[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4151 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4151

To expand the public awareness of science, technology, engineering, and 
   math and encourage Americans to study and enter those fields as a 
         matter of strategic importance for the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 9, 2007

  Mr. Reyes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To expand the public awareness of science, technology, engineering, and 
   math and encourage Americans to study and enter those fields as a 
         matter of strategic importance for 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 ``STEM Promotion Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) It is in the interest of the United States to expand 
        the pipeline of Americans pursuing education in the fields of 
        science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (in this Act 
        referred to as a ``STEM field'') and entering professions in a 
        STEM field so that the country will achieve strategic goals in 
        meeting workforce demands and in promoting innovative behavior 
        and economic competitiveness.
            (2) Increasing the number of individuals from groups under-
        represented in the professions in the STEM fields is essential 
        to expanding the labor pipeline in order to meet strategic 
        national goals in meeting STEM field workforce needs, promoting 
        innovation, and promoting economic competitiveness.

SEC. 3. PROMOTION OF ENTRY INTO STEM FIELDS.

    (a) Authority To Contract, Subject to Appropriations.--From the 
sums appropriated under subsection (g), the Secretary of Education is 
authorized to enter into a contract with firms with demonstrated 
records of success in advertising to implement a campaign to expand the 
population of qualified individuals in STEM fields by encouraging young 
Americans to enter those fields.
    (b) Design of Campaign.--Such a campaign shall be designed to 
enhance the image of education and professions in the STEM fields and 
promote participation in the STEM fields and shall include--
            (1) monitoring trends in youth attitudes toward pursuing 
        education and professions in the STEM fields and their 
        propensity toward entering the STEM fields;
            (2) determining what factors contribute to encouraging and 
        discouraging Americans from pursuing study in STEM fields and/
        or entering the STEM fields professionally;
            (3) determining what specific factors limit the 
        participation of groups currently underrepresented in STEM 
        fields, including Latinos, Native Americans, African-Americans, 
        and women; and
            (4) drawing from the market research performed under this 
        section and implementing an advertising campaign to encourage 
        young Americans to take up studies in STEM fields, beginning at 
        an early age.
    (c) Required Components.--Such a campaign shall include components 
that focus tailored messages on appropriate age groups, starting with 
elementary school students.
    (d) Priority.--Such a campaign shall hold as a high priority making 
specific appeals to Latinos, Native Americans, African-Americans, and 
women, who are currently under-represented in the STEM fields, in order 
to increase their numbers in the STEM fields, and shall tailor 
recruitment efforts to each specific group.
    (e) Use of Variety of Media.--Such a campaign shall make use of a 
variety of media, including television advertising, to reach its 
intended audience.
    (f) Teaching.--Such a campaign shall include a narrowly focused 
effort to attract current professionals in the STEM fields, through 
advertising in mediums likely to reach that specific group, into 
teaching in a STEM field in elementary and secondary school.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as are necessary.
                                 <all>