[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5751-S5752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN STEM BOOSTER ACT OF 2019

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, studies show that women and 
underrepresented minorities face substantial barriers to completing 
educational opportunities and pursuing careers in science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Congress and the Federal 
government should be doing more to help women and underrepresented 
minorities succeed in these areas, which will strengthen our economy 
and communities in the long-term.
  For these reasons, I come to the floor today to reintroduce the STEM 
Opportunities Act of 2019 and the Women and Minorities in STEM Booster 
Act of 2019, two important bills that would help to broaden 
participation in STEM and strengthen our nation's STEM pipeline for 
women and minorities.
  Recent trends indicate that we are not keeping pace with training the 
scientists and engineers we will need for the 21st century careers of 
the future. Unfortunately, women and minorities too often ``leak'' out 
of the STEM pipeline before completing degrees in these critical 
fields. In order for the United States to remain competitive in our 
increasingly global economy, we need to make sure opportunities are 
available for everyone because only when everyone succeeds can we all 
succeed.
  As members of Congress, we have a responsibility to ensure that our 
country remains competitive and provides opportunities for all 
Americans. We have an important role to play in breaking down barriers 
for women and minorities in STEM and must work to ensure that Federal 
government agencies, Federal laboratories, institutions of higher 
education, State and local governments, industry, and nonprofit 
stakeholders are working collaboratively to support these efforts.
  The STEM Opportunities Act represents a comprehensive approach to 
improving the severe shortage and lack of diversity in our Nation's 
STEM pipeline by addressing factors that limit the progression of women 
and minorities in research environments and implementing research-based 
practices to improve the recruitment and retention of faculty and 
students. Specifically, the bill would provide for guidance, data 
collection, and grants for women and minorities in STEM at institutions 
of higher education and at federal science agencies to improve access 
and reduce cultural and institutional barriers that limit diversity in 
STEM research and careers.
  The Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act represents a more 
targeted approach to strengthening the STEM pipeline, by providing for 
training, outreach, mentoring, and other resources

[[Page S5752]]

for women and minorities in STEM. Specifically, the bill would require 
the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants to promote 
activities such as online workshops, mentoring programs, internship 
opportunities, outreach efforts, and other designed to increase 
recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities in 
STEM. It is through these purposeful efforts that we, as a nation, can 
foster a stronger, more expansive, and diverse STEM workforce that will 
help us remain a competitive force around the world.
  As we work to build and maintain our STEM workforce, it is important 
for us to promote opportunities for women and minorities that encourage 
participation so that we engage our entire talent pool and ensure that 
our nation's future economic and national security are secure.
  We have made important strides to provide opportunities for women and 
minorities in our country, but more work remains and we should continue 
our efforts by considering and passing these bills. I thank my 
colleagues for joining me in reintroducing the bills, and encourage 
others to join us as we work to strengthen the STEM pipeline for 
everyone in the United States.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Murray, Ms. 
        Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
        Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. 
        Feinstein, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, 
        Mr. Jones, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, 
        Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
        Schatz, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, 
        Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Smith, Mr. Peters, and Mr. 
        Kaine):
  S.J. Res. 56. A joint resolution providing for congressional 
disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule 
submitted by the Department of Education relating to ``Borrower Defense 
Institutional Accountability''; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DURBIN. 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.J. Res. 56

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress 
     disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Education 
     relating to ``Borrower Defense Institutional Accountability'' 
     (84 Fed. Reg. 49788 (September 23, 2019)), and such rule 
     shall have no force or effect.

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