[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 155 (Monday, October 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12872-S12874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. INHOFE (for himself and Mr. Cochran):
  S. 2164. A bill to establish a Science and Technology Scholarship 
Program to award scholarships to recruit and prepare students for 
careers in the National Weather Service and in National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration marine research, atmospheric research, and 
satellite programs and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, today I introduce the NOAA Scholarship Act 
of 2007 with my colleague from Mississippi, Senator Cochran. This bill 
provides a scholarship program for promising students who seek to 
pursue an education in a relevant field of study and commit to work for 
a branch of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, 
including the National Weather Service, upon graduation.
  Few can contend with the fact that there is a shortage of American 
students devoting themselves to the study of science, math and 
engineering. However, the demand for trained individuals in these 
professions is rising. In order to achieve their missions, Federal 
organizations like NOAA require a cadre of young talent to enter the 
workforce with training in fields like meteorology, hydrology, and 
oceanography.
  In my great State of Oklahoma, we know the importance of NOAA, and 
particularly the study of meteorology. Two weeks ago, I met with a 
group of Fire Marshalls who informed me that there are more declared 
natural disasters per capita in Oklahoma than in

[[Page S12873]]

any other State in the Union. In May of each year, we experience an 
average of twenty tornadoes. In fact, the fastest wind speed ever 
recorded was in one of the May tornadoes to hit Oklahoma in 1999. As 
Oklahomans, we know that having accurate and timely reporting of 
atmospheric changes can mean the difference between life and death.
  It is no surprise, then, that the University of Oklahoma, OU, has 
developed an exceptional program for the study of meteorology. The OU 
School of Meteorology is the largest meteorology program in the nation, 
with over 320 undergraduate students and 80 graduate students. It ranks 
first in the Nation in severe storms and mesoscale research and is 
among the top seven meteorology programs in the country. OU President 
David Boren, my predecessor in the Senate, targets the OU School of 
Meteorology to become the leading radar meteorology program in the 
world.
  The OU School of Meteorology is fortunate to have a state of the art 
facility in the recently constructed National Weather Center. In this 
244,000 square foot structure, federal, state, and OU organizations 
partner together to better understand weather events occurring in the 
atmosphere. The research that occurs in this center is truly 
groundbreaking. The scientists who work at NWC, many of them working 
with NOAA, have expertise in severe weather, local and regional 
climate, numerical modeling, hydrology, and radar meteorology. Their 
work is both abstract and tangible, using theory and advanced 
scientific research to improve the lives of individuals in Oklahoma and 
around the world.
  The National Weather Center is the home of many notable achievements. 
NWC scientists were able to demonstrate that the Doppler weather radar 
can be useful in detecting tornadoes, hail, and other severe weather 
events. Using the Doppler radar, they have developed numerical 
forecasting models for government and industry applications. 
The scientists at NWC are also known for taking risks to discover new 
and improved ways of collecting data and making observations; for 
example, they can be credited with showing the effectiveness of rapidly 
deployable, truck-mounted radars that they drive into the middle of 
fierce storms.

  It is with the first-hand knowledge of the important work of the 
National Weather Service and the National Oceanic Atmospheric 
Administration's research in marine research, atmospheric research, and 
satellite programs that I introduce this bill. The NOAA Scholarship Act 
of 2007 will establish a scholarship program for promising students who 
desire to pursue an education in a relevant field of study and then 
serve as full-time employees of NOAA at the completion of their 
degrees. The students will be required to work for NOAA for 24 months 
in return for each academic year that a scholarship is given. This 
program will provide an opportunity and an incentive for students to 
develop scientific expertise that will continue to enable NOAA, at 
facilities like the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma and 
elsewhere, to attain its mission.
  On September 17, 2007, the House of Representatives passed identical 
legislation, H.R. 1657, by a vote of 360-16. I request that the Senate 
move quickly on this bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2164

       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 ``NOAA Scholarship Act of 
     2007''.

     SEC. 2. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment of Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator is authorized to 
     establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to 
     award scholarships to individuals to recruit and prepare 
     students for careers in the National Weather Service and in 
     Administration marine research, atmospheric research, and 
     satellite programs.
       (2) Competitive process.--Individuals shall be selected to 
     receive scholarships under the scholarship program through a 
     competitive process primarily on the basis of academic merit, 
     with consideration given to financial need and the goal of 
     promoting the participation of individuals described in 
     section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal 
     Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in the 
     scholarship program.
       (3) Service agreements.--To carry out the scholarship 
     program, the Administrator shall enter into contractual 
     agreements with individuals selected under paragraph (2) 
     under which the individuals agree to serve as full-time 
     employees of the Administration, for the period described in 
     subsection (f)(1), in positions needed by the Administration 
     in fields described in paragraph (1) and for which the 
     individuals are qualified, in exchange for receiving a 
     scholarship.
       (b) Scholarship Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to 
     participate in the scholarship program, an individual shall--
       (1) be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time 
     student at an institution of higher education in an academic 
     program or field of study described in the list made 
     available under subsection (d);
       (2) be a citizen or permanent resident of the United 
     States; and
       (3) at the time of the initial scholarship award, not be an 
     employee (as that term is defined in section 2105 of title 5, 
     United States Code) of the United States.
       (c) Application Required.--An individual seeking a 
     scholarship under the scholarship program shall submit an 
     application to the Administrator at such time, in such 
     manner, and containing such information, agreements, or 
     assurances as the Administrator may require to carry out this 
     section.
       (d) Eligible Academic Programs.--The Administrator shall 
     make publicly available a list of academic programs and 
     fields of study for which scholarships may be utilized in 
     fields described in subsection (a)(1), and shall update the 
     list as necessary.
       (e) Scholarship Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator may provide a 
     scholarship under the scholarship program for an academic 
     year if the individual applying for the scholarship has 
     submitted to the Administrator, as part of the application 
     required under subsection (c), a proposed academic program 
     leading to a degree in a program or field of study on the 
     list made available under subsection (d).
       (2) Duration of eligibility.--An individual may not receive 
     a scholarship under the scholarship program for more than 4 
     academic years, unless the Administrator grants a waiver.
       (3) Scholarship amount.--The dollar amount of a scholarship 
     under the scholarship program for an academic year shall be 
     determined under regulations issued by the Administrator, but 
     may not exceed the cost of attendance, as described in 
     paragraph (4).
       (4) Authorized uses.--A scholarship provided under the 
     scholarship program may be expended for tuition, fees, and 
     other authorized expenses as established by the Administrator 
     by regulation.
       (5) Contracts regarding direct payments to institutions.--
     The Administrator may enter into a contractual agreement with 
     an institution of higher education under which the amounts 
     provided for a scholarship under this section for tuition, 
     fees, and other authorized expenses are paid directly to the 
     institution with respect to which the scholarship is 
     provided.
       (f) Period of Obligated Service.--
       (1) Duration of service.--Except as provided in subsection 
     (h)(2), the period of service for which an individual shall 
     be obligated to serve as an employee of the Administration 
     shall be 24 months for each academic year for which a 
     scholarship under the scholarship program is provided.
       (2) Schedule for service.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     obligated service under paragraph (1) shall begin not later 
     than 60 days after the individual obtains the educational 
     degree for which the scholarship was provided.
       (B) Deferral.--The Administrator may defer the obligation 
     of an individual to provide a period of service under 
     paragraph (1) if the Administrator determines that such a 
     deferral is appropriate. The Administrator shall prescribe 
     the terms and conditions under which a service obligation may 
     be deferred through regulation.
       (g) Penalties for Breach of Scholarship Agreement.--
       (1) Failure to complete academic training.--Scholarship 
     recipients who fail to maintain a high level of academic 
     standing, as defined by the Administrator by regulation, who 
     are dismissed from their educational institutions for 
     disciplinary reasons, or who voluntarily terminate academic 
     training before graduation from the educational program for 
     which the scholarship was awarded, shall be in breach of 
     their contractual agreement and, in lieu of any service 
     obligation arising under such agreement, shall be liable to 
     the United States for repayment not later than 1 year after 
     the date of default of all scholarship funds paid to them and 
     to the institution of higher education on their behalf under 
     the agreement, except as provided in subsection (h)(2). The 
     repayment period may be extended by the Administrator when 
     determined to be necessary, as established by regulation.
       (2) Failure to begin or complete the service obligation or 
     meet the terms and conditions of deferment.--Except as 
     provided in subsection (h), an individual who receives a 
     scholarship under the scholarship program and who, for any 
     reason, fails to begin or complete a service obligation under 
     this section after completion of academic

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     training, or fails to comply with the terms and conditions of 
     deferment established by the Administrator pursuant to 
     subsection (f)(2)(B), shall be in breach of the contractual 
     agreement. Such an individual shall be liable to the United 
     States for an amount equal to--
       (A) the total amount received by the individual under the 
     scholarship program; plus
       (B) the amount of interest that would have been earned on 
     such amount, at the maximum legal prevailing rate as 
     determined by the Treasurer of the United States, during the 
     period between the date the amount was awarded to the 
     individual and the date of the breach of the agreement.
       (h) Waiver or Suspension of Obligation.--
       (1) Death of individual.--Any obligation of an individual 
     incurred under the scholarship program (or a contractual 
     agreement thereunder) for service or payment shall be 
     canceled upon the death of the individual.
       (2) Impossibility or extreme hardship.--The Administrator 
     shall by regulation provide for the partial or total waiver 
     or suspension of any obligation of service or payment 
     incurred by an individual under the scholarship program (or a 
     contractual agreement thereunder) whenever compliance by the 
     individual is impossible or would involve extreme hardship to 
     the individual, or if enforcement of such obligation with 
     respect to the individual would be contrary to the best 
     interests of the United States.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
        (a) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (b) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere of the Department 
     of Commerce.
       (c) Cost of Attendance.--The term ``cost of attendance'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 472 of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
       (d) Institution of Higher Education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
       (e) Scholarship Program.--The term ``scholarship program'' 
     means the Science and Technology Scholarship Program 
     established under section 2(a).

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