[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2796-S2797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1544. Mr. PAUL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him 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:

       After section 2527 of title V of division B insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 2528. REVIEW PANELS.

       (a) Inclusion on Review Panels.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, each review panel for a specific Federal 
     research grant shall include--
       (1) at least one individual who is not professionally 
     affiliated with any academic or research institution, has not 
     been professionally affiliated in the 10 years preceding the 
     date of inclusion on the panel, and is an expert in a field 
     unrelated to the field of research under which the grant 
     proposal was submitted; and
       (2) at least one individual who shall serve primarily as a 
     ``taxpayer advocate'' (defined as someone whose main focus is 
     on the value proposed research delivers to the taxpayer).
       (b) Prohibition on Receiving Recommendations From Grant 
     Applicants on Review Panel.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, each agency that awards a Federal research 
     grant shall not accept recommendations from an applicant for 
     such grant as to who should or should not be on the grant 
     review panel for such applicant.

     SEC. 2529. SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL AND TAXPAYER ADVOCATE 
                   FOR RESEARCH.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--There is established an Office of the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research.
       (2) Head of office.--There shall be at the head of the 
     Office described in paragraph (1) the Special Inspector 
     General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research, who shall be 
     appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
     consent of the Senate.
       (b) Transfer of Functions and Savings.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this subsection, unless otherwise 
     provided or indicated by the context--
       (A) the term ``Federal agency'' has the meaning given to 
     the term ``agency'' by section 551(1) of title 5, United 
     States Code;
       (B) the term ``function'' means any duty, obligation, 
     power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege, activity, 
     or program; and
       (C) the term ``office'' includes any office, 
     administration, agency, institute, unit, organizational 
     entity, or component thereof.
       (2) Transfer.--There are transferred to the Office of the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research 
     all functions which the Office of Inspector General of the 
     National Science Foundation exercised before the date of 
     enactment of this division (including all related functions 
     of any officer or employee of the Office of Inspector General 
     of the National Science Foundation).
       (3) Rules.--The Office of the Special Inspector General and 
     Taxpayer Advocate for Research is authorized to prescribe, in 
     accordance with the provisions of chapters 5 and 6 of title 
     5, United States Code, such rules and regulations as the 
     Office of the Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate 
     for Research determines necessary or appropriate to 
     administer and manage the functions of the Office of the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research.
       (4) Transfer and allocations of appropriations and 
     personnel.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, 
     the personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, 
     liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended 
     balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and 
     other funds employed, used, held, arising from, available to, 
     or to be made available in connection with the functions 
     transferred by this subsection, subject to section 1531 of 
     title 31, United States Code, shall be transferred to the 
     Office of the Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate 
     for Research. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to this 
     paragraph shall be used only for the purposes for which the 
     funds were originally authorized and appropriated.

[[Page S2797]]

       (5) Savings provisions.--
       (A) Continuing effect of legal documents.--All orders, 
     determinations, rules, regulations, permits, agreements, 
     grants, contracts, certificates, licenses, registrations, 
     privileges, and other administrative actions--
       (i) which have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to 
     become effective by the President, any Federal agency or 
     official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in 
     the performance of functions which are transferred under this 
     subsection; and
       (ii) which are in effect at the time this subsection takes 
     effect, or were final before the effective date of this 
     subsection and are to become effective on or after the 
     effective date of this subsection,
     shall continue in effect according to their terms until 
     modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in 
     accordance with law by the President, the Office of the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research 
     or other authorized official, a court of competent 
     jurisdiction, or by operation of law.
       (B) Proceedings not affected.--The provisions of this 
     subsection shall not affect any proceedings, including 
     notices of proposed rulemaking, or any application for any 
     license, permit, certificate, or financial assistance pending 
     before the Office of Inspector General of the National 
     Science Foundation at the time this subsection takes effect, 
     with respect to functions transferred by this subsection but 
     such proceedings and applications shall be continued. Orders 
     shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken 
     therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such 
     orders, as if this subsection had not been enacted, and 
     orders issued in any such proceedings shall continue in 
     effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by 
     a duly authorized official, by a court of competent 
     jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this 
     subparagraph shall be deemed to prohibit the discontinuance 
     or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms 
     and conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding 
     could have been discontinued or modified if this subsection 
     had not been enacted.
       (C) Suits not affected.--The provisions of this subsection 
     shall not affect suits commenced before the effective date of 
     this subsection, and in all such suits, proceedings shall be 
     had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered in the same manner 
     and with the same effect as if this subsection had not been 
     enacted.
       (D) Nonabatement of actions.--No suit, action, or other 
     proceeding commenced by or against the Office of Inspector 
     General of the National Science Foundation, or by or against 
     any individual in the official capacity of such individual as 
     an officer of the Office of Inspector General of the National 
     Science Foundation, shall abate by reason of the enactment of 
     this subsection.
       (E) Administrative actions relating to promulgation of 
     regulations.--Any administrative action relating to the 
     preparation or promulgation of a regulation by the Office of 
     Inspector General of the National Science Foundation relating 
     to a function transferred under this subsection may be 
     continued by the Office of the Special Inspector General and 
     Taxpayer Advocate for Research with the same effect as if 
     this subsection had not been enacted.
       (c) Powers and Authorities.--
       (1) Duties.--In addition to the duties otherwise described 
     in this section, the Special Inspector General and Taxpayer 
     Advocate for Research shall also have the duties and 
     responsibilities of inspectors general under the Inspector 
     General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
       (2) Authorities.--In carrying out the duties described in 
     paragraph (1) and otherwise described in this section, the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research 
     shall have the authorities provided in section 6 of the 
     Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
       (d) Focus and Review.--The focus of the Office of the 
     Special Inspector General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research 
     shall be to review Federal grant projects to determine if the 
     research will deliver value to the taxpayers by randomly 
     selecting Federal grants for review after awards are made but 
     prior to distribution of funds.
       (e) Grant Support.--For a Federal grant reviewed under 
     subsection (d) to receive the grant funds, the grant shall 
     receive the support of the Office of the Special Inspector 
     General and Taxpayer Advocate for Research.
                                 ______