Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/3418

 124 STAT. 3392 PUBLIC LAW 111–314—DEC. 18, 2010 Shuttle Challenger, a trust fund to be known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Endeavor Teacher Fellow- ship Trust Fund (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Trust Fund’’). The Trust Fund shall consist of amounts which may from time to time, at the discretion of the Administrator, be transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Gifts and Donations Trust Fund. (b) INVESTMENT OF TRUST FUND.—The Administrator shall direct the Secretary of the Treasury to invest and reinvest funds in the Trust Fund in public debt securities with maturities suitable for the needs of the Trust Fund, and bearing interest at rates determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consider- ation the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of comparable maturities. Interest earned shall be credited to the Trust Fund. (c) PURPOSE.—Income accruing from the Trust Fund principal shall be used to create the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tration Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Program, to the extent pro- vided in advance in appropriation Acts. The Administrator is authorized to use such funds to award fellowships to selected United States nationals who are undergraduate students pursuing a course of study leading to certified teaching degrees in elementary edu- cation or in secondary education in mathematics, science, or tech- nology disciplines. Awards shall be made pursuant to standards established for the fellowship program by the Administrator. § 40903. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research—merit grant competition requirements (a) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE STATE.—In this section, the term ‘‘eligible State’’ means a State designated by the Administrator as eligible to compete in the National Science Foundation’s Experi- mental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. (b) COMPETITION.—Making use of the existing infrastructure established in eligible States by the National Science Foundation, the Administrator shall conduct a merit grant competition among the eligible States in areas of research important to the mission of the Administration. With respect to a grant application by an eligible State, the Administrator shall consider— (1) the application’s merit and relevance to the mission of the Administration; (2) the potential for the grant to serve as a catalyst to enhance the ability of researchers in the State to become more competitive for regular Administration funding; (3) the potential for the grant to improve the environment for science, mathematics, and engineering education in the State; and (4) the need to ensure the maximum distribution of grants among eligible States, consistent with merit. (c) SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS.—The Administrator shall endeavor, where appropriate, to supplement grants made under subsection (b) with such grants for fellowships, traineeships, equipment, or instrumentation as are available. (d) INFORMATION IN ANNUAL BUDGET SUBMISSION.—In order to ensure that research expertise and talent throughout the Nation is developed and engaged in Administration research and education activities, the Administration shall, as part of its annual budget submission, detail additional steps that can be taken to further