US Codex
Bill
Notes

Title IV — Research

S. 2177 · 113th Congress · Mar 27, 2014 · Lineage

IV Research

Sec. 401 Research strategy and priorities

(a)
Comprehensive research strategy and agenda—
(1)
Recommendation— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall recommend to the Director a comprehensive strategy for fostering and improving peer-reviewed scientific research relating to the forensic science disciplines, including research addressing issues of validity, reliability, and accuracy in the forensic science disciplines.
(2)
Establishment— After the Director receives recommendations from the Board under paragraph (1), the Director shall, in accordance with section 101(f)(3), establish a comprehensive strategy for fostering and improving peer-reviewed scientific research relating to the forensic science disciplines.
(3)
Review—
(A)
Board review— Not less frequently than once every 5 years, the Board shall—
(i)
review the comprehensive strategy established under paragraph (2); and
(ii)
recommend any necessary updates to the comprehensive strategy.
(B)
Updates— After the Director receives recommendations from the Board under subparagraph (A), the Director shall, in accordance with section 101(f)(3), update the comprehensive strategy as necessary and appropriate.
(b)
Research funding priorities—
(1)
Recommendation— Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall recommend to the Director a list of priorities for forensic science research funding.
(2)
Establishment— After the Director receives the list from the Board under paragraph (1), the Director shall, in accordance with section 101(f)(3), establish a list of priorities for forensic science research funding.
(3)
Review— Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the Board shall—
(A)
review—
(i)
the list of priorities established under paragraph (2); and
(ii)
the findings of the relevant Committees made under subsection (c); and
(B)
recommend any necessary updates to the list of priorities, incorporating, as appropriate, the findings of the Committees under subsection (c).
(4)
Updates— After the Director receives the recommendations under paragraph (3), the Director shall, in accordance with section 101(f)(3), update as necessary the list of research funding priorities.
(c)
Evaluation of research needs— Not later than 2 years after the date on which all members of a Committee have been appointed under section 103, and periodically thereafter, the Committee shall—
(1)
examine and evaluate the scientific research in each forensic science discipline within the responsibility of the Committee;
(2)
conduct comprehensive surveys of scientific research relating to each forensic science discipline within the responsibility of the Committee;
(3)
examine the research needs in each forensic science discipline within the responsibility of the Committee and identify key areas in which further scientific research is needed; and
(4)
develop and submit to the Board a list of research needs and priorities.
(d)
Consideration— In developing the initial research strategy, research priorities, and surveys required under this section, the Board and the Director shall consider any findings, surveys, and analyses relating to research in forensic science disciplines, including those made by the Subcommittee on Forensic Science of the National Science and Technology Council.

Sec. 402 Research grants

(a)
Competitive grants—
(1)
Definition— In this subsection, the term eligible entity means—
(A)
a nonprofit academic or research institution;
(B)
an accredited forensic science laboratory; and
(C)
any other entity designated by the Director of NIST.
(2)
Peer-review research grants—
(A)
In general— Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding required under section 101(d), the Director of NIST may, on a competitive basis and using funds appropriated to NIST for forensic science purposes, make grants to eligible entities to conduct peer-reviewed scientific research.
(B)
Consideration— In making grants under this paragraph, the Director of NIST shall—
(i)
ensure that the grants are made for peer-reviewed scientific research in areas that are consistent with the research priorities established by the Director under section 401(b);
(ii)
take into consideration the research needs identified by the Committees under section 401(c);
(iii)
if made before the identification of research priorities under section 401(b) and research needs under section 401(c), consider any findings, surveys, and analyses relating to research in forensic science disciplines, including those made by the Subcommittee on Forensic Science of the National Science and Technology Council; and
(iv)
encourage and, if appropriate, provide incentives for partnerships between nonprofit academic or research institutions and accredited forensic science laboratories.
(3)
Development of new technologies— Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding required under section 101(d), the Director of NIST may, on a competitive basis, make grants to eligible entities to conduct peer-reviewed scientific research to develop new technologies and processes to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and accuracy of forensic testing procedures.
(4)
Coordination with director— In making grants under this subsection, the Director of NIST shall coordinate with the Director to ensure implementation of the plan established under section 404.
(5)
Coordination with the national science foundation— The Director of NIST shall consult and coordinate with the National Science Foundation to ensure—
(A)
the integrity of the process for reviewing funding proposals and awarding grants under this subsection; and
(B)
that the grant-making process is not subject to any undue bias or influence.
(b)
Report—
(1)
In general—
(A)
Submission— The Director of NIST shall, on an annual basis, submit to the Board and the Director a report that describes—
(i)
the application process for grants under this section;
(ii)
each grant made under this section in the fiscal year before the report is submitted; and
(iii)
as appropriate, the status and results of grants previously described in a report submitted under this subsection.
(B)
Publication— The Director shall publish the report submitted under subparagraph (A) on the Web site of the Office.
(2)
Evaluation— The Board and the Director shall evaluate each report submitted under paragraph (1) and consider the information provided in each report in reviewing the research strategy and priorities established under section 401.

Sec. 403 Oversight and review

(a)
Report— Not later than 3 years after the date on which the first grant is awarded under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 402(a), and not later than 2 years after the date on which the first report under section 402(b) is submitted, the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, in coordination with the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce, shall submit to Congress a report on the administration and effectiveness of the grant programs described in section 402(a).
(b)
Requirements— The report required under subsection (a) shall evaluate—
(1)
whether any undue biases or influences affected the integrity of the solicitation, award, or administration of research grants; and
(2)
whether there was any unnecessary duplication, waste, fraud, or abuse in the grant-making process.

Sec. 404 Public-private collaboration

(a)
Recommendation— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit to the Director a recommended plan for encouraging collaboration among universities, nonprofit research institutions, State and local forensic science laboratories, private forensic science laboratories, private corporations, and the Federal Government to develop and perform cost-effective and reliable research in the forensic sciences, consistent with the research priorities established under section 401(b)(2).
(b)
Requirements— The plan recommended under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
incentives for nongovernmental entities to invest significant resources into conducting necessary research in the forensic sciences;
(2)
procedures for ensuring the research described in paragraph (1) will be conducted with sufficient scientific rigor that the research can be relied upon by—
(A)
the Committees in developing standards under this Act; and
(B)
forensic science personnel; and
(3)
clearly defined requirements for disclosure of the sources of funding by nongovernmental entities for forensic science research conducted in collaboration with governmental entities and safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest or undue bias or influence.
(c)
Establishment and implementation— After receiving the recommended plan of the Board under subsection (a), the Director shall establish, in accordance with section 101(f)(3), and implement a plan for encouraging collaboration among universities, nonprofit research institutions, State and local forensic science laboratories, private forensic science laboratories, private corporations, and the Federal Government to develop and perform cost-effective and reliable research in the forensic sciences, consistent with the research priorities established under section 401(b)(2).
(d)
Oversight— The Director, in consultation with the Board, shall periodically evaluate and, as necessary, update the plan established under subsection (c).