[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3709 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3709

 To promote the growth of science and technology in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 1996

   Mr. Brown of California introduced the following bill; which was 
                  referred to the Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote the growth of science and technology 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 ``Opportunities in Science and 
Technology Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) a citizenry knowledgeable in science and technology is 
        a necessity as the United States enters the twenty-first 
        century;
            (2) the Nation's nonprofit science-technology centers 
        provide an important resource in enhancing scientific literacy;
             (3) the Nation's junior or community colleges can be an 
        effective means of fostering knowledge of science and 
        technology both for full-time students and for the wider 
        community; and
             (4) the provision of resources for the acquisition and 
        upgrading of facilities and equipment for fostering knowledge 
        of science and technology at nonprofit institutions is in the 
        national interest.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES FOR 
              SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

     (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, the Director of the National Science Foundation, 
and the Secretary of Energy shall establish a joint program of 
competitive, merit-reviewed awards in support of instructional 
equipment and facilities for science and technology.
     (b) Authorized Activities.--The program established under 
subsection (a) shall make awards annually for the purpose of providing 
and upgrading facilities and equipment at nonprofit institutions 
engaged in fostering knowledge of science and technology. Awards made 
under this section shall be subject to the following limitations:
             (1) No funds shall be used for salaries, or for expenses 
        not directly related to fostering knowledge of science and 
        technology.
             (2) At least 25 percent of the funds provided annually 
        shall be for grants to junior or community colleges.
             (3) At least 25 percent of the funds provided annually 
        shall be for science-technology centers.
             (4) At least 25 percent of the funds provided annually 
        shall be provided for--
                     (A) the purchase of audiovisual equipment, 
                interactive displays, and other equipment; and
                     (B) the development or acquisition of materials, 
                to be used in fostering knowledge of science and 
                technology.
     (c) Administration.--The joint program established under 
subsection (a) shall annually issue announcements of opportunity for 
awards. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 
Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy shall jointly 
establish and publish the criteria for selection of awards under the 
program. Responses to the announcements shall be evaluated and ranked 
by a review committee whose members shall be selected by the 
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the 
Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of 
Energy.
     (d) Definitions.--As used in this section--
             (1) the term ``informal science education'' means those 
        aspects of science education that occur outside the school 
        classroom, usually voluntary, recreational, and 
        interdisciplinary in nature, that are not directed by a 
        specific curriculum;
             (2) the term ``junior or community college'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 312(e) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(e));
             (3) the term ``science'' means all physical, biological, 
        and social sciences, mathematics, and engineering; and
             (4) the term ``science-technology center'', which may 
        include museums, planetariums, libraries, and zoos, means a 
        nonprofit institution open to the general public providing 
        interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and informal science 
        education designed to--
                     (A) further public understanding of science and 
                technology; and
                     (B) illustrate how such science and technology 
                interacts with society,
        and such institutions may also be involved in formal 
        educational activities.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for 
fiscal year 1997, $24,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and $30,000,000 for 
fiscal year 1999, with such amounts, to the extent practicable, to be 
equally divided among the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of 
Energy.
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