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Legislation News & Report (TM) TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Managing America: Authorizations |
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TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Week Ending May 4, 2006
H.R.1867 To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 for the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes.
The National Science Foundation is authorized for spending and programs in this bill in advance of the actual appropriation of funds. The Foundation is the president’s official source of advice and council on science related matters and policy although a president may hire others for that advice. NSF is charged with strengthening the Nation’s base of science and engineering knowledge and research. Grants are generally long term and made to universities, non-profits and research organizations. Besides setting specific spending priorities over the next 5 years the bill focuses particularly in the area of grant awards and giving responsibility to the NSF Board to oversee, revise and report on many NSF grant programs.
Institutions and others submit proposals to NSF and the Board will now determine if NSF policies are well justified and appropriate for the types and number of proposals coming from academia. The Board will evaluate the role of NSF in supporting interdisciplinary research, the effectiveness of NSF’s efforts to provide information to the scientific community about opportunities for funding of interdisciplinary research proposals and the process by which they are selected for funding. How well undergraduate students are engaged in the program would also be assessed.
The Director will implement a pilot program to award one-year grants to individuals for assistance in improving research proposals previously submitted but not selected, and to help them resubmit an improved proposal. The Director shall give special consideration to proposals that involve partnerships between academic researchers and industrial scientists and engineers that address research in areas considered as having high importance for future national economic competitiveness such as nanotechnology.
Partnerships of universities with industry are encouraged particularly with industries in areas identified as having high importance for future national economic competitiveness. The effort would include cost sharing by the industry partners.
Grants for post-doctoral research must include a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided. Those activities might include career counseling, training in preparing grants, guidance on improving teaching skills and training in research ethics.
Various reports are due. One to Congress would evaluate provision in this bill as they are carried out by NSF. Any construction plans must be reviewed by the Board as will be maintenance and operations costs. A report is also due Congress on NSF education programs, and undergraduate research programs.
The Centers for Research on Learning and Education Improvement, a 2002 program, will continue. Research results will be posted on the NSF website.
Sponsor: Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA-3rd) Vote: Passed House 399 to 17 May 2. 2007 (RC 295) Cost to the taxpayers: Approx. $28 billion. $6,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. $6,980,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. $7,493,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
Earmark Certification: Not applicable to this bill. ## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM) No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)
MORE INFORMATION AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE BILL
AMENDMENTS Amendments For H.R.18671. H.AMDT.128 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 1 printed in the
Congressional Record to add a new subsection at the end of section 3 with
respect to global warming education. 2. H.AMDT.129 to H.R.1867 An amendment to insert a new paragraph
after paragraph 1 of the Honda amendment to clarify what such materials,
exhibits, and multimedia presentations shall reflect. 3. H.AMDT.130 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 9 printed in the
Congressional Record to insert a new paragraph with respect to limitation.
4. H.AMDT.131 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 5 printed in the
Congressional Record to prohibit the use of funds in the bill for
specified research activities. 5. H.AMDT.132 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 4 printed in the
Congressional Record to reduce funds authorized in section 3 by 1 percent.
6. H.AMDT.133 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 7 printed in the
Congressional Record to solicit proposals for annual research on mercury
levels in each of the Great Lakes, with details on the trend and source of
mercury in the water levels and aquatic life. 7. H.AMDT.134 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 10 printed in
the Congressional Record to limit funds for research related to
reproductive aging and diet and social stratification. 8. H.AMDT.135 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 7 printed in the
Congressional Record to Strike section 6. 9. H.AMDT.136 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 8 printed in the
Congressional Record to provide grant supplements, on a competitive,
merit-reviewed basis, to institutions receiving awards under the
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program. 10. H.AMDT.137 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 6 printed in
the Congressional Record to state the sense of the Congress regarding the
mathematics and science partnership programs of the Department of
Education and the National Science Foundation. 11. H.AMDT.138 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 3 printed in
the Congressional Record to establish a new program to award grants on a
competitive, merit-reviewed basis to Hispanic-serving institutions to
enhance the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education at such institutions and to increase the
retention and graduation rates of students pursuing associate's or
baccalaureate degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
12. H.AMDT.139 to H.R.1867 An amendment numbered 2 printed in
the Congressional Record to authorize appropriations made by this Act or
other provisions of this Act that results in costs to the Federal
Government. SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.(a) Fiscal Year 2008- (1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $6,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. (2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS- Of the amount authorized under paragraph (1)-- (A) $5,080,000,000 shall be made available for research and related activities, of which $115,000,000 shall be made available for the Major Research Instrumentation program; (B) $873,000,000 shall be made available for education and human resources, of which-- (i) $94,000,000 shall be for Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships established under section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n); (ii) $70,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program established under section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1); (iii) $44,000,000 shall be for the Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Talent Expansion Program established under section 8(7) of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368); and (iv) $51,620,000 shall be for the Advanced Technological Education program established by section 3(a) of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-476); (C) $245,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; (D) $285,600,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; (E) $4,050,000 shall be made available for the Office of the National Science Board; and (F) $12,350,000 shall be made available for the Office of Inspector General. (b) Fiscal Year 2009- (1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $6,980,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. (2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS- Of the amount authorized under paragraph (1)-- (A) $5,457,400,000 shall be made available for research and related activities, of which $123,100,000 shall be made available for the Major Research Instrumentation program; (B) $934,000,000 shall be made available for education and human resources, of which-- (i) $100,600,000 shall be for Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships established under section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n); (ii) $101,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program established under section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1); (iii) $55,000,000 shall be for the Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Talent Expansion Program established under section 8(7) of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368); and (iv) $55,200,000 shall be for the Advanced Technological Education program as established by section 3(a) of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-476); (C) $262,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; (D) $309,760,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; (E) $4,120,000 shall be made available for the Office of the National Science Board; and (F) $12,720,000 shall be made available for the Office of Inspector General. (c) Fiscal Year 2010- (1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation $7,493,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. (2) SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS- Of the amount authorized under paragraph (1)-- (A) $5,863,200,000 shall be made available for research and related activities, of which $131,700,000 shall be made available for the Major Research Instrumentation program; (B) $1,003,000,000 shall be made available for education and human resources, of which-- (i) $107,600,000 shall be for Mathematics and Science Education Partnerships established under section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n); (ii) $133,000,000 shall be for the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program established under section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1); (iii) $60,000,000 shall be for the Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Talent Expansion Program established under section 8(7) of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368); and (iv) $59,100,000 shall be for the Advanced Technological Education program as established by section 3(a) of the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-476); (C) $280,000,000 shall be made available for major research equipment and facilities construction; (D) $329,450,000 shall be made available for agency operations and award management; (E) $4,250,000 shall be made available for the Office of the National Science Board; and (F) $13,100,000 shall be made available for the Office of Inspector General. (d) Major Research Instrumentation- (1) AWARD AMOUNT- The minimum amount of an award under the Major Research Instrumentation program shall be $100,000. The maximum amount of an award under the program shall be $6,000,000, except-- (A) if the total amount appropriated for the program for a fiscal year exceeds $125,000,000, in which case the maximum amount of an award shall be $8,000,000; or (B) if the total amount appropriated for the program for a fiscal year exceeds $200,000,000, in which case the maximum amount of an award shall be $12,000,000. (2) USE OF FUNDS- In addition to the acquisition of instrumentation and equipment, funds made available by awards under the Major Research Instrumentation program may be used to support the operations and maintenance of such instrumentation and equipment. (3) COST SHARING- (A) IN GENERAL- An institution of higher education receiving an award shall provide at least 30 percent of the cost from private or non-Federal sources. (B) EXCEPTIONS- Institutions of higher education that are not Ph.D.-granting institutions are exempt from the cost sharing requirement in subparagraph (A), and the Director may reduce or waive the cost sharing requirement for institutions-- (i) which are not ranked among the top 100 institutions receiving Federal research and development funding, as documented by the statistical data published by the Foundation; and (ii) for which the proposed project will make a substantial improvement in the institution's capabilities to conduct leading edge research, to provide research experiences for undergraduate students using leading edge facilities, and to broaden the participation in science and engineering research by individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b). (e) Undergraduate Education Programs- The Director shall continue to carry out programs in support of undergraduate education, including those authorized in section 17 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-6). Funding for these programs shall increase in proportion to the increase in the total amount appropriated to the Foundation in any year for which appropriations are authorized by this Act.
## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM) No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)
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