15 U.S.C. § 7404 — National Science Foundation computer

Page 2350 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 7404 § 7404. National Science Foundation computer and network security programs (a) Computer and network security capacity building grants (1) In general The Director shall establish a program to award grants to institutions of higher edu- cation (or consortia thereof) to establish or improve undergraduate and master’s degree programs in computer and network security, to increase the number of students, including the number of students from groups histori- cally underrepresented in these fields and stu- dents who are veterans, who pursue under- graduate or master’s degrees in fields related to computer and network security, and to pro- vide students with experience in government or industry related to their computer and net- work security studies. (2) Merit review Grants shall be awarded under this sub- section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis. (3) Use of funds Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for activities that enhance the ability of an institution of higher education (or con- sortium thereof) to provide high-quality un- dergraduate and master’s degree programs in computer and network security and to recruit and retain increased numbers of students to such programs. Activities may include— (A) revising curriculum to better prepare undergraduate and master’s degree students for careers in computer and network secu- rity; (B) establishing degree and certificate pro- grams in computer and network security; (C) creating opportunities for under- graduate students to participate in com- puter and network security research projects; (D) acquiring equipment necessary for stu- dent instruction in computer and network security, including the installation of testbed networks for student use; (E) providing opportunities for faculty to work with local or Federal Government agencies, private industry, nonprofit re- search institutions, or other academic insti- tutions to develop new expertise or to for- mulate new research directions in computer and network security; (F) establishing collaborations with other academic institutions or academic depart- ments that seek to establish, expand, or en- hance programs in computer and network security; (G) establishing student internships in computer and network security at govern- ment agencies or in private industry; (H) establishing collaborations with other academic institutions to establish or en- hance a web-based collection of computer and network security courseware and labora- tory exercises for sharing with other institu- tions of higher education, including commu- nity colleges; (I) establishing or enhancing bridge pro- grams in computer and network security be- tween community colleges and universities; (J) creating opportunities for veterans to transition to careers in computer and net- work security; and (K) any other activities the Director deter- mines will accomplish the goals of this sub- section. (4) Selection process (A) Application An institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such man- ner, and containing such information as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum— (i) a description of the applicant’s com- puter and network security research and instructional capacity, and in the case of an application from a consortium of insti- tutions of higher education, a description of the role that each member will play in implementing the proposal; (ii) a comprehensive plan by which the institution or consortium will build in- structional capacity in computer and in- formation security; (iii) a description of relevant collabora- tions with government agencies or private industry that inform the instructional pro- gram in computer and network security; (iv) a survey of the applicant’s historic student enrollment and placement data in fields related to computer and network se- curity and a study of potential enrollment and placement for students enrolled in the proposed computer and network security program; and (v) a plan to evaluate the success of the proposed computer and network security program, including post-graduation assess- ment of graduate school and job placement and retention rates as well as the rel- evance of the instructional program to graduate study and to the workplace. (B) Awards (i) The Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants are awarded under this subsection in a wide range of geographic areas and categories of institutions of higher education, including minority serving insti- tutions. (ii) The Director shall award grants under this subsection for a period not to exceed 5 years. (5) Assessment required The Director shall evaluate the program es- tablished under this subsection no later than 6 years after the establishment of the program. At a minimum, the Director shall evaluate the extent to which the program achieved its ob- jectives of increasing the quality and quantity of students, including students from groups historically underrepresented in computer and network security related disciplines, pursuing undergraduate or master’s degrees in com- puter and network security. (6) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— Page 2351 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 7404 (A) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; (B) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; (C) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; (D) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and (E) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. (b) Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 (1) Grants The Director shall provide grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i) [42 U.S.C. 1862h et seq.] for the purposes of section 3(a) and (b) of that Act [42 U.S.C. 1862i(a), (b)], except that the activi- ties supported pursuant to this subsection shall be limited to improving education in fields related to computer and network secu- rity. (2) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; (B) $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2004; (C) $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2005; (D) $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2006; and (E) $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2007. (c) Graduate traineeships in computer and net- work security research (1) In general The Director shall establish a program to award grants to institutions of higher edu- cation to establish traineeship programs for graduate students who pursue computer and network security research leading to a doc- torate degree by providing funding and other assistance, and by providing graduate students with research experience in government or in- dustry related to the students’ computer and network security studies. (2) Merit review Grants shall be provided under this sub- section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis. (3) Use of funds An institution of higher education shall use grant funds for the purposes of— (A) providing traineeships to students who are citizens, nationals, or lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens of the United States and are pursuing research in com- puter or network security leading to a doc- torate degree; (B) paying tuition and fees for students re- ceiving traineeships under subparagraph (A); (C) establishing scientific internship pro- grams for students receiving traineeships under subparagraph (A) in computer and net- work security at for-profit institutions, non- profit research institutions, or government laboratories; and (D) other costs associated with the admin- istration of the program. (4) Traineeship amount Traineeships provided under paragraph (3)(A) shall be in the amount of $25,000 per year, or the level of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, whichever is greater, for up to 3 years. (5) Selection process An institution of higher education seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of— (A) the instructional program and research opportunities in computer and network se- curity available to graduate students at the applicant’s institution; and (B) the internship program to be estab- lished, including the opportunities that will be made available to students for intern- ships at for-profit institutions, nonprofit re- search institutions, and government labora- tories. (6) Review of applications In evaluating the applications submitted under paragraph (5), the Director shall con- sider— (A) the ability of the applicant to effec- tively carry out the proposed program; (B) the quality of the applicant’s existing research and education programs; (C) the likelihood that the program will recruit increased numbers of students, in- cluding students from groups historically underrepresented in computer and network security related disciplines or veterans, to pursue and earn doctorate degrees in com- puter and network security; (D) the nature and quality of the intern- ship program established through collabora- tions with government laboratories, non- profit research institutions, and for-profit institutions; (E) the integration of internship opportu- nities into graduate students’ research; and (F) the relevance of the proposed program to current and future computer and network security needs. (7) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; (B) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; (C) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; (D) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and (E) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. (d) Graduate Research Fellowships program sup- port Computer and network security shall be in- cluded among the fields of specialization sup- ported by the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowships program under section 1869 of title 42. (e) Cyber security faculty development traineeship program (1) In general The Director shall establish a program to award grants to institutions of higher edu- cation to establish traineeship programs to enable graduate students to pursue academic careers in cyber security upon completion of doctoral degrees. (2) Merit review; competition Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed competitive basis. Page 2352 TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND TRADE § 7405 (3) Application Each institution of higher education desir- ing to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director shall require. (4) Use of funds Funds received by an institution of higher education under this paragraph shall— (A) be made available to individuals on a merit-reviewed competitive basis and in ac- cordance with the requirements established in paragraph (7); (B) be in an amount that is sufficient to cover annual tuition and fees for doctoral study at an institution of higher education for the duration of the graduate traineeship, and shall include, in addition, an annual liv- ing stipend of $25,000; and (C) be provided to individuals for a dura- tion of no more than 5 years, the specific du- ration of each graduate traineeship to be de- termined by the institution of higher edu- cation, on a case-by-case basis. (5) Repayment Each graduate traineeship shall— (A) subject to paragraph (5)(B), be subject to full repayment upon completion of the doctoral degree according to a repayment schedule established and administered by the institution of higher education; (B) be forgiven at the rate of 20 percent of the total amount of the graduate traineeship assistance received under this section for each academic year that a recipient is em- ployed as a full-time faculty member at an institution of higher education for a period not to exceed 5 years; and (C) be monitored by the institution of higher education receiving a grant under this subsection to ensure compliance with this subsection. (6) Exceptions The Director may provide for the partial or total waiver or suspension of any service obli- gation or payment by an individual under this section whenever compliance by the individual is impossible or would involve extreme hard- ship to the individual, or if enforcement of such obligation with respect to the individual would be unconscionable. (7) Eligibility To be eligible to receive a graduate traineeship under this section, an individual shall— (A) be a citizen, national, or lawfully ad- mitted permanent resident alien of the United States; and (B) demonstrate a commitment to a career in higher education. (8) Consideration In making selections for graduate traineeships under this paragraph, an institu- tion receiving a grant under this subsection shall consider, to the extent possible, a diverse pool of applicants whose interests are of an interdisciplinary nature, encompassing the so- cial scientific as well as the technical dimen- sions of cyber security. (9) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this paragraph $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007. (Pub. L. 107–305, § 5, Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2370; Pub. L. 116–115, § 3(f), (g), Feb. 11, 2020, 134 Stat. 107.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 102–476, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2297, which enacted sections 1862h to 1862j of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and amend- ed section 1862 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1992 Amend- ment note set out under section 1861 of Title 42 and Ta- bles. AMENDMENTS 2020—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–115, § 3(f)(1), inserted ‘‘and students who are veterans’’ after ‘‘these fields’’. Subsec. (a)(3)(J), (K). Pub. L. 116–115, § 3(f)(2), added subpar. (J) and redesignated former subpar. (J) as (K). Subsec. (c)(6)(C). Pub. L. 116–115, § 3(g), inserted ‘‘or veterans’’ after ‘‘disciplines’’. § 7405. Consultation In carrying out sections 7403 and 7404 of this title, the Director shall consult with other Fed- eral agencies. (Pub. L. 107–305, § 6, Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2374.) § 7406. National Institute of Standards and Tech- nology programs (a), (b) Omitted (c) Security automation and checklists for Gov- ernment systems (1) In general The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall, as necessary, develop and revise security automation stand- ards, associated reference materials (including protocols), and checklists providing settings and option selections that minimize the secu- rity risks associated with each information technology hardware or software system and security tool that is, or is likely to become, widely used within the Federal Government, thereby enabling standardized and interoper- able technologies, architectures, and frame- works for continuous monitoring of informa- tion security within the Federal Government. (2) Priorities for development The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall establish pri- orities for the development of standards, ref- erence materials, and checklists under this subsection on the basis of— (A) the security risks associated with the use of the system; (B) the number of agencies that use a par- ticular system or security tool; (C) the usefulness of the standards, ref- erence materials, or checklists to Federal