[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S4940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3165. Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department 
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the appropriate place in title VIII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. __. CONSIDERATION OF STEM INVESTMENT IN DEFENSE 
                   CONTRACTS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Covered contract.--The term ``covered contract'' means 
     a contract issued by the Department of Defense that uses best 
     value evaluation criteria.
       (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Defense.
       (3) Registered apprenticeship.--The term ``registered 
     apprenticeship'' means an apprenticeship registered under the 
     Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National 
     Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 
     et seq.).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Defense.
       (5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
     engineering, or mathematics.
       (6) STEM investment activity.--The term ``STEM investment 
     activity'' means an activity that invests in STEM education 
     or in the STEM workforce and includes--
       (A) a kindergarten through grade 12 partnership, or a 
     postsecondary education partnership, with a STEM focus;
       (B) a paid internship, a registered apprenticeship, or a 
     mentoring program, in a STEM field;
       (C) an investment in a local or regional STEM coalition or 
     a STEM nonprofit organization; and
       (D) STEM workforce development that is focused on an 
     underrepresented community.
       (b) Consideration of STEM Investment in Contract Awards.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish policies and 
     procedures that allow and encourage contracting officers for 
     covered contracts of the Department to consider the 
     involvement of a potential awardee in STEM investment 
     activities as a positive factor in source selection under 
     best value tradeoff procedures.
       (2) Consideration.--A contracting officer may, under 
     paragraph (1), consider--
       (A) the past and current performance of a potential awardee 
     with respect to STEM investment activities; and
       (B) the STEM investment activities proposed to be carried 
     out under the covered contract by the potential awardee.
       (c) Implementation Guidance.--By not later than 180 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
     issue implementation guidance for this section, with a goal 
     to ensure consistency across services and agencies of the 
     Department.
                                 ______