[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3252-S3253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1807. Mr. SCHATZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer 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:

        Strike subsection (a) of section 2104 and insert the 
     following:
       (a) University Technology Center Program.--
       (1) In general.--From amounts made available to the 
     Directorate, the Director shall establish a program in the 
     Directorate to make awards, through a competitive selection 
     process, to eligible entities to establish university 
     technology centers.
       (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the university technology 
     centers shall be to--
       (A) conduct multi-disciplinary, collaborative basic and 
     applied research, relevant to at least one of the key 
     technology focus areas;
       (B) leverage the expertise of multi-disciplinary and multi-
     sector partners, including partners from private industry;
       (C) further the development, deployment, and 
     commercialization of innovations, including inventions, in 
     the key technology focus areas, including those derived from 
     the activities of the university technology center;
       (D) support the development of scientific, innovation, 
     entrepreneurial, and educational capacity within the region 
     of the university technology center; and
       (E) support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers 
     with training and professional mentoring towards their future 
     employment in STEM fields.
       (3) Use of funds.--University technology centers 
     established under this subsection may use support provided--
       (A) to carry out research to advance innovation in the key 
     technology focus areas;
       (B) for technology development activities such as proof-of-
     concept development, prototyping, design modification, 
     experimental development, and other actions to reduce the 
     cost, time, and risk of commercializing new technologies;
       (C) for the costs of equipment and cyber infrastructure;
       (D) for the costs associated with technology transfer and 
     commercialization, including patenting and licensing;
       (E) for operations and staff; or
       (F) for trainee development pilot programs, as described in 
     paragraph (8).
       (4) Selection process.--In selecting recipients under this 
     subsection, the Director shall consider, in addition to the 
     scientific and technical merit of the proposal--
       (A) maximizing regional and geographic diversity of the 
     university technology centers, including by considering 
     rural-serving institutions of higher education (as defined in 
     section 861(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1161a(b));
       (B) the extent to which the applicant's proposal would 
     broaden participation by populations underrepresented in 
     STEM;
       (C) the capacity of the applicant to engage industry, 
     labor, and other appropriate organizations and, where 
     applicable, contribute to growth in domestic manufacturing 
     capacity and job creation;
       (D) in the case of a consortium, the extent to which the 
     proposal includes institutions listed in paragraph 
     (7)(C)(ii);
       (E) the amount of funds from industry organizations 
     described in paragraph (5)(A)(ii) the applicant would use 
     towards establishing the university technology center;
       (F) the plan and capability of the applicant to take 
     measures to prevent the inappropriate use of the research and 
     technology of the center, including research results, data, 
     and intellectual property, as appropriate and consistent with 
     the requirements of the relevant award; and
       (G) the plan and capability of the applicant to support 
     proof-of-concept development and prototyping as well as 
     technology transfer and commercialization activities.
       (5) Requirements.--
       (A) In general.--The Director shall ensure that any 
     eligible entity receiving an award under this subsection 
     has--
       (i) the capacity or the ability to acquire the capacity to 
     advance the purposes described in section 2102(b); and
       (ii) secured contributions for establishing the university 
     technology center under this subsection from industry or 
     other non-Federal organizations in an amount not less than 10 
     percent of the total amount of the award the eligible entity 
     would receive under this subsection.
       (B) Consortium eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an 
     award for the establishment and operation of a university 
     technology center, a consortium shall be composed of not 
     fewer than 2 entities as described in paragraph (7)(C) and 
     operate subject to a binding agreement, entered into by each 
     member of the consortium, that documents--
       (i) the proposed partnership agreement, including the 
     governance and management structure of the university 
     technology center;
       (ii) measures the consortium will undertake to enable cost-
     effective implementation of activities under paragraph (3);
       (iii) a proposed budget, including financial contributions 
     from non-Federal sources; and
       (iv) the plan for ownership and use of any intellectual 
     property developed by the center.
       (6) Support of regional technology hubs.--Each university 
     technology center established under this subsection may 
     support and participate in, as appropriate, the activities of 
     any regional technology hub designated under section 28 of 
     the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
     U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), as amended by section 2401 of this Act.
       (7) Eligible entity.--In this subsection, the term 
     ``eligible entity'' means--

[[Page S3253]]

       (A) an individual institution of higher education;
       (B) a nonprofit entity; or
       (C) a consortium that--
       (i) shall include and be led by an institution of higher 
     education or by a nonprofit entity, designed to support 
     technology development;
       (ii) shall include 1 or more institution that is--

       (I) a historically Black college or university;
       (II) a Tribal College or University;
       (III) a minority-serving institution (or an institution of 
     higher education with an established STEM capacity building 
     program focused on traditionally underrepresented populations 
     in STEM, including Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and 
     other Indians);
       (IV) an institution that participates in the Established 
     Program to Stimulate Competitive Research under section 113 
     of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 
     (42 U.S.C. 1862g);
       (V) an emerging research institution; or
       (VI) a community college; and

       (iii) may include 1 or more--

       (I) additional entities described in subparagraph (A) or 
     (B);
       (II) industry entities, including startups, small 
     businesses, and public private partnerships;
       (III) economic development organizations or venture 
     development organizations, as such terms are defined in 
     section 28(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation 
     Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 13701 et seq.), as amended by section 
     2401 of this Act;
       (IV) National Laboratories;
       (V) Federal laboratories, as defined in section 4 of the 
     Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
     3703);
       (VI) Federal research facilities;
       (VII) labor organizations;
       (VIII) entities described in subparagraph (A) or (B) from 
     allied or partner countries;
       (IX) other entities if determined by the Director to be 
     vital to the success of the program; and
       (X) binational research and development foundations and 
     funds, excluding foreign entities of concern, as defined in 
     section 2307.

       (8) Trainee development pilot program.--
       (A) Establishment of pilot program.--At not more than 3 
     university technology centers that are consortia under 
     paragraph (7)(C), the Director may include support for 
     trainee development under the leadership of a member of the 
     consortium that is an institution described under paragraph 
     (7)(C)(ii). Such programs shall be selected to ensure 
     geographical diversity and service to populations 
     underrepresented in STEM fields, and shall perform the 
     following activities:
       (i) Training and technical assistance for graduate students 
     and postdoctoral researchers on--

       (I) researching and assessing available grant and 
     fellowship opportunities;
       (II) preparing and submitting grants and fellowship 
     applications that leverage their research and experience; and
       (III) administering grant funding, and leveraging grants 
     and fellowships into longer term employment opportunities.

       (ii) Establishing professional mentoring networks that 
     include Federal, State, local, and Tribal government agencies 
     and the private sector, as well as members of the regional 
     technology hubs established under section 28(b)(1)(A) of the 
     Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (Public 
     Law 96-480; 15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
       (iii) Other support determined to be necessary or advisable 
     by the Director to achieve the purposes of this title.
       (B) Assessment.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Foundation shall assess the 
     impacts of the trainee development programs established under 
     this paragraph and report its findings to Congress. Such 
     assessment shall include perspectives from participating 
     graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
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