Section was enacted as part of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

2017—Pub. L. 114–329, § 103(e)(2)(A), substituted “Established” for “Experimental” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–329, § 103(e)(2)(B), substituted “a program to stimulate competitive research (known as the ‘Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research’)” for “an Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–329, § 103(e)(2)(C), substituted “the Program” for “the program”.

Pub. L. 107–368, § 26, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3067, provided that: “The Director is authorized to accept planning proposals from applicants who are within .075 percentage points of the current eligibility level for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. Such proposals shall be reviewed by the Foundation to determine their merit for support under the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or any other appropriate program.”

[For definitions of terms used in section 26 of Pub. L. 107–368, set out above, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–368, set out as a note under section 1862n of this title.]