The Secretary shall establish within the Department a natural products research program.

In carrying out the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate research relating to natural products, including—

(1) research to improve human health and agricultural productivity through the discovery, development, and commercialization of products and agrichemicals from bioactive natural products, including products from plant, marine, and microbial sources;

(2) research to characterize the botanical sources, production, chemistry, and biological properties of plant-derived natural products; and

(3) other research priorities identified by the Secretary.

The Secretary shall—

(1) determine the relevance and merit of research under this section through a system of peer review established by the Secretary pursuant to section 7613 of this title; and

(2) approve funding for research on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance to advancing the purposes of this section.

Funds made available under this section shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement and architect fees).

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.

(Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7525, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1273; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7525, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2035; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, § 7515, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 903; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7413, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4819.)