FIELD READERS.

SEC. 981. FIELD READERS. Section 402 of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3462) is amended— (1) by inserting “(a) In General.—” before “The Secretary”; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(b) Special Rule.— “(1) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may use not more than 1 percent of the funds appropriated for any education program that awards such funds on a competitive basis to pay the expenses and fees of non-Federal experts necessary to review applications and proposals for such funds. “(2) Applicability.—The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply to any education program under which funds are authorized to be appropriated to pay the fees and expenses of non-Federal experts to review applications and proposals for such funds.” .