((a)) ** Sense of Congress** It is the sense of Congress that—

((1)) sustained, predictable Federal funding of basic research is essential to United States leadership in science and technology;

((2)) the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria are appropriate for evaluating grant proposals, as concluded by the 2011 National Science Board Task Force on Merit Review;

((3)) evaluating proposals on the basis of the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria should be used to assure that the Foundation’s activities are in the national interest as these reviews can affirm that—

((A)) the proposals funded by the Foundation are of high quality and advance scientific knowledge; and

((B)) the Foundation’s grants address societal needs through basic research findings or through related activities; and

((4)) as evidenced by the Foundation’s contributions to scientific advancement, economic growth, human health, and national security, its peer review and merit review processes have identified and funded scientifically and societally relevant basic research and should be preserved.

((b)) ** Merit review criteria** The Foundation shall maintain the intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria, among other specific criteria as appropriate, as the basis for evaluating grant proposals in the merit review process.

((c)) ** Updates** If after , a change is made to the merit-review process, the Director shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress not later than 30 days after the date of the change.January 6, 20172017-01-06