[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3246-S3247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1794. Mr. VAN HOLLEN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new Directorate for
Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation, to
establish a regional technology hub program, to require a strategy and
report on economic security, science, research, innovation,
manufacturing, and job creation, to establish a critical supply chain
resiliency program, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. HIGH RESEARCH ACTIVITY STATUS HBCUS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities hold a
unique position in our efforts to diversify the science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics academic and
workforce communities.
(2) Even though our Nation's Historically Black Colleges
and Universities make up just 3 percent of the colleges and
universities in the United States, they graduate 25 percent
of African-American students with bachelor's degrees in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
(3) Historically Black Colleges and Universities are the
institution of origin among almost 30 percent of Black
graduates of science and engineering doctorate programs.
(4) Historically Black Colleges and Universities are
leaders of our Nation's research and development enterprise,
and they are paving the way across sectors, having received
over 100 utility patents in 40 years.
(5) A team of computer scientists at Morgan State
University are conducting research to automate detection of
concepts in biomedical images to reduce the burdens of
annotation and interpretation of medical images while
providing a decision support system for medical
practitioners.
(6) Researchers at Howard University conducted a study
across 6 decades to determine the underlying causes of the
recent rapid increase in the incidence and diagnosis of
hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases in Washington,
DC, which is disproportionately impacting the Black
population.
(7) In 2019, Historically Black Colleges and Universities
received $371,000,000, or about 0.8 percent of the
$44,500,000,000 in Federal funding to institutions of higher
education for research and development.
(8) This number is a marked decrease from fiscal year 2018,
when Historically Black Colleges and Universities received
$400,000,000 (0.9 percent) in Federal research and
development funding.
(9) While there are 11 high research activity status
Historically Black Colleges and Universities--Clark Atlanta
University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M
University, Hampton University, Howard University, Jackson
State University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T
University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern
University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore--there
are no very high research activity status Historically Black
Colleges and Universities.
(10) Meaningfully investing in the research capacity of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities is an investment
in our Nation's future and will help meet the accelerating
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce
demands in the United States.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program established
under this section shall be--
(1) to enable high research activity status Historically
Black Colleges and Universities to achieve very high research
activity status; and
(2) to increase the national number of African-American
undergraduate and graduate students with degrees in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(2) Federal science agency.--The term Federal science
agency means any Federal agency with an annual extramural
research expenditure of over $100,000,000.
(3) High research activity status.--The term ``high
research activity status'' means such status, as classified
by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher
Education.
(4) Historically black college or university.--The term
``Historically Black College or University'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' under section 322 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(5) Very high research activity status.--The term ``very
high research activity status'' means such status, as
classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of
Higher Education.
(d) Very High Research Activity Status Historically Black
Colleges or Universities Program.--
(1) Program.--The Director is authorized to establish and
carry out a program to make awards to grow high research
activity status (R2) Historically Black Colleges or
Universities to achieve very high research activity status
(R1) while increasing the national number of African American
undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students with
degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Director may expand the program to other Historically
Black Colleges or Universities beyond those Historically
Black Colleges or Universities classified as high research
activity status universities if the Director determines that
the program can support such an expansion.
(2) Grants.--In carrying out the program, the Director
shall award grants for scientific research on a competitive,
merit-reviewed basis to Historically Black Colleges or
Universities that are classified as high research activity
status institutions at the time of application for such a
grant.
(3) Institutional award limitations.--The Director may
award not more than $25,000,000 per year for a single
institution under this section.
(4) Application.--
(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, a Historically Black College or University
described in paragraph (2) shall submit an application to the
Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information and assurances as the Director may require.
(B) Contents.--The application described in subparagraph
(A) shall include, at a minimum, a description of--
(i) a plan for increasing the level of research activity
and achieving very high research activity status
classification within 10 years of the grant award, including
measurable milestones such as growth in research
expenditures, number of research doctoral degrees awarded,
number of research-focused faculty, and other relevant
factors;
(ii) how the institution of higher education will sustain
the increased level of research activity beyond the duration
of the award; and
(iii) how the implementation of the proposed plan will be
evaluated and assessed.
(5) Program components.--
(A) Strategic areas of scientific research.--Through
coordination with Historically Black Colleges or Universities
that are eligible to receive a grant under this section, the
Director, or the Director's designee, shall establish
mechanisms through which applicants can seek funding under
this section.
(B) Use of funds.--An institution that receives a grant
under this section shall use the grant funds to support
research activities, including--
(i) faculty professional development;
(ii) stipends for graduate and undergraduate students and
post-doctoral scholars;
(iii) laboratory equipment and instrumentation; and
(iv) other activities necessary to build research capacity.
(C) Research assessment.--
(i) In general.--An institution that submits a proposal for
a grant under this section shall submit with their proposal a
plan that describes the institution's plan to achieve very
high research activity status, including making investments
with institutional and non-Federal funds, to achieve that
status within a decade of the grant award, to the extent
practicable.
(ii) Updated plan.--An institution that receives a grant
under this section shall submit to the Foundation an updated
plan described in clause (i), not less than once every 3
years, which shall be based on a self-assessment of progress
in achieving very high research activity status.
(D) Transition eligibility.--The Director may consider
creating pathways for new Historically Black Colleges or
Universities to enter into the program under this section as
[[Page S3247]]
participating institutions achieve very high research
activity status.
(e) Report on Improving the Research Capacity at High
Research Activity Historically Black Colleges or
Universities.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this division, the National Science and
Technology Council shall prepare and submit a report that--
(A) identifies challenges and barriers to Federal research
grants for high research activity status Historically Black
Colleges or Universities; and
(B) identifies recommendations for Federal science agencies
to sustainably boost the research capacity of high research
activity status Historically Black Colleges or Universities
through grant-making authorities.
(2) Report submission.--The National Science and Technology
Council shall transmit the report to the Director of the
National Science Foundation, the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Secretary
of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of
Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, and the heads of other such agencies as
determined relevant by the National Science and Technology
Council.
(3) Information from federal agencies.--
(A) In general.--The National Science and Technology
Council may secure directly from a Federal department or
agency such information as the National Science and
Technology Council considers necessary to carry out the
report under this subsection.
(B) Furnishing information.--Upon a request from the
National Science and Technology Council, the head of a
Federal department or agency shall furnish such information
as is requested to the National Science and Technology
Council.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Foundation, for awards under this
section, $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and each year
thereafter.
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