[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9907-9925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   10,000 TEACHERS, 10 MILLION MINDS SCIENCE AND MATH SCHOLARSHIP ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 327 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 362.

                              {time}  1510


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 362) to authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics 
and science teachers, and for other purposes, with Mr. Salazar in the 
chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hall) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 362, 
and yield myself such time as I may consume for an opening statement.
  In 2005, the National Academies assembled a blue-ribbon committee of 
national leaders in academia, business and government to address 
concerns about the national prosperity and the global economy in the 
21st century. The Academies' report was entitled, ``Rising Above the 
Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter 
Economic Future.'' That report catalogs a number of worrisome 
indicators and presents recommendations that the Nation must follow to 
maintain its competitiveness.
  What did this distinguished committee tell us is most important to 
the future of the economic health of our Nation? Here is the first 
recommendation from the report: Increase America's talent pool by 
vastly improving K-12 science and mathematics education.
  The Gathering Storm report goes on to tell us where the focus should 
be in efforts to improve K-12 science and mathematics education. In 
brief, it says, ``Focus on the teachers.'' H.R. 362 follows that 
blueprint.
  In January, I partnered with Mr. Hall, ranking minority member on the 
Committee on Science and Technology, to introduce H.R. 362, whose 
purpose is to implement all of the action items from the Gathering 
Storm report and address the report's first recommendation.
  I want to thank Mr. Hall for his assistance in developing this bill. 
With his support, it was favorably reported by the Science and 
Technology Committee by a unanimous vote.

                              {time}  1515

  This bill is endorsed by a wide variety of educational organizations 
and business coalitions, including the Association of American 
Universities, the Business Roundtable, the Council of

[[Page 9908]]

Competitiveness, the National Education Association, the National 
Science Teachers Association, and the STEM Education Coalition. These 
organizations are enthusiastic about H.R. 362 because it will 
dramatically improve the national corps of math and science teachers.
  We call the first title of the bill ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million 
Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.'' The bill will create 
thousands of new teachers with content and teaching skill expertise in 
their area of teaching.
  The vehicle for accomplishing this goal is the Robert Noyce 
Scholarship Program at the National Science Foundation. Noyce awards go 
to universities that build model programs for recruiting math and 
science students into teaching. These programs provide mentoring, early 
field experiences, and a streamlined path toward teaching 
certification. Students who enroll in this program will receive 
$10,000-per-year scholarships. In return, they will make commitments of 
several years to the teaching profession.
  H.R. 362 will also create summer institutes and graduate programs 
that provide sustained, content-oriented professional development to 
in-service teachers through the Math and Science Partnership Program at 
the National Science Foundation. We have a critical shortage of math 
and science teachers in the U.S., and many of our math and science 
teachers have no degree or certification in the field they teach. In 
fact, 87 percent of middle school and 58 percent of high school 
physical science teachers lack these qualifications.
  This bill tackles this problem from both ends. On the one end, we 
bring in a new cadre of math and science teachers who are well-educated 
and well-prepared. That is what the Noyce program does. On the other 
end, we improve the teachers that we have through innovative, effective 
programs led by disciplinary faculty from higher education. That is 
what the Math and Science Partnerships program does.
  Other provisions of H.R. 362 include an expansion of the STEM Talent 
Expansion Program at the National Science Foundation, a program to 
enhance the undergraduate education of the future science and 
engineering workforce, and a pilot program at the NSF to improve 
laboratory science in high-need secondary schools.
  To maintain our high national standard of living, we need a workforce 
that is prepared in a world-class math and science education system. 
But there is a dark cloud looming. American students have performed 
poorly in recent years on an assortment of international tests of math 
and science achievement. That does not bode well for the future. Our 
next generation of innovators, where will they come from? That is what 
the gathering storm on the horizon is all about. To rise above it, we 
need to reform the math and science teaching profession. That is what 
this legislation now before us will do.
  The stakes are high and the concern is urgent. I urge my colleagues 
to support the passage of H.R. 362.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362. In the last 
Congress, we will remember that the National Academy of Sciences 
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report, as well as other reports, 
emphasized the importance of strengthening science, of strengthening 
technology, of strengthening engineering and mathematics, those fields 
of education in the U.S., to ensure that the Nation's workforce can 
compete globally in high-tech, high-value industries such as 
information technology, biotechnology, semiconductor manufacturing and 
nanotechnology.
  President Bush followed up on these reports with his American 
Competitiveness Initiative, and Republicans have led this effort 
through the 109th Congress, the last Congress, because we understood 
the importance of promoting innovation to keep our Nation competitive 
globally.
  I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, most of 
which was included in a majority effort in the last Congress to 
implement many of the report's suggestions by expanding current 
programs versus creating duplicative new programs.
  The bill authorizes programs to improve U.S. math, science and 
engineering education at all levels, K-12, undergraduate and graduate. 
These programs will develop and provide teacher training, attract math 
and science majors to teaching to improve undergraduate math, science 
and engineering courses and expand interdisciplinary graduate work, 
primarily by strengthening existing programs at the National Science 
Foundation.
  I am particularly pleased with the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds 
title which is modeled on a program at the University of Texas called 
UTeach.
  As reported, this is a good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may 
consume to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes).
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
rise for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with Chairman Gordon.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in order to request the attention of the 
distinguished chairman in addressing an important concern relating to 
the section in H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science 
and Math Scholarship Act of 2007, that amends the National Science 
Foundation Noyce Scholarship Program.
  As you know, the core purpose of H.R. 362 is to increase the number 
of STEM teachers with strong content knowledge and teaching expertise 
serving in America's schools. In particular, the bill authorizes a 
large expansion of the Noyce program, which gives scholarships to 
students to become highly qualified teachers in exchange for their 
service in a public school.
  I want to commend the chairman for crafting this very important 
legislation. It is an essential step in achieving our national goals of 
promoting innovative behavior and ensuring continued American strength 
and competitiveness.
  If we are to expand the STEM pipeline, however, and if our 
investments in innovation and competitiveness are to pay large 
dividends, we must work to correct the large gaps in math and science 
test performance that exist today between underrepresented minority 
groups, which are concentrated in high need areas and the rest of the 
population. The first step in improving the participation of 
underrepresented groups is to prepare them to compete academically in 
STEM.
  I am sure that the gentleman will agree that one of the most 
effective methods for resolving these disparities is by augmenting the 
number of quality, highly trained teachers serving in high-need areas. 
This is a job practically tailored for the Noyce Scholarship Program.
  I would like to thank the distinguished chairman for his recognition 
of this need and for his willingness to work with me on this important 
issue, and I would like to yield to the gentleman at this point.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is absolutely 
correct. The NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, as amended by H.R. 
362, is specifically designed to help place highly qualified STEM 
teachers in every classroom across the Nation. I further agree with the 
gentleman that it is particularly important to reduce the number of 
out-of-field teachers in the schools that have a high proportion of 
minority students, who are currently underrepresented in science and 
technology.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman, 
and in order to address the points that we have both made, I would like 
to suggest to the chairman that we pursue the following: I would 
request that in conference the distinguished chairman seek to increase 
the scholarship amount for students who agree to teach in high-need 
schools from the current $10,000 per year to $12,000 per

[[Page 9909]]

year over a 3-year period of scholarship support. The intention of this 
is to increase this scholarship amount to address the problem of a 
disproportionate number of high-need schools that have high percentages 
of out-of-field STEM teachers.
  Does the chairman believe this is a modification he would find worthy 
of his support?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield 
further, let me first of all thank the gentleman for his recommendation 
and assure you that it is my intention when we go to conference on H.R. 
362 to work to increase the size of the Noyce scholarship to $12,000 
per year for students who agree to carry out their teaching commitment 
in high-need schools.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.
  In addition, I would also request that we ensure that the provisions 
requiring NSF to track the types of schools in which Noyce recipients 
carry out their teaching obligations include an assessment of the 
effectiveness of the increased scholarship amount on influencing 
individuals to teach in high-need schools. Does the chairman believe 
that this is a modification that he would find worthy of supporting?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield 
further, I certainly do; and I once again thank the gentleman for 
bringing this up.
  As the gentleman points out, H.R. 362 now requires the National 
Science Foundation track the proportion of Noyce graduates who elect to 
teach in high-need schools. I will seek to expand this provision in 
conference to require NSF to assess the effect of increasing the size 
of scholarships on attracting graduates of the program to teach in 
high-need schools.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.
  In addition, seeing as that the problem of out-of-field teachers is 
most severe in high-need schools, I would request that in conference 
the distinguished chairman pursue modifications to the bill, clarifying 
that one of the purposes of Noyce is to close the gap between the 
number of highly qualified STEM teachers in high-need schools and the 
number of such teachers in non-high-need schools.
  I would further request that this policy statement be included in 
section 103 of H.R. 362 titled ``Policy Objectives.'' Does the chairman 
believe that this is a modification he would find worthy of his 
support?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, once again we are on the same 
page. I agree with the gentleman that an important goal of the Noyce 
program is to reduce disparities in the distribution of highly 
qualified STEM teachers among schools in different regions of the 
Nation. I support the gentleman's proposed modification to section 103 
of the bill and will pursue this change in conference.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I would like to again thank the 
distinguished chairman for agreeing to address these points in 
conference and for the great job that he has done in crafting this very 
important and vital piece of legislation.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, let me again thank the 
gentleman for his constructive efforts in making a good bill even 
better.
  Mr. Chairman, I include for the Record an exchange of letters between 
the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on Education 
and Labor.

                             Committee on Education and Labor,

                                    Washington, DC, April 3, 2007.
     Hon. Bart Gordon,
     Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Gordon: I am writing to confirm our mutual 
     understanding regarding consideration of H.R. 362, the 
     ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math 
     Scholarship Act,'' which was referred to the Committee on 
     Science. As you know, the Committee on Education and Labor 
     has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 362, particularly as we 
     move forward to reauthorize the Higher Education Act this 
     term.
       Given the importance of moving this bill forward promptly, 
     I do not intend to request the sequential referral of H.R. 
     362 to the Committee on Education and Labor. However, I do so 
     only with the understanding that this procedural route should 
     not be construed to prejudice this Committee's jurisdictional 
     interests and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar 
     legislation and will not be considered as precedent for 
     consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to the 
     Committee on Education and Labor in the future. In addition, 
     should this bill or similar legislation be considered in a 
     conference with the Senate, I would expect members of the 
     Committee on Education and Labor to be appointed to the 
     conference committee on such measures.
       Finally, I ask that you include a copy of our exchange of 
     letters in your committee's report on H.R. 362 and in the 
     Congressional Record during the consideration of this bill. 
     If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do 
     not hesitate to call me. I thank you for your consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                    George Miller,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                              Committee on Science


                                               and Technology,

                                    Washington, DC, April 5, 2007.
     Hon. George Miller,
     Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the 
     consideration of H.R. 362, the ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million 
     Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.'' I appreciate your 
     waiving your Committee's right to a referral on this bill so 
     that it may move expeditiously to the Floor.
       I recognize your Committee's jurisdiction in this area and 
     will support any request you may make to have conferees on 
     H.R. 362 or similar legislation. The exchange of letters 
     between our two committees will be included in the Committee 
     report on H.R. 362 and will be inserted in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of the bill.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bart Gordon,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, all of us go back to our districts regularly and meet 
with our constituents, and some of the most sorrowful meetings I have 
are with students who have just graduated from high school and say, I 
can't get a job. I can't get a job. What a shock to them, after years 
of education. And I am not talking about dropouts. I am talking about 
students who have studied hard, worked hard, and tried to learn a lot.
  When I analyze the problem, much of it circles around the fact that 
today, and, indeed, all the jobs of the future, require a good 
understanding of the basic principles of mathematics and science, and 
many students in today's curriculum are not getting that knowledge.
  What can we do to help solve that? There are a number of aspects to 
the problem. Obviously, the first thing is to entice students to take 
those courses. But, secondly, and more importantly, is to make certain 
that all those teachers in our high schools across this Nation are 
adequately trained and adequately prepared to teach math and science 
courses and do it in a fashion that excites the students and entices 
them to take these courses so that they will develop the background in 
math and science that they need to get a job, both now and in the 
future.
  The world has changed. China and India recognized this 20 years ago 
and changed their educational system. We did not change. We did not 
recognize what was happening, and so we have to play catch-up.
  This bill, which I strongly support, is a good bill which will help 
us to improve U.S. math, science, and engineering education at all 
levels; K-12, undergraduate and graduate.
  As most people in Congress know, I am a scientist. What you may not 
know is that over 40 years ago, I dedicated myself to trying to improve 
the science educational programs in the United States, basically from 
preschool through graduate school, because we were simply falling 
behind other countries in the areas of mathematics and science.
  I am not talking only about producing good engineers and enough 
engineers, or good scientists and enough scientists. That is very 
important, and

[[Page 9910]]

we must do it. We are losing out on that as well. But what we certainly 
have to do is to prepare everyone for the workplace of today, and 
especially the workplace of tomorrow.

                              {time}  1530

  This bill will help do that. This bill builds on the Noyce 
Scholarship Program, an excellent program that has been in effect for a 
number of years and which was initially proposed by the former chair of 
the Science Committee, Sherry Boehlert. It is named after the person 
who helped to found Intel and make it grow into what it is today. They 
also have funded a number of scholarship programs, and this is our 
counterpart.
  But this program does more than that. It strengthens and expands the 
Noyce Scholarship Program, but it also strengthens and focuses the Math 
and Science Partnership Program at the National Science Foundation, a 
program which has fallen on hard times in the last few years, primarily 
because the President's budget has sought to eliminate funding for that 
program. I think this is based on a misunderstanding in the 
administration or in the Office of Management and Budget about what the 
program does, and the mistaken belief that this program was a duplicate 
of one residing in the Department of Education. As a result the program 
in the Department of Education grew, and the one in the Science 
Foundation was cut back.
  The fact of the matter is they are both good programs and necessary 
programs, and they are complementary, not competitive. We need both if 
we are going to strengthen our teacher training programs. That is why I 
strongly approve of the aspect of the bill that will strengthen and 
focus the Math and Science Partnership Program.
  The bill also extends the authorization of and expands the NSF 
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion 
Program, better known as the STEP program, which provides grants to 
colleges and universities to improve undergraduate science, math and 
engineering education.
  This bill enables NSF to fund the creation of centers at colleges and 
universities to develop new approaches to undergraduate education 
programs, and expands the focus of STEP beyond its initial focus of 
increasing the number of graduating STEM majors to also include 
increasing the number of nonmajors taking STEM courses.
  The bill also establishes a pilot grant program at NSF to create a 
partnership to support science lab improvements in secondary schools, a 
proposal initiated by Mr. Hinojosa in a separate bill, but that we are 
incorporating into this bill.
  In short, this bill does a great deal to strengthen several programs 
at the NSF and, develop innovative programs which will provide better 
math, science education at all levels from the elementary schools 
through the undergraduate and the graduate programs.
  We have worked together on this in a nonpartisan way. I commend 
Ranking Member Hall. Mr. Hall has been a strong person in this area and 
has strongly pushed this bill. I also commend the chairman of the 
committee, Mr. Gordon, who has also worked very hard on this. It has 
been a copacetic experience in the Science Committee to hear this 
discussion and see the progress we have made. I strongly support the 
bill, and urge the House to adopt it.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to say amen to 
most of Dr. Ehlers' eloquent statement. He is a very constructive and 
positive force on our committee.
  I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), a 
former science teacher.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H.R. 
362, the 10 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship 
Act, and H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering 
Act.
  The National Academies' report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' 
found that the United States ``must prepare with great urgency to 
preserve its strategic and economic security.'' To do this, we must 
compete by optimizing our knowledge-based resources, particularly in 
science and technology, and by sustaining the most fertile environment 
for new and revitalized industries and the well-paying jobs they bring.
  As a Representative from Silicon Valley, I am keenly aware of how 
innovation is a driving force behind our Nation's economy. There is one 
thread that runs through both bills that I particularly support, 
something I call teaching innovation.
  H.R. 363 authorizes the NSF to support research on the process of 
innovation and the teaching of inventiveness, while H.R. 362 enables 
the development and dissemination curriculum tools for teaching 
inventiveness and innovation. These provisions are derived from H.R. 
1492, the Innovations for our Nation's Vital Educational Needs for 
Technology (INVENT) Act.
  From talking to Silicon Valley CEOs, I have learned that, in 
especially innovative high-tech companies, the cutting-edge work has 
really been driven by a few highly innovative scientists and engineers 
who tend to have many patents, while other employees have only a few. 
To maximize our Nation's knowledge-based resources, I believe we need 
to figure out how these people do it and teach others those skills.
  I am grateful to Chairman Gordon and also to the former chairman, 
Sherry Boehlert, with whom I worked on this during the 109th Congress.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), a member of the Science Committee.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 362. Let me 
first congratulate Chairman Gordon for the leadership that he is 
providing, along with Ranking Member Hall, and let us note that since 
the change of the guard here in the House of Representatives a few 
months ago, we have had an exemplary approach to bipartisanship and a 
positive spirit that we have seen in the Science Committee, and this 
legislation reflects that positive atmosphere and working environment 
that we have in the Science Committee.
  H.R. 362 seeks to address the lack of qualified teachers for math and 
science in K-12 throughout our country. I support H.R. 362 because it 
is not just a giving of something to someone, a scholarship, but it is 
actually providing young people who may not have the means to go to 
school and to get their education. It requires 5 years of service as a 
science and mathematics teacher in order for them to get this 
scholarship. I see that as a two-for, if not a three-for or a four-for, 
because the kids are going to benefit, the schools are going to 
benefit, the country is going to benefit.
  Trading service for education is an American tradition. I guess it 
goes back even further than the GI bill, but that is what brought it to 
mind. All of us had parents who were probably recipients of the GI 
bill. I know my father was.
  We should be beefing up education benefits through the GI bill and 
other things like that for our Reserves and our National Guard and 
Active Duty people, now that we are at war and now that we are thinking 
about this. But this particular scholarship program we are talking 
about today will fill a need for our country of finding math and 
science teachers in order to fill these positions throughout our 
country that now can't be filled.
  Let us note that 10,000 teachers provided these scholarships is 
certainly going to help. But the basic problem is not touched by this 
legislation, and that is that we would not need these scholarships if 
math and science teachers throughout the country were paid more than 
they are today.
  What is happening is today, math and science teachers are being 
forced to accept wages, and then they don't accept them and just go 
someplace else, at the same level as teachers who teach things that are 
not quite as necessary. Or, in fact, there are many, many more teachers 
available for these other courses, whether it be social sciences or 
whatever. So since we do not have a pay differential, it is very 
difficult to fill these positions, and at least this legislation today 
will help meet the immediate challenge.

[[Page 9911]]

  Instead, however, we should have worked on the fundamental problem 
throughout our country of making sure that people can go into math and 
science and be attracted to it. Fundamentally, what we need to do in 
America to address these types of shortages is to make sure that people 
who go into math and science and engineering make more money, whether 
they are teachers or anything else. Quite often, we do things that go 
contrary to this. Insisting that all teachers make the same money is 
one of those mistakes. H-1B visas that bring in hundreds of thousands 
of people from overseas and just depress the wages of people who are in 
math and science and engineering in our country is something else that 
is wrong, that ends up taking us in the wrong direction.
  We need our young people attracted to math, science and engineering, 
and to get that education because they know they can earn a good living 
for their family and earn a decent living if they get that type of 
training.
  So the legislation we pass today will help. It will provide 
scholarships. I support that. I salute the chairman and the ranking 
member for the leadership they provided in providing this help for our 
young people in exchange for what they will do teaching young people in 
our country. But again, that doesn't change the fact that there are 
some fundamental things we need to do in America to make sure that 
people go into math and science and don't have to subsidize our 
mistaken policies.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Rohrabacher) for his support for this bill, and I yield 2 minutes to 
the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley) who has spent so much time 
working on the bill.
  Ms. HOOLEY. Thank you, Chairman Gordon, for giving me time to speak 
on this important and crucial piece of legislation.
  I also want to applaud you for your leadership on this issue, and the 
expediency that you moved this through committee, along with Ranking 
Member Hall.
  This initiative was identified by the Academies as being the most 
important step to increase America's talent pool by vastly improving K-
12 science and mathematics education.
  Among the findings of the National Academies' ``Gathering Storm'' 
report, was a statistic that in 2000 more than 85 percent of students 
in grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major 
or certification in the physical sciences.
  As a former teacher, I can appreciate how difficult it is to teach a 
subject when you are not comfortable with it, and this discomfort 
translates in discomfort for the subject to the students.
  The key to the United States maintaining its position at the 
forefront of global innovation and technology is to get more students 
interested in the science and math fields. Our Nation's economic 
vitality is derived in large part from the productivity of well-trained 
people and the steady stream of scientific and technical innovations 
they produce.
  After years of inattention and neglect, this legislation is an 
important first step towards a reinvestment in our Nation's science and 
math education. It will, in turn, positively benefit the American 
Competitive Initiative.
  Once again, I applaud Chairman Gordon for his leadership on this 
issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 
Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
  As you know, it is a sad truth that American students' performance in 
science and math is below that of other developed countries. Like many 
of my colleagues, I am concerned that without increased attention to 
this issue at the elementary, high school and postsecondary levels, our 
country's technological leadership could decline and ultimately harm 
not only today's students but tomorrow's economy as well as our 
national security.
  This legislation provides a framework for improving math and science 
education by investing heavily in the recruitment and training of 
teachers.
  In recent years, I have had the pleasure of observing several of the 
``For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,'' or FIRST 
Program's competitions. This program is designed to inspire young 
people to take an interest and participate in science and technology. 
Through FIRST, teams of students and their mentors work together to 
solve complex, real-world problems or design actual pieces of 
technology. They are given the opportunity to compete against their 
peers, all the while developing self-confidence, good sportsmanship, 
and critical life skills.
  The talent and drive of the students I have observed in the FIRST 
competitions leaves me encouraged--in fact, awestruck--by the potential 
of America's high school students. I have seen first hand that with 
quality resources and instruction, our children can do great things in 
the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Today, 
our support for H.R. 362 is a tremendous step towards bringing these 
resources to future generations, and I urge my colleagues to vote in 
favor of this bill.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank Mr. 
Gordon, Mr. Hall, and our subcommittee chair as well as the ranking 
member.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 362. It is an essential measure to 
world competitiveness for this country. We are in the storm. We cannot 
accomplish rising above until we invest in our teachers, teachers that 
are qualified. Many of our teachers love teaching and they are trying 
hard, but they simply do not have the background needed. A lot of it 
has to do with pay, because the people who are well-qualified in these 
areas simply do not come to the classroom because they do not pay 
enough.

                              {time}  1545

  I support the Noyce teacher scholarships, and I know that the storm 
of need is sure and it is now. It takes efforts and investment to deal 
with this issue. There are now more and more high-need schools which 
means we have more and more students that need special attention, and 
we cannot have a positive future until we include them in this 
education.
  This is called the investment in America's future. We are depending 
on the home people to be prepared because the H-1B visas are causing us 
to brain drain other countries. This is a global need, and we must be 
ready to prepare our own. We will be left with no possible preparation 
in this area, and we will move right into a Third World nation.
  We must remedy this. Implementing the provisions of H.R. 362 will go 
a long way in remedying this problem, and I firmly believe that with 
proper resources we know our young people can do it.
  There is a school in my district with some of the poorest kids, but 
they are doing it because they have the proper resources.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, could you tell me how much time I 
have left.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) has 17\1/2\ minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) has 11\1/2\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. I am going to yield to the gentleman from 
Tennessee 5 minutes of our time, and we reserve the balance of our 
time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I certainly thank the 
gentleman for his generosity. There is a lot of interest in this bill.
  I would like to yield now 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri 
(Mr. Carnahan), another active member of our committee.

[[Page 9912]]


  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I stand today with enthusiastic support 
for H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math 
Scholarship Act.
  I want to add my thanks to Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall 
for their leadership on this issue and continued commitment of our 
entire Science and Technology Committee and the Research and Science 
Education Subcommittee.
  Last year, I received a letter from a mother in New Jersey whose 14-
year-old daughter was not satisfied with her education. This young girl 
wanted permission from her parents to move to Beijing, China, for high 
school because she felt like her counterparts were getting ahead of her 
education here in the United States.
  To me, this story underscores the need for our Nation to strengthen 
its investment in education, and it is consistent with the 
international statistics that we have seen of U.S. students falling 
behind in both the number of graduates and in academic performance with 
regard to science and math education.
  In particular, America must make a major renewed commitment to 
education in math and science and engineering to promote innovation and 
technological advancement.
  As public servants, our constituents have entrusted us with the 
responsibility of ensuring our educators have the tools they need to 
best serve our young people.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to 
create a brighter future for our children, expanded support for our 
teachers, increased innovation in our research and technology, and a 
stronger competitive edge for the U.S. in the growing world 
marketplace.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the vice chairman of the 
Science and Technology Committee.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362, a 
bill that is critically important for America's future.
  I thank Chairman Gordon for his hard work on this issue of science 
education and for making H.R. 362 a priority in this Congress. I also 
thank Representative Hall, ranking member of the committee, for his 
work on this bill and for his continuing work in a bipartisan manner in 
this committee to get things done that we need done for America.
  Numerous studies have shown that our students are falling behind the 
international curve on math and science. When I was a college 
professor, I certainly saw far too many students coming to college 
unprepared.
  Today, we see that America is at a crossroads. The path that we 
choose will dictate our standing in the world for decades to come. If 
we continue business as usual, we jeopardize America's competitiveness 
and the prosperity that we have all come to enjoy.
  Instead, we must do all that we can to make sure that Americans are 
prepared by a world-class math and science education. America's high 
standard of living depends on this.
  That is why H.R. 362 is a vital part of an American innovation agenda 
that will help to guarantee a continued prosperity in America's future. 
Right now, many school districts throughout the country are finding it 
increasingly difficult to find good math and science teachers.
  Lyons Township High School Superintendent Dennis Kelly has spoken to 
me recently about the difficulties that they are having finding these 
teachers, and I hear this all across my district and all across the 
country. This bill targets this problem and offers viable solutions to 
recruiting new teachers, as well as developing and supporting current 
ones.
  H.R. 362 will expand the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at the 
National Science Foundation allowing more universities to be able to 
host programs for recruiting students into teaching. This is a vital 
part of our educational system, connecting universities with K-12 
education. This will ensure that our children have an abundance of 
qualified, well-equipped math and science teachers who will prepare 
them for their future.
  I have a special understanding of the impact that teachers have on 
children's lives, especially when it comes to inspiring students in 
math and science. In addition to being a former college professor, I am 
only one of the handful of Members of Congress with a degree in 
engineering. In addition, my wife has a degree in math, and we often 
talk about the teachers who have inspired us.
  I will always remember my high school physics teacher, Father Fergus, 
who inspired me to pursue a degree in engineering, and I also will 
always remember Father Thul who really inspired me in mathematics.
  It is vital that we pass this bill and continue to produce these 
teachers that continue to inspire our children and make our future more 
secure.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords), the former State senator.
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking Member 
Hall.
  I rise today to enthusiastically express my support for H.R. 362, the 
10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
  The purpose of this legislation is to improve our national corps of 
teachers in both math and science, both by recruiting new teachers and 
also by supporting the current ones. To build a world-class science and 
technology workforce, we need to have a world-class math and science 
education system, and H.R. 362 will help accomplish this goal.
  According to the Nation's report card in 2005, only 30 percent of 
eighth graders performed at or above the proficient levels in math. 
Only 32 percent of eighth graders and 18 percent of 12th graders 
performed at or above the proficient levels in science.
  America must do better. The National Academy's ``Rising Above the 
Gathering Storm'' report, presented to us in committee, states that 
``without fundamental knowledge and skills, the majority of students 
scoring below proficient'' levels will ``lack the foundation for good 
jobs and full participation in society.''
  America must invest in this national teaching force, especially in 
rural and poor areas.
  Karen Nicodemus is president of Cochise Community College in my 
district in Arizona. She states that although the shortage of high-
quality and high-qualified math and science teachers cuts across all 
educational systems, we feel it in the rural areas more than in other 
areas. We do a disservice to our brightest students in high school in 
those rural and poor areas by not investing and making sure that we 
have a qualified workforce.
  To remain competitive in the 21st-century global economy, it is 
critical that we reform math and science education in America. All 
children, especially those in rural and in poor areas, should have the 
opportunity to become leaders, should be able to take our country to 
the next level.
  It is an honor to be on this bill.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, thanks to the generosity of 
our ranking member, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to one of his fellow Texans 
(Mr. Hinojosa), chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 362, the 
10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act.
  Today, this body will take up two bills that represent a bipartisan 
effort to implement the recommendations in the watershed report, 
``Rising above the Gathering Storm.''
  I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for 
their leadership in bringing these critical measures to us today.
  H.R. 362 will address our competitiveness crisis at its foundation, 
our acute shortage of teachers in science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics, commonly known as the STEM fields.
  Low-income, rural and minority communities bear a disproportionate 
share

[[Page 9913]]

of the national shortfall of highly qualified STEM teachers. We must 
reverse that inequity. The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act will 
help us do exactly that.
  H.R. 362 also addresses a quiet crisis in our high-need high schools, 
the lack of quality laboratory science opportunities.
  The National Research Council's report on America's high school labs 
found that experience in high school labs was poor for most students 
and practically nonexistent for students in low-income or minority 
communities. We will never produce enough STEM professionals if we do 
not address this issue and invest the correct amount of money.
  I am very pleased that the legislation before us today includes the 
provisions of my bill, H.R. 524, Partnerships for Access to Laboratory 
Science Act. This legislation will establish a pilot program that will 
partner high-need school districts with colleges and universities and 
the private sector to improve high school laboratories.
  Through these pilot programs, we will be able to develop models and 
test effective practices for improving laboratory science in high-need 
schools. We will leverage resources from the local community and the 
private sector and build on our base of knowledge of what works in 
teaching science.
  I would especially like to thank my friend and colleague, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for working with me 
to move the PALS Act forward.
  I want to close by saying that through the leadership of all of these 
gentlemen on this committee, we are going to be able to pass this 
legislation with your help.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, our Nation's scientific and 
technological innovation has been a key source of our global economic 
competitiveness, but I fear that our competitiveness is in jeopardy 
because America's K-12 students are being underserved in math and 
sciences. If we do not provide our students with adequate education 
resources, we jeopardize our future economic prosperity.
  H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds bill is a key step 
towards providing our students with the quality education needed to 
maintain our Nation's global competitiveness. We are facing a crisis in 
our schools because math and science college graduates are not being 
attracted to teaching careers. Too often, math and science teachers are 
instructing outside of their fields.
  American students are facing a future of job competition on a global 
scale. In a global economy, highly educated workers from anywhere in 
the world can compete for America's high-skilled and high-paying jobs. 
To have a prosperous economy in which all segments of the population 
can compete for high-paying jobs, we need schools with well-placed labs 
and science programs.
  H.R. 362 will promote the educational experience that all our youth 
deserve, being taught by competent math and science teachers, and this 
bill will provide universities and teacher preparation programs the 
incentives to track more math and science college graduates and prepare 
them for their successful teaching careers. The bill will also increase 
professional development resources for math and science teachers 
already instructing in America's neediest schools.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, we have no more speakers. To wrap it 
up, may I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill. I also 
would like to reiterate to Mr. Reyes that I, too, am sensitive to the 
needs of the high-needs schools. I think we have sufficiently addressed 
his concern in the underlying measure by providing an added incentive 
for Noyce scholars who choose to teach in high-needs schools.
  Furthermore, the clearinghouse provided for under Mr. Gordon's 
amendment provides yet another layer of commitment to help guarantee 
that our high-needs schools are not left out of the selection process 
for the new STEM teachers.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, may I ask the amount of time 
that we have left here?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has 4\3/4\ minutes.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, let me take just a moment to 
thank the staff, Jim Wilson, and our minority staff for the time they 
have put in on this bill. Two years ago, Lamar Alexander, and our 
former chairman, Sherry Boehlert, asked the National Academies to do a 
recommendation on the competitiveness of America in the 21st century. 
The recommendation was good news and bad news. The bad news was that we 
are in a very competitive environment and that we are on a losing 
track.
  The good news was we had some recommendations. That is what we tried 
to do. We didn't try to make a Democratic or Republican bill; we took 
their recommendations and made a bipartisan bill. I think that today 
the bipartisan bill is the result of that. I again thank all the 
Members for their constructive efforts in doing this.
  I understand that the Speaker is so committed to this bill that she 
is on her way to the floor, and she is not only on her way, but she has 
arrived, and I yield her the balance of my time.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I commend the 
distinguished chairman of the Science Committee and the ranking member 
for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor with 
strong bipartisan support. This is indeed a great day for the Congress 
because we are here to talk about the future. I always say to people 
when they come, You visit Washington, you see all these monuments to 
people who lived a long time ago; but when you come to the floor of the 
Congress, what we are here to do is to make the future better for the 
next generation.
  Central to that is a strong economy for our country. We have had a 
bipartisan commitment to an innovation agenda, a commitment to 
competitiveness to keep America number one. We know that innovation 
begins in the classroom, and that is why the legislation on the floor 
today is so important.
  For some of us of a generation when I was a student, President 
Kennedy talked about putting a man on the Moon. It seemed impossible at 
the time.
  When he said it, when he made his announcement, he said the vows of 
this Nation can only be fulfilled if we are first, and therefore we 
intend to be first. Our leadership in science and in industry, our 
hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves and others 
as well, all require us to make this effort. It was with that our 
country made a strong commitment to science and technology, and within 
10 years a man was on the Moon and safely returned.
  Here we are again in this new century, all these many years later, 
recommitting to an innovation agenda. We have to talk about how we grow 
our economy to create new jobs here at home for the 21st century. We 
certainly have a commitment to trade, and that is important to us.
  We can only succeed in the international global economy if we are 
competitive and if we innovate. We cannot innovate without the 
investment in education, the investment in science and technology.
  Our effort for an innovation agenda began nearly 2 years ago outside 
of Washington, meeting all over the country with leaders and CEOs in 
many fields, whether it was biotech, high-tech, the academic community, 
venture capital, entrepreneurs, young people and telecommunications 
sector people who are creating jobs for the 21st century. We held 
forums in Silicon Valley, in Seattle, and in Boston, in Chicago, 
northern New Jersey, North Carolina's Research Triangle, El Paso, 
Texas, to name a few.
  Using the expertise and advice that we heard from the outside, 
emphasizing

[[Page 9914]]

a focus on public/ private partnerships, emphasizing a focus on the 
entrepreneurial spirit that is the hallmark of our country, we adopted 
an innovation agenda that will help create a new generation of 
innovators, an educated skilled workforce in the vital areas of 
science, math, engineering and information technology.
  Thank you, Chairman Gordon, for your extraordinary leadership in this 
area and bringing this legislation to the floor. I also want to commend 
Chairman George Miller for his leadership and focusing on STEM as well.
  The agenda will help to make a sustained Federal research and 
development commitment that promotes private sector innovation, spur 
affordable access to broadband technology, achieve energy independence, 
strengthen our national security, protect our planet by developing 
emerging technologies for clean and sustainable alternatives, and 
provide small businesses with the tools they need to engage and 
encourage entrepreneurial innovation and job creation throughout our 
economy.
  This is what was important to us. Again, pointing out the importance 
of education to all of this, I am very pleased to come to the floor to 
support the legislation that is on the floor today.
  Once again, I want to thank Mr. Hall for his leadership in this area. 
I take special pride in the fact that this effort is bipartisan. The 
President has spoken on any number of occasions, in his State of the 
Union addresses or in other settings, about his commitment to this 
investment in the future.
  Hopefully we can move these pieces of legislation along to his desk 
for his signature and on to better public policy to promote the United 
States as number one with an innovation agenda for the future.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to support H.R. 
362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship 
Act.
  I am a cosponsor of this important legislation, which will greatly 
increase the numbers of science and math teachers across the country, 
both through creating more teachers from current college students and 
by providing better training for the teachers already in our schools.
  America has long been a center for science and engineering discovery. 
Just looking back over the 20th century, American ingenuity has been 
truly incredible. From Ford's Model T in 1908 and on to the personal 
computer in 1981, American innovations have transformed our Nation and 
the world, again and again, creating whole new industries and 
occupations. Going forward, new innovations will continue to be 
critical, both in maintaining a solid industrial base and increasing 
our standard of living.
  In short--innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain 
our industrial base; innovation depends on a solid knowledge base in 
math, science and engineering; without this knowledge base, innovation 
as well as our industrial base will erode.
  Along those lines, all jobs of the future will require a basic 
understanding of math and science. The most recent 10 year employment 
projections by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest 
growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 require significant 
mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job.
  To succeed, U.S. students will need a strong background in math and 
science and our students have proven that they have talent in these 
areas. Compared to other countries, U.S. fourth graders score above 
average in both math and science on international tests. Yet, by the 
time these students graduate from high school, they score near the 
bottom of all industrialized countries.
  We must do more to keep students involved, interested, and educated 
in science and math fields.
  This bill will help us increasing the number of well-trained science 
and math teachers, which will lead to more scientists and engineers in 
future generations.
  H.R. 362 will enhance and expand the national corps of math and 
science teachers, both by recruiting new teachers with backgrounds in 
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and by 
supporting current teachers.
  Specifically, the bill will improve the Noyce Teacher Scholarship 
Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Noyce Scholarships 
will award $10,000 scholarships to students enrolled in STEM majors who 
commit several years to teaching. Furthermore, this program will ensure 
that these new teachers have mentors and other support as they begin 
teaching.
  For current teachers, the bill will enhance NSF's Math Science 
Partnership (MSP) program, which provides sustained, content-oriented 
professional development for current teachers with summer institutes 
and master's degree programs. Furthermore, teachers participating in 
these MSPs are encouraged to become teacher leaders by sharing their 
knowledge with other teachers in their schools.
  I would like to thank Science and Technology Chairman Gordon for 
introducing this critical legislation and working to bring it to the 
floor today.
  In conclusion, I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 362. 
To ensure that we continue to have a strong and healthy economy in the 
new interconnected global market, we need to have a prosperous science 
and technology enterprise. This legislation will set us in the right 
direction.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 
Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
  I would like to thank Chairman Gordon, as well as Ranking Member 
Hall, on their hard work on this legislation, and the bipartisan manner 
in which the Science and Technology Committee operates to produce such 
substantial legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, this legislation will come to the aid of America's need 
for more school teachers in our nation's classrooms. In their much 
referenced report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the National 
Academies found that 68 percent of U.S. 8th grade students received 
instruction from a mathematics teacher who did not hold a degree or 
certification in mathematics; in 2000, more than 85 percent of students 
in grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major 
or certification in the physical sciences.
  Also, U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 40 countries that 
participated in a 2003 administration of the Program for International 
Student Assessment (PISA) examination, which assessed students' ability 
to apply mathematical concepts to real-world problems. These figures 
could spell disaster for America's competitiveness in the fields of 
science, technology and innovation.
  By amending and expanding the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at 
the National Science Foundation (NSF) which will go to universities 
that build model programs for recruiting students into teaching, H.R. 
362 will move us down the road to improving the strength of our math 
and science teachers, while actively recruiting new teachers.
  Our future lies in our students, and their ability to think 
critically, and ask thoughtful, insightful questions lie in the 
strength of their schooling. The un-bias nature of scientific inquiry 
and the natural beauty of math help students build their questioning 
and logic skills.
  It is imperative that our students are taught by teachers whose 
strengths lie in conveying these concepts and inspiring young minds not 
only to go into the science and technology fields, but also to open 
their minds to be inquisitive in the world.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Chairman, today we are considering several bills to 
implement the Innovation Agenda including H.R. 362, the ``10,000 
Teachers, 10 Million Minds'' Science and Math Scholarship Act.
  Last month, I was pleased to support this legislation in Committee. 
H.R. 362 invests in thousands of new and highly qualified teachers 
through professional development, summer training institutes, 
scholarships, and investment in undergraduate science, technology, 
engineering and math (``STEM'') education.
  I taught high school in Arizona for 28 years, and I know that my 
fellow teachers work hard and do a good job with the resources they 
have.
  But I was also a State Senator for 8 years, and I know our schools 
need help. Arizona's students are below the national averages in every 
subject area. Arizona's teachers teach six children more per class than 
the national average.
  That's a problem.
  Arizona must increase the number of highly qualified teachers and 
lower the student to teacher ratio.
  As a former educator, I understand first-hand the impact that 
education has on our children and their future. I appreciate Chairman 
Gordon's leadership on this issue, and I am pleased to see the 
chairman's legislation works to increase the number of qualified 
science and math teachers.
  Ensuring that our students receive a first-rate education is vital 
not only to Arizona's future but our nation's as well. I believe that 
if

[[Page 9915]]

we want to successfully compete and prosper in the 21st century, we 
must make education a national priority.
  The National Academy of Science was asked how the United States can 
accomplish this goal. Their report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, 
recommends action to recruit highly qualified science and math teachers 
and implement programs to strengthen the skills of our current 
teachers.
  I wholeheartedly agree.
  To continue to compete in the global economy we need to increase the 
number of science and technology graduates and our schools need the 
resources to successfully educate our children.
  H.R. 362 supports this important goal and I look forward to 
supporting its passage today.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, innovation in math, science, and 
technology is the way America will stay strong and competitive in this 
century. Unfortunately, we are seeing our children's test scores slip 
behind the rest of the industrialized world. In a recent exam to test 
the real-world application ability of mathematical concepts, U.S. high-
school students ranked 24th out of 40 countries that were tested.
  As a mother and grandmother, I want all of our Nation's children to 
have the best possible education to empower them to be whatever they 
choose to be when they grow up. I can't help but be concerned with the 
idea that the America they will inherit will not be able to compete on 
the highest levels of the global marketplace. We must stem the tide of 
dropping test scores and fewer and fewer qualified teachers of science 
and math.
  That's why I rise in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 minds, 10 
million Science and Math Scholarship Act. It's not enough that we have 
the scientists to drive the innovation to keep us competitive. We also 
need to be producing the educators to mentor and impart wisdom to our 
youth so that they can expand their fields of knowledge, innovate new 
technologies, discover new medicines, and answer questions we once 
thought unanswerable.
  In a global economy, competition is going to keep increasing, and 
unless we take definitive action to increase our science and math 
capabilities, we are going to be left behind. H.R. 362, under the 
leadership of Chairman Gordon, is part of the definitive action we must 
take to get more qualified teachers in place to ensure that our kids 
have the knowledge and skills at hand to continue to lead the world.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 362 and to help 
put America on track to remain strong, competitive, and well-educated 
in math and science.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Ms. Chairman, I am pleased to rise in 
support of H.R. 362, the ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science 
and Math Scholarship Act,'' of which I am proud to be a co-sponsor. 
This bill is the first component of the new Democratic majority's 
Innovation Agenda, which is designed to make our nation more able to 
compete successfully in the global economy.
  Mr. Chairman, it is essential that we invest in a workforce ready for 
global competition by creating a new generation of innovators and make 
a sustained commitment to federal research and development. We need to 
spur and expand affordable access to broadband, achieve energy 
independence, and provide small business with tools to encourage 
entrepreneurial innovation
  H.R. 362 is a critical first step. It will place highly qualified 
teachers in math, science, and technology K-12 classrooms, based on the 
recommendations of the National Academies. It will invest in 10,000 new 
science and math teachers, totaling some 25,000 over five years, by 
increasing the number of scholarships for students majoring in science, 
technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and who are committed to 
pursuing teaching.
  Mr. Chairman, H.R. 362, will also strengthen the skills of math, 
science and technology of up to 250,000 teachers by improving education 
and training opportunities for math and science teachers and expanding 
professional development, summer training institutes, and graduate 
education assistance.
  This important, bipartisan legislation seeks to advance science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education by 
providing for improved recruitment, training, mentoring, and 
professional development of teachers.
  The establishment and maintenance of a capable scientific and 
technological workforce remains an important facet of U.S. efforts to 
maintain economic competitiveness. Pre-college instruction in 
mathematics and scientific fields is crucial to the development of U.S. 
scientific and technological personnel, as well as our overall 
scientific literacy as a nation. The value of education in scientific 
and mathematics is not limited to those students pursuing a degree in 
one of these fields, and even students pursuing nonscientific and 
nonmathematical fields are likely to require basic knowledge in these 
subjects.
  In particular, there is a need to extend access to mathematics and 
scientific education to a number of specific groups. Even as certain 
minorities, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native 
Americans, comprise an increasingly large proportion of the U.S. 
population, they continue to be underrepresented in science and 
engineering disciplines. Together, these three groups comprise over 25 
percent of the population, but earn only 16.2 percent of the bachelor 
degrees, 10.7 percent of the masters degrees, and 5.4 percent of the 
doctorate degrees in these fields.
  This legislation amends the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
Authorization Act of 2002 by revising the requirements for the Robert 
Noyce Scholarship program. This important program provides 
scholarships, stipends, and teacher training to science, mathematics, 
and engineering students and professionals, in exchange for a 
commitment to service as elementary or secondary school teachers 
following graduation.
  H.R. 362 also provides for summer institutes and graduate programs 
through the Mathematics and Science Education Partnership program. It 
authorizes $195 million from FY 2008 to FY 2012 for the operation of an 
already existing NSF program to provide summer workshops for teachers. 
It authorizes additional funds to establish a new grant program aimed 
at encouraging the development of graduate degree programs for math and 
science teachers. This bill provides increasing funding for fiscal 
years 2010 through 2012 for the NSF STEM Talent Expansion program, and 
authorizes the NSF to create pilot programs to award grants to improve 
laboratories in secondary schools.
  Mr. Chairman, according to the National Academies, the most important 
thing we can do for our future economic health is invest in our science 
and math teachers. A number of highly publicized studies have shown 
that the mathematics and science achievement of American students is 
poor by international standards. In 2005, 39 percent of 12th graders 
lacked even basic high school math skills.
  H.R. 362 has been endorsed by a broad range of businesses and 
universities as well as industry and education groups, including the 
Business Roundtable, Association of American Universities, Council on 
Competitiveness, the College Board, Semiconductor Industry Association 
and the Business Software Alliance.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the 10,000 
Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act. Taking its 
name from the fifth chapter of the National Academies Report ``Rising 
Above the Gathering Storm,'' H.R. 362 is part of an ambitious 
legislative portfolio that will fulfill the Innovation Agenda. I was 
proud to help craft the Innovation Agenda, on which our nation is 
dependent for its future prosperity.
  In middle school, 68 percent of math students have a teacher who did 
not major in and has not certification in mathematics. Across all 
sciences, 57 percent of middle school students have teachers without a 
major or certification in the subject. In physical sciences, 93 percent 
have teachers without a major or certification. In high school, 
approximately 31 percent of math students, 45 percent of life science 
students, 61 percent of chemistry students, and 67 percent of physics 
students have teachers with no major or certification in the field.
  The National Science Foundation's successful Noyce program recruits 
and trains math and science teachers, drawing from high-performing 
college students and from existing math and science professionals. The 
Noyce program also encourages those it trains and supports to serve in 
high-needs school districts. H.R. 362 expands the Noyce program and 
modifies it to include freshmen and sophomores.
  Another successful math and science education program at the National 
Science Foundation is its Mathematics and Science Education 
Partnerships program, which provides grants to universities and 
nonprofits for the improvement of K-12 education. H.R. 362 improves the 
program by focusing grantees on teacher training, requiring grantees to 
offer masters programs for in-service teachers, and preparing teachers 
to instruct Advanced Placement courses.
  H.R. 362 does not stop with the improvement of these existing 
programs. It recognizes the special need for quality hands-on science 
teaching by authorizing funds for the Laboratory Science Teacher 
Professional Development program. The Act also requires the Director of 
NSF to convene a panel of experts

[[Page 9916]]

to develop nationally available K-12 math and science teaching 
materials, and it creates centers that will work on curriculum, 
pedagogy, and the training of professors and teaching assistants to 
increase undergraduate participation and performance in science, 
technology, engineering, and math courses.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of 
this bill.
  America is still the number one economy in the world, and we can keep 
that leadership. But we can only do so with a level of determination 
and commitment that we have not shown in almost half a century. Other 
countries are making aggressive investments in a competitive workforce. 
We must exceed those efforts.
  That is why--nearly 2 years ago--then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi 
laid down a challenge to Congress and the President to invest in 
innovation in order to create vibrant industries, a strong economy, and 
good jobs here at home. Now, with Speaker Pelosi at the helm and 
Democrats determining the agenda before Congress, we are acting on that 
challenge.
  Working with leaders from the hi-tech and bio-tech industries, 
venture capitalists, and academics, Democrats laid out a plan to boost 
America's competitiveness. We made it clear to the American people that 
we take this challenge seriously.
  Today, we are taking the next steps on our commitment. The bill 
before the House today is an important step for America's future 
economic strength and the strength of America's middle class.
  Mr. Gordon's legislation is a strong step in reaching a key goal of 
our innovation agenda. This bill will educate 25,000 highly qualified 
math and science teachers by creating high quality programs that 
integrate the strong teaching of both education programs as well as 
strong research and content area instruction.
  In the Education and Labor Committee, we are also working to create a 
new generation of innovators by ensuring that today's students are 
taught to high academic standards and receive the workplace skills that 
are necessary to prepare them as scientists, engineers, and 
mathematicians in a global high-tech economy.
  The Committee will work toward the goals of innovation agenda by 
educating 100,000 new innovators in the next five years. We propose a 
new public-private partnership with the business community and higher 
education institutions to produce well-qualified, highly-skilled 
workers by establishing Congressional Science fellowships and 
interdisciplinary Master's programs in science, engineering, and math 
that include specialized training and internships with business 
partners, and loan forgiveness options.
  Additionally, we will build on the work of Mr. Gordon by placing a 
highly qualified teacher in math, science, and technology K-12 
classrooms by offering up-front tuition assistance to talented 
undergraduates majoring in math, science or engineering who agree to 
teach in a high-needs school and by partnering community colleges with 
4-year institutions to improve the teacher pipeline.
  Lastly, we need to enhance the ability of states to coordinate 
education and workforce goals, identify the challenges of recruiting 
students and retaining them in innovative fields, and develop 
collaborative solutions through statewide coalitions of education, 
business, and community leaders, such as P-16+ Councils.
  America's entrepreneurial, innovative spirit is one of the key 
reasons for our strength in the world today. If we match that spirit to 
these substantial investments, our economy will stay strong for 
generations to come. I look forward to continuing to press forward with 
other elements of the Innovation Agenda and to make sure that America 
stays No. 1 in the world.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support these important 
bills--the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math 
Scholarship Act and the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and 
Engineering Research Act--and to keep our Nation competitive in an era 
of global economic and scientific competition.
  Now, more than ever, we must ensure that America remains at the 
forefront of discovery and innovation. To do that, we must engage our 
young people and encourage more of them to pursue careers in science, 
math, and engineering. These two bills accomplish that by fostering 
student potential in K-12 classrooms and by investing in long-term 
scientific research to keep more young scientists in our Nation's 
laboratories.
  The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science Math Scholarship Act 
would increase the number of scholarships for students majoring in the 
field of science, technology, engineering, and math who want to teach 
and would strengthen the skills of current STEM teachers by expanding 
professional development. These teachers would be better equipped to 
excite and engage students in math and science.
  The Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act 
would increase our investment in long-term scientific research and 
provide grants to young researchers. It would encourage our brightest 
young minds to think innovatively and push the boundaries of current 
research. Also, it will encourage young scientists to continue their 
study in U.S. institutions.
  Mr. Chairman, these bills will help stimulate exciting research and 
increase the number of students entering the fields of math and 
science. They are an essential part of our competitiveness agenda, and 
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for them today.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362, the 
``10,000 Teachers, Ten Million Minds'' Science and Math Scholarship 
Act, and H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering 
Research Act.
  For the past century or more, the United States has been the 
undisputed leader of the global economy. The reasons for this success 
are many and diverse, but they are united by the principle of 
innovation that has guided our economy for decades. The United States 
is the birthplace of aviation and the automobile. We have led the 
information technology revolution and created the internet. The names 
of American pioneers are as familiar to us as those of our greatest 
Presidents: Henry Ford, Robert Oppenheimer, Bill Gates.
  But today, the supremacy of the United States in international 
innovation is at risk. In 2005, the National Academies convened a 
panel, known as the Augustine Commission, made up of some of the most 
distinguished national leaders in academia, industry and government. 
Their report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, was startling. It 
expressed serious concern that ``the scientific and technological 
building blocks critical to our economic leadership are eroding at a 
time when many other nations are gathering strength.'' In order to 
prevent this erosion and maintain the United States' place at the 
forefront of the global economy, the Commission proposed several 
concrete actions.
  The ``10,000 Teacher, Ten Million Minds'' Science and Math 
Scholarship Act is the direct result of the Augustine Commission's 
first recommendation. In 2000, more than 85 percent of students in 
grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major or 
certification in the physical sciences. In 1999, 68 percent of U.S. 8th 
grade students received instruction from a mathematics teacher who did 
not hold a degree or certification in mathematics. This legislation 
will create thousands of new math and science teachers, each with 
expertise in their specific area of teaching, and will create centers 
for improvement of undergraduate education in science and mathematics.
  The ``Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act'' 
derives from the Augustine Commission's second recommendation. This 
legislation will improve innovation efforts at the National Science 
Foundation. It will especially focus on outstanding researchers in the 
early stages of their careers. These are the researchers who are most 
likely to break existing paradigms and realize that singular 
achievement that will keep the United States at the cutting edge of 
global innovation.
  These bills are only the first step. In the weeks and months to come, 
the House will consider several bills that will encourage technological 
progress and innovation. I commend Speaker Pelosi for her initiative 
and commitment to the innovation agenda, and I urge passage of these 
bills.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be considered 
read.
  The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as 
follows:

                                H.R. 362

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.

                     TITLE I--SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Sec. 101. Short title.

[[Page 9917]]

Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Policy objective.
Sec. 104. Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

        TITLE II--MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 201. Mathematics and science education partnerships amendments.
Sec. 202. Teacher institutes.
Sec. 203. Graduate degree program.
Sec. 204. Curricular materials.
Sec. 205. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent 
              Expansion Program.
Sec. 206. High-need local educational agency definition.
Sec. 207. Teacher leaders.
Sec. 208. Laboratory science pilot program.
Sec. 209. Study on laboratory equipment donations for schools.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The National Science Foundation has made significant 
     and valuable contributions to the improvement of K-12 and 
     undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and 
     mathematics education throughout its 56 year history.
       (2) Under section 3 of the National Science Foundation Act 
     of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1862), the National Science Foundation is 
     explicitly required to strengthen science, mathematics, and 
     engineering research potential and education programs at all 
     levels.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) The term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
       (2) The term ``Director'' means the Director of the 
     National Science Foundation.
       (3) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
       (4) The term ``mathematics and science teacher'' means a 
     mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary 
     school or secondary school level.

                     TITLE I--SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``10,000 Teachers, 10 
     Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act''.

     SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The prosperity the United States enjoys today is due in 
     no small part to investments the Nation has made in research 
     and development over the past 50 years.
       (2) Corporate, government, and national scientific and 
     technical leaders have raised concerns that current trends 
     affecting the science and technology enterprise of the Nation 
     could result in erosion of this past success and jeopardize 
     future prosperity.
       (3) The National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy 
     of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine were tasked in 
     a congressional request to recommend actions that the Federal 
     Government could take to enhance the science and technology 
     enterprise so that the United States can successfully 
     compete, prosper, and be secure in the global community of 
     the 21st century.
       (4) The Academies' highest priority recommendation in its 
     report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and 
     Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future'', is to 
     improve K-12 mathematics and science education, and the 
     Academies' first recommended action item is to institute a 
     major scholarship program to recruit and educate annually 
     10,000 mathematics and science teachers.

     SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVE.

       In carrying out the program under section 104, the National 
     Science Foundation shall seek to increase by up to 10,000 per 
     year the number of elementary and secondary mathematics and 
     science teachers in the Nation's schools having both 
     exemplary subject knowledge and pedagogical skills.

     SEC. 104. ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) Program Amendments.--Section 10 of the National Science 
     Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting ``TEACHER'' after ``NOYCE'' in the section 
     heading;
       (2) in subsection (a)(1)--
       (A) by striking ``to provide scholarships, stipends, and 
     programming designed'';
       (B) by inserting ``and to provide scholarships and stipends 
     to students participating in the program'' after ``science 
     teachers''; and
       (C) by inserting ``Teacher'' after ``Noyce'';
       (3) in subsection (a)(3)(A)--
       (A) by striking ``encourage top college juniors and 
     seniors'' and inserting ``recruit and prepare undergraduate 
     students''; and
       (B) by inserting ``qualified as'' after ``to become'';
       (4) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii)--
       (A) by striking ``programs to help scholarship recipients'' 
     and inserting ``academic courses and early field teaching 
     experiences designed to prepare students participating in the 
     program'';
       (B) by striking ``programs that will result in'' and 
     inserting ``such preparation as is necessary to meet 
     requirements for''; and
       (C) by striking ``licensing; and'' and inserting 
     ``licensing;'';
       (5) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(iii)--
       (A) by striking ``scholarship recipients'' and inserting 
     ``students participating in the program'';
       (B) by striking ``enable the recipients'' and inserting 
     ``enable the students''; and
       (C) by striking ``; or'' and inserting ``; and'';
       (6) in subsection (a)(3)(A) by inserting at the end the 
     following new clause:
       ``(iv) providing summer internships for freshman students 
     participating in the program; or'';
       (7) in subsection (a)(3)(B)--
       (A) by striking ``encourage'' and inserting ``recruit and 
     prepare''; and
       (B) by inserting ``qualified as'' after ``to become'';
       (8) by amending clause (ii) of subsection (a)(3)(B) to read 
     as follows:
       ``(ii) offering academic courses and field teaching 
     experiences designed to prepare stipend recipients to teach 
     in elementary schools and secondary schools, including such 
     preparation as is necessary to meet requirements for teacher 
     certification or licensing; and'';
       (9) in subsection (a) by inserting at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(4) Eligibility requirement.--To be eligible for an award 
     under this section, an institution of higher education (or 
     consortia of such institutions) shall ensure that specific 
     faculty members and staff from the institution's mathematics, 
     science, or engineering departments and specific education 
     faculty are designated to carry out the development and 
     implementation of the program. An institution of higher 
     education may also include teacher leaders to participate in 
     developing the pedagogical content of the program and to 
     supervise students participating in the program in their 
     field teaching experiences. No institution of higher 
     education shall be eligible for an award unless faculty from 
     the institution's mathematics, science, or engineering 
     departments are active participants in the program.'';
       (10) in subsection (b)(1)(A)--
       (A) by striking ``scholarship or stipend'';
       (B) by inserting ``and summer internships'' after ``number 
     of scholarships''; and
       (C) by inserting ``the type of activities proposed for the 
     recruitment of students to the program,'' after ``intends to 
     award,'';
       (11) in subsection (b)(1)(B)--
       (A) by striking ``scholarship or stipend''; and
       (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, which may 
     include a description of any existing programs at the 
     applicant's institution that are targeted to the education of 
     mathematics and science teachers and the number of teachers 
     graduated annually from such programs;'';
       (12) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraph (C) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(C) a description of the academic courses and field 
     teaching experiences required under subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii) 
     and (B)(ii), including--
       ``(i) a description of the undergraduate program that will 
     enable a student to graduate within 5 years with a major in 
     mathematics, science, or engineering and to obtain teacher 
     certification or licensing;
       ``(ii) a description of the field teaching experiences 
     proposed; and
       ``(iii) evidence of agreements between the applicant and 
     the schools or school districts that are identified as the 
     locations at which field teaching experiences will occur;
       ``(D) a description of the programs required under 
     subsection (a)(3)(A)(iii) and (B)(iii), including activities 
     to assist new teachers in fulfilling their service 
     requirements under this section; and
       ``(E) an identification of the applicant's mathematics, 
     science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty who 
     will carry out the development and implementation of the 
     program as required under subsection (a)(4).'';
       (13) in subsection (b)(2)--
       (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E) 
     as subparagraphs (C), (D), (E) and (F), respectively;
       (B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) a new subparagraph 
     as follows:
       ``(B) the extent to which the applicant's mathematics, 
     science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty 
     have worked or will work collaboratively to design new or 
     revised curricula that recognizes the specialized pedagogy 
     required to teach mathematics, science, and technology 
     effectively in elementary and secondary schools;''; and
       (C) by amending subparagraph (F), as so redesignated by 
     subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, to read as follows:
       ``(F) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who 
     are individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science 
     and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 
     1885b).'';
       (14) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking ``2 years'' and 
     inserting ``3 years'';
       (15) in subsection (c)(3)--
       (A) by striking ``$7,500'' and inserting ``$10,000''; and
       (B) by striking ``2 years of scholarship support'' and 
     inserting ``3 years of scholarship support, unless the 
     Director establishes a policy by which part-time students may 
     receive additional years of support'';
       (16) in subsection (c)(4)--
       (A) by striking ``6 years'' and inserting ``8 years'';
       (B) by inserting ``, with a maximum service requirement of 
     6 years'' after ``was received''; and
       (C) by striking ``Service required under this paragraph 
     shall be performed in a high-need local educational 
     agency.'';
       (17) in subsection (c), by adding at the end a new 
     paragraph as follows:
       ``(5) Exception.--The period of service obligation under 
     paragraph (4) is reduced by 1 year for scholarship recipients 
     whose service is performed in a high-need local educational 
     agency.'';

[[Page 9918]]

       (18) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``to receive 
     certification or licensing to teach'' and inserting 
     ``established under subsection (a)(3)(B)'';
       (19) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ``and professional 
     achievement'' after ``academic merit'';
       (20) in subsection (d)(3), by striking ``1 year'' and 
     inserting ``16 months'';
       (21) in subsection (d)(4)--
       (A) by striking ``6 years'' and inserting ``4 years''; and
       (B) by striking ``for each year a stipend was received'';
       (22) in subsection (g)(2)(A)--
       (A) by striking ``Treasurer of the United States,'' and 
     inserting ``Treasurer of the United States.''; and
       (B) by striking ``multiplied by 2.'';
       (23) in subsection (i)(3), by inserting ``or had a career 
     in'' after ``is working in'';
       (24) in subsection (i)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) the term `teacher leader' means a mathematics or 
     science teacher who works to improve the instruction of 
     mathematics or science in kindergarten through grade 12 
     through--
       ``(A) participating in the development or revision of 
     science, mathematics, engineering, or technology curricula;
       ``(B) serving as a mentor to mathematics or science 
     teachers;
       ``(C) coordinating and assisting teachers in the use of 
     hands-on inquiry materials, equipment, and supplies, and when 
     appropriate, supervising acquisition and repair of such 
     materials;
       ``(D) providing in-classroom teaching assistance to 
     mathematics or science teachers; and
       ``(E) providing professional development, for the purposes 
     of training other teacher leaders, to mathematics and science 
     teachers.''; and
       (25) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(j) Mathematics and Science Scholarship Gift Fund.--In 
     accordance with section 11(f) of the National Science 
     Foundation Act of 1950, the Director is authorized to accept 
     donations from the private sector to support scholarships, 
     stipends, or internships associated with programs under this 
     section.
       ``(k) Assessment of Teacher Service and Retention.--Not 
     later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this 
     subsection, the Director shall transmit to Congress a report 
     on the effectiveness of the program carried out under this 
     section. The report shall include the proportion of 
     individuals receiving scholarships or stipends under the 
     program who --
       ``(1) fulfill their service obligation required under this 
     section in a high-need local educational agency;
       ``(2) elect to fulfill their service obligation in a high-
     need local educational agency but fail to complete it, as 
     defined in subsection (g);
       ``(3) remain in the teaching profession beyond their 
     service obligation; and
       ``(4) remain in the teaching profession in a high-need 
     local educational agency beyond their service obligation.
       ``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Director for the Robert 
     Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program--
       ``(1) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
       ``(2) $101,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
       ``(3) $133,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
       ``(4) $164,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
       ``(5) $196,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 8(6) of the National 
     Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
       (1) in the paragraph heading by inserting ``Teacher'' after 
     ``Noyce''; and
       (2) by inserting ``Teacher'' after ``Noyce''.

        TITLE II--MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT

     SEC. 201. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS 
                   AMENDMENTS.

       Section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization 
     Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
       (A) by striking ``(A)'';
       (B) by striking subparagraph (B);
       (C) by inserting ``, through 1 or more of its departments 
     in science, mathematics, or engineering,'' after 
     ``institution of higher education''; and
       (D) by striking ``a State educational agency'' and 
     inserting ``education faculty from the participating 
     institution or institutions of higher education, a State 
     educational agency,'';
       (2) in subsection (a)(3)(B)--
       (A) by inserting ``content-specific'' before ``professional 
     development programs'';
       (B) by inserting ``which are'' before ``designed''; and
       (C) by inserting ``and which may include teacher training 
     activities to prepare mathematics and science teachers to 
     teach challenging mathematics, science, and technology 
     college-preparatory courses, including Advanced Placement and 
     International Baccalaureate courses'' after ``and science 
     teachers'';
       (3) in subsection (a)(3)(C)--
       (A) by inserting ``and laboratory experiences'' after 
     ``technology''; and
       (B) by inserting ``and laboratory'' after ``provide 
     technical'';
       (4) in subsection (a)(3)(I) by inserting ``including model 
     induction programs for teachers in their first 2 years of 
     teaching,'' after ``and science,'';
       (5) in subsection (a)(3)(K) by striking ``developing and 
     offering mathematics or science enrichment programs for 
     students, including after-school and summer programs;'' and 
     inserting ``developing educational programs and materials and 
     conducting mathematics, science, and technology enrichment 
     programs for students, including after-school programs and 
     summer camps for students described in subsection 
     (b)(2)(G);'';
       (6) in subsection (a) by inserting at the end the 
     following:
       ``(8) Master's degree programs.--Activities carried out in 
     accordance with paragraph (3)(B) shall include the 
     development and offering of master's degree programs for in-
     service mathematics and science teachers that will strengthen 
     their subject area knowledge and pedagogical skills, as 
     described in section 203 of the Act enacting this paragraph. 
     Grants provided under this section may be used to develop and 
     implement courses of instruction for the master's degree 
     programs, which may involve online learning, and develop 
     related educational materials.
       ``(9) Mentors for teachers and students of challenging 
     courses.--Partnerships carrying out activities to prepare 
     mathematics and science teachers to teach challenging 
     mathematics, science, and technology college-preparatory 
     courses, including Advanced Placement and International 
     Baccalaureate courses, in accordance with paragraph (3)(B) 
     shall encourage companies employing scientists, 
     mathematicians, or engineers to provide mentors to teachers 
     and students and provide for the coordination of such 
     mentoring activities.
       ``(10) Inventiveness.--Activities carried out in accordance 
     with paragraph (3)(H) may include the development and 
     dissemination of curriculum tools that will help foster 
     inventiveness and innovation.'';
       (7) in subsection (b)(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) 
     and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively, and 
     inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(E) the extent to which the evaluation described in 
     paragraph (1)(E) will be independent and based on objective 
     measures;'';
       (8) in subsection (b) by inserting at the end the 
     following:
       ``(4) Minimum and maximum grant size.--A grant awarded 
     under this section shall be not less than $75,000 or greater 
     than $2,000,000 for any fiscal year.'';
       (9) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking paragraph (2);
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as 
     paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively; and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(2) Report on model projects.--The Director shall 
     determine which completed projects funded through the program 
     under this section should be seen as models to be replicated 
     on a more expansive basis at the State or national levels. 
     Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
     paragraph, the Director shall transmit a report describing 
     the results of this study to the Committee on Science and 
     Technology and the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
     House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
       ``(3) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 4 years after 
     the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall 
     transmit a report summarizing the evaluations required under 
     subsection (b)(1)(E) of grants received under this program 
     and describing any changes to the program recommended as a 
     result of these evaluations to the Committee on Science and 
     Technology and the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
     House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. Such report 
     shall be made widely available to the public.''; and
       (10) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section--
       ``(1) the term `mathematics and science teacher' means a 
     mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary 
     school or secondary school level; and
       ``(2) the term `science', in the context of elementary and 
     secondary education, includes technology and pre-
     engineering.''.

     SEC. 202. TEACHER INSTITUTES.

       (a) National Science Foundation Institutes.--
       (1) In general.--The Director shall establish a grant 
     program to provide for summer or academic year teacher 
     institutes or workshops authorized by section 9(a)(3)(B) of 
     the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 
     U.S.C. 1862n(a)(3)(B)) and shall allow grantees under the 
     Teacher Institutes for the 21st Century program to operate 1 
     to 2 week summer teacher institutes with the goal of reaching 
     the maximum number of in-service mathematics and science 
     teachers, particularly elementary and middle school teachers, 
     to improve their content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
       (2) Preparation to teach challenging courses.--The Director 
     shall ensure that activities supported for awards under 
     paragraph (1) include the development and implementation of 
     teacher training activities to prepare mathematics and 
     science teachers to teach challenging mathematics, science, 
     and technology college-preparatory courses, including 
     Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.

[[Page 9919]]

       (3) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Director shall give priority to applications that propose 
     programs that will attract mathematics and science teachers 
     from local educational agencies that--
       (A) are receiving grants under title I of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq) 
     as a result of having within their jurisdictions 
     concentrations of children from low income families; and
       (B) are experiencing a shortage of highly qualified 
     teachers, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), in the 
     fields of science, mathematics, or technology.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the 
     purposes of this section, $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
     $35,200,000 for fiscal year 2009, $38,700,000 for fiscal year 
     2010, $42,600,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $46,800,000 for 
     fiscal year 2012.
       (b) Laboratory Science Teacher Professional Development.--
     There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Energy for the Laboratory Science Teacher Professional 
     Development program, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
     $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
     2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $10,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 2012.

     SEC. 203. GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Director shall ensure that master's 
     degree programs for in-service mathematics and science 
     teachers that will strengthen their subject area knowledge 
     and pedagogical skills are instituted in accordance with 
     section 9(a)(8) of the National Science Foundation 
     Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n(a)(8)). The degree 
     programs shall be designed for current teachers, who will 
     enroll as part-time students, and to allow participants to 
     obtain master's degrees within a period of 3 years.
       (b) Distribution of Awards.--The Director shall, in 
     awarding grants to carry out subsection (a), consider the 
     distribution of awards among institutions of higher education 
     of different sizes and geographic locations.
       (c) Program Activities.--Activities supported through 
     master's degree programs established under subsection (a) may 
     include--
       (1) development of courses of instruction and related 
     educational materials;
       (2) stipends to defray the cost of attendance for students 
     in the degree program; and
       (3) acquisition of computer and networking equipment needed 
     for online instruction under the degree program.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the 
     purposes of this section $46,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, 
     $50,600,000 for fiscal year 2009, $55,700,000 for fiscal year 
     2010, $61,200,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $67,300,000 for 
     fiscal year 2012.

     SEC. 204. CURRICULAR MATERIALS.

       The Director, in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Education, shall convene a national panel of experts on 
     mathematics and science education to identify and collect K-
     12 mathematics, science, and technology teaching materials 
     that have been demonstrated to be effective and to recommend 
     the development of new materials in areas where effective 
     materials do not exist. The Director and Secretary shall 
     develop ways to disseminate effective materials and support 
     efforts to develop new materials, in accordance with the 
     recommendations of the national panel. Recommendations made 
     under this section shall not be considered a mandate of 
     specific K-12 curricula.

     SEC. 205. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS 
                   TALENT EXPANSION PROGRAM.

       (a) Amendments.--Section 8(7) of the National Science 
     Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``competitive, merit-
     based'' and all that follows through ``in recent years.'' and 
     inserting ``competitive, merit-reviewed multiyear grants for 
     eligible applicants to improve undergraduate education in 
     science, mathematics, engineering, and technology through--
       ``(i) the creation of programs to increase the number of 
     students studying toward and completing associate's or 
     bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, and 
     mathematics, particularly in fields that have faced declining 
     enrollment in recent years; and
       ``(ii) the creation of centers (in this paragraph referred 
     to as `Centers') to develop undergraduate curriculum, 
     teaching methods for undergraduate courses, and methods to 
     better train professors and teaching assistants who teach 
     undergraduate courses to increase the number of students 
     completing undergraduate courses in science, technology, 
     engineering, and mathematics, including the number of 
     nonmajors, and to improve student academic achievement in 
     those courses.

     Grants made under clause (ii) shall be awarded jointly 
     through the Education and Human Resources Directorate and at 
     least 1 research directorate of the Foundation.'';
       (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
       ``(B) In selecting projects under subparagraph (A)(i), the 
     Director shall strive to increase the number of students 
     studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees, 
     concentrations, or certificates in science, mathematics, 
     engineering, or technology who are--
       ``(i) individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the 
     Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1885a or 1885b); or
       ``(ii) graduates of a secondary school that is administered 
     by a local educational agency that is receiving grants under 
     title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq) as a result of having within its 
     jurisdiction concentrations of children from low income 
     families.'';
       (3) in subparagraph (C)--
       (A) by inserting ``(i)'' before ``The types of'';
       (B) by redesignating clauses (i) through (vi) as subclauses 
     (I) through (VI), respectively;
       (C) by striking ``under this paragraph'' and inserting 
     ``under subparagraph (A)(i)''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following new clause:
       ``(ii) The types of activities the Foundation may support 
     under subparagraph (A)(ii) include--
       ``(I) creating model curricula and laboratory programs;
       ``(II) developing and demonstrating research-based 
     instructional methods and technologies;
       ``(III) developing methods to train graduate students and 
     faculty to be more effective teachers of undergraduates;
       ``(IV) conducting programs to disseminate curricula, 
     instructional methods, or training methods to faculty at the 
     grantee institutions and at other institutions;
       ``(V) conducting assessments of the effectiveness of the 
     Center at accomplishing the goals described in subparagraph 
     (A)(ii); and
       ``(VI) conducting any other activities the Director 
     determines will accomplish the goals described in 
     subparagraph (A)(ii).'';
       (4) in subparagraph (D)(i), by striking ``under this 
     paragraph'' and inserting ``under subparagraph (A)(i)'';
       (5) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking ``under this 
     paragraph'' and inserting ``under subparagraph (A)(i)'';
       (6) after subparagraph (D)(iii), by adding at the end the 
     following new clause:
       ``(iv) A grant under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be awarded 
     for 5 years, and the Director may extend such a grant for up 
     to 2 additional 3 year periods.'';
       (7) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``under this 
     paragraph'' both places it appears and inserting ``under 
     subparagraph (A)(i)'';
       (8) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (J); 
     and
       (9) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new 
     subparagraphs:
       ``(F) Grants awarded under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be 
     carried out by a department or departments of science, 
     mathematics, or engineering at institutions of higher 
     education (or a consortia thereof), which may partner with 
     education faculty. Applications for awards under subparagraph 
     (A)(ii) shall be submitted to the Director at such time, in 
     such manner, and containing such information as the Director 
     may require. At a minimum, the application shall include--
       ``(i) a description of the activities to be carried out by 
     the Center;
       ``(ii) a plan for disseminating programs related to the 
     activities carried out by the Center to faculty at the 
     grantee institution and at other institutions;
       ``(iii) an estimate of the number of faculty, graduate 
     students (if any), and undergraduate students who will be 
     affected by the activities carried out by the Center; and
       ``(iv) a plan for assessing the effectiveness of the Center 
     at accomplishing the goals described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
       ``(G) In evaluating the applications submitted under 
     subparagraph (F), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
       ``(i) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out 
     the proposed activities, including the dissemination 
     activities described in subparagraph (C)(ii)(IV); and
       ``(ii) the extent to which the faculty, staff, and 
     administrators of the applicant institution are committed to 
     improving undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering 
     education.
       ``(H) In awarding grants under subparagraph (A)(ii), the 
     Director shall endeavor to ensure that a wide variety of 
     science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and 
     types of institutions of higher education, including 2-year 
     colleges and minority-serving institutions, are covered, and 
     that--
       ``(i) at least 1 Center is housed at a Doctoral/Research 
     University as defined by the Carnegie Foundation for the 
     Advancement of Teaching; and
       ``(ii) at least 1 Center is focused on improving 
     undergraduate education in an interdisciplinary area.
       ``(I) The Director shall convene an annual meeting of the 
     awardees under this paragraph to foster collaboration and to 
     disseminate the results of the Centers and the other 
     activities funded under this paragraph.''.
       (b) Report on Data Collection.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
     transmit to Congress a report on how the Director is 
     determining whether current grant recipients in the Science, 
     Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion 
     Program are making satisfactory progress as required by 
     section 8(7)(D)(ii) of the National Science Foundation 
     Authorization Act of 2002 and what funding actions have been 
     taken as a result of the Director's determinations.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the 
     program described in paragraph (7) of section 8 of the

[[Page 9920]]

     National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002--
       (1) $44,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which $4,000,000 
     shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
     that paragraph;
       (2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which $10,000,000 
     shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
     that paragraph;
       (3) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which $10,000,000 
     shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
     that paragraph;
       (4) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which $10,000,000 
     shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
     that paragraph; and
       (5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which $10,000,000 
     shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 
     that paragraph.

     SEC. 206. HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY DEFINITION.

       Section 4(8) of the National Science Foundation 
     Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note) is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(8) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
     need local educational agency' means a local educational 
     agency that--
       ``(A) is receiving grants under title I of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq) 
     as a result of having within its jurisdiction concentrations 
     of children from low income families; and
       ``(B) is experiencing a shortage of highly qualified 
     teachers, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), in the 
     fields of science, mathematics, or engineering.''.

     SEC. 207. TEACHER LEADERS.

       The National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 
     is amended--
       (1) in section 4(11)--
       (A) by striking ``master teacher'' and inserting ``teacher 
     leader'';
       (B) by striking ``master teacher'' and inserting ``teacher 
     leader''; and
       (C) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``master teachers'' 
     and inserting ``teacher leaders''; and
       (2) in section 9--
       (A) in subsection (a)(3)(E), by striking ``master 
     teachers'' and inserting ``teacher leaders''; and
       (B) in subsection (a)(4)--
       (i) by striking ``master teachers'' and inserting ``teacher 
     leaders''; and
       (ii) by striking ``master teachers'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``teacher leaders''.

     SEC. 208. LABORATORY SCIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) To remain competitive in science and technology in the 
     global economy, the United States must increase the number of 
     students graduating from high school prepared to pursue 
     postsecondary education in science, technology, engineering, 
     and mathematics.
       (2) There is broad agreement in the scientific community 
     that learning science requires direct involvement by students 
     in scientific inquiry and that laboratory experience is so 
     integral to the nature of science that it must be included in 
     every science program for every science student.
       (3) In America's Lab Report, the National Research Council 
     concluded that the current quality of laboratory experiences 
     is poor for most students and that educators and researchers 
     do not agree on how to define high school science 
     laboratories or on their purpose, hampering the accumulation 
     of research on how to improve labs.
       (4) The National Research Council found that schools with 
     higher concentrations of non-Asian minorities and schools 
     with higher concentrations of poor students are less likely 
     to have adequate laboratory facilities than other schools.
       (5) The Government Accountability Office reported that 49.1 
     percent of schools where the minority student population is 
     greater than 50.5 percent reported not meeting functional 
     requirements for laboratory science well or at all.
       (6) 40 percent of those college students who left the 
     science fields reported some problems related to high school 
     science preparation, including lack of laboratory experience 
     and no introduction to theoretical or to analytical modes of 
     thought.
       (7) It is in the national interest for the Federal 
     Government to invest in research and demonstration projects 
     to improve the teaching of laboratory science in the Nation's 
     high schools.
       (b) Grant Program.--Section 8(8) of the National Science 
     Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (F) as 
     clauses (i) through (vi), respectively;
       (2) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``A program of 
     competitive''; and
       (3) by inserting at the end the following new 
     subparagraphs:
       ``(B) In accordance with subparagraph (A)(v), the Director 
     shall establish a research pilot program designated as 
     `Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science' to award 
     grants to partnerships to improve laboratories and provide 
     instrumentation as part of a comprehensive program to enhance 
     the quality of mathematics, science, engineering, and 
     technology instruction at the secondary school level. Grants 
     under this subparagraph may be used for--
       ``(i) purchase, rental, or leasing of equipment, 
     instrumentation, and other scientific educational materials;
       ``(ii) maintenance, renovation, and improvement of 
     laboratory facilities;
       ``(iii) development of instructional programs designed to 
     integrate the laboratory experience with classroom 
     instruction and to be consistent with State mathematics and 
     science academic achievement standards;
       ``(iv) training in laboratory safety for school personnel;
       ``(v) design and implementation of hands-on laboratory 
     experiences to encourage the interest of individuals 
     identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering 
     Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in 
     mathematics, science, engineering, and technology and help 
     prepare such individuals to pursue postsecondary studies in 
     these fields; and
       ``(vi) assessment of the activities funded under this 
     subparagraph.
       ``(C) Grants may be made under subparagraph (B) only to a 
     partnership--
       ``(i) for a project that includes significant teacher 
     training and professional development components; or
       ``(ii) that establishes that appropriate teacher training 
     and professional development is being addressed, or has been 
     addressed, through other means.
       ``(D) Grants awarded under subparagraph (B) shall be to a 
     partnership that--
       ``(i) includes an institution of higher education or a 
     community college;
       ``(ii) includes a high-need local educational agency;
       ``(iii) includes a business or eligible nonprofit 
     organization; and
       ``(iv) may include a State educational agency, other public 
     agency, National Laboratory, or community-based organization.
       ``(E) The Federal share of the cost of activities carried 
     out using amounts from a grant under subparagraph (B) shall 
     not exceed 50 percent.
       ``(F) The Director shall require grant recipients to submit 
     a report to the Director on the results of the project 
     supported by the grant.''.
       (c) Report.--The Director shall evaluate the effectiveness 
     of activities carried out under the research pilot projects 
     funded by the grant program established pursuant to the 
     amendment made by subsection (b) in improving student 
     performance in mathematics, science, engineering, and 
     technology. A report documenting the results of that 
     evaluation shall be submitted to the Committee on Science and 
     Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committees 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and on Health, 
     Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate not later than 5 
     years after the date of enactment of this Act. The report 
     shall identify best practices and materials developed and 
     demonstrated by grant awardees.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to 
     carry out this section and the amendments made by this 
     section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may 
     be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.

     SEC. 209. STUDY ON LABORATORY EQUIPMENT DONATIONS FOR 
                   SCHOOLS.

       Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Director shall transmit a report to the Congress 
     examining the extent to which institutions of higher 
     education are donating used laboratory equipment to 
     elementary and secondary schools. The Director, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall survey 
     institutions of higher education to determine--
       (1) how often, how much, and what type of equipment is 
     donated;
       (2) what criteria or guidelines the institutions are using 
     to determine what types of equipment can be donated, what 
     condition the equipment should be in, and which schools 
     receive the equipment;
       (3) whether the institutions provide any support to, or 
     follow-up with the schools; and
       (4) how appropriate donations can be encouraged.

  The CHAIRMAN. No amendment to the committee amendment is in order 
except those printed in House Report 110-105. Each amendment may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, by a Member designated 
in the report, shall be considered read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent of the amendment, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question.


           Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee

  The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed 
in House Report 110-105.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee:
       Page 12, line 22, page 13, line 2, and page 13, line 4, 
     redesignate paragraphs (22), (23), and (24) as paragraphs 
     (24), (26), and (27), respectively.
       Page 12, after line 21, insert the following new 
     paragraphs:
       (22) in subsection (e)--
       (A) by inserting ``or section 10A'' after ``under this 
     section''; and
       (B) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``or section 10A'' after 
     ``subsection (d)'';

[[Page 9921]]

       (23) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ``or section 10A'' 
     after ``under this section'';
       Page 13, after line 1, insert the following new paragraph:
       (25) in subsection (h), by inserting ``or section 10A'' 
     after ``under this section'';
       Page 13, line 3, insert ``and'' after the semicolon.
       Page 13, lines 7 and 9, redesignate subparagraphs (B) and 
     (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively.
       Page 13, after line 6, insert the following new 
     subparagraph:
       (B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``or section 10A'' after 
     ``subsection (d)'';
       Page 15, line 12, redesignate subsection (b) as subsection 
     (c).
       Page 15, after line 11, insert the following new 
     subsection:
       (b) Special Partnership Program for Stipends.--The National 
     Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended by 
     inserting after section 10 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 10A. SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FOR STIPENDS.

       ``(a) In General.--As part of the Robert Noyce Teacher 
     Scholarship Program established under section 10, the 
     Director shall establish a separate type of award for 
     eligible entities described in subsection (b). Stipends under 
     this section shall be available only to mathematics, science, 
     and engineering professionals who, while receiving the 
     stipend, are enrolled in a program to receive certification 
     or licensing to teach.
       ``(b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to receive a 
     grant under this section, an institution of higher education 
     (or consortia of such institutions) shall enter into a 
     partnership with one or more private sector nonprofit 
     organizations, local or State government organizations, and 
     businesses. The members of the partnership shall provide the 
     teaching supplements described in subsection (f).
       ``(c) Use of Grants.--Grants provided under this section 
     shall be used by institutions of higher education or 
     consortia to develop and implement a program to encourage 
     science, mathematics, or engineering professionals to become 
     qualified as mathematics and science teachers, through--
       ``(1) administering stipends in accordance with this 
     section;
       ``(2) offering academic courses and field teaching 
     experiences designed to prepare stipend recipients to teach 
     in elementary and secondary schools, including such 
     preparation as is necessary to meet the requirements for 
     certification or licensing; and
       ``(3) offering programs to stipend recipients, both during 
     and after matriculation in the program for which the stipend 
     is received, to enable recipients to become better 
     mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service 
     requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with 
     others in their fields.
       ``(d) Selection Process.--
       ``(1) Merit review.--Grants shall be provided under this 
     section on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
       ``(2) Applications.--An eligible institution of higher 
     education or consortium seeking funding under this section 
     shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in 
     such manner, and containing such information as the Director 
     may require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
       ``(A) a description of the program that the applicant 
     intends to operate, including the number of stipends the 
     applicant intends to award, the type of activities proposed 
     for the recruitment of students to the program, and the 
     amount of the teaching supplements to be provided in 
     accordance with subsection (f);
       ``(B) a description of the selection process that will be 
     used in awarding stipends, including a description of the 
     rigorous, nationally recognized test that will be 
     administered during the selection process in order to 
     determine whether individuals applying for stipends have 
     advanced content knowledge of science or mathematics;
       ``(C) evidence that the applicant has the capability to 
     administer the program in accordance with the provisions of 
     this section, which may include a description of any existing 
     programs at the applicant's institution that are targeted to 
     the education of mathematics and science teachers and the 
     number of teachers graduated annually from such programs;
       ``(D) a description of the academic courses and field 
     teaching experiences described in subsection (c)(2), 
     including--
       ``(i) a description of an educational program that will 
     enable a student to obtain teacher certification or licensing 
     within 16 months; and
       ``(ii) evidence of agreements between the applicant and the 
     schools or school districts that are identified as the 
     locations at which field teaching experiences will occur;
       ``(E) a description of the programs described in subsection 
     (c)(3), including activities to assist new teachers in 
     fulfilling their service requirements under this section; and
       ``(F) evidence that the partnership will provide the 
     teaching supplements required under subsection (f).
       ``(3) Criteria.--In evaluating the applications submitted 
     under paragraph (2), the Director shall consider, at a 
     minimum--
       ``(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out 
     the program and to meet the requirement of subsection (f);
       ``(B) the extent to which the applicant's mathematics, 
     science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty 
     have worked or will work collaboratively to design new or 
     revised curricula that recognizes the specialized pedagogy 
     required to teach mathematics and science effectively in 
     elementary and secondary schools;
       ``(C) the extent to which the applicant is committed to 
     making the program a central organizational focus;
       ``(D) the degree to which the proposed programming will 
     enable stipend recipients to become successful mathematics 
     and science teachers;
       ``(E) the number and quality of the students that will be 
     served by the program; and
       ``(F) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who 
     would otherwise not pursue a career in teaching.
       ``(e) Stipends.--Individuals shall be selected to receive 
     stipends under this section primarily on the basis of their 
     content knowledge of science or mathematics as demonstrated 
     by their performance on a test designated in accordance with 
     subsection (d)(2)(B). Among individuals demonstrating 
     equivalent content knowledge, consideration may be given to 
     financial need and to the goal of promoting the participation 
     of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science 
     and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 
     1885b).
       ``(f) Teaching Supplements.--The members of a partnership 
     shall identify a source of non-Federal funding to provide 
     salary supplements to individuals who participate in the 
     program under this section during the period of their service 
     obligation under subsection (h).
       ``(g) Amount and Duration.--Stipends under this section 
     shall be not less than $10,000 per year, except that no 
     individual shall receive for any year more than the cost of 
     attendance at that individual's institution. Individuals may 
     receive a maximum of 16 months of stipend support.
       ``(h) Service Obligation.--If an individual receives a 
     stipend under this section, that individual shall be required 
     to complete, within 6 years after completion of the 
     educational program for which the stipend was awarded, 4 
     years of service as a mathematics or science teacher in a 
     public secondary school.''.

  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 327, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each 
will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at the National Science 
Foundation aims to increase the number of first-rate math and science 
teachers in the U.S.
  The program targets two resources from which to recruit these 
teachers: one, undergraduates who are majoring in the math and science 
field; and, two, science and math engineering professionals who want to 
switch to a teaching degree.
  The reported version of H.R. 362 considerably expands the Noyce 
program. It also amends a part of the program that targets 
undergraduates. But the part of the program that targets professionals 
was left for the most part unchanged. This amendment establishes within 
the Noyce program a new model for recruiting professionals to a 
teaching career.
  This new model is based on a program called Math for America, which 
has shown astonishing success in making first-rate teachers out of 
former scientists and engineers. Math for America was launched in 2004 
by James Simons, a mathematician who founded an enormously successful 
private investment firm in New York City.
  Mr. Simon's philanthropic foundation has provided much of the funding 
for Math for America. This is just the third year of Math for America, 
but already they have recruited 90 teachers for New York City public 
schools. The math for America model has so much in common with the 
Noyce program at the National Science Foundation.
  Consistent with the Math for America model, my amendment has the 
following features: An institution of higher education wishing to 
establish this new program must create a partnership with at least one 
non-Federal entity to be eligible for the NSF support; a scientist or 
engineer participating in the program must demonstrate advance content 
knowledge through a nationally recognized standardized test; 
participants take specialized education

[[Page 9922]]

courses in a 16-month teacher certification program during which they 
receive a stipend; graduates from the program must teach in a secondary 
school for a period of 4 years, during which they receive a teaching 
supplement to their ordinary salary.
  The teaching supplements are provided by the partnerships from non-
Federal sources. This amendment, therefore, adds a component to the 
Noyce program to develop the kind of public/private partnership that we 
see working so well in Math for America.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the chairman's 
amendment. I know on this bill, H.R. 362, this is a perfect example of 
everything being said but not every one of us having an opportunity to 
say it. I rise in support of the amendment of Chairman Gordon and also 
the bill.
  I can't improve on the words of the distinguished Speaker that we 
heard from just a few minutes ago, but I do want to applaud and support 
this H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10,000 Minds Science and Math 
Scholarship Act, and certainly applaud Chairman Gordon and Ranking 
Member Hall and the work that they have done. I am proud to be a member 
of the Science and Technology Committee and to see this come to the 
floor today.

                              {time}  1615

  The National Academy released a report, Mr. Chairman, entitled 
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' that looked at the ways in which 
the Federal Government could enhance our country's science and 
technology enterprise so that we can continue to compete and prosper in 
the global marketplace. The commission arrived at one outstanding and 
alarming conclusion: American students are falling behind in the areas 
of science, technology, engineering, and math, sometimes referred to as 
STEM.
  In response to this sobering reality, the report recommends vastly 
improving the K-12 science and math programs in classrooms across the 
country in order to increase America's talent pool. We talk about 
raising the level of H-1B visas, doubling them. That might be part of 
the solution, Mr. Chairman, but we need to develop our homegrown 
talent. Early education is crucial in getting children not only excited 
about math and science, but adequately prepared to pursue these fields 
later in life. And I strongly believe by recruiting, retaining, and 
training better educators in these fields more students will want to 
attend college in the areas of science, technology, and math. And that 
is the key to keeping America competitive in the ever-increasing 
technological global marketplace.
  The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship 
program begins to remedy this situation by implementing a variety of 
action items recommended by this report. First, H.R. 362 seeks to raise 
both the quantity and quality of math and science teachers in America 
by increasing the number and amount of grants available to teachers and 
students who pursue continuing education in these fields. It also 
increases grants within a program at the National Science Foundation 
that provides financial aid to students who make a commitment to teach 
after college.
  Mr. Chairman, I firmly believe this legislation is a good first step 
to address this impending crisis of America's workforce. I am again 
proud to support the bill, to support Chairman Gordon's amendment. I 
respectfully ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the 
same.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I certainly from a policy standpoint 
don't have an issue with the amendment; in fact, I think it might go a 
long way in enticing retired STEM professionals to get their teacher's 
certification and to put their many years of expertise to work in the 
K-12 classroom, educating and inspiring our next generation of 
scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. I support the amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I want to thank 
Dr. Gingrey for his support for this bill and, more importantly, his 
constructive role that he plays on the Science and Technology 
Committee. Again, I want to thank Mr. Hall for his constructive role, 
and also for his generosity in having additional time for us.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
  The amendment was agreed to.


           Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee

  The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 printed 
in House Report 110-105.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee:
       Page 8, line 16, after paragraph (4), insert the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(5) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients are 
     from a variety of types of institutions of higher education. 
     In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly 
     disseminate information about when and how to apply for 
     grants under this section, including by conducting outreach 
     to Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are part 
     B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority 
     institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20 
     U.S.C. 1067k(3))).''.
       Page 12, line 9, insert the following sentence at the end 
     of paragraph (5): ``The Director shall establish and maintain 
     a central clearinghouse of information on teaching 
     opportunities available in high-need local educational 
     agencies throughout the United States, which shall be made 
     available to individuals having a service obligation under 
     this section.''.

  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 327, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each 
will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  The Noyce program at the National Science Foundation has up to now 
required scholarship recipients to teach in high-need schools. H.R. 362 
substantially expands the program, scaling it up from fewer than 1,000 
pre-service STEM teachers per year to 10,000 per year.
  The Noyce program is being scaled up by H.R. 362 to address the needs 
of schools in all parts of the Nation which have large numbers of out-
of-field STEM teachers. For example, the percentage of physical science 
teachers in middle schools with neither a major in the field nor 
certification is nearly 90 percent.
  As part of enlarging the program's scale, the bill also removes the 
requirement that all graduates teach in a high-need school. But the 
bill also adds in its place an incentive for teachers to serve in high-
need schools. The amendment I am proposing makes clear that we are not 
backing away from our firm commitment to address the requirements of 
high-need schools.
  The amendment has two provisions. The first provision requires the 
NSF to broadly disseminate information about the program, including to 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This is to ensure that 
students in minority schools have improved chances of seeing a minority 
teacher prepared through a Noyce program.
  The second provision requires the foundation to maintain a 
clearinghouse on teaching opportunities in high-need schools. This will 
assist Noyce scholars in finding their ideal placement.
  Without this amendment, Noyce scholars seeking placement might not 
know which schools meet the definition of high-need in any given year 
or which such schools have openings.
  This amendment will both help increase the number of individuals from

[[Page 9923]]

minority-serving institutions who participate in the Noyce program and 
will help recruit Noyce scholars to teaching positions in high-need 
schools. I recommend adoption of this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this amendment, which the chairman has already described.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to Dr. Ehlers, the 
gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I do support this amendment and I think we should 
approve it, but I would like to spend the majority of my time 
discussing the previous amendment which we already accepted. I would 
like to make a point in connection with that. A very good part of that 
amendment is that it provides an additional stipend for teachers during 
their 4-year service requirement.
  We have a major problem in America with math and science teachers; in 
fact, we have a major problem with a lot of teachers who do not stick 
with their field. We just don't have the retention rate we should. But 
that is especially true of good math and science teachers because the 
market out there for them is tremendous. Frequently, they can double 
their salary by going into industry, and at the very least they can 
increase their salary by 40 or 50 percent. It is very difficult for the 
schools to compete with that, although I have argued for years we 
should have a salary differential for those teachers who have very 
strong economic incentives to leave the teaching profession and to go 
into another job.
  We simply have to meet the market, and unfortunately that has not 
been the tradition in the schools. I think we should establish that. If 
you don't meet the market, you are going to lose your best teachers, 
and we certainly don't want to lose them after all the work we have 
done through these various scholarships to develop good teachers.
  So I strongly support the part of the Noyce amendment No. 2 which 
Chairman Gordon offered, and I hope that we can work, not just within 
this Congress but within this Nation, with the teachers, the school 
boards, and the teachers unions to develop a system that recognizes 
that a mechanism is needed to meet the market for those teachers who 
are offered large inducements to leave the teaching profession and go 
to another field.
  I simply wanted to make that point in connection with the first 
amendment simply because that amendment is a start in the right 
direction, and I hope we can carry that principle onward.
  I appreciate Chairman Gordon offering the amendment, and I hope that 
we can continue along that path in future bills relating to the 
subject.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to once again 
thank Dr. Ehlers for his support for this bill, but more importantly 
for making a good bill a better bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. 
Eddie Bernice Johnson).
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank Mr. 
Ehlers as well as Mr. Gordon for accepting this amendment, and I fully 
support it and I fully support the bill.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute, as amended.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mrs. 
Tauscher) having assumed the chair, Mr. Salazar, Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 362) to 
authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics and science 
teachers, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 327, he 
reported the bill back to the House with an amendment adopted by the 
Committee of the Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment 
reported from the Committee of the Whole? If not, the question is on 
the amendment.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


               Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Hoekstra

  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. In its present form, yes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Hoekstra moves to recommit the bill, H.R. 362, to the 
     Committee on Science and Technology with instructions to 
     report back the same forthwith with an amendment. The 
     amendment is as follows:
       Amend section 204 to read as follows:

     SEC. 204. CURRICULA.

       Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, 
     shall be construed to limit the authority of State 
     governments or local school boards to determine the curricula 
     of their students.

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order on 
the motion to recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Tennessee reserves a 
point of order.
  The gentleman from Michigan is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I offer this motion to recommit with 
instructions. My motion to recommit addresses a glaring inconsistency 
in this bill with all other Federal education laws by removing a 
provision that moves us in the direction of national standards and 
curriculum and puts those decisions back in the hands where they 
belong, in the hands of our State and local education leaders and, most 
importantly, parents.
  Education in this country has always been predominantly a State and 
local issue, and within that context parents had a protected right to 
direct their children's education.
  Even in the years after the passage of No Child Left Behind, the 
Federal contribution towards educating our children continues to be 
less than 10 percent, with States, counties, cities, and towns, 
actually parents and their local communities, providing over 90 percent 
of their funding to educate the next generation.
  It is not only appropriate but imperative that the Federal law 
prevents the Federal Government from telling States and districts and 
schools what and how they should teach.
  For example, the No Child Left Behind Act prohibits the Federal 
Government from mandating, directing, reviewing, or controlling a 
State, district, or school's choice of instructional content or 
curriculum.
  In addition, No Child Left Behind strictly prohibits the Department 
of Education from endorsing, approving, or sanctioning any curriculum 
for an elementary or secondary school.
  The rationale behind these provisions is important. As a Nation, we 
believe that the people closest to our children should make the 
decision as to what works best.

                              {time}  1630

  Children learn differently. Some are visual learners. Some learn best 
from listening. Others need hands-on opportunities. While there are 
some things that work well for some groups of children, determining 
definitively what works at the national level for all children is 
absurd. Therefore, when the Federal Government says that these

[[Page 9924]]

five, 10 or 15 specific science curricula are most effective, it is 
implicitly telling States, districts and schools that they should use 
these identified options, irrespective of whether that is what is best 
for their students or their area.
  Case in point is the current debate regarding the implementation of 
Reading First. There are allegations that some States and districts 
took information from technical assistance center employees and, to be 
fair, some department employees, to be implied endorsements of specific 
programs, believing that those were the only programs that would be 
funded under Reading First.
  No one seems happy about the outcome, yet this underlying bill would 
create another panel to provide ``recommendations'' that it then 
requires the Director of NSF and the Secretary of Education to 
disseminate.
  Take a look at this motion to recommit. Very simple. Nothing in this 
act or the amendments made by this act shall be construed to limit the 
authority of State governments or local school boards to determine the 
curricula of their students. It very clearly states and adds the 
clarifying language that it is the State and local school districts' 
responsibility and accountability for developing and approving the most 
appropriate, the most effective teaching methods and the most effective 
content.
  This Congress has long taken the position that we do not want to 
develop national curriculum and national standards. This Congress has 
consistently taken the position that we need and want local control of 
our schools.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for this motion to recommit, to once 
again say that parents and local school districts, the ones who know 
the needs and the names of our children in their schools, are the ones 
in the best position to make the decisions as to what will happen in 
the classrooms in their local schools.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Tennessee insist on 
his point of order?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, this motion simply states the 
status quo, and we are glad to accept it.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman withdraw his point of 
order?
  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Yes, he does.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that 
a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is 
not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
  Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes 
the minimum time for any electronic passage on the question of passage 
of the bill.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 408, 
nays 4, not voting 20, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 253]

                               YEAS--408

     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Fallin
     Farr
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jindal
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     Kingston
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                                NAYS--4

     Abercrombie
     Crowley
     Pascrell
     Slaughter

                             NOT VOTING--20

     Bilirakis
     Boucher
     Brady (PA)
     Buyer
     Cubin
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Fattah
     Fossella
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Kennedy
     King (NY)
     Kirk
     Lampson
     Myrick
     Olver
     Poe
     Rangel
     Sutton
     Westmoreland

                              {time}  1658

  Ms. SLAUGHTER and Mr. ABERCROMBIE changed their vote from ``yea'' to 
``nay.''
  Messrs. JOHNSON of Georgia, ELLISON, SHADEGG, NUNES, and ROTHMAN 
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the motion to recommit was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.

[[Page 9925]]



                          ____________________