[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9402 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9402

   To support National Science Foundation education and professional 
    development relating to artificial intelligence, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 23, 2024

 Mr. Fong (for himself and Ms. Salinas) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To support National Science Foundation education and professional 
    development relating to artificial intelligence, 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 ``NSF AI Education Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

    Paragraph (2) of section 5401(e) of the National Artificial 
Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451(e); enacted as part 
of title LIV of division E of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``faculty''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(D) Student scholarships and fellowships in 
                artificial intelligence.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may support 
                        scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate 
                        and graduate students by making awards through 
                        institutions of higher education, including 
                        community colleges, to students who are 
                        enrolled in programs of study leading to 
                        degrees or concentrations in or related to the 
                        design, research, assessment, development, 
                        deployment, integration, or application of 
                        artificial intelligence.
                            ``(ii) Considerations.--In carrying out 
                        clause (i), the Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may prioritize making awards 
                        to students who are enrolled in programs of 
                        study leading to degrees or concentrations in 
                        or related to any of the following:
                                    ``(I) The teaching of artificial 
                                intelligence at elementary schools, 
                                secondary schools, career and technical 
                                education schools, institutions of 
                                higher education, or through other 
                                higher education and professional 
                                education programs.
                                    ``(II) Artificial intelligence and 
                                advanced manufacturing, including the 
                                integration of artificial intelligence 
                                into advanced manufacturing operations.
                                    ``(III) Artificial intelligence and 
                                agriculture, including the integration 
                                of artificial intelligence into 
                                agricultural operations, prediction, 
                                and decision making.
                            ``(iii) Awards.--Scholarships and 
                        fellowships awarded under this subparagraph may 
                        be in the form of awards that may cover the 
                        cost of tuition, education-related fees, a 
                        stipend, and professional development funds for 
                        a period of up to five years. Such scholarships 
                        and fellowships shall be paid directly to the 
                        institution of higher education in which the 
                        student is enrolled.
                            ``(iv) Outreach.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation shall conduct 
                        outreach and encourage applications from rural-
                        located institutions of higher education, 
                        rural-serving institutions of higher education, 
                        Tribal Colleges or Universities, and 
                        institutions located in an Established Program 
                        to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) 
                        jurisdiction.
                            ``(v) Method.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may carry out this 
                        subparagraph by making awards through new or 
                        existing programs.
                    ``(E) Artificial intelligence professional 
                development fellowships.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may support 
                        activities to promote the exchange of ideas and 
                        encourage collaborations between institutions 
                        of higher education and industry partners in 
                        the field of artificial intelligence, including 
                        through fellowships for students, teachers, 
                        faculty, and industry professionals.
                            ``(ii) Supplementals for students and 
                        faculty.--The Director of the National Science 
                        Foundation may award fellowships for students 
                        and faculty to pursue professional development 
                        programs in STEM fields that are administered 
                        by or affiliated with institutions of higher 
                        education, including community colleges, in 
                        order to enable recipients to attain skills, 
                        training, or education in partnership with 
                        industry members on the design, research, 
                        assessment, development, deployment, 
                        integration, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iii) Fellowships for industry 
                        professionals.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may award fellowships to 
                        industry professionals to enable recipients to 
                        seek short-term appointments to instruct and 
                        educate students on the design, research, 
                        assessment, development, deployment, 
                        integration, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iv) Fellowships for school 
                        professionals.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation may award fellowships to 
                        teachers, school counselors, and other school 
                        professionals for professional development 
                        programs in order to enable recipients to 
                        attain skills, training, or education in 
                        partnership with industry members on the 
                        teaching, use of, or application of artificial 
                        intelligence in K-12 settings.
                            ``(v) Awards.--Awards made under this 
                        subparagraph may be in the form of an award 
                        that covers the cost of tuition, education-
                        related fees, a stipend, and professional 
                        development funds for up to one year. Such 
                        awards shall be paid directly to the 
                        institution of higher education that 
                        administers, or is affiliated with, the program 
                        in which the fellowship recipient is 
                        participating.
                    ``(F) National science foundation outreach 
                campaign.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation may carry out a 
                        nationwide outreach campaign to students at 
                        elementary schools, secondary schools, career 
                        and technical education schools, institutions 
                        of higher education, or through other higher 
                        education and professional education programs 
                        to increase awareness regarding National 
                        Science Foundation-funded artificial 
                        intelligence education opportunities.
                            ``(ii) Priority.--In carrying out the 
                        campaign described in clause (i), the Director 
                        of the National Science Foundation may 
                        prioritize outreach to groups historically 
                        underrepresented in STEM, including in 
                        underserved and rural areas.
                    ``(G) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a 
                scholarship or fellowship under this paragraph, an 
                individual shall satisfy all of the following:
                            ``(i) Be a citizen, national, or lawful 
                        permanent resident of the United States.
                            ``(ii) Demonstrate a commitment to a career 
                        in advancing the field of artificial 
                        intelligence.
                            ``(iii) Accept the terms of a fellowships 
                        under this subparagraph.
                    ``(H) Reports.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than seven 
                        years after the date of the enactment of this 
                        subparagraph, the Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation shall submit to Congress, 
                        and make widely available to the public, a 
                        report including any recommendations for 
                        legislative action that could optimize the 
                        effectiveness of the scholarships and 
                        fellowships under this paragraph.
                            ``(ii) Report requirements.--In preparing 
                        the reports under clause (i), the Director of 
                        the National Science Foundation may, as 
                        practicable--
                                    ``(I) include an assessment of the 
                                effectiveness of such scholarships and 
                                fellowships in expanding 
                                apprenticeships, internships, and other 
                                applied or experiential learning 
                                opportunities offered by employers in 
                                conjunction with community colleges or 
                                other institutions of higher education;
                                    ``(II) assess the number of 
                                students who received such scholarships 
                                and fellowship;
                                    ``(III) assess the percentage of 
                                such students who successfully complete 
                                their education programs and who intend 
                                to enter the workforce;
                                    ``(IV) assess the percentage of 
                                undergraduate, graduate, and post-
                                doctoral students who enter the 
                                workforce in a field relating to such 
                                scholarship or fellowship;
                                    ``(V) assess the impact in the 
                                number of K-12 teachers, school 
                                counselors, and other school 
                                professionals who received such 
                                scholarships or fellowships; and
                                    ``(VI) include an assessment of the 
                                effects such scholarships and 
                                fellowships have on related fields.''.

SEC. 3. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL 
              SCHOOL CENTERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EXCELLENCE.

    (a) In General.--Subparagraph (B) of section 5401(e)(3) of the 
National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 
9451(e)(3); enacted as part of title LIV of division E of the William 
M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (Public Law 116-283)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) Centers of ai excellence.--
                            ``(i) Definitions.--In this subparagraph:
                                    ``(I) Area career and technical 
                                education school.--The term `area 
                                career and technical education school' 
                                has the meaning given such term in 
                                section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career 
                                and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 
                                U.S.C. 2302).
                                    ``(II) Eligible applicant.--The 
                                term `eligible applicant' means a 
                                community college, or area career and 
                                technical education school, in 
                                partnership with one or more of the 
                                following:
                                            ``(aa) A Federal, State, 
                                        local, territorial, or Tribal 
                                        government entity.
                                            ``(bb) An institution of 
                                        higher education.
                                            ``(cc) An entity in private 
                                        industry.
                                            ``(dd) An economic 
                                        development organization or 
                                        venture development 
                                        organization.
                                            ``(ee) A labor or workforce 
                                        training organization, which 
                                        may include State workforce 
                                        development boards and local 
                                        workforce development boards as 
                                        established under sections 101 
                                        and 107 of the Workforce 
                                        Investment and Opportunity Act 
                                        (29 U.S.C. 3111 and 3122).
                                            ``(ff) A nonprofit 
                                        organization.
                                    ``(III) Labor organization.--The 
                                term `labor organization' has the 
                                meaning given such term in section 2(5) 
                                of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
                                U.S.C. 152(5)), except that such term 
                                shall also include the following:
                                            ``(aa) Any organization 
                                        composed of labor 
                                        organizations, such as a labor 
                                        union federation or a State or 
                                        municipal labor body.
                                            ``(bb) Any organization 
                                        that would be included in the 
                                        definition for such term in 
                                        such section 2(5) but for the 
                                        fact that the organization 
                                        represents any of the 
                                        following:

                                                    ``(AA) An 
                                                individual employed by 
                                                the United States, any 
                                                wholly owned Government 
                                                corporation, any 
                                                Federal Reserve Bank, 
                                                or any State or 
                                                political subdivision 
                                                thereof.

                                                    ``(BB) An 
                                                individual employed by 
                                                persons subject to the 
                                                Railway Labor Act (45 
                                                U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

                                                    ``(CC) An 
                                                individual employed as 
                                                agricultural laborers.

                                    ``(IV) Venture development 
                                organization.--The term `venture 
                                development organization' has the 
                                meaning given such term in section 
                                27(a) of the Stevenson-Wydler 
                                Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
                                U.S.C. 3722(a)).
                            ``(ii) Establishment of centers of ai 
                        excellence.--The Director of the National 
                        Science Foundation, in coordination with the 
                        Regional Technology Hubs program of the 
                        Department of Commerce, and leveraging the 
                        Regional Innovation Engines, the Advanced 
                        Technical Education program, and other programs 
                        of the National Science Foundation, subject to 
                        the availability of appropriations, shall 
                        establish up to eight regionally and 
                        geographically diverse eligible applicants to 
                        be designated as Community College and Area 
                        Career and Technical Education Centers of AI 
                        Excellence (referred to in this subparagraph as 
                        `Centers of AI Excellence'). Such Centers of AI 
                        Excellence shall enhance educational outcomes 
                        and drive workforce development by integrating 
                        artificial intelligence into teaching, 
                        learning, and community engagement.
                            ``(iii) Application.--An eligible applicant 
                        seeking to be designated as a Center of AI 
                        Excellence under this subparagraph shall submit 
                        to the Director of the National Science 
                        Foundation an application at such time, in such 
                        manner, and containing such information as the 
                        Director may require. Such application shall 
                        include the following:
                                    ``(I) A description of the focus 
                                area or areas for such proposed Center 
                                of AI Excellence and how such area or 
                                areas are aligned with regional 
                                investments made by industry and the 
                                Federal Government.
                                    ``(II) A description of the 
                                capacity of the applicant to carry out 
                                the purpose of such proposed Center of 
                                AI Excellence.
                                    ``(III) A description of 
                                demonstrate current and anticipated 
                                future workforce demands in occupations 
                                directly related to such proposed 
                                Center of AI Excellence.
                                    ``(IV) A description of how the 
                                eligible applicant will support the 
                                collection of information and data for 
                                purposes of evaluation of such proposed 
                                Center of AI Excellence.
                                    ``(V) Outreach plans for recruiting 
                                and enrolling women and other 
                                underrepresented populations.
                                    ``(VI) An evaluation plan that 
                                includes the use of outcome-oriented 
                                measures to assess the impact and 
                                efficacy of such proposed Center for AI 
                                Excellence.
                            ``(iv) Activities.--A designated Center of 
                        AI Excellence shall develop and disseminate 
                        information regarding best practices for 
                        matters such as the following:
                                    ``(I) Artificial intelligence 
                                research and education at community 
                                colleges and area career and technical 
                                education schools.
                                    ``(II) Methods to scale up 
                                successful programs that perform 
                                research or provide education on 
                                artificial intelligence at community 
                                colleges and area career and technical 
                                education schools.
                                    ``(III) Providing educators and 
                                teachers with actionable strategies and 
                                resources to effectively integrate 
                                artificial intelligence into 
                                curriculums in the classroom.
                                    ``(IV) Providing hands-on research 
                                opportunities on artificial 
                                intelligence and learning opportunities 
                                for students that are enabled through 
                                artificial intelligence.
                                    ``(V) Identifying pathways for 
                                students to jobs that are enabled by 
                                artificial intelligence.
                                    ``(VI) Facilitating partnerships 
                                with employers, employer consortia, or 
                                other private sector organizations that 
                                offer apprenticeships, internships, 
                                cooperative education, or applied 
                                learning experiences in the field of 
                                artificial intelligence.
                            ``(v) Partnerships.--The Director of the 
                        National Science Foundation shall encourage 
                        applicants to consider including or partnering 
                        with a nonprofit organization or an institution 
                        of higher education (or a consortium thereof) 
                        that has extensive experience and expertise in 
                        artificial intelligence.
                            ``(vii) Evaluations.--All applications for 
                        designation under clause (ii) shall include an 
                        evaluation plan that includes the use of 
                        outcome-oriented measures to assess the impact 
                        and efficacy of the proposed Center for AI 
                        Excellence.
                            ``(viii) Accountability and 
                        dissemination.--
                                    ``(I) Evaluation required.--The 
                                Director of the National Science 
                                Foundation shall evaluate the 
                                activities under clause (iv). Such 
                                evaluation, to the extent practicable, 
                                shall integrate the findings of 
                                research resulting from such activity 
                                or activities as a result of a 
                                designation under clause (ii) with the 
                                findings of other research on 
                                artificial intelligence education.
                                    ``(II) Report on evaluations.--Not 
                                later than 180 days after the 
                                completion of the evaluation under 
                                subclause (I), the Director of the 
                                National Science Foundation shall 
                                submit to Congress and make widely 
                                available to the public a report that 
                                includes the following:
                                            ``(aa) The results of such 
                                        evaluation.
                                            ``(bb) Any recommendations 
                                        for administrative and 
                                        legislative action that could 
                                        optimize the effectiveness of 
                                        the designations made under 
                                        clause (ii).''.

SEC. 4. AWARDS FOR RESEARCH ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 5401 of the National Artificial 
Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451; enacted as part of 
title LIV of division E of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283)) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new 
        subsections:
    ``(g) Awards for Research on Artificial Intelligence in 
Education.--
            ``(1) Eligible entity defined.--In this subsection, the 
        term `eligible entity' means any of the following:
                    ``(A) An institution of higher education.
                    ``(B) A nonprofit organization.
                    ``(C) A consortium of one or more institutions of 
                higher education or nonprofit organizations and one or 
                more private sector entities.
            ``(2) Awards.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Director of the National 
                Science Foundation may make awards, on a competitive, 
                merit-reviewed basis, to eligible entities, to enable 
                such eligible entities to promote research regarding 
                teaching models, tools, and materials for artificial 
                intelligence and its integration into the classroom, 
                teaching, and learning for pre-kindergarten through 
                grade 12 students who are from low-income, rural, or 
                Tribal populations.
                    ``(B) Method.--The Director of the National Science 
                Foundation may carry out subparagraph (A) by making 
                awards through new or existing programs.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity that desires 
                to receive an award under this subsection shall submit 
                to the Director of the National Science Foundation an 
                application at such time, in such manner, and 
                containing such information as the Director may 
                require.
                    ``(B) Contents.--An application under subparagraph 
                (A) may include the following:
                            ``(i) A description of the student 
                        demographics on which the research supported 
                        under the award intends to focus.
                            ``(ii) A description of any regional 
                        partnerships the eligible entity plans to 
                        utilize to carry out the award.
                            ``(iii) With respect to an application that 
                        concerns the use or integration of artificial 
                        intelligence, a description of potential 
                        ethical concerns and implications of teacher, 
                        faculty, and student interactions with 
                        artificial intelligence.
                            ``(iv) A description of how proposed 
                        research on teaching models, tools, and 
                        materials were developed in consultation with 
                        other educators, academia, industry, government 
                        entities, or civil society organizations.
                            ``(v) Such other information as the 
                        Director may require.
            ``(4) Use of award funds.--Awards described in paragraph 
        (2)(A) shall be used by the recipient to--
                    ``(A) emphasize preparing incoming K-12 teachers to 
                integrate artificial intelligence into their classrooms 
                in innovative ways; and
                    ``(B) support research to develop, pilot, fully 
                implement, or test areas, such as--
                            ``(i) instructional materials and high-
                        quality learning opportunities for teaching 
                        artificial intelligence;
                            ``(ii) models for the preparation of new 
                        teachers who will teach artificial 
                        intelligence;
                            ``(iii) scalable models of professional 
                        development and ongoing support for teachers; 
                        and
                            ``(iv) tools and models for teaching and 
                        learning aimed at supporting student success 
                        and inclusion in artificial intelligence across 
                        diverse populations, including low-income, 
                        rural, and Tribal populations.
            ``(5) Partnerships.--In making awards under this 
        subsection, the Director of the National Science Foundation 
        shall carry out the following:
                    ``(A) Encourage applicants which, for the purpose 
                of the proposed activity or activities funded through 
                such award, include or partner with a nonprofit 
                organization or an institution of higher education (or 
                a consortium thereof) that has extensive experience and 
                expertise in integrating artificial intelligence into 
                K-12 classrooms.
                    ``(B) Encourage applicants which, for the purpose 
                of such proposed activity or activities funded through 
                such award, include or partner with a consortium of 
                schools, institutions of higher education, school 
                districts, or other State and local government 
                entities.
                    ``(C) Encourage applicants which, for the purpose 
                of such proposed activity or activities funded through 
                such award, include commitments from school principals, 
                other school leaders, or administrators to make a 
                priority reforms and activities proposed by the 
                applicant.
    ``(h) Rural and Underserved Communities Artificial Intelligence 
Collaborative.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation may establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in 
        rural and traditionally underserved areas that will provide 
        peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research experiences for 
        educators, principals, and other school leaders of students in 
        kindergarten through grade 12, in order to build a network 
        allowing educators, principals, other school leaders to carry 
        out the following:
                    ``(A) Engage with one another on educational 
                efforts related to teaching and using artificial 
                intelligence.
                    ``(B) Interact with researchers, academia, and 
                local industry involved in artificial intelligence.
            ``(2) Method.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation may carry out this subsection by making awards 
        through new or existing programs, including the pilot program 
        authorized under section 10511(a)(2)(B) of the Research and 
        Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19172; 
        enacted as part of title V of division B of Public Law 117-
        167).''.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL STEM TEACHERS CORPS.

    Paragraph (6) of section 10311(c) of the Research and Development, 
Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18991(c); enacted as part of 
title III of division B of Public Law 116-117) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(H) incorporating artificial intelligence skills 
                development into the National STEM Teacher Corps, 
                including consideration of the development of 
                artificial intelligence best practices for high school 
                teachers, developed in consultation with other 
                educators and academia.''.
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