[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3525-S3526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2059. Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Cortez Masto, and 
Mr. Cornyn) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment 
SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer 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 end of division F, add the following:

 TITLE IV--DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR HBCU/MSI/
                      TCU-DESIGNATED INSTITUTIONS

     SEC. 6401. FINDINGS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Strengthening the United States research enterprise is 
     critical to our Nation's leadership in science and 
     technology.
       (2) Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the 
     federally funded research pipeline is essential to ensuring 
     the development of scientific breakthroughs that benefit 
     every person of the United States.
       (3) Partnerships between institutions of higher education 
     with the highest levels of research activity and historically 
     Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or 
     Universities, or other minority-serving institutions that are 
     committed to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of 
     historically underrepresented populations benefit the United 
     States at large.
       (4) The STEM workforce drives forward the United States 
     economy and our global competitiveness.
       (5) Federal funding for initiatives that support the 
     development of a diverse research workforce pipeline across 
     institutions of higher education are in the best interest of 
     the United States research enterprise.
       (6) Congress believes that Federal science agencies should 
     provide funding to foster collaboration between institutions 
     of higher education to promote a more diverse, equitable, and 
     inclusive research workforce and enterprise.

     SEC. 6402. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this title is to provide funding to Federal 
     science agencies for distribution to eligible partnerships 
     that commit resources to collaboration and cooperation with 
     historically Black colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges 
     or Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, or other 
     minority-serving institutions, including--
       (1) programs that help enroll alumni from historically 
     Black colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or 
     Universities, or other minority-serving institutions in 
     postgraduate programs leading to master or doctoral degrees 
     in STEM disciplines at partner institutions of higher 
     education with the highest levels of research activity;
       (2) summer research internship support grants at partner 
     institutions of higher education with the highest levels of 
     research activity;
       (3) research projects that include students at historically 
     Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and 
     Universities, or other minority-serving institutions, and at 
     institutions of higher education with the highest levels of 
     research activity; and
       (4) competitive grant awards to enhance and expand pathways 
     to the professoriate for underrepresented students.

     SEC. 6403. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Asian american and native american pacific islander-
     serving institution.--The term ``Asian American and Native 
     American Pacific Islander-serving institution'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 320(b) or 371(c)(2) of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059g(b) and 
     1067q(c)(2)).
       (2) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible 
     partnership'' means a partnership that includes--
       (A)(i) an institution with the highest levels of research 
     activity; or
       (ii) a National Laboratory; and
       (B) not less than 1 historically Black college or 
     university, Tribal College or University, or other minority-
     serving institution.
       (3) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science 
     agency'' means any Federal agency with at least $100,000,000 
     in basic and applied research obligations in fiscal year 
     2021.
       (4) Grantee.--The term ``grantee'' means the legal entity 
     to which a grant is awarded and that is accountable to the 
     Federal Government for the use of the funds provided.
       (5) Institution with the highest levels of research 
     activity.--The term ``institution with the highest levels of 
     research activity'', means an institution of higher education 
     that is classified as an R1 University, or successor 
     designation, by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions 
     of Higher Education.
       (6) Hispanic-serving institution.--The term ``Hispanic-
     serving institution'' means an institution of higher 
     education as defined in section 502 of the Higher Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).
       (7) Historically black college or university.--The term 
     ``historically Black college and university'' has the meaning 
     given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
       (8) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
       (9) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
     serving institution'' means a historically Black college or 
     university, predominantly Black institution, Hispanic-serving 
     institution, Asian American and Native American Pacific 
     Islander-Serving Institution, or Tribal College or 
     University.
       (10) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
       (11) Predominantly black institution.--The term 
     ``predominantly Black institution'' means--
       (A) a Predominantly Black Institution, as defined in 
     section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1059e(b)); or
       (B) a Predominantly Black institution, as defined in 
     section 371(c)(9) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)(9)).
       (12) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
     engineering, and mathematics, including computer science and 
     biological and agricultural sciences.
       (13) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal 
     College or University'' has the meaning given the term in 
     section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1059c(b)).

     SEC. 6404. DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR 
                   HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, 
                   TRIBAL COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES, OR OTHER 
                   MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.

       (a) Grant Program Authorized.--From amounts made available 
     under section 6406, the head of each Federal science agency 
     shall make awards to eligible partnerships in order to 
     support the recruitment, retention, and advancement of 
     underrepresented students in STEM fields, including students 
     who are the first in their families to graduate

[[Page S3526]]

     from institutions of higher education, veterans, individuals 
     from low-income backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, 
     and women, through activities described in subsection (c).
       (b) Collaboration Requirements.--
       (1) Joint proposal.--An eligible partnership desiring a 
     grant under a program described in subsection (a) shall 
     submit a joint proposal representing all members of the 
     eligible partnership to the applicable Federal science 
     agency. The joint proposal shall include a description of the 
     proposed activities to be carried out under the grant.
       (2) Collaboration.--Each eligible partnership shall 
     collaborate across institutions of higher education, 
     including historically Black colleges or universities, Tribal 
     Colleges or Universities, or other minority-serving 
     institutions, in order to develop and carry out the proposed 
     grant activities.
       (c) Use of Funds.--
       (1) Required uses.--Each eligible partnership supported by 
     a grant under subsection (a) shall--
       (A) enhance and expand pathways for underrepresented 
     students at historically Black colleges or universities, 
     Tribal Colleges or Universities, or other minority-serving 
     institutions, to enter graduate studies and academia in STEM 
     fields;
       (B) remove barriers to entry to the professoriate for such 
     students; and
       (C) provide funding to faculty at historically Black 
     colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, or 
     other minority-serving institutions to work on the research 
     projects along with their students.
       (2) Distribution requirement.--The head of each Federal 
     science agency shall require each grantee to allocate not 
     less than 50 percent of the total grant award received by the 
     eligible partnership to the partner historically Black 
     colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, or 
     other minority-serving institutions, in order to carry out 
     the activities supported under the grant.
       (d) Nonduplication.--An eligible partnership desiring a 
     grant under a program described in subsection (a) shall not 
     submit the same proposal to multiple Federal science 
     agencies.

     SEC. 6405. REPORTING.

       The head of each Federal science agency shall conduct or 
     support studies, which shall include longitudinal studies, 
     that follow the progress of undergraduate students 
     participating in activities supported under this title and 
     report--
       (1) the number of such students, in the aggregate and 
     disaggregated by categories of underrepresented students in 
     STEM field, who pursue STEM graduate studies and professions 
     as a result of such activities; and
       (2) information regarding the benefits provided to such 
     students as a result of the activities.

     SEC. 6406. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this title $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and 
     each succeeding fiscal year.
       (b) GAO Report.--Beginning in fiscal year 2022, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States, after consultation 
     with the Secretary of Education on any relevant issue of 
     concern, including at a minimum on the total numbers of 
     qualifying eligible minority serving institutions within each 
     category discussed herein annually, shall prepare and submit 
     to Congress a suggested distribution of funding under this 
     title among all qualifying Federal science agencies that in 
     the first year of the program reflects equitable share as a 
     basis for distribution and that reflects the input of the 
     affected Federal science agencies regarding any allocation 
     methodology to be used in subsequent years.
                                 ______