42 U.S.C. § 1862o–10

(1) In general As part of the Program described in title I of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 ( 15 U.S.C. 5511 et seq.), the Foundation shall support basic research related to advanced information and communications technologies that will contribute to enhancing or facilitating the availability and affordability of advanced communications services for all people of the United States. Areas of research to be supported may include research on— (A) affordable broadband access, including wireless technologies; (B) network security and reliability; (C) communications interoperability; (D) networking protocols and architectures, including resilience to outages or attacks; (E) trusted software; (F) privacy; (G) nanoelectronics for communications applications; (H) low-power communications electronics; (I) implementation of equitable access to national advanced fiber optic research and educational networks in noncontiguous States; and (J) such other related areas as the Director finds appropriate. (2) Centers The Director shall award multiyear grants, subject to the availability of appropriations and on a merit-reviewed competitive basis, to institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions affiliated with institutions of higher education, or consortia of either type of institution to establish multidisciplinary Centers for Communications Research. The purpose of the Centers shall be to generate innovative approaches to problems in information and communications technology research, including the research areas described in paragraph (1). Institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions affiliated with institutions of higher education, or consortia receiving such grants may partner with 1 or more government laboratories, for-profit entities, or other institutions of higher education or nonprofit research institutions. (3) Funding allocation The Director shall increase funding for the basic research activities described in paragraph (1), which shall include support for the Centers described in paragraph (2), in proportion to the increase in the total amount appropriated to the Foundation for research and related activities for the fiscal years 2008 through 2010. (4) Report to Congress The Director shall transmit to Congress, as part of the President’s annual budget submission under section 1105 of title 31 , a report on the amounts allocated for support of research under this section for the fiscal year during which such report is submitted and the levels proposed for the fiscal year with respect to which the budget submission applies.