[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5187 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5187
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to strengthen
the domestic science and engineering workforce through partnerships
among institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, other
Federal science agencies, and industry to support accelerated doctoral
programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2026
Mr. Warner (for himself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to strengthen
the domestic science and engineering workforce through partnerships
among institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, other
Federal science agencies, and industry to support accelerated doctoral
programs, 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 ``Promoting High-skilled Doctoral
Talent Act of 2026'' or the ``PHD Talent Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) A persistent shortfall in the number of domestic
students entering and completing science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics doctoral programs impedes the
capacity of the United States for global leadership in research
excellence and technology innovation.
(2) Artificial intelligence, quantum information science,
advanced computing, biotechnology, advanced energy systems, and
other critical or emerging technologies are transforming
scientific discovery and national competitiveness.
(3) A robust domestic science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics talent pipeline capable of preparing scientists and
engineers with expertise both within their scientific
discipline and in the application of artificial intelligence
and advanced computational methods is critical for maintaining
a strong workforce across the United States research and
technology development ecosystem, including the National
Laboratories, other Federal science agencies, institutions of
higher education, and industry.
(4) The Department of Energy maintains a unique scientific
enterprise, including the National Laboratories, user
facilities, advanced computing infrastructure, and partnerships
with institutions of higher education and industry, positioning
the Department of Energy to strengthen the domestic science and
engineering workforce of the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Accelerated doctoral program.--The term ``accelerated
doctoral program'' means a program offered by an institution of
higher education that--
(A) provides 1 or more pathways through which a
student may complete a doctoral degree in a critical or
emerging technology area in an accelerated timeframe
that is at least 1 academic year shorter than the
average timeframe ordinarily required to complete
comparable doctoral programs at that institution of
higher education, while maintaining applicable
standards of academic excellence, research quality,
accreditation, dissertation oversight, and degree
completion;
(B) may include an integrated baccalaureate-to-
doctorate pathway that--
(i) enables students participating in the
program, while completing the baccalaureate
degree portion of the program, to complete
graduate-level coursework that--
(I) may be credited toward both the
baccalaureate and graduate degree
requirements, consistent with
applicable accreditation requirements;
(II) makes a student's progression
into the doctoral degree portion of the
program contingent upon successful
completion of specified milestones and
admission into a graduate program of
study;
(III) upon a participating
student's successful completion of the
baccalaureate degree portion of the
program and the student's acceptance
and transition into the doctoral degree
portion of the program, provides
funding to the student, which may be
through a variety of opportunities,
that covers not less than 3 years of
the doctoral portion of the program;
and
(IV) enables a student who is not
accepted into, or does not complete,
the doctoral degree portion of the
program to earn a baccalaureate degree
or a master's degree, based on the
student's level of completion of the
program; and
(ii) supports timely progression into the
doctoral degree portion of the program; and
(C) incorporates structured professional
development for each student participating in the
program that includes--
(i) evidence-based research mentorship
practices;
(ii) career development support;
(iii) opportunities for engagement and
real-world experience through research
rotations; and
(iv) education, training, and research
rotations designed to develop dual competency.
(2) Critical or emerging technology area.--The term
``critical or emerging technology area'' means any of the
following areas:
(A) Advanced computing.
(B) Advanced engineering materials.
(C) Advanced gas turbine engine technologies.
(D) Advanced and networked sensing and signature
management.
(E) Advanced manufacturing.
(F) Artificial intelligence.
(G) Biotechnologies.
(H) Clean energy generation and storage.
(I) Data privacy, data security, and cybersecurity
technologies.
(J) Directed energy.
(K) Highly automated, autonomous, and uncrewed
systems and robotics.
(L) Human-machine interfaces.
(M) Hypersonics.
(N) Integrated communication and networking
technologies.
(O) Positioning, navigation, and timing
technologies.
(P) Quantum information and enabling technologies.
(Q) Semiconductors and microelectronics.
(R) Space technologies and systems.
(S) Any additional area of study that the
Secretary, based on existing Federal workforce data and
after consultation with the heads of relevant Federal
science and other agencies, determines--
(i) is important to the national security,
economic competitiveness, scientific
leadership, or energy security of the United
States; and
(ii) has a demonstrated need for additional
domestic workers with doctoral-level expertise.
(3) Dual competency.--The term ``dual competency'' means
the demonstrated competency of a student in--
(A) the student's primary science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics discipline; and
(B) the application of artificial intelligence,
advanced computing, data science, machine learning, or
related computational methods to research in that
discipline.
(4) Eligible student.--The term ``eligible student'' means
an individual who is--
(A) a citizen or national of the United States; or
(B) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence in the United States.
(5) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(6) Participating institution.--The term ``participating
institution'' means an institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) that enters into an agreement with the
Secretary to participate in the Program.
(7) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Department of
Energy Strategic Scientific Workforce Pilot Program established
under section 4(a).
(8) Research rotation.--The term ``research rotation''
means a structured research experience at a National
Laboratory, Department of Energy user facility, other Federal
research facility, or participating industry research facility.
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy, acting through the Under Secretary for Science.
SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY STRATEGIC SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE PILOT
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a 5-year pilot program, to
be known as the ``Department of Energy Strategic Scientific Workforce
Pilot Program'', to strengthen the domestic science and engineering
workforce through grants awarded on a competitive basis to
participating institutions to enable the participating institutions to
establish, carry out, or support--
(1) accelerated doctoral programs;
(2) partnerships with National Laboratories;
(3) partnerships with industry; and
(4) other activities authorized under this section that
directly support eligible students participating in accelerated
doctoral programs supported under the Program.
(b) Award Determinations.--The Secretary may make an award under
the Program only if the Secretary determines, based on existing Federal
workforce data, information submitted by the applicant, and
consultation with relevant National Laboratories, Federal agencies, and
industry partners, that--
(1) there is a demonstrated need for additional domestic
workers with doctoral-level expertise in the critical or
emerging technology area to be supported;
(2) the proposed program addresses an identified barrier to
the recruitment, enrollment, retention, or completion of
domestic doctoral students;
(3) the award is reasonably likely to increase the number
of domestic students completing doctoral degrees in that area;
(4) doctoral-level training is appropriate for the
workforce need identified by the applicant; and
(5) the proposed activities would not unnecessarily
duplicate an existing Federal program.
(c) Application.--A participating institution desiring a grant
under the Program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(d) Support and Assistance.--Under the Program, the Secretary
shall--
(1) provide technical assistance to help participating
institutions--
(A) design the curriculum for an accelerated
doctoral program supported under the Program; and
(B) develop institutional processes to align course
credit mechanisms, financial aid, and academic policies
for students in accelerated doctoral programs supported
under the Program with relevant Federal guidelines and
program and institution accreditation requirements; and
(2) identify best practices for supporting the
sustainability of the accelerated doctoral programs supported
under the Program.
(e) Participating Institutions.--As a condition of participation in
the Program, each participating institution shall--
(1) retain responsibility for admissions decisions,
academic supervision, degree requirements, dissertation
oversight, and the conferral of doctoral degrees;
(2) provide participating students with an academically
rigorous doctoral education designed to reduce unnecessary
time-to-degree while maintaining standards of academic
excellence and research quality;
(3) provide education and training to develop dual
competency;
(4) provide faculty mentorship, academic advising, and
research support;
(5) facilitate research rotations, as appropriate;
(6) ensure that each student whose tuition, required fees,
stipend, fellowship, research expenses, research rotation, or
other individual costs are paid in whole or in part with funds
under the Program is an eligible student;
(7) provide direct financial assistance under the Program
only to eligible students participating in, or selected to
participate in, accelerated doctoral programs supported under
the Program; and
(8) ensure that funds provided under the Program supplement
and do not supplant Federal, State, institutional,
philanthropic, or private funds otherwise available for
doctoral education or research.
(f) Partnership Authority.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary
may enter into grants, cooperative agreements, memoranda of
understanding, or other agreements with--
(A) participating institutions;
(B) National Laboratories;
(C) industry;
(D) nonprofit organizations;
(E) States; and
(F) such other entities as the Secretary determines
to be appropriate.
(2) Financial and in-kind contributions.--The Secretary may
encourage and accept financial or in-kind contributions to
support activities carried out under the Program from--
(A) States;
(B) institutions of higher education;
(C) industry; and
(D) philanthropic organizations.
(g) Pilot Fellowship Programs.--
(1) In general.--In order to facilitate the establishment
or expansion of the Program, the Secretary may establish and
administer 1 or more pilot fellowship programs to strengthen
the domestic science and engineering workforce in critical or
emerging technology areas in which there is a demonstrated need
for additional domestic workers with doctoral-level expertise,
as determined by the Secretary under subsection (b).
(2) Activities.--A pilot fellowship program established
under this subsection may--
(A) support eligible students participating in, or
selected to participate in, accelerated doctoral
programs at participating institutions;
(B) provide financial assistance--
(i) directly to eligible students described
in subparagraph (A); or
(ii) through participating institutions for
the purpose of providing direct financial
support to eligible students described in that
subparagraph;
(C) support the development of dual competency;
(D) facilitate research rotations;
(E) support mentorship and professional
development; and
(F) include such other activities as the Secretary
determines appropriate to carry out the purposes of
this section, subject to the condition that those
activities--
(i) directly support eligible students
described in subparagraph (A); and
(ii) do not unnecessarily duplicate an
existing Federal fellowship or graduate
research program.
(3) Eligibility.--Financial assistance or any other direct
assistance pursuant to a pilot fellowship program under this
subsection shall be awarded only to eligible students described
in paragraph (2)(A).
(4) Institutional administration.--A participating
institution may receive funds under this subsection only--
(A) to administer assistance on behalf of an
eligible student described in paragraph (2)(A); or
(B) to carry out an activity described in paragraph
(2) that directly supports an eligible student
described in paragraph (2)(A).
(5) Preservation of existing support.--A participating
institution may not reduce financial support that otherwise
would have been provided to a student because the student
receives a fellowship under this subsection.
(h) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report regarding the Program, including longitudinal
tracking of the students participating in accelerated doctoral programs
supported under the Program to identify trends and analyze developments
in such programs across the United States.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $250,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2028 through 2032, to remain available until expended.
(j) Sunset.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may not make a new award
under the Program after the date that is 5 years after the date
on which the first award under the Program is made.
(2) Continued payments.--The Secretary may continue
payments after the date described in paragraph (1) only--
(A) to fulfill commitments made to eligible
students before that date; and
(B) to complete required evaluations and reports.
(3) Congressional authorization required.--The Program may
not be continued beyond the date described in paragraph (1) or
expanded beyond the scope authorized by this Act without prior
authorization by Congress.
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