[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3475 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3475

    To increase the participation of historically underrepresented 
demographic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
                        education and industry.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2012

 Ms. Landrieu introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To increase the participation of historically underrepresented 
demographic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
                        education and industry.

    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 ``Women and Minorities in STEM Booster 
Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND 
              UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN STEM FIELDS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) One of the core missions of the National Science 
        Foundation is ``to achieve excellence in U.S. science, 
        technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education''.
            (2) According to the National Academy of Sciences, STEM 
        education at the undergraduate level is vital to developing a 
        workforce that will allow the United States to remain the 
        leader in the 21st century global economy.
            (3) According to the National Academy of Sciences, in order 
        to maintain scientific and engineering leadership amid 
        increasing economic and educational globalization, the United 
        States must aggressively pursue the innovative capacity of all 
        people in the United States--women and men.
            (4) According to the August 2011 report ``Women in STEM: A 
        Gender Gap to Innovation'', the Department of Commerce found 
        the following:
                    (A) ``According to the Census Bureau's 2009 
                American Community Survey (ACS), women comprise 48 
                percent of the U.S. workforce but just 24 percent of 
                STEM workers.''.
                    (B) ``[B]etween 2000 and 2009, women's share of the 
                STEM workforce remained constant at 24 percent, while 
                their share of all college-educated workers increased 
                from 46 to 49 percent''.
                    (C) ``The ACS data on undergraduate fields of study 
                show that women account for nearly half of employed 
                college graduates age 25 and over, but only about 25 
                percent of employed STEM degree holders and an even 
                smaller share--just about 20 percent--of STEM degree 
                holders working in STEM jobs.''.
            (5) In 2007, underrepresented minority groups comprised 
        33.2 percent of the college-age population of the United 
        States, but only 17.7 percent of undergraduate students earning 
        a baccalaureate degree in a STEM field.
            (6) The Higher Education Research Institute at the 
        University of California, Los Angeles, found that, while 
        freshmen from underrepresented minority groups express an 
        interest in pursuing a STEM undergraduate degree at the same 
        rate as all other freshmen, only 22.1 percent of Latino 
        students, 18.4 percent of African-American students, and 18.8 
        percent of Native American students studying in STEM fields 
        complete their degree within 5 years, compared to an 
        approximate 33 percent and 42 percent 5-year completion rate 
        for White and Asian students, respectively.
            (7) According to the National Action Council for Minorities 
        in Engineering, Inc., no one race or ethnic category will be a 
        majority by 2050, and as the United States works to remain 
        competitive in the world of technological innovation, the 
        United States should address the need to increase the number of 
        individuals from underrepresented minority segments of the 
        population who work in engineering.
    (b) Program Authorized.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation, acting through the Education and Human Resources 
Directorate and not less than 1 research directorate of the National 
Science Foundation, shall award grants to eligible entities, on a 
competitive basis, to enable such eligible entities to carry out the 
activities described in subsection (e), in order to increase the 
participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
    (c) Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term ``eligible entity'' 
means--
            (1) a department of science, technology, engineering, or 
        mathematics at an institution of higher education, as defined 
        under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001);
            (2) a consortium of departments described in paragraph (1);
            (3) a department or consortium described in this 
        subsection, in partnership with a department, college, or 
        school of education at such institution of higher education; or
            (4) a nonprofit organization, which may include--
                    (A) a nonprofit scientific or professional society 
                or organization that represents one or more science or 
                engineering disciplines; or
                    (B) a nonprofit organization that has the primary 
                mission of advancing the participation of 
                underrepresented segments of the population in science 
                and engineering.
    (d) Application.--Each eligible entity that desires to receive a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to the Director of 
the National Science Foundation at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Director of the National Science 
Foundation may reasonably require.
    (e) Authorized Activities.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall use such grant funds to carry out the 
following activities designed to increase the participation of women 
and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics:
            (1) Online workshops.
            (2) Mentoring programs that partner science, technology, 
        engineering, or mathematics professionals with students.
            (3) Internships for undergraduate and graduate students in 
        the fields of science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics.
            (4) Conducting outreach programs that provide elementary 
        school and secondary school students with opportunities to 
        increase their exposure to the fields of science, technology, 
        engineering, or mathematics.
            (5) Such additional programs as the Director of the 
        National Science Foundation may determine.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
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