[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2739-S2740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1509. Ms. ERNST submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new Directorate for Technology 
and Innovation in the National Science Foundation, to establish a 
regional technology hub program, to require a strategy and report on 
economic security, science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and 
job creation, to establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. FEDERAL RESEARCH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given the term in 
     section 551 of title 5, United States Code; and
       (2) the term ``covered study'' means any study that--
       (A) is carried out in whole or in part with Federal funds; 
     and
       (B) is published, presented at a conference or meeting, or 
     otherwise made publicly available.
       (b) Prevention of Duplicative Research Funding.--The 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
     coordinate with each agency that provides funding to entities 
     to carry out research and development to establish a system 
     to detect potential duplicative applications for funding in 
     order to prevent duplicative funding.
       (c) Database of Federally Funded Research and 
     Development.--
       (1) In general.--Each agency shall include in a publicly 
     accessible database a searchable listing of each unclassified 
     research and development project that is funded by the 
     agency, including a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, 
     or task order.
       (2) Contents.--A database described in paragraph (1) shall, 
     with respect to each unclassified research and development 
     project of an agency, contain--
       (A) the agency component that is carrying out or providing 
     funding or other assistance for the project;
       (B) the name of the project;
       (C) an abstract or summary of the project;
       (D) the funding level for the project;
       (E) the duration of the project;
       (F) the name of any contractor, subcontractor, or grantee;
       (G) the title of any published study funded by or related 
     to the project; and
       (H) expected objectives and milestones for the project.
       (3) Existing database.--An agency may satisfy the 
     requirements under this subsection if the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget determines that the agency 
     maintains a publicly accessible database, including a 
     database operated by or shared with another agency, that 
     substantially meets the requirements of this subsection.
       (d) Requirement for Acknowledgment in Covered Studies.--The 
     acknowledgment section in each covered study shall include--
       (1) the name of each agency that provided funding for the 
     covered study;
       (2) the project or award number associated with the covered 
     study; and
       (3) an estimate of the total cost of the covered study.

[[Page S2740]]

       (e) Study.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct a study and make publicly available a 
     report, which shall--
       (1) analyze the compliance of agencies, contractors, 
     subcontractors, and grantees with the requirements of this 
     section;
       (2) identify any obstacles that remain to prevent the 
     public from accessing the cost and findings of covered 
     studies and other research and development projects funded by 
     agencies; and
       (3) analyze efforts by agencies to prevent duplicative 
     spending.
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