National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2000

National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2000 - Authorizes appropriations to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for FY 2001 through FY 2003, with specific allocations for Research and Related Activities, Education and Human Resources, Major Research Equipment, Salaries and Expenses, and the Office of Inspector General.

(Sec. 3) Earmarks funds for plant genome research.

Authorizes NSF to make grants for the establishment of regional plant genome and gene expression research and development centers to: (1) develop capabilities in basic plant genome research; (2) extend basic plant genomics research through plant breeding programs and accelerate its application to development and testing of new varieties of enhanced food crops and for alternative uses of agricultural crops; and (3) serve as centers for scientific and safety information on plant genomics. Prohibits NSF from providing funds for more than half of the cost of establishing any such research and development center.

(Sec. 4) Directs NSF to make grant awards to support research on learning, focusing on: (1) brain research as a foundation for research on human learning; (2) behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social aspects of learning; (3) science, mathematics, engineering, and technological learning in formal and informal educational settings; and (4) learning in complex educational systems. Specifies the goals of such research to be to integrate scientific disciplines into research on learning, to gain a better understanding of how research and educational practice can be reconciled, and to test, evaluate, and refine hypotheses across disciplines. Requires NSF to make grants for the establishment of centers of research on learning to bring together multidisciplinary teams of researchers to support such research goals.

Authorizes NSF to participate in the Interagency Education Research Initiative.

Directs NSF to sponsor a conference on human learning and education research to bring together researchers from many disciplines, including the physical sciences, neurological sciences, social sciences, and education practitioners, to review past research on learning, assess current research efforts, and develop recommendations to address outstanding research issues and to disseminate research results to such practitioners.

(Sec. 5) Prohibits NSF, during FY 2001 through 2003, from entering into an arrangement under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 for the detail of any of its employees to locations other than NSF facilities.

(Sec. 6) Requires the Director of NSF to establish a program providing for: (1) an external review and appropriate revision of NSF ethics rules and procedures; and (2) training of all NSF employees on revised rules and procedures. Requires the Director to report to specified congressional committees at least once every six months on: (1) the number of NSF employees trained; and (2) the number and type of ethics violations determined to have occurred, along with a description of their resolution.

(Sec. 7) Directs the NSF to make recommendations to Congress on the establishment of a congressional award to honor and recognize private sector companies that have demonstrated outstanding performance promoting the expansion of basic research efforts in the United States.

(Sec. 9) Prohibits the application of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 with respect to specified NSF reports.