; and (2) make available infrastructure, expertise, and financial resources to the United States scientific and engineering research and education enterprise. (b) Merit-Review Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering any intellectual or broader impacts criteria at the Foundation for evaluating grant applications. 508. EPSCoR (a) Sense of congress (1) In general It is the sense of Congress that— (A) since maintaining the Nation’s scientific and economic leadership requires the participation of talented individuals nationwide, EPSCoR investments into State research and education capacities that are in the Federal interest and should be sustained; and (B) EPSCoR should maintain its experimental component by supporting innovative methods for improving research capacity and competitiveness. (2) Definition of EPSCoR In this subsection, the term EPSCoR has the meaning given the term in section 502 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 1862p note). (b) Update of EPSCoR Section 517(f)(2) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 ( 42 U.S.C. 1862p–9(f)(2) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking and at the end; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (C) to increase the capacity of rural communities to provide quality STEM education and STEM workforce development programming to students, and teachers