To authorize appropriations for activities for the National Science Foundation for fiscal years 1980 and 1981, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 1 (legislative day, FEBRUARY 22), 1979

Mr. KENNEDY (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Human Resources

A BILL

To authorize appropriations for activities for the National Science Foundation for fiscal years 1980 and 1981, and for other purposes.

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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That this Act may be cited as the "National Science Founda

4 tion Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1980 and 1981".

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SEC. 2. (a) There is hereby authorized to be appropri

6 ated to the National Science Foundation for the fiscal year

7 1980 for the following categories:

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(1) Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Engi

neering, $295,650,000.

(2) Astronomical, Atmospheric, Earth and Ocean Sciences, $243,350,000.

(3) United States Antarctic Program, $55,000,000.

(4) Biological, Behavioral, and Social Sciences, $173,500,000.

(5) Science Education Programs, $84,700,000.

(6) Applied Science and Research Applications, $62,400,000.

(7) Scientific, Technological, and International

Affairs, $25,800,000.

(8) Program Development and Management, $59,600,000.

(b) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the

17 National Science Foundation for fiscal year 1981 such sums

SEC. 3. Appropriations made under authority provided 20 in sections 2 and 5 shall remain available for obligation, for 21 expenditure, or for obligation and expenditure for periods 22 specificed in the Acts making the appropriations.

23 SEC. 4. From appropriations made under this Act, not 24 more than $2,500 for fiscal year 1980 and such sums as may 25 be necessary for fiscal year 1981 may be used for official

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1 consultation, representation, or other extraordinary expenses 2 upon the determination of the Director of the National Sci3 ence Foundation, and his determination shall be final and 4 conclusive upon the accounting officers of the Government. 5 SEC. 5. In addition to the sums authorized by section 2, 6 not more than $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1980 and such 7 sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1981 are authorized 8 to be appropriated for expenses of the National Science 9 Foundation incurred outside the United States, to be paid for 10 in foreign currencies that the Treasury Department deter11 mines to be excess to the normal requirements of the United 12 States.

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SEC. 6. Funds may be transferred among the categories 14 listed in section 2(a), but neither the total funds transferred 15 from any category nor the total funds transferred to any cate16 gory may exceed 10 per centum of the amounts authorized 17 for that category in section 2, unless

(A) thirty legislative days have passed after the Director of the National Science Foundation or his designee has transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the President of the Senate, to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on

Human Resources of the Senate a written report con

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taining a full and complete explanation of the transfer and the reason for it, or

(B) before expiration of the thirty legislative days

both the Committee on Science and Technology of the

House and the Committee on Human Resources of the

Senate have written to the Director to the effect that

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they have no objection to the proposed transfer.

Senator KENNEDY. On the international aspects of science and technology and the role which NSF plays in this area, I would also like to have an opportunity to hear from Dr. Atkinson about his own visit to China and any comments he may have with regard to scientific and technical exchanges with the People's Republic of China and with the Soviet Union.

I look forward to a productive exchange of comments and points of view this morning on these issues and others of concern to the witnesses and the members of this subcommittee. I hope that the roundtable setting we are using will encourage this process.

Senator SCHWEIKER. It is good to be able to participate today in this hearing before the Health and Scientific Research Subcommittee on the National Science Foundation. As a strong supporter of National Science Foundation programs in the past, I welcome the opportunity to listen to the witnesses describe last year's accomplishments as well as the Foundation's plans for the future. One area of particular interest to me is National Science Foundation funds for research and development. As everyone is now acutely aware, our Nation's productivity levels have seriously fallen in recent years. Since our economic well-being is in large part due to our increased rates of productivity, I am convinced that we must find ways to improve current rates.

There was a 46-percent decline in average annual productivity growth in the nonfarm business economy between the 1950-68 and the 1968-77 periods. The U.S. productivity level is our lowest in the last 100 years and is the lowest for any industrialized country. Another area of interest in this regard has been the National Science Foundation's science education programs. We need to make sure our Nation has a constant supply of well-trained scientists and engineers.

I look forward to reviewing the testimony before us today and will have a number of questions for each witness.

Senator KENNEDY. We would be glad to hear from Dr. Atkinson, who is the Director of the National Science Foundation. He has appeared many times before the committee. We welcome him and his colleagues here this morning.

STATEMENT OF RICHARD ATKINSON, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, ACCOMPANIED BY GEORGE PIMENTEL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR; AND GROVER MURRAY, VICE CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD

Dr. ATKINSON. Senator Kennedy, I am pleased by your opening statement. It's a knowledgeable statement about the Foundation and its operations. I am also pleased to have a copy of Senator Hatch's statement in support of the Foundation's activities.

Before I begin, I would like to introduce a few people from the Foundation. On my right is Dr. Grover Murray, vice chairman of the National Science Board. Dr. Hackerman, Chairman of the Board, could not be here today; he wanted to attend this meeting, but his schedule made it impossible.

On my left is Dr. George Pimentel, deputy director of the Foundation. I would also like to introduce Dr. Eloise Clark, an assistant director; Dr. John Slaughter, another assistant director-you know all of these, but I do want to call them to your attention-Dr. Jack