advancing and accelerating the creation of new products
and manufacturing processes derived from discovery at the
nanoscale by working with industry, including small and
medium-sized manufacturers;
(3) developing innovative methods for transferring
nanotechnology products and processes from Federal agencies
to industry; and
(4) facilitating industry-led partnerships between the
Program and industry sectors, including regional
partnerships.
(c) Coordination With State, Regional, and Local
Initiatives.--Section 2(b)(5) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(b)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
``(5) ensuring United States global leadership in the
development and application of nanotechnology, including
through the coordination and leveraging of Federal
investments with nanotechnology research, development, and
technology transition initiatives supported by the States and
regions across the country;''.
SEC. 116. SIGNATURE INITIATIVES IN AREAS OF NATIONAL
IMPORTANCE.
(a) In General.--The Program shall include support for
nanotechnology research and development activities directed
toward topical and application areas that have the potential
for significant contributions to national economic
competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits.
The activities supported shall be designed to advance the
development of research discoveries by demonstrating
technical solutions to important national challenges. The
Advisory Panel shall make recommendations to the Program for
candidate research and development areas for support under
this section.
(b) Characteristics.--
(1) In general.--Research and development activities under
this section shall--
(A) include projects selected on the basis of applications
for support through a competitive, merit-based process;
(B) involve collaborations among researchers in academic
institutions and industry, and may involve nonprofit research
institutions and Federal laboratories, as appropriate;
(C) when possible, leverage Federal investments through
collaboration with related State initiatives; and
(D) include a plan for fostering the transfer of research
discoveries and the results of technology demonstration
activities to industry for commercial development.
(2) Joint solicitations.--Projects supported under this
section shall include projects for which determination of the
requirements for applications, review and selection of
applications for support, and subsequent funding of projects
shall be carried out by a collaboration of no fewer than 2
agencies participating in the Program. In selecting
applications for support, agencies may, as appropriate, give
special consideration to projects that include cost sharing
from non-Federal sources.
(3) Interdisciplinary research centers.--Research and
development activities under this section may be supported
through interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers, as
authorized by section 2(b)(4) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(b)(4)), that are organized to investigate basic research
questions and carry out technology demonstration activities
in areas such as those identified in subsection (a).
(c) Report.--Reports required under section 2(d) of the
21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15
U.S.C. 7501(d)) shall include a description of research and
development areas supported in accordance with this section.
SEC. 117. NANOMANUFACTURING RESEARCH.
(a) Research Areas.--The Program shall include research
on--
(1) the development of instrumentation and tools required
for the rapid characterization of nanoscale materials and for
monitoring of nanoscale manufacturing processes; and
(2) approaches and techniques for scaling the synthesis of
new nanoscale materials to achieve industrial-level
production rates.
(b) Green Nanotechnology.--Interdisciplinary research
centers supported under the Program in accordance with
section 2(b)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research
and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(4)) that are focused
on nanomanufacturing research shall include as part of the
activities of such centers--
(1) research on methods and approaches to develop
environmentally benign nanoscale products and nanoscale
manufacturing processes, taking into consideration relevant
findings and results of research supported under the
Environmental, Health, and Safety program component area, or
any successor program component area;
(2) fostering the transfer of the results of such research
to industry; and
(3) providing for the education of scientists and engineers
through interdisciplinary studies in the principles and
techniques for the design and development of environmentally
benign nanoscale products and processes.
SEC. 118. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle, terms that are defined in section 10 of
the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act
(15 U.S.C. 7509) have the meaning given those terms in that
section.
Subtitle C--Engineering Biology
SEC. 121. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Engineering Biology
Research and Development Act of 2015''.
SEC. 122. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Cellular and molecular processes may be used, mimicked,
or redesigned to develop new products, processes, and systems
that improve societal well-being, strengthen national
security, and contribute to the economy.
(2) Engineering biology relies on scientists and engineers
with a diverse and unique set of skills combining the
biological, physical, and information sciences and
engineering.
(3) Long-term research and development is necessary to
create breakthroughs in engineering biology. Such research
and development requires government investment as the
benefits are too distant or uncertain for industry to support
alone.
(4) The Federal Government can play an important role by
facilitating the development of tools and technologies to
further advance engineering biology, including multiple user
facilities that the Federal Government is uniquely able to
support.
(5) Since other countries are investing significant
resources in engineering biology, the United States is at
risk of losing its competitive lead in this emerging area if
it does not invest the necessary resources and have a
national strategy.
[[Page H3464]]
(6) A National Engineering Biology Initiative can serve to
establish new research directions and technology goals,
improve interagency coordination and planning processes,
drive technology transfer, and help ensure optimal returns on
the Federal investment.
SEC. 123. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle--
(1) the term ``Advisory Committee'' means the advisory
committee designated under section 125;
(2) the term ``biomanufacturing'' means the manufacturing
of products using biological manufacturing technologies;
(3) the term ``engineering biology'' means the science and
engineering of cellular and molecular processes to advance
fundamental understanding of complex natural systems and to
develop new and advance existing products, processes, and
systems that will contribute significantly to societal well-
being, national security, and the economy;
(4) the term ``Interagency Committee'' means the
interagency committee designated under section 124(e); and
(5) the term ``Program'' means the National Engineering
Biology Research and Development Program established under
section 124.
SEC. 124. NATIONAL ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The President shall implement a National
Engineering Biology Research and Development Program to
advance societal well-being, national security, and economic
productivity and competitiveness through--
(1) advancing areas of research at the intersection of the
biological, physical, and information sciences and
engineering;
(2) supporting social science research that advances the
field of engineering biology and contributes to the adoption
of new products, processes, and technologies;
(3) expanding the number of researchers, educators, and
students with engineering biology training;
(4) accelerating the translation and commercialization of
engineering biology research and development by the private
sector; and
(5) improving the interagency planning and coordination of
Federal Government activities related to engineering biology.
(b) Program Activities.--The activities of the Program
shall include--
(1) sustained support for engineering biology research and
development through--
(A) grants to individual investigators and
interdisciplinary teams of investigators;
(B) projects funded under joint solicitations by a
collaboration of no fewer than two agencies participating in
the Program; and
(C) interdisciplinary research centers that are organized
to investigate basic research questions and carry out
technology development and demonstration activities;
(2) education and training of undergraduate and graduate
students in research at the intersection of biological,
physical, and information sciences and engineering;
(3) activities to develop robust mechanisms for tracking
and quantifying the outputs and economic benefits of
engineering biology; and
(4) activities to accelerate the translation and
commercialization of new products, processes, and
technologies by--
(A) identifying precompetitive research opportunities;
(B) facilitating public-private partnerships in engineering
biology research and development;
(C) connecting researchers, graduate students, and
postdoctoral fellows with entrepreneurship education and
training opportunities; and
(D) supporting proof of concept activities and the
formation of startup companies including through programs
such as the Small Business Innovation Research Program and
the Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
(c) Expanding Participation.--The Program shall include, to
the maximum extent practicable, outreach to primarily
undergraduate and minority-serving institutions about Program
opportunities, and shall encourage the development of
research collaborations between research-intensive
universities and primarily undergraduate and minority-serving
institutions.
(d) Ethical, Legal, Environmental, and Societal Issues.--
Program activities shall take into account ethical, legal,
environmental, and other appropriate societal issues,
including the need for safeguards and monitoring systems to
protect society against the unintended release of engineered
materials produced, by--
(1) supporting research, including in the social sciences,
and other activities addressing ethical, legal,
environmental, and other appropriate societal issues related
to engineering biology, including integrating research on
these topics with the research and development in engineering
biology, and ensuring that the results of such research are
widely disseminated, including through interdisciplinary
engineering biology research centers described in subsection
(b)(1)(C); and
(2) ensuring, through the agencies and departments that
participate in the Program, that public input and outreach
are integrated into the Program by the convening of regular
and ongoing public discussions through mechanisms such as
citizen panels, consensus conferences, and educational
events, as appropriate.
(e) Interagency Committee.--The President shall designate
an interagency committee on engineering biology, which shall
include representatives from the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation, the
Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any
other agency that the President considers appropriate. The
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall
select a chairperson from among the members of the
Interagency Committee. The Interagency Committee shall
oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the
Program. The Interagency Committee shall--
(1) provide for interagency coordination of Federal
engineering biology research, development, and other
activities undertaken pursuant to the Program;
(2) establish and periodically update goals and priorities
for the Program;
(3) develop, not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this subtitle, and update every 5 years, a
strategic plan to guide the activities of the Program and
meet the goals and priorities established under paragraph (2)
and describe--
(A) the Program's support for long-term funding for
interdisciplinary engineering biology research and
development;
(B) the Program's support for education and public outreach
activities;
(C) the Program's support for research and other activities
on ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate
societal issues related to engineering biology; and
(D) how the Program will move results out of the laboratory
and into application for the benefit of society and United
States competitiveness;
(4) propose an annually coordinated interagency budget for
the Program that will ensure the maintenance of a robust
engineering biology research and development portfolio and
ensure that the balance of funding across the Program is
sufficient to meet the goals and priorities established for
the Program;
(5) develop a plan to utilize Federal programs, such as the
Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small
Business Technology Transfer Program, in support of the goals
described in subsection (b)(4); and
(6) in carrying out its responsibilities under this
section, take into consideration the recommendations of the
Advisory Committee, the results of the workshop convened
under section 126, existing reports on related topics, and
the views of academic, State, industry, and other appropriate
groups.
(f) Annual Report.--The Interagency Committee shall prepare
an annual report, to be submitted to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate not later than 90 days after
submission of the President's annual budget request, that
includes--
(1) the Program budget for the fiscal year to which such
budget request applies, and for the then current fiscal year,
including a breakout of spending for each agency
participating in the Program, and for the development and
acquisition of any research facilities and instrumentation;
and
(2) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing
the plan described in subsection (e)(5), and a description of
the amount and number of Small Business Innovation Research
and Small Business Technology Transfer awards made in support
of the Program.
SEC. 125. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) In General.--The President shall designate an advisory
committee on engineering biology research and development
with at least 12 members, including representatives of
research and academic institutions, industry, and
nongovernmental entities, who are qualified to provide advice
on the Program.
(b) Assessment.--The Advisory Committee shall assess--
(1) progress made in implementing the Program;
(2) the need to revise the Program;
(3) the balance of activities and funding across the
Program;
(4) whether the Program priorities and goals developed by
the Interagency Committee are helping to maintain United
States leadership in engineering biology;
(5) the management, coordination, implementation, and
activities of the Program; and
(6) whether ethical, legal, environmental, and other
appropriate societal issues are adequately addressed by the
Program.
(c) Reports.--The Advisory Committee shall report within 3
years after the date of enactment of this Act, and thereafter
not less frequently than once every 5 years, to the
President, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of
the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate, on its findings of
the assessment carried out under this section and its
recommendations for ways to improve the Program.
(d) Federal Advisory Committee Act Application.--Section 14
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall
not apply to the Advisory Committee.
[[Page H3465]]
SEC. 126. EXTERNAL REVIEW OF ETHICAL, LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL,
AND SOCIETAL ISSUES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the National
Academies to convene a workshop to review the ethical, legal,
environmental, and other appropriate societal issues related
to engineering biology research and development. The goals of
the workshop shall be to--
(1) assess the current research on such issues;
(2) evaluate the research gaps relating to such issues; and
(3) provide recommendations on how the Program can address
the research needs identified.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Science Foundation shall transmit to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a summary report containing the
findings of the workshop convened under this section.
SEC. 127. AGENCY ACTIVITIES.
(a) National Science Foundation.--As part of the Program,
the National Science Foundation shall--
(1) support basic research at the intersection of the
biological, physical, and information sciences and
engineering through individual grants and through
interdisciplinary research centers;
(2) support research on the environmental and social
effects of engineering biology;
(3) provide research instrumentation support for
engineering biology disciplines; and
(4) award grants, on a competitive basis, to enable
institutions to support graduate students and postdoctoral
fellows who perform some of their engineering biology
research in an industry setting.
(b) Department of Commerce.--As part of the Program, the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall--
(1) establish a bioscience research program to advance the
development of standard reference materials and measurements
and to create new data tools, techniques, and processes
necessary to advance engineering biology and
biomanufacturing;
(2) provide access to user facilities with advanced or
unique equipment, services, materials, and other resources to
industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit
organizations, and government agencies to perform research
and testing; and
(3) provide technical expertise to inform the development
of guidelines and safeguards for new products, processes, and
systems of engineering biology.
(c) Department of Energy.--As part of the Program, the
Secretary of Energy shall--
(1) conduct and support basic research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities in
engineering biology disciplines, including in the areas of
synthetic biology, advanced biofuel development, biobased
materials, and environmental remediation; and
(2) provide access to user facilities with advanced or
unique equipment, services, materials, and other resources,
as appropriate, to industry, institutions of higher
education, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies
to perform research and testing.
(d) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.--As part
of the Program, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration shall--
(1) conduct and support basic and applied research in
engineering biology fields, including in the field of
synthetic biology, and related to Earth and space sciences,
aeronautics, space technology, and space exploration and
experimentation, consistent with the priorities established
in the National Academies' decadal surveys; and
(2) award grants, on a competitive basis, that enable
institutions to support graduate students and postdoctoral
fellows who perform some of their engineering biology
research in an industry setting.
(e) Environmental Protection Agency.--As part of the
Program, the Environmental Protection Agency shall support
research on how products, processes, and systems of
engineering biology will affect the environment.
TITLE II--STEM EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY
Subtitle A--STEM Education and Workforce
SEC. 201. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the National Science and
Technology Council's Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM),
established under section 101 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621), has taken
important initial steps toward developing and implementing a
strategic plan for Federal investments in STEM education, but
that more work must be done to solicit and take into account
views and experience from stakeholders who help implement or
are the beneficiaries of Federal STEM programs across the
Nation. It is further the sense of Congress that science
mission agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the Department of Energy are essential
partners in contributing to the goals and implementation of a
Federal STEM strategic plan because such agencies have unique
scientific and technological facilities as well as highly
trained scientists who are eager and able to contribute to
improved STEM learning outcomes in their own communities.
SEC. 202. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL STEM EDUCATION.
Section 101 of America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010
(42 U.S.C. 6621) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(5)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (D) as
subparagraphs (B) through (E), respectively; and
(B) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as so redesigned
by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following new
subparagraph:
``(A) have as its primary goal to leverage the limited STEM
education funding and other assets, including intellectual
capital, invested by Federal STEM agencies for maximum
benefit to student learning;'';
(2) by striking the second subsection (b);
(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (f);
(4) by inserting after subsection (b), the following new
subsections:
``(c) Coordinator for STEM Education.--The Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy shall designate an
associate director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy as the Coordinator for STEM Education. When an
appropriate associate director is not available, the Director
may designate another appropriate senior government official
as the Coordinator for STEM Education. The Coordinator shall
chair the committee established under subsection (a). The
Coordinator shall, with the assistance of appropriate senior
officials from other Committee on STEM Education agencies,
ensure that the requirements of this section are satisfied.
``(d) Stakeholder Input.--
``(1) Interagency consolidation.--For all agency proposals
to consolidate or transfer budgets or functions for STEM
education programs or activities between agencies, at the
time of submission of such proposals to Congress, the
Director shall report to Congress on activities undertaken by
the Office of Science and Technology Policy or by relevant
agencies to take into consideration relevant input from the
STEM Education Advisory Panel established under subsection
(e) and other relevant education stakeholders.
``(2) Intraagency consolidation.--For all agency proposals
to internally consolidate or terminate STEM education
programs with budgets exceeding $10,000,000, at the time of
submission of such proposals to Congress, the head of the
relevant agency shall report to Congress on activities to
solicit and take into consideration input on such proposals
from the STEM Education Advisory Panel established under
subsection (e) and other relevant education stakeholders.
``(e) STEM Education Advisory Panel.--
``(1) In general.--The President shall establish or
designate a STEM Education Advisory Panel. The cochairs of
the Advisory Panel shall meet the qualifications of Panel
membership required in paragraph (2) and may be members of
the President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology.
``(2) Qualifications.--The Advisory Panel established or
designated by the President under this subsection shall
consist of members from academic institutions, industry,
informal education providers, nonprofit STEM education
organizations, foundations, and local and State educational
agencies. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to
provide advice on Federal STEM education programs, best
practices in STEM education, assessment of STEM education
programs, STEM education standards, industry needs for STEM
graduates, and public-private STEM education partnerships.
``(3) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the
President and the committee established under subsection (a)
on implementing the Federal STEM education strategic plan
required under subsection (b)(5) and coordinating Federal
STEM programs with nongovernmental STEM initiatives and State
and local educational agencies.
``(4) Report.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not more
than 1 year after enactment of the America Competes
Reauthorization Act of 2015, on options for evidence-based
implementation of the Federal STEM strategic plan required
under subsection (b)(5), including options for designating
certain agencies as coordinating leads for different priority
investment areas, timelines for implementation, and specific
management, budget, policy, or other steps that agencies must
take to effectively implement the strategic plan.
``(5) Sunset.--The authorization for the Advisory Panel
established under this subsection shall expire 3 years after
the date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization
Act of 2015.''; and
(5) in subsection (f), as so redesignated by paragraph (3)
of this section--
(A) by inserting ``progress made in implementing'' after
``describing'';
(B) by striking paragraph (3); and
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs
(3) and (4), respectively.
SEC. 203. GRAND CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation and the Secretary of Education shall collaborate
in--
(1) identifying, prioritizing, and developing strategies to
address grand challenges in research and development,
including assessment, on the teaching and learning of STEM at
the pre-K-12 level, in formal and informal settings, for
diverse learning populations, including individuals
identified in section 33 or
[[Page H3466]]
34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b); and
(2) ensuring the dissemination and promoting the
utilization of the results of such research and development.
(b) Stakeholder Input.--In identifying the grand challenges
under subsection (a), the Director and the Secretary shall--
(1) take into consideration critical research gaps
identified in existing reports, including reports by the
National Academies, on the teaching and learning of STEM at
the pre-K-12 level in formal and informal settings; and
(2) solicit input from a wide range of stakeholders,
including officials from State educational agencies and local
educational agencies, STEM teachers, STEM education
researchers, scientific and engineering societies, STEM
faculty at institutions of higher education, informal STEM
education providers, businesses with a large STEM workforce,
and other stakeholders in the teaching and learning of STEM
at the pre-K-12 level, and may enter into an arrangement with
the National Research Council for these purposes.
(c) Topics To Consider.--In identifying the grand
challenges under subsection (a), the Director and the
Secretary shall, at a minimum, consider research and
development on--
(1) scalability, sustainability, and replication of
successful STEM activities, programs, and models, in formal
and informal environments;
(2) model systems that support improved teaching and
learning of STEM across entire local educational agencies and
States, including rural areas, and encompassing and
integrating the teaching and learning of STEM in formal and
informal venues;
(3) implementation of new State mathematics and science
standards;
(4) what makes a STEM teacher effective and STEM teacher
professional development effective, including development of
tools and methodologies to measure STEM teacher
effectiveness;
(5) cyber-enabled and other technology tools for teaching
and learning, including massive open online courses;
(6) STEM teaching and learning in informal environments,
including development of tools and methodologies for
assessing STEM teaching and learning in informal
environments; and
(7) how integrating engineering with mathematics and
science education may--
(A) improve student learning of mathematics and science;
(B) increase student interest and persistence in STEM; or
(C) improve student understanding of engineering design
principles and of the built world.
(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 12 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director and the Secretary
shall report to Congress with a description of--
(1) the grand challenges identified pursuant to this
section;
(2) the role of each agency in supporting research and
development activities to address the grand challenges;
(3) the common metrics that will be used to assess progress
toward meeting the grand challenges;
(4) plans for periodically updating the grand challenges;
(5) how the agencies will disseminate and promote the
utilization of the results of research and development
activities carried out under this section to STEM education
practitioners, to other Federal agencies that support STEM
programs and activities, and to non-Federal funders of STEM
education; and
(6) how the agencies will support implementation of best
practices identified by the research and development
activities.
SEC. 204. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REPORT ON STEAM
EDUCATION.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM) Talent Expansion Program set an important goal of
increasing the number of students graduating with associate
or baccalaureate degrees in the STEM fields, and this should
continue to be a focus of that program;
(2) to further the goal of the STEM Talent Expansion
Program, as well as STEM education promotion programs across
the Federal Government, innovative approaches are needed to
enhance STEM education in the United States;
(3) STEAM, which is the integration of arts and design,
broadly defined, into Federal STEM programming, research, and
innovation activities, is a method-validated approach to
maintaining the competitiveness of the United States in both
workforce and innovation and to increasing and broadening
students' engagement in the STEM fields;
(4) STEM graduates need more than technical skills to
thrive in the 21st century workforce; they also need to be
creative, innovative, collaborative, and able to think
critically;
(5) STEAM should be recognized as providing value to STEM
research and education programs across Federal agencies,
without supplanting the focus on the traditional STEM
disciplines;
(6) Federal agencies should work cooperatively on
interdisciplinary initiatives to support the integration of
arts and design into STEM, and current interdisciplinary
programs should be strengthened;
(7) Federal agencies should allow for STEAM activities
under current and future grant-making and other activities;
and
(8) Federal agencies should clarify that, where
appropriate, data collection, surveys, and reporting on STEM
activities and grant-making should examine activities that
involve cross-disciplinary learning that integrates
specialized skills and expertise from both art and science.
(b) National Research Council Workshop.--The National
Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the
National Research Council to conduct a workshop on the
integration of arts and design with STEM education. The
workshop shall include a discussion of--
(1) how the perspectives and experience of artists and
designers may contribute to the advancement of science,
engineering, and innovation, for example through the
development of visualization aids for large experimental and
computational data sets;
(2) how arts and design-based education experiences might
support formal and informal STEM education at the pre-K-12
level, particularly in fostering creativity and risk taking,
and encourage more students to pursue STEM studies, including
students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM;
(3) how the teaching of design principles can be better
integrated into undergraduate engineering and other STEM
curricula, including in the first two years of undergraduate
studies, to enhance student capacity for creativity and
innovation and improve student retention, including students
from groups historically underrepresented in STEM; and
(4) what additional steps, if any, Federal science agencies
should take to promote the inclusion of arts and design
principles in their respective STEM programs and activities
in order to improve student STEM learning outcomes, increase
the recruitment and retention of students into STEM studies
and careers, and increase innovation in the United States.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the National Research Council shall
submit a report to Congress providing a summary description
of the discussion and findings from the workshop required
under subsection (b).
SEC. 205. ENGAGING FEDERAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN STEM
EDUCATION.
The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
shall develop guidance for Federal agencies to increase
opportunities and training, as appropriate, for Federal
scientists and engineers to participate in STEM engagement
activities through their respective agencies and in their
communities.
Subtitle B--Broadening Participation in STEM
SEC. 211. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``STEM Opportunities Act
of 2015''.
SEC. 212. PURPOSE.
(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, acting through the Federal science
agencies, shall carry out programs and activities with the
purpose of ensuring that Federal science agencies and
institutions of higher education receiving Federal research
and development funding are fully engaging their entire
talent pool.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this subtitle are as
follows:
(1) To promote research on and increase understanding of
the participation and trajectories of women and
underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at institutions
of higher education and Federal science agencies, including
Federal laboratories.
(2) To raise awareness within Federal science agencies,
including Federal laboratories, and institutions of higher
education about cultural and institutional barriers limiting
the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other indicators
of participation and achievement of women and
underrepresented minorities in academic and Government STEM
research careers at all levels.
(3) To identify, disseminate, and implement best practices
at Federal science agencies, including Federal laboratories,
and at institutions of higher education to remove or reduce
cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment,
retention, and success of women and underrepresented
minorities in academic and Government STEM research careers.
(4) To provide grants to institutions of higher education
to recruit, retain, and advance STEM faculty members from
underrepresented minority groups and to implement or expand
reforms in undergraduate STEM education in order to increase
the number of students from underrepresented minority groups
receiving degrees in these fields.
SEC. 213. FEDERAL SCIENCE AGENCY POLICIES FOR CAREGIVERS.
(a) OSTP Guidance.--Not later than 6 months after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall provide guidance to
Federal science agencies to establish policies that--
(1) apply to all--
(A) intramural and extramural research awards; and
(B) primary investigators who have caregiving
responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly
adopted child and care for an immediate family member who is
sick or disabled; and
(2) provide--
(A) flexibility in timing for the initiation of approved
research awards;
[[Page H3467]]
(B) no-cost extensions of research awards;
(C) grant supplements as appropriate to research awards for
research technicians or equivalent to sustain research
activities; and
(D) any other appropriate accommodations at the discretion
of the head of each agency.
(b) Uniformity of Guidance.--In providing such guidance,
the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
shall encourage uniformity and consistency in the policies
across all agencies.
(c) Establishment of Policies.--Consistent with the
guidance provided under this section, Federal science
agencies shall maintain or develop and implement policies for
caregivers and shall broadly disseminate such policies to
current and potential grantees.
(d) Data on Usage.--Federal science agencies shall--
(1) collect data on the usage of the policies under
subsection (c), by gender, at both institutions of higher
education and Federal laboratories; and
(2) report such data on an annual basis to the Director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy in such form as
required by the Director.
SEC. 214. COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF DATA ON FEDERAL
RESEARCH GRANTS.
(a) Collection of Data.--
(1) In general.--Each Federal science agency shall collect
standardized record-level annual information on demographics,
primary field, award type, budget request, funding outcome,
and awarded budget for all applications for merit-reviewed
research and development grants to institutions of higher
education and Federal laboratories supported by that agency.
(2) Uniformity and standardization.--The Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish a
policy to ensure uniformity and standardization of the data
collection required under paragraph (1).
(3) Record-level data.--
(A) Requirement.--On an annual basis, beginning with the
deadline under subparagraph (C), each Federal science agency
shall submit to the Director of the National Science
Foundation record-level data collected under paragraph (1) in
the form required by such Director.
(B) Previous data.--As part of the first submission under
subparagraph (A), each Federal science agency, to the extent
practicable, shall also submit comparable record-level data
for the 5 years preceding the deadline under subparagraph
(C).
(C) Deadline.--The deadline under this paragraph is 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Reporting of Data.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall publish statistical summary data
collected under this section, disaggregated and cross-
tabulated by race, ethnicity, gender, age, and years since
completion of doctoral degree, including in conjunction with
the National Science Foundation's report required by section
37 of the Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96-516).
SEC. 215. POLICIES FOR REVIEW OF FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, in collaboration with the Director of the
National Science Foundation, shall identify information and
best practices useful for educating program officers and
members of standing peer review committees at Federal science
agencies about--
(1) research on implicit bias based on gender, race, or
ethnicity; and
(2) methods to minimize the effect of such bias in the
review of extramural and intramural Federal research grants.
(b) Guidance to All Federal Science Agencies.--The Director
of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall
disseminate the information and best practices identified in
subsection (a) to all Federal science agencies and provide
guidance as necessary on policies to implement such practices
within each agency.
(c) Establishment of Policies.--Consistent with the
guidance provided in subsection (b), Federal science agencies
shall maintain or develop and implement policies and
practices to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the
review of extramural and intramural Federal research grants.
(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy shall report to Congress on
what steps all Federal science agencies have taken to
implement policies and practices to minimize the effects of
bias in the review of extramural and intramural Federal
research grants.
SEC. 216. COLLECTION OF DATA ON DEMOGRAPHICS OF FACULTY.
(a) Collection of Data.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter,
the Director of the National Science Foundation shall carry
out a survey to collect institution-level data on the
demographics of STEM faculty, by broad fields of STEM, at
different types of institutions of higher education.
(2) Considerations.--To the extent practicable, the
Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider,
by gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship status, age, and
years since completion of doctoral degree--
(A) the number and percentage of faculty;
(B) the number and percentage of faculty at each rank;
(C) the number and percentage of faculty who are in
nontenure-track positions, including teaching and research;
(D) the number and percentage of faculty who are reviewed
for promotion, including tenure, and the percentage of that
number who are promoted, including being awarded tenure;
(E) faculty years in rank;
(F) the number and percentage of faculty to leave tenure-
track positions;
(G) the number and percentage of faculty hired, by rank;
and
(H) the number and percentage of faculty in leadership
positions.
(b) Existing Surveys.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation--
(1) may carry out the requirements under subsection (a) by
collaborating with statistical centers at other Federal
agencies to modify or expand, as necessary, existing Federal
surveys of higher education; or
(2) may award a grant or contract to an institution of
higher education or other nonprofit organization to design
and carry out the requirements under subsection (a).
(c) Reporting Data.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected
under this section, including as part of the National Science
Foundation's report required by section 37 of the Science and
Technology Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public
Law 96-516).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2018 to develop and carry out the initial survey required in
subsection (a).
SEC. 217. CULTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO EXPANDING
THE ACADEMIC AND FEDERAL STEM WORKFORCE.
(a) Best Practices at Institutions of Higher Education.--
(1) Development of guidance.--Not later than 6 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the
National Science Foundation shall develop written guidance
for institutions of higher education on the best practices
for--
(A) conducting periodic campus culture surveys of STEM
departments, with a particular focus on identifying any
cultural or institutional barriers to or successful enablers
for the recruitment, retention, promotion, and other
indicators of participation and achievement, of women and
underrepresented minorities in STEM degree programs and
academic STEM careers; and
(B) providing educational opportunities, including
workshops as described in subsection (c), for STEM faculty
and administrators to learn about current research on
implicit bias in recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of
faculty in STEM and recruitment and evaluation of
undergraduate and graduate students in STEM degree programs.
(2) Existing guidance.--In developing the guidance in
paragraph (1), the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall utilize guidance already developed by the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department
of Energy, and the Department of Education.
(3) Dissemination of guidance.--The Director of the
National Science Foundation shall broadly disseminate the
guidance developed in paragraph (1) to institutions of higher
education that receive Federal research funding.
(4) Reports to the national science foundation.--The
Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a
policy that--
(A) applies to, at a minimum, the institutions classified
under the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary
Research Carnegie Classification on January 1, 2015, as a
doctorate-granting university with a very high level of
research activity; and
(B) requires each institution identified in subparagraph
(A), not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, to report to the Director of the National Science
Foundation on activities and policies developed and
implemented based on the guidance provided in paragraph (1).
(b) Best Practices at Federal Laboratories.--
(1) Development of guidance.--Not later than 6 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office
of Science and Technology Policy shall develop written
guidance for Federal laboratories to develop and implement
practices and policies to--
(A) conduct periodic laboratorywide culture surveys of
research personnel at all levels, with a particular focus on
identifying any cultural or institutional barriers to the
recruitment, retention, and success of women and
underrepresented minorities in STEM careers at Federal
laboratories; and
(B) provide educational opportunities, including workshops
as described in subsection (c), for STEM research personnel
to learn about current research in implicit bias in
recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of research personnel
at Federal laboratories.
(2) Establishment of policies.--Consistent with the
guidance provided in paragraph (1), Federal science agencies
with Federal laboratories shall maintain or develop and
implement policies for their respective Federal laboratories.
(c) Workshops To Address Cultural Barriers To Expanding the
Academic and Federal STEM Workforce.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall recommend a uniform policy for Federal
science agencies to carry out a program
[[Page H3468]]
of workshops that educate STEM department chairs at
institutions of higher education, senior managers at Federal
laboratories, and other federally funded researchers about
methods that minimize the effects of implicit bias in the
career advancement, including hiring, tenure, promotion, and
selection for any honor based in part on the recipient's
research record, of academic and Federal STEM researchers.
(2) Interagency coordination.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall ensure that workshops supported
under this subsection are coordinated across Federal science
agencies and jointly supported as appropriate.
(3) Minimizing costs.--To the extent practicable, workshops
shall be held in conjunction with national or regional STEM
disciplinary meetings to minimize costs associated with
participant travel.
(4) Priority fields for academic participants.--In
considering the participation of STEM department chairs and
other academic researchers, the Director of the National
Science Foundation shall prioritize workshops for the broad
fields of STEM in which the national rate of representation
of women among tenured or tenure-track faculty or non-faculty
researchers at doctorate-granting institutions of higher
education is less than 25 percent, according to the most
recent data available from the National Center for Science
and Engineering Statistics.
(5) Organizations eligible to carry out workshops.--Federal
science agencies may carry out the program of workshops under
this subsection by making grants to eligible organizations.
In addition to any other organizations made eligible by the
Federal science agencies, the following organizations are
eligible for grants under this subsection:
(A) Nonprofit scientific and professional societies and
organizations that represent one or more STEM disciplines.
(B) Nonprofit organizations that have the primary mission
of advancing the participation of women or underrepresented
minorities in STEM.
(6) Characteristics of workshops.--The workshops shall have
the following characteristics:
(A) Invitees to workshops shall include at least--
(i) the chairs of departments in the relevant STEM
discipline or disciplines from at least the top 50
institutions of higher education, as determined by the amount
of Federal research and development funds obligated to each
institution of higher education in the prior year based on
data available from the National Science Foundation; and
(ii) in the case of Federal laboratories, individuals with
personnel management responsibilities comparable to those of
an institution of higher education department chair.
(B) Activities at the workshops shall include research
presentations and interactive discussions or other activities
that increase the awareness of the existence of implicit bias
in recruitment, hiring, tenure review, promotion, and other
forms of formal recognition of individual achievement for
faculty and other federally funded STEM researchers and shall
provide strategies to overcome such bias.
(C) Research presentations and other workshop programs, as
appropriate, shall include a discussion of the unique
challenges faced by underrepresented subgroups, including
minority women, minority men, and first generation minority
graduates in research.
(D) Workshop programs shall include information on best
practices for mentoring undergraduate and graduate women and
underrepresented minority students.
(7) Data on workshops.--Any proposal for funding by an
organization seeking to carry out a workshop under this
subsection shall include a description of how such
organization will--
(A) collect data on the rates of attendance by invitees in
workshops, including information on the home institution and
department of attendees, and the rank of faculty attendees;
(B) conduct attitudinal surveys on workshop attendees
before and after the workshops; and
(C) collect follow-up data on any relevant institutional
policy or practice changes reported by attendees not later
than 1 year after attendance in such a workshop.
(8) Report to nsf.--Organizations receiving funding to
carry out workshops under this subsection shall report the
data required in paragraph (7) to the Director of the
National Science Foundation in such form as required by such
Director.
(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 4 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Science Foundation shall submit a report to Congress that
includes--
(1) a summary and analysis of the types and frequency of
activities and policies developed and carried out under
subsection (a) based on the reports submitted under paragraph
(4) of such subsection; and
(2) a description and evaluation of the status and
effectiveness of the program of workshops required under
subsection (c), including a summary of any data reported
under paragraph (8) of such subsection.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2020 to carry out this section.
SEC. 218. RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall award research grants and carry out
dissemination activities consistent with the purposes of this
subtitle, including--
(1) research grants to analyze the record-level data
collected under section 214 and section 216, consistent with
policies to ensure the privacy of individuals identifiable by
such data;
(2) research grants to study best practices for work-life
accommodation;
(3) research grants to study the impact of policies and
practices that are implemented under this subtitle or that
are otherwise consistent with the purposes of this subtitle;
(4) collaboration with other Federal science agencies and
professional associations to exchange best practices,
harmonize work-life accommodation policies and practices, and
overcome common barriers to work-life accommodation; and
(5) collaboration with institutions of higher education in
order to clarify and catalyze the adoption of a coherent and
consistent set of work-life accommodation policies and
practices.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2020 to carry out this section.
SEC. 219. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy shall submit a report to Congress that includes--
(1) a description and evaluation of the status and usage of
caregiver policies at all Federal science agencies, including
any recommendations for revising or expanding such policies;
(2) a description of any significant updates to the
policies for review of Federal research grants required under
section 215, and any evidence of the impact of such policies
on the review or awarding of Federal research grants; and
(3) a description and evaluation of the status of Federal
laboratory policies and practices required under section
217(b), including any recommendations for revising or
expanding such policies.
SEC. 220. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR INCREASING
DIVERSITY AMONG STEM FACULTY AT INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER EDUCATION.
(a) Grants.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher
education (or consortia thereof) for the development of
innovative reform efforts designed to increase the
recruitment, retention, and advancement of individuals from
underrepresented minority groups in academic STEM careers.
(b) Merit Review; Competition.--Grants shall be awarded
under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
(c) Use of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under
this section may include--
(1) institutional assessment activities, such as data
analyses and policy review, in order to identify and address
specific issues in the recruitment, retention, and
advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority
groups;
(2) implementation of institution-wide improvements in
workload distribution, such that faculty members from
underrepresented minority groups are not disadvantaged in the
amount of time available to focus on research, publishing
papers, and engaging in other activities required to achieve
tenure status and run a productive research program;
(3) development and implementation of training courses for
administrators and search committee members to ensure that
candidates from underrepresented minority groups are not
subject to implicit biases in the search and hiring process;
(4) development and hosting of intra- or inter-
institutional workshops to propagate best practices in
recruiting, retaining, and advancing faculty members from
underrepresented minority groups;
(5) professional development opportunities for faculty
members from underrepresented minority groups;
(6) activities aimed at making undergraduate STEM students
from underrepresented minority groups aware of opportunities
for academic careers in STEM fields;
(7) activities to identify and engage exceptional graduate
students from underrepresented minority groups at various
stages of their studies and to encourage them to enter
academic careers; and
(8) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as
determined by the Director of the National Science
Foundation.
(d) Selection Process.--
(1) Application.--An institution of higher education (or
consortia thereof) seeking funding under this section shall
submit an application to the Director of the National Science
Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information and assurances as such Director may require. The
application shall include, at a minimum, a description of--
(A) the reform effort that is being proposed for
implementation by the institution of higher education;
(B) any available evidence of specific difficulties in the
recruitment, retention, and advancement of faculty members
from underrepresented minority groups in STEM academic
careers within the institution of higher education submitting
an application,
[[Page H3469]]
and how the proposed reform effort would address such issues;
(C) how the institution of higher education submitting an
application plans to sustain the proposed reform effort
beyond the duration of the grant; and
(D) how the success and effectiveness of the proposed
reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to
contribute to the national knowledge base about models for
catalyzing institutional change.
(2) Review of applications.--In selecting grant recipients
under this section, the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall consider, at a minimum--
(A) the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed
reform effort at the institution of higher education
submitting the application, including the extent to which the
administrators of the institution are committed to making the
proposed reform effort a priority;
(B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort will
contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such
that greater value is placed on the recruitment, retention,
and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented
minority groups;
(C) the likelihood that the institution of higher education
will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the
period of the grant; and
(D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are
included in the design of the proposed reform effort.
(3) Grant distribution.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable,
that grants awarded under this section are made to a variety
of types of institutions of higher education.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2020 to carry out this section.
SEC. 221. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR BROADENING
PARTICIPATION IN UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION.
(a) Grants.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher
education (or consortia thereof) to implement or expand
research-based reforms in undergraduate STEM education for
the purpose of recruiting and retaining students from
minority groups who are underrepresented in STEM fields, with
a priority focus on natural science and engineering fields.
(b) Merit Review; Competition.--Grants shall be awarded
under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.
(c) Use of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under
this section may include--
(1) implementation or expansion of innovative, research-
based approaches to broaden participation of underrepresented
minority groups in STEM fields;
(2) implementation or expansion of bridge, cohort,
tutoring, or mentoring programs designed to enhance the
recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented
minority groups in STEM fields;
(3) implementation or expansion of outreach programs
linking institutions of higher education and K-12 school
systems in order to heighten awareness among pre-college
students from underrepresented minority groups of
opportunities in college-level STEM fields and STEM careers;
(4) implementation or expansion of faculty development
programs focused on improving retention of undergraduate STEM
students from underrepresented minority groups;
(5) implementation or expansion of mechanisms designed to
recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate a
commitment to increasing the participation of students from
underrepresented minority groups in STEM fields;
(6) expansion of successful reforms aimed at increasing the
number of STEM students from underrepresented minority groups
beyond a single course or group of courses to achieve reform
within an entire academic unit, or expansion of successful
reform efforts beyond a single academic unit to other STEM
academic units within an institution of higher education;
(7) expansion of opportunities for students from
underrepresented minority groups to conduct STEM research in
industry, at Federal laboratories, and at international
research institutions or research sites;
(8) provision of stipends for students from
underrepresented minority groups participating in research;
(9) development of research collaborations between
research-intensive universities and primarily undergraduate
minority-serving institutions;
(10) support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
from underrepresented minority groups to participate in
instructional or assessment activities at primarily
undergraduate institutions, including primarily undergraduate
minority-serving institutions and two-year institutions of
higher education; and
(11) other activities consistent with subsection (a), as
determined by the Director of the National Science
Foundation.
(d) Selection Process.--
(1) Application.--An institution of higher education (or
consortium thereof) seeking a grant under this section shall
submit an application to the Director of the National Science
Foundation at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information and assurances as such Director may require. The
application shall include, at a minimum--
(A) a description of the proposed reform effort;
(B) a description of the research findings that will serve
as the basis for the proposed reform effort or, in the case
of applications that propose an expansion of a previously
implemented reform, a description of the previously
implemented reform effort, including data about the
recruitment, retention, and academic achievement of students
from underrepresented minority groups;
(C) evidence of an institutional commitment to, and support
for, the proposed reform effort, including a long-term
commitment to implement successful strategies from the
current reform beyond the academic unit or units included in
the grant proposal;
(D) a description of existing or planned institutional
policies and practices regarding faculty hiring, promotion,
tenure, and teaching assignment that reward faculty
contributions to improving the education of students from
underrepresented minority groups in STEM; and
(E) how the success and effectiveness of the proposed
reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to
contribute to the national knowledge base about models for
catalyzing institutional change.
(2) Review of applications.--In selecting grant recipients
under this section, the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall consider, at a minimum--
(A) the likelihood of success of the proposed reform effort
at the institution submitting the application, including 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 or units;
(B) the degree to which the proposed reform effort will
contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such
that greater value is placed on faculty engagement in the
retention of students from underrepresented minority groups;
(C) the likelihood that the institution will sustain or
expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the
grant; and
(D) the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are
included in the design of the proposed reform effort.
(3) Priority.--For applications that include an expansion
of existing reforms beyond a single academic unit, the
Director of the National Science Foundation shall give
priority to applications for which a senior institutional
administrator, such as a dean or other administrator of equal
or higher rank, serves as the principal investigator.
(4) Grant distribution.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall ensure, to the extent practicable,
that grants awarded under this section are made to a variety
of types of institutions of higher education, including two-
year and minority-serving institutions of higher education.
(e) Education Research.--
(1) In general.--All grants made under this section shall
include an education research component that will support the
design and implementation of a system for data collection and
evaluation of proposed reform efforts in order to build the
knowledge base on promising models for increasing recruitment
and retention of students from underrepresented minority
groups in STEM education at the undergraduate level across a
diverse set of institutions.
(2) Dissemination.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall coordinate with relevant Federal agencies in
disseminating the results of the research under this
subsection to ensure that best practices in broadening
participation in STEM education at the undergraduate level
are made readily available to all institutions of higher
education, other Federal agencies that support STEM programs,
non-Federal funders of STEM education, and the general
public.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through
2020 to carry out this section.
SEC. 222. DEFINITIONS.
(a) This Subtitle.--In this subtitle:
(1) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory''
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3703).
(2) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science
agency'' means any Federal agency with at least $100,000,000
in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2014.
(3) 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)).
(4) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including other academic
subjects that build on these disciplines such as computer
science.
(b) National Science Foundation Authorization Act of
2002.--Section 4 of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (17); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following new
paragraph:
[[Page H3470]]
``(16) STEM.--The term `STEM' means science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including other academic
subjects that build on these disciplines such as computer
science.''.
TITLE III--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Subtitle A--General Provisions
SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $7,723,550,000 for fiscal year 2016.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under
paragraph (1)--
(A) $6,186,300,000 shall be made available for research and
related activities;
(B) $962,570,000 shall be made available for education and
human resources;
(C) $200,310,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $354,840,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,370,000 shall be made available for the Office of
the National Science Board, 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) $15,160,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $8,099,010,000 for fiscal year 2017.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under
paragraph (1)--
(A) $6,495,620,000 shall be made available for research and
related activities;
(B) $1,010,700,000 shall be made available for education
and human resources;
(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $372,580,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,500,000 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) $15,610,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
(c) Fiscal Year 2018.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $8,493,560,000 for fiscal year 2018.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under
paragraph (1)--
(A) $6,820,400,000 shall be made available for research and
related activities;
(B) $1,061,230,000 shall be made available for education
and human resources;
(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $391,210,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,640,000 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) $16,080,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
(d) Fiscal Year 2019.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $8,907,820,000 for fiscal year 2019.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under
paragraph (1)--
(A) $7,161,420,000 shall be made available for research and
related activities;
(B) $1,114,300,000 shall be made available for education
and human resources;
(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $410,770,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,780,000 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) $16,570,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
(e) Fiscal Year 2020.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Foundation $9,342,790,000 for fiscal year 2020.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized under
paragraph (1)--
(A) $7,519,490,000 shall be made available for research and
related activities;
(B) $1,170,010,000 shall be made available for education
and human resources;
(C) $200,000,000 shall be made available for major research
equipment and facilities construction;
(D) $431,310,000 shall be made available for agency
operations and award management;
(E) $4,920,000 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) $17,060,000 shall be made available for the Office of
Inspector General.
SEC. 302. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SUPPORT FOR ALL
FIELDS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that the Foundation's
investments in social, behavioral, and economic research have
addressed challenges, including--
(1) in medicine, matching organ donors to patients, leading
to a dramatic growth in paired kidney transplants;
(2) in policing, implementing predictive models that help
to yield significant reductions in crime;
(3) in resource allocation, developing the theories
underlying the Federal Communications Commission spectrum
auction, which has generated over $60,000,000,000 in revenue;
(4) in disaster preparation and recovery, identifying
barriers to effective disaster evacuation strategies;
(5) in national defense, assisting United States troops in
cross-cultural communication and in identifying threats; and
(6) in areas such as economics, education, cybersecurity,
transportation, and national defense, supporting informed
decisionmaking in foreign and domestic policy.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that in
order to achieve its mission ``to promote the progress of
science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and
welfare; to secure the national defense'' the Foundation must
continue to support unfettered, competitive, merit-reviewed
basic research across all fields of science and engineering,
including the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.
SEC. 303. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MERIT REVIEW.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Foundation's Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts
criteria remain appropriate for evaluating grant proposals,
as concluded by the 2011 National Science Board Task Force on
Merit Review;
(2) evaluating proposals on the basis of the Foundation's
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria ensures
that--
(A) proposals funded by the Foundation are of high quality
and advance scientific knowledge; and
(B) the Foundation's overall funding portfolio addresses
societal needs through research findings or through related
activities; and
(3) as evidenced by the Foundation's contributions to
scientific advancement, economic development, human health,
and national security, its peer review and merit review
processes have successfully identified and funded
scientifically and societally relevant research, remain the
gold standard for the world, and must be preserved.
(b) Criteria.--The Foundation shall maintain the
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria as the basis
for evaluating grant proposals in the merit review process.
SEC. 304. MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF LARGE FACILITIES.
(a) Large Facilities Office.--The Director shall maintain a
Large Facilities Office within the Foundation. The functions
of the Large Facilities Office shall be to support the
research directorates in the development and implementation
of major research facilities, including by--
(1) serving as the Foundation's primary resource for all
policy or process issues related to the development and
implementation of major research facilities;
(2) serving as a Foundation-wide resource on project
management, including providing expert assistance on
nonscientific and nontechnical aspects of project planning,
budgeting, implementation, management, and oversight; and
(3) coordinating and collaborating with research
directorates to share best management practices and lessons
learned from prior projects.
(b) Oversight of Large Facilities.--The Director shall
appoint a senior agency official within the Office of the
Director whose primary responsibility is oversight of major
research facilities. The duties of this official shall
include--
(1) oversight of the development, construction, and
operation of major research facilities across the Foundation;
(2) in collaboration with the directors of the research
directorates and other senior
[[Page H3471]]
agency officials as appropriate, ensuring that the
requirements of section 14(a) of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 are satisfied;
(3) serving as a liaison to the National Science Board for
approval and oversight of major research facilities; and
(4) periodically reviewing and updating as necessary
Foundation policies and guidelines for the development and
construction of major research facilities.
(c) Policies for Costing Large Facilities.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall ensure that the
Foundation's policies for developing and managing major
research facility construction costs are consistent with the
best practices described in the March 2009 General
Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP.
(2) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress
a report describing the Foundation's policies for developing
and managing major research facility construction costs,
including a description of any aspects of the policies that
diverge from the best practices recommended in General
Accountability Office Report GAO-09-3SP.
SEC. 305. SUPPORT FOR POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--The Director shall establish and
periodically update grant solicitation, merit review, and
funding policies and mechanisms designed to identify and
provide support for high-risk, high-reward basic research
proposals.
(b) Policies and Mechanisms.--Such policies and mechanisms
may include--
(1) development of solicitations specifically for high-
risk, high-reward basic research;
(2) establishment of review panels for the primary purpose
of selecting high-risk, high-reward proposals;
(3) development of guidance to standard review panels to
encourage the identification and consideration of high-risk,
high-reward proposals; and
(4) support for workshops and other conferences with the
primary purpose of identifying new opportunities for high-
risk, high-reward basic research, especially at
interdisciplinary interfaces.
(c) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
``high-risk, high-reward basic research'' means research
driven by ideas that have the potential to radically change
our understanding of an important existing scientific or
engineering concept, or leading to the creation of a new
paradigm or field of science or engineering, and that is
characterized by its challenge to current understanding or
its pathway to new frontiers.
SEC. 306. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS.
(a) In General.--For any Foundation research grant, in an
amount greater than $5,000,000, to be carried out through a
partnership that includes one or more minority-serving
institutions or predominantly undergraduate institutions and
one or more institutions described in subsection (b), the
Director shall award funds directly, according to the budget
justification described in the grant proposal, to at least
two of the institutions of higher education in the
partnership, including at least one minority-serving
institution or one predominantly undergraduate institution,
to ensure a strong and equitable partnership.
(b) Institutions.--The institutions referred to in
subsection (a) are institutions of higher education that are
among the 100 institutions receiving, over the 3-year period
immediately preceding the awarding of grants, the highest
amount of research funding from the Foundation.
(c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide a report to
Congress on institutional research partnerships identified in
subsection (a) funded in the 2 previous fiscal years and make
any recommendations for how such partnerships can continue to
be strengthened.
SEC. 307. INNOVATION CORPS.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-
Corps) was established to foster a national innovation
ecosystem by encouraging institutions, scientists, engineers,
and entrepreneurs to identify and explore the innovation and
commercial potential of Foundation-funded research well
beyond the laboratory;
(2) the Foundation's I-Corps includes investments in
entrepreneurship and commercialization education, training,
and mentoring, ultimately leading to the practical deployment
of technologies, products, processes, and services that
improve the Nation's competitiveness, promote economic
growth, and benefit society; and
(3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, educators,
mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and supporting
specialized education and training, I-Corps is at the leading
edge of a strong, lasting foundation for an American
innovation ecosystem.
(b) Program.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to
award grants for entrepreneurship and commercialization
education to Foundation-funded researchers to increase the
economic and social impact of federally funded research.
(2) Purposes.--The purpose of the program shall be to
increase the capacity of STEM researchers and students to
successfully engage in entrepreneurial activities and to help
transition the results of federally funded research into the
marketplace by--
(A) identifying STEM research that can lead to the
practical deployment of technologies, products, processes,
and services that improve the Nation's economic
competitiveness;
(B) bringing STEM researchers and students together with
entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other industry
representatives experienced in commercialization of new
technologies;
(C) supporting entrepreneurship and commercialization
education and training for faculty, students, postdoctoral
fellows, and other STEM researchers; and
(D) promoting the development of regional and national
networks of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other
industry representatives who can serve as mentors to
researchers and students at Foundation-funded institutions
across the country.
(3) Additional use of funds.--Grants awarded under this
subsection may be used to help support--
(A) prototype and proof-of-concept development for the
funded project; and
(B) additional activities needed to build a national
infrastructure for STEM entrepreneurship.
(4) Other federal agencies.--The Director may establish
agreements with other Federal agencies that fund scientific
research to make researchers funded by those agencies
eligible to participate in the Foundation's Innovation Corps
program.
SEC. 308. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this title:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Foundation.
(2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Science Foundation.
(3) 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)).
(4) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including other academic
subjects that build on these disciplines such as computer
science.
Subtitle B--STEM Education
SEC. 321. NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD REPORT ON CONSOLIDATION OF
STEM EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AT THE FOUNDATION.
(a) In General.--The National Science Board shall review
and evaluate the appropriateness of the Foundation's
portfolio of STEM education programs and activities at the
pre-K-12 and undergraduate levels, including informal
education, taking into account the mission of the Foundation
and the 2013 Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the National Science Board shall
submit to Congress a report summarizing their findings and
including--
(1) an analysis of how well the Foundation's portfolio of
STEM education programs is contributing to the mission of the
Foundation;
(2) an analysis of how well STEM education programs and
activities are coordinated and best practices are shared
across the Foundation;
(3) an analysis of how well the Foundation's portfolio of
STEM education programs is aligned with and contributes to
priority STEM education investment areas described in the
2013 Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan;
(4) any Board recommendations regarding internal
reorganization, including consolidation, of the Foundation's
STEM education programs and activities, taking into account
both the mission of the Foundation and the 2013 Federal STEM
Education 5-Year Strategic Plan;
(5) any Board recommendations regarding the Foundation's
role in helping to implement the Federal STEM Education 5-
Year Strategic Plan, including opportunities for the
Foundation to more effectively partner and collaborate with
other Federal agencies; and
(6) any additional Board recommendations regarding specific
management, policy, budget, or other steps the Foundation
should take to increase effectiveness and accountability
across its portfolio of STEM education programs and
activities.
SEC. 322. MODELS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT.
(a) In General.--The Director shall enter into an agreement
with the National Research Council to convene a workshop or
roundtable to examine models of Federal support for STEM
graduate students, including the Foundation's Graduate
Research Fellowship program and comparable fellowship
programs at other agencies, traineeship programs, and the
research assistant model.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the workshop or roundtable
shall be to compare and evaluate the extent to which each of
these models helps to prepare graduate students for diverse
careers utilizing STEM degrees, including at diverse types of
institutions of higher education, in industry, and at
government agencies and research laboratories, and to make
recommendations regarding--
(1) how current Federal programs and models, including
programs and models at the Foundation, can be improved;
(2) the appropriateness of the current distribution of
funding among the different models at the Foundation and
across the agencies; and
[[Page H3472]]
(3) the appropriateness of creating a new education and
training program for graduate students distinct from programs
that provide direct financial support, including the grants
authorized in section 527 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-15).
(c) Criteria.--At a minimum, in comparing programs and
models, the workshop or roundtable participants shall
consider the capacity of such programs or models to provide
students with knowledge and skills--
(1) to become independent, creative, successful
researchers;
(2) to participate in large interdisciplinary research
projects, including in an international context;
(3) to adhere to the highest standards for research ethics;
(4) to become high-quality teachers utilizing the most
currently available evidence-based pedagogy;
(5) in oral and written communication, to both technical
and nontechnical audiences;
(6) in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business ethics;
and
(7) in program management.
(d) Graduate Student Input.--The participants in the
workshop or roundtable shall include current or recent STEM
graduate students.
(e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the National Research Council shall
submit to Congress a summary report of the findings and
recommendations of the workshop or roundtable convened under
this section.
SEC. 323. UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION REFORM.
Section 17 of the National Science Foundation Authorization
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-6) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 17. UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION REFORM.
``(a) In General.--The Director, through the Directorate
for Education and Human Resources, shall award grants, on a
competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to institutions of higher
education (or to consortia thereof) and to other eligible
nonprofit organizations to reform undergraduate STEM
education for the purpose of increasing the number and
quality of students studying toward and completing
baccalaureate degrees in STEM and improving the STEM learning
outcomes for all undergraduate students.
``(b) Interdirectorate Working Group on Undergraduate STEM
Education.--In carrying out the requirements of this section,
the Directorate for Education and Human Resources shall
collaborate and coordinate with the Research Directorates,
including through the establishment of an interdirectorate
working group on undergraduate STEM education reform, in
order to identify and implement new and expanded
opportunities for collaboration between STEM disciplinary
researchers and education researchers on the reform of
undergraduate STEM education.
``(c) Grants.--Research and development supported by grants
under this section may encompass a single discipline,
multiple disciplines, or interdisciplinary education at the
undergraduate level, and may include--
``(1) research foundational to the improvement of teaching,
learning, and retention;
``(2) development, implementation, and assessment of
innovative, research-based approaches to transforming
teaching, learning, and retention; and
``(3) scaling of successful efforts on learning and
learning environments, broadening participation, workforce
preparation, employing emerging technologies, or other
reforms in STEM education, including expansion of successful
STEM reform efforts beyond a single course or group of
courses to achieve reform within an entire academic unit, or
expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single
academic unit to other STEM academic units within an
institution or to comparable academic units at other
institutions.
``(d) Selection Process.--
``(1) Applications.--An institution of higher education or
other eligible nonprofit organization 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. In addition to a description of the
proposed research, development, or scaling effort, including
a description of the research findings that will serve as the
basis for the proposed effort, applications shall include, at
a minimum--
``(A) evidence of institutional support for, and commitment
to, the proposed effort, including long-term commitment to
implement and scale successful strategies resulting from the
current effort;
``(B) a description of existing or planned institutional
policies and practices regarding faculty hiring, promotion,
tenure, and teaching assignment that reward faculty
contributions to undergraduate STEM education; and
``(C) a description of the plans for assessment and
evaluation of the effort, including evidence of participation
by individuals with experience in assessment and evaluation
of teaching and learning programs.
``(2) Review of applications.--In selecting grant
recipients for funding under this section, the Director shall
consider, as appropriate to the scale of the proposed
effort--
``(A) the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed
effort at the institution submitting the application,
including the extent to which the faculty, staff, and
administrators of the institution are committed to making
undergraduate STEM education reform a priority of the
participating academic unit or units;
``(B) the degree to which the proposed effort will
contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such
that a greater value is placed on faculty engagement in
undergraduate education;
``(C) the likelihood that the institution will sustain or
expand the effort beyond the period of the grant; and
``(D) the degree to which the proposed effort will
contribute to the systematic accumulation of knowledge on
STEM education.
``(3) Priority.--The Director shall give priority to
proposals focused on the first 2 years of undergraduate
education, including STEM education at 2-year institutions of
higher education.
``(4) 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. 324. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION.
Section 506(b) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-1(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Advanced Manufacturing Education.--The Director shall
award grants, on a competitive, merit reviewed basis, to
community colleges for the development and implementation of
innovative advanced manufacturing education reforms to ensure
an adequate and well-trained advanced manufacturing
workforce. Activities supported by grants under this
subsection may include--
``(1) the development or expansion of educational
materials, courses, curricula, strategies, and methods that
will lead to improved advanced manufacturing degree or
certification programs, including the integration of industry
standards and workplace competencies into the curriculum;
``(2) the development and implementation of faculty
professional development programs that enhance a faculty
member's capabilities and teaching skills in advanced
manufacturing, including efforts to understand current
advanced manufacturing technologies and practices;
``(3) the establishment of centers that provide models and
leadership in advanced manufacturing education and serve as
regional or national clearinghouses for educational materials
and methods, including in rural areas;
``(4) activities to enhance the recruitment and retention
of students into certification and degree programs in
advanced manufacturing, including the provision of improved
mentoring and internship opportunities;
``(5) the establishment of partnerships with private sector
entities to ensure the development of an advanced
manufacturing workforce with the skills necessary to meet
regional economic needs; and
``(6) other activities as determined appropriate by the
Director.''.
SEC. 325. STEM EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS.
Section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``mathematics and
science'' and inserting ``stem'';
(2) by striking ``mathematics and science'' each place it
appears in subsections (a) and (b) and inserting ``STEM'';
(3) by striking ``mathematics or science'' each place it
appears in subsection (a)(3) and (4)(A) and inserting
``STEM'';
(4) by striking ``mathematics, science, or engineering'' in
subsection (a)(2)(B) and inserting ``STEM'';
(5) by striking ``mathematics, science, and technology'' in
subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii)(II) and (8) and inserting ``STEM'';
(6) by striking ``professional mathematicians, scientists,
and engineers'' in subsection (a)(3)(F) and inserting ``STEM
professionals'';
(7) by striking ``mathematicians, scientists, and
engineers'' in subsection (a)(3)(J) and (M) and inserting
``STEM professionals'';
(8) by striking ``scientists, technologists, engineers, or
mathematicians'' in subsection (a)(8) and inserting ``STEM
professionals'';
(9) by striking ``science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics'' each place it appears in subsection (a)(3)(K)
and (10) and inserting ``STEM'';
(10) by striking ``science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics'' in subsection (a)(10)(A)(ii)(II) and inserting
``STEM'';
(11) by striking ``science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology'' each place it appears in subsection (a)(5) and
inserting ``STEM'';
(12) by striking ``science, mathematics, engineering, or
technology'' in subsection (a)(5) and inserting ``STEM'';
(13) by striking ``mathematics, science, engineering, and
technology'' in subsection (b)(1) and (2) and inserting
``STEM''; and
(14) by striking subsection (d).
SEC. 326. NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.
Section 10A of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by inserting ``or bachelor's''
after ``master's'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2)(B);
(B) in paragraph (3), by--
(i) inserting ``for teachers with master's degrees in their
field'' after ``Teaching Fellowships''; and
[[Page H3473]]
(ii) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) in the case of National Science Foundation Master
Teaching Fellowships for teachers with bachelor's degrees in
their field--
``(A) offering academic courses leading to a master's
degree and leadership training to prepare individuals to
become master teachers in elementary and secondary schools;
and
``(B) offering programs both during and after matriculation
in the program for which the fellowship is received to enable
fellows to become highly effective mathematics and science
teachers, including mentoring, training, induction, and
professional development activities, to fulfill the service
requirements of this section, including the requirements of
subsection (e), and to exchange ideas with others in their
fields.'';
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ``subsection (g)'' and
inserting ``subsection (h)''; and
(4) by adding after subsection (f) the following new
subsection:
``(g) Support for Master Teaching Fellows While Enrolled in
a Master's Degree Program.--A National Science Foundation
Master Teacher Fellow may receive a maximum of 1 year of
fellowship support while enrolled in a master's degree
program as described in subsection (c)(4)(A), except that if
such fellow is enrolled in a part-time program, such amount
shall be prorated according to the length of the program.''.
SEC. 327. INFORMAL STEM EDUCATION.
(a) Grants.--The Director, through the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources, shall continue to award
competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support--
(1) research and development of innovative out-of-school
STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments in
order to improve STEM learning outcomes and engagement in
STEM; and
(2) research that advances the field of informal STEM
education.
(b) Uses of Funds.--Activities supported by grants under
this section may encompass a single STEM discipline, multiple
STEM disciplines, or integrative STEM initiatives and shall
include--
(1) research and development that improves our
understanding of learning and engagement in informal
environments, including the role of informal environments in
broadening participation in STEM; and
(2) design and testing of innovative STEM learning models,
programs, and other resources for informal learning
environments to improve STEM learning outcomes and increase
engagement for K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general
public, including design and testing of the scalability of
models, programs, and other resources.
SEC. 328. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT IMPROVED K-12
LEARNING.
(a) In General.--The Director, acting through the
Directorate for Education and Human Resources, shall award
competitive, merit-reviewed grants to support research and
development on alignment, implementation, impact, and ongoing
improvement of standards and equivalent learning expectations
used by States in mathematics, science, and, as appropriate,
other State-based STEM standards.
(b) Research Areas.--In making awards under this section,
the Director shall consider proposals for research and
development, including, as appropriate, large-scale research
and development, of--
(1) resources, including virtual resources such as web
portals, for content, professional development, and research
results;
(2) teacher education and professional development;
(3) learning progressions;
(4) assessments;
(5) metrics for evaluating the impact of standards; and
(6) other areas of research and development that are likely
to contribute to the alignment, implementation, impact, and
ongoing improvement of standards in STEM subjects.
TITLE IV--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``National Institute of
Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 2015''.
SEC. 402. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $1,119,700,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2016.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $754,700,000 shall be authorized for scientific and
technical research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $59,000,000 shall be authorized for the construction
and maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $306,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial
technology services activities, of which--
(i) $141,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278k) and the program under section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
278l), of which not more than $20,000,000 shall be for the
competitive grant program under section 25(f) of such Act;
and
(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for
Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $1,174,390,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2017.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $792,440,000 shall be authorized for scientific and
technical research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $61,950,000 shall be authorized for the construction
and maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $320,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial
technology services activities, of which--
(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278k) and the program under section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
278l), of which not more than $20,000,000 shall be for the
competitive grant program under section 25(f) of such Act;
and
(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for
Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
(c) Fiscal Year 2018.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $1,207,100,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2018.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $832,060,000 shall be authorized for scientific and
technical research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $65,050,000 shall be authorized for the construction
and maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial
technology services activities, of which--
(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278k) and the program under section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
278l), of which not more than $20,000,000 shall be for the
competitive grant program under section 25(f) of such Act;
and
(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for
Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
(d) Fiscal Year 2019.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $1,251,960,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2019.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $873,660,000 shall be authorized for scientific and
technical research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $68,300,000 shall be authorized for the construction
and maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial
technology services activities, of which--
(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278k) and the program under section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
278l), of which not more than $20,000,000 shall be for the
competitive grant program under section 25(f) of such Act;
and
(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for
Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
(e) Fiscal Year 2020.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Commerce $1,299,060,000 for the National
Institute of Standards and Technology for fiscal year 2020.
(2) Specific allocations.--Of the amount authorized by
paragraph (1)--
(A) $917,340,000 shall be authorized for scientific and
technical research and services laboratory activities;
(B) $71,710,000 shall be authorized for the construction
and maintenance of facilities; and
(C) $310,000,000 shall be authorized for industrial
technology services activities, of which--
(i) $160,000,000 shall be authorized for the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership under section 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278k) and the program under section 26 of such Act (15 U.S.C.
278l), of which not more than $20,000,000 shall be for the
competitive grant program under section 25(f) of such Act;
and
(ii) $150,000,000 shall be authorized for the Network for
Manufacturing Innovation Program established under section 34
of such Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
SEC. 403. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.
Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.
``(a) Establishment and Purpose.--
[[Page H3474]]
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, through the Director
shall provide assistance for the creation and support of
regional manufacturing extension centers for the transfer of
manufacturing technology and best business practices. These
centers shall be known as the `Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Centers' (in this Act referred to as the
`Centers'). The program under this section shall be known as
the `Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership'.
``(2) Affiliations.--Such Centers shall be affiliated with
any United States-based public or nonprofit institution or
organization, or group thereof, that applies for and is
awarded financial assistance under this section.
``(3) Objective.--The objective of the program is to
enhance productivity, competitiveness, and technological
performance in United States manufacturing through--
``(A) the transfer of manufacturing technology and
techniques to Centers and, through them, to manufacturing
companies throughout the United States;
``(B) the participation of individuals from industry,
institutions of higher education, State governments, other
Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the Institute in
cooperative technology transfer activities;
``(C) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and
processes usable by United States-based small and medium-
sized companies;
``(D) the active dissemination of scientific, engineering,
technical, and management information about manufacturing to
industrial firms, including small and medium-sized
manufacturing companies;
``(E) the development of new partnerships, networks, and
services that will assist small and medium-sized
manufacturing companies expand into new markets, including
global markets;
``(F) the utilization, when appropriate, of the expertise
and capability that exists in Federal laboratories other than
the Institute; and
``(G) the provision to community colleges and area career
and technical education schools of information about the job
skills needed in small and medium-sized manufacturing
businesses in the regions they serve.
``(b) Activities.--The activities of the Centers shall
include--
``(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing systems
and other advanced production technologies, based on research
by the Institute and other entities, for the purpose of
demonstrations and technology transfer;
``(2) assistance to Federal agencies in supporting United
States-based manufacturing by identifying and providing
technical assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers
to help them meet Federal agency procurement and acquisition
needs;
``(3) the active transfer and dissemination of research
findings and Center expertise to a wide range of companies
and enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized
manufacturers; and
``(4) the facilitation of collaborations and partnerships
between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and
community colleges and area career and technical education
schools to help such colleges and schools better understand
the specific needs of manufacturers and to help manufacturers
better understand the skill sets that students learn in the
programs offered by such colleges and schools.
``(c) Financial Assistance and Requirements.--
``(1) Financial support.--The Secretary may provide
financial support to any Center created under subsection (a)
for an initial period of 5 years, which may be renewed for an
additional 5-year period. The Secretary may provide to a
Center up to 50 percent of the capital and annual operating
and maintenance funds required to create and maintain such
Center.
``(2) Regulations.--The Secretary shall implement, review,
and update the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations
related to this section at least once every 5 years.
``(3) Application.--
``(A) In general.--Any public or nonprofit institution, or
consortium thereof, may submit to the Secretary an
application for financial support under this section, in
accordance with the procedures established by the Secretary.
``(B) Cost-sharing.--In order to receive assistance under
this section, an applicant for financial assistance under
subparagraph (A) shall provide adequate assurances that non-
Federal assets obtained from the applicant and the
applicant's partnering organizations will be used as a
funding source to meet not less than 50 percent of the costs
incurred. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the costs
incurred means the costs incurred in connection with the
activities undertaken to improve the management,
productivity, competitiveness, and technological performance
of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
``(C) Agreements with other entities.--In meeting the 50-
percent requirement, it is anticipated that a Center will
enter into agreements with other entities such as private
industry, institutions of higher education, and State
governments to accomplish programmatic objectives and access
new and existing resources that will further the impact of
the Federal investment made on behalf of small and medium-
sized manufacturing companies.
``(D) Legal rights.--Each applicant under subparagraph (A)
shall submit a proposal for the allocation of the legal
rights associated with any invention that may result from the
proposed Center's activities.
``(4) Merit review.--The Secretary shall subject each such
application to merit review. In making a decision whether to
approve such application and provide financial support under
this section, the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum, the
following:
``(A) The merits of the application, particularly those
portions of the application regarding technology transfer,
training and education, and adaptation of manufacturing
technologies to the needs of particular industrial sectors.
``(B) The quality of service to be provided.
``(C) Geographical diversity and extent of service area.
``(D) The percentage of funding and amount of in-kind
commitment from other sources.
``(5) Evaluation.--
``(A) In general.--Each Center that receives financial
assistance under this section shall be evaluated during its
third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by
the Secretary.
``(B) Composition.--Each such evaluation panel shall be
composed of independent experts, none of whom shall be
connected with the involved Center, and Federal officials.
``(C) Chair.--An official of the Institute shall chair the
panel.
``(D) Performance measurement.--Each evaluation panel shall
measure the involved Center's performance against the
objectives specified in this section.
``(E) Positive evaluation.--If the evaluation is positive,
the Secretary may provide continued funding through the fifth
year.
``(F) Corrective action plan.--The Secretary may not
provide funding for the remaining years of a Center's
operation unless the evaluation is positive. A Center that
has not received a positive evaluation by the evaluation
panel shall be notified by the panel of the deficiencies in
its performance and shall be placed on a corrective action
plan and provided the opportunity to address deficiencies
unless immediate action is necessary to protect the public
interest. The program shall re-evaluate the Center within one
year and if the Center has not addressed the deficiencies
identified by the panel, or shown a significant improvement
in its performance, the Director shall conduct a new
competition or may close the Center.
``(G) Additional financial support.--After the fifth year,
a Center may receive additional financial support under this
section if it has received a positive evaluation through an
independent review, under procedures established by the
Institute.
``(H) Recompetition.--If a Center has received financial
support for 10 consecutive years, the Director shall conduct
a new competition. An existing Center may submit an
application as part of the new competition.
``(I) Recompetition plan.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization
Act of 2015, the Director shall submit a plan to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate detailing how the program will
implement the new competitions required under subparagraph
(H). The Director shall consult with the MEP Advisory Board
established under subsection (f) in the development and
implementation of the plan.
``(6) Oversight board.--
``(A) In general.--Each Center that receives financial
assistance under this section shall establish an oversight
board that is broadly representative of regional stakeholders
with a majority of board members drawn from local small and
medium-sized manufacturing firms.
``(B) Bylaws and conflict of interest.--Each board under
subparagraph (A) shall adopt and submit to the Director
bylaws to govern the operation of the board, including a
conflict of interest policy to ensure relevant relationships
are disclosed and proper recusal procedures are in place.
``(C) Limitation.--Board members may not serve
simultaneously on more than one Center's oversight board or
serve as a contractor providing services to a Center.
``(7) Protection of confidential information.--The
Secretary shall ensure that the following are not publically
disclosed:
``(A) Confidential information on the business operations
of--
``(i) a participant under the program; or
``(ii) a client of a Center.
``(B) Trade secrets possessed by any client of a Center.
``(8) Patent rights.--The provisions of chapter 18 of title
35, United States Code, shall apply, to the extent not
inconsistent with this section, to the promotion of
technology from research by Centers under this section except
for contracts for such specific technology extension or
transfer services as may be specified by statute or by the
Director.
``(d) Reporting and Auditing Requirements.--The Director
shall establish procedures regarding Center financial
reporting and auditing to ensure that awards are used for the
purposes specified in this section and are in accordance with
sound accounting practices.
``(e) Acceptance of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to such sums as may be
appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate the
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Secretary
and Director also may accept funds from
[[Page H3475]]
other Federal departments and agencies and, under section
2(c)(7), from the private sector, to be available to the
extent provided by appropriations Acts, for the purpose of
strengthening United States manufacturing.
``(2) Allocation of funds.--
``(A) Funds accepted from other federal departments or
agencies.--The Director shall determine whether funds
accepted from other Federal departments or agencies shall be
counted in the calculation of the Federal share of capital
and annual operating and maintenance costs under subsection
(c).
``(B) Funds accepted from the private sector.--Funds
accepted from the private sector under section 2(c)(7), if
allocated to a Center, may not be considered in the
calculation of the Federal share under subsection (c) of this
section.
``(f) MEP Advisory Board.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory
Board (in this subsection referred to as the `MEP Advisory
Board').
``(2) Membership.--
``(A) In general.--The MEP Advisory Board shall consist of
not fewer than 10 members broadly representative of
stakeholders, to be appointed by the Director. At least 2
members shall be employed by or on an advisory board for the
Centers, at least 1 member shall represent a community
college, and at least 5 other members shall be from United
States small businesses in the manufacturing sector. No
member shall be an employee of the Federal Government.
``(B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph (C) or (D),
the term of office of each member of the MEP Advisory Board
shall be 3 years.
``(C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy
occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his
predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the
remainder of such term.
``(D) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person who has
completed two consecutive full terms of service on the MEP
Advisory Board shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment
during the one-year period following the expiration of the
second such term.
``(3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall meet not less
than 2 times annually and shall provide to the Director--
``(A) advice on Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership programs, plans, and policies;
``(B) assessments of the soundness of Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership plans and strategies; and
``(C) assessments of current performance against Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership program plans.
``(4) Federal advisory committee act applicability.--
``(A) In general.--In discharging its duties under this
subsection, the MEP Advisory Board shall function solely in
an advisory capacity, in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act.
``(B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act shall not apply to the MEP Advisory Board.
``(5) Report.--The MEP Advisory Board shall transmit an
annual report to the Secretary for transmittal to Congress
within 30 days after the submission to Congress of the
President's annual budget request in each year. Such report
shall address the status of the program established pursuant
to this section and comment on the relevant sections of the
programmatic planning document and updates thereto
transmitted to Congress by the Director under subsections (c)
and (d) of section 23.
``(g) Competitive Grant Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Director shall establish, within
the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program
of competitive awards among participants described in
paragraph (2) for the purposes described in paragraph (3).
``(2) Participants.--Participants receiving awards under
this subsection shall be the Centers, or a consortium of such
Centers.
``(3) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this
subsection is to add capabilities to the Hollings
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, including the
development of projects to solve new or emerging
manufacturing problems as determined by the Director, in
consultation with the Director of the Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Partnership, the MEP Advisory Board, and small and
medium-sized manufacturers.
``(4) Themes.--One or more themes for the competition may
be identified, which may vary from year to year, depending on
the needs of manufacturers and the success of previous
competitions. These themes may include--
``(A) supply chain integration and quality management;
``(B) the creation of partnerships to encourage the
development of a workforce with the skills necessary to meet
the needs of a region, including the creation of
apprenticeship opportunities and the adoption of universally
recognized credential programs, as appropriate;
``(C) energy efficiency, including efficient building
technologies and environmentally friendly materials,
products, and processes;
``(D) enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-
sized manufacturers in the global marketplace;
``(E) the transfer of technology based on the technological
needs of manufacturers and available technologies from
institutions of higher education, laboratories, and other
technology producing entities; and
``(F) areas that extend beyond traditional areas of
manufacturing extension activities, including projects
related to construction industry modernization.
``(5) Reimbursement.--Centers may be reimbursed for costs
incurred under the program under this subsection.
``(6) Applications.--Applications for awards under this
subsection shall be submitted in such manner, at such time,
and containing such information as the Director shall
require, in consultation with the MEP Advisory Board.
``(7) Selection.--Awards under this subsection shall be
peer reviewed and competitively awarded. The Director shall
endeavor to have broad geographic diversity among selected
proposals. The Director shall select proposals to receive
awards that will--
``(A) utilize innovative or collaborative approaches to
solving the problem described in the competition;
``(B) improve the competitiveness of industries in the
region in which the Center or Centers are located; and
``(C) contribute to the long-term economic stability of
that region, including the creation of jobs or training
employees.
``(8) Program contribution.--Recipients of awards under
this subsection shall not be required to provide a matching
contribution.
``(9) Duration.--Awards under this subsection shall last no
longer than 5 years.
``(h) Innovative Services Initiative.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Director, in coordination with
the Advanced Manufacturing Office of the Department of
Energy, shall establish, within the Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Partnership, an innovative services initiative to
assist small and medium-sized manufacturers in--
``(A) reducing their energy usage, greenhouse gas
emissions, and environmental waste to improve profitability;
``(B) accelerating the domestic commercialization of new
product technologies, including components for renewable
energy and energy efficiency systems; and
``(C) identifying and diversifying to new markets,
including support for transitioning to the production of
components for renewable energy and energy efficiency
systems.
``(2) Market demand.--The Director may not undertake any
activity to accelerate the domestic commercialization of a
new product technology under this subsection unless an
analysis of market demand for the new product technology has
been conducted.
``(i) Export Assistance to Small and Medium-sized
Manufacturers.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall--
``(A) evaluate obstacles that are unique to small and
medium-sized manufacturers that prevent such manufacturers
from effectively competing in the global market;
``(B) implement a comprehensive export assistance
initiative through the Centers to help small and medium-sized
manufacturers address such obstacles; and
``(C) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the
activities carried out under this subsection are coordinated
with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, other export
assistance programs within the Federal Government.
``(2) Requirements.--The initiative shall include--
``(A) export assistance counseling;
``(B) the development of partnerships that will provide
small and medium-sized manufacturers with greater access to
and knowledge of global markets; and
``(C) improved communication between the Centers to assist
such manufacturers in implementing appropriate, targeted
solutions to such obstacles.
``(j) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Area career and technical education school.--The term
`area career and technical education school' has the meaning
given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career
and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2302).
``(2) Community college.--The term `community college'
means an institution of higher education (as defined under
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001(a))) at which the highest degree that is predominately
awarded to students is an associate's degree.''.
SEC. 404. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REVIEW.
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall enter into a contract with the National
Academies to conduct a single, comprehensive review of the
Institute's laboratory programs. The review shall--
(1) assess the technical merits and scientific caliber of
the research conducted at the laboratories;
(2) examine the strengths and weaknesses of the 2010
laboratory reorganization on the Institute's ability to
fulfill its mission;
(3) evaluate how cross-cutting research and development
activities are planned, coordinated, and executed across the
laboratories; and
(4) assess how the laboratories are engaging industry,
including the incorporation of industry need, into the
research goals and objectives of the Institute.
SEC. 405. IMPROVING NIST COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
Section 8 of the National Bureau of Standards Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 1983 (15 U.S.C. 275b) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``and with'' after
``performed for''; and
[[Page H3476]]
(2) by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary may
accept, apply for, use, and spend Federal, State, and non-
governmental acquisition and assistance funds to further the
mission of the Institute without regard to the source or the
period of availability of these funds as well as share
personnel, associates, facilities, and property with these
partner organizations, with or without reimbursement, upon
mutual agreement.''.
SEC. 406. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
(a) Functions and Activities.--Section 15 of the of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278e) is amended--
(1) by striking ``of the Government; and'' and inserting
``of the Government;'';
(2) by striking ``transportation services for employees of
the Institute'' and inserting ``transportation services for
employees, associates, or fellows of the Institute''; and
(3) by striking ``Code.'' and inserting ``Code; and (i) the
protection of Institute buildings and other plant facilities,
equipment, and property, and of employees, associates,
visitors, or other persons located therein or associated
therewith, notwithstanding any other provision of law.''.
(b) Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program.--Section 19 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278g-2) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 19. POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
``The Director, in conjunction with the National Academy of
Sciences, shall establish and conduct a post-doctoral
fellowship program that shall include not less than 20 new
fellows per fiscal year. In evaluating applications for
fellowships under this section, the Director shall give
consideration to the goal of promoting the participation of
underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by
the Institute.''.
TITLE V--INNOVATION
SEC. 501. OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by inserting ``with a Director and
full-time staff'' after ``Office of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) providing access to relevant data, research, and
technical assistance on innovation and commercialization,
including best practices for university-based incubators and
accelerators;'';
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs
(6) and (7), respectively; and
(C) by inserting the following after paragraph (3):
``(4) overseeing the implementation of the loan guarantee
programs and the Regional Innovation Program established
under sections 26 and 27, respectively;
``(5) developing, within 180 days after the date of
enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of
2015, and updating at least every 5 years, a strategic plan
to guide the activities of the Office of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship that shall--
``(A) specify and prioritize near-term and long-term goals,
objectives, and policies to accelerate innovation and advance
the commercialization of research and development, including
federally funded research and development, set forth the
anticipated time for achieving the objectives, and identify
metrics for use in assessing progress toward such objectives;
``(B) describe how the Department of Commerce is working in
conjunction with other Federal agencies to foster innovation
and commercialization across the United States; and
``(C) provide a summary of the activities, including the
development of metrics to evaluate regional innovation
strategies undertaken through the Regional Innovation
Research and Information Program established under section
27(e);'';
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
``(c) Advisory Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish or
designate an advisory committee, which shall meet at least
twice each fiscal year, to provide advice to the Secretary on
carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Office of
Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
``(2) Report to congress.--The advisory committee shall
prepare a report, to be submitted to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate every 3 years. The first report
shall be submitted not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015
and shall include--
``(A) an assessment of the strategic plan developed under
subsection (b)(5) and the progress made in implementing the
plan and the duties of the Office of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship;
``(B) an assessment of how the Office of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship is working with other Federal agencies to
meet the goals and duties of the office; and
``(C) any recommendations for how the Office of Innovation
and Entrepreneurship could be improved.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this
section.''.
SEC. 502. FEDERAL LOAN GUARANTEES FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
IN MANUFACTURING.
Section 26(t) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3721(t)) is amended by striking
``fiscal years 2011 through 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal
years 2016 through 2020''.
SEC. 503. INNOVATION VOUCHER PILOT PROGRAM.
Section 25 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation
Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3720) as amended by section 501 of
this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(e) Innovation Voucher Pilot Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Office
of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and in conjunction with
the States, shall establish an innovation voucher pilot
program to accelerate innovative activities and enhance the
competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers in
the United States. The pilot program shall--
``(A) foster collaborations between small and medium-sized
manufacturers and research institutions; and
``(B) enable small and medium-sized manufacturers to access
technical expertise and capabilities that will lead to the
development of innovative products or manufacturing
processes, including through--
``(i) research and development, including proof of concept,
technical development, and compliance testing activities;
``(ii) early-stage product development, including
engineering design services; and
``(iii) technology transfer and related activities.
``(2) Award size.--The Secretary shall competitively award
vouchers worth up to $20,000 to small and medium-sized
manufacturers for use at eligible research institutions to
acquire the services described in paragraph (1)(B).
``(3) Streamlined procedures.--The Secretary shall
streamline and simplify the application, administrative, and
reporting procedures for vouchers administered under the
program.
``(4) Regulations.--Prior to awarding any vouchers under
the program, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations--
``(A) establishing criteria for the selection of recipients
of awards under this subsection;
``(B) establishing procedures regarding financial reporting
and auditing--
``(i) to ensure that awards are used for the purposes of
the program; and
``(ii) that are in accordance with sound accounting
practices; and
``(C) describing any other policies, procedures, or
information necessary to implement this subsection, including
those intended to streamline and simplify the program in
accordance with paragraph (3).
``(5) Transfer authority.--The Secretary may transfer funds
appropriated to the Department of Commerce to other Federal
agencies for the performance of services authorized under
this subsection.
``(6) Administrative costs.--All of the amounts
appropriated to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year
shall be used for vouchers awarded under this subsection,
except that the Secretary may set aside a percentage of such
amounts for eligible research institutions performing the
services described in paragraph (1)(B) to defray
administrative costs associated with the services. The
Secretary shall establish a single, fixed percentage for such
purposes that will apply to all eligible research
institutions.
``(7) Outreach.--The Secretary may use centers established
under section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) to provide information about
the program established under this subsection and to conduct
outreach to potential applicants, as appropriate.
``(8) Reports to congress.--
``(A) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of
2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a plan that
will serve as a guide for the activities of the program. The
plan shall include a description of the specific objectives
of the program and the metrics that will be used in assessing
progress toward those objectives.
``(B) Outcomes.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of
2015, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report
containing--
``(i) a summary of the activities carried out under this
subsection;
``(ii) an assessment of the impact of such activities on
the innovative capacity of small and medium-sized
manufacturers receiving assistance under the pilot program;
and
``(iii) any recommendations for administrative and
legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of
the pilot program.
``(9) Coordination and nonduplication.--To the maximum
extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the
activities carried out under this subsection are coordinated
with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, other programs
within the Federal Government.
``(10) Eligible research institutions defined.--For the
purposes of this subsection, the term `eligible research
institution' means--
``(A) an institution of higher education, as such term is
defined in section 101(a) of the
[[Page H3477]]
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a));
``(B) a Federal laboratory;
``(C) a federally funded research and development center;
or
``(D) a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center established
under section 25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k).
``(11) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out
the pilot program in this subsection $5,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2016 through 2020.''.
SEC. 504. FEDERAL ACCELERATION OF STATE TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM.
The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15
U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 28. FEDERAL ACCELERATION OF STATE TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) Authority.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a
Federal Acceleration of State Technology Commercialization
Pilot Program or FAST Commercialization Pilot Program to
award grants to States, or consortia thereof, for the
purposes described in paragraph (2). Awards under this
section shall be made through a competitive, merit-based
process.
``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program under this
section is to advance United States productivity and global
competitiveness by accelerating commercialization of
innovative technology by leveraging Federal support for State
commercialization efforts. The program shall provide matching
funds to a State, or consortium thereof, for the acceleration
of commercialization activities and the promotion of small
manufacturing enterprises in the United States.
``(b) Application.--Applications for awards under this
section shall be submitted in such a manner, at such a time,
and containing such information as the Secretary shall
require, including--
``(1) a description of the current state of technology
commercialization in the State or States, including successes
and barriers to commercialization; and
``(2) a description of the State's or consortium's plan for
increasing commercialization of new technologies, products,
processes, and services.
``(c) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish
criteria for the selection of awardees, which shall consider
at a minimum a review of efforts during the fiscal year prior
to submitting an application to--
``(1) promote manufacturing; and
``(2) commercialize new technologies, products, processes,
and services, including activities to translate federally
funded research and technologies to small manufacturing
enterprises.
``(d) Matching Requirement.--A State or consortium
receiving a grant under this section shall provide non-
Federal cash contributions in an amount equal to 50 percent
of the total cost of the project for which the grant is
provided.
``(e) Coordination and Nonduplication.--In carrying out the
program under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that
grants made under the program are coordinated with, and do
not duplicate, the efforts of other commercialization
programs within the Federal Government.
``(f) Evaluation.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of the America Competes Reauthorization Act of
2015, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with an
independent entity, such as the National Academy of Sciences,
to conduct an evaluation of the program established under
subsection (a).
``(2) Requirements.--The evaluation shall--
``(A) assess whether the program is achieving its goals;
``(B) include any recommendations for how the program may
be improved; and
``(C) include a recommendation as to whether the program
should be continued or terminated.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `State' has the meaning given that term in
section 3 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3122); and
``(2) the term `commercialization' has the meaning given
that term in section 9(e)(10) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 638(e)(10)).
``(h) Duration.--Each award shall be for a 5-year period.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $50,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2018 to carry out this
section.''.
TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Subtitle A--Office of Science
SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Department of Energy
Office of Science Authorization Act of 2015''.
SEC. 602. DEFINITIONS.
Except as otherwise provided, in this subtitle:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Energy.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Science.
(3) Office of science.--The term ``Office of Science''
means the Department of Energy Office of Science.
(4) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means
the Under Secretary for Science and Energy.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 603. MISSION OF THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE.
Section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act
(42 U.S.C. 7139) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(c) Mission.--The mission of the Office of Science shall
be the delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and
major scientific tools to transform the understanding of
nature and to advance the energy, economic, and national
security of the United States.
``(d) Duties.--In support of this mission, the Director
shall carry out programs, including those in basic energy
sciences, biological and environmental research, advanced
scientific computing research, fusion energy sciences, high
energy physics, and nuclear physics, through activities
focused on--
``(1) Science for Discovery to unravel nature's mysteries
through activities which range from the study of subatomic
particles, atoms, and molecules that make up the materials of
our everyday world to the study of DNA, proteins, cells, and
entire biological systems;
``(2) Science for National Need by--
``(A) advancing a clean energy agenda through research on
energy production, storage, transmission, efficiency, and
use; and
``(B) advancing our understanding of the Earth and its
climate through research in atmospheric and environmental
sciences and climate change; and
``(3) National Scientific User Facilities to deliver the
21st century tools of science, engineering, and technology
and provide the Nation's researchers with the most advanced
tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders,
supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, and
facilities for studying complex molecular systems and the
nanoworld.
``(e) Supporting Activities.--The activities described in
subsection (d) shall include providing for relevant
facilities and infrastructure, programmatic analysis,
interagency coordination, and workforce development and
outreach activities.
``(f) User Facilities.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out the
construction, operation, and maintenance of user facilities,
including underground research facilities, to support the
activities described in subsection (d). As practicable, these
facilities shall serve the needs of the Department, industry,
the academic community, and other relevant entities for the
purposes of advancing the missions of the Department.
``(2) Coordination with other federal agencies.--The
Director may form partnerships to enhance the utilization of
and ensure access to user facilities, including underground
research facilities, by other Federal agencies.
``(g) Other Authorized Activities.--In addition to the
activities authorized under the Department of Energy Office
of Science Authorization Act of 2015, the Office of Science
shall carry out other such activities as it is authorized or
required to carry out by law.
``(h) Coordination and Joint Activities With Other
Department of Energy Programs.--The Under Secretary shall
ensure the coordination of activities under the Department of
Energy Office of Science Authorization Act of 2015 with the
other activities of the Department, and shall support joint
activities among the programs of the Department.
``(i) Domestic Manufacturing Capability for Office of
Science Facilities Report.--Not later than one year after the
date of enactment of the Department of Energy Office of
Science Authorization Act of 2015, the Secretary shall
transmit a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. The report
shall--
``(1) assess the current ability of domestic manufacturers
to meet the procurement requirements for major ongoing
projects funded by the Office of Science, including a
calculation of the percentage of equipment acquired from
domestic manufacturers for this purpose; and
``(2) identify steps that can be taken by the Federal
Government and by private industry to increase the capability
of domestic manufacturers to meet procurement requirements of
the Office of Science for major projects.''.
SEC. 604. BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--As part of the activities authorized under
the amendment made by section 603, the Director shall carry
out a program in basic energy sciences, including materials
sciences and engineering, chemical sciences, physical
biosciences, and geosciences, for the purpose of providing
the scientific foundations for new energy technologies and
addressing scientific grand challenges.
(b) Basic Energy Sciences User Facilities.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a subprogram
to support and oversee the construction, operation, and
maintenance of national user facilities that support the
program under this section. As practicable, these facilities
shall serve the needs of the Department, industry, the
academic community, and other relevant entities to create and
examine new materials and chemical processes for the purposes
of advancing new energy technologies and improving the
competitiveness of the United States. These facilities shall
include--
[[Page H3478]]
(A) x-ray light sources;
(B) neutron sources;
(C) nanoscale science research centers; and
(D) other facilities the Director considers appropriate,
consistent with section 209(f) of the Department of Energy
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7139(f)).
(2) Facility research and development.--The Director shall
carry out research and development on advanced accelerator
and storage ring technologies relevant to the Basic Energy
Sciences user facilities, in consultation with the Office of
Science's High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics programs.
(3) Facility construction and upgrades.--Consistent with
the Office of Science's project management practices, the
Director shall support construction of--
(A) an upgrade of the Advanced Photon Source to optimize
and enhance beam brightness;
(B) a Second Target Station at the Spallation Neutron
Source to double user capacity and expand the suite of
instruments to meet new scientific challenges;
(C) the Linac Coherent Light Source II to expand the x-ray
wavelength range, incorporate high repetition rate operation
for soft and medium energy x-rays, and increase user capacity
of the Linac Coherent Light Source; and
(D) an upgrade to the Advanced Light Source to improve
brightness and performance.
(c) Energy Frontier Research Centers.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program to
provide awards, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis, to
multi-institutional collaborations or other appropriate
entities to conduct fundamental and use-inspired energy
research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs related to
needs identified in--
(A) the Grand Challenges report of the Department's Basic
Energy Sciences Advisory Committee;
(B) the report of the Department's Basic Energy Sciences
Advisory Committee entitled ``From Quanta to the Continuum:
Opportunities for Mesoscale Science'';
(C) the Basic Energy Sciences Basic Research Needs workshop
report; or
(D) other relevant reports identified by the Director.
(2) Collaborations.--A collaboration receiving an award
under this subsection may include multiple types of
institutions and private sector entities.
(3) Selection and duration.--
(A) In general.--A collaboration under this subsection
shall be selected for a period of 5 years. An Energy Frontier
Research Center already in existence and supported by the
Director on the date of enactment of this Act may continue to
receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the date
of establishment of that center.
(B) Reapplication.--After the end of the period described
in subparagraph (A), an awardee may reapply for selection for
a second period of 5 years on a competitive, merit-reviewed
basis.
(C) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Director may terminate an
underperforming center for cause during the performance
period.
(4) No funding for construction.--No funding provided
pursuant to this subsection may be used for the construction
of new buildings or facilities.
SEC. 605. BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--As part of the activities authorized under
section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7139), and coordinated with the activities authorized
under section 604 and section 606, the Director shall carry
out a program of research and development in the areas of
biological systems science and climate and environmental
science, including subsurface science, to support the energy
and environmental missions of the Department.
(b) Biological Systems Science Activities.--
(1) Activities.--As part of the activities authorized under
subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research and
development activities in fundamental, structural,
computational, and systems biology to increase systems-level
understanding of the complex biological systems, which shall
include activities to--
(A) accelerate breakthroughs and new knowledge that will
enable cost-effective sustainable production of--
(i) biomass-based liquid transportation fuels;
(ii) bioenergy; and
(iii) biobased materials;
(B) improve understanding of the global carbon cycle,
including processes for removing carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere, through photosynthesis and other biological
processes, for sequestration and storage; and
(C) understand the biological mechanisms used to transform,
immobilize, or remove contaminants from subsurface
environments.
(2) Bioenergy research centers.--
(A) In general.--In carrying out activities under paragraph
(1), the Director shall support at least 3 bioenergy research
centers to accelerate advanced research and development of
biomass-based liquid transportation fuels, bioenergy, or
biobased materials that are produced from a variety of
regionally diverse feedstocks.
(B) Selection and duration.--A center established under
subparagraph (A) shall be selected on a competitive, merit-
reviewed basis for a period of 5 years beginning on the date
of establishment of that center. A center already in
existence on the date of enactment of this Act may continue
to receive support for a period of 5 years beginning on the
date of establishment of that center.
(C) Renewal.--After the end of the period described in
subparagraph (B), an awardee may apply for a second period of
5 years on a merit-reviewed basis.
(D) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Director may terminate an
underperforming center for cause during the performance
period.
(3) Low dose radiation research program.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall carry out a research
program on low dose radiation. The purpose of the program is
to enhance the scientific understanding of and reduce
uncertainties associated with the effects of exposure to low
dose radiation in order to inform improved risk management
methods.
(B) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term ``low dose
radiation'' means a radiation dose of less than 100
millisieverts.
(C) Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an
agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study
assessing the current status and development of a long-term
strategy for low dose radiation research. The study shall be
conducted in coordination with Federal agencies that perform
ionizing radiation effects research.
(D) Contents.--The study performed under subparagraph (C)
shall--
(i) identify current scientific challenges for
understanding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation;
(ii) assess the status of current low dose radiation
research in the United States and internationally;
(iii) formulate overall scientific goals for the future of
low-dose radiation research in the United States;
(iv) recommend a long-term strategic and prioritized
research agenda to address scientific research goals for
overcoming the identified scientific challenges in
coordination with other research efforts;
(v) define the essential components of a research program
that would address this research agenda within the
universities and the National Laboratories; and
(vi) assess the cost-benefit effectiveness of such a
program.
(E) 5-year research plan.--Not later than 90 days after the
completion of the assessment performed under subparagraph
(C), the Secretary shall deliver to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
five-year research plan that responds to the assessment's
findings and recommendations and identifies and prioritizes
research needs.
(4) Repeal.--Section 977 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(42 U.S.C. 16317) is repealed.
(c) Climate and Environmental Science Activities.--
(1) In general.--As part of the activities authorized under
subsection (a), and in coordination with activities carried
out under subsection (b), the Director shall carry out
climate and environmental science research, which shall
include activities to--
(A) understand, observe, and model the response of Earth's
atmosphere and biosphere to increased concentrations of
greenhouse gas emissions and any associated changes in
climate;
(B) understand the processes for immobilization, or removal
of, and understand the movement of, energy production-derived
contaminants such as radionuclides and heavy metals, and
understand the process of sequestration and transformation of
carbon dioxide in subsurface environments; and
(C) inform potential mitigation and adaptation options for
increased concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions and any
associated changes in climate.
(2) Subsurface biogeochemical research.--
(A) In general.--As part of the activities described in
paragraph (1), the Director shall carry out research to
advance a fundamental understanding of coupled physical,
chemical, and biological processes for controlling the
movement of sequestered carbon and subsurface environmental
contaminants.
(B) Coordination.--
(i) Director.--The Director shall carry out activities
under this paragraph in accordance with priorities
established by the Under Secretary to support and accelerate
the decontamination of relevant facilities managed by the
Department.
(ii) Under secretary.--The Under Secretary shall ensure the
coordination of activities of the Department, including
activities under this paragraph, to support and accelerate
the decontamination of relevant facilities managed by the
Department.
(3) Climate and earth modeling.--As part of the activities
described in paragraph (1), the Director, in collaboration
with the Advanced Scientific Computing Research program
described in section 606, shall carry out research to
develop, evaluate, and use high-resolution regional climate,
global climate, and Earth models to inform decisions on
reducing the impacts of a changing climate. Such modeling
shall include, among other critical elements, greenhouse gas
emissions, land use, and interaction among human and Earth
systems.
[[Page H3479]]
SEC. 606. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--As part of the activities authorized under
section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7139), the Director shall carry out a research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application
program to advance computational and networking capabilities
for data-driven discovery and to analyze, model, simulate,
and predict complex phenomena relevant to the development of
new energy technologies and the competitiveness of the United
States.
(b) Coordination.--The Under Secretary shall ensure the
coordination of the activities of the Department, including
activities under this section, to determine and meet the
computational and networking research and facility needs of
the Office of Science and all other relevant energy
technology and energy efficiency programs within the
Department.
(c) Research To Support Energy Applications.--
(1) In general.--As part of the activities authorized under
subsection (a), the program shall support research in high-
performance computing and networking relevant to energy
applications including modeling, simulation, and advanced
data analytics for basic and applied energy research programs
carried out by the Secretary.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the
Congress a plan to integrate and leverage the expertise and
capabilities of the program described in subsection (a), as
well as other relevant computational and networking research
programs and resources supported by the Federal Government,
to advance the missions of the Department's applied energy
and energy efficiency programs.
(d) Applied Mathematics and Software Development for High-
End Computing Systems.--The Director shall carry out
activities to develop, test, and support mathematics, models,
and algorithms for complex systems, as well as programming
environments, tools, languages, and operating systems for
high-end computing systems (as defined in section 2 of the
Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of
2004 (15 U.S.C. 5541)).
(e) Exascale Computing Program.--Section 3 of the
Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of
2004 (15 U.S.C. 5542) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``program'' and inserting
``coordinated program across the Department'';
(B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
(C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) partner with universities, National Laboratories, and
industry to ensure the broadest possible application of the
technology developed in this program to other challenges in
science, engineering, medicine, and industry.'';
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``vector'' and all
that follows through ``architectures'' and inserting
``computer technologies that show promise of substantial
reductions in power requirements and substantial gains in
parallelism of multicore processors, concurrency, memory and
storage, bandwidth, and reliability''; and
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Exascale Computing Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a
coordinated research program to develop exascale computing
systems to advance the missions of the Department.
``(2) Execution.--The Secretary shall, through competitive
merit review, establish two or more National Laboratory-
industry-university partnerships to conduct integrated
research, development, and engineering of multiple exascale
architectures, and--
``(A) conduct mission-related co-design activities in
developing such exascale platforms;
``(B) develop those advancements in hardware and software
technology required to fully realize the potential of an
exascale production system in addressing Department target
applications and solving scientific problems involving
predictive modeling and simulation and large-scale data
analytics and management; and
``(C) explore the use of exascale computing technologies to
advance a broad range of science and engineering.
``(3) Administration.--In carrying out this program, the
Secretary shall--
``(A) provide, on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis,
access for researchers in United States industry,
institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, and
other Federal agencies to these exascale systems, as
appropriate; and
``(B) conduct outreach programs to increase the readiness
for the use of such platforms by domestic industries,
including manufacturers.
``(4) Reports.--
``(A) Integrated strategy and program management plan.--The
Secretary shall submit to Congress, not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of the Department of Energy
Office of Science Authorization Act of 2015, a report
outlining an integrated strategy and program management plan,
including target dates for prototypical and production
exascale platforms, interim milestones to reaching these
targets, functional requirements, roles and responsibilities
of National Laboratories and industry, acquisition strategy,
and estimated resources required, to achieve this exascale
system capability. The report shall include the Secretary's
plan for Departmental organization to manage and execute the
Exascale Computing Program, including definition of the roles
and responsibilities within the Department to ensure an
integrated program across the Department. The report shall
also include a plan for ensuring balance and prioritizing
across ASCR subprograms in a flat or slow-growth budget
environment.
``(B) Status reports.--At the time of the budget submission
of the Department for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall
submit a report to Congress that describes the status of
milestones and costs in achieving the objectives of the
exascale computing program.
``(C) Exascale merit report.--At least 18 months prior to
the initiation of construction or installation of any
exascale-class computing facility, the Secretary shall
transmit a plan to the Congress detailing--
``(i) the proposed facility's cost projections and
capabilities to significantly accelerate the development of
new energy technologies;
``(ii) technical risks and challenges that must be overcome
to achieve successful completion and operation of the
facility; and
``(iii) an independent assessment of the scientific and
technological advances expected from such a facility relative
to those expected from a comparable investment in expanded
research and applications at terascale-class and petascale-
class computing facilities, including an evaluation of where
investments should be made in the system software and
algorithms to enable these advances.''.
(f) Definitions.--Section 2 of the Department of Energy
High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C.
5541) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and
inserting the following:
``(1) Co-design.--The term `co-design' means the joint
development of application algorithms, models, and codes with
computer technology architectures and operating systems to
maximize effective use of high-end computing systems.
``(2) Department.--The term `Department' means the
Department of Energy.
``(3) Exascale.--The term `exascale' means computing system
performance at or near 10 to the 18th power floating point
operations per second.
``(4) High-end computing system.--The term `high-end
computing system' means a computing system with performance
that substantially exceeds that of systems that are commonly
available for advanced scientific and engineering
applications.
``(5) Leadership system.--The term `Leadership System'
means a high-end computing system that is among the most
advanced in the world in terms of performance in solving
scientific and engineering problems.
``(6) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given the
term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15801).
``(7) National laboratory.--The term `National Laboratory'
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
``(8) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Energy.
``(9) Software technology.--The term `software technology'
includes optimal algorithms, programming environments, tools,
languages, and operating systems for high-end computing
systems.''.
SEC. 607. FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH.
(a) Program.--As part of the activities authorized under
section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7139) and section 972 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(42 U.S.C. 16312), the Director shall carry out a fusion
energy sciences research and enabling technology development
program to effectively address the scientific and engineering
challenges to building a cost-competitive fusion power plant
and to establish a competitive fusion power industry in the
United States. As part of this program, the Director shall
carry out research activities to expand the fundamental
understandings of plasmas and matter at very high
temperatures and densities for fusion applications and for
other plasma science applications.
(b) Tokamak Research and Development.--
(1) In general.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall support research and
development activities and facility operations to--
(A) optimize the tokamak approach to fusion energy; and
(B) determine the viability of the tokamak approach to
fusion energy to lead to a commercial fusion power plant.
(2) ITER.--
(A) Responsibilities.--The Director shall coordinate and
carry out the responsibilities of the United States with
respect to the ITER international fusion project pursuant to
the Agreement on the Establishment of the International
Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of
the ITER Project.
(B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report providing an assessment of--
(i) the most recent schedule for ITER that has been
approved by the ITER Council; and
[[Page H3480]]
(ii) progress of the ITER Council and the ITER Director-
General toward implementation of the recommendations of the
Third Biennial International Organization Management
Assessment Report.
(C) Fairness in competition for solicitations for
international project activities.--Section 33 of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2053) is amended by adding at
the end the following: ``For purposes of this section, with
respect to international research projects, the term `private
facilities or laboratories' shall refer to facilities or
laboratories located in the United States.''.
(D) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the United States should support a robust, diverse program in
addition to meeting its commitments to ITER. It is further
the sense of Congress that developing the scientific basis
for fusion, providing research results key to the success of
ITER, and training the next generation of fusion scientists
are of critical importance to the United States and should in
no way be diminished by participation of the United States in
the ITER project.
(c) Inertial Fusion Energy Research and Development
Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a program of research
and technology development in inertial fusion for energy
applications, including ion beam, laser, and pulsed power
fusion systems.
(d) Alternative and Enabling Concepts.--
(1) In general.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall support research and
development activities and facility operations at United
States universities, national laboratories, and private
facilities for a portfolio of alternative and enabling fusion
energy concepts that may provide solutions to significant
challenges to the establishment of a commercial magnetic
fusion power plant, prioritized based on the ability of the
United States to play a leadership role in the international
fusion research community. Fusion energy concepts and
activities explored under this paragraph may include--
(A) high magnetic field approaches facilitated by high
temperature superconductors;
(B) advanced stellarator concepts;
(C) non-tokamak confinement configurations operating at low
magnetic fields;
(D) magnetized target fusion energy concepts;
(E) liquid metals to address issues associated with fusion
plasma interactions with the inner wall of the encasing
device;
(F) immersion blankets for heat management and fuel
breeding;
(G) advanced scientific computing activities: and
(H) other promising fusion energy concepts identified by
the Director.
(2) Coordination with arpa-e.--The Under Secretary and the
Director shall coordinate with the Director of the Advanced
Research Projects Agency-Energy (in this paragraph referred
to as ``ARPA-E'') to--
(A) assess the potential for any fusion energy project
supported by ARPA-E to represent a promising approach to a
commercially viable fusion power plant;
(B) determine whether the results of any fusion energy
project supported by ARPA-E merit the support of follow-on
research activities carried out by the Office of Science; and
(C) avoid unintentional duplication of activities.
(e) Fusion Materials Research and Development.--As part of
the activities authorized in section 978 of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16318), the Director, in coordination
with the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy of the
Department, shall carry out research and development
activities to identify, characterize, and create materials
that can endure the neutron, plasma, and heat fluxes expected
in a commercial fusion power plant. As part of the activities
authorized under subsection (g), the Secretary shall--
(1) provide an assessment of the need for a facility or
facilities that can examine and test potential fusion and
next generation fission reactor materials and other enabling
technologies relevant to the development of commercial fusion
power plants; and
(2) provide an assessment of whether a single new facility
that substantially addresses magnetic fusion, inertial
fusion, and next generation fission materials research needs
is feasible, in conjunction with the expected capabilities of
facilities operational at the time of this assessment.
(f) General Plasma Science and Applications.--Not later
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall provide to Congress an assessment of
opportunities in which the United States can provide world-
leading contributions to advancing plasma science and non-
fusion energy applications, and identify opportunities for
partnering with other Federal agencies both within and
outside of the Department of Energy.
(g) Identification of Priorities.--
(1) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to
Congress a report on the Department's proposed fusion energy
research and development activities over the following 10
years under at least 3 realistic budget scenarios, including
a scenario based on 3 percent annual growth in the non-ITER
portion of the budget for fusion energy research and
development activities. The report shall--
(A) identify specific areas of fusion energy research and
enabling technology development in which the United States
can and should establish or solidify a lead in the global
fusion energy development effort;
(B) identify priorities for initiation of facility
construction and facility decommissioning under each of those
scenarios;
(C) provide a roadmap addressing critical scientific
challenges to ensure that within 10 years after the date of
enactment of this Act there is sufficient basis to justify
and motivate the initiation of an applied fusion energy
development program; and
(D) assess the ability of the United States fusion
workforce to carry out the activities identified in
subparagraphs (A) through (C), including the adequacy of
college and university programs to train the leaders and
workers of the next generation of fusion energy researchers.
(2) Process.--In order to develop the report required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall leverage best practices
and lessons learned from the process used to develop the most
recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization
Panel of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. No member of
the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee shall be
excluded from participating in developing or voting on final
approval of the report required under paragraph (1).
SEC. 608. HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--As part of the activities authorized under
section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7139), the Director shall carry out a research program
on the elementary constituents of matter and energy and the
nature of space and time.
(b) Energy Frontier Research.--As part of the program
described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry out
research using high energy accelerators and advanced
detectors to create and study interactions of novel particles
and investigate fundamental forces.
(c) Neutrino Research.--As part of the program described in
subsection (a), the Director shall carry out research
activities on rare decay processes and the nature of the
neutrino, which may include collaborations with the National
Science Foundation or international collaborations on
relevant research projects.
(d) Dark Energy and Dark Matter Research.--As part of the
program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry
out research activities on the nature of dark energy and dark
matter. These activities shall be consistent with the
research priorities identified by the High Energy Physics
Advisory Panel or the National Academy of Sciences, and may
include--
(1) collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, the National Science Foundation, or
international collaborations on relevant research projects;
and
(2) the development of space-based, land-based, and
underground facilities and experiments.
(e) Facility Construction and Major Items of Equipment.--
Consistent with the Office of Science's project management
practices, the Director shall support construction or
fabrication of--
(1) an international Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility based
in the United States;
(2) the Muon to Electron Conversion Experiment;
(3) Second Generation Dark Matter experiments;
(4) the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument;
(5) the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope camera;
(6) upgrades to components of the Large Hadron Collider;
and
(7) other high priority projects recommended in the most
recent report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization
Panel of the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel.
(f) Accelerator Research and Development.--As part of the
program described in subsection (a), the Director shall carry
out research and development in advanced accelerator concepts
and technologies, including laser technologies, to reduce the
necessary scope and cost for the next generation of particle
accelerators, in coordination with the Office of Science's
Basic Energy Sciences and Nuclear Physics programs.
(g) International Collaboration.--The Director, as
practicable and in coordination with other appropriate
Federal agencies as necessary, shall ensure the access of
United States researchers to the most advanced accelerator
facilities and research capabilities in the world, including
the Large Hadron Collider.
SEC. 609. NUCLEAR PHYSICS PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--As part of the activities authorized under
section 209 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42
U.S.C. 7139), the Director shall carry out a research
program, and support relevant facilities, to discover and
understand various forms of nuclear matter.
(b) Facility Construction.--
(1) In general.--Consistent with the Office of Science's
project management practices, the Director shall continue to
support the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope
Beams.
(2) Repeal.--Section 981 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(42 U.S.C. 16321) is repealed.
(c) Isotope Development and Production for Research
Applications.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out a program for
the production of isotopes
[[Page H3481]]
that the Director determines are needed for research and
applications, including--
(A) the development of techniques to produce isotopes; and
(B) support for infrastructure required for isotope
research and production.
(2) Coordination.--In making the determination described in
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
(A) ensure that isotope production activities do not
compete with private industry unless critical national
interests necessitate the Federal Government's involvement;
and
(B) consider any relevant recommendations made by Federal
advisory committees, the National Academies, and interagency
working groups in which the Department participates.
SEC. 610. SCIENCE LABORATORIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--The Director shall carry out a program to
improve the safety, efficiency, and mission readiness of
infrastructure at Office of Science laboratories. The program
shall include projects to--
(1) renovate or replace space that does not meet research
needs;
(2) replace facilities that are no longer cost effective to
renovate or operate;
(3) modernize utility systems to prevent failures and
ensure efficiency;
(4) remove excess facilities to allow safe and efficient
operations; and
(5) construct modern facilities to conduct advanced
research in controlled environmental conditions.
(b) Approach.--In carrying out this section, the Director
shall utilize all available approaches and mechanisms,
including capital line items, minor construction projects,
energy savings performance contracts, utility energy service
contracts, alternative financing, and expense funding, as
appropriate.
(c) Definition.--The term ``Office of Science laboratory''
means a subset of National Laboratories as defined in section
2(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801)
consisting of subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (D), (F), (K),
(L), (M), (P), and (Q).
SEC. 611. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
for the activities of the Office of Science--
(1) $5,339,794,000 for fiscal year 2016;
(2) $5,606,783,700 for fiscal year 2017;
(3) $5,887,122,885 for fiscal year 2018;
(4) $6,181,479,029 for fiscal year 2019; and
(5) $6,490,552,981 for fiscal year 2020.
Subtitle B--ARPA-E
SEC. 621. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``ARPA-E Reauthorization
Act of 2015''.
SEC. 622. ARPA-E AMENDMENTS.
Section 5012 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 16538)
is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (n) as subsection (o) and
inserting after subsection (m) the following new subsection:
``(n) Protection of Proprietary Information.--The following
categories of information collected by the Advanced Research
Projects Agency-Energy from recipients of financial
assistance awards shall be considered privileged and
confidential and not subject to disclosure pursuant to
section 552 of title 5, United States Code:
``(1) Plans for commercialization of technologies developed
under the award, including business plans, technology to
market plans, market studies, and cost and performance
models.
``(2) Investments provided to an awardee from third
parties, such as venture capital, hedge fund, or private
equity firms, including amounts and percentage of ownership
of the awardee provided in return for such investments.
``(3) Additional financial support that the awardee plans
to invest or has invested into the technology developed under
the award, or that the awardee is seeking from third parties.
``(4) Revenue from the licensing or sale of new products or
services resulting from the research conducted under the
award.''; and
(2) in paragraph (2) of subsection (o), as so redesignated
by paragraph (1) of this section, by--
(A) striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (D);
(B) striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) adding at the end the following:
``(F) $325,000,000 for fiscal year 2016;
``(G) $341,250,000 for fiscal year 2017;
``(H) $358,312,500 for fiscal year 2018;
``(I) $376,228,125 for fiscal year 2019; and
``(J) $395,039,531 for fiscal year 2020.''.
Subtitle C--Energy Innovation
SEC. 641. ENERGY INNOVATION HUBS.
(a) Authorization of Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a
program to enhance the Nation's economic, environmental, and
energy security by making awards to consortia for
establishing and operating Energy Innovation Hubs to conduct
and support, whenever practicable at one centralized
location, multidisciplinary, collaborative research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application of
advanced energy technologies.
(2) Technology development focus.--The Secretary shall
designate for each Hub a unique advanced energy technology
focus.
(3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure the
coordination of, and avoid unnecessary duplication of, the
activities of Hubs with those of other Department of Energy
research entities, including the National Laboratories, the
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Energy Frontier
Research Centers, and within industry.
(b) Consortia.--
(1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award under
this section for the establishment and operation of a Hub, a
consortium shall--
(A) be composed of no fewer than 2 qualifying entities; and
(B) operate subject to an agreement entered into by its
members that documents--
(i) the proposed partnership agreement, including the
governance and management structure of the Hub;
(ii) measures to enable cost-effective implementation of
the program under this section;
(iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions
from non-Federal sources;
(iv) a plan for managing intellectual property rights; and
(v) an accounting structure that enables the Secretary to
ensure that the consortium has complied with the requirements
of this section.
(2) Application.--A consortium seeking to establish and
operate a Hub under this section, acting through a prime
applicant, shall transmit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such form, and accompanied by such information
as the Secretary shall require, including a detailed
description of the elements of the consortium agreement
required under paragraph (1)(B). If the consortium members
will not be located at one centralized location, such
application shall include a communications plan that ensures
close coordination and integration of the Hub's activities.
(c) Selection and Schedule.--The Secretary shall select
consortia for awards for the establishment and operation of
Hubs through competitive selection processes. In selecting
consortia, the Secretary shall consider the information a
consortium must disclose according to subsection (b), as well
as any existing facilities a consortium will provide for Hub
activities. Awards made to a Hub shall be for a period not to
exceed 5 years, after which the award may be renewed, subject
to a rigorous merit review. A Hub already in existence on the
date of enactment of this Act may continue to receive support
for a period of 5 years beginning on the date of
establishment of that Hub.
(d) Hub Operations.--
(1) In general.--Each Hub shall conduct or provide for
multidisciplinary, collaborative research, development,
demonstration, and, where appropriate, commercial application
of advanced energy technologies within the technology
development focus designated under subsection (a)(2). Each
Hub shall--
(A) encourage collaboration and communication among the
member qualifying entities of the consortium and awardees by
conducting activities whenever practicable at one centralized
location;
(B) develop and publish on the Department of Energy's
website proposed plans and programs;
(C) submit an annual report to the Secretary summarizing
the Hub's activities, including detailing organizational
expenditures, and describing each project undertaken by the
Hub; and
(D) monitor project implementation and coordination.
(2) Conflicts of interest.--
(A) Procedures.--Hubs shall maintain conflict of interest
procedures, consistent with those of the Department of
Energy, to ensure that employees and consortia designees for
Hub activities who are in decisionmaking capacities disclose
all material conflicts of interest.
(B) Disqualification and revocation.--The Secretary may
disqualify an application or revoke funds distributed to a
Hub if the Secretary discovers a failure to comply with
conflict of interest procedures established under
subparagraph (A).
(3) Prohibition on construction.--
(A) In general.--No funds provided pursuant to this section
may be used for construction of new buildings or facilities
for Hubs. Construction of new buildings or facilities shall
not be considered as part of the non-Federal share of a Hub
cost-sharing agreement.
(B) Test bed and renovation exception.--Nothing in this
subsection shall prohibit the use of funds provided pursuant
to this section, or non-Federal cost share funds, for
research or for the construction of a test bed or renovations
to existing buildings or facilities for the purposes of
research if the Secretary determines that the test bed or
renovations are limited to a scope and scale necessary for
the research to be conducted.
(e) Termination.--Consistent with the existing authorities
of the Department, the Secretary may terminate an
underperforming Hub for cause during the performance period.
(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Advanced energy technology.--The term ``advanced energy
technology'' means--
(A) an innovative technology--
(i) that produces energy from solar, wind, geothermal,
biomass, tidal, wave, ocean, or other renewable energy
resources;
(ii) that produces nuclear energy;
(iii) for carbon capture and sequestration;
(iv) that enables advanced vehicles, vehicle components,
and related technologies that result in significant energy
savings;
(v) that generates, transmits, distributes, utilizes, or
stores energy more efficiently
[[Page H3482]]
than conventional technologies, including through Smart Grid
technologies; or
(vi) that enhances the energy independence and security of
the United States by enabling improved or expanded supply and
production of domestic energy resources, including coal, oil,
and natural gas;
(B) research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application activities necessary to ensure the long-term,
secure, and sustainable supply of energy critical elements;
or
(C) another innovative energy technology area identified by
the Secretary.
(2) Energy critical element.--The term ``energy critical
element'' means any of a class of chemical elements that have
a high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to one or
more new, energy-related technologies such that a shortage of
such element would significantly inhibit large-scale
deployment of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or
conserve energy.
(3) Hub.--The term ``Hub'' means an Energy Innovation Hub
established or operating in accordance with this section,
including any Energy Innovation Hub existing as of the date
of enactment of this Act.
(4) Qualifying entity.--The term ``qualifying entity''
means--
(A) an institution of higher education;
(B) an appropriate State or Federal entity, including the
Department of Energy Federally Funded Research and
Development Centers;
(C) a nongovernmental organization with expertise in
advanced energy technology research, development,
demonstration, or commercial application; or
(D) any other relevant entity the Secretary considers
appropriate.
SEC. 642. PARTICIPATION IN THE INNOVATION CORPS PROGRAM.
(a) Agreement.--The Secretary of Energy shall enter into an
agreement with the Director of the National Science
Foundation to enable researchers funded by the Department of
Energy to participate in the Innovation Corps program
authorized by section 307.
(b) Authorization.--The Secretary of Energy may also
establish a Department of Energy Innovation Corps program,
modeled after the National Science Foundation Innovation
Corps program, to incorporate experts from the Department of
Energy National Laboratories in the training curriculum of
the program.
SEC. 643. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
(a) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
of Energy shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a
report which shall include--
(1) an assessment of the Department's current ability to
carry out the goals of section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391), including an assessment of the
role and effectiveness of the Director of the Office of
Technology Transitions; and
(2) recommended departmental policy changes and legislative
changes to section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 16391) to improve the Department's ability to
successfully transfer new energy technologies to the private
sector.
(b) Amendments.--Section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e), by striking ``for commercial
purposes'' and inserting ``of any sort for commercial
purposes, including energy technologies not currently
supported by the Department of Energy'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections
(h) and (i), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new
subsections:
``(f) Agreements for Commercializing Technology Pilot
Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the
Agreements for Commercializing Technology pilot program of
the Department, as announced by the Secretary on December 8,
2011, in accordance with this subsection.
``(2) Terms.--Each agreement entered into pursuant to the
pilot program referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide to
the contractor of the applicable National Laboratory, to the
maximum extent determined to be appropriate by the Secretary,
increased authority to negotiate contract terms, such as
intellectual property rights, payment structures, performance
guarantees, and multiparty collaborations.
``(3) Eligibility.--
``(A) In general.--Any director of a National Laboratory
may enter into an agreement pursuant to the pilot program
referred to in paragraph (1).
``(B) Agreements with non-federal entities.--To carry out
subparagraph (A) and subject to subparagraph (C), the
Secretary shall permit the directors of the National
Laboratories to execute agreements with a non-Federal entity,
including a non-Federal entity already receiving Federal
funding that will be used to support activities under
agreements executed pursuant to subparagraph (A), provided
that such funding is solely used to carry out the purposes of
the Federal award.
``(C) Restriction.--The requirements of chapter 18 of title
35, United States Code (commonly known as the `Bayh-Dole
Act') shall apply if--
``(i) the agreement is a funding agreement (as that term is
defined in section 201 of that title); and
``(ii) at least 1 of the parties to the funding agreement
is eligible to receive rights under that chapter.
``(4) Submission to secretary.--Each affected director of a
National Laboratory shall submit to the Secretary, with
respect to each agreement entered into under this
subsection--
``(A) a summary of information relating to the relevant
project;
``(B) the total estimated costs of the project;
``(C) estimated commencement and completion dates of the
project; and
``(D) other documentation determined to be appropriate by
the Secretary.
``(5) Certification.--The Secretary shall require the
contractor of the affected National Laboratory to certify
that each activity carried out under a project for which an
agreement is entered into under this subsection--
``(A) is not in direct competition with the private sector;
and
``(B) does not present, or minimizes, any apparent conflict
of interest, and avoids or neutralizes any actual conflict of
interest, as a result of the agreement under this subsection.
``(6) Extension.--The pilot program referred to in
paragraph (1) shall be extended until October 31, 2017.
``(7) Reports.--
``(A) Overall assessment.--Not later than 60 days after the
date described in paragraph (6), the Secretary, in
coordination with directors of the National Laboratories,
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that--
``(i) assesses the overall effectiveness of the pilot
program referred to in paragraph (1);
``(ii) identifies opportunities to improve the
effectiveness of the pilot program;
``(iii) assesses the potential for program activities to
interfere with the responsibilities of the National
Laboratories to the Department; and
``(iv) provides a recommendation regarding the future of
the pilot program.
``(B) Transparency.--The Secretary, in coordination with
directors of the National Laboratories, shall submit to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate an annual report that accounts for
all incidences of, and provides a justification for, non-
Federal entities using funds derived from a Federal contract
or award to carry out agreements pursuant to this subsection.
``(g) Inclusion of Technology Maturation in Authorized
Technology Transfer Activities.--The Secretary shall permit
the directors of the National Laboratories to use funds
authorized to support technology transfer, following the
standard practices of the Department, to carry out technology
maturation activities to identify and improve potential
commercial application opportunities and demonstrate
applications of research and technologies arising from
National Laboratory activities.''.
(c) Delegation of Authority for Technology Transfer
Agreements.--
(1) Authority.--The Secretary of Energy shall delegate to
directors of the National Laboratories signature authority
for any technology transfer agreement with a total cost of
not more than $500,000, including both National Laboratory
contributions and the project recipient cost share
contribution, if such an agreement falls within the scope of
a strategic plan for the National Laboratory that has been
approved by the Department.
(2) Agreements included.--The agreements to which this
subsection applies include--
(A) Cooperative Research and Development Agreements; and
(B) non-Federal Work for Others Agreements.
(3) Availability of records.--
(A) Not later than 7 days after the date on which the
director of a National Laboratory enters into an agreement
under this subsection, such director shall submit to the
Secretary of Energy for monitoring and review all records of
the National Laboratory relating to the agreement.
(B) Not later than 30 days after the date on which the
director of a specific National Laboratory enters into an
agreement under this subsection, the Secretary may terminate
the agreement and the authority of any director of such
National Laboratory to enter into agreements under this
subsection if--
(i) all records of the National Laboratory relating to the
agreement have not been transmitted to the Secretary in
accordance with subparagraph (A); or
(ii) the Secretary determines that this agreement is
inconsistent with the mission of the Department.
(4) Limitation.--This subsection does not apply to any
agreement with a majority foreign-owned company.
(5) Sunset.--
(A) In general.--This subsection shall apply only during
the 4-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this
Act.
(B) Assessment.--Not later than the date that is 180 days
prior to the last day of the period described in subparagraph
(A), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
[[Page H3483]]
an assessment of the effectiveness of the authority provided
to the directors of the National Laboratories under this
subsection to accelerate the development of new technologies,
and an assessment of any incidences of potential misuse of
this authority in the opinion of the Secretary.
SEC. 644. FUNDING COMPETITIVENESS FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION AND OTHER NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS.
Section 988(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16352(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Except as provided in
paragraphs (2) and (3)'' and inserting ``Except as provided
in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Exemption for institutions of higher education and
other nonprofit institutions.--
``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a
research or development activity performed by an institution
of higher education or nonprofit institution (as defined in
section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act
of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703)).
``(B) Termination date.--The exemption under subparagraph
(A) shall apply during the 6-year period beginning on the
date of enactment of this paragraph.''.
SEC. 645. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND ENERGY.
(a) In General.--Section 202(b) of the Department of Energy
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7132(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' each place
it appears and inserting ``Under Secretary for Science and
Energy''; and
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
``(H) establish appropriate linkages between offices under
the jurisdiction of the Under Secretary; and
``(I) perform such functions and duties as the Secretary
shall prescribe, consistent with this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 3164(b)(1) of the Department of Energy Science
Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381a(b)(1)) is amended
by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and inserting
``Under Secretary for Science and Energy''.
(2) Section 641(h)(2) of the United States Energy Storage
Competitiveness Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(h)(2)) is
amended by striking ``Under Secretary for Science'' and
inserting ``Under Secretary for Science and Energy''.
SEC. 646. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC,
ENGINEERING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall have the
authority to--
(1) make appointments of scientific, engineering, and
professional personnel, without regard to civil service laws,
to assist the Department in meeting specific project or
research needs;
(2) fix the basic pay of any employee appointed under this
section at a rate to be determined by the Under Secretary at
rates not in excess of the Executive Schedule (EX-II) without
regard to the civil service laws; and
(3) pay any employee appointed under this section payments
in addition to basic pay, except that the total amount of
additional payments paid to an employee under this subsection
for any 12-month period shall not exceed the least of the
following amounts:
(A) $25,000.
(B) The amount equal to 25 percent of the annual rate of
basic pay of that employee.
(C) The amount of the limitation that is applicable for a
calendar year under section 5307(a)(1) of title 5, United
States Code.
(b) Term.--
(1) In general.--The term of any employee appointed under
this section shall not exceed 3 years.
(2) Termination.--The Under Secretary shall have the
authority to terminate any employee appointed under this
section at any time based on performance or changing project
or research needs of the Department.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 271, the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) and a Member opposed each will
control 10 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, so much of today's debate has been about how harmful
the underlying legislation is for our Nation and how it violates every
one of the principles of the original COMPETES bill. I am now pleased
to be offering a positive way forward in the form of a substitute bill
cosponsored by every Democratic member of the committee in addition to
the minority leader, Mr. Hoyer.
I spoke earlier about the history of the COMPETES bill and the
principles it has embodied since the Rising Above the Gathering Storm
report set us on this path 10 years ago. The substitute amendment,
which we introduced as H.R. 1898, stays true to one of these
principles.
It sets targets that provide for steady and sustained real growth in
funding for our research and development agencies. It makes a strong
statement that the U.S. Congress sees funding for research across all
fields of basic research as a top national priority. It does not
include false and detrimental choices and tradeoffs among different
fields of science and engineering. It ensures that scientific experts,
not politicians, continue to set priorities for funding within and
among different fields of basic research and for individual grants.
The principles embodied in my substitute amendment continue a pact
that the Federal Government made with our Nation's great research
universities following our victory in World War II and the onset of the
space race that led us to the creation of NSF and NASA.
This pact is what has made NSF, the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, or NIST, and the Department of Energy among the world's
greatest and most admired research agencies.
Specifically, my amendment fully funds these agencies at the fiscal
year 2016 request level and continues to provide 5 percent annual
increases for 5 years. This modest investment is already a compromise,
given the immense economic return on our basic research investments.
The original Rising Above the Gathering Storm report called for even
greater increases.
My amendment also reauthorizes and fully funds ARPA-E, which was
created in the 2007 COMPETES Act and has exceeded every expectation for
creating innovative new energy technologies and spurring private sector
follow-on investment.
In addition, my amendment authorizes and funds important innovation
programs at the Department of Commerce, including an innovation voucher
pilot program that will help small- and medium-sized manufacturers
across the country grow their businesses and create new jobs.
My amendment fully funds the standards work of NIST, in addition to
their work to help accelerate growth in U.S. advanced manufacturing. We
need to bring those manufacturing jobs back home, and we need to Make
It In America. NIST is an essential partner in this effort.
{time} 1745
Finally, my amendment takes seriously the issue of STEM education,
including broadening participation in STEM. Our STEM language is not
just senses of Congress about how important STEM is and other filler
provisions.
Our language directs real important policy changes to help ensure
that all U.S. students and researchers have the opportunity to fully
develop their talents in STEM and pursue successful STEM careers.
We are facing a demographic imperative. If we do not find a way to
turn around the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM
fields, our Nation will fall well short of the skilled workforce our
industries demand. Our substitute puts our money before where our mouth
is when it comes to STEM and corrects a glaring deficit in the
underlying legislation.
I am proud of my work that I have done on this committee for many
years and of the contributions that many of my colleagues made to this
substitute amendment. It truly is a COMPETES Reauthorization Act in
every way.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to carefully consider
the fork in the road before us. If you really want to do right by this
great Nation and by our children and our grandchildren, you will vote
for the substitute amendment and replace the underlying legislation
with a positive path forward.
This amendment will open the doors for innovation and education for
our Nation's future. It will not be trade, as many have said, that will
cause us to lose these jobs; it will be our companies searching around
the world looking for talent and innovation.
Look out for America's future. Vote for this amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to
the amendment.
[[Page H3484]]
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 10 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the gentlewoman's
amendment.
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I support a responsible and
sustainable path forward for U.S. science, research, and development.
We must prioritize the areas of basic research to ensure future U.S.
economic competitiveness and spur private sector innovation.
This amendment ignores the caps set by the Budget Control Act, which
the ranking member herself supported, and ignores the tough choices
that must be made to protect the American taxpayer and future
generations from more debt. It is irresponsible not to adhere to the
Budget Control Act, which was signed into law by President Obama.
The Budget Control Act was a bipartisan agreement that 95 Democrats
voted for, including the ranking member. Now, she wants to ignore that
particular law. Although many Members would like to see the Budget
Control Act replaced, it is the law of the land, and we should abide by
it.
Of course, it is easy just to propose more spending, knowing it will
sound good, even if it is irresponsible and against the law. In fiscal
year 2016 alone, this amendment would increase spending by $600 million
over the current level and the underlying bill. The amendment increases
spending on later-stage research and technology, best done by the
private sector.
Since last Congress, we have worked hard to reach an agreement with
the minority on numerous policy issues, and we have accepted many of
their provisions and ideas to make this bill stronger.
For example, we strengthened STEM provisions related to a new
advisory panel and coordinating office. We also included language in
support of NIST that passed the House floor on a bipartisan vote last
year.
Also, in title III of the bill are three pieces of bipartisan
legislation that passed the Science Committee by voice vote in March.
Two of those three pieces of legislation were sponsored by Democrats.
I urge my colleagues to support a balanced approach of fiscal
responsibility and targeted investments in priority science and basic
research and vote ``no'' on the Democratic substitute. The Democratic
substitute ignores the Budget Control Act and does not advance good
science in America.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes
to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Chairman, I thank Ms. Johnson for yielding.
I am proud to rise in support of Ms. Johnson's amendment in the
nature of a substitute, and I am also proud to cosponsor H.R. 1898,
which contains the same language, because this alternative is much more
in keeping with the principles of the original America COMPETES Act.
Mr. Chairman, in 2007, I served on the conference committee that
worked out the House-Senate compromise on the original COMPETES bill.
In 2010, I wrote the NSF title on the reauthorization. These are two of
my proudest moments in Congress because those were bipartisan bills
that set us on a path to continue leading the world in scientific
research and innovation for the next generation.
Sadly, in recent years, we have let that progress stall. Make no
mistake, other nations are continuing to invest and are continuing to
innovate. If we don't come together to send a strong message and
provide strong support for scientific research, America will no longer
be able to compete.
The COMPETES bill is an investment bill. I understand the threat of
our enormous Federal debt; but, without the types of investments that
are made in the COMPETES bill, we will not promote the economic growth
that we need to end our deficits and pay down our debt.
Ranking Member Johnson's alternative makes those investments. Unlike
the base bill, it does not make drastic cuts to Advanced Research
Projects Agency-Energy, which promotes and funds research and
development of advanced energy technologies.
It does not make drastic cuts to the Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy that invests in high-risk, high-value research and
development in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy
technologies. It doesn't cut the geosciences or make a more than 50
percent cut to research in the social, behavioral, and economic
sciences.
Some might think that last one is warranted; but, in the Science
Committee, we are constantly hearing from witnesses about how social
science is vital to the work going on in other fields. Members of
Congress have frequently relied on spectrum auctions, developed by NSF
social science research, to raise billions of dollars.
Social science is perhaps the most critical component to preventing
cyber crimes. Considering that the majority of all cyber breaches occur
because of social factors, like using easy-to-guess passwords or
clicking on a link in a phishing attack, we should want to increase
funding in these areas.
Mr. Chairman, Ms. Johnson's amendment provides robust support in all
of these areas. I agree that the chairman's bill has gotten better and
things have been added to the bill which have made it a better bill,
but still, I think there is no question that Ms. Johnson's substitute
is a much better bill for making the types of investments we need in
scientific research right now if we want to make sure that America
still competes. This is critical to the future of our country; this is
critical to innovation.
I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Babin), who is a member of the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the gentlewoman's
amendment.
The gentlewoman's amendment makes everything a priority so that
nothing really is. This amendment rubberstamps the administration's
budget request, which fails to make choices, spreading a little bit of
research funding around to try to please everyone.
Compared to the gentlewoman's proposal, H.R. 1806 funds 329 more new
grants in biology next year, 398 more new grants in computer science,
457 more new grants in engineering, and 955 more new grants in math and
the physical sciences.
These are research grants that are going to universities and research
institutions across the country, fueling innovation and driving
economic competitiveness in the United States.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I
have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Texas has 1\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to
the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
I rise today in support of the substitute amendment to H.R. 1806 and
focus on one issue. The underlying bill would set a harmful new
precedent by authorizing funding at the directorate level.
Currently, funding levels for the National Science Foundation for
each directorate are based on strategic priorities and science-based
recommendations from the National Science Board. This is how it should
be and how it remains under the substitute amendment.
By setting authorization levels according to directorate, this bill
would limit the flexibility NSF needs to set strategic priorities and
adapt and capitalize on unanticipated discoveries.
I share the concerns of many experts that the underlying bill would
reduce authorized funding levels for specific directorates: the
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and the
Directorate for Geosciences.
Some of this funding has been used, for example, for Oregon State
University to conduct research on ocean acidification. It has also been
used critically to support the work in Oregon to develop our
understanding of the risks posed by a Cascadia subduction zone
earthquake. Other examples are around the country.
In summary, the underlying bill diminishes the ability of the
National Science Foundation to make strategic science-based decisions.
[[Page H3485]]
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the substitute
amendment.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, we are prepared to close, so I
reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I simply will close
by saying, as we have been on this floor, we continue to get emails and
letters from universities and scientists around this Nation.
I am not presenting this substitute to be funny; I am presenting this
substitute to take us to the professional level that the research
brought us when we first had America COMPETES. It is not a picking and
choosing; it is a professional approach to funding scientific projects.
If we mean to look out for the future of the Nation, as we say we
are, this is the legislation that will do it.
I urge everyone to support it, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the gentlewoman's amendment ignores
the law of the land. She and more than 90 other Democrats supported the
Budget Control Act, which was signed into law by the President. This
amendment ignores those budget caps.
I support a responsible and sustainable path forward for U.S.
science, research, and development; but it is neither responsible, nor
sustainable, to spend more and more taxpayer dollars and increase the
debt that future generations will inherit. We must prioritize the areas
of basic research to ensure future economic competitiveness and spur
private sector innovation.
Since the last Congress, we have worked hard to reach an agreement
with the minority on numerous policy issues, but we have been clear
since the beginning that increases in spending need to have reasonable
offsets. This amendment fails to include any offsets and openly ignores
the Budget Control Act.
I urge my colleagues to support a balanced approach of fiscal
responsibility and targeted investments in priority, science, and basic
research. Vote ``no'' on the amendment and ``yes'' on the underlying
bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I request a
recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will
be postponed.
Announcement by the Acting Chair
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings
will now resume on those amendments printed in part A of House Report
114-120 on which further proceedings were postponed, in the following
order:
Amendment No. 2 by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas.
Amendment No. 6 by Mr. Griffith of Virginia.
Amendment No. 8 by Mr. Lowenthal of California.
Amendment No. 10 by Ms. Bonamici of Oregon.
Amendment No. 11 by Mr. Beyer of Virginia.
Amendment No. 12 by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas.
The Chair will reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for any
electronic vote after the first vote in this series.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson)
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the noes
prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 177,
noes 243, not voting 12, as follows:
[Roll No. 252]
AYES--177
Adams
Aguilar
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Becerra
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Richmond
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Stivers
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tiberi
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOES--243
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Conaway
Cook
Costa
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garamendi
Garrett
Gibbs
Gibson
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Graham
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Jordan
Joyce
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Peterson
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (NY)
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Ruppersberger
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schrader
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sinema
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stefanik
Stewart
Stutzman
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
[[Page H3486]]
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zeldin
Zinke
NOT VOTING--12
Bera
Capps
Carson (IN)
Chaffetz
Comstock
Crawford
Donovan
Kirkpatrick
Labrador
Noem
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
{time} 1827
Messrs. TIPTON, LUCAS, FORBES, McCLINTOCK, and STEWART changed their
vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Mr. ASHFORD, Ms. DeGETTE, Messrs. STIVERS, YARMUTH, and DOLD changed
their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated against:
Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 252, I was unavoidably
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''
Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Griffith
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) on which
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by
voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 234,
noes 183, not voting 15, as follows:
[Roll No. 253]
AYES--234
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Curbelo (FL)
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dold
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jordan
Joyce
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stefanik
Stewart
Stivers
Stutzman
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zinke
NOES--183
Adams
Aguilar
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gibson
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
Zeldin
NOT VOTING--15
Amodei
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Carson (IN)
Chaffetz
Crawford
Doggett
Donovan
King (IA)
Noem
Rokita
Schrader
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
Announcement by the Acting Chair
The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.
{time} 1831
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Lowenthal
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal) on which
further proceedings were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by
voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 187,
noes 236, not voting 9, as follows:
[Roll No. 254]
AYES--187
Adams
Aguilar
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gibson
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
[[Page H3487]]
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Reichert
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Ros-Lehtinen
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOES--236
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Jordan
Joyce
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Peterson
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney (FL)
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stefanik
Stewart
Stivers
Stutzman
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zeldin
Zinke
NOT VOTING--9
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Chaffetz
Crawford
Donovan
Noem
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
Announcement by the Acting Chair
The Acting CHAIR (during the vote). There is 1 minute remaining.
{time} 1835
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Amendment No. 10 Offered by Ms. Bonamici
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) on which
further proceedings were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by
voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIR. This will be a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 208,
noes 215, not voting 9, as follows:
[Roll No. 255]
AYES--208
Adams
Aguilar
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blum
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Bost
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
Davis, Rodney
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Emmer (MN)
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Fitzpatrick
Fortenberry
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gibson
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Herrera Beutler
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
King (IA)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Newhouse
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Reichert
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Rokita
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Salmon
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (WA)
Speier
Stefanik
Stewart
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
Yoder
Young (IA)
NOES--215
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jordan
Joyce
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (NY)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stivers
Stutzman
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
[[Page H3488]]
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IN)
Zeldin
Zinke
NOT VOTING--9
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Chaffetz
Crawford
Donovan
Noem
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
{time} 1840
Mr. EMMER of Minnesota and Ms. KAPTUR changed their vote from ``no''
to ``aye.''
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Beyer
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer) on which further
proceedings were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by voice
vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 190,
noes 232, not voting 10, as follows:
[Roll No. 256]
AYES--190
Adams
Aguilar
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gibson
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Katko
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Stefanik
Stewart
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOES--232
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Jordan
Joyce
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stutzman
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zeldin
Zinke
NOT VOTING--10
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Chaffetz
Crawford
Donovan
Noem
Stivers
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
{time} 1844
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Amendment No. 12 Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
The Acting CHAIR. The unfinished business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment printed in part A of House Report 114-
120 offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson)
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the noes
prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIR. This is a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 179,
noes 239, not voting 14, as follows:
[Roll No. 257]
AYES--179
Adams
Aguilar
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
[[Page H3489]]
Sewell (AL)
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOES--239
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Curbelo (FL)
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dold
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gibson
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hanna
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Jordan
Joyce
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stefanik
Stewart
Stivers
Stutzman
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zeldin
Zinke
NOT VOTING--14
Ashford
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Chaffetz
Crawford
Donovan
Noem
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sherman
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
Woodall
{time} 1848
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 257, had I been present, I
would have voted ``yes.''
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment in the nature of a
substitute, as amended.
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIR. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Fleischmann) having assumed the chair, Mr. Poe of Texas, Acting Chair
of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported
that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R.
1806) to provide for technological innovation through the
prioritization of Federal investment in basic research, fundamental
scientific discovery, and development to improve the competitiveness of
the United States, and for other purposes, and, pursuant to House
Resolution 271, he reported the bill back to the House with an
amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is
ordered.
Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment
reported from the Committee of the Whole?
If not, the question is on the amendment in the nature of a
substitute, as amended.
The amendment was agreed to.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded
vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, and the
order of the House of today, this 5-minute vote on passage of the bill
will be followed by 5-minute votes on the motion to recommit on H.R.
880, and passage of H.R. 880, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 217,
noes 205, not voting 10, as follows:
[Roll No. 258]
AYES--217
Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amodei
Babin
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Benishek
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Bost
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Clawson (FL)
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crenshaw
Culberson
Denham
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers (NC)
Emmer (MN)
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guinta
Guthrie
Hardy
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Hill
Holding
Hudson
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd (TX)
Hurt (VA)
Issa
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jordan
Katko
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Knight
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Massie
McCarthy
McCaul
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
Meadows
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Neugebauer
Newhouse
Nugent
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Pompeo
Posey
Price, Tom
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney (FL)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce
Russell
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stefanik
Stewart
Stivers
Stutzman
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Young (IN)
Zinke
NOES--205
Adams
Aguilar
Amash
Ashford
Bass
Beatty
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blum
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Buck
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
Davis, Rodney
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Dent
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Doyle, Michael F.
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Fortenberry
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gibson
Graham
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hanna
Hastings
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Honda
Hoyer
Huelskamp
Huffman
Huizenga (MI)
Israel
[[Page H3490]]
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Jenkins (KS)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Joyce
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
King (NY)
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lee
Levin
Lewis
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McClintock
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
McSally
Meehan
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Rourke
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Swalwell (CA)
Takai
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
Zeldin
NOT VOTING--10
Becerra
Bera
Capps
Chaffetz
Cleaver
Crawford
Donovan
Noem
Tsongas
Wasserman Schultz
{time} 1858
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________