[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1549 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1549
To provide for increasing the technically trained workforce in the
United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 15, 2001
Mr. Lieberman (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Bond, Mr. Frist, and Mr.
Domenici) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for increasing the technically trained workforce in the
United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Talent Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; DEFINITIONS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings with respect
to the value of the technically trained workforce to the United States:
(1) Studies show that about half of all United States post-
World War II economic growth is a direct result of
technological innovation, and science, engineering, and
technology play a central role in the creation of new goods and
services, new jobs, and new capital.
(2) The growth in the number of jobs requiring technical
skills is projected to be more than 50 percent over the next
decade.
(3) A workforce that is highly trained in science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology is crucial to
generating the innovation that drives economic growth.
(4) Outside of the biomedical sciences, the number of
undergraduate degrees awarded in the science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology disciplines has been flat or
declining since 1987, despite rapid population growth and a
significant increase in undergraduate enrollment over the same
period.
(5) The demand for H-1B visas has increased over the past
several years, suggesting that the United States is not
training a sufficient number of scientists and engineers.
(6) In international comparisons of 24-year olds, there
have been shown to be fewer holders of natural science and
engineering degrees in the United States than in Japan, South
Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
(7) Technological and scientific advancements hold
significant potential for elevating the quality of life and the
standard of living in the United States. The quality and
quantity of such advancements are dependent on a technically
trained workforce.
(8) Arresting the trends in reduced numbers of science and
engineering graduates is not only imperative to maintaining our
Nation's prosperity, it is also important for our national
security.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Community college.--The term ``community college''
means an institution of higher education that provides not less
than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward
a bachelor's degree, including institutions receiving
assistance under the Tribally Controlled Community College
Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
SEC. 3. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--The Director is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis to institutions of higher education with science,
mathematics, engineering, or technology programs to enable the
institutions to increase the number of students studying and receiving
associates or bachelor's degrees in established or emerging fields
within science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.
(b) Requirements.--
(1) Number.--The Director shall award not fewer than 10
grants under this Act each year contingent upon available
funds.
(2) Duration.--Grants under this Act shall be awarded for a
period of 3 years, with the final year of funding contingent
upon the Director's determination that satisfactory progress
has been made by the institution or community college during
the first 2 years of the grant period.
(3) Principal Investigator.--At least 1 principal
investigator must be in a position of administrative leadership
at the institution of higher education. Multiple principal
investigators shall be permitted.
(4) Subsequent grants.--Institutions of higher education
that have received grants under this Act shall be eligible to
compete for subsequent grants to enable the institutions to
continue making progress toward program goals after the initial
grant period ends. In reviewing the grant application from such
an institution, the Director is encouraged to consider--
(A) the progress the institution has made, using
grant funds received under this Act, toward achieving
program goals; and
(B) whether the successive grant application of the
institution includes a novel strategy for achieving
subsequent goals.
(5) Increases.--
(A) Institutions of higher education with
bachelor's degree programs.--An institution of higher
education that awards bachelor's degrees and desires to
receive a grant under this Act shall propose specific
increases in the number of students who are United
States citizens or permanent resident aliens, obtaining
bachelor's degrees at the institution in established or
emerging fields within science, mathematics,
engineering, or technology.
(B) Community colleges.--A community college that
desires to receive a grant under this Act shall propose
specific increases in the number of students who are
United States citizens or permanent resident aliens,
obtaining associate degrees in established or emerging
fields within science, mathematics, engineering, or
technology, and are encouraged to facilitate the
enrollment of such students in bachelor's degree
programs.
(6) Peer review of applications.--The Director shall review
grant applications under this Act on the basis of a peer review
process.
(7) Priority.--The Director is encouraged to give priority
in awarding grants to institutions of higher education that
enable such institutions to carry out programs--
(A) that increase the number of students studying
and receiving associates and bachelor's degrees in
established or emerging fields within science,
mathematics, engineering, or technology where there is
a specific industry need or where the number of
graduates has been flat or declining in recent years;
and
(B) that draw on previous and existing efforts with
demonstrated success in improving undergraduate
learning and teaching, including those efforts funded
by Federal grants from the National Science Foundation
or other agencies.
(8) National science foundation science and engineering
talent expansion center.--An institution of higher education
that is awarded a grant under this Act shall be known as a
``National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Talent
Expansion Center''.
SEC. 4. POLICY ELEMENTS.
In soliciting and evaluating grant applications from institutions
of higher education under this Act, the Director shall consider
supporting--
(1) programs that specifically aim to increase the number
of traditionally underrepresented students (low-income, ethnic
minorities, and women) in science, mathematics, engineering, or
technology, such as mentoring programs;
(2) programs that expand the capacity of institutions of
higher education to incorporate current advances in science and
technology into the undergraduate learning environment;
(3) bridge programs that enable additional preparation for
students otherwise not fully prepared to succeed in the study
and practice of science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology, including programs targeted at traditionally
underrepresented groups in such disciplines;
(4) programs including interdisciplinary approaches to
undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
education;
(5) programs that focus directly on the quality of student
learning, including those that encourage--
(A) high-caliber teaching, including enabling
faculty to spend additional time teaching participating
students in smaller class settings, particularly in the
laboratory environment, by, for example, providing
summer salary or other additional salary for faculty
members or stipends for students;
(B) opportunities to develop new pedagogical
approaches including the development of web-based
course strategies, distributed and collaborative
digital teaching tools, or interactive course modules;
and
(C) screening and training of teaching assistants;
(6) programs that--
(A) facilitate student exposure to potential
careers, including cooperative programs with industry
or government that place students in internships as
early as the summer following their first year of
study;
(B) provide part-time employment in industry during
the school year; or
(C) provide opportunities for undergraduates to
participate in industry or government sponsored
research;
(7) programs that assist institutions of higher education
in States that participate in the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to broaden the science,
engineering, mathematics, and technology student base or
increase retention in these fields;
(8) programs to encourage undergraduate research on- or
off-campus;
(9) programs that provide financial incentives to students
entering and persisting in the study of science, mathematics,
engineering, or technology;
(10) programs that leverage the Federal investment by
providing matching funds from industry, from State or local
government sources, or from private sources; and
(11) other innovative approaches to achieving program
goals.
SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.
(a) Evaluation.--The Director, in consultation with the advisory
committee established under section 7--
(1) shall evaluate, at least once each year, the progress
of institutions of higher education that are assisted under
this Act in achieving the goal of increasing the number of
students obtaining degrees in science, mathematics,
engineering, or technology; and
(2) shall award at least 1 grant or contract to an
independent evaluative organization to develop metrics and
evaluate the program approaches assisted under this Act that
are most effective, including those most cost-effective, in
increasing the number of students obtaining degrees in such
disciplines.
(b) Dissemination of Information.--The Director, at least once each
year, shall disseminate information on the activities and the results
of the program assisted under this Act to participating institutions of
higher education and other interested institutions of higher education.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
(a) List.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall develop, and disseminate to institutions
of higher education, a list of examples of existing institutional and
government efforts relevant to the program assisted under this Act.
(b) Interim Progress Report.--At the end of the second year of the
program assisted under this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress
an interim progress report that includes an evaluation of programmatic
features assisted under this Act that are most effective in increasing
the number of students studying science, mathematics, engineering, or
technology.
(c) Final Report.--The Director shall submit to Congress a final
report in 2007 regarding activities assisted under this Act,
including--
(1) an evaluation of the features described in subsection
(b);
(2) the number of degrees granted to students under this
Act; and
(3) information on the number of graduates assisted under
this Act who elected to pursue graduate degrees, and other
career paths taken by individuals assisted under this Act.
SEC. 7. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
The Director shall establish an advisory committee, that includes
significant representation from industry and academic leaders, for the
grant program assisted under this Act. The advisory committee shall--
(1) assist the Director in securing active industry, and
State and local government, participation in the program
assisted under this Act;
(2) recommend to the Director new innovative approaches to
furthering the mission of the program; and
(3) critique and advise the Director regarding program
metrics, implementation and performance of the program, and
program progress reports.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; FUNDING
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this Act--
(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent
fiscal year.
(b) Funding.--In addition to any other purposes for which such
funds are available, any funds made available to the Director under
section 286(s) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1356(s)) shall be available to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10703-10706)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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