[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6165-S6166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Roberts, Ms. 
        Stabenow, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Allen):
  S. 1183. A bill to provide additional assistance to recipients of 
Federal Pell Grants who are pursuing programs of study in engineering, 
mathematics, science, or foreign languages; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce an important 
bill related to education and our national, homeland, and economic 
security. I am pleased to be joined in this bipartisan effort with 
Senators Lieberman, Roberts, Stabenow, Allen, and Durbin. I am grateful 
to each of them for working closely with me in crafting this 
legislation.
  Our ability to remain ahead of the curve in scientific and 
technological advancements is a key component to ensuring America's 
national, homeland and economic security in the post 9/11 world of 
global terrorism. Yet alarmingly, the bottom line is that America faces 
a huge shortage of home-grown, highly trained scientific minds.
  The situation America faces today is not unlike almost fifty years 
ago. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched the 
first man-made satellite into space, Sputnik. The launch shocked 
America, as many of us had just assumed that we were preeminent in the 
scientific fields. While prior to that unforgettable day America 
enjoyed an air of post World War II invincibility, afterwards our 
nation recognized that there was a cost to its complacency. We had 
fallen behind.
  In the months and years to follow, we would respond with massive 
investments in science, technology and engineering. In 1958, Congress 
passed the National Defense Education Act to stimulate advancement in 
science and math education. In addition, President Eisenhower signed 
into law legislation that established the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (NASA). And a few years later, in 1961, President 
Kennedy set the Nation's goal of landing a man on the moon within the 
decade.
  These investments paid off. In the years following the Sputnik 
launch, America not only closed the scientific and technological gap 
with the Soviet Union, we surpassed them. Our renewed commitment to 
science and technology not only enabled us to safely land a man on the 
moon in 1969, it spurred research and development which helped ensure 
that our modern military has always had the best equipment and 
technology in the world. These post-Sputnik investments also laid the 
foundation for the creation of some of the most significant 
technologies of modern life, including personal computers and the 
Internet.
  Why is any of this important to us today? Because as the old saying 
goes--he or she who fails to remember history is bound to repeat it.
  The truth of the matter is that today, America's education system is 
coming up short in training the highly technical American minds that we 
now need and will continue to need far into the future.
  The 2003 Program for International Student Assessment found that the 
math, problem solving, and science skills of fifteen year old students 
in the United States were below average when compared to their 
international counterparts in industrialized countries.
  While slightly better news was presented by the recently released 
2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), it 
is still nothing we should cheer about. TIMSS showed that eighth grade 
students in the U.S. had lower average math scores than fifteen other 
participating countries. U.S. science scores weren't much better.
  Our colleges and universities are not immune to the waning 
achievement in math and science education. The National Science 
Foundation reports the percentage of bachelor degrees in science and 
engineering have been declining in the U.S. for nearly two decades. In 
fact, the proportion of college-age students earning degrees in math, 
science, and engineering was substantially higher in 16 countries in 
Asia and Europe than it was in the United States.
  In the past, this country has been able to compensate for its 
shortfall in homegrown, highly trained, technical and scientific talent 
by importing the necessary brain power from foreign countries. However, 
with increased global competition, this is becoming harder and harder. 
More and more of our imported brain power is returning home to their 
native countries. And regrettably, as they return home, many American 
high tech jobs are being outsourced with them.
  The effects of these educational trends are already being felt in 
various important ways. For example: according to the National Science 
Board, by 2010, if current trends continue, significantly less than 10 
percent of all physical scientists and engineers in the world will be 
working in America. The American Physical Society reports that the 
proportion of articles by American authors in the Physical Review, one 
of the most important research journals in the world, has hit an all 
time low of 29 percent, down from 61 percent in 1983. And the U.S. 
production of patents, probably the most direct link between research 
and economic benefit, has declined steadily relative to the rest of the 
world for decades, and now stands at only 52 percent of the total.
  Fortunately, we already have an existing Federal program up and 
running that, if modified, can help. Under current law, the $14 billion 
a year Pell Grant program awards recipients grants regardless of the 
course of study that the recipient chooses to pursue. So, under current 
law, two people from the same financial background are eligible for the 
same grant even though one chooses to major in the liberal arts while 
the other majors in engineering or science.
  While I believe studying the liberal arts is an important component 
to having an enlightened citizenry, I also believe that given the 
unique challenges we are facing in this country, it is appropriate for 
us to add an incentive to the Pell Grant program to encourage 
individuals to pursue courses of study where graduates are needed to 
meet our national, homeland, and economic security needs.
  That is why today I am introducing this legislation. The legislation 
is simple. It provides that at least every two

[[Page S6166]]

years, our Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and others, should 
provide a list of courses of study where America needs home-grown 
talent to meet our national, homeland, and economic security needs. 
Those students who pursue courses of study in these programs will be 
rewarded with a doubling of their Pell Grant to help them with the 
costs associated with obtaining their education.
  We in the Congress have an obligation when expending taxpayer money, 
to do so in a manner that meets our nation's needs. Our Nation 
desperately needs more highly trained domestic workers. That is an 
indisputable fact. And, in the Pell Grant program, we have 
approximately $14 billion that is readily available to help meet this 
demand.
  In closing, our world is vastly different today than it was when the 
Pell Grant program was created in 1972. My legislation is a common-
sense modification of the Pell Grant program that will help America 
meet its new challenges. I hope my colleagues will join me in this 
endeavor.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1183

       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 ``21st Century Federal Pell 
     Grant Plus Act''.

     SEC. 2. RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL PELL GRANTS WHO ARE PURSUING 
                   PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS, 
                   SCIENCE, OR FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

       Section 401(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1070a(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(C)(i) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) and subject to 
     clause (iii), in the case of a student who is eligible under 
     this part and who is pursuing a degree with a major in, or a 
     certificate or program of study relating to, engineering, 
     mathematics, science (such as physics, chemistry, or computer 
     science), or a foreign language, described in a list 
     developed or updated under clause (ii), the amount of the 
     Federal Pell Grant shall be the amount calculated for the 
     student under subparagraph (A) for the academic year 
     involved, multiplied by 2.
       ``(ii)(I) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
     of Defense, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, and the Director of the National Science 
     Foundation, shall develop, update not less often than once 
     every 2 years, and publish in the Federal Register, a list of 
     engineering, mathematics, and science degrees, majors, 
     certificates, or programs that if pursued by a student, may 
     enable the student to receive the increased Federal Pell 
     Grant amount under clause (i). In developing and updating the 
     list the Secretaries and Director shall consider the 
     following:
       ``(aa) The current engineering, mathematics, and science 
     needs of the United States with respect to national security, 
     homeland security, and economic security.
       ``(bb) Whether institutions of higher education in the 
     United States are currently producing enough graduates with 
     degrees to meet the national security, homeland security, and 
     economic security needs of the United States.
       ``(cc) The future expected workforce needs of the United 
     States required to help ensure the Nation's national 
     security, homeland security, and economic security.
       ``(dd) Whether institutions of higher education in the 
     United States are expected to produce enough graduates with 
     degrees to meet the future national security, homeland 
     security, and economic security needs of the United States.
       ``(II) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Defense, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
     Security, and the Secretary of State, shall develop, update 
     not less often than once every 2 years, and publish in the 
     Federal Register, a list of foreign language degrees, majors, 
     certificates, or programs that if pursued by a student, may 
     enable the student to receive the increased Federal Pell 
     Grant amount under clause (i). In developing and updating the 
     list the Secretaries shall consider the following:
       ``(aa) The foreign language needs of the United States with 
     respect to national security, homeland security, and economic 
     security.
       ``(bb) Whether institutions of higher education in the 
     United States are currently producing enough graduates with 
     degrees to meet the national security, homeland security, and 
     economic security needs of the United States.
       ``(cc) The future expected workforce needs of the United 
     States required to help ensure the Nation's national 
     security, homeland security, and economic security.
       ``(dd) Whether institutions of higher education in the 
     United States are expected to produce enough graduates with 
     degrees to meet the future national security, homeland 
     security, and economic security needs of the United States.
       ``(iii) Each student who received an increased Federal Pell 
     Grant amount under clause (i) to pursue a degree, major, 
     certificate, or program described in a list published under 
     subclause (I) or (II) of clause (ii) shall continue to be 
     eligible for the increased Federal Pell Grant amount in 
     subsequent academic years if the degree, major, certificate, 
     or program, respectively, is subsequently removed from the 
     list.
       ``(iv)(I) If a student who received an increased Federal 
     Pell Grant amount under clause (i) changes the student's 
     course of study to a degree, major, certificate, or program 
     that is not included in a list described in clause (ii), then 
     the Secretary shall reduce the amount of Federal Pell Grant 
     assistance the student is eligible to receive under this 
     section for subsequent academic years by an amount equal to 
     the difference between the total amount the student received 
     under this subparagraph and the total amount the student 
     would have received under this section if this subparagraph 
     had not been applied.
       ``(II) The Secretary shall reduce the amount of Federal 
     Pell Grant assistance the student is eligible to receive in 
     subsequent academic years by dividing the total amount to be 
     reduced under subclause (I) for the student by the number of 
     years the student received an increased Federal Pell Grant 
     amount under clause (i), and deducting the result from the 
     amount of Federal Pell Grant assistance the student is 
     eligible to receive under this section for a number of 
     subsequent academic years equal to the number of academic 
     years the student received an increased Federal Pell Grant 
     amount under clause (i).''.
                                 ______