2014 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare (Sections 1 - 18445)
Chapter 16 - National Science Foundation (Sections 1861 - 1887)
Sec. 1864 - Director of Foundation

The Director of the Foundation (referred to in this chapter as the "Director") shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Before any person is appointed as Director, the President shall afford the Board an opportunity to make recommendations to him with respect to such appointment. The Director shall receive basic pay at the rate provided for level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, and shall serve for a term of six years unless sooner removed by the President.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter (1) the Director shall exercise all of the authority granted to the Foundation by this chapter (including any powers and functions which may be delegated to him by the Board), and (2) all actions taken by the Director pursuant to the provisions of this chapter (or pursuant to the terms of a delegation from the Board) shall be final and binding upon the Foundation.

The Director may from time to time make such provisions as he deems appropriate authorizing the performance by any other officer, agency, or employee of the Foundation of any of his functions under this chapter, including functions delegated to him by the Board; except that the Director may not redelegate policymaking functions delegated to him by the Board.

The formulation of programs in conformance with the policies of the Foundation shall be carried out by the Director in consultation with the Board.

(1) The Director may make grants, contracts, and other arrangements pursuant to section 1870(c) of this title only with the prior approval of the Board or under authority delegated by the Board, and subject to such conditions as the Board may specify.

(2) Any delegation of authority or imposition of conditions under paragraph (1) shall be promptly published in the Federal Register and reported to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of the Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives.

The Director, in his capacity as ex officio member of the Board, shall, except with respect to compensation and tenure, be coordinate with the other members of the Board. He shall be a voting member of the Board and shall be eligible for election by the Board as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board.

(May 10, 1950, ch. 171, §5, 64 Stat. 151; Pub. L. 86–232, §3, Sept. 8, 1959, 73 Stat. 467; Pub. L. 90–407, §3, July 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 362; Pub. L. 99–159, title I, §109(b), Nov. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 889; Pub. L. 103–437, §15(c)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4591; Pub. L. 105–207, title II, §202(a)(2), July 29, 1998, 112 Stat. 873.)

1998—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 105–207 added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2), which read as follows: "Any delegation of authority or imposition of conditions under the preceding sentence shall be effective only for such period of time, not exceeding two years, as the Board may specify, and shall be promptly published in the Federal Register and reported to the Committees on Labor and Human Resources and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives. On October 1 of each odd-numbered year the Board shall submit to the Congress a concise report which explains and justifies any actions taken by the Board under this subsection to delegate its authority or impose conditions within the preceding two years. The provisions of this subsection shall cease to be effective at the end of fiscal year 1989."

1994—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted "Science, Space, and Technology" for "Science and Technology".

1985—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–159 amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: "The Director shall not make any contract, grant, or other arrangement pursuant to section 1870(c) of this title without the prior approval of the Board, except that a grant, contract, or other arrangement involving a total commitment of less than $2,000,000, or less than $500,000 in any one year, or a commitment of such lesser amount or amounts and subject to such other conditions as the Board in its discretion may from time to time determine to be appropriate and publish in the Federal Register, may be made if such action is taken pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth by the Board, and if each such action is reported to the Board at the Board meeting next following such action."

1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–407 inserted provision prescribing the annual rate of compensation of the Director, and struck out provision authorizing the Director to serve as a nonvoting ex officio member of the Board and as the chief executive officer of the Foundation.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–407 substituted provisions authorizing the Director, except as otherwise provided, to exercise all of the authority granted to the Foundation by this chapter and to take action final and binding upon the Foundation for provisions authorizing the Director, in addition to the powers and duties specifically vested in him by this chapter, to exercise the powers granted by sections 1869 or 1870(c) of this title and such other powers and duties delegated by the Board to him, and the proviso that no action taken by the Director pursuant to section 1869 or 1870(c) shall be final unless in each instance the Board has reviewed and approved the action proposed to be taken, or such action is taken pursuant to the terms of a delegation of authority from the Board or the Executive Committee to the Director.

Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 90–407 added subsecs. (c) to (f).

1959—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 86–232 provided for delegation of authority from the Board or the Executive Committee to the Director.

Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate by Senate Resolution No. 20, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 19, 1999.

Committee on Science of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007. Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011.

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–407, insofar as related to rates of basic pay, effective on first day of first calendar month which begins on or after July 18, 1968, see section 15(a)(4), set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Authority of Director of National Science Foundation, from time to time, to make appropriate provisions authorizing performance by any other officer, or by any agency or employee, of National Science Foundation of any of his functions (including functions delegated to him by National Science Board), see Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1965, eff. July 27, 1965, 30 F.R. 9355, 79 Stat. 1323, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Office of Director of National Science Foundation established under provisions of this section abolished and functions transferred to Director of National Science Foundation appointed pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, see section 22 (a), (b) of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, eff. June 8, 1962, 27 F.R. 5419, 76 Stat. 1253, set out as a note under section 1861 of this title.

Pub. L. 107–368, §25, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3067, required the Director of the National Science Foundation to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study to determine the source of discrepancies in Federal reports on obligations and actual expenditures of Federal research and development funding and to submit a report on the results of the study to committees of Congress within one year after Dec. 19, 2002, and required the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to submit to those committees a plan for implementation of the recommendations of the study, within 6 months after the completion of the study.

Pub. L. 96–516, §20, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 3010, provided that: "The Director of the National Science Foundation shall require the titles of all its grants to contain a brief statement of the purpose of the research being undertaken. Insofar as possible such statements shall be in layman's language."

Pub. L. 95–434, §8, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1050, provided that:

"(a) The Director of the National Science Foundation, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and technical experts in public agencies, private organizations, and academic institutions, is authorized to determine the need to provide support under this Act for a study of the feasibility of transmitting solar energy to Earth by using orbital structures manufactured from lunar or asteroidal materials, and the impact of such a feasibility study, if any, on existing National Science Foundation programs.

"(b)(1) If the Foundation determines that such a feasibility study is necessary, the Foundation is authorized to conduct such a study directly or by grants or contracts with public agencies, private organizations, or academic institutions.

"(2) At the conclusion of any such study the Foundation shall prepare and submit to the President and to the Congress a report of the study, together with such recommendations as the Foundation deems appropriate.

"(3) Of the funds authorized in section 2, $500,000 shall be available to carry out the provisions of this subsection."

Pub. L. 94–471, §2(f), Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2053, provided that: "The Director of the National Science Foundation is authorized and directed to conduct a feasibility study of operating the peer review system used in the evaluation of grant proposals within the Foundation so as to assure that the identity of the proposer is not known to the reviewers of the proposal. Any such system shall be considered to supplement and not to supplant the peer review system in operation in the Foundation on the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 11, 1976]."

Pub. L. 94–86, §3, Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 429, directed the Director of the National Science Foundation to prepare a comprehensive plan for the establishment and conduct of a "Science for Citizens Program" and, within six months from Aug. 9, 1975, submit the plan to specific committees of the House of Representatives and Senate. See section 5 of Pub. L. 94–471, set out as a note under section 1862 of this title.

Pub. L. 94–86, §4, Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 430, authorized the Director of the National Science Foundation to prepare a comprehensive plan to facilitate the participation of members of the public in the formulation, development, and conduct of National Science Foundation programs, policies, and priorities and to submit the resulting recommendations, plans, or other findings to specific committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate within 120 days from Aug. 9, 1975.

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–407 intended to continue in effect the existing offices, procedures, and organization of the Foundation, see section 16 of Pub. L. 90–407, set out as a note under section 1862 of this title.