[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3076 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3076

   To amend title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure 
   graduate opportunities in postsecondary education, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 11, 2003

 Mr. Hoekstra (for himself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. McKeon, Mr. Isakson, Mr. 
  Tiberi, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, and Mr. Cole) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                             the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure 
   graduate opportunities in postsecondary education, 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; REFERENCES; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Graduate 
Opportunities in Higher Education Act of 2003''.
    (b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever 
in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference 
shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).

SEC. 2. JAVITS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Priority.--Section 701(a) (20 U.S.C. 1134(a)) is amended by 
inserting after the second sentence the following new sentence: ``The 
Secretary shall provide a priority for the purpose of awarding 
fellowships under this section to students who are in enrolled in 
graduate courses of study in advanced linguistics and in courses that 
prepare teachers to teach students with limited English proficiency.''.
    (b) Interruptions of Study.--Section 701(c) (20 U.S.C. 1134(c)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``In the case 
of other exceptional circumstances, such as active duty military 
service or personal or family member illness, the institution of higher 
education may also permit the fellowship recipient to interrupt periods 
of study for not more than 12 months, but without payment of the 
stipend.''.
    (c) Allocation of Fellowships.--Section 702(a)(1) (20 U.S.C. 
1134a(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by inserting ``from diverse 
        geographic regions'' after ``higher education''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The 
        Secretary shall also assure that at least one representative 
        appointed to the Board represents an institution that is 
        eligible for a grant under title III or V of this Act.''.
    (d) Stipends.--Section 703 (20 U.S.C. 1134b(a)) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``1999-2000'' and inserting ``2004-
                2005'';
                    (B) by striking ``shall be set'' and inserting 
                ``may be set''; and
                    (C) by striking ``Foundation graduate fellowships'' 
                and inserting ``Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship 
                Program''; and
            (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Institutional Payments.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall (in addition to 
        stipends paid to individuals under this subpart) pay to the 
        institution of higher education, for each individual awarded a 
        fellowship under this subpart at such institution, an 
        institutional allowance. Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        such allowance shall be, for 2004-2005 and succeeding academic 
        years, the same amount as the institutional payment made for 
        2003-2004 adjusted for 2004-2005 and annually thereafter in 
        accordance with inflation as determined by the Department of 
        Labor's Consumer Price Index for the previous calendar year.
            ``(2) Reduction.--The institutional allowance paid under 
        paragraph (1) shall be reduced by the amount the institution 
        charges and collects from a fellowship recipient for tuition 
        and other expenses as part of the recipient's instructional 
        program.''.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 705 (20 U.S.C. 1134d) 
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting 
``fiscal year 2004 and sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years''.

SEC. 3. GRADUATE ASSISTANCE IN AREAS OF NATIONAL NEED.

    (a) Priority.--Section 711(a) (20 U.S.C. 1135(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Priority.--The Secretary shall establish a priority 
        for grants to institutions of higher education in order to 
        prepare math, science and special education faculty who can 
        train highly qualified math, science and special education 
        elementary and secondary school teachers. Such grants shall 
        offer program assistance and graduate fellowships for--
                    ``(A) post-baccalaureate study related to teacher 
                preparation in math, science, or special education; and
                    ``(B) support of dissertation research in math, 
                science, or special education.''.
    (b) Designation of Areas of National Need.--The last sentence of 
section 712(b) (20 U.S.C. 1135a(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and an assessment'' and inserting ``an 
        assessment''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end of the 
        following: ``and the priority described in section 711 
        (a)(3)''.
    (c) Stipends.--Section 714(b) (20 U.S.C. 1135c(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``1999-2000'' and inserting ``2004-2005'';
            (2) by striking ``shall be set'' and inserting ``may be 
        set''; and
            (3) by striking ``Foundation graduate fellowships'' and 
        inserting ``Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program''.
    (d) Additional Assistance.--Section 715(a)(1) (20 U.S.C. 
1135d(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``1999-2000'' and inserting ``2004-2005''; 
        and
            (2) by striking ``1998-1999'' and inserting ``2003-2004''.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 716 (20 U.S.C. 1135e) 
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting 
``fiscal year 2004 and sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years''.
    (f) Technical Amendments.--Section 714(c) (20 U.S.C. 1135c(c)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``section 716(a)'' and inserting ``section 
        715(a)''; and
            (2) by striking ``section 714(b)(2)'' and inserting 
        ``section 713(b)(2)''.

SEC. 4. THURGOOD MARSHALL LEGAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.

    (a) Contract and Grant Purposes.--Section 721(c) (20 U.S.C. 
1136(c)) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) to prepare such students for study at accredited law 
        schools and assist them with the development of analytical 
        skills and study methods to enhance their success and promote 
        completion of law school;'';
            (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
            (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(6) to award Thurgood Marshall Fellowships to eligible 
        law school students--
                    ``(A) who participated in summer institutes 
                authorized by subsection (d) and who are enrolled in an 
                accredited law school; or
                    ``(B) who are eligible law school students who have 
                successfully completed a comparable summer institute 
                program certified by the Council on Legal Educational 
                Opportunity.''.
    (b) Services Provided.--Section 721(d)(1)(D) (20 U.S.C. 
1136(d)(1)(D)) is amended by inserting ``in analytical skills and study 
methods'' after ``courses''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 721(h) (20 U.S.C. 
1136(h)) is amended by striking ``1999 and each of the 4 succeeding 
fiscal years'' and inserting ``2004 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal 
years''.
    (d) General Provisions.--Subsection (e) of section 731 (20 U.S.C. 
1137(e)) is repealed.

SEC. 5. FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

    (a) Contract and Grant Purposes.--Section 741(a) (20 U.S.C. 
1138(a)) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) the encouragement of the reform and improvement of, 
        and innovation in, postsecondary education and the provision of 
        educational opportunity for all, especially for the non-
        traditional student populations;'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon at 
        the end the following: ``for postsecondary students, especially 
        those that provide academic credit for programs'';
            (3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) the establishment of institutions and programs based 
        on the technology of communications, including delivery by 
        distance education;''; and
            (4) by amending paragraph (6) to read as follows:
            ``(6) the introduction of institutional reforms designed to 
        expand individual opportunities for entering and reentering 
        postsecondary institutions and pursuing programs of 
        postsecondary study tailored to individual needs;''.
    (b) Special Projects.--Paragraph (4) of section 744(c) (20 U.S.C. 
1138c(c)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(4) International cooperation, partnerships, or student 
        exchange among postsecondary educational institutions in the 
        United States and abroad.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 745 (20 U.S.C. 1138d) 
is amended by striking ``$30,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and such sums 
as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and 
inserting ``$40,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years'' .

SEC. 6. URBAN COMMUNITY SERVICE.

    Part C of title VII (20 U.S.C. 1139 et seq.) is repealed.

SEC. 7. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS TO ENSURE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 
              RECEIVE A QUALITY HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) Serving All Students With Disabilities.--Section 762(a) (20 
U.S.C. 1140a(a)) is amended by striking ``students with learning 
disabilities'' and inserting ``students with disabilities''.
    (b) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) Amendment.--Section 762(b)(2) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``in order to 
                improve retention and completion'' after 
                ``disabilities'';
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
                subparagraphs (C) and (E), respectively;
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(B) Effective transition practices.--The 
                development of innovative, effective, and efficient 
                teaching methods and strategies to ensure the smooth 
                transition of students with disabilities from high 
                school to postsecondary education.''; and
                    (D) by inserting after subparagraph (C) (as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) Distance learning.--The development of 
                innovative, effective, and efficient teaching methods 
                and strategies to provide faculty and administrators 
                with the ability to provide accessible distance 
                education programs or classes that would enhance access 
                of students with disabilities to higher education, 
                including the use of electronic communication for 
                instruction and advisement.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 762(b)(3) is amended by 
        striking ``subparagraphs (A) through (C)'' and inserting 
        ``subparagraphs (A) through (E)''.
    (c) Applications.--Section 763 (20 U.S.C. 1140b) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) a description of how such institution plans to 
        address the activities allowed under this part;'';
            (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2);
            (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) a description of the extent to which an institution 
        will work to replicate the best practices of institutions of 
        higher education with demonstrated success in serving students 
        with disabilities.''.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 765 (20 U.S.C. 1140d) 
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting 
``fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years''.
                                 <all>