[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 153 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 153

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and 
              scientific research, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation.
            (2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National 
        Science Foundation.
            (3) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term 
        in section 2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
        2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
            (4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 3. SUPPORTING VETERANS IN STEM EDUCATION AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.

    (a) Supporting Veteran Involvement in Scientific Research and STEM 
Education.--The Director shall, through the research and education 
activities of the Foundation, encourage veterans to study and pursue 
careers in STEM and computer science, in coordination with other 
Federal agencies that serve veterans.
    (b) Veteran Outreach Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan 
for how the Foundation can enhance its outreach efforts to veterans. 
Such plan shall--
            (1) report on the Foundation's existing outreach 
        activities;
            (2) identify the best method for the Foundation to leverage 
        existing authorities and programs to facilitate and support 
        veterans in STEM careers and studies, including teaching 
        programs; and
            (3) include options for how the Foundation could track 
        veteran participation in research and education programs of the 
        Foundation, and describe any barriers to collecting such 
        information.
    (c) National Science Board Indicators Report.--The National Science 
Board shall provide in its annual report on indicators of the state of 
science and engineering in the United States any available and relevant 
data on veterans in science and engineering careers or education 
programs.
    (d) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Update.--Section 10 of 
the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
1862n-1) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(5)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) higher education programs that serve or 
                support veterans.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(F)--
                    (A) by striking ``and students'' and inserting ``, 
                students''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, and veterans'' before the 
                period at the end;
            (3) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting ``and veterans'' 
        before the period at the end; and
            (4) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ``and veterans'' 
        before the period at the end.
    (e) National Science Foundation Teaching Fellowships and Master 
Teaching Fellowships Update.--Section 10A(d) of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1a(d)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(F)--
                    (A) by striking ``and individuals'' and inserting 
                ``, individuals''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, and veterans'' before the 
                period at the end; and
            (2) in paragraph (4)(B), by inserting ``and veterans'' 
        before the period at the end.
    (f) National Science Foundation Computer and Network Security 
Capacity Building Grants Update.--Section 5(a) of the Cyber Security 
Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7404(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and students who are 
        veterans'' after ``these fields''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as 
                subparagraph (K); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the 
                following:
                    ``(J) creating opportunities for veterans to 
                transition to careers in computer and network security; 
                and''.
    (g) Graduate Traineeships in Computer and Network Security Research 
Update.--Section 5(c)(6)(C) of the Cyber Security Research and 
Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7404(c)(6)(C)) is amended by inserting ``or 
veterans'' after ``disciplines''.
    (h) Veterans and Military Families STEM Education Interagency 
Working Group.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall establish, or designate, an interagency 
        working group to improve veteran and military spouse equity and 
        representation in STEM fields.
            (2) Duties of interagency working group.--An interagency 
        working group established under paragraph (1) shall develop and 
        facilitate the implementation by participating agencies of a 
        strategic plan, which shall--
                    (A) specify and prioritize short- and long-term 
                objectives;
                    (B) specify the common metrics that will be used by 
                Federal agencies to assess progress toward achieving 
                such objectives;
                    (C) identify barriers veterans face in reentering 
                the workforce, including a lack of formal STEM 
                education, career guidance, and the process of 
                transferring military credits and skills to college 
                credits;
                    (D) identify barriers military spouses face in 
                establishing careers in STEM fields;
                    (E) describe the approaches that each participating 
                agency will take to address administratively the 
                barriers described in subparagraphs (C) and (D); and
                    (F) identify any barriers that require Federal or 
                State legislative or regulatory changes in order to be 
                addressed.
            (3) Report.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy shall--
                    (A) not later than 1 year after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, submit to Congress the strategic 
                plan required under paragraph (2); and
                    (B) include in the annual report required by 
                section 101(d) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization 
                Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621(d)) a description of any 
                progress made in carrying out the activities described 
                in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
            (4) Sunset.--An interagency working group established under 
        paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after 
        the date that it is established.

SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY AND REPORT ON 
              BARRIERS FACED BY STUDENT VETERANS PURSUING DEGREES IN 
              SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, OR MATH.

    (a) Study.--Not later than August 1, 2022, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall complete a study on academic success rates 
of student veterans pursuing covered degrees and barriers faced by such 
students in pursuing such degrees.
    (b) Elements.--The study required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) Assessment of available information on the percentage 
        or number of student veterans pursuing a covered degree with 
        educational assistance furnished under chapter 33 of title 38, 
        United States Code.
            (2) Assessment of available information on the percentage 
        or number of such students who pursue a covered degree and do 
        not obtain such degree in four or fewer academic years.
            (3) Identification of the reasons that such students do not 
        obtain such degree in four or fewer academic years and whether 
        such reasons are barriers to obtaining such degrees.
            (4) Development of recommendations for legislative or 
        administrative action to better align the educational 
        assistance furnished under chapter 33 of title 38, United 
        States Code, with the needs of such students and address the 
        reasons identified under paragraph (3).
    (c) Report.--Not later than August 1, 2022, the Comptroller General 
shall submit to Congress a report on the findings of the Comptroller 
General with respect to the study completed under subsection (a), along 
with recommendations for such legislative or administrative action as 
the Comptroller General considers appropriate.
    (d) Definition of Covered Degree.--In this section, the term 
``covered degree'' means a standard, undergraduate college degree in a 
field listed under section 3320(b)(4)(A)(i) of title 38, United States 
Code.

            Passed the Senate December 18, 2019.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
116th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 153

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and 
              scientific research, and for other purposes.