[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 610 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 610

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Graduate Research Fellowship 
              Program of the National Science Foundation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 5, 2012

    Mr. Rockefeller (for himself and Mrs. Hutchison) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Graduate Research Fellowship 
              Program of the National Science Foundation.

Whereas the United States is a world leader in science, technology, engineering, 
        and mathematics (STEM) fundamental research and related education;
Whereas an excellent STEM higher-education system is critical to the development 
        of a robust and inclusive U.S. STEM workforce and to U.S. global science 
        and engineering preeminence;
Whereas Congress and President Harry S. Truman created the National Science 
        Foundation (NSF), an independent Federal agency, 62 years ago 
        specifically to advance scientific discovery and innovation through the 
        Nation's basic research and STEM education infrastructure;
Whereas fundamental research supported by NSF across all scientific disciplines 
        have resulted in many significant contributions to Americans' health and 
        security, as well as to technological innovation and U.S. economic 
        prosperity;
Whereas advances in knowledge are made possible by researchers who focus on the 
        fundamental properties of nature, and who mentor and educate the next 
        generation of scientists and engineers;
Whereas 60 years ago, NSF purposefully created the Graduate Research Fellowship 
        Program (GRFP) as an instrument to prepare the Nation's reservoir of 
        science and engineering talent;
Whereas the GRFP, the country's oldest graduate fellowship program, supports 
        outstanding graduate students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees in 
        research at accredited U.S. institutions;
Whereas the GRFP has contributed to the development of outstanding U.S. 
        scholars, entrepreneurs, teachers, mentors, and inventors who continue 
        to support and promote the Nation's science and engineering enterprise 
        and the next generation of scientists and engineers;
Whereas this flagship program helps maintain high-quality and highly skilled 
        graduates who enter the Nation's STEM workforce prepared to innovate and 
        collaborate in the global scientific arena;
Whereas NSF has funded more than 46,500 competitive graduate research fellows 
        with selection criteria based on the intellectual merit of their 
        research and its potential broader impacts for society;
Whereas of the more than 200 NSF-supported Nobel laureates, 40 were selected as 
        graduate research fellows, and more than 440 graduate research fellows 
        have become members of the National Academy of Sciences;
Whereas graduate research fellows have an exceptionally high rate of doctorate 
        completion;
Whereas since 2001, graduate research fellows have filed more than 1,000 patents 
        while working toward their graduate degrees, thus contributing directly 
        to scientific advancement and discovery;
Whereas since 2007, 1145 graduate research fellows were selected from 
        Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research jurisdictions; 
        and
Whereas NSF's GRFP continues to be an essential component of the Nation's 
        discovery and innovation ecosystem, and is instrumental in STEM 
        workforce development: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Graduate 
        Research Fellowship Program of the National Science Foundation; 
        and
            (2) continues to recognize U.S. STEM graduate education as 
        central to U.S. workforce competitiveness and our country's 
        international leadership and economic prosperity.
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