[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 735 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 735
To amend the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 to further
support advanced technological manufacturing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 11, 2021
Mr. Wicker (for himself and Ms. Cantwell) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 to further
support advanced technological manufacturing, 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 ``Advanced Technological Manufacturing
Act''.
SEC. 2. HARNESSING OUR NATION'S RESEARCH POTENTIAL.
(a) Establishment.--The Director of the National Science Foundation
shall conduct multiple pilot programs within the Foundation to expand
the number of institutions of higher education (including such
institutions that are community colleges), and other eligible entities
that the Director determines appropriate, that are able to successfully
compete for National Science Foundation grants.
(b) Components.--Each pilot program described in subsection (a)
shall include at least 1 of the following elements:
(1) A mentorship program.
(2) Grant writing technical assistance.
(3) Targeted outreach.
(4) Programmatic support or solutions for institutions or
entities that do not have an experienced grant management
office.
(5) An increase in the number of grant reviewers from
institutions of higher education that have not traditionally
received funds from the National Science Foundation.
(6) An increase of the term and funding, for a period of 3
years or less, as appropriate, to a principal investigator that
is a first-time grant awardee, when paired with regular
mentoring on the administrative aspects of grant management.
(c) Limitation.--As appropriate, each pilot program described in
subsection (a) shall work to reduce administrative burdens.
(d) Agency-Wide Programs.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation
shall--
(1) review the results of the pilot programs described in
subsection (a); and
(2) develop agency-wide best practices from the pilot
programs for implementation across the Foundation, in order to
fulfill the requirement under section 3(e) of the National
Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1862(e)).
(e) Institution of Higher Education.--In this section, the term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the term in
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
SEC. 3. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL MANUFACTURING.
(a) Findings and Purpose.--Section 2 of the Scientific and
Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862h) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``science,
mathematics, and technology'' and inserting ``science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM'';
(B) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``educated and''
before ``trained''; and
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``scientific and
technical education and training'' and inserting ``STEM
education and training''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``mathematics and
science'' and inserting ``STEM fields''; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``mathematics and
science instruction'' and inserting ``STEM
instruction''.
(b) Modernizing References to STEM.--Section 3 of the Scientific
and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``scientific and
technical education'' and inserting ``stem education'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Scientific and Technical Education'' and inserting
``STEM Education'';
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(i) by inserting ``and education to prepare
the skilled technical workforce to meet
workforce demands'' before ``, and to
improve'';
(ii) by striking ``core education courses
in science and mathematics'' and inserting
``core education courses in STEM fields'';
(iii) by inserting ``veterans and
individuals engaged in'' before ``work in the
home''; and
(iv) by inserting ``and on building a
pathway from secondary schools, to associate-
degree-granting institutions, to careers that
require technical training'' before ``, and
shall be designed'';
(C) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by inserting ``and study'' after
``development''; and
(ii) by striking ``core science and
mathematics courses'' and inserting ``core STEM
courses'';
(D) in paragraph (2), by striking ``science,
mathematics, and advanced-technology fields'' and
inserting ``STEM and advanced-technology fields'';
(E) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting ``to support
the advanced-technology industries that drive the
competitiveness of the United States in the global
economy'' before the semicolon at the end;
(F) in paragraph (4), by striking ``scientific and
advanced-technology fields'' and inserting ``STEM and
advanced-technology fields''; and
(G) in paragraph (5), by striking ``advanced
scientific and technical education'' and inserting
``advanced STEM and advanced-technology'';
(3) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking the subsection heading and
inserting the following: ``Centers of Scientific and
Technical Education.--'';
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``not to exceed 10 in number'' and inserting
``in advanced-technology fields'';
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``education in
mathematics and science'' and inserting ``STEM
education''; and
(D) in the flush matter following paragraph (2), by
striking ``in the geographic region served by the
center'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``to encourage'' and
all that follows through ``such means
as--'' and inserting ``to encourage the
development of career and educational
pathways with multiple entry and exit
points leading to credentials and
degrees, and to assist students
pursuing pathways in STEM fields to
transition from associate-degree-
granting colleges to bachelor-degree-
granting institutions, through such
means as--'';
(II) in clause (i), by striking
``to ensure'' and inserting ``to
develop articulation agreements that
ensure''; and
(III) in clause (ii), by striking
``courses at the bachelor-degree-
granting institution'' and inserting
``the career and educational pathways
supported by the articulation
agreements'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in clause (i), by inserting
``veterans and individuals engaged in''
before ``work in the home'';
(II) in clause (iii)--
(aa) by striking
``bachelor's-degree-granting
institutions'' and inserting
``institutions or work sites'';
and
(bb) by inserting ``or
industry internships'' after
``summer programs''; and
(III) by striking the flush text
following clause (iv); and
(iii) by striking subparagraph (C);
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``mathematics and science
programs'' and inserting ``STEM programs'';
(ii) by inserting ``and, as appropriate,
elementary schools,'' after ``with secondary
schools'';
(iii) by striking ``mathematics and science
education'' and inserting ``STEM education'';
(iv) by striking ``secondary school
students'' and inserting ``students at these
schools'';
(v) by striking ``science and advanced-
technology fields'' and inserting ``STEM and
advanced-technology fields''; and
(vi) by striking ``agreements with local
educational agencies'' and inserting
``articulation agreements or dual credit
courses with local secondary schools, or other
means as the Director determines
appropriate,''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking subparagraph (B);
(ii) by striking ``shall--'' and all that
follows through ``establish a'' and inserting
``shall establish a'';
(iii) by striking ``the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics'' and
inserting ``STEM fields''; and
(iv) by striking ``; and'' and inserting
``, including jobs at Federal and academic
laboratories.'';
(5) in subsection (d)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) as appropriate, applications that apply the
best practices for STEM education and technical skills
education through distance learning or in a simulated
work environment, as determined by research described
in subsection (f).'';
(6) in subsection (g), by striking the second sentence;
(7) in subsection (h)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``2022'' and
inserting ``2026'';
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``2022'' and
inserting ``2026''; and
(C) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) by striking ``up to $2,500,000'' and
inserting ``not less than $3,000,000''; and
(ii) by striking ``2022'' and inserting
``2026''; and
(8) in subsection (j)--
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the
following:
``(1) the term `advanced-technology' includes technological
fields such as advanced manufacturing, agricultural-,
biological- and chemical-technologies, energy and environmental
technologies, engineering technologies, information
technologies, micro and nano-technologies, cybersecurity
technologies, geospatial technologies, and new, emerging
technology areas;'';
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) the term `associate-degree-granting college' means an
institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) that offers
a 2-year associate-degree program or 2-year certificate
program;'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``as determined
under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965''
and inserting ``as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)'';
(D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``separate
bachelor-degree-granting institutions'' and inserting
``other entities'';
(E) by striking paragraph (7);
(F) by redesignating paragraphs (8) and (9) as
paragraphs (7) and (8), respectively;
(G) in paragraph (7), as redesignated by
subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(H) in paragraph (8), as redesignated by
subparagraph (F)--
(i) by striking ``mathematics, science,
engineering, or technology'' and inserting
``science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics''; and
(ii) by striking ``computer science.'' and
inserting ``computer science and cybersecurity;
and''; and
(I) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) the term `skilled technical workforce' means
workers--
``(A) in occupations that use significant levels of
science and engineering expertise and technical
knowledge; and
``(B) whose level of educational attainment is less
than a bachelor degree.''.
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