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Studies and Projects Completed in 2007
Current Congressionally Authorized Activities
Revenue Applied to 2007
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Current Congressionally Authorized Activities*

Public Law
110-181 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
Conduct a study of the credentials, preparation, and training of individuals practicing as licensed mental health counselors and make recommendations for permitting such counselors to practice independently under the TRICARE program
Analyze options for strengthening and expanding the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program
Identify areas for cooperation with states other than states of the former Soviet Union under the CTR Program of the Department of Defense in the prevention of proliferation of biological weapons
Study the physical and mental health and other readjustment needs of members and former members of the Armed Forces deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom and their families
110-161 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008
Study issues relating to global climate change and recommend steps to be taken and strategies to be adopted in response, including the science and technology challenges
Study the gaps in public health protection provided by the food safety system
Conduct a study relating to the investment of intangible assets
Conduct a study on methods for collecting data regarding the status of the U.S. economy and determine whether the current data results in an overstatement of economic growth, domestic manufacturing output, and productivity
Initiate a study on acidification of the oceans (also see Public Law 109-479)
Establish an independent project review of NASA’s major programs
Assess NASA’s research and analysis activities
Prepare a report on technology development for advanced radioisotope power system (RPS) devices
Conduct a study and make recommendations on the optimal approach regarding the Arecibo Observatory
Conduct a decadal survey of life and physical sciences research in microgravity and partial gravity to establish priorities for research for 2010-2020
Support the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis’ Global Energy Assessment
Review the Homeland Security Department’s approach to measuring risk, including the feasibility of combining terrorist threats and natural disasters within a single risk analysis
Evaluate the effectiveness of BioWatch, including the reliability of monitoring data and the ability of hospitals and public health officials to respond based on information received from those systems
Assist the secretary of homeland security in certifying Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) systems
Examine and make recommendations to reduce dietary sodium intake to levels recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Conduct a comprehensive review of the status of women’s health research
Evaluate the effectiveness of NASA’s Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) in meeting its mission
Recommend innovative approaches to educate and train scientists and users of Earth observations and applications and to assist in training students
Analyze how the Design Basis Threat is formulated, including funding requests, and build a “probabilistic risk assessment” tool
Develop and monitor implementation of a comprehensive, prioritized research road map for all federal agencies on environmental, health, and safety issues for nanotechnology
110-143 Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007
Study the status and quality of research on the residual effects of methamphetamine laboratories
110-140 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
Evaluate vehicle fuel economy standards, updating the initial report every five years through 2025
Evaluate medium- and heavy-duty truck fuel economy standards
Assess the impact of the requirements described in Section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act on each industry relating to the production of feed grains, livestock, food, forest products, and energy
Produce both an initial review and an updated report on the status of advanced solid state lighting research, development, demonstration, and commercialization
Five years after enactment of this Act, assess the Department of Energy's performance in carrying out Section 641, titled the “United States Energy Storage Competitiveness Act of 2007”
Review and provide oversight for the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Research, Development, and Demonstration Programs under Section 963 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and as amended by Sections 702 and 703 of this Act
Conduct a study that defines an interdisciplinary program on the undergraduate and graduate levels in geology, engineering, hydrology, environmental science, and related disciplines that will support the nation’s capability to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from anthropogenic sources, and develop guidelines for proposals from colleges and universities with substantial capabilities in the required disciplines
110-114 Water Resources Development Act of 2007
Conduct a peer review for those project studies subject to a review as described in subsection (a), Section 2034, of this Act, which may include the economic and environmental assumptions and projections, project evaluation data, economic, environmental, and engineering analyses, formulation of alternative plans, methods for integrating risk and uncertainty, models used in evaluation of economic or environmental impacts of proposed projects, and any biological opinions of the project study
110-85 Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007
Review and assess the pediatric studies conducted pursuant to Section 505B, Research Into Pediatric Uses for Drugs and Biological Products, or precursor regulations since 1997 and labeling changes made as a result of such studies
Review the written requests made and the studies conducted pursuant to Section 505A, Pediatric Studies of Drugs
110-69 America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (America COMPETES) Act
Conduct a study to identify and review methods to mitigate new forms of risk for businesses, beyond conventional operational and financial risk, that affect the ability to innovate
Study how the federal government should support, through research, education, and training, the emerging management and learning discipline known as “service science”
Not later than five years and 10 years after enactment of this Act, assess the performance of the science, engineering, and mathematics education programs of the Department of Energy
Review the performance of the distributed, multidisciplinary Institutes, established and centered at national laboratories, to apply fundamental science and engineering discoveries to technological innovations
Four years into its operation, conduct an evaluation of how well the Advanced Research Projects Agency -- Energy (ARPA-E) is achieving its goals and mission
Identify promising practices for improving teaching and student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in kindergarten through grade 12 and examine and synthesize the scientific evidence pertaining to the improvement of teaching and learning in these fields
Report on the barriers to, and identify strategies for, increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and work force
Conduct a study of the mechanisms and supports needed for an institution of higher education or nonprofit organization to develop and maintain a program to provide free access to online educational content as part of a degree program, especially in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or foreign languages, without using federal funds, including funds provided under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.)
109-479 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006
Conduct, jointly with the undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, a multiyear, comprehensive in-water study to measure the efforts, effects, and impact of the utilization of turtle excluder devices by shrimp fisheries (also see Public Law 108-199)
Conduct a study of the acidification of the oceans and how this process affects the United States (also see Public Law 110-161)
Review the tsunami detection, forecast, and warning program established under this title (also see Public Law 109-424)
109-469 Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006
Study certain aspects of iatrogenic addiction to prescription opioid analgesics included in schedules II and III of the Controlled Substances Act
109-449 Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act
Study the effectiveness of international and national measures to prevent and reduce marine debris and its impact
109-424 Tsunami Warning and Education Act
Review the tsunami detection, forecast, and warning program established under this Act (also see Public Law 109-479)
109-401 Henry J. Hyde United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006
Develop recommendations for the implementation of the United States-India scientific cooperative nonproliferation program
109-365 Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006
Conduct a study of the nutrition projects authorized by the Older Americans Act of 1965
109-364 John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
Review and evaluate the available scientific and medical evidence regarding associations between prenatal, child, and adult exposure to drinking water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Receive custodianship of the Air Force Health Study assets, maintain the data and specimens, and make them available for additional studies
Review the Department of Defense medical quality improvement program
Study the quantification of margins and uncertainty methodology used by the national security laboratories for assessing and certifying the safety and reliability of the nuclear stockpile
109-347 Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006
Conduct a study and prepare a report on disaster area health and environmental protection and monitoring
109-234 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006
Report on the depreciation of the individual system components for hurricane and storm damage reduction for the period beginning on the date of construction and ending on the date on which the report is prepared
Review the interim plan deauthorizing deep draft navigation on the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and addressing wetland losses, channel bank erosion, hurricane and storm protection, saltwater intrusion, navigation, and ecosystem restoration
109-155 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005
At five-year intervals, review and assess the performance of each division in the science directorate of NASA
Assess the future requirements for fundamental aeronautics research and whether the nation will have a skilled research work force and facilities commensurate with those requirements
109-149 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
Review and provide guidance on appropriate outcomes and assessments for young children in Head Start
109-115 Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
Evaluate the Department of Housing and Urban Development's current research plan and provide a set of options and recommendations on the future course of research needed to address technology, engineering, and social or economic issues
109-108 Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
Create an independent Forensic Science Committee to analyze and assess the resources, needs, best practices, potential advances, role in homeland security, and other issues involving forensic science and the legal community, outside the use of DNA
109-59 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
Review the research, design, methodology, and implementation of a study by the Department of Transportation to collect on-scene motor vehicle collision data and to determine crash causation
Study and evaluate the value that major public transportation systems in the United States provide to the nation's security and the ability of such systems to accommodate the relocation of people to or from critical locations in times of emergency
Recommend a research agenda for a national cooperative freight transportation research program and to support and carry out administrative and management activities related to its governance
Establish and carry out the future strategic highway research program (F-SHRP)
Develop and publish an assessment of national transportation information needs
Review the Department of Transportation's study plan, methodology, and any associated conclusions regarding whether a transportation program or project will have a de minimis impact on parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites
Carry out the nine research projects called for in the National Academies' Transportation Research Board 2005 Special Report 283 titled "Cooperative Research for Hazardous Materials Transportation: Defining the Need, Converging on Solutions"
Conduct a study of the nation's railroad transportation system since the enactment of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980
109-58 Energy Policy Act of 2005
Study the short- and long-term availability of skilled workers to meet the energy and mineral security requirements of the United States
Study the supply and demand of medical isotopes, not involving highly enriched uranium
Study the feasibility of converting motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips
Every four years, review the Department of Energy's R&D program on technologies relating to the production, purification, distribution, storage, and use of hydrogen energy, fuel cells, and related infrastructure outlined in Section 805 of this Act
Every four years, review the demonstration projects outlined in Section 808 and consistent with "Title VIII -- Hydrogen" of this Act, and the Department of Energy's determination of the maturity, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impacts of technologies supporting each project
Conduct periodic reviews of the Next-Generation Lighting Initiative
Study the progress made under the methane hydrate R&D program implemented under this Act and make recommendations for future research and development
Review the plan for the participation of U.S. scientists in the international burning plasma fusion research project (ITER) and/or the plan for implementing a domestic burning plasma experiment such as the Fusion Ignition Research Experiment
Review the catalysis research program
Review the research plan for the systems biology program
Conduct periodic reviews and assessments of the Department of Energy's research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs in energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear energy, and fossil energy; the measurable cost and performance goals for the programs as established under Section 902 of this Act; and the progress on meeting these goals
Define and evaluate the external costs and benefits associated with the production and consumption of energy that are not fully incorporated into the market price of such energy, or into the federal tax, fee, or other applicable revenue measure related to such production or consumption
Examine whether the goals of energy-efficiency standards are best served by measuring energy consumption and efficiency improvements at actual sites or through the full fuel cycle
Study the effect of coal bed natural gas production on ground and surface water resources, including groundwater aquifers in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Utah
Determine the effect that electrical contaminants (such as tin whiskers) may have on the reliability of energy production systems, including nuclear energy
Conduct a study that provides a budget road map for the development of fuel cell technologies and the transition from petroleum to hydrogen in a significant percentage of the vehicles sold by 2020
Conduct a study to assess the implications on energy use and efficiency of land development patterns in the United States
Study the potential of developing wind, solar, and ocean energy resources on federal land and the outer continental shelf; assess any federal law relating to their development; and recommend statutory and regulatory mechanisms for developing them
108-447 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005
Conduct a study on changing labor-force requirements
108-199 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004
Conduct a multiyear, comprehensive in-water study of shrimp fishing and its impact on sea turtle mortality (also see Public Law 109-479)
Evaluate the impact of board certification on teacher quality and student academic achievement
Conduct a study of teacher preparation programs in the United States
108-176 Vision 100 -- Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act
Provide staff support to the Airport Cooperative Research Program Governing Board and carry out projects proposed by the board that the secretary of transportation considers appropriate
108-173 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003
Evaluate leading health care performance measures in the public and private sectors and options to implement policies that align performance with payment under the Medicare program
108-153 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act
Conduct a triennial evaluation of the National Nanotechnology Program
108-7 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003
Review the Department of Energy's programs in fossil energy and energy conservation
107-368 National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002
Assess gender differences in the careers of science and engineering faculty
106-554 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001
Conduct a comprehensive study and provide semiannual progress reports on how the Small Business Innovation Research program has stimulated technological innovation and used small businesses to meet federal research and development needs
106-541 Water Resources Development Act of 2000
Biennial review of the progress of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
105-368 Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998
Review and evaluate the available scientific evidence regarding associations between illness and service in the Persian Gulf War
Develop a curriculum for the care and treatment of Persian Gulf War veterans who have ill-defined or undiagnosed illnesses and periodically review and provide recommendations regarding research plans and research strategies
105-277 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1999
Study on the available scientific evidence regarding associations between illnesses and exposure to toxic agents, environmental or wartime hazards, or preventive medicines or vaccines associated with Gulf War service
102-4 Agent Orange Act of 1991
Periodic review, summary, and assessment of the scientific evidence, and recommendation for further scientific studies concerning the association between exposure to herbicide and each disease suspected to be associated with such exposure (reports to be submitted at least biennially for a period of up to 10 years)
93-348 National Research Service Award Act of 1974
Conduct a continuing study to establish the nation's overall need for biomedical and behavioral research personnel and assess current training programs

*While all projects listed have been designated in legislation, a few lack funding and final contracts.
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