Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “US–Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act of 2014”.
US–Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act of 2014
A BILL
To provide for the establishment of a grant program to support United States-Israeli cooperation for neuroscience-related research, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds that—
it is in the highest national security interests of the United States to develop neuroscience-related research and neurotechnology;
the State of Israel is a steadfast ally of the United States;
the special relationship between the United States and Israel is manifested in a variety of cooperative scientific research and development programs, such as—
the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation; and
the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation;
those programs have made possible many scientific, technological, and commercial breakthroughs in the fields of life sciences, medicine, bioengineering, agriculture, biotechnology, communications, and others;
in December 2011 the Office of Science and Technology Policy was directed by Congress to establish an Interagency Working Group on Neuroscience which was chartered on June 20, 2012, is housed at the White House, and is currently convening representatives across the Federal Government to make recommendations about the future of neuroscience research;
Israeli scientists and engineers are at the forefront of research and development in the field of neuroscience;
Israel Brain Technologies is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to turn Israel into a global brain technology and research leader by—
supporting applied brain research;
accelerating brain technology development;
creating and fostering a community around neurotechnology; and
attracting key stakeholders to partner and support brain technology in Israel; and
enhanced cooperation between the United States and Israel for the purpose of research and development of neuroscience would be in the national interests of both countries.
Sec. 3 Grants for neuroscience-related research
Authority— The Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, shall award grants to eligible entities for neuroscience-related research.
Application—
Submission of applications— To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary containing such information and assurances as the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, may require.
Selection of eligible entities— The Secretary, in consultation with the Directors of the BIRD and BSF, may review any application submitted by any eligible entity and select any eligible entity meeting criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board, for a grant under this section.
Amount of grant— The amount of each grant awarded for a fiscal year under this section shall be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF.
Recoupment—
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish procedures and criteria for recoupment in connection with any eligible project carried out by an eligible entity that receives a grant under this section, which has led to the development of a product or process which is marketed or used.
Amount required—
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), such recoupment shall be required as a condition for award and be proportional to the Federal share of the costs of such project, and shall be derived from the proceeds of royalties or licensing fees received in connection with such product or process.
In the case where a product or process is used by the recipient of a grant under this section for the production and sale of its own products or processes, the recoupment shall consist of a payment equivalent to the payment which would be made under subparagraph (A).
Waiver— The Secretary may at any time waive or defer all or some of the recoupment requirements of this subsection as necessary, depending on—
the commercial competitiveness of the entity or entities developing or using the product or process;
the profitability of the project; and
the commercial viability of the product or process utilized.
Private funds— The Secretary may accept contributions of funds from private sources to carry out this Act.
Report— Not later than 180 days after receiving a grant under this section, each recipient shall submit a report to the Secretary—
documenting how the recipient used the grant funds; and
evaluating the level of success of each project funded by the grant.
Sec. 4 International Neuroscience-Related Research Advisory Board
Establishment— There is established in the National Institutes of Health an International Neuroscience-Related Research Advisory Board.
Duties— The Advisory Board shall advise the Secretary on—
criteria for the recipients of grants awarded under section 3(a);
the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD; and
the total amount of grant money to be awarded to all grantees selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BSF, for each fiscal year.
Membership—
Composition— The Advisory Board shall be composed of—
1 member appointed by the Director of the National Science Foundation;
1 member appointed by the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
1 member appointed by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
in addition to the member appointed under subparagraph (B), 3 members who shall be Israeli citizens, appointed by the Director of the National Institutes of Health after consultation with appropriate officials in the Israeli Government.
Deadline for appointments— The initial appointments under paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
Term— Each member of the Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of 4 years.
Vacancies— A vacancy on the Advisory Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
Basic pay—
Compensation— A member of the Advisory Board shall serve without pay.
Travel expenses— Each member of the Advisory Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions of subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
Quorum— Three members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum.
Chairperson— The Chairperson of the Advisory Board shall be designated by the Director of the National Institutes of Health from among the members appointed by the Director at the time of the appointment.
Meetings— The Advisory Board shall meet at least once annually at the call of the Chairperson.
Termination— Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Advisory Board.
Sec. 5 Definitions
In this Act:
Advisory board— The term Advisory Board means the International Neuroscience-Related Research Advisory Board established by section 4(a).
BIRD— The term BIRD means the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation.
BSF— The term BSF means the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation.
Eligible entity— The term eligible entity means a joint venture comprised of both Israeli and United States private business entities or a joint venture comprised of both Israeli academic persons (who reside and work in Israel) and United States academic persons, that—
carries out an eligible project; and
is selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the BIRD or BSF, using the criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Board.
Eligible project— The term eligible project means a project to encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on neuroscience-related research.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Sec. 6 Termination
The grant program authorized under section 3 and the Advisory Board shall terminate upon the expiration of the 7-year period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Sec. 7 Authorization of appropriations
The Secretary is authorized to expend not more than $20,000,000 to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2020.