§1862s–1 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Require the Foundation to give clear public explanations for every grant or cooperative agreement it funds. Law says public trust and steady federal support depend on people understanding why basic research matters. The Foundation has made some progress on openness, but it must do more to explain how each award serves the national interest. The Foundation’s Director must issue and update guidance for staff and for people who take part in grant reviews. The guidance must make each public notice justify federal spending by (1) saying how the project fits the Foundation’s mission under the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) and how it meets the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts standards, and (2) stating the project’s research goals in plain language that both technical and nontechnical audiences can understand.

Title 42, §1862s–1

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)11 So in original. Probably should be preceded by introductory text. building the understanding of and confidence in investments in basic research is essential to public support for sustained, predictable Federal funding;

(2)the Foundation has improved transparency and accountability of the outcomes made through the merit review process, but additional transparency into individual grants is valuable in communicating and assuring the public value of federally funded research; and

(3)the Foundation should commit to transparency and accountability and to clear, consistent public communication regarding the national interest for each Foundation-awarded grant and cooperative agreement.

(b)(1)The Director of the Foundation shall issue and periodically update, as appropriate, policy guidance for both Foundation staff and other Foundation merit review process participants on the importance of transparency and accountability to the outcomes made through the merit review process.

(2)The guidance under paragraph (1) shall require that each public notice of a Foundation-funded research project justify the expenditure of Federal funds by—

(A)describing how the project—

(i)reflects the statutory mission of the Foundation, as established in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.); and

(ii)addresses the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria; and

(B)clearly identifying the research goals of the project in a manner that can be easily understood by both technical and non-technical audiences.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A)(i), is act May 10, 1950, ch. 171, 64 Stat. 149, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1861 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter. Section is comprised of section 102 of Pub. L. 114–329. Subsec. (c) of section 102 of Pub. L. 114–329 amended section 1862p–14 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 2 of Pub. L. 114–329, set out as a note under section 1862s of this title.

§1862s–1 Transparency and accountability