(a) Establishment

The Director of the National Science Foundation (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Director”) is authorized to establish an endowed, nongovernmental, nonprofit foundation (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Foundation”) in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(b) Purposes

The purposes of the Foundation shall be the following:

(1) To provide productive research and development opportunities within the independent states of the former Soviet Union that offer scientists and engineers alternatives to emigration and help prevent the dissolution of the technological infrastructure of the independent states.

(2) To advance defense conversion by funding civilian collaborative research and development projects between scientists and engineers in the United States and in the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

(3) To assist in the establishment of a market economy in the independent states of the former Soviet Union by promoting, identifying, and partially funding joint research, development, and demonstration ventures between United States businesses and scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs in those independent states.

(4) To provide a mechanism for scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs in the independent states of the former Soviet Union to develop an understanding of commercial business practices by establishing linkages to United States scientists, engineers, and businesses.

(5) To provide access for United States businesses to sophisticated new technologies, talented researchers, and potential new markets within the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

In carrying out its purposes, the Foundation shall—

(1) promote and support joint research and development projects for peaceful purposes between scientists and engineers in the United States and independent states of the former Soviet Union on subjects of mutual interest; and

(2) seek to establish joint nondefense industrial research, development, and demonstration activities through private sector linkages which may involve participation by scientists and engineers in the university or academic sectors, and which shall include some contribution from industrial participants.

(d) Funding

(1) Use of certain Department of Defense funds

(A) To the extent funds appropriated to carry out subtitle E of title XIV of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 [22 U.S.C. 5931] (relating to joint research and development programs with the independent states of the former Soviet Union) are otherwise available for such purpose, such funds may be made available to the Director for use by the Director in establishing the endowment of the Foundation and otherwise carrying out this section.

(B) For each fiscal year after fiscal year 1993, not more than 50 percent of the funds made available to the Foundation by the United States Government may be funds appropriated in the national defense budget function (function 050).

(2) Contribution to endowment by participating independent states

As a condition of participation in the Foundation, an independent state of the former Soviet Union must make a minimum contribution to the endowment of the Foundation, as determined by the Director, which shall reflect the ability of the independent state to make a financial contribution and its expected level of participation in the Foundation's programs.

(3) Debt conversions

To the extent provided in advance by appropriations Acts, local currencies or other assets resulting from government-to-government debt conversions may be made available to the Foundation. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “debt conversion” means an agreement whereby a country's government-to-government or commercial external debt burden is exchanged by the holder for local currencies, policy commitments, other assets, or other economic activities, or for an equity interest in an enterprise theretofore owned by the debtor government.

(4) Local currencies

In addition to other uses provided by law, and subject to agreement with the foreign government, local currencies generated by United States assistance programs may be made available to the Foundation.

(5) Investment of Government assistance

The Foundation may invest any revenue provided to it through United States Government assistance, and any interest earned on such investment may be used only for the purpose for which the assistance was provided.

(6) Other funds from Government and nongovernmental sources

The Foundation may accept such other funds as may be provided to it by Government agencies or nongovernmental entities.