S. 124
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
To invest in the future of the United States by doubling the amount authorized for basic science and medical research.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 21, 1997
Mr. Gramm (for himself, Mr. Mack, and Mrs. Hutchison) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources
A BILL
To invest in the future of the United States by doubling the amount authorized for basic science and medical research.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Research Investment Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) for fiscal year 1965, 5.7 percent of the Federal budget was expended for nondefense research and development activities;(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:(2) for fiscal year 1997, the percentage of the Federal budget allocated for nondefense research and development activities is 1.9 percent, which is 67 percent less than the percentage in fiscal year 1965;
(3) for the first time in 25 years during the period beginning with fiscal year 1992 and ending with fiscal year 1995, the amount of funds expended by the Federal Government on research (expressed in real dollars) declined each year;
(4) during the period beginning with fiscal year 1970, and ending with fiscal year 1995, the United States had not, during any fiscal year, expended an amount for nondefense research and development activities, that, expressed as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product, was greater than or equal to the percentage expended by Japan or Germany for that fiscal year; and
(5) an increased level of investment in basic science and medical research by the Federal Government is essential to maintaining the position of the United States as the technological leader of the world.
(1) To double the annual authorized amount of Federal funding for basic science and medical research over the 10-year period following the date of enactment of this Act, so that the amount of Federal funding for fiscal year 2007 is equal to $65,000,000,000.(2) To restore the high priority that science and technology had previously been afforded in the Federal budget.
(3) To invest in the future of the United States and the people of the United States by expanding the research activities referred to in paragraph (1).
(4) To enhance the quality of life for all the people of the United States.
(5) To guarantee the leadership of the United States in science and medicine.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Funds for Covered Research and Development Defined.--For purposes of this section, the term ``funds for covered research and development'' means--
(1) any funds made available by appropriations for--(A) the National Science Foundation;(B) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
(C) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce;
(D) the National Institute for Standards and Technology of the Department of Commerce; and
(E) the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(2) any funds made available by appropriations for use for research and development activities (as that term is used in the most recent applicable appropriations Act with respect to a Federal Agency) for basic science or medical research--
(A) by the Centers for Disease Control of the Department of Health and Human Services;(B) by the Department of Energy (to the extent that the activities are not defense-related activities);
(C) by the Department of Agriculture;
(D) by the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(E) by the Smithsonian Institution; and
(F) by the Department of Education; and
(3) any funds made available by appropriations to the Environmental Protection Agency for science and technology activities for basic science or medical research.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the limitations under paragraph (2), there are authorized to be appropriated as funds for covered research and development--(A) for fiscal year 1998, $35,750,000,000, of which $14,025,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;(B) for fiscal year 1999, $39,000,000,000, of which $15,300,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(C) for fiscal year 2000, $42,250,000,000, of which $16,575,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(D) for fiscal year 2001, $45,500,000,000, of which $17,850,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(E) for fiscal year 2002, $48,750,000,000, of which $19,125,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(F) for fiscal year 2003, $52,000,000,000, of which $20,400,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(G) for fiscal year 2004, $55,250,000,000, of which $21,675,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(H) for fiscal year 2005, $58,500,000,000, of which $22,950,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(I) for fiscal year 2006, $61,750,000,000, of which $24,225,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services; and
(J) for fiscal year 2007, $65,000,000,000, of which $25,500,000,000 shall be used by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.
(2) Limitations.--
(A) Development of public information.--In using funds made available under this section, the appropriate officials shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure that priority is given to basic scientific research that has the purpose of developing scientific information to be available to the general public.(B) Use of funds.--No funds made available pursuant to the authorization under this subsection may be used for commercial purposes, except that such funds may only be used for precompetitive research and development for technology.
(C) Peer review.--In allocating funds made available under this section, the appropriate officials shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure that a peer review system is used.
SEC. 4. COMPLIANCE WITH DISCRETIONARY CAPS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds may be made available under this Act in a manner that does not conform with the discretionary spending caps provided in the most recently adopted concurrent resolution on the budget.
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