[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3517-S3518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2049. Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Warnock, Mr. 
Cardin, and Mr. Coons) 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 PILOT PROGRAM.

       (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) As the Nation's largest producer of African American 
     engineers, North Carolina A&T University and its researchers 
     are leaders in autonomous vehicle research, creating 
     significant innovations for autonomous vehicles that work in 
     water, on land, and in flight and uncovering new military, 
     supply chain, and personal mobility implications.
       (8) 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.
       (9) 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.
       (10) 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.
       (11) 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.--

[[Page S3518]]

       (1) Program.--The Director is authorized to establish and 
     carry out, using funds made available for research activities 
     across all Foundation research directorates, a pilot program 
     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 key areas of 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) 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.
       (4) 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 
     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 consider 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.
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