,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bgeg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ca1 #bjad ,mr4 ,rockefeller 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,nelson1 ,mr4 ,pryor1 ,mr4 ,coons1 and ,mr4 ,markey7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to invest in innovation through research and development1 to improve the competitiveness of the ,united ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjad or ,america ,creating ,opportunities to ,meaningfully ,promote ,excellence in ,technology1 ,education1 and ,science ,reauthorization ,act of #bjad4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents of this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,definitions4 ,,title ,i--,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy ,sec4 #aja4 ,federal research and development funding4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,federal #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan4 ,sec4 #ajc4 ,administrative burdens in federally sponsored research4 ,sec4 #ajd4 ,prize competitions4 ,sec4 #aje4 ,repeal of ,space ,act limitation on prize competitions4 ,sec4 #ajf4 ,coordinated ,federal science agency policy for family caregivers4 ,sec4 #ajg4 ,scientific and technical conferences4 ,,title ,,ii--,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration ,sec4 #bja4 ,definitions4 ,sec4 #bjb4 ,,nasa education programs4 ,sec4 #bjc4 ,experimental program to stimulate competitive research4 ,sec4 #bjd4 ,foundational engineering4 ,,title ,,iii--,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration ,sec4 #cja4 ,,noaa education programs4 ,,title ,,iv--,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,sec4 #dja4 ,authorization of appropriations4 ,sec4 #djb4 ,manufacturing extension partnership4 ,sec4 #djc4 ,education and outreach4 ,sec4 #djd4 ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,foundation4 ,sec4 #dje4 ,implementation activities4 ,sec4 #djf4 ,standards and conformity assessment4 ,sec4 #djg4 ,visiting committee on advanced technology4 ,sec4 #djh4 ,grants and cooperative agreements4 ,sec4 #dji4 ,consumer ,product ,safety ,commission4 ,,title ,v--,science1 ,technology1 ,engineering1 and ,mathematics ,support ,programs ,subtitle ,a--,national ,science ,foundation ,sec4 #eja4 ,definitions4 ,sec4 #ejb4 ,authorization of appropriations4 ,sec4 #ejc4 ,sense of ,congress on ,national ,science ,foundation basic research investments4 ,sec4 #ejd4 ,national ,science ,foundation merit review4 ,sec4 #eje4 ,national ,science ,foundation ,,stem education program contribution and research dissemination4 ,sec4 #ejf4 ,,stem teacher training4 ,sec4 #ejg4 ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program4 ,sec4 #ejh4 ,early undergraduate research opportunities4 ,sec4 #eji4 ,informal ,,stem education4 ,sec4 #eaj4 ,broadening participation4 ,sec4 #eaa4 ,prizes and challenges for broadening participation4 ,sec4 #eab4 ,commercialization grants4 ,sec4 #eac4 ,national ,science ,foundation ,innovation ,corps4 ,sec4 #ead4 ,graduate traineeship grant program4 ,sec4 #eae4 ,the experimental program to stimulate competitive research4 ,sec4 #eaf4 ,assessing national ,k-#ab science and engineering proficiency4 ,sec4 #eag4 ,integrative ,graduate ,education and ,research ,traineeship program4 ,sec4 #eah4 ,,stem education partnerships4 ,subtitle ,b--,,stem secondary schools ,sec4 #eba4 ,report on ,,stem secondary schools4 ,sec4 #ebb4 ,funding for ,,stem secondary schools4 ,,title ,,vi--,innovation ,subtitle ,a--,innovation ecosystems ,sec4 #faa4 ,regional innovation program4 ,sec4 #fab4 ,workforce studies4 ,sec4 #fac4 ,national strategic plan for advanced manufacturing4 ,sec4 #fad4 ,sense of ,congress2 optics and photonics innovations4 ,subtitle ,b--,national nanotechnology initiative ,sec4 #fba4 ,short title4 ,sec4 #fbb4 ,findings4 ,sec4 #fbc4 ,enhancement of management of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative4 ,sec4 #fbd4 ,quadrennial reports by ,national ,nanotechnology ,advisory ,panel4 ,sec4 #fbe4 ,quadrennial external review of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative4 ,sec4 #fbf4 ,nanotechnology transfer1 commercialization1 and roadmaps4 ,sec4 #fbg4 ,publication of data concerning nanotechnology4 ,sec4 #fbh4 ,national ,science ,foundation evaluation of investments of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative in education and workforce training4 ,sec4 #fbi4 ,sharing of best practices of centers1 networks1 and user facilities4 ,sec4 #fcj4 ,sense of ,congress regarding environment1 health1 and safety matters concerning nanotechnology4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,applied research ,the term applied research means a systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,basic research ,the term basic research means a systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications toward processes or products in mind4 7#d7 ,evidence or evidence-based ,with respect to ,,stem education programs or activities authorized under this ,act1 the term evidence or evidence-based means the systematic collection and analysis of information about the characteristics and outcomes of ,federal ,,stem education programs and activities to improve effectiveness1 efficiency1 quality1 or other desired characteristics and to inform decisions about current and future programming1 including collection and analysis through a variety of research methods or combination of methods1 as appropriate to the research question4 7#e7 ,federal science agency ,the term ,federal science agency has the meaning given the term in section #ajc of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffbc74 7#f7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba note74 ,i ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy #aja4 ,federal research and development funding 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 investments in research and development activities have historically delivered significant benefits1 including contributing to economic growth1 workforce development1 national security1 and other priorities2 7#b7 maintaining ,u4,s4 economic competitiveness requires a robust research foundation1 the promotion of a scientifically literate workforce1 and the effective commercialization of research products2 7#c7 many research and development initiatives1 due to the long time periods required to achieve completion1 can benefit from stable and predictable investments and from multi-year financial planning2 7#d7 the ,federal science agencies should receive sustained and steady growth in funding for research and development activities1 including basic research1 across a wide range of disciplines1 including physical1 geological1 and life sciences1 mathematics1 engineering1 and social1 behavioral1 and economic sciences2 and 7#e7 to enhance and maintain the quality and credibility of ,federal research and development funding decisions1 the ,federal science agencies should continue-- 7,a7 to utilize competitive1 merit-review processes in evaluating external proposals for research and development funding2 and 7,b7 to solicit advice from independent scientific advisory boards and committees representing the nation's geographic diversity4 7b7 ,declaration of policy ,since research and development activities constitute a national need1 it is the policy of the ,united ,states that-- 7#a7 in developing and implementing their research and development strategies1 ,federal science agencies should encourage collaboration among industry1 the ,federal ,government1 academia1 and other public and nonprofit entities2 and 7#b7 research and development funding priorities of ,federal science agencies should be informed by the independent1 expert advice of ,federal scientific advisory committees and boards1 within the broader context of agency mission requirements4 #ajb4 ,federal #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,,stem knowledge and skills are more important than ever before to jobs throughout the economy and ,,stem education is critical to imparting those skills to future workers4 7#b7 ,increasing the number and diversity of students trained in ,,stem fields and retaining ,,stem professionals is critical to supporting ,u4,s4 competitiveness within a global economy4 7#c7 ,,stem literacy1 a basic understanding of ,,stem concepts and principles1 is critical to ,u4,s4 consumers' evaluation of scientific information and to informing national1 local1 and personal decisions in a range of areas1 including healthcare and criminal justice4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that updates to the ,federal #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan required by section #aja of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba71 actions to implement the plan and its updates1 and the ,federal ,,stem education investments should-- 7#a7 support the development of a ,,stem workforce that is responsive to the needs of industry1 academia1 and ,federal1 ,state1 and local governments2 7#b7 leverage and incorporate the expertise of a broad range of ,,stem educators and beneficiaries1 including-- 7,a7 public and private sector employers that rely on an educated ,,stem workforce2 7,b7 institutions of higher education2 7,c7 non-profit ,,stem education groups and informal ,,stem education providers2 and 7,d7 ,federal1 ,state1 and local agencies involved in ,,stem education2 7#c7 seek to optimize ,federal ,,stem education initiatives and decisions related to the expansion1 consolidation1 or reorganization of ,,stem programs1 and be supported both by program evaluations and by careful consideration of each affected program's contribution to ,,stem education2 7#d7 encourage student exposure to scientists and engineers by maintaining the role of ,federal science agencies1 such as the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration1 and ,,stem professionals in education and outreach activities2 and 7#e7 support active1 collaborative1 and inquiry-based ,,stem learning approaches that develop creative thinking and critical analysis skills rather than solely emphasizing memorization4 7c7 ,,competes reauthorization amendments ,section #aja of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,public review and comment ,the ,chairperson of the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,,stem ,education shall publish in the ,federal ,register notice of any pending draft updates to the #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan and provide an opportunity for public comment on the draft updated plan4 ,to encourage alignment between the strategic plan and national ,,stem needs1 the ,chairperson shall encourage comment1 in particular1 from ,state and local educational agencies1 informal ,,stem education groups1 nonprofit ,,stem education organizations1 ,,stem-related industries1 and institutions of higher education1 including community colleges4 ,for purposes of this subsection1 the term community college means an institution of higher education 7as defined under section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja77 at which the highest degree that is predominately awarded to students is an associate's degree4 7e7 ,informal ,,stem education ,in updating and implementing the #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan1 the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,,stem ,education shall develop guidance and best practices for ,federal agencies on incorporating and encouraging informal ,,stem education efforts to support youth and public engagement in ,,stem fields4 7f7 ,,stem career awareness ,in updating and implementing the #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan1 the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,,stem ,education shall consider ,federal cross-agency efforts to improve awareness of ,,stem careers among ,k-#ab students1 including among underrepresented and rural populations4 4 7d7 ,sense of ,congress2 ,,stem reorganization ,it is the sense of ,congress that ,federal ,,stem education programs benefit from the participation and leadership of the ,federal science agencies and from the involvement of scientists and engineers in the development and implementation of ,,stem curricula4 ,any reorganization of ,federal ,,stem education programs that diminishes the participation of ,federal science agency scientists or engineers1 including in the awarding of ,,stem-related education grants1 should be avoided4 #ajc4 ,administrative burdens in federally sponsored research 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy shall convene a subcommittee on research productivity under the ,committee on ,science of the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council1 consistent with the ,committee's charter obligation to increase the productivity of federally sponsored research efforts4 7#a7 ,membership ,the subcommittee shall consist1 at a minimum1 of representatives from the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,national ,science ,foundation1 the ,department of ,defense1 the ,department of ,energy1 and the ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7#b7 ,recommendations ,the subcommittee shall develop and propose for adoption by the ,federal science agencies1 recommendations for reducing the costs and administrative burdens associated with competing for1 completing1 and reporting on ,federal research grants4 ,the recommendations may include changes to the requirements1 procedures1 and documentation for-- 7,a7 grant proposal submission1 such as collecting information only if necessary for merit review2 7,b7 conflict of interest reporting2 7,c7 budget reports1 such as by making the requirements commensurate to the size of the ,federal grant awarded2 7,d7 annual progress reports1 such as by making the requirements commensurate to the size of the ,federal grant awarded and to the level of risk2 and 7,e7 meeting the regulations established by the major ,federal research agencies and the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 including those regulations relating to training1 ,institutional ,review ,boards1 payroll certification1 and budget auditing4 7b7 ,responsibilities ,the subcommittee shall-- 7#a7 compile and periodically update a list of all ,federal regulations and requirements that apply to federally sponsored research and development activities research grants2 7#b7 evaluate the ,federal regulations and requirements based on criteria such as the severity and likelihood of the risks addressed and the benefits to safety and research integrity relative to the costs imposed2 7#c7 based on the evaluation under paragraph 7#b71 make recommendations for reducing any costs or administrative burden imposed by ,federal regulations and requirements1 including if appropriate-- 7,a7 modifying1 repealing1 or creating specific exemptions to the ,federal regulations or requirements2 and 7,b7 harmonizing overlapping or redundant research regulations or requirements across ,federal science agencies2 and 7#d7 make recommendations for modifying1 as appropriate1 ,federal regulations and requirements to improve technology transfer between academia and industry and to minimize potential regulatory roadblocks to research commercialization4 7c7 ,consultation and stakeholder input ,in meeting the responsibilities under subsection 7b71 the subcommittee shall consult with the ,national ,science ,board and the ,president's ,council of ,advisors on ,science and ,technology4 ,the subcommittee shall consider any comments or recommendations from federally funded and non-federally funded research organizations1 including institutions of higher education4 7d7 ,subcommittee report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the subcommittee shall report to the appropriate committees of ,congress its recommendations under this section4 ,the report shall include-- 7#a7 a list of any regulations1 requirements1 procedures1 or documentation proposed to be harmonized1 streamlined1 updated1 added1 or eliminated2 7#b7 a proposed plan1 including a timeline1 for implementing the recommended changes described in paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 if necessary1 any recommendations for legislative action4 #ajd4 ,prize competitions ,section #bd of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgai7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by striking may be one and inserting may consist of #a2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking competition each place it appears and inserting prize competition2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking prizes and inserting prize competitions2 7#b7 in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 by striking publish a notice in the ,federal ,register and inserting publish a notice on a publicly accessible ,federal ,government website2 7,b7 by striking the competition each place it appears and inserting the prize competition2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking prize and inserting cash prize purse or non-cash prize award2 7#c7 in subsection 7g7-- 7,a7 by striking win a prize and inserting win a cash prize purse or non-cash prize award2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking competition and inserting prize competition2 7#d7 in subsection 7h71 by striking competition each place it appears and inserting prize competition2 7#e7 in subsection 7i7-- 7,a7 by striking competition each place it appears and inserting prize competition2 7,b7 by striking in amounts determined by the head of an agency and inserting in that amount2 and 7,c7 by inserting ,the head of an agency administering a prize competition shall determine the amount of liability insurance1 which may be none or insignificant1 required by participants in the prize competition4 before ,participants shall2 7#f7 in subsection 7j7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking competition and inserting prize competition2 7,b7 by amending paragraph 7#b7 to read as follows3 7#b7 ,licenses ,to further the goals of a prize competition1 the ,federal ,government may-- 7,a7 negotiate a license for the use of intellectual property developed by a registered participant in the prize competition2 or 7,b7 require a registered participant in the prize competition to provide an open source license to the public for the use of the registered participant's intellectual property4 2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,consent during registration ,the ,federal ,government may obtain consent to the intellectual property and licensing terms of a prize competition from participants during the registration for the prize competition4 2 7#g7 in subsection 7k7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking each competition each place it appears and inserting each prize competition2 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#c72 7,c7 by redesignating paragraph 7#b7 as paragraph 7#c72 7,d7 by amending paragraph 7#c71 as redesignated1 to read as follows3 7#c7 ,requirements ,a judge-- 7,a7 may not have personal or financial interests in1 or be an employee1 an officer1 a director1 or an agent of any entity that is a registered participant in a prize competition2 7,b7 may not have a familial or financial relationship with an individual who is a registered participant2 and 7,c7 consistent with the guidelines established under paragraph 7#b71 may-- 7i7 be required to abide by a code of conduct or judging agreement2 and 7ii7 be required to provide financial disclosures as are relevant to avoiding conflicts of interest4 2 and 7,e7 by inserting after paragraph 7#a7 the following3 7#b7 ,guidelines ,a head of an agency that carries out a prize competition under this section shall develop guidelines to ensure that the panel of judges appointed for the prize competition operates in a transparent manner1 is free of potential conflicts of interest1 and is fairly balanced as appropriate to the task4 ,the guidelines are not required to necessitate each judge to be a special ,government employee 7as defined in section #bjb of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code74 2 7#h7 in subsection 7l71 by striking an agreement with a private1 nonprofit entity and inserting a contract1 grant1 cooperative agreement1 or other agreement with a private sector for-profit1 nonprofit1 or ,state or local government entity2 7#i7 in subsection 7m7-- 7,a7 by amending paragraph 7#a7 to read as follows3 7#a7 ,in general ,in carrying out a prize competition under this section1 including providing financial support for the design and administration of a prize competition or for funding a cash prize purse or non-cash prize award1 the head of an agency-- 7,a7 may use funds appropriated by ,congress2 7,b7 may request and accept funds from other ,federal agencies or from private sector for-profit or nonprofit entities or ,state or local government agencies for such purposes2 and 7,c7 may not give special consideration to any agency or entity in return for such a donation4 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking prize awards and inserting cash prize purses or non-cash prize awards2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 by striking ,no prize and inserting ,no prize competition2 7,,ii7 by striking the prize and inserting the cash prize purse or non-cash prize award2 and 7,,iii7 by striking private source and inserting non-,federal source2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 by striking a prize and inserting a cash prize purse or non-cash prize award2 7,,ii7 by striking the prize and inserting the prize competition2 and 7,,iii7 by striking private source and inserting non-,federal source2 and 7,d7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking a prize and inserting a cash prize purse or non-cash prize award2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the award of more than #a1jjj1jjj in cash prizes and inserting the award of more than #a1jjj1jjj in cash prize purses2 7#aj7 in subsection 7o71 by striking a prize under this section and inserting a prize competition under this section2 and 7#aa7 in subsection 7p7-- 7,a7 in the heading1 by striking ,annual and inserting ,biennial2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by striking ,not later than ,march #a of each year1 and inserting ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjad1 and biennially thereafter12 and 7ii7 by striking the preceding fiscal year and inserting the preceding #b fiscal years2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by striking for a fiscal year2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c7-- 7,i7 in the heading1 by striking cash prizes and inserting cash prize purses2 and 7,,ii7 by striking cash prizes each place it appears and inserting cash prize purses and non-cash prize awards2 7iii7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,f7 as subparagraph 7,g72 and 7iv7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,e7 the following3 7,f7 ,liability ,the amount of liability insurance required by registered participants in each prize competition and1 if the amount is either none or insignificant1 an explanation for that determination4 4 #aje4 ,repeal of ,space ,act limitation on prize competitions ,section #bjadd7;a7 of title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking ,the ,administration may carry out a program to award prizes only in conformity with this section44 #ajf4 ,coordinated ,federal science agency policy for family caregivers 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,family responsibilities have been identified as a driver in reducing the number of students1 including minorities1 who complete postsecondary degrees4 7#b7 ,in particular1 starting a family has been identified as a prominent factor in reducing the number of women advancing in academic careers in the sciences4 7#c7 ,according to the ,council of ,economic ,advisors1 workplace policies that permit greater flexibility1 including for activities related to family care1 can improve worker retention and increase productivity4 7#d7 ,to support family caregivers1 several ,federal agencies have adopted family-responsive policies1 including through programs such as the ,national ,science ,foundation's ,career-,life ,balance ,initiative4 7#e7 ,improved coordination among ,federal science agencies and those entities that receive ,federal funding can ensure the consistency of family-responsive policies4 7b7 ,policy evaluation ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy shall evaluate ongoing ,federal science agency programs and policies regarding career-life balance1 workplace flexibility1 and family-responsive initiatives4 7c7 ,guidance ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy shall provide guidance to ,federal science agencies to establish policies that-- 7#a7 as appropriate1 consider the needs of scientific1 engineering1 and technical personnel1 including postdoctoral fellows1 who-- 7,a7 receive ,federal funding through intramural or extramural research awards2 and 7,b7 have family caregiving responsibilities2 and 7#b7 based on the evaluation in subsection 7b71 build on proven best practices1 taking into consideration-- 7,a7 flexibility in the initiation of approved research awards2 7,b7 no-cost extensions or suspensions of research grants to permit for family caregiving activities2 7,c7 grant supplements to sustain research activities during absences related to family caregiving2 7,d7 communications and training efforts related to family-responsive initiatives2 and 7,e7 evaluating programs and policies with respect to the recruitment and retention of ,,stem professionals4 7d7 ,external input ,the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy1 in developing guidance under this section1 shall consider input from entities receiving ,federal research and development funding as well as from professional societies and other organizations involved in supporting women and underrepresented groups in the sciences1 as appropriate4 7e7 ,consistency in policy ,the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy1 in developing guidance under this section1 shall encourage the ,federal science agencies and entities receiving ,federal research and development funding to adopt proven1 consistent1 and complementary policies1 programs1 and best practices regarding career-life balance1 workplace flexibility1 and family-responsive initiatives4 #ajg4 ,scientific and technical conferences 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,cooperative research and development activities1 including collaboration between domestic and international government1 industry1 and academic science and engineering organizations1 are important to promoting innovation and knowledge creation4 7#b7 ,scientific and technical conferences and trade events support the sharing of information1 processes1 and data within the scientific and engineering communities4 7#c7 ,in hosting and attending scientific and technical conferences and trade events1 ,federal agencies-- 7,a7 gain greater access to top researchers and to new and potentially transformative ideas2 7,b7 keep abreast of developments relevant to their respective missions1 as is relevant for future program planning2 7,c7 help disseminate ,federal research results2 7,d7 provide opportunities both for employee professional development and for recruiting new employees2 7,e7 participate in scientific peer review2 and 7,f7 support the reputation1 visibility1 and leadership both of the specific agency and of the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,for those ,federal agencies that provide financial support for external research and development activities1 participation in scientific and technical conferences can help ensure that funds are directed toward the most promising ideas1 thereby maximizing the ,federal investment4 7b7 ,policy ,to the extent practicable given budget1 security1 and other constraints1 each ,federal science agency under this ,act 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 mission4 7c7 ,oversight ,consistent with other relevant law1 the ,federal agencies1 through appropriate oversight1 shall aim to minimize the costs to the ,federal ,government related to conference and trade event attendance1 through methods such as-- 7#a7 ensuring that related fees collected by the ,federal agency help offset total costs to the ,government2 7#b7 developing or maintaining procedures for investigating unexpected increases in related costs2 and 7#c7 strengthening policies and training relevant to conference and trade event planning and participation4 ,,ii ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration #bja4 ,definitions ,in this title3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration4 7#b7 ,,nasa ,the term ,,nasa means the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration4 #bjb4 ,,nasa education programs 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 ,,nasa is well-positioned to leverage its workforce and facilities1 together with the excitement induced by space exploration1 in providing students and educators with authentic ,,stem experiences2 7#b7 whereas the ,nation's ,,stem programs have traditionally focused on mathematics and the sciences1 ,,nasa's aeronautics and space exploration mission allows it a unique ability to engage students in engineering and technology development2 and 7#c7 ,,nasa's education and outreach programs have made a significant contribution to the ,nation's ,k-#ab education efforts4 7b7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall continue to provide education and outreach activities1 including opportunities for experiential learning1 designed to improve interest and proficiency among students and educators in mathematics and the sciences1 as well as in engineering and technology development4 ,before finalizing any reorganization of ,,nasa education programs1 the ,administrator shall consider the long-term research and workforce needs of each mission directorate4 7c7 ,metrics ,the ,administrator shall ensure that ,,nasa education programs have measurable objectives and milestones1 as well as clear1 documented metrics for evaluating programs4 ,the ,administrator1 for each ,,nasa education program or portfolio of similar programs1 shall-- 7#a7 encourage the collection of evidence as relevant to the measurable objectives and milestones2 and 7#b7 ensure that program or portfolio evaluations focus on educational outcomes and not just inputs1 activities completed1 or the number of participants4 7d7 ,best practices ,the ,administrator or the ,administrator's designee shall ensure-- 7#a7 through participation in the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,,stem ,education1 that-- 7,a7 best practices developed through ,,nasa education programs1 including proven methods in areas such as engineering education and outreach to underrepresented groups1 are considered in the development1 updating1 and implementation of the ,federal #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan2 and 7,b7 ,,nasa education programs reflect best practices and educational research developed within other ,federal agencies2 and 7#b7 ,,nasa leverages its limited education resources by collaborating with external organizations in adapting or replicating successful ,,nasa ,,stem education efforts4 #bjc4 ,experimental program to stimulate competitive research ,the ,administrator shall continue to conduct the ,experimental ,program to ,stimulate ,competitive ,research 7,e,p,s,co,r7 in order to enhance research competitiveness of ,states and jurisdictions historically underserved by ,federal research and development funding4 #bjd4 ,foundational engineering 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,nation's basic research and foundational engineering activities support innovation and can provide novel and transformative solutions to complex problems4 7#b7 ,,nasa investments in basic research1 foundational engineering1 and technology development have advanced the ,,nasa mission1 including through supporting materials design1 modeling1 and manufacturing4 7#c7 ,,nasa investments in basic research1 foundational engineering1 and the development of early-stage technologies remain critical to ,,nasa's long-term mission4 7b7 ,reaffirmation of policy ,congress reaffirms its support1 as articulated in section #bjajb of title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 for ,,nasa's efforts to expand understanding in the aeronautical and space sciences and to identify long-term opportunities relevant to operating in the atmosphere and in space4 ,congress further affirms the importance of technology development in supporting national leadership in these areas4 7c7 ,foundational engineering capability ,the ,administrator shall ensure that ,,nasa maintains a core capability to identify and support activities related to foundational engineering4 ,the purpose of this capability shall be-- 7#a7 to forecast ,,nasa's future capability needs1 including those needs not directly related to current missions2 7#b7 to develop or identify potentially transformative technology concepts relevant to achieving the needs under paragraph 7#a72 7#c7 to determine and implement an agency-wide strategy1 that may include increasing research capacity and coordinating with external partners1 for supporting research in foundational engineering2 and 7#d7 to support translating basic scientific research into new technology development4 ,,iii ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration #cja4 ,,noaa education programs ,section #djjb of the ,america ,,competes ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #hic;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7d7 and 7e7 as subsections 7e7 and 7f71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by adding after section 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,metrics ,in executing the ,,noaa science education plan under subsection 7c71 the ,administrator shall maintain a comprehensive system for evaluating the agency's educational programs and activities4 ,in so doing1 the ,administrator shall ensure that ,,noaa education programs have measurable objectives and milestones as well clear1 documented metrics for evaluating programs4 ,for each ,,noaa education program or portfolio of similar programs1 the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 encourage the collection of evidence as relevant to the measurable objectives and milestones2 and 7#b7 ensure that program or portfolio evaluations focus on educational outcomes and not just inputs1 activities completed1 or the number of participants4 4 ,,iv ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology #dja4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,fiscal year #bjae 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #iab1fgb1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology for fiscal year #bjae4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #fig1hgb1jjj shall be authorized for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities2 7,b7 #eh1hjj1jjj shall be authorized for the construction and maintenance of facilities2 and 7,c7 #aef1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities1 of which #ada1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under sections #be and #bf of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk1 #bghl74 7b7 ,fiscal year #bjaf 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #igc1fei1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology for fiscal year #bjaf4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #gdh1aai1jjj shall be authorized for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities2 7,b7 #fa1gdj1jjj shall be authorized for the construction and maintenance of facilities2 and 7,c7 #afc1hjj1jjj shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities1 of which #adh1jej1jjj shall be authorized for the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under sections #be and #bf of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk1 #bghl74 7c7 ,fiscal year #bjag 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #a1jch1hjj1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology for fiscal year #bjag4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #hja1ihc1jjj shall be authorized for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities2 7,b7 #fd1hbg1jjj shall be authorized for the construction and maintenance of facilities2 and 7,c7 #aga1iij1jjj shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities1 of which #aee1dec1jjj shall be authorized for the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under sections #be and #bf of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk1 #bghl74 7d7 ,fiscal year #bjah 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #a1ajh1chd1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology for fiscal year #bjah4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #hei1gbf1jjj shall be authorized for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities2 7,b7 #fh1jfh1jjj shall be authorized for the construction and maintenance of facilities2 and 7,c7 #ahj1eij1jjj shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities1 of which #afc1bbe1jjj shall be authorized for the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under sections #be and #bf of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk1 #bghl74 7e7 ,fiscal year #bjai 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #a1ahb1gag1jjj for the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology for fiscal year #bjai4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #iba1fbf1jjj shall be authorized for scientific and technical research and services laboratory activities2 7,b7 #ga1dgb1jjj shall be authorized for the construction and maintenance of facilities2 and 7,c7 #ahi1fai1jjj shall be authorized for industrial technology services activities1 of which #aga1chf1jjj shall be authorized for the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under sections #be and #bf of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk1 #bghl74 #djb4 ,manufacturing extension partnership 7a7 ,in general ,section #be of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghk7 is amended to read as follows3 #be4 ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 through the ,director and1 if appropriate1 through other officials1 shall assist in creating and supporting manufacturing extension centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology and the dissemination of best business practices4 7#b7 ,affiliation ,the ,centers may be affiliated with any ,united ,states-based public or nonprofit institution or organization1 or group thereof1 that applies for and is awarded financial assistance under this section4 7#c7 ,objective ,the objective of the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership is to enhance productivity1 competitiveness1 and technological performance in ,u4,s4 manufacturing through-- 7,a7 the demonstration of manufacturing technologies and techniques1 including automated manufacturing systems and other advanced production technologies1 based on research or development efforts at the ,institute2 7,b7 the transfer of technologies and techniques under subparagraph 7,a7 to manufacturing companies throughout the ,united ,states2 7,c7 the participation of individuals from industry1 universities1 ,state governments1 other ,federal agencies1 and1 when appropriate1 the ,institute in cooperative technology transfer activities2 7,d7 efforts to make new manufacturing technologies and processes usable by ,united ,states-based small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies2 7,e7 the active dissemination to industrial firms1 including small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies1 of scientific1 engineering1 technical1 and management information about manufacturing2 7,f7 the use1 if appropriate1 of the expertise and capabilities of ,federal laboratories2 7,g7 the provision to community colleges of information regarding the job skills needed in ,united ,states-based small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies in the regions the community colleges serve2 and 7,h7 assisting ,federal agencies in achieving their domestic preference requirements under chapter #hc of title #da1 ,united ,states ,code1 and similar laws1 by identifying small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies throughout the ,united ,states and providing those companies with technical assistance in meeting ,federal procurement and acquisition requirements4 7b7 ,financial assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may provide financial assistance to any ,center1 except that the ,secretary may not provide to a ,center more than #ej percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain the ,center4 7#b7 ,regulations ,the ,secretary shall promulgate or revise regulations1 as necessary1 to implement this section and review and update the regulations at least once every #e years to comply with any applicable change in law that affects the policy or program goals under this section4 ,the ,secretary may publish in the ,federal ,register an updated description of the program establishing the ,centers1 as the ,secretary considers necessary4 7#c7 ,application eligibility and requirements 7,a7 ,in general ,any public or nonprofit institution1 including ,state and local government1 or group thereof1 or consortia of public or nonprofit institutions1 may submit to the ,secretary an application for financial assistance under this subsection1 in accordance with the procedures established by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,cost sharing ,each applicant 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 #ej percent of the costs incurred4 ,in this subparagraph1 the term costs incurred means the costs incurred in connection with the activities undertaken to improve the management1 productivity1 competitiveness1 and technological performance of small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies4 7,c7 ,partnering organizations ,in meeting the #ej percent requirement under subparagraph 7,b71 a ,center may enter into #a or more agreements with #a or more partnering organizations1 such as private industry1 universities1 and ,state governments1 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 companies4 ,all non-,federal costs contributed by such partnering organizations and determined by a ,center as programmatically reasonable and allocable under ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program procedures are includable as a portion of the ,center's contribution4 7,d7 ,legal rights ,an applicant shall also submit a proposal for the allocation of the legal rights associated with any invention which may result from the proposed ,center's activities4 7#d7 ,merit review of applications ,the ,secretary shall subject each application under this subsection to merit review4 ,in making a decision whether to approve an application and provide financial assistance under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall consider1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 the merits of the application1 particularly those portions of the application regarding technology transfer1 training and education1 and adaptation of manufacturing technologies to the needs of particular industrial sectors2 7,b7 the quality of service to be provided2 7,c7 the geographical diversity and extent of service area2 and 7,d7 the percentage of funding and amount of in-kind commitment from other sources4 7#e7 ,center evaluation 7,a7 ,in general ,each ,center that receives financial assistance under this subsection shall be evaluated during its third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,composition ,each evaluation panel shall be composed of independent experts1 none of whom shall be connected with the involved ,center1 and ,federal officials4 7,c7 ,chairperson ,an official of the ,institute shall chair the evaluation panel4 7,d7 ,evaluation procedure ,each evaluation panel shall measure the involved ,center's performance against the objective specified in subsection 7a77#c74 7,e7 ,positive evaluation ,if the evaluation is positive1 the ,secretary may provide continued funding for ,center operation and maintenance4 7,f7 ,negative evaluation 7i7 ,probation ,the ,secretary shall not provide funding for a ,center's operation or maintenance beyond its third year unless the evaluation is positive4 ,if a ,center does not receive a positive evaluation1 the evaluation panel shall notify the ,center of deficiencies in its performance and the ,center shall be placed on probation for #a year4 7ii7 ,reevaluation ,the evaluation panel shall reevaluate a ,center's performance following its probationary period4 ,if the ,center has not addressed the deficiencies identified by the evaluation panel or shown a significant improvement in its performance1 the ,director may either conduct a competition to select a new operator for the ,center or close the ,center4 7,g7 ,continuation of financial assistance ,after the sixth year1 a ,center may receive continued financial assistance under this section only if it has received a positive evaluation through an independent review1 under procedures established by the ,institute4 ,such an independent review shall be required at least every #b years after the sixth year of operation4 7,h7 ,recompetition ,if a ,center has received financial assistance for #aj years1 the ,director shall conduct a new competition to select an operator for the ,center4 ,current center operators in good standing with the ,institute shall be eligible to compete4 7#f7 ,center oversight boards 7,a7 ,in general ,each ,center that receives financial assistance under this subsection 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 companies4 7,b7 ,financial management ,each oversight board under subparagraph 7,a7 shall establish responsibility for the ,center's financial management and designate a chief financial officer4 ,external entities may advise on1 but not exclusively manage1 ,center finances4 7,c7 ,bylaws and conflict of interest ,each oversight board under subparagraph 7,a7 shall adopt and submit to the ,director bylaws to govern the operation of the board1 including a conflict of interest policy to ensure relevant relationships are disclosed and proper recusal procedures are in place4 7,d7 ,limitations ,board members may not-- 7i7 serve as a vendor or provide services to the ,center2 or 7ii7 serve on more than #a ,center's oversight board simultaneously4 7#g7 ,protection of confidential information ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the following are not publically disclosed3 7,a7 ,confidential information on the business operations of-- 7i7 any participant in a program under the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership2 or 7ii7 any client of a ,center4 7,b7 ,trade secrets possessed by any client of a ,center4 7#h7 ,patent rights ,the provisions of chapter #ah of title #ce1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall apply1 unless inconsistent with this section1 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 ,director4 7c7 ,acceptance of funds 7#a7 ,in general ,in addition to such sums as may be appropriated to the ,secretary and ,director to operate the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program1 the ,secretary and ,director may accept1 for the purpose of strengthening ,u4,s4 manufacturing1 funds from other ,federal departments and agencies1 and under section #b7;c77#g7 of this ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgb7;c77#g77 from the private sector4 7#b7 ,allocation of funds 7,a7 ,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 7b74 7,b7 ,private sector ,funds accepted from the private sector under section #b7;c77#g7 of this ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgb7;c77#g771 if allocated to a ,center1 shall not be considered in the calculation of the ,federal share under subsection 7b7 of this section4 7d7 ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership ,advisory ,board 7#a7 ,establishment ,there is established within the ,institute a ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership ,advisory ,board4 7#b7 ,membership 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall consist of not fewer than #aj members broadly representative of stakeholders1 to be appointed by the ,director4 ,at least #b members shall be employed by or be on a ,center advisory board1 and at least #e other members shall be from ,united ,states-based small businesses in the manufacturing sector4 ,no member shall be an employee of the ,federal ,government4 7,b7 ,term ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,c71 the term of office of each member of the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall be #c years4 7,c7 ,vacancies ,any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term4 7,d7 ,serving consecutive terms ,any individual who has completed #b consecutive full terms of service on the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during the #a-year period following the expiration of the second such term4 7#c7 ,meetings ,the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall-- 7,a7 meet not less than biannually2 and 7,b7 provide to the ,director-- 7i7 advice on ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership programs1 plans1 and policies2 7ii7 assessments of the soundness of ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership plans and strategies2 and 7iii7 assessments of current performance against ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program plans4 7#d7 ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7,a7 ,in general ,in discharging its duties under this subsection1 the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall function solely in an advisory capacity1 in accordance with the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474 7,b7 ,exception ,section #ad of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #ad7 shall not apply to the ,,mep ,advisory ,board4 7#e7 ,report ,the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall transmit an annual report to the ,secretary for transmittal to ,congress not later than #cj days after the submission to ,congress of the ,president's annual budget request in each year4 ,in the annual report1 the ,,mep ,advisory ,board shall-- 7,a7 address the status of the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program2 and 7,b7 comment on the relevant sections of the programmatic planning document and updates thereto transmitted to ,congress by the ,director under subsections 7c7 and 7d7 of section #bc of this ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;i74 7e7 ,competitive awards program 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,director shall establish1 within the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under this section and under section #bf of this ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bghl71 a program of competitive awards among participants described in paragraph 7#b7 of this subsection for the purpose described in paragraph 7#c7 of this subsection4 7#b7 ,participants ,participants receiving awards under this subsection shall be the ,centers1 or a consortium of such ,centers4 7#c7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the program under this subsection shall be to add capabilities to the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program1 including the development of projects to solve new or emerging manufacturing problems as determined by the ,director1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program1 the ,,mep ,advisory ,board1 and representatives of small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies4 7#d7 ,competitive awards themes ,the ,director may identify #a or more themes for the competitive awards under this subsection4 ,the themes may-- 7,a7 be related to projects designed to increase the viability both of traditional manufacturing sectors and other sectors1 such as construction1 that increasingly rely on manufacturing through the use of manufactured components and manufacturing techniques1 including supply chain integration and quality management2 7,b7 be related to projects related to the transfer of technology based on the technological needs of manufacturers and available technologies from institutions of higher education1 laboratories1 and other technology producing entities2 7,c7 extend beyond these traditional areas to include projects related to construction industry modernization2 and 7,d7 vary from year to year1 depending on the needs of manufacturers and the success of previous competitions4 7#e7 ,reimbursements ,the ,centers may be reimbursed for costs incurred under the program under this subsection4 7#f7 ,applications ,applications for awards under this subsection shall be submitted in such manner and at such time1 and contain such information as the ,director shall require1 in consultation with the ,,mep ,advisory ,board4 7#g7 ,selection 7,a7 ,in general ,awards under this subsection shall be peer reviewed and competitively awarded4 ,the ,director shall endeavor to have broad geographic diversity among selected proposals4 ,the ,director may select proposals to receive awards to-- 7i7 create jobs or train newly hired employees2 7ii7 promote technology transfer and commercialization of environmentally focused materials1 products1 and processes2 7iii7 increase energy efficiency2 or 7iv7 improve the competitiveness of industries in the region in which the ,center or ,centers are located4 7,b7 ,additional selection criteria ,the ,director may select proposals to receive awards that-- 7i7 in the region in which the ,center or ,centers are located1 will encourage greater cooperation and foster partnerships with similar ,federal1 ,state1 and locally funded programs to encourage energy efficiency and building technology2 and 7ii7 will collect data and analyze the increasing connection between manufactured products and manufacturing techniques1 the future of construction practices1 and the emerging application of products from the green energy industries4 7#h7 ,program contribution ,recipients of awards under this subsection shall not be required to provide a matching contribution4 7#i7 ,global marketplace projects ,in selecting proposals to receive awards under this subsection1 the ,director1 in consultation with the ,secretary and the ,,mep ,advisory ,board1 may-- 7,a7 take into consideration whether an application has significant potential for enhancing the competitiveness of ,united ,states-based small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies in the global marketplace2 and 7,b7 give a preference to any application described under subparagraph 7,a7 to the extent the ,director considers appropriate1 taking into account the purpose under paragraph 7#c74 7#aj7 ,duration ,awards under this subsection shall last no longer than #c years4 7#aa7 ,permissible uses 7,a7 ,in general ,a participant under paragraph 7#b7 may use an award under this subsection to assist-- 7i7 ,united ,states-based small- or medium-sized construction companies2 and 7ii7 ,united ,states-based manufacturing companies eligible to participate in the ,centers program under subsection 7a74 7,b7 ,reimbursements ,a participant under paragraph 7#b7 may be reimbursed under the program under this subsection for the costs incurred in working with the companies described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#ab7 ,authorization of appropriations ,in addition to any amounts otherwise authorized or appropriated to carry out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,commerce #aj1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years authorized in this ,act4 7f7 ,innovative services initiative 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall establish1 within the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program under this section1 an innovative services initiative to assist ,united ,states-based small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies in-- 7,a7 reducing their energy usage1 greenhouse gas emissions1 and environmental waste to improve profitability2 7,b7 accelerating the domestic commercialization of new product technologies1 including components for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems2 and 7,c7 identifying and diversifying to new markets1 including support for transitioning to the production of components for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,program under this section ,the term program under this section means the ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program established by this section4 7#b7 ,center ,the term ,center means a ,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension ,center established under subsection 7a74 7#c7 ,,mep ,advisory ,board ,the term ,,mep ,advisory ,board means the ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership ,advisory ,board established under subsection 7d74 7#d7 ,community college ,the term community college means an institution of higher education 7as defined under section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja77 at which the highest degree that is predominately awarded to students is an associate's degree4 7h7 ,evaluation of obstacles unique to ,united ,states-,based small-,sized manufacturing companies ,the ,director shall-- 7#a7 identify and evaluate obstacles that are unique to ,united ,states-based small-sized manufacturing companies and that prevent the companies from effectively competing in the global market2 7#b7 implement a comprehensive plan to train the ,centers to address the obstacles under paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 facilitate improved communication between the ,centers to assist the companies described in paragraph 7#a7 in implementing appropriate1 targeted solutions to the obstacles under paragraph 7#a74 4 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendments 7#a7 ,armed ,forces2 support of science1 mathematics1 and engineering education ,section #baii of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking means a regional center for the transfer of manufacturing technology referred to in section #be7;a7 and inserting means a center for the transfer of manufacturing technology and the dissemination of best business practices referred to in section #be4 7#b7 ,enterprise integration initiative ,section #c7;a7 of the ,enterprise ,integration ,act of #bjjb 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;g-#e7;a77 is amended by inserting ,hollings before ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership program4 #djc4 ,education and outreach ,the ,national ,institutes of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bga et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking section #ah 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;g-#a72 7#b7 by striking section #ai 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;g-#b72 7#c7 by striking section #ai;,a 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;g-#b;a72 and 7#d7 by inserting after section #ag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh;g7 the following3 #ah4 ,education and outreach 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director1 in furthering the ,institute's mission1 is authorized to expend appropriated funds to support1 promote1 and coordinate education and outreach efforts to enhance the awareness and understanding of measurement sciences1 standards1 and technology among the general public1 industry1 and academia4 7b7 ,broadening participation ,in evaluating an application for any fellowship under this section1 the ,director shall consider the goal of promoting the participation of underrepresented minorities in research areas supported by the ,institute4 7c7 ,research fellowships and other assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director is authorized to expend funds appropriated for activities of the ,institute in any fiscal year1 as the ,director considers necessary1 for awards of research fellowships and other financial and logistical assistance to-- 7,a7 students at institutions of higher education within the ,united ,states who show promise as present or future contributors to the mission of the ,institute2 and 7,b7 ,u4,s4 citizens for research and technical activities of the ,institute1 including programs4 7#b7 ,selection ,the ,director shall select recipients for fellowships and assistance based on the potential recipient's ability to complete the proposed work and on the relevance of the proposed work to the mission and programs of the ,institute4 7#c7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7,b7 ,other financial and logistical assistance ,the term other financial and logistical assistance includes-- 7i7 direct stipend awards2 and 7ii7 notwithstanding section #acde of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code or any other contrary provision of law1 temporary housing and transportation to and from the ,institute facilities4 7d7 ,manufacturing fellowship program 7#a7 ,establishment ,to promote the development of a robust research community working at the leading edge of manufacturing sciences1 the ,director shall establish a program to award-- 7,a7 postdoctoral research fellowships at the ,institute for research activities related to manufacturing sciences2 and 7,b7 senior research fellowships to established researchers in industry or at institutions of higher education who wish to pursue studies related to the manufacturing sciences at the ,institute4 7#b7 ,applications ,to be eligible for an award under this subsection1 an individual shall submit an application to the ,director at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,director may require4 7#c7 ,stipend levels ,the ,director shall provide stipends for postdoctoral research fellowships at a level consistent with the postdoctoral research fellowship program under subsection 7e71 and senior research fellowships at levels consistent with support for a faculty member in a sabbatical position4 7e7 ,postdoctoral fellowship program ,the ,director1 in consultation with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences1 shall establish and conduct a postdoctoral fellowship program4 ,the postdoctoral fellowship program shall include not less than #bj new fellows per fiscal year4 7f7 ,teacher science and technology enhancement institute program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall establish within the ,institute a teacher science and technology enhancement program to provide for professional development of ,,stem teachers at elementary1 middle1 and secondary schools 7as those terms are defined by the ,director71 including helping to increase the teachers' understanding of ,,stem and the impacts of ,,stem on commerce4 7#b7 ,focus ,in carrying out the program under this subsection1 the ,director shall focus on the following areas3 7,a7 ,scientific measurements4 7,b7 ,tests and standards development4 7,c7 ,industrial competitiveness and quality4 7,d7 ,manufacturing4 7,e7 ,engineering design4 7,f7 ,technology transfer4 7,g7 ,any other area of expertise of the ,institute that the ,director considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,selection ,the ,director shall develop and issue procedures and selection criteria for participants in the program under this subsection4 ,the ,director shall give special consideration to an application from a teacher from a high-need school 7as defined in section #bjj of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajba774 7#d7 ,timing ,the program under this subsection shall be conducted on an annual basis during the period of time when a majority of elementary1 middle1 and secondary schools have not commenced a school year1 such as the months of ,june1 ,july1 or ,august4 7#e7 ,equipment ,the program under this subsection shall-- 7,a7 provide for teachers' participation in activities at the laboratory facilities of the ,institute2 or 7,b7 utilize other means of accomplishing the goals of the program1 as the ,director considers appropriate1 such as the ,internet1 video conferencing and recording1 and workshops and conferences4 4 #djd4 ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,foundation 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,director1 may establish or enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to establish a ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,foundation4 ,the ,foundation shall not be an agency or instrumentality of the ,united ,states ,government4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the ,foundation shall be to support the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology in its mission4 7c7 ,activities ,activities of the ,foundation may include the solicitation and acceptance of funds-- 7#a7 to support international metrology and standards engagement activities2 7#b7 to conduct education and outreach activities2 and 7#c7 to offer direct support to ,,nist associates1 including through activities such as the provision of fellowships1 grants1 and occupational safety and awareness training4 7d7 ,transfer of funds ,the ,director may authorize1 under the agreement under subsection 7a71 the transfer of funds from the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology to the nonprofit organization to offset any administrative costs of the ,foundation4 7e7 ,liability ,the ,united ,states shall not be liable for any debts1 defaults1 acts1 or omissions of the ,foundation4 ,the full faith and credit of the ,united ,states shall not extend to any obligations of the ,foundation4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,standards and ,technology4 7#b7 ,,nist ,associate ,the term ,,nist associate means any guest researcher1 research associate1 facility user1 or volunteer who conducts research at a ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology facility1 but is not an employee of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology or of another ,federal department or agency4 #dje4 ,implementation activities ,subsection #b7;c7 of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgb7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#ah7 through 7#bb7 as paragraphs 7#ai7 through 7#bc71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by adding after paragraph 7#ag7 the following3 7#ah7 host1 participate in1 and support scientific and technical conferences1 and collect and retain conference fees for the payment of related expenses1 including1 notwithstanding section #acde of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 subsistence expenses2 4 #djf4 ,standards and conformity assessment ,subsection #b7;b7 of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgb7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking is authorized to and inserting is authorized to serve as the ,president's principal advisor on standards pertaining to the ,nation's innovation and technological competitiveness and to2 7#b7 by amending paragraph 7#c7 to read as follows3 7#c7 to compare standards used in scientific investigation1 engineering1 manufacturing1 commerce1 industry1 and education with the standards adopted or recognized by the ,federal ,government2 2 7#c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#c7 the following3 7#c;,a7 to facilitate standards-related information sharing and cooperation between ,federal agencies and to coordinate the use by ,federal agencies of private sector standards1 emphasizing if possible the use of standards developed by private1 consensus organizations2 2 7#d7 by amending paragraph 7#ac7 to read as follows3 7#ac7 to coordinate the technical standards and conformity assessment activities of ,federal1 ,state1 and local governments with those of the private sector1 with the goal of eliminating unnecessary duplication and complexity in the development and promulgation of conformity assessment requirements and measures2 2 and 7#e7 by renumbering paragraphs 7#c;,a7 through 7#ac7 as paragraphs 7#d7 through 7#ad71 respectively4 #djg4 ,visiting committee on advanced technology ,section #aj7;a7 of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bgh7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking #ae and inserting not fewer than #i2 and 7#b7 by striking at least #aj and inserting a majority4 #djh4 ,grants and cooperative agreements ,section #h of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgjf7 is amended by amending subsection 7a7 to read as follows3 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may make grants and enter into cooperative agreements according to the provisions of this section in order to assist any activity consistent with this ,act1 including activities performed by individuals4 4 #dji4 ,consumer ,product ,safety ,commission ,section #d of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,improvement ,act of #aihh 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ejja7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,secretary of ,commerce each place it appears and inserting ,consumer ,product ,safety ,commission2 and 7#b7 by striking ,secretary each place it appears and inserting ,consumer ,product ,safety ,commission4 ,v ,science1 ,technology1 ,engineering1 and ,mathematics ,support ,programs ,a ,national ,science ,foundation #eja4 ,definitions ,in this subtitle3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation4 7#b7 ,foundation ,the term ,foundation means the ,national ,science ,foundation4 7#c7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 7#d7 ,state ,the term ,state means #a of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states4 #ejb4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,fiscal year #bjae 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,foundation #g1fdi1caj1jjj for fiscal year #bjae4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #f1bbg1afj1jjj shall be authorized for research and related activities2 7,b7 #hhh1hbe1jjj shall be authorized for education and human resources2 7,c7 #bja1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for major research equipment and facilities construction2 7,d7 #cab1ijj1jjj shall be authorized for agency operations and award management2 7,e7 #d1eae1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of the ,national ,science ,board2 and 7,f7 #ad1iaj1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of ,inspector ,general4 7b7 ,fiscal year #bjaf 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,foundation #h1aeg1gbd1jjj for fiscal year #bjaf4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #f1fge1eaf1jjj shall be authorized for research and related activities2 7,b7 #icc1bff1jjj shall be authorized for education and human resources2 7,c7 #bjj1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for major research equipment and facilities construction2 7,d7 #cbh1ede1jjj shall be authorized for agency operations and award management2 7,e7 #d1gda1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of the ,national ,science ,board2 and 7,f7 #ae1fef1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of ,inspector ,general4 7c7 ,fiscal year #bjag 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,foundation #h1gjb1dga1jjj for fiscal year #bjag4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #g1aef1aec1jjj shall be authorized for research and related activities2 7,b7 #igi1icj1jjj shall be authorized for education and human resources2 7,c7 #bjj1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for major research equipment and facilities construction2 7,d7 #cdd1igb1jjj shall be authorized for agency operations and award management2 7,e7 #d1igh1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of the ,national ,science ,board2 and 7,f7 #af1dch1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of ,inspector ,general4 7d7 ,fiscal year #bjah 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,foundation #i1bhe1jcj1jjj for fiscal year #bjah4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #g1fga1cif1jjj shall be authorized for research and related activities2 7,b7 #a1jbh1ibf1jjj shall be authorized for education and human resources2 7,c7 #bjj1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for major research equipment and facilities construction2 7,d7 #cfb1bba1jjj shall be authorized for agency operations and award management2 7,e7 #e1bbg1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of the ,national ,science ,board2 and 7,f7 #ag1bfj1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of ,inspector ,general4 7e7 ,fiscal year #bjai 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,foundation #i1ijh1jea1jjj for fiscal year #bjai4 7#b7 ,specific allocations ,of the amount authorized by paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 #h1bbc1gcf1jjj shall be authorized for research and related activities2 7,b7 #a1jhj1cgb1jjj shall be authorized for education and human resources2 7,c7 #bjj1jjj1jjj shall be authorized for major research equipment and facilities construction2 7,d7 #chj1ccb1jjj shall be authorized for agency operations and award management2 7,e7 #e1dhh1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of the ,national ,science ,board2 and 7,f7 #ah1abc1jjj shall be authorized for the ,office of ,inspector ,general4 #ejc4 ,sense of ,congress on ,national ,science ,foundation basic research investments 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 basic research investments support economic development and national security by-- 7,a7 creating a base of scientific knowledge and understanding critical to innovation and to the creation of new industries and jobs2 7,b7 training and attracting a community of scientific and engineering experts2 and 7,c7 enabling technological advances that can respond to intractable or unexpected societal or security challenges2 7#b7 established by ,congress in #aiej1 the ,foundation supports basic research activities in a wide range of fields1 including the mathematical1 physical1 biological1 geological1 and social sciences1 as well as in fundamental engineering2 7#c7 the ,foundation's basic research investments have provided novel solutions to societal challenges and created the scientific and engineering knowledge important to commercial successes in areas such as fiber optics1 ,,dna fingerprinting1 barcode readers1 and ,internet browsers2 7#d7 the ,foundation's investments in social1 behavioral1 and economic research have addressed challenges1 including-- 7,a7 in medicine1 matching organ donors to patients1 leading to a dramatic growth in paired kidney transplants2 7,b7 in policing1 implementing predictive models that help to yield significant reductions in crime2 7,c7 in resource allocation1 developing the theories underlying the ,federal ,communications ,commission spectrum auction1 which has generated over #fj1jjj1jjj1jjj in revenue2 7,d7 in disaster preparation and recovery1 identifying barriers to effective disaster evacuation strategies2 7,e7 in national defense1 assisting ,u4,s4 troops in cross-cultural communication and in identifying threats2 and 7,f7 in areas such as economics1 education1 cybersecurity1 transportation1 and the national defense1 supporting informed decisionmaking in foreign and domestic policy2 7#e7 through its research support1 the ,foundation has proven critical to the development of the ,nation's scientific and engineering workforce2 7#f7 having recognized the benefits of research investments to their economies and workforce1 the ,nation's economic competitors have vastly increased their research efforts2 and 7#g7 the economic benefits related to basic research investments tend to accrue within the region where the research is conducted4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 basic research investments across a wide range of disciplines are crucial to the ,foundation's mission and essential to the scientific progress of the ,nation2 7#b7 the ,foundation's basic research investments continue to support long-term national economic competitiveness by expanding the potential for practical innovations in science and technology and by attracting and training a knowledgeable workforce2 7#c7 the private sector's emphasis on investments in late applied research and product development relative to international competitors highlights the ,foundation's critical role in funding for basic and early applied research2 and 7#d7 if the ,united ,states is to remain innovative and globally competitive1 the ,foundation must continue to meet its legislative mandate through-- 7,a7 robust support for basic research across a wide range of science and engineering fields1 including the social1 behavioral1 and economic sciences2 7,b7 continued support for engagement between scientists1 particularly through scientific conferences2 and 7,c7 funding for the education and training of the ,u4,s4 scientific and technical workforce4 #ejd4 ,national ,science ,foundation merit review 7a7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,foundation's ,intellectual ,merit and ,broader ,impacts criteria remain appropriate for evaluating grant proposals1 as concluded by the #bjaa ,national ,science ,board ,task ,force on ,merit ,review2 7#b7 evaluating proposals on the basis of the ,foundation's ,intellectual ,merit and ,broader ,impacts criteria assures that-- 7,a7 proposals funded by the ,foundation are of high quality and advance scientific knowledge2 and 7,b7 the ,foundation's overall funding portfolio addresses societal needs through research findings or through related activities2 and 7#c7 as evidenced by the ,foundation's contributions to scientific advancement1 economic development1 human health1 and national security1 its peer review and merit review processes have successfully identified and funded scientifically and societally relevant research and must be preserved4 7b7 ,criteria ,the ,foundation shall maintain the ,intellectual ,merit and ,broader ,impacts criteria as the basis for evaluating grant proposals in the merit review process4 7c7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report detailing-- 7,a7 steps taken to improve the merit-review process1 the justification for any changes1 and the effect of these steps on funding recipients2 7,b7 recent efforts by the ,foundation to improve transparency and accountability in the merit-review process2 and 7,c7 efforts to better understand and address implicit bias in the merit-review process4 7#b7 ,changes ,the ,director shall update and resubmit the report under paragraph 7#a7 if there are any changes to the merit-review criteria4 #eje4 ,national ,science ,foundation ,,stem education program contribution and research dissemination 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,foundation's ,directorate for ,education and ,human ,resources1 in collaboration1 where appropriate1 with other ,foundation directorates1 supports ,,stem education by-- 7,a7 funding research into student learning1 to include learning in informal environments2 7,b7 supporting programs to improve pedagogy and to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the ,,stem workforce2 7,c7 providing financial support for students pursuing ,,stem degrees and encouraging students to become ,,stem educators2 and 7,d7 promoting the adoption of validated teaching practices and encouraging broad ,,stem literacy4 7#b7 ,external evaluations of the ,foundation's education programs demonstrate that the education programs produce more highly qualified teachers1 increase interest in ,,stem careers and in higher education1 broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in ,,stem fields1 and support the development of the ,,stem workforce4 7b7 ,policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states that-- 7#a7 the ,foundation should maintain robust investments in ,,stem education at all levels1 in teacher education1 and in identifying and adapting promising ,,stem learning projects for broader use2 and 7#b7 the ,foundation's educational initiatives should-- 7,a7 develop1 evaluate1 and promote new or transformative approaches to ,,stem education both inside and outside of the classroom2 7,b7 balance support for research into education1 with transforming promising research into innovative educational approaches1 tools1 and programs1 and with disseminating pedagogical best practices2 and 7,c7 consider the needs of the educational community1 including academia1 informal educational providers1 and non-profit1 industry1 and local1 ,state1 and ,federal education agencies4 7c7 ,evaluation ,the ,director shall ensure that the ,foundation's education programs have measurable objectives and clear1 documented metrics for evaluating programs4 ,the ,director1 for each education program or portfolio of similar programs1 shall-- 7#a7 include measurable objectives and milestones within program solicitations2 7#b7 encourage the collection of evidence as relevant to the measurable objectives and milestones in paragraph 7#a72 7#c7 engage external evaluators1 which may include ,foundation-funded researchers1 in evaluating the program or portfolio against the objectives and milestones in paragraph 7#a7 and not just the inputs or activities completed2 and 7#d7 wherever relevant1 conduct longitudinal or comparison group studies4 7d7 ,best practices ,the ,director shall support activities to disseminate and catalyze the adoption of evidence-based best practices in ,,stem education content and pedagogy4 ,in conducting these activities1 the ,director1 at a minimum1 shall-- 7#a7 identify those best practices that have been validated through peer-reviewed research efforts2 7#b7 establish collaborations with organizations involved in teacher training1 to include other ,federal science agencies1 professional associations1 institutions of higher education1 and private sector entities1 including informal education providers1 as appropriate2 and 7#c7 through collaboration with organizations involved in teacher training1 transmit best practice information to educators4 7e7 ,program scaling grants ,the ,director shall incentivize and support the widespread adoption of evidence-based education practices and initiatives4 7#a7 ,awards ,grants under this subsection shall be competitively awarded to propagate and implement practices that improve student learning and increase participation and retention in ,,stem fields4 7#b7 ,eligibility ,the following organizations may be eligible for grants under this subsection3 7,a7 ,institutions of higher education4 7,b7 ,state1 local1 and nonprofit educational organizations4 7,c7 ,other educational groups as identified by the ,director4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,activities supported by grants under this subsection may include-- 7,a7 expanding promising education projects and initiatives2 and 7,b7 supporting professional development or community outreach efforts1 as required to encourage a commitment to educational reforms4 #ejf4 ,,stem teacher training 7a7 ,reaffirmation ,congress reaffirms its support1 as expressed in the ,america ,,competes ,act 7,public ,law #aaj-fi2 #aba ,stat4 #egb7 and the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7,public ,law #aaa-ceh2 #abd ,stat4 #cihb71 for developing1 implementing1 and replicating programs at institutions of higher education to recruit and prepare ,,stem educators4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this section is to further encourage the development1 implementation1 and adoption of projects to recruit1 prepare1 and provide for the training and professional development of ,,stem educators4 ,the projects may be established1 administered1 or conducted in cooperation with institutions of higher education1 public1 nonprofit1 or professional groups1 and ,federal1 ,state1 or local entities involved in education4 7c7 ,in general ,the ,director shall provide grants to fund projects1 including workshops1 in order to provide teacher training and professional development for current and potential ,k-#ab ,,stem educators4 7d7 ,areas of focus ,in carrying out this section1 the ,director shall focus on-- 7#a7 synthesizing the results of the ,foundation's efforts in the training and professional development of ,,stem educators2 7#b7 disseminating evidence-based content1 pedagogy1 tools1 and best practices1 as supported by ,foundation-sponsored education research1 in areas including active ,,stem education2 7#c7 assisting teachers in integrating evidence-based content1 pedagogy1 tools1 and best practices into student instruction2 and 7#d7 increasing teacher comfort with teaching scientific concepts and engineering practices1 as well as with inquiry-based learning methods4 7e7 ,federal coordination ,the ,director1 through collaboration with the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,science1 ,technology1 ,engineering1 and ,math ,education1 shall ensure that ,federal support for teacher training and professional development activities under this section are coordinated across ,federal science agencies and jointly supported1 as appropriate4 7f7 ,collaboration ,funded workshops and teacher training activities may occur in collaboration with industry1 professional associations1 nonprofit organizations1 and institutions of higher education1 including community colleges4 ,potential collaborations may include-- 7#a7 professional development activities that facilitate teacher access to academic1 government1 and industry ,,stem professionals2 7#b7 establishing or expanding projects designed to recruit and train ,,stem educators2 and 7#c7 industry1 organization1 or ,state or local agency co-funding for teacher professional development activities4 7g7 ,report ,the ,director shall include1 in the ,foundation annual budget report to ,congress1 a summary of teacher training projects funded by the ,foundation during the previous fiscal year and the needs addressed by each funded project4 #ejg4 ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 the ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program supports the development and dissemination of evidence-based teacher preparation models and the recruitment1 preparation1 and retention of ,,stem educators2 7#b7 as a result of awards granted between fiscal years #bjjb and #bjac1 the ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program will support over #ab1jjj new math and science teachers1 including in high-need districts2 and 7#c7 independent evaluation suggests that the ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program improves recruitment of underrepresented and ,,stem-trained students into teaching1 encourages teachers to work in high-need areas1 and can improve relationships between teacher preparation programs and industry4 7b7 ,retention ,section #aj of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,authorization ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbn-#a7 is amended by amending subsection 7k7 to read as follows3 7k7 ,,stem teacher service and retention ,the ,director shall develop and implement practices for increasing the retention of ,,stem teachers funded under this section in high-need districts1 including rural areas4 ,potential actions may include-- 7#a7 conducting research to better understand factors relevant to teacher retention2 7#b7 increasing the recruitment from high-need districts2 7#c7 partnering with nonprofit or professional associations to provide teachers funded under this section with more opportunities for professional development and mentorship2 7#d7 establishing a system to better collect1 track1 and respond to data on the career decisions of teachers funded under this section2 and 7#e7 conducting pilot programs to improve teacher retention4 4 7c7 ,expansion ,section #aj of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,authorization ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbn-#a7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7m7 ,expansion ,the ,director shall encourage the expansion of the ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program by-- 7#a7 actively recruiting participation among and providing proposal drafting assistance to institutions of higher education that do not grant doctoral degrees1 including associate-degree granting institutions and community colleges2 7#b7 encouraging a broad geographic distribution of funding recipients under this section through increased outreach to geographic regions that have been traditionally underfunded by the ,robert ,noyce ,teacher ,scholarship ,program1 relative to other regions2 and 7#c7 soliciting grant proposals that incorporate technology into teacher training1 including the development of distance learning techniques to support teacher training in rural areas4 4 #ejh4 ,early undergraduate research opportunities 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 fewer than #dj percent of students who enter college intending to pursue a ,,stem degree complete a ,,stem degree2 7#b7 evaluations of the ,foundation's ,research ,experiences for ,undergraduates ,program1 which engages undergraduate students in research activities1 suggest that research experiences increase participant awareness1 confidence1 and interest in research fields2 and 7#c7 providing research experiences1 particularly during the first #b years of undergraduate education1 improves both persistence and performance in ,,stem fields4 7b7 ,grant awards ,the ,director shall support innovation in early undergraduate education1 with a focus on students in the first #b years of undergraduate ,,stem education4 ,potential awards may include grants to institutions-- 7#a7 to facilitate the expanded participation of first or second year undergraduate students at research sites designated by the ,director to provide research experiences for undergraduate students under section #ead of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#f7 if the requirements under paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#f7 of subsection 7a7 of that section are met2 and 7#b7 to implement innovative research and engineering design courses1 including those focusing on mentorship or discovery-based learning1 for first or second year undergraduate students4 #eji4 ,informal ,,stem education 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsections 7h7 and 7j71 the ,director shall maintain a grant program to support ,,stem learning activities in informal educational settings4 ,the purpose of the grant program shall be to improve ,,stem engagement and outcomes1 including among students in kindergarten through twelfth grade4 7b7 ,use of funds ,grants under this section may support-- 7#a7 research to identify best practices in informal ,,stem learning2 7#b7 designing1 developing1 implementing1 evaluating1 or expanding innovative or promising informal ,,stem learning activities1 tools1 or models2 7#c7 implementing1 expanding1 or evaluating evidence-based informal ,,stem learning activities that promote ,,stem education2 7#d7 developing communities of practice in informal ,,stem learning2 7#e7 improving the ,,stem and educational expertise of informal ,,stem educators2 and 7#f7 creating a national network of institutions involved in informal ,,stem learning4 7c7 ,national network ,the ,director shall award1 in supporting the national network under subsection 7b71 grants to foster partnerships between institutions involved in informal science learning1 institutions of higher education1 and education research centers4 ,funded activities may include developing1 adapting1 and making available informal ,,stem education activities and educational materials for broad implementation4 7d7 ,kindergarten through eighth grade initiative for underrepresented groups ,within the grant program established under subsection 7a71 the ,director shall support an initiative to engage underrepresented students in kindergarten through the eighth grade in informal ,,stem education activities4 ,activities funded through the initiative may include-- 7#a7 exposing underrepresented students to role models and near-peer mentors in the ,,stem fields2 7#b7 providing for underrepresented students to attend ,,stem-related events1 competitions1 and programs2 7#c7 providing information regarding ,,stem career opportunities to underrepresented students and their parents2 7#d7 training informal educators in the use of evidence-based methods for engaging underrepresented students in ,,stem2 7#e7 engaging girls in ,,stem1 including through single-gender learning environments and hands-on1 inquiry-based learning programs2 and 7#f7 any other activities described under subsection 7b7 that the ,director considers relevant to underrepresented students4 7e7 ,eligibility ,grants under this section shall be competitively awarded to organizations that provide informal ,,stem education activities to students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade1 such as-- 7#a7 ,state1 local1 and nonprofit or nongovernmental educational organizations2 7#b7 institutions of higher education2 7#c7 other education-oriented organizations1 as identified by the ,director2 and 7#d7 consortia of any institutions or organizations listed in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c74 7f7 ,applications ,an application for funding under this section shall be submitted at such time and in such manner and contain such information as the ,director considers necessary4 ,an application shall include1 at a minimum-- 7#a7 a description of the student population to be served by the activity2 7#b7 a description of the process for attracting1 recruiting1 or selecting student participants2 7#c7 a description of how funded activities would support research into engaging students1 including underrepresented students1 in ,,stem and into promoting their academic achievement2 7#d7 an evaluation plan consistent with the requirements under subsection 7g72 7#e7 a description of the applicant's experience and expertise in providing informal education activities2 and 7#f7 if an application is relevant to the initiative in subsection 7d71 a description of the applicant's experience and expertise in increasing the participation of underrepresented students in ,,stem4 7g7 ,evaluations ,the ,director shall require each grant recipient under this section to submit an evaluation at the conclusion of each fiscal year during which funds are received under this section4 ,the evaluation shall-- 7#a7 include both formative and summative evaluations of the funded activity1 using methods appropriate to the programs2 7#b7 be in a form prescribed by the ,director2 and 7#c7 be submitted to the ,director4 7h7 ,research impacts ,each grant under this section shall be relevant to research on student engagement in ,,stem fields4 ,in ensuring that grants help identify1 develop1 implement1 or propagate best practices in informal ,,stem education1 the ,director may establish1 as necessary1 additional reporting requirements for a grant recipient under this section4 7i7 ,broader impacts ,the ,director may encourage all ,foundation research grant recipients1 in satisfying the ,foundation's ,broader ,impacts criterion1 to dedicate a portion of awarded funds to public engagement activities conducted through sustained collaboration with an informal ,,stem education organization or initiative4 7j7 ,limitations ,a grant under this section may not be used for construction of infrastructure4 7k7 ,coordination ,in carrying out this section1 the ,director shall consult with other relevant ,federal agencies1 and cooperate and coordinate with those ,federal agencies1 as necessary1 to avoid duplication with the programs and policies of those ,federal agencies4 7l7 ,accountability and dissemination 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall evaluate the grants under this section and1 to the extent practicable1 identify any research outputs1 best practices1 and materials developed or demonstrated4 7#b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date the evaluation is complete1 the ,director shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress and make widely available to the public a report that includes-- 7,a7 the results of the evaluation2 and 7,b7 any recommendations for improving informal ,,stem education1 ,,stem engagement1 and ,,stem education outcomes among students in kindergarten through twelfth grade4 #eaj4 ,broadening participation 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall invest in broadening the participation of underrepresented groups1 including minorities1 women1 and students from rural areas1 in ,,stem fields4 ,investments shall include competitively awarded grants-- 7#a7 to support institutions of higher education in providing academic and social support for underrepresented groups2 7#b7 to facilitate student research activities2 7#c7 to establish1 maintain1 and expand partnerships1 including research collaborations1 between national research laboratories1 ,federal agencies1 industry1 and minority-serving institutions 7as described in section #cga of title ,,iii of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajfgq7a7771 including community colleges2 7#d7 to promote activities to improve1 among parents and students in underrepresented groups1 awareness of educational and career opportunities in ,,stem fields2 7#e7 to conduct data collection and research activities relevant to recruitment1 retention1 instruction1 and curriculum development in ,,stem fields2 and 7#f7 to expand those projects that broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in ,,stem fields4 7b7 ,use of funds ,grants to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in ,,stem fields shall support activities such as-- 7#a7 mentoring programs that partner ,,stem professionals with students2 7#b7 internships for undergraduate and graduate students in ,,stem2 7#c7 outreach programs that provide elementary and secondary school students with exposure to ,,stem fields2 and 7#d7 additional programs as the ,director may determine4 7c7 ,evaluation ,the ,director1 for each broadening participation program or portfolio of programs1 shall-- 7#a7 identify and include measurable objectives and milestones in each program's solicitation2 7#b7 encourage the collection of quantitative data as relevant to the measurable objectives and milestones under paragraph 7#a72 7#c7 engage external analysts in evaluating the program or portfolio against the objectives and milestones under paragraph 7#a72 7#d7 ensure that program or portfolio evaluations focus on the educational outcomes and not just the inputs1 activities completed1 or number of participants2 and 7#e7 whenever relevant1 conduct longitudinal or comparison group studies4 #eaa4 ,prizes and challenges for broadening participation 7a7 ,in general ,in order to encourage the participation of underrepresented students in ,,stem fields1 the ,director may establish a prize or challenge under the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7,public ,law #aaa-ceh2 #abd ,stat4 #cihb7 or under any other provision of law1 as appropriate4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purpose of a prize or challenge under this section1 among other possible purposes1 may be-- 7#a7 to recognize institutions of higher education that have achieved sustained improvements in the recruitment1 retention1 and graduation rates of underrepresented students in ,,stem fields2 7#b7 to encourage innovation by institutions of higher education in improving the recruitment1 retention1 and graduation rates of underrepresented students in ,,stem fields2 7#c7 to develop1 identify1 and broadly distribute best practices in the recruitment1 retention1 and graduation rates of underrepresented students in ,,stem fields2 or 7#d7 to address other issues related to the participation of underrepresented groups in the ,,stem fields1 as the ,director considers necessary4 7c7 ,selection ,each prize award made under this section shall be determined based on proven outcomes for underrepresented students in ,,stem fields1 as demonstrated through rigorous1 data-driven evaluation4 #eab4 ,commercialization grants 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall continue to award grants to promote the translation of ,foundation-sponsored research discoveries into the marketplace4 7b7 ,use of funds ,commercialization grants awarded under this section may be used to fund activities such as-- 7#a7 identifying ,foundation-sponsored research and technologies that have the potential for accelerated commercialization2 7#b7 supporting prior or current ,foundation-sponsored investigators in developing early-stage proofs-of-concept and prototypes of technologies that are derived from ,foundation-sponsored research and have potential market value2 7#c7 promoting sustainable partnerships between ,foundation-funded institutions1 industry1 and other organizations within academia and the private sector with the purpose of accelerating technology transfer2 7#d7 developing multi-disciplinary innovation ecosystems which involve and are responsive to specific needs of academia and industry2 and 7#e7 providing professional development1 mentoring1 and advice in entrepreneurship1 project management1 and technology and business development to innovators4 7c7 ,eligibility 7#a7 ,in general ,the following organizations may be eligible for grants under this section3 7,a7 ,institutions of higher education4 7,b7 ,public technology transfer organizations4 7,c7 ,nonprofit technology transfer organizations4 7,d7 ,a consortia of #b or more of the organizations described under subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c74 7#b7 ,lead organizations ,any eligible organization under paragraph 7#a7 may apply as a lead organization4 7d7 ,applications ,an organization seeking a grant under this section shall be required to meet such requirements and to submit an application to the ,director at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,director may require4 ,the ,director shall-- 7#a7 solicit applications from ,foundation grants recipients who have developed technologies with the potential for commercialization2 and 7#b7 seek from ,foundation offices and divisions recommendations on outstanding ,foundation-sponsored research with clear potential for commercialization within a #c- to #aj-year period4 7e7 ,report ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall-- 7#a7 report to the appropriate committees of ,congress on the impact of commercialization grants described under subsections 7a7 and 7b72 and 7#b7 make recommendations on whether and how a technology commercialization mechanism could be adopted by other ,federal science agencies4 #eac4 ,national ,science ,foundation ,innovation ,corps 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,national ,science ,foundation ,innovation ,corps 7referred to in this section as the ,i-,corps7 was established to foster a national innovation ecosystem by encouraging institutions1 scientists1 engineers1 and entrepreneurs to identify and explore the potential of ,foundation-funded research well beyond the laboratory4 7#b7 ,through ,i-,corps1 the ,foundation invests in entrepreneurship and commercialization education1 training1 and mentoring that can ultimately lead to the practical deployment of technologies1 products1 processes1 and services that improve the ,nation's competitiveness and benefit society4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that1 in order to promote a strong1 lasting foundation for the ,american innovation ecosystem1 ,i-,corps should continue to build a network of entrepreneurs1 educators1 mentors1 and institutions and support specialized education and training4 7c7 ,expansion of ,i-,corps and similar programs 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall encourage the development and expansion of ,i-,corps and of other training programs that focus on graduate student professional development1 including education in product commercialization and entrepreneurship4 ,to facilitate this development and expansion1 the ,director may establish agreements with other ,federal agencies that fund scientific research and development to allow researchers funded by those agencies to participate in the ,i-,corps program4 7#b7 ,twenty-first century graduate education ,sections #ebg7;b7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#ae7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking paragraphs 7#f7 and 7#g72 and 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#e7 the following3 7#f7 development and implementation of seminars1 workshops1 and other professional development activities that increase the ability of graduate students to engage in innovation1 technology transfer1 research commercialization1 and entrepreneurship2 7#g7 development and implementation of seminars1 workshops1 and other professional development activities that increase the ability of graduate students to effectively communicate their research findings to technical audiences outside of their own discipline and to nontechnical audiences1 including potential commercial partners and investors2 4 #ead4 ,graduate traineeship grant program 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall establish a grant program to incentivize the establishment1 improvement1 or expansion of qualifying traineeship programs for graduate students4 7b7 ,awards to eligible institutions 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director may award a grant under this section1 in an amount determined by the ,director1 to an eligible institution for the establishment1 improvement1 or expansion of a qualifying traineeship program4 7#b7 ,partnership ,an eligible institution may partner with #a or more nonprofit education or research organizations1 including scientific and engineering societies1 for the purposes of carrying out the activities authorized under this section4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,a grant to an eligible institution may be used-- 7,a7 to provide up to #e years of student support to trainees1 including stipends1 tuition and fees1 education allowances1 and support for ancillary needs2 and 7,b7 to fund permissible activities4 7#d7 ,permissible activities ,activities supported by grants to eligible institutions under this section may include-- 7,a7 designing curricula that combine educational content with professional skill development relevant to a diversity of career pathways2 7,b7 advancing a multi-disciplinary focus that applies advanced knowledge to problem solving in multiple areas2 7,c7 providing opportunities for graduate students to gain teamwork1 oral communication1 planning and project management1 writing1 presentation1 and entrepreneurial skills2 7,d7 creating advisory committees of employers to provide input and expertise in designing or modifying graduate education programs2 7,e7 providing graduate students with resources and guidance for a variety of career pathways2 and 7,f7 implementing an accountability and reporting system which tracks enrollment1 completion rates1 and job placement information for the trainees supported under the traineeship program4 7#e7 ,non-,federal matching ,an eligible institution receiving funding under this section for the establishment1 improvement1 or expansion of a qualifying traineeship program may be required to contribute non-,federal funds to the effort in an amount that is significant and specified by the ,director4 7c7 ,awards to individuals ,the ,director may award a grant under this section to a ,foundation-supported principal investigator1 graduate student1 or post-doctoral fellow1 in an amount determined by the ,director1 to support professional skills development through participation in a qualifying traineeship program4 7d7 ,merit review 7#a7 ,in general ,each grant awarded under this section shall be provided on a competitive1 merit-reviewed basis4 7#b7 ,considerations ,in selecting an eligible institution to receive a grant under subsection 7b71 the ,director shall consider at a minimum-- 7,a7 the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed effort at the eligible institution submitting the application2 7,b7 the evidence of long-term organizational support for the existing or proposed traineeship program2 and 7,c7 the inclusion of plans for the assessment of the existing or proposed traineeship program and for the dissemination of best practices4 7e7 ,evaluation ,the ,director shall evaluate the traineeship grant program established under this section not later than #f years after the date the program is established4 ,at a minimum1 the ,director shall evaluate the extent to which the program has achieved the objective of supporting career development among graduate students4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible institution ,the term eligible institution means an institution of higher education4 7#b7 ,qualifying traineeship program ,the term qualifying traineeship program means a traineeship program designed-- 7,a7 to provide graduate students with career experience related to the graduate students' fields of study2 7,b7 to increase the relevance of academic preparation to national workforce needs1 including the needs of industry or ,federal1 ,state1 or local government2 7,c7 to support education and experience in entrepreneurship and commercialization2 and 7,d7 to provide for tuition and fees and such stipends and allowances1 including travel and subsistence expenses and dependency allowances1 for the trainees as the ,director considers necessary4 #eae4 ,the experimental program to stimulate competitive research 7a7 ,findings ,section #eag7;a7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,the ,national and inserting the ,national2 and 7,b7 by striking education1 and inserting education2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking with #bg ,states and #b jurisdictions1 taken together1 receiving only about #aj percent of all ,,nsf research funding and inserting with #bh ,states and #c jurisdictions1 taken together1 receiving only about #ab percent of all ,national ,science ,foundation research funding2 7#c7 by striking paragraph 7#c72 and 7#d7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following3 7#c7 first established at the ,national ,science ,foundation in #aigi1 the ,experimental ,program to ,stimulate ,competitive ,research 7referred to in this section as ,e,p,s,co,r7 assists ,states and jurisdictions historically underserved by ,federal research and development funding in strengthening their research and innovation capabilities2 7#d7 the ,e,p,s,co,r structure requires each participating ,state to develop a science and technology plan suited to ,state and local research1 education1 and economic interests and objectives2 7#e7 ,e,p,s,co,r has been credited with advancing the research competitiveness of participating ,states1 improving awareness of science1 promoting policies that link scientific investment and economic growth1 and encouraging partnerships between government1 industry1 and academia2 7#f7 ,e,p,s,co,r proposals are evaluated through rigorous and competitive merit-review processes to ensure that awarded research and development efforts meet high scientific standards2 and 7#g7 according to the ,national ,academy of ,sciences1 ,e,p,s,co,r has strengthened the national research infrastructure and enhanced the educational opportunities needed to develop the science and engineering workforce4 4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress 7#a7 ,in general ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7,a7 since maintaining the ,nation's scientific and economic leadership requires the participation of talented individuals nationwide1 ,e,p,s,co,r investments into ,state research and education capacities are in the ,federal interest and should be sustained2 and 7,b7 ,e,p,s,co,r should maintain its experimental component by supporting innovative methods for improving research capacity and competitiveness4 7#b7 ,definition of ,e,p,s,co,r ,in this subsection1 the term ,e,p,s,co,r has the meaning given the term in section #ejb of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp note74 7c7 ,continuation of ,e,p,s,co,r ,section #eag7;b7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i7;b77 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,continuation of program ,the ,director shall continue to carry out ,e,p,s,co,r1 with the objective of helping the eligible ,states to develop the research infrastructure that will make them more competitive for ,foundation research funding4 ,the program shall continue to increase at least as the ,national ,science ,foundation funding increases4 4 7d7 ,award structure study ,section #eag of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,award structure plan ,in implementing its mandate to maximize the impact of ,federal ,e,p,s,co,r support on building competitive research infrastructure1 and based on the inputs and recommendations of previous ,e,p,s,co,r reviews1 the ,e,p,s,co,r ,interagency ,coordinating ,committee shall develop a plan that1 at a minimum-- 7#a7 considers modifications to ,e,p,s,co,r proposal solicitation1 award type1 and project evaluation-- 7,a7 to better reflect current agency priorities2 7,b7 to focus ,e,p,s,co,r funding on achieving critical scientific1 infrastructure1 and educational needs of participating agencies and jurisdictions2 7,c7 to encourage collaboration between ,e,p,s,co,r-eligible institutions and researchers1 including with institutions and researchers in other ,states and jurisdictions2 7,d7 to improve communication between ,state and ,federal agency proposal reviewers2 and 7,e7 to continue to reduce administrative burdens associated with ,e,p,s,co,r2 7#b7 considers modifications to ,e,p,s,co,r award structures-- 7,a7 to emphasize long-term investments in building research capacity1 potentially through the use of larger1 renewable funding opportunities2 and 7,b7 to allow participating agencies1 ,states1 and jurisdictions to experiment with new research and development funding models2 and 7#c7 considers modifications to the mechanisms used to monitor and evaluate ,e,p,s,co,r awards-- 7,a7 to increase collaboration between ,e,p,s,co,r-funded researchers and agency staff1 including by providing opportunities for mentoring young researchers and for the use of ,federal facilities2 7,b7 to identify and disseminate best practices2 and 7,c7 to harmonize metrics across participating agencies1 as appropriate4 4 7e7 ,reports 7#a7 ,congressional reports ,section #eag of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i71 as amended1 is further amended-- 7,a7 by striking subsection 7c72 7,b7 by redesignating subsections 7d7 through 7g7 as subsections 7c7 through 7f71 respectively2 and 7,c7 by amending subsection 7d71 as redesignated1 to read as follows3 7d7 ,federal agency reports ,each ,federal agency that administers an ,e,p,s,co,r program1 as part of its ,federal budget submission1 shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress-- 7#a7 a description of the program strategy and objectives2 7#b7 a description of the awards made in the previous fiscal year1 including-- 7,a7 the total amount made available1 by ,state1 under ,e,p,s,co,r2 7,b7 if applicable1 the amount of co-funding made available to each ,e,p,s,co,r ,state2 7,c7 the total amount of agency funding made available to all institutions and entities within each ,e,p,s,co,r ,state2 7,d7 the efforts and accomplishments to more fully integrate the ,e,p,s,co,r ,states in major agency activities and initiatives2 7,e7 the percentage of reviewers and number of new reviewers from ,e,p,s,co,r ,states2 7,f7 the percentage of new investigators from ,e,p,s,co,r ,states2 and 7,g7 the number of programs or large collaborator awards involving a partnership of organizations and institutions from ,e,p,s,co,r and non-,e,p,s,co,r ,states2 and 7#c7 an analysis of the gains in academic research quality and competitiveness1 and in science and technology human resource development1 achieved by the program over the last #e fiscal years4 4 7#b7 ,results of award structure plan ,in its first annual report after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,e,p,s,co,r ,interagency ,coordinating ,committee shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress the results of the plan under #eag7;f7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#i7;f774 7f7 ,definition of ,e,p,s,co,r ,section #ejb of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp note7 is amended by amending paragraph 7#b7 to read as follows3 7#b7 ,e,p,s,co,r ,the term ,e,p,s,co,r means-- 7,a7 the ,experimental ,program to ,stimulate ,competitive ,research2 or 7,b7 a program similar to the ,experimental ,program to ,stimulate ,competitive ,research at another ,federal agency4 4 #eaf4 ,assessing national ,k-#ab science and engineering proficiency 7a7 ,metrics ,the ,national ,science ,board shall assess1 for inclusion in the biennial report to the ,president and ,congress under section #d7;j7 of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,act of #aiej 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfc7;j771 potential metrics for evaluating science and engineering comprehension for grades ,k-#ab4 ,in conducting its assessment1 the ,national ,science ,board shall consider including metrics that-- 7#a7 assess student understanding of science and engineering practices and their application to real-world situations2 7#b7 address student comprehension of core science and engineering principles2 7#c7 emphasize student engagement in and exposure to science and engineering practices2 and 7#d7 measure student ability to develop and use science and engineering knowledge4 7b7 ,consultation ,in conducting its assessment1 the ,national ,science ,board shall consult ,federal1 ,state1 local1 and private sector experts and draw upon available studies relevant to science and engineering education and assessment4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,national ,science ,board shall transmit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report detailing potential methodologies for assessing trends in national science and engineering proficiency for grades ,k-#ab4 ,at a minimum1 the report shall include-- 7#a7 a detailed list of recommended metrics for evaluating science and engineering proficiency2 7#b7 an assessment of any potential costs and challenges in assessing science and engineering proficiency nationally2 and 7#c7 a recommendation on how best1 if at all1 to integrate the science and engineering proficiency metrics into the report required under section #d7;j7 of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,act of #aiej 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfc7;j774 #eag4 ,integrative ,graduate ,education and ,research ,traineeship program ,section #eaj7;b7 of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfi note7 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,equal treatment of ,,igert and ,,grf 7#a7 ,rate of funding increase ,beginning in the first fiscal year after the date of enactment of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjad and each fiscal year thereafter1 the ,director may only increase funding for the ,foundation's ,graduate ,research ,fellowship program 7or any successor thereto71 relative to the previous fiscal year's funding level1 at the same rate as a corresponding funding increase to the ,foundation's ,integrative ,graduate ,education and ,research ,traineeship program 7or any successor thereto74 7#b7 ,essential elements of ,,igert ,the essential elements of the ,foundation's ,integrative ,graduate ,education and ,research ,traineeship program 7or any successor thereto7 shall be maintained1 including-- 7,a7 collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries to solve large and complex research problems of significant scientific and societal importance2 7,b7 providing students the opportunity to become leaders in the science and engineering of the future2 and 7,c7 that ,u4,s4 academic institutions in the ,united ,states1 its territories1 or possessions that grant a ,ph4,d4 degree in science1 technology1 engineering1 or mathematics are eligible to be lead institutions4 4 #eah4 ,,stem education partnerships ,section #i of the ,national ,science ,foundation ,authorization ,act of #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbn7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the section heading1 by striking ,mathematics and science and inserting ,,stem2 7#b7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking mathematics and science each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 7,b7 by striking mathematics or science each place it appears in and inserting ,,stem2 7,c7 by striking mathematics1 science1 and technology each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 7,d7 in paragraph 7#b77;,b71 by striking mathematics1 science1 or engineering and inserting ,,stem2 7,e7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,f71 by striking professional mathematicians1 scientists1 and engineers and inserting ,,stem professionals2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,j71 by striking mathematicians1 scientists1 and engineers and inserting ,,stem professionals2 7iii7 in subparagraph 7,k71 by striking science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 and 7iv7 in subparagraph 7,m71 by striking mathematicians1 scientists1 and engineers and inserting ,,stem professionals2 7,f7 in paragraph 7#e7-- 7i7 by striking ,science in the heading and inserting ,,stem2 7ii7 by striking science1 mathematics1 engineering1 and technology each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 and 7iii7 by striking science1 mathematics1 engineering1 or technology and inserting ,,stem2 7,g7 in paragraph 7#h71 by striking scientists1 technologists1 engineers1 or mathematicians and inserting ,,stem professionals2 and 7,h7 in paragraph 7#aj7-- 7i7 by striking science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,a77ii77,,ii71 by striking science1 technology1 engineering1 or mathematics and inserting ,,stem2 7#c7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking mathematics and science each place it appears and inserting ,,stem2 7,b7 in paragraphs 7#a77;,b77iv71 by striking mathematics1 science1 engineering1 and technology and inserting ,,stem2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b77;,g71 by striking mathematics1 science1 engineering1 and technology and inserting ,,stem2 and 7#d7 by amending subsection 7d7 to read as follows3 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem means science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics1 including computing and computer science4 7#b7 ,,stem teacher ,the term ,,stem teacher means a science1 technology1 engineering1 mathematics1 or computing teacher at the elementary school or secondary school level4 7#c7 ,science ,in the context of elementary and secondary education1 the term science includes technology and pre-engineering4 4 ,b ,,stem secondary schools #eba4 ,report on ,,stem secondary schools 7a7 ,database ,the ,secretary of ,education1 in coordination with the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation1 shall develop a database to identify existing ,,stem secondary schools4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,education1 in coordination with the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation1 shall submit a report to ,congress with recommendations on how to replicate existing successful ,,stem secondary schools4 #ebb4 ,funding for ,,stem secondary schools 7a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this section is to increase the number of ,,stem secondary schools in the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,program authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,education1 in coordination with the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation1 shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to ,state educational agencies to enable the ,state educational agencies to carry out the purpose of this section by establishing or expanding ,,stem secondary schools4 7#b7 ,geographic distribution ,the ,secretary of ,education shall award grants under this section in a manner that ensures geographic diversity1 including awarding grants to ,state educational agencies serving rural areas4 7c7 ,application ,a ,state educational agency desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the ,secretary of ,education at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7d7 ,use of funds ,a ,state educational agency receiving funds under this section shall use such funds to award subgrants1 on a competitive basis1 to local educational agencies in the ,state to enable the local educational agencies to establish and maintain new ,,stem secondary schools1 which may include repurposing an existing secondary school to become a ,,stem secondary school4 ,,vi ,innovation ,a ,innovation ecosystems #faa4 ,regional innovation program 7a7 ,loan guarantees for science park infrastructure ,section #bg7;d7 of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgbb7;d77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary may guarantee #a or more loans for projects for the construction or expansion1 including renovation and modernization1 of science park infrastructure4 7#b7 ,limitations 7,a7 ,type ,in guaranteeing a loan under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary may only guarantee #a of the following3 7i7 ,payment of up to #hj percent of the loan principal4 7ii7 ,not more than #c years of debt service payments on the loan4 7,b7 ,size ,the maximum amount of loan principal guaranteed under this subsection may not exceed-- 7i7 #ej1jjj1jjj with respect to any single project2 and 7ii7 #cjj1jjj1jjj with respect to all projects4 2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 7,a7 by striking subparagraph 7,d72 and 7,b7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7 through 7,g7 as subparagraphs 7,d7 through 7,f71 respectively2 7#c7 by striking paragraph 7#g7 and inserting the following3 7#g7 ,tax treatment ,section #adi7;b7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf shall not apply to bonds guaranteed under this subsection4 2 and 7#d7 by amending paragraph 7#h7 to read as follows3 7#h7 ,authorization of appropriations 7,a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated for the cost 7as defined in section #ejb of the ,congressional ,budget ,act of #aigd 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ffa;a77 of guaranteeing loans under this section1 #g1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjae through #bjai4 7,b7 ,availability ,amounts appropriated or otherwise made available under subparagraph 7,a7 shall remain available for guaranteeing loans as described in such subparagraph until expended4 4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations for regional innovation program for fiscal years #bjae through #bjai ,section #bg7;i7 of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgbb7;i77 is amended to read as follows3 7i7 ,authorization of ,appropriations ,except as provided in subsection 7d77#h71 there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section1 other than for loan guarantees under subsection 7d71 #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjae through #bjai4 4 7c7 ,report on regional innovation clusters ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,commerce shall submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives a report describing-- 7#a7 the achievements of the regional innovation clusters formed or developed with the support of grants awarded under section #bg7;i7 of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgbb7;i772 and 7#b7 the economic benefits and job creation attributable to such regional innovation clusters with1 to the extent practical1 quantifiable data4 #fab4 ,workforce studies 7a7 ,report on the ,,stem workforce 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,commerce1 in consultation with the ,chair of the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,committee on ,,stem ,education1 shall conduct a study of the current and projected state of the ,nation's available ,,stem workforce4 7#b7 ,content ,the study shall include-- 7,a7 an assessment of demands for and the availability of ,,stem professionals within the ,u4,s4 workforce1 currently and as projected over the next decade1 with data categorized by industry or industry sector1 as practicable2 7,b7 an assessment of the availability of ,,stem professionals within the ,u4,s4 workforce1 currently and as projected over the next decade1 as required to meet the demand for ,,stem professionals within industry1 academia1 and the ,federal ,government2 7,c7 an assessment of the most common ,,stem-skill requirements within industry1 academia1 and the ,federal ,government1 currently and as projected over the next decade2 7,d7 an identification of-- 7i7 the ,,stem skills that are most needed in the current and projected available ,,stem workforce2 and 7ii7 the industries or industry sectors most likely to be affected1 over the next decade1 by the needs identified under clause 7i72 and 7,e7 priorities for ,,stem training1 as informed by the assessments and identifications under this section4 7#c7 ,input ,the study shall draw on previous data collection and reports related to ,,stem workforce needs in the ,united ,states1 as appropriate4 7#d7 ,report ,not later than #edj days after the date enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,commerce shall report to the appropriate committees of ,congress the findings of the study1 including any recommendations to update the ,federal #e-year ,,stem education strategic plan to develop the available ,,stem workforce based on the assessment under this subsection4 7b7 ,repeal ,section #cjc of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #hic;c7 is repealed4 #fac4 ,national strategic plan for advanced manufacturing ,section #ajb of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffbb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by adding at the end the following3 ,in furtherance of the ,committee's work1 the ,committee shall consult with the ,national ,economic ,council42 7#b7 in subsection 7b71 by striking paragraph 7#g7 and inserting the following3 7#g7 develop and update a national strategic plan for advanced manufacturing in accordance with subsection 7c74 2 and 7#c7 by striking subsection 7c7 and inserting the following3 7c7 ,national strategic plan for advanced manufacturing 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president shall submit to ,congress1 and publish on an ,internet website that is accessible to the public1 the strategic plan developed under paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,development ,the ,committee shall develop and update as required under paragraph 7#d71 in coordination with the ,national ,economic ,council1 a strategic plan to improve ,government coordination and provide long-term guidance for ,federal programs and activities in support of ,united ,states manufacturing competitiveness1 including advanced manufacturing research and development4 7#c7 ,contents ,the strategic plan described in paragraph 7#b7 shall-- 7,a7 specify and prioritize near-term and long-term objectives1 including research and development objectives1 the anticipated timeframe for achieving the objectives1 and the metrics for use in assessing progress toward the objectives2 7,b7 describe the progress made in achieving the objectives from prior strategic plans1 including a discussion of why specific objectives were not met2 7,c7 specify the role1 including the programs and activities1 of each relevant ,federal agency in meeting the objectives of the strategic plan2 7,d7 describe how the ,federal agencies and federally funded research and development centers supporting advanced manufacturing research and development will foster the transfer of research and development results into new manufacturing technologies and ,united ,states based manufacturing of new products and processes for the benefit of society to ensure national1 energy1 and economic security2 7,e7 describe how such ,federal agencies and centers will strengthen all levels of manufacturing education and training programs to ensure an adequate1 well-trained workforce2 7,f7 describe how such ,federal agencies and centers will assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in developing and implementing new products and processes2 7,g7 analyze factors that impact innovation and competitiveness for ,united ,states advanced manufacturing1 including-- 7i7 technology transfer and commercialization activities2 7ii7 the adequacy of the national security industrial base2 7iii7 the capabilities of the domestic manufacturing workforce2 7iv7 export opportunities and trade policies2 7v7 financing1 investment1 and taxation policies and practices2 7vi7 emerging technologies and markets2 and 7vii7 advanced manufacturing research and development undertaken by competing nations2 and 7,h7 elicit and consider the recommendations of a wide range of stakeholders1 including representatives from diverse manufacturing companies1 academia1 and other relevant organizations and institutions4 7#d7 ,updates ,not later than ,may #a1 #bjah1 and not less frequently than once every #d years thereafter1 the ,president shall submit to ,congress1 and publish on an ,internet website that is accessible to the public1 an update of the strategic plan submitted under paragraph 7#a74 ,such updates shall be developed in accordance with the procedures set forth under this subsection4 7#e7 ,requirement to consider strategy in the budget ,in preparing the budget for a fiscal year under section #aaje7;a7 of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,president shall include information regarding the consistency of the budget with the goals and recommendations included in the strategic plan developed under this subsection applying to that fiscal year4 7#f7 ,,amp ,steering committee input ,the ,advanced ,manufacturing ,partnership ,steering ,committee of the ,president's ,council of ,advisors on ,science and ,technology shall provide input1 perspective1 and recommendations to assist in the development and updates of the strategic plan under this subsection4 4 #fad4 ,sense of ,congress2 optics and photonics innovations ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 optics and photonics research and technologies promote ,u4,s4 global competitiveness in industry sectors1 including telecommunications and information technology1 energy1 healthcare and medicine1 manufacturing1 and defense2 7#b7 ,federal science agencies1 industry1 and academia should seek partnerships to develop basic research in optics and photonics into more mature technologies and capabilities2 and 7#c7 ,federal science agencies1 as appropriate1 should-- 7,a7 identify optics and photonics-related programs within their agencies2 and 7,b7 partner with the private sector and academia to leverage knowledge and resources and to promote innovation in optics and photonics4 ,b ,national nanotechnology initiative #fba4 ,short title ,this subtitle may be cited as the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative ,amendments ,act of #bjad4 #fbb4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative is a multiagency ,federal ,government research and development program established in #bjja4 7#b7 ,as of the date of the enactment of this ,act1 more than #ah1jjj1jjj1jjj has been invested in nanoscience and nanotechnology through the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative4 7#c7 ,of the #bj agencies participating in the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative1 #aa have budgets for nanotechnology-related research and development4 7#d7 ,research supported by the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative is advancing our fundamental understanding and techniques to enable the measurement1 manipulation1 and control of matter at the nanoscale4 7#e7 ,in order for ,u4,s4 companies and society to benefit from this research1 the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative needs to support the engineering1 scale-up1 and commercialization of nanotechnology-enabled materials1 devices1 systems1 and products4 7#f7 ,an important achievement of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative is the development of an extensive infrastructure of interdisciplinary research1 development1 and education centers1 networks1 and user facilities that should be continued1 supported1 and expanded4 7#g7 ,the field of nanotechnology is expanding rapidly and is projected to develop closely with other emerging and converging bio and information technologies1 creating new science and engineering domains and manufacturing paradigms4 7#h7 ,the ,united ,states is the world leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology and the creation of nanotechnology knowledge as measured by the number and quality of scientific papers and patents4 ,however1 international indicators1 such as foreign government and corporate funding and publications and patent applications1 suggest that the ,united ,states is facing increasing global competition in nanotechnology4 7#i7 ,the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative is making important contributions to research1 responsible development1 and infrastructure relating to nanotechnology and in the commercialization of nanotechnology4 #fbc4 ,enhancement of management of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative 7a7 ,establishment of nanotechnology signature initiatives2 quadrennial strategic plan ,section #b of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geja7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#aj7 as paragraphs 7#d7 through 7#aa71 respectively2 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following3 7#c7 establish nanotechnology signature initiatives in focused areas of national importance 7as described in subsection 7d772 2 and 7,c7 by amending paragraph 7#e71 as redesignated1 to read as follows3 7#e7 develop1 not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative ,amendments ,act of #bjad1 and update not less frequently than once every #d years thereafter1 a strategic plan to guide the ,program activities described under subsection 7b7 that-- 7,a7 specifies-- 7i7 the overarching goals for the ,program2 7ii7 near-term and long-term objectives for the ,program2 and 7iii7 the metrics to be used for assessing progress toward such objectives2 7,b7 describes how the ,program will-- 7i7 allocate funding for interagency nanotechnology projects2 7ii7 encourage and support interdisciplinary research and development in nanotechnology2 and 7iii7 support the engineering1 scale-up1 and commercialization of nanotechnology necessary to move results out of the laboratory and into applications for the benefit of society1 including through cooperation and collaboration with nanotechnology research1 development1 and technology transition initiatives supported by the ,states2 7,c7 includes-- 7i7 recommendations for research and technology development that could be met through joint industry and government partnership2 and 7ii7 plans of participating agencies for categorizing and tracking investments in nanotechnology2 and 7,d7 addresses recommendations of the ,advisory ,panel and the ,national ,academy of ,sciences concerning the ,program2 2 7#b7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7e72 7#c7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,nanotechnology signature initiatives 7#a7 ,teams ,the ,council shall establish multiagency teams to carry out the nanotechnology signature initiatives established under subsection 7c77#c74 7#b7 ,joint solicitations and collaborative networks ,each team established under paragraph 7#a7 shall encourage joint agency solicitations and the establishment of collaborative nanotechnology research and development1 user facilities1 and education networks4 2 7#d7 in subsection 7e71 as redesignated by subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,senate ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation and the ,house of ,representatives ,committee on ,science and inserting ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#d7 through 7#f71 respectively2 7,c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following3 7#c7 the ,program budget for the current fiscal year and the proposed ,program budget for the next fiscal year for each nanotechnology signature initiative1 including a description of each initiative's research goals1 strategic plan1 expected outcomes for the next fiscal year1 and accomplishments2 2 and 7,d7 in paragraph 7#f71 as redesignated1 by striking the plan described in subsection 7c77#g71 and inserting the plan described in subsection 7c77#h712 and 7#e7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,designation as ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative ,the ,program shall also be known as the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative4 4 7b7 ,appointment of ,director of ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office as cochair of ,subcommittee on ,nanoscale ,science1 ,engineering1 and ,technology of ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,section #c of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gejb7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,cochair of ,subcommittee on ,nanoscale ,science1 ,engineering1 and ,technology ,the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy shall appoint the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office as a cochair of the ,subcommittee on ,nanoscale ,science1 ,engineering1 and ,technology of the ,council4 4 7c7 ,nanotechnology signature initiative defined ,section #aj of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geji7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 7#c71 7#d71 7#e71 and 7#f7 as paragraphs 7#b71 7#d71 7#f71 7#c71 7#a71 and 7#g71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#d71 as redesignated1 the following3 7#e7 ,nanotechnology signature initiative ,the term nanotechnology signature initiative means a ,program initiative established under section #b7;c77#c74 4 7d7 ,sense of ,congress on working groups of the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council should-- 7#a7 regularly assess the working groups of the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council to ensure that each working group is serving a useful management and coordination role related to the goals and objectives of the strategic plan of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative required under section #b7;c77#e7 of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geja7;c77#e771 as amended by subsection 7a77#a77;,c72 7#b7 redefine or eliminate working groups that are no longer useful and form new working groups as needed2 7#c7 consider creating new working groups in the areas of user facility oversight and coordination and education and workforce development2 and 7#d7 consider expanding the charters of the ,nanomanufacturing1 ,industry ,liaison and ,innovation ,working ,group and the ,nanotechnology ,environment and ,health ,implications ,working ,group to enable the groups to address more broadly cross-agency nanotechnology-related areas1 such as informatics1 modeling and simulation1 regulatory science1 and instrument development4 #fbd4 ,quadrennial reports by ,national ,nanotechnology ,advisory ,panel ,section #d7;d7 of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gejc7;d77 is amended to read as follows3 7d7 ,quadrennial reports ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council develops the strategic plan required under section #b7;c77#e7 and not less frequently than once every #d years thereafter1 the ,advisory ,panel shall submit a report to the ,president and ,congress that includes-- 7#a7 the assessments of the ,advisory ,panel under subsection 7c72 and 7#b7 the recommendations of the ,advisory ,panel for ways to improve the ,program4 4 #fbe4 ,quadrennial external review of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative ,section #e of the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gejd7 is amended to read as follows3 #e4 ,quadrennial external review of ,national ,nanotechnology ,program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office shall seek to enter into an arrangement with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences to conduct a quadrennial review of the ,program4 ,the ,director shall ensure that the arrangement with the ,national ,research ,council is concluded in order to allow sufficient time to comply with the reporting requirements under subsection 7c74 7b7 ,scope of work ,the ,director shall negotiate with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences regarding the scope of work to be performed1 which shall include-- 7#a7 a review of the research priorities of the ,program1 including whether the amount and allocation of funding among program component areas and nanotechnology signature initiatives is appropriate to accomplish the ,program's goals and objectives2 7#b7 an evaluation of the ,program's management and coordination across agencies and disciplines1 including the effectiveness of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office in providing technical and administrative support to the ,program2 and 7#c7 an assessment of the ,program's success in transferring technology to the private sector and recommendations for improving technology demonstration1 transfer1 and commercialization4 7c7 ,quadrennial reports ,not later than #iac days after the date on which the development of the strategic plan required under section #b7;c77#e7 is completed and not less frequently than once every #d years thereafter1 the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office shall submit a report to the ,advisory ,panel and ,congress that describes the results of the most recent quadrennial review carried out under subsection 7a74 4 #fbf4 ,nanotechnology transfer1 commercialization1 and roadmaps 7a7 ,technology transfer and commercialization ,the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geja et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #aj as section #ac2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #i the following3 #aj4 ,technology transfer and commercialization 7a7 ,public outreach and education 7#a7 ,by participating agencies ,the ,council shall encourage agencies participating in the ,program to inform the public about-- 7,a7 the science1 technology1 and benefits of nanotechnology2 and 7,b7 the commercial products enabled by nanotechnology4 7#b7 ,national nanotechnology coordination office ,the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office shall inform the public about the matters described in paragraph 7#a74 7b7 ,access to facilities 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,council shall encourage the head of each agency that participates in the ,program and supports a federally owned or operated nanotechnology research center or designated user facility as part of the ,program to provide access to such center or facility to a representative of industry1 academia1 or other potential user of such center or facility for the purpose of-- 7,a7 transferring research results2 7,b7 demonstrating models of nanoscale- or nanotechnology-enabled products or devices2 or 7,c7 demonstrative processes for determining proof of concept4 7#b7 ,policy ,the head of each agency described in paragraph 7#a7 shall develop a policy on providing access to the centers and facilities described in such paragraph1 which shall include whether such access necessitates imposing a user fee4 7c7 ,support of standards development 7#a7 ,in general ,the head of an agency participating in the ,program shall support the development of domestic and international standards for nanotechnology4 7#b7 ,travel expenses ,the head of an agency participating in the ,program may reimburse the travel expenses of an employee of the agency who participates in activities relating to development under paragraph 7#a74 4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council should encourage groups in nanotechnology-enabled industries to participate in developing technology roadmaps and in partnering to address long-term research and development needs2 7#b7 when appropriate1 agencies participating in the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative should use the prize authority granted under section #bd of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgai7 to conduct prize competitions in order to spur innovation1 solve difficult problems1 and advance their core mission2 and 7#c7 to the greatest extent practical1 agencies participating in the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative that conduct a ,small ,business ,innovation ,research program or a ,small ,business ,technology ,transfer program should-- 7,a7 encourage the submission of applications for nanoscience- and nanotechnology-related projects to such programs2 and 7,b7 utilize authorities under subsections 7cc7 and 7gg7 of section #i of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fch7 to accelerate the commercialization of ,small ,business ,innovation ,research program and ,small ,business ,technology ,transfer program nanoscience and nanotechnology research4 #fbg4 ,publication of data concerning nanotechnology ,the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geja et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #aj1 as added by section #fbf7;a77#b71 the following3 #aa4 ,publication of data ,the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office shall serve as a central repository to collect1 track1 analyze1 and report data regarding-- 7#a7 the impact of nanotechnology on the ,u4,s4 economy2 7#b7 publications concerning nanotechnology2 7#c7 patents relating to nanotechnology2 7#d7 educational activities relating to nanotechnology2 and 7#e7 matters concerning the ,u4,s4 workforce and nanotechnology4 4 #fbh4 ,national ,science ,foundation evaluation of investments of ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative in education and workforce training ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,national ,science ,foundation1 in cooperation with the ,secretary of ,education and the ,secretary of ,labor and working with the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordination ,office1 shall-- 7#a7 evaluate the investments of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative in education and workforce training2 and 7#b7 submit to ,congress a report on the findings of the ,national ,science ,foundation with respect to the evaluation carried out under paragraph 7#a74 #fbi4 ,sharing of best practices of centers1 networks1 and user facilities ,the #bast ,century ,nanotechnology ,research and ,development ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #geja et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #aa1 as added by section #fbg1 the following3 #ab4 ,sharing of best practices of centers1 networks1 and user facilities ,the ,council1 working with the ,director of the ,national ,nanotechnology ,coordinating ,office1 shall periodically convene meetings for nanotechnology related centers1 networks1 and user facilities to share best practices regarding-- 7#a7 strategic planning2 7#b7 intellectual property management2 7#c7 outreach to industry2 and 7#d7 technology demonstration1 transfer1 and commercialization4 4 #fcj4 ,sense of ,congress regarding environment1 health1 and safety matters concerning nanotechnology 7a7 ,sense of ,congress on coordination regarding environment1 health1 and safety research relating to nanotechnology ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council should-- 7#a7 coordinate the development by the agencies participating in the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative of performance measures1 targets1 timeframes1 cost estimates and available resources for nanotechnology environment1 health1 and safety research that align with the research needs of the ,initiative1 consistent with the agencies' respective statutory authorities2 and 7#b7 include the information described in paragraph 7#a7 in publicly available reports4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress on funding cross-,agency activities ,it is the sense of ,congress that the head of each agency participating in the ,national ,nanotechnology ,initiative should consider funding cross-agency activities of the environment1 health1 and safety program component area1 such as partnerships1 informatics1 regulatory science1 nanotoxicology1 models1 and instrument development4