[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3230 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3230

  To establish within the National Science Foundation the Innovation 
       Inspiration school grant program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2009

  Mr. Hodes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on Science and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish within the National Science Foundation the Innovation 
       Inspiration school grant 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. INNOVATIVE INSPIRATION SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Director shall establish the Innovation 
Inspiration school grant program and make grants under this section to 
eligible entities for the promotion of science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics and to participate in robotics and STEM 
competitions.
    (b) Goals of Program.--The goals of the Innovation Inspiration 
school grant program are to--
            (1) support eligible entities in supporting non-traditional 
        STEM education teaching methods;
            (2) support the participation by teams of students from 
        eligible entities in certain not-for-profit STEM robotics 
        competitions;
            (3) foster innovation and broaden access to careers in STEM 
        by engaging students in after-school programs supported by 
        teachers and professional mentors who will receive additional 
        hands-on training and on-going communications that will not 
        only apply to their interaction with students on the STEM 
        competition teams, but also the other students in their STEM 
        classrooms; and
            (4) encourage the collaboration between students, 
        engineers, and professional mentors to design, build, program, 
        and compete in challenges with sophisticated robots.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish an 
        application process and award criteria.
            (2) Submission.--An eligible entity shall submit an 
        application at such time, in such form, and with such 
        information and assurances as required by the Director.
            (3) Preference.--In developing the award criteria, the 
        Director shall give preference to an eligible entity without an 
        established STEM education program and located in a rural, 
        urban, or underserved area.
    (d) Awards.--The Director shall award grants to selected eligible 
entities not later than November 1st of each authorized fiscal year to 
enable such entities to participate in regional and national robotics 
competitions.
    (e) Use of Grant Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under 
        this section shall receive not more than $20,000 per year for 
        not more than 5 years.
            (2) Specific uses.--Such entity shall use not more than the 
        following amounts for the following purposes in each year for 
        which funds are received:
                    (A) $6,000 for parts.
                    (B) $4,000 for additional materials.
                    (C) $5,000 for teacher incentives and stipends.
                    (D) $5,000 for support and expenses for regional 
                and national robotics competitions.
    (f) Additional Programs.--
            (1) Communications and outreach program.--The Director 
        shall establish a communications and outreach program to 
        publicize the availability and application procedure for the 
        grant program established by this section.
            (2) Monitoring.--The Director shall establish an evaluation 
        and monitoring program to determine the efficacy of the grant 
        program established by this section.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Director to carry out the grant program established in this 
        section $98,800,000 for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
            (2) Limitations.--Of the amounts authorized under paragraph 
        (1), not more than--
                    (A) $2,500,000 per fiscal year shall be used for 
                the program established under subsection (f)(1); and
                    (B) $7,500,000 per fiscal year shall be used for 
                the program established under subsection (f)(2).
    (h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        local educational agency, as defined in section 9101(26) of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801(26)), or, if such local educational agency chooses not to 
        apply for a grant under this section, a secondary school, as 
        defined in section 9101(38) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 7801(38)).
            (3) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.
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