[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3436-S3437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1987. Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Ernst, and 
Mr. Rubio) 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:

       In title V of division B, at the end add the following:

     SEC. 25__. GRANTS FOR RESEARCHING COVID-19 ORIGINS.

       (a) Awards.--Out of amounts made available to the 
     Foundation under section 2116 for activities outside of the 
     Directorate, the Director shall award grants to entities 
     described in subsection (b) for the purpose of researching 
     the origins of COVID-19, including researching any evidence 
     of whether COVID-19--
       (1) was in any way manufactured;
       (2) escaped from a laboratory; or
       (3) involved a zoonotic origin.
       (b) Eligible Entities.--An entity described in this 
     subsection is an entity that--
       (1) is based in the United States; and
       (2) submits a proposal to the Director for a grant under 
     this section, which shall ensure that the entity complies, 
     and all activities supported through the grant will comply, 
     with all policies and procedures with respect to research 
     security under title III, including by complying with the 
     policy guidelines under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 
     2303(a) with respect to prohibitions on participation in a 
     foreign government talent recruitment program of the People's 
     Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 
     the Russian Federation, or the Islamic Republic of Iran as 
     described in such paragraphs.
       (c) Annual Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through the 
     year following the date described in subsection (d), the 
     Director shall provide to Congress, and make publicly 
     available, a report on the findings of the research supported 
     through the grants under this section.

[[Page S3437]]

       (d) Sunset.--The authority for the Director to make grants 
     under this section shall terminate on the date that is 3 
     years after the date of enactment of this Act.
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