the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 [42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.] stated, “it shall be an objective of the Foundation to strengthen research and education in the sciences and engineering, including independent research by individuals, throughout the United States, and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education”;

National Science Foundation funding remains highly concentrated, with 28 States and jurisdictions, taken together, receiving only about 12 percent of all National Science Foundation research funding;

each of the States described in paragraph (2) receives only a fraction of 1 percent of the Foundation’s research dollars each year;

first established at the National Science Foundation in 1979, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (referred to in this section as “EPSCoR”) assists States and jurisdictions historically underserved by Federal research and development funding in strengthening their research and innovation capabilities;

the EPSCoR structure requires each participating State to develop a science and technology plan suited to State and local research, education, and economic interests and objectives;

EPSCoR has been credited with advancing the research competitiveness of participating States, improving awareness of science, promoting policies that link scientific investment and economic growth, and encouraging partnerships between government, industry, and academia;

EPSCoR proposals are evaluated through a rigorous and competitive merit-review process to ensure that awarded research and development efforts meet high scientific standards; and

according to the National Academy of Sciences, EPSCoR has strengthened the national research infrastructure and enhanced the educational opportunities needed to develop the science and engineering workforce.