[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1034 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1034
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to establish a digital network technology program, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2001
Mr. Towns (for himself and Mr. Young of Alaska) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to establish a digital network technology program, and
for other purposes.
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 ``NTIA Digital Network Technology
Program Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``PART D--DIGITAL NETWORK TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
``SEC. 171. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``The Secretary shall establish, within the NTIA's Technology
Opportunities Program a digital network technologies program to
strengthen the capacity of eligible institutions to provide instruction
in digital network technologies by providing grants to, or executing
contracts or cooperative agreements with, those institutions to provide
such instruction.
``SEC. 172. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.
``An eligible institution shall use a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement awarded under this part--
``(1) to acquire the equipment, instrumentation, networking
capability, hardware and software, digital network technology,
and infrastructure necessary to teach students and teachers
about technology in the classroom;
``(2) to develop and provide educational services,
including faculty development, to prepare students or faculty
seeking a degree or certificate that is approved by the State,
or a regional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of
Education;
``(3) to provide teacher education, library and media
specialist training, and preschool and teacher aid
certification to individuals who seek to acquire or enhance
technology skills in order to use technology in the classroom
or instructional process;
``(4) implement a joint project to provide education
regarding technology in the classroom with a State or State
education agency, local education agency, community-based
organization, national non-profit organization, or business,
including minority business or a business located in HUB zones,
as defined by the Small Business Administration; or
``(5) provide leadership development to administrators,
board members, and faculty of eligible institutions with
institutional responsibility for technology education.
``SEC. 173. APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCEDURE.
``(a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under this part, an eligible institution shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably
require. The Secretary, in consultation with the panel described in
subsection (b), shall establish a procedure by which to accept such
applications and publish an announcement of such procedure, including a
statement regarding the availability of funds, in the Federal Register.
``(b) Peer Review Panel.--The Secretary shall establish a peer
review panel to aid the Secretary in establishing the application
procedure described in subsection (a) and selecting applicants to
receive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements under section
171. In selecting the members for such panel, the Secretary may consult
with appropriate cabinet-level officials, representatives of non-
Federal organizations, and representatives of eligible institutions to
ensure that the membership of such panel reflects membership of the
minority higher education community, including Federal agency personnel
and other individuals who are knowledgeable about issues regarding
minority education institutions.
``SEC. 174. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.
``The Secretary may not award a grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement to an eligible institution under this part unless such
institution agrees that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by
the institution in carrying out the program for which the grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement was awarded, such institution will
make available (directly or through donations from public or private
entities) non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to \1/4\ of the
amount of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement awarded by the
Secretary, or $500,000, whichever is the lesser amount. The Secretary
shall waive the matching requirement for any institution or consortium
with no endowment, or an endowment that has a current dollar value
lower than $50,000,000.
``SEC. 175. LIMITATION.
``An eligible institution that receives a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement under this part that exceeds $2,500,000, shall
not be eligible to receive another grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement under this part until every other eligible institution has
received a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this part.
``SEC. 176. ANNUAL REPORT AND EVALUATION.
``(a) Annual Report Required From Recipients.--Each institution
that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this
part shall provide an annual report to the Secretary on its use of the
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.
``(b) Evaluation by Secretary.--The Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of Education, shall--
``(1) review the reports provided under subsection (a) each
year;
``(2) evaluate the program authorized by section 171 on the
basis of those reports; and
``(3) conduct a final evaluation at the end of the third
year
``(c) Contents of Evaluation.--The Secretary, in the evaluation,
shall describe the activities undertaken by those institutions and
shall assess the short-range and long-range impact of activities
carried out under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement on the
students, faculty, and staff of the institutions
``(d) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit a report to
the Congress based on the final evaluation within 1 year after
conducting the final evaluation. In the report, the Secretary shall
include such recommendations, including recommendations concerning the
continuing need for Federal support of the program, as may be
appropriate.''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 102(a) of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901(a)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(6) Eligible institution defined.--The term `eligible
institution' means an institution that is--
``(A) a historically Black college or university
that is a part B institution, as defined in section
322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1061(2)), an institution described in section
326(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C) of that Act (20 U.S.C.
1063b(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C)), or a consortium of
institutions described in this subparagraph;
``(B) a Hispanic-serving institution, as defined in
section 502(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5));
``(C) a tribally controlled college or university,
as defined in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3));
``(D) an Alaska Native-serving institution under
section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1059d(b));
``(E) a Native Hawaiian-serving institution under
section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1059d(b)); or
``(F) an institution determined by the Secretary,
in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to
have enrolled a substantial number of minority, low-
income students during the previous academic year who
received assistance under subpart I of part A of title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a
et seq.) for that year.''.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Commerce not more than $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums
as may be necessary for fiscal years 2003 through 2007, to carry out
part D of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organization Act.
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