,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #fcg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #i1 #bjba,mr4     
,blum5?al 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,mr4
 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,br[n1 ,mr4 ,van ,holl51  
,ms4 ,klobu*>1 & ,ms4 ,hirono7 introduc$
 ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice &      
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,comm]ce1     
,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a ,,bill   
,to =e/all ! loss ( rese>* tal5t by     
e/abli%+ a tempor>y e>ly c>e] rese>*    
fell[%ip program4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is 
,act may be cit$ z ! ,support+          
,e>ly-,c>e] ,rese>*]s ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s 
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,!        
,nation's univ]sities & indu/rial rese>*
 labs are fac+ unprec$5t$ budget        
pressure z "p ( ! ,,covid-#ai heal?     
crisis1 result+ 9 consid]ably few] op5+s
 = rese>* & tea*+ positions4  7#b7      
,em]g5cy fund+ is ne$$ to =e/all ! loss 
( rese>* tal5t likely to occur if       
e>ly-c>e] rese>*]s are =c$ to seek      
employm5t outside ( rese>* due to ! %>p 
economic decl9e caus$ by ! ,,covid-#ai  

heal? crisis4  #c4 ,e>ly-c>e] rese>*    
fell[%ip program  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!       
,director ( ! ,national ,sci5ce         
,f\ndation may e/abli% a #b-ye> pilot   
program to aw>d grants to highly        
qualifi$ e>ly-c>e] inve/igators to c>ry 
out an indep5d5t rese>* program at !    
in/itution ( high] education *os5 by su*
 inve/igator1 to la/ = a p]iod n great] 
?an #b ye>s4  7b7 ,in/itution ( high]   
education def9$ ,! t]m in/itution (     
high] education has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9
 section #aja ( ! ,high] ,education ,act
 ( #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74  7c7    
,priority = broad5+ p>ticipation ,9     
aw>d+ grants "u ?is section1 ! ,director
 ( ! ,national ,sci5ce ,f\ndation %all  
give priority to-- 7#a7 e>ly-c>e]       
inve/igators :o are f gr\ps t are       
und]repres5t$ 9 sci5tific rese>*2 &     
7#b7 e>ly-c>e] inve/igators :o *oose to 
c>ry out indep5d5t rese>* at a          
m9ority-s]v+ in/itution4  #d4 ,reports  
7a7 ,reports f grantees ,n lat] ?an #ahj
 days aft] ! end ( ! pilot program "u   

section #c1 ea* e>ly-c>e] inve/igator :o
 receives a grant "u ?is ,act %all      
submit a report to ! ,director ( !      
,national ,sci5ce ,f\ndation t describes
 h[ ! e>ly-c>e] inve/igator us$ ! grant 
funds "u ?is ,act4  7b7 ,report to      
,congress ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !  
deadl9e = ! submission ( ! reports      
describ$ 9 subsection 7a71 ! ,director (
 ! ,national ,sci5ce ,f\ndation %all    
submit a report to ! ,committee on      
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation ( !
 ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,sci5ce1      
,space1 & ,te*nology ( ! ,h\se (        
,repres5tatives t conta9s a summ>y ( !  
uses ( grant funds & ! impact ( ! grant 
program "u ?is ,act4