§ 1861. Establishment; composition

There is established in the executive branch of the Government an independent agency to be known as the National Science Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”). The Foundation shall consist of a National Science Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) and a Director.

(May 10, 1950, ch. 171, § 2, 64 Stat. 149.)

Short Title Of Amendment

Short Title of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–358, § 1(a), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3982, provided that: “this [probably should be “This”] Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010’ or the ‘America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010’.”

Pub. L. 111–358, title V, § 501, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 4005, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle A (§§ 501–527) of title V of Pub. L. 111–358, enacting sections 1862p to 1862p–15 of this title, amending sections 1862n–1a, 1862n–5, 1863, and 1869 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1862p and 1869 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2010’.”

Short Title of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–368, § 1, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3034, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 1862n to 1862n–10 of this title, amending sections 1862i, 1862l, 1863, 1873, and 1885 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1862b, 1862g, 1862n, 1864, and 1885c of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 1862k of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002’.”

Short Title of 1998 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–207, § 1, July 29, 1998, 112 Stat. 869, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 1862k to 1862m of this title, amending sections 1862, 1863, 1864, 1873, 1874, 1881a, 1881b, 1885b, 1885c, and 6686 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1862k and 6686 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1998’.”

Short Title of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–476, § 1, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2297, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 1862h to 1862j of this title and amending section 1862 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992’.”

Short Title of 1988 Amendments

Pub. L. 100–570, § 1, Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 2865, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 1862a to 1862g, 1870a, and 1881b of this title, amending sections 1863, 1873, 1874, and 1885c of this title and sections 3011 to 3013 of Title 20, Education, repealing former sections 1862a and 1862b of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1861, 1875, and 7704 of this title and section 3911 of Title 20, and repealing provisions set out as a note under section 1861 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988’.”

Pub. L. 100–570, title II, § 201, Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 2873, provided that: “This title [enacting sections 1862a to 1862d of this title, repealing former sections 1862a and 1862b of this title, and repealing provisions set out as a note under section 1861 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Academic Research Facilities Modernization Act of 1988’.”

Pub. L. 100–418, title VI, § 6401, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1542, which provided that subtitle E (§§ 6401–6403) of title VI of Pub. L. 100–418, enacting sections 1862a and 1862b of this title, was to be cited as the “National Science Foundation University Infrastructure Act of 1988”, was repealed by Pub. L. 100–570, title II, § 206, Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 2878.

Short Title of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–383, § 1, Aug. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 813, provided: “That this Act [amending sections 1862, 1864a, 1869, and 1870 of this title and section 5316 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealing sections 1876 to 1879 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1885a and 6614 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987’.”

Short Title of 1985 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–159, title I, § 101, Nov. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 887, provided that: “This title [enacting section 1886 of this title, amending sections 1862, 1863, 1864, 1868 to 1872, 1873, 1874, 1881a, 1882, and 1885 to 1885d of this title, repealing sections 1873a and 1884 of this title, and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 1861 and 1882 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1986’.”

Short Title of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–516, § 1, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 3007, as amended by Pub. L. 99–159, title I, § 111(a), Nov. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 892, provided: “That this Act [enacting sections 1885 to 1885d of this title, amending sections 1863, 1874, 1875, 1881, and 1881a of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1861, 1864, 1866, and 1885 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization and Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act’.”

Pub. L. 96–516, § 31, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 3010, as amended by Pub. L. 99–159, title I, § 111(b)(1), Nov. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 892, provided that: “This part [part B (§§ 31–39), enacting sections 1885 to 1885d of this title, and provisions set out as notes under section 1885 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act’.”

Short Title of 1977 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–99, § 1, Aug. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 831, provided: “That this Act [enacting sections 1869b, 1873a, and 1884 of this title, amending sections 1862, 1863, 1873, and 1882 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1862 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1978’.”

Short Title of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–471, § 1, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2053, provided: “That this Act [enacting sections 1882 and 1883 of this title, amending section 1863 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1862, 1864, 1873, and 5820 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Authorization Act, 1977’.”

Short Title

Short Title

Act May 10, 1950, ch. 171, § 1, 64 Stat. 149, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘National Science Foundation Act of 1950’.”

Transfer Of Functions

Transfer of Functions

Office of Science and Technology, including offices of Director and Deputy Director, provided for by sections 1 and 2 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, abolished and all functions vested by law in Office of Science and Technology or Director or Deputy Director of Office of Science and Technology transferred to Director of National Science Foundation by sections 2 and 3(a)(5) of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1973, eff. July 1, 1973, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Miscellaneous

Continuation of Existing Offices, Procedures, and Organization

Amendments by Pub. L. 90–407, July 18, 1868, 82 Stat. 360, intended to continue in effect the existing offices, procedures, and organization of the Foundation as provided by this chapter, part II of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962 [set out below], and Reorg. Plan, No. 5 of 1965 [set out in Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees], but on and after July 18, 1968, part II of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, and Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1965, as being of no force or affect, and nothing in Pub. L. 90–407 as altering or affecting any transfers of functions made by part I of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, see section 16 of Pub. L. 90–407, set out as Continuation of Existing Offices, Procedures, and Organization of the National Science Foundation note under section 1862 of this title.

Reorganization Plan

REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 2 OF 1962

Eff. June 8, 1962, 27 F.R. 5419, 76 Stat. 1253, as amended Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 305(41), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 427; Pub. L. 94–282, title V, § 502, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 472

Prepared by the President and transmitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled, March 29, 1962, pursuant to the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949, 63 Stat. 203, as amended [see 5 U.S.C. 901 et seq.].

Miscellaneous

CERTAIN SCIENCE AGENCIES AND FUNCTIONS

Part I—Office of Science and Technology

Sec. 1. [Repealed. Pub. L. 94–282, title V, § 502, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 472. Section established, in Executive Office of the President, the Office of Science and Technology.]

Sec. 2. [Repealed. Pub. L. 94–282, title V, § 502, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 472. Section as amended by Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 305(41)(A), (B), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 427, 428, authorized appointment of Director and Deputy Director of Office of Science and Technology by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.]

Sec. 3. [Repealed. Pub. L. 94–282, title V, § 502, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 472. Section transferred to Director of the Office of Science and Technology, from National Science Foundation, certain functions formerly conferred upon the Foundation.]

Sec. 4. [Repealed. Pub. L. 94–282, title V, § 502, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 472. Section authorized Director of the Office of Science and Technology to appoint employees necessary for work of the Office under classified civil service and to fix their compensation in accordance with the classification laws.]

Part II—National Science Foundation

Section 21. Executive Committee

(a) There is hereby established the Executive Committee of the National Science Board, hereafter in this Part referred to as the Executive Committee, which shall be composed of five voting members. Four of the members shall be elected as hereinafter provided. The Director provided for in section 22 of this reorganization plan, ex officio, shall be the fifth member and the chairman of the Executive Committee.

(b) At its annual meeting held in 1964 and at each of its succeeding annual meetings the National Science Board, hereafter in this Part referred to as the Board, shall elect two of its members as members of the Executive Committee, and the Executive Committee members so elected shall hold office for two years from the date of their election. Any person who has been a member of the Executive Committee (established by this reorganization plan) for six consecutive years shall thereafter be ineligible for service as a member thereof during the two-year period following the expiration of such sixth year. For the purposes of this subsection, the period between any two consecutive annual meetings of the Board shall be deemed to be one year.

(c) At its first meeting held after the effective date of this section the Board shall elect four of its members as members of the Executive Committee. As designated by the Board, two of the Executive Committee members so elected shall hold office as such members until the date of the annual meeting of the Board held in 1964 and the other two members so elected shall hold such office until the annual meeting of the Board held in 1965.

(d) Any person elected as a member of the Executive Committee to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was elected shall be elected for the remainder of such term.

(e) The functions conferred upon the Executive Committee now existing under the provisions of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.], by the provisions of section 6 of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1865) or otherwise, are hereby transferred to the Executive Committee established by the provisions of this Part; and the authority of the National Science Board to assign its powers and functions to the now-existing Executive Committee, and statutory limitations upon such assignment, shall hereafter be applicable to the Executive Committee established by the provisions of this Part.

Sec. 22. Director

(a) There is hereby established in the National Science Foundation a new office with the title of Director of the National Science Foundation. The Director of the National Science Foundation, hereafter in this Part referred to 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 serve for a term of six years unless sooner removed by the President. The Director shall not engage in any business, vocation or employment other than that of serving as such Director, nor shall he, except with the approval of the Board, hold any office in, or act in any capacity for, any organization, agency, or institution with which the Foundation makes any contract or other arrangement under the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.].

(b) Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of section 23(b)(2) of this reorganization plan, all functions of the office of Director of the National Science Foundation abolished by the provisions of 23(a)(2) hereof are hereby transferred to the office of Director established by the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Director, ex officio, shall be an additional member of the Board and, except in respect of compensation and tenure, shall be coordinate with 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. [As amended Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 305(41)(C), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 428.]

Sec. 23. Abolitions

(a) The following agencies, now existing under the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.], are hereby abolished:

(1) The Executive Committee of the National Science Board (section 6 of Act; 42 U.S.C. 1865).

(2) The office of Director of the National Science Foundation (sections 2 and 5 of Act; 42 U.S.C. 1861, 1864).

(b) There are also hereby abolished:

(1) The functions conferred upon the National Science Board by that part of section 6(a) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1865(a)) which reads “The Board is authorized to appoint from among its members an Executive Committee”.

(2) The functions of the Director of the National Science Foundation provided for in sections 4(a) and 5(a) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1863(a), 1864(a)) with respect to serving as a nonvoting member of the Board and his functions with respect to serving as a nonvoting member of the Executive Committee provided for in section 6(b) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1865(b)).

(3) So much of the functions conferred upon divisional committees by the provisions of section 8(d) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1867(d)) as consists of making recommendations to, and advising and consulting with, the Board.

(c) The provisions of sections 23(a)(1) and 23(b)(1) hereof shall become effective on the date of the first meeting of the Board held after the effective date of the other provisions of this reorganization plan.

Part III. Transitional Provisions

Section 31. Incidental Transfers

(a) So much of the personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds employed, held, used, available, or to be made available, in connection with the functions transferred by the provisions of section 3 of this reorganization plan as the Director of the Bureau of the Budget shall determine shall be transferred to the Office of Science and Technology at such time or times as the said Director shall direct.

(b) Such further measures and dispositions as the Director of the Bureau of the Budget shall deem to be necessary in order to effectuate the transfers provided for in subsection (a) of this section shall be carried out in such manner as he shall direct and by such agencies as he shall designate.

Sec. 32. Interim Officers

(a) The President may authorize any person who immediately prior to the effective date of Part I of the reorganization plan holds a position in the Executive Office of the President to act as Director of the Office of Science and Technology until the office of Director is for the first time filled pursuant to the provisions of this reorganization plan or by recess appointment, as the case may be.

(b) The President may authorize any person who immediately prior to the effective date of section 22 of this reorganization plan holds any office existing under the provisions of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.] to act as Director of the National Science Foundation until the Office of Director is for the first time filled pursuant to the provisions of this reorganization plan or by recess appointment, as the case may be.

(c) The President may authorize any person who serves in an acting capacity under the foregoing provisions of this section to receive the compensation attached to the office in respect of which he so serves. Such compensation, if authorized, shall be in lieu of, but not in addition to, other compensation from the United States to which such person may be entitled.

[Amendments by Pub. L. 90–407, July 18, 1968, 82 Stat. 360, intended to continue in effect the existing offices, procedures, and organization of the National Science Foundation as provided by this chapter, part II of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, and Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1965, but on and after July 18, 1968, part II of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, and Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1965, as being of no force or effect, and nothing in Pub. L. 90–407 as altering or affecting any transfers of functions made by part I of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1962, see section 16 of Pub. L. 90–407, set out as Continuation of Existing Offices, Procedures, and Organization of the National Science Foundation note under section 1862 of this title.]

Message of the President

To the Congress of the United States:

I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1962, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended, and providing for certain reorganizations in the field of science and technology.

Part I of the reorganization plan establishes the Office of Science and Technology as a new unit within the Executive Office of the President; places at the head thereof a Director appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and makes provision for a Deputy Director similarly appointed; and transfers to the Director certain functions of the National Science Foundation under sections 3(a)(1) and 3(a)(6) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950.

The new arrangements incorporated in part I of the reorganization plan will constitute an important development in executive branch organization for science and technology. Under those arrangements the President will have permanent staff resources capable of advising and assisting him on matters of national policy affected by or pertaining to science and technology. Considering the rapid growth and far-reaching scope of Federal activities in science and technology, it is imperative that the President have adequate staff support in developing policies and evaluating programs in order to assure that science and technology are used most effectively in the interests of national security and general welfare.

To this end it is contemplated that the Director will assist the President in discharging the responsibility of the President for the proper coordination of Federal science and technology functions. More particularly, it is expected that he will advise and assist the President as the President may request with respect to—

(1) Major policies, plans, and programs of science and technology of the various agencies of the Federal Government, giving appropriate emphasis to the relationship of science and technology to national security and foreign policy, and measures for furthering science and technology in the Nation.

(2) Assessment of selected scientific and technical developments and programs in relation to their impact on national policies.

(3) Review, integration, and coordination of major Federal activities in science and technology, giving due consideration to the effects of such activities on non-Federal resources and institutions.

(4) Assuring that good close relations exist with the Nation’s scientific and engineering communities so as to further in every appropriate way their participation in strengthening science and technology in the United States and the free world.

(5) Such other matters consonant with law as may be assigned by the President to the Office.

The ever-growing significance and complexity of Federal programs in science and technology have in recent years necessitated the taking of several steps for improving the organizational arrangements of the executive branch in relation to science and technology:

(1) The National Science Foundation was established in 1950. The Foundation was created to meet a widely recognized need for an organization to develop and encourage a national policy for the promotion of basic research and education in the sciences, to support basic research, to evaluate research programs undertaken by Federal agencies, and to perform related functions.

(2) The Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Science and Technology was established in 1957. The Special Assistant serves as Chairman of both the President’s Science Advisory Committee and the Federal Council for Science and Technology, mentioned below.

(3) At the same time, the Science Advisory Committee, composed of eminent non-Government scientists and engineers, and located within the Office of Defense Mobilization, was reconstituted in the White House Office as the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

(4) The Federal Council for Science and Technology, composed of policy officials of the principal agencies engaged in scientific and technical activities, was established in 1959.

The National Science Foundation has proved to be an effective instrument for administering sizable programs in support of basic research and education in the sciences and has set an example for other agencies through the administration of its own programs. However, the Foundation, being at the same organizational level as other agencies, cannot satisfactorily coordinate Federal science policies or evaluate programs of other agencies. Science policies, transcending agency lines, need to be coordinated and shaped at the level of the Executive Office of the President drawing upon many resources both within and outside of Government. Similarly, staff efforts at that higher level are required for the evaluation of Government programs in science and technology.

Thus, the further steps contained in part I of the reorganization plan are now needed in order to meet most effectively new and expanding requirements brought about by the rapid and far-reaching growth of the Government’s research and development programs. These requirements call for the further strengthening of science organization at the Presidential level and for the adjustment of the Foundation’s role to reflect changed conditions. The Foundation will continue to originate policy proposals and recommendations concerning the support of basic research and education in the sciences, and the new Office will look to the Foundation to provide studies and information on which sound national policies in science and technology can be based.

Part I of the reorganization plan will permit some strengthening of the staff and consultant resources now available to the President in respect of scientific and technical factors affecting executive branch policies and will also facilitate communication with the Congress.

Part II of the reorganization plan provides for certain reorganizations within the National Science Foundation which will strengthen the capability of the Director of the Foundation to exert leadership and otherwise further the effectiveness of administration of the Foundation. Specifically:

(1) There is established a new office of Director of the National Science Foundation and that Director, ex officio, is made a member of the National Science Board on a basis coordinate with that of other Board members.

(2) There is substituted for the now-existing Executive Committee of the National Science Board a new Executive Committee composed of the Director of the National Science Foundation, ex officio, as a voting member and Chairman of the Committee, and of four other members elected by the National Science Board from among its appointive members.

(3) Committees advisory to each of the divisions of the Foundation will make their recommendations to the Director only rather than to both the Director and the National Science Board.

After investigation I have found and hereby declare that each reorganization included in Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1962 is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes set forth in section 2(a) of the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended.

I have found and hereby declare that it is necessary to include in the reorganization plan, by reason of reorganizations made thereby, provisions for the appointment and compensation of the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Technology and of the Director of the National Science Foundation. The rate of compensation fixed for each of these officers is that which I have found to prevail in respect of comparable officers in the executive branch of the Government.

The functions abolished by the provisions of section 23(b) of the reorganization plan are provided for in sections 4(a), 5(a), 6(a), 6(b), and 8(d) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950.

The taking effect of the reorganizations included in the reorganization plan will provide sound organizational arrangements and will make possible more effective and efficient administration of Government programs in science and technology. It is, however, impracticable to itemize at this time the reductions in expenditures which it is probable will be brought about by such taking effect.

I recommend that the Congress allow the reorganization plan to become effective.

John F. Kennedy.

The White House, March 29, 1962.