article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``EPSCoR Research and Competitiveness Act of 2006''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) Ensuring regional diversity in research funding is an essential strategy in strengthening international competitiveness. (2) Economic development in high technology fields is often advanced by industrial partnerships with near by strong research institutions from which companies can acquire intellectual property, highly trained staff, and vital resources. (3) The National Science Foundation is an independent Federal agency created by Congress in 1950 ``to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and to secure the national defense''. (4) Congress has subsequently directed that, ``it shall be an objective of the Foundation to strengthen research and education in the sciences and engineering, including independent research by individuals, throughout the United States, and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education''. (5) Currently, Foundation research investments are concentrated in a small number of States. In contrast, 25 other States together receive less than 10 percent of the Foundation's research funding, yet these States are home to 20 percent of the population, 25 percent of doctoral/research universities, and 18 percent of academic scientists and engineers. (6) Insufficient research infrastructure diminishes the ability of many universities to compete effectively for research funding, and thereby limits their contributions to regional economic development and international competitiveness. (7) The Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR, is the primary program by which the Foundation seeks to improve the research infrastructure of institutions in States that presently receive small portions of Foundation funding. EPSCoR is thus an important component of national efforts to increase innovation and improve competitiveness. SEC. 3. FUNDING. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Foundation for EPSCoR-- (1) $125,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and (2) for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011, an amount equal to the sum of-- (A) $125,000,000; and (B) $125,000,000 multiplied by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the Foundation's budget request for such fiscal year exceeds the total amount appropriated to the Foundation for fiscal year 2007. SEC. 4. RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS. (a) In General.--In the administration of the Foundation's research infrastructure improvement grant program, the Director shall authorize States participating in the grant program to include partnerships with out-of-State research institutions if the amount of funding transferred to another State does not exceed 5 percent of the amount of the grant in any fiscal year. (b) Authorization Level.--From amounts appropriated pursuant to section 3, the Director shall make available to the research infrastructure improvement grant program-- (1) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and (2) for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011, an amount equal to the sum of-- (A) $75,000,000; and (B) $75,000,000 multiplied by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the Foundation's budget request for such fiscal year exceeds the total amount appropriated to the Foundation for fiscal year 2007. SEC. 5. CO-FUNDING. (a) In General.--For each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011, the Director shall obligate and expend not less than 20 percent of the amount available for EPSCoR on co-funding projects that are ranked, by a peer-review process, in the top 20 percent of all proposals submitted in response to an announced competition. (b) Annual Report.--The Director shall submit an annual report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science that provides information about-- (1) co-funded projects on a State-by-State basis for the preceding year; and (2) the amount and use of co-funding by each of the Foundation's directorates for that year. SEC. 6. CYBER INFRASTRUCTURE. Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, through the Office of Cyber Infrastructure, shall develop and publish a plan enabling States participating in EPSCoR to participate fully in the Foundation's Cyber Infrastructure Initiative. SEC. 7. MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION. Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, through the Office of Major Research Instrumentation, shall develop and publish a plan enabling States participating in EPSCoR to develop partnerships and participate fully in the Foundation's major research instrumentation program. SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Science Foundation. (2) EPSCoR.--The term ``EPSCoR'' means the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research authorized by section 113 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862g). (3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National Science Foundation.D23/
summary: EPSCoR Research and Competitiveness Act of 2006 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2011 to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Requires the Director of the NSF: (1) in the administration of the NSF's research infrastructure improvement grant program, to authorize states participating in the grant program to include partnership with out-of-state research institutions if the amount of funding transferred to another state does not exceed 5% of the amount of the grant in any fiscal year; and (2) from the amounts appropriated pursuant to this Act, to make available specified amounts for FY2007-FY2011 to such grant program. Requires the Director to obligate and spend not less than 20% of the amount available for EPSCoR on co-funding projects that are ranked by a peer-review process in the top 20% of all proposals submitted in response to an announced competition. Requires the submission of annual reports providing information concerning: (1) co-funded projects on a state-by-state basis; and (2) the amount and use of co-funding by each of the NSF's directorates. Requires the Director: (1) through the Office of Cyber Infrastructure, to develop and publish a plan enabling states participating in EPSCoR to develop partnerships and participate fully in the NSF's Cyber Infrastructure Initiative; and (2) through the Office of Major Research Instrumentation, to develop and publish a plan enabling states participating in EPSCoR to develop partnerships and participate fully in the NSF's major research instrumentation program.