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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§1862o–5 Meeting Critical National Science Needs

Title 42 › Chapter 16— NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION › § 1862o–5

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director must look at how much a research award or activity would help meet important national needs in areas like science, technology, engineering, math, and social sciences, and goals like innovation, competitiveness, and safety and security. The Director must give priority when choosing grants and using the Foundation’s research money to projects likely to help those fields or goals. That requirement does not stop the Foundation from funding other types of research or change its main mission.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §1862o–5

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

(a)In addition to any other criteria, the Director shall include consideration of the degree to which awards and research activities that otherwise qualify for support by the Foundation may assist in meeting critical national needs in innovation, competitiveness, safety and security, the physical and natural sciences, technology, engineering, social sciences, and mathematics.
(b)The Director shall give priority in the selection of awards and the allocation of Foundation resources to proposed research activities, and grants funded under the Foundation’s Research and Related Activities Account, that can be expected to make contributions in physical or natural science, technology, engineering, social sciences, or mathematics, or that enhance competitiveness, innovation, or safety and security in the United States.
(c)Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict or bias the grant selection process against funding other areas of research deemed by the Foundation to be consistent with its mandate nor to change the core mission of the Foundation.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the America COMPETES Act, also known as the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 7001 of Pub. L. 110–69, set out as a note under section 1862o of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 1862o–5

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60