12 2 STA T .34 33 PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 31 5— AU G .14 , 200 8‘ ‘ (1)INGE NE RAL.—Subject t o t h e av a il abilit y o f a p p r opria - tio ns, the Secretary shall establish a tas k force w ithin the D epart m ent to stu d y modelin g and simulation and to support the development of the modeling and simulation field. T he activities of such task force shall include— ‘‘( A ) helping to define the study of modeling and sim- ulation (including the content of modeling and simulation classes and programs)
‘‘( B ) identifying best practices for such study; ‘‘( C ) identifying core knowledge and skills that individ- uals who participate in modeling and simulation programs should ac q uire; and ‘‘(D) providing recommendations to the Secretary with respect to— ‘‘(i) the information described in subparagraphs (A) through (C); and ‘‘(ii) a system by which grants under this section will be distributed. ‘‘( 2 )TA SKFO R C E M EM B ERS HIP .—The membership of the task force under this subsection shall be composed of represent- atives from— ‘‘(A) institutions of higher education with established modeling and simulation degree programs; ‘‘(B) the N ational Science F oundation; ‘‘(C) Federal G overnment agencies that use modeling and simulation e x tensively, including the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of H ealth, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of E nergy, and the Department of Transportation; ‘‘(D) private industries with a primary focus on mod- eling and simulation; ‘‘(E) national modeling and simulation organi z ations; and ‘‘(F) the O ffice of Science and Technology P olicy. ‘‘(c) ENHANCING M O D ELING AND SIM U LA T ION AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— ‘‘(1) ENHANCEMENT GRANTS AUTHORI Z ED.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible institutions to enhance modeling and simulation degree programs at such eligible institutions. ‘‘(B) DURATION OF GRANT.—A grant awarded under this subsection shall be awarded for a three-year period, and such grant period may be extended for not more than two years if the Secretary determines that an eligible institution has demonstrated success in enhancing the mod- eling and simulation degree program at such eligible institution. ‘‘(C) MINIMUM GRANT AMOUNT.—Subject to the avail- ability of appropriations, a grant awarded to an eligible institution under this subsection shall not be less than $750 ,000. ‘‘(D) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—Each eligible institution receiving a grant under this subsection shall provide, from non-Federal sources, in cash or in-kind, an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of the grant to carry out
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