[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 604 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 604

   Establishing the Congressional Science Competition for conducting 
  academic competitions in the sciences among high school students in 
            Congressional districts, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 22, 2004

 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Culberson, 
  Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Evans, Mr. Cardoza, Ms. 
 Lee, Mr. English, Mr. Markey, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Smith of 
Michigan, Mr. Farr, Mr. Hall, Mr. Holt, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. Boucher, Mr. 
   Allen, Mr. Crowley, Mr. McDermott, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Boswell, Mr. 
Hinojosa, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
  Mr. Filner, Mr. Kind, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Udall of New 
 Mexico, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Abercrombie, Ms. 
Hart, Mr. McNulty, and Mr. Serrano) submitted the following resolution; 
      which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Establishing the Congressional Science Competition for conducting 
  academic competitions in the sciences among high school students in 
            Congressional districts, and for other purposes.

    Resolved, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Congressional Science 
Competition Resolution of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Congress is increasingly involved in public policy 
        issues of a scientific and technical nature, and recognizes the 
        need to develop national expertise in the areas of science and 
        engineering.
            (2) Global competition and rapid advances in science and 
        technology require a national workforce that is increasingly 
        more scientifically and technically proficient.
            (3) Enrollment of United States students in graduate 
        science and engineering programs has not kept pace with foreign 
        student enrollment in these programs.
            (4) Pre-college science and mathematics education is an 
        important factor affecting the Nation's scientific literacy and 
        scientific awareness, as well as the future supply of United 
        States scientific and technological personnel.
            (5) Indicators of the performance of United States students 
        in pre-college science and math education indicate a need for 
        improvement, including the need to increase student interest in 
        science.
            (6) Sanctioning a high school science competition would be 
        an effective way for Congress to demonstrate leadership in 
        promoting scientific education as a national priority, to show 
        support for the process of scientific inquiry, and to foster 
        enthusiasm for scientific education.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE COMPETITION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Congressional 
Science Competition (hereafter referred to as the ``Competition''), 
under which an academic competition in the sciences shall be held each 
year among high school students in each Congressional district.
    (b) Regulations.--The Competition shall be carried out in 
accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the Committee 
on House Administration, including regulations to ensure that the 
competition may be administered on an academic year basis, except that 
each year the Competition shall be based on a topic or theme which 
reflects a scientific issue of importance to Congress and which is 
designated by the Committee on Science not later than September 15 of 
the year involved.
    (c) Use of Official Funds and Franking Permitted.--Any amounts 
expended by the office of a Member of the House of Representatives in 
conducting the Competition during a Congress, including amounts 
expended for mailings, shall be considered amounts expended in support 
of the Member's official and representational duties during the 
Congress.
    (d) Assistance of Other Persons Permitted.--For purposes of 
conducting the Competition, a Member may work with and receive 
financial support from persons who are not affiliated with the House of 
Representatives, including institutions of higher education, private 
nonprofit organizations, or other business associations.
    (e) Member Defined.--In this resolution, the term ``Member'' 
includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.
                                 <all>