Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§5521 National Science Foundation activities

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 81— - HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - AGENCY ACTIVITIES › § 5521

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The National Science Foundation must provide high-powered computing and networking support for all science and engineering fields. It must also support basic research and training in every part of networking and information technology. The Foundation must use its current programs, and work with other agencies when needed, to improve how networking and IT are taught at all school levels and to increase who enters these fields, including people named in sections 1885a and 1885b of title 42.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §5521

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As part of the Program described in subchapter I—
(1)the National Science Foundation shall provide high-end computing and networking infrastructure support for all science and engineering disciplines, and support basic research and human resource development in all aspects of networking and information technology; and
(2)the National Science Foundation shall use its existing programs, in collaboration with other agencies, as appropriate, to improve the teaching and learning of networking and information technology at all levels of education and to increase participation in networking and information technology fields, including by individuals identified in section 1885a and 1885b of title 42.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(j)(1)(A), (2), struck out subsec. (a) designation and heading “General responsibilities” and struck out subsec. (b) which authorized appropriations for fiscal years 1992 to 1996. Par. (1). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(j)(1)(B), inserted “high-end” after “National Science Foundation shall provide” and substituted “networking and information technology; and” for “high-performance computing and advanced high-speed computer networking;”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(j)(1)(C), (D), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “to the extent that colleges, universities, and libraries cannot connect to the Network with the assistance of the private sector, the National Science Foundation shall have primary responsibility for assisting colleges, universities, and libraries to connect to the Network;”. Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(j)(1)(C), struck out pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows: “(3) the National Science Foundation shall serve as the primary source of information on access to and use of the Network; and “(4) the National Science Foundation shall upgrade the National Science Foundation funded network, assist regional networks to upgrade their capabilities, and provide other Federal departments and agencies the opportunity to connect to the National Science Foundation funded network.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 5521

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73