[House Report 116-397]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 116-397
======================================================================
RURAL STEM EDUCATION ACT
_______
February 13, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Ms. Johnson of Texas, from the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4979]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 4979) to direct the Director of the
National Science Foundation to support STEM education and
workforce development research focused on rural areas, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as
amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Amendment.......................................................2
II. Purpose of the Bill.............................................7
III. Background and Need for the Legislation.........................7
IV. Committee Hearings..............................................8
V. Committee Consideration and Votes...............................8
VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill.........................8
VII. Section-By-Section Analysis (By Title and Section)..............9
VIII. Committee Views................................................10
IX. Cost Estimate..................................................11
X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate......................11
XI. Compliance with Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates)...........14
XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations...............14
XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals and Objectives..........14
XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement...........................14
XV. Duplication of Federal Programs................................14
XVI. Earmark Identification.........................................14
XVII. Applicability to the Legislative Branch........................14
XVIII.Statement on Preemption of State, Local, or Tribal Law.........15
XIX. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, As Reported..........15
XX. Proceedings of Full Committee Markup...........................28
I. Amendment
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural STEM Education Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The supply of STEM workers is not keeping pace with the
rapidly evolving needs of the public and private sector,
resulting in a deficit often referred to as a STEM skills
shortage.
(2) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United
States will need one million additional STEM professionals than
it is on track to produce in the coming decade.
(3) Many STEM occupations offer higher wages, more
opportunities for advancement, and a higher degree of job
security than non-STEM jobs.
(4) The 60,000,000 individuals in the United States who live
in rural settings are significantly under-represented in STEM.
(5) According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, nine million students in the United States--nearly
20 percent of the total K-12 population--attend rural schools,
and for reasons ranging from teacher quality to shortages of
resources, these students often have fewer opportunities for
high-quality STEM learning than their peers in the Nation's
urban and suburban schools.
(6) Rural areas represent one of the most promising, yet
underutilized, opportunities for STEM education to impact
workforce development and regional innovation, including
agriculture.
(7) The study of agriculture, food, and natural resources
involves biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, math,
geology, computer science, and other scientific fields.
(8) It is estimated that by 2020 that there will be a
projected one million more computing jobs than applicants who
can fill them. To meet this demand, rural students must acquire
computing skills through exposure to computer science learning
in grades PreK - 12 and in informal learning settings.
(9) More than 293,000,000 individuals in the United States
use high-speed broadband to work, learn, access healthcare, and
operate their businesses, while 19,000,000 individuals in the
United States still lack access to high-speed broadband. Rural
areas are hardest hit, with over 26 percent of individuals in
rural areas in the United States lacking access to high-speed
broadband compared to 1.7 percent of individuals in urban areas
in the United States.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RURAL STEM ACTIVITIES.
(a) Preparing Rural STEM Educators.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium thereof)
for research and development to advance innovative approaches
to support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching in rural
schools.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section
shall be used for the research and development
activities referred to in paragraph (1), which may
include--
(i) engaging rural educators of students in
grades Pre-K through 12 in professional
learning opportunities to enhance STEM
knowledge, including computer science, and
develop best practices;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM
teaching practices in rural settings, including
the use of rubrics and mastery-based grading
practices to assess student performance when
employing the transdisciplinary teaching
approach for STEM disciplines;
(iii) designing and developing pre-service
and in-service training resources to assist
such rural educators in adopting
transdisciplinary teaching practices across
STEM courses;
(iv) coordinating with local partners to
adapt STEM teaching practices to leverage local
natural and community assets in order to
support in-place learning in rural areas;
(v) providing hands-on training and research
opportunities for rural educators described in
clause (i) at Federal Laboratories,
institutions of higher education, or in
industry;
(vi) developing training and best practices
for educators who teach multiple grade levels
within a STEM discipline;
(vii) designing and implementing professional
development courses and experiences, including
mentoring, for rural educators described in
clause (i) that combine face-to-face and online
experiences; and
(viii) any other activity the Director
determines will accomplish the goals of this
subsection.
(B) Rural stem collaborative.--The Director may
establish a pilot program of regional cohorts in rural
areas that will provide peer support, mentoring, and
hands-on research experiences for rural STEM educators
of students in grades Pre-K through 12, in order to
build an ecosystem of cooperation among educators,
researchers, academia, and local industry.
(b) Broadening Participation of Rural Students in STEM.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium thereof)
for--
(A) research and development of programming to
identify the barriers rural students face in accessing
high-quality STEM education; and
(B) development of innovative solutions to improve
the participation and advancement of rural students in
grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section
shall be used for the research and development
activities referred to in paragraph (1), which may
include--
(i) developing partnerships with community
colleges to offer advanced STEM course work,
including computer science, to rural high
school students;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM
practices in rural settings;
(iii) implementing a school-wide STEM
approach;
(iv) improving the National Science
Foundation's Advanced Technology Education
program's coordination and engagement with
rural communities;
(v) collaborating with existing community
partners and networks, such as the cooperative
research and extension services of the
Department of Agriculture and youth serving
organizations like 4-H, after school STEM
programs, and summer STEM programs, to leverage
community resources and develop place-based
programming;
(vi) connecting rural school districts and
institutions of higher education, to improve
precollegiate STEM education and engagement;
(vii) supporting partnerships that offer
hands-on inquiry-based science activities,
including coding, and access to lab resources
for students studying STEM in grades Pre-K
through 12 in a rural area;
(viii) evaluating the role of broadband
connectivity and its associated impact on the
STEM and technology literacy of rural students;
(ix) building capacity to support
extracurricular STEM programs in rural schools,
including mentor-led engagement programs, STEM
programs held during nonschool hours, STEM
networks, makerspaces, coding activities, and
competitions; and
(x) any other activity the Director
determines will accomplish the goals of this
subsection.
(c) Application.--An applicant seeking a grant under subsection (a)
or (b) shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require. The
application may include the following:
(1) A description of the target population to be served by
the research activity or activities for which such grant is
sought.
(2) A description of the process for recruitment and
selection of students, educators, or schools from rural areas
to participate in such activity or activities.
(3) A description of how such activity or activities may
inform efforts to promote the engagement and achievement of
rural students in grades PreK - 12 in STEM studies.
(4) In the case of a proposal consisting of a partnership or
partnerships with one or more rural schools and one or more
researchers, a plan for establishing a sustained partnership
that is jointly developed and managed, draws from the
capacities of each partner, and is mutually beneficial.
(d) Partnerships.--In awarding grants under subsection (a) or (b),
the Director shall--
(1) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a nonprofit organization or an institution of
higher education (or a consortium thereof) that has extensive
experience and expertise in increasing the participation of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM;
(2) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a consortium of rural schools or rural school
districts; and
(3) encourage applications which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include
commitments from school principals and administrators to making
reforms and activities proposed by the applicant a priority.
(e) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under subsections (a) and
(b) shall include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome
oriented measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the grant. Each
recipient of a grant under this section shall include results from
these evaluative activities in annual and final projects.
(f) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under subsections (a) and (b). Such
evaluation shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to
assess the results of research conducted under such
grants and identify best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate the findings
of research resulting from the activity or activities
funded through such grants with the findings of other
research on rural student's pursuit of degrees or
careers in STEM.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after the
completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the Director
shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the
public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and
legislative action that could optimize the
effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section.
(g) Report by Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and
Engineering.--
(1) In general.--As part of the first report required by
section 36(e) of the Science and Engineering Equal
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(e)) transmitted to Congress
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Committee on Equal
Opportunities in Science and Engineering shall include--
(A) a description of past and present policies and
activities of the Foundation to encourage full
participation of students in rural communities in
science, mathematics, engineering, and computer science
fields; and
(B) an assessment of trends in participation of rural
students in grades Pre-K through 12 in Foundation
activities, and an assessment of the policies and
activities of the Foundation, along with proposals for
new strategies or the broadening of existing successful
strategies towards facilitating the goals of this Act.
(2) Technical correction.--
(A) In general.--Section 313 of the American
Innovation and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114-329)
is amended by striking ``Section 204(e) of the National
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988'' and
inserting ``Section 36(e) of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act''.
(B) Applicability.--The amendment made by paragraph
(1) shall take effect as if included in the enactment
of section 313 of the American Innovation and
Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114-329).
(h) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall,
for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding
duplication of activities, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the
programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director--
(1) $8,000,000 to carry out the activities under subsection
(a) for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025; and
(2) $12,000,000 to carry out the activities under subsection
(b) for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025.
SEC. 4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONLINE EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--The Director shall award competitive grants to
institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or a
consortium thereof, which may include a private sector partner) to
conduct research on online STEM education courses for rural
communities.
(b) Research Areas.--The research areas eligible for funding under
this subsection shall include--
(1) evaluating the learning and achievement of rural students
in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM subjects;
(2) understanding how computer-based and online professional
development courses and mentor experiences can be integrated to
meet the needs of educators of rural students in grades Pre-K
through 12;
(3) combining computer-based and online STEM education and
training with apprenticeships, mentoring, or other applied
learning arrangements;
(4) leveraging online programs to supplement STEM studies for
rural students that need physical and academic accommodation;
and
(5) any other activity the Director determines will
accomplish the goals of this subsection.
(c) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under this section shall
include an evaluation plan that includes the use of outcome oriented
measures to assess the impact and efficacy of the grant. Each recipient
of a grant under this section shall include results from these
evaluative activities in annual and final projects.
(d) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under this section. Such evaluation
shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to
assess the results of research conducted under such
grants and identify best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate findings
from activities carried out pursuant to research
conducted under this section, with respect to the
pursuit of careers and degrees in STEM, with those
activities carried our pursuant to other research on
serving rural students and communities.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after the
completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the Director
shall submit to Congress and make widely available to the
public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and
legislative action that could optimize the
effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section.
(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Director shall,
for purposes of enhancing program effectiveness and avoiding
duplication of activities, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the
programs and policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES EVALUATION.
(a) Study.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the National
Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy agrees to conduct
an evaluation and assessment that--
(1) evaluates the quality and quantity of current Federal
programming and research directed at examining STEM education
for students in grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce
development in rural areas;
(2) assesses the impact of the scarcity of broadband
connectivity in rural communities has on STEM and technical
literacy for students in grades Pre-K through 12 in rural
areas;
(3) assesses the core research and data needed to understand
the challenges rural areas are facing in providing quality STEM
education and workforce development; and
(4) makes recommendations for action at the Federal, State,
and local levels for improving STEM education for students in
grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce development in rural
areas.
(b) Report to Director.--The agreement entered into under subsection
(a) shall require the National Academy of Sciences, not later than 24
months after the date of enactment of this Act, to submit to the
Director a report on the study conducted under such subsection,
including the National Academy's findings and recommendations.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director to carry out this section $1,000,000 for
fiscal year 2020.
SEC. 6. GAO REVIEW.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the
engagement of rural populations in Federal STEM programs and submit to
Congress a report that includes--
(1) an assessment of how Federal STEM education programs are
serving rural populations;
(2) a description of initiatives carried out by Federal
agencies that are targeted at supporting STEM education in
rural areas;
(3) an assessment of what is known about the impact and
effectiveness of Federal investments in STEM education programs
that are targeted to rural areas; and
(4) an assessment of challenges that state and Federal STEM
education programs face in reaching rural population centers.
SEC. 7. CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH EPSCOR.
Section 517(f)(2) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010
(42 U.S.C. 1862p-9(f)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) to increase the capacity of rural communities
to provide quality STEM education and STEM workforce
development programming to students, and teachers;
and''.
SEC. 8. NIST ENGAGEMENT WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES.
(a) MEP Outreach.--Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``community
colleges and area career and technical education
schools'' and inserting the following: ``secondary
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)),
community colleges, and area career and technical
education schools, including those in underserved and
rural communities,''; and
(B) in paragraph (7)--
(i) by striking ``and local colleges'' and
inserting the following: ``local high schools
and local colleges, including those in
underserved and rural communities,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or other applied learning
opportunities'' after ``apprenticeships''; and
(2) in subsection (d)(3) by striking ``, community colleges,
and area career and technical education schools,'' and
inserting the following: ``and local high schools, community
colleges, and area career and technical education schools,
including those in underserved and rural communities,''.
(b) Rural Connectivity Prize Competition.--
(1) Prize competition.--Pursuant to section 24 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3719), the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology (referred to
in this subsection as the ``Secretary''), shall carry out a
program to award prizes competitively to stimulate research and
development of creative technologies in order to deploy
affordable and reliable broadband connectivity to underserved
rural communities.
(2) Plan for deployment in rural communities.--Each proposal
submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a plan for
deployment of the technology that is the subject of such
proposal in an underserved rural community.
(3) Prize amount.--In carrying out the program under
paragraph (1), the Secretary may award not more than a total of
$5,000,000 to one or more winners of the prize competition.
(4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which a
prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Secretary
shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report
that describes the winning proposal of the prize competition.
(5) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Secretary may consult with the heads of
relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
SEC. 9. NITR-D BROADBAND WORKING GROUP.
Title I of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 103. BROADBAND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP.
``(a) In General.--The Director shall establish a broadband research
and development working group to address national research challenges
and opportunities for improving broadband access and adoption across
the United States.
``(b) Activities.--The working group shall identify and coordinate
key research priorities for addressing broadband access and adoption,
including--
``(1) promising research areas;
``(2) requirements for data collection and sharing;
``(3) opportunities for better alignment and coordination
across Federal agencies and external stakeholders; and
``(4) input on the development of new Federal policies and
programs to enhance data collection and research.
``(c) Coordination.--The working group shall coordinate, as
appropriate, with the Rural Broadband Integration Working Group
established under section 6214 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-334) and the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture.
``(d) Report.--The working group shall report to Congress on their
activities as part of the annual report submitted under section
101(a)(2)(D).
``(e) Sunset.--The authority to carry out this section shall
terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of
the Rural STEM Education Act.''.
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation established under section 2 of
the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(2) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory'' has
the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Science Foundation established under section 2 of the National
Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution
of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001(a)).
(5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term
in section 2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
(6) STEM education.--The term ``STEM education'' has the
meaning given the term in section 2 of the STEM Education Act
of 2015 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
II. Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of the bill is to direct the Director of the
National Science Foundation to support STEM education and
workforce development research focused on rural areas, and for
other purposes.
III. Background and Need for the Legislation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) continues to make the
largest financial investment in STEM education of all federal
science agencies and plays a leadership role in setting
research and policy agendas. During the 1990s and into the
early 2000s, NSF invested more than $140,000,000 into the Rural
Systemic Initiative projects (RSIs), which focused on the
improvement of mathematics and science education in rural
America. However, since the RSIs ended, there has been a
reduced focus on effective STEM practices in rural settings at
NSF.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM
occupations are growing faster than any other sector. As these
occupations grow, employers are struggling to find workers with
the STEM knowledge and skills they need, resulting in what is
often referred to as the ``STEM skills gap.'' With STEM
education becoming so fundamental to success in any industry,
finding ways to improve the quality of STEM learning everywhere
is of critical importance. However, the roughly 60 million
Americans who live in rural settings are frequently overlooked
and a significantly underrepresented STEM audience.
Many of the nine million students enrolled in rural schools
in the U.S. face barriers to high-quality STEM education,
including shortages of mathematics and science teachers, high
teacher turnover, limited resources, and few local university
and industry partners. Students in rural communities represent
a promising but underutilized source of STEM talent that could
help close the STEM skills gap, if given the opportunity.
The Rural STEM Education Act provides for research and
development to increase the capacity of rural communities to
provide high quality STEM education and contribute to the
Nation's STEM workforce needs.
IV. Committee Hearings
On May 8, 2019, the Subcommittee on Research and Technology
held a hearing entitled, ``A Review of the National Science
Foundation FY2020 Budget Request.'' Witnesses were: Dr. France
Cordova, Director, National Science Foundation, and Dr. Diane
Souvaine, Chair, National Science Board.
On May 9, 2019, the full Committee held a hearing entitled,
``Achieving the Promise of a Diverse STEM Workforce.''
Witnesses were: Dr. Mae Jemison, Principal, 100 Years Starship;
Dr. Shirley Malcom, Senior Advisor and Director of SEA Change,
American Association for the Advancement of Science; Dr.
Lorelle Espinosa, Vice President for Research, American Council
on Education; Dr. James L. Moore III, Vice Provost for
Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, The Ohio
State University; and Ms. Barbara Whye, Chief Diversity and
Inclusion Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, Intel.
V. Committee Consideration and Votes
On November 5, 2019, Ranking Member Frank Lucas,
Representative Ben McAdams, Representative James Baird, and
Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson introduced H.R. 4979, the
Rural STEM Education Act. The bill was referred to the House
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
On November 14, 2019, the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology met to consider H.R. 4979. Ranking Member Lucas
offered an amendment to make technical changes and incorporate
feedback from stakeholders, including the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Office of Science
and Technology Policy. The amendment was agreed to on a voice
vote. Next, Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler offered an
amendment to further highlight the importance of computer
sciences; a discipline covered by the Act. The amendment was
agreed to on a voice vote. Finally, Representative McAdams
offered an amendment to commission a GAO study on the
engagement of rural populations in Federal STEM programs. The
amendment was agreed to on a voice vote. Chairwoman Eddie
Bernice Johnson moved that the Committee favorably report the
bill, H.R. 4979, to the House with the recommendation that the
bill be approved. The motion was agreed to by a voice vote.
VI. Summary of Major Provisions of the Bill
The Act directs NSF to support research and development
activities to improve our understanding of the challenges rural
communities are facing in providing and sustaining quality STEM
education programs by authorizing NSF grants to support
research to improve STEM teaching in rural schools, improve
participation and the advancement of rural students in STEM
studies, and research online STEM education and mentoring in
rural communities. It directs a National Academies study on
rural STEM education, including an evaluation of the impact of
the scarcity of broadband connectivity on STEM education, and a
GAO review to assess how Federal STEM education programs are
serving rural populations.
The Act also updates the Established Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program to include an allowance
for funding STEM education and STEM workforce development
programs in underserved rural communities. It expands the scope
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST)
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to include
engagement with secondary schools and directs NIST to establish
a prize competition on creative technologies to deploy
affordable and reliable broadband to underserved rural
communities. Further, the Act codifies the Networking
Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD)
program's Broadband R&D working group and directs a report to
Congress on its activities.
VII. Section-by-Section Analysis (by Title and Section)
Section 1. Short title
Rural STEM Education Act.
Section 2. Findings
This section highlights the challenges rural communities
face in providing high quality STEM education and the need for
research to help address these challenges.
Section 3. National Science Foundation rural STEM activities
This section directs the National Science Foundation (NSF)
to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education
or nonprofit organizations to expand the research and
development of programming or curriculum to advance innovative
approaches to the challenges of supporting and sustaining high-
quality PreK-12 STEM teaching in rural schools. Activities
supported by these grants include developing tools to assist
rural educators who teach multiple grade levels within a STEM
discipline, coordinating with local partners to leverage local
natural and community assets in order to support in-place
learning, and providing hands-on training and research
opportunities at Federal Laboratories, research institutions,
or industry for PreK-12 rural educators. This section
authorizes $8,000,000 per year for five years to support these
activities.
This section also directs NSF to award competitive grants
to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations
for the research and development of programming or curricula to
identify the barriers rural students face in accessing high-
quality STEM education and develop innovative solutions to
improve the participation and advancement of rural students in
STEM studies. Activities supported by these grants include
developing partnerships with community colleges to offer
advanced STEM course work to rural high school students,
collaborating with existing community partners and networks,
such as the cooperative research and extension services of the
Department of Agriculture, to leverage community resources and
develop place-based programming, and to evaluate the role of
connectivity and its impact on rural students' STEM and
technology literacy. This section authorizes $12,000,000 per
year for five years to support these activities.
This section also directs the NSF Committee on Equal
Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) to report to
Congress an assessment of NSF activities that support
participation of rural students in STEM studies.
Section 4. Opportunities for online education
This section directs NSF to award competitive grants to
institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations to
conduct research to evaluate student outcomes and establish
best practices and scalability of computer-based and online
STEM education courses for rural communities.
Section 5. National Academy of Sciences evaluation
This section directs NSF to enter into an agreement with
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
for a study that includes an evaluation of Federal investments
in rural STEM education, an assessment of research and data
needs, and recommendations for improving STEM education in
rural communities. This section authorizes $1,000,000 in
appropriations for fiscal year 2020 to carry out this section.
Section 6. Capacity building through EPSCoR
This section amends the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2010 to expand the authorized activities under the
EPSCoR program by allowing them to fund grants intended to
increase the capacity of rural communities to provide quality
STEM education and STEM workforce development programming to
students and teachers.
Section 7. NIST engagement with rural communities
This section amends the MEP program to allow their
education and workforce development activities to include
outreach and engagement with local high schools, including
those in underserved and rural communities. This section also
directs NIST to conduct a prize competition to stimulate
research and development of creative technologies in order to
deploy affordable and reliable broadband connectivity to
underserved rural communities.
Section 8. NITR-D broadband working group
This section codifies the NITRD program's working group on
broadband research and development to address national research
challenges and opportunities for improving broadband access and
adoption across the United States. This section also sunsets
the Working Group five years after enactment of the Act.
Section 9. Definitions
Definitions for ``STEM'', ``STEM Education'', ``Institution
of Higher Education'', and ``Federal Laboratory''.
VIII. Committee Views
The intent of this legislation is to improve the
understanding of the unique challenges rural communities face
in providing and sustaining quality STEM education programs
through research and to develop tools to close these STEM
skills gaps and ensure rural students have equitable access to
high-paying STEM careers.
The Committee intends that cooperative extension and
applied research programs that are implemented by a land-grant
college or university are eligible to lead grants authorized in
Section 3 of this Act, as appropriate. Given their
relationships with rural communities, NSF should explore
opportunities to leverage cooperative extension and applied
research networks to meet the goals of this Act. The Committee
also believes it is important to bring science to rural
students, meeting them where they are and demonstrating the
applicability of STEM skills in their community through place-
based learning.
The Committee intends that the term ``STEM'' when
referencing courses, coursework, and teacher training, includes
core courses, such as mathematics, biology, chemistry, and
physics.
It is the intent of the Committee, by encouraging
partnerships with a consortium of rural schools, to allow for
rural schools to coordinate their limited resources to apply
for grants. The Committee also intends to ensure that
researcher-practitioner partnerships are balanced and equally
beneficial to all parties involved. The Committee also finds it
is important to have buy-in from the school leadership,
especially given the relatively small size of rural schools,
that improved access to quality STEM learning is a priority.
The Committee finds connectivity and access to broadband
play a critical role in ensuring students are prepared to
compete in a 21st Century economy.
IX. Cost Estimate
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the
estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax
expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974.
X. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, January 7, 2020.
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Chairwoman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4979, the Rural
STEM Education Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani
Shankaran.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
The bill would:
Authorize the appropriation of $120 million
over the 2020-2025 period for the National Science
Foundation to award grants for research to improve
rural students' access to and participation in the
fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics
Direct the National Institute of Standards
and Technology to carry out a prize competition for
ideas to deploy affordable and reliable broadband
connectivity to underserved rural communities
Estimated budgetary effects would primarily stem from:
Spending of the authorized appropriations
Bill summary: H.R. 4979 would authorize the appropriation
of $120 million over the 2020-2025 period for the National
Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants for research to
improve rural students' access to and participation in the
fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM).
The bill also would require the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) to carry out a prize
competition for ideas to deploy affordable and reliable
broadband connectivity to underserved rural communities.
Finally, H.R. 4979 would authorize the appropriation of $1
million for the NSF to enter into an agreement with the
National Academies to evaluate federal programs and research
that focus on STEM education and workforce development in rural
areas.
Estimated Federal cost: The estimated budgetary effect of
H.R. 4979 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation
fall primarily within budget functions 250 (science, space, and
technology) and 370 (commerce and housing credit).
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER H.R. 4979
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
-------------------------------------------------------
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020-2024
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Science Foundation Grants:
Estimated Authorization\a\.......................... 20 20 20 20 20 100
Estimated Outlays................................... 0 4 11 16 20 51
Prize Competition:
Estimated Authorization............................. 5 0 0 0 0 5
Estimated Outlays................................... 0 3 2 0 0 5
Other Activities:
Estimated Authorization............................. 2 0 0 0 0 2
Estimated Outlays................................... 1 1 0 0 0 2
Total Changes:
Estimated Authorization......................... 27 20 20 20 20 107
Estimated Outlays............................... 1 8 13 16 20 58
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a\Section 3 of H.R. 4979 would authorize the appropriation of $20 million in 2020 for the National Science
Foundation to award grants. CBO does not estimate any outlays for that authorization because appropriations
have already been provided for 2020.
Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that the
legislation will be enacted in 2020 and that the authorized and
necessary amounts will be provided in each year. Estimated
outlays are based on historical spending patterns for similar
programs.
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4979 would cost $58
million over the 2020-2024 period.
National Science Foundation grants: Section 3 would
authorize the appropriation of $8 million annually over the
2020-2025 period for the NSF to award grants for research on
innovative approaches to STEM education in rural schools. The
bill also would authorize the appropriation of $12 million
annually over the same period for grants to identify barriers
that rural students face in accessing STEM education, and to
improve the participation of rural students in STEM fields.
Using information from the NSF, CBO estimates that in 2019,
the agency allocated more than $20 million for those grants.
Because appropriations for 2020 have already been provided, CBO
does not estimate any outlays for the authorization of $20
million in 2020. We estimate that the authorization of
appropriations for grants from 2021 through 2025 would cost $51
million over the 2020-2024 period and $49 million after 2024.
Prize competition: Section 8 would direct NIST to carry out
a prize competition and award up to $5 million in prizes for
ideas that could improve the deployment of broadband
connectivity to underserved rural communities. CBO estimates
that implementing the provision would cost $5 million over the
2020-2022 period.
Other activities: Section 5 would authorize the
appropriation of $1 million in 2020 for the NSF to enter into
an agreement with the National Academies to evaluate federal
programs and research that focus on STEM education and
workforce development in rural areas. CBO estimates that
conducting the evaluation would cost $1 million over the 2020-
2021 period.
In addition, H.R. 4979 would direct the NSF to report to
the Congress on grants awarded under the bill and on agency
policies and activities that encourage the participation of
rural students in STEM and computer science. The bill also
would require the Government Accountability Office to study how
federal STEM programs serve rural communities. Based on the
costs of similar tasks, CBO estimates that conducting those
activities would cost $1 million over the 2020-2021 period.
Finally, section 4 would direct the NSF to award grants for
research on online STEM education courses for rural
communities, and section 8 would require the Office of Science
and Technology Policy to establish a broadband research and
development working group. Using information from those
agencies, CBO estimates that implementing those provisions
would have no significant effect on the federal budget because
the agencies are already meeting those requirements.
Pay-As-You-Go considerations: None.
Increase in long-term deficits: None.
Mandates: None.
Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Janani Shankaran
(National Science Foundation), David Hughes (National Institute
of Standards and Technology); Mandates: Brandon Lever.
Estimate reviewed by: Kim P. Cawley, Chief, Natural and
Physical Resources Cost Estimates Unit; H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
XI. Federal Mandates Statement
H.R. 4979 contains no unfunded mandates.
XII. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
The Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in the body of this report.
XIII. Statement on General Performance Goals
and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c) of House Rule XIII, the goal of
H.R. 4979 is to provide for research and development to improve
STEM education in rural communities.
XIV. Federal Advisory Committee Statement
H.R. 4979 does not create any advisory committees.
XV. Duplication of Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 4979 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal
program, including any program that was included in a report to
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
XVI. Earmark Identification
Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the
Committee finds that H.R. 4979 contains no earmarks, limited
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
XVII. Applicability to the Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that H.R. 4979 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of
the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104-1).
XVIII. Statement on Preemption of State, Local,
or Tribal Law
This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or
tribal law.
XIX. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
AMERICAN INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE III--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH EDUCATION
* * * * * * *
SEC. 313. NSF REPORT ON BROADENING PARTICIPATION.
[Section 204(e) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 1988] Section 36(e) of the Science and
Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(e)) is
amended to read as follows:
``(e) Biennial Report.--Every 2 years, the Committee shall
prepare and submit to the Director a report on its activities
during the previous 2 years and proposed activities for the
next 2 years. The Director shall submit to Congress the report,
unaltered, together with such comments as the Director
considers appropriate, including--
``(1) review data on the participation in Foundation
activities of institutions serving populations that are
underrepresented in STEM disciplines, including poor,
rural, and tribal populations; and
``(2) recommendations regarding how the Foundation
could improve outreach and inclusion of these
populations in Foundation activities.''.
* * * * * * *
----------
AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010
* * * * * * *
TITLE V--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS SUPPORT
PROGRAMS SUBTITLE A--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Subtitle A--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
* * * * * * *
SEC. 517. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) the National Science Foundation Act of 1950
stated, ``it shall be an objective of the Foundation to
strengthen research and education in the sciences and
engineering, including independent research by
individuals, throughout the United States, and to avoid
undue concentration of such research and education'';
(2) National Science Foundation funding remains
highly concentrated, with 28 States and jurisdictions,
taken together, receiving only about 12 percent of all
National Science Foundation research funding;
(3) each of the States described in paragraph (2)
receives only a fraction of 1 percent of the
Foundation's research dollars each year;
(4) first established at the National Science
Foundation in 1979, the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research (referred to in this
section as ``EPSCoR'') assists States and jurisdictions
historically underserved by Federal research and
development funding in strengthening their research and
innovation capabilities;
(5) the EPSCoR structure requires each participating
State to develop a science and technology plan suited
to State and local research, education, and economic
interests and objectives;
(6) EPSCoR has been credited with advancing the
research competitiveness of participating States,
improving awareness of science, promoting policies that
link scientific investment and economic growth, and
encouraging partnerships between government, industry,
and academia;
(7) EPSCoR proposals are evaluated through a rigorous
and competitive merit-review process to ensure that
awarded research and development efforts meet high
scientific standards; and
(8) according to the National Academy of Sciences,
EPSCoR has strengthened the national research
infrastructure and enhanced the educational
opportunities needed to develop the science and
engineering workforce.
(b) Continuation of Program.--The Director shall continue to
carry out EPSCoR, with the objective of helping the eligible
States to develop the research infrastructure that will make
them more competitive for Foundation and other Federal research
funding. The program shall continue to increase as the National
Science Foundation funding increases.
(c) Coordination of EPSCoR and Similar Federal Programs.--
(1) Another finding.--The Congress finds that a
number of Federal agencies have programs, such as
EPSCoR and the National Institutes of Health
Institutional Development Award program, designed to
increase the capacity for and quality of science and
technology research and training at academic
institutions in States that historically have received
relatively little Federal research and development
funding.
(2) Coordination required.--The EPSCoR Interagency
Coordinating Committee, chaired by the National Science
Foundation, shall--
(A) coordinate each EPSCoR to maximize the
impact of Federal support for building
competitive research infrastructure, and in
order to achieve an integrated Federal effort;
(B) coordinate agency objectives with State
and institutional goals, to obtain continued
non-Federal support of science and technology
research and training;
(C) develop metrics to assess gains in
academic research quality and competitiveness,
and in science and technology human resource
development;
(D) conduct a cross-agency evaluation of each
EPSCoR and accomplishments, including
management, investment, and metric-measuring
strategies implemented by the different
agencies aimed to increase the number of new
investigators receiving peer-reviewed funding,
broaden participation, and empower knowledge
generation, dissemination, application, and
national research and development
competitiveness;
(E) coordinate the development and
implementation of new, novel workshops,
outreach activities, and follow-up mentoring
activities among EPSCoR or EPSCoR-like programs
for colleges and universities in EPSCoR States
and territories in order to increase the number
of proposals submitted and successfully funded
and to enhance statewide coordination of each
EPSCoR;
(F) coordinate the development of new,
innovative solicitations and programs to
facilitate collaborations, partnerships, and
mentoring activities among faculty at all
levels in non-EPSCoR and EPSCoR States and
jurisdictions;
(G) conduct an evaluation of the roles,
responsibilities and degree of autonomy that
program officers or managers (or the equivalent
position) have in executing each EPSCoR at the
different Federal agencies and the impacts
these differences have on the number of EPSCoR
State and jurisdiction faculty participating in
the peer review process and the percentage of
successful awards by individual EPSCoR State
jurisdiction and individual researcher; and
(H) conduct a survey of colleges and
university faculty at all levels regarding
their knowledge and understanding of EPSCoR,
and their level of interaction with and
knowledge about their respective State or
Jurisdictional EPSCoR Committee.
(3) Meetings and reports.--The Committee shall meet
at least twice each fiscal year and shall submit an
annual report to the appropriate committees of Congress
describing progress made in carrying out paragraph (2).
(d) Federal Agency Reports.--Each Federal agency that
administers an EPSCoR shall submit to Congress, as part of its
Federal budget submission--
(1) a description of the program strategy and
objectives;
(2) a description of the awards made in the previous
fiscal year, including--
(A) the total amount made available, by
State, under EPSCoR;
(B) the total amount of agency funding made
available to all institutions and entities
within each EPSCoR State;
(C) the efforts and accomplishments to more
fully integrate the EPSCoR States in major
agency activities and initiatives;
(D) the percentage of EPSCoR reviewers from
EPSCoR States; and
(E) the number of programs or large
collaborator awards involving a partnership of
organizations and institutions from EPSCoR and
non-EPSCoR States; and
(3) an analysis of the gains in academic research
quality and competitiveness, and in science and
technology human resource development, achieved by the
program over the last 5 fiscal years.
(e) National Academy of Sciences Study.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall contract with the
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on all
Federal agencies that administer an EPSCoR.
(2) Matters to be addressed.--The study conducted
under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A delineation of the policies of each
Federal agency with respect to the awarding of
grants to EPSCoR States.
(B) The effectiveness of each program.
(C) Recommendations for improvements for each
agency to achieve EPSCoR goals.
(D) An assessment of the effectiveness of
EPSCoR States in using awards to develop
science and engineering research and education,
and science and engineering infrastructure
within their States.
(E) Such other issues that address the
effectiveness of EPSCoR as the National Academy
of Sciences considers appropriate.
(f) Award Structure Updates.--In implementing the mandate to
maximize the impact of Federal EPSCoR support on building
competitive research infrastructure, and based on the inputs
and recommendations of previous EPSCoR reviews, the head of
each Federal agency administering an EPSCoR program shall--
(1) consider modifications to EPSCoR proposal
solicitation, award type, and project evaluation--
(A) to more closely align with current agency
priorities and initiatives;
(B) to focus EPSCoR funding on achieving
critical scientific, infrastructure, and
educational needs of that agency;
(C) to encourage collaboration between
EPSCoR-eligible institutions and researchers,
including with institutions and researchers in
other States and jurisdictions;
(D) to improve communication between State
and Federal agency proposal reviewers; and
(E) to continue to reduce administrative
burdens associated with EPSCoR;
(2) consider modifications to EPSCoR award
structures--
(A) to emphasize long-term investments in
building research capacity, potentially through
the use of larger, renewable funding
opportunities; [and]
(B) to allow the agency, States, and
jurisdictions to experiment with new research
and development funding models; and
(C) to increase the capacity of rural
communities to provide quality STEM education
and STEM workforce development programming to
students, and teachers; and
(3) consider modifications to the mechanisms used to
monitor and evaluate EPSCoR awards--
(A) to increase collaboration between EPSCoR-
funded researchers and agency staff, including
by providing opportunities for mentoring young
researchers and for the use of Federal
facilities;
(B) to identify and disseminate best
practices; and
(C) to harmonize metrics across participating
Federal agencies, as appropriate.
* * * * * * *
----------
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACT
* * * * * * *
SEC. 25. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives.
(2) Area career and technical education school.--The
term ``area career and technical education school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Vocational Education Act of 1963 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(3) Center.--The term ``Center'' means a
manufacturing extension center that--
(A) is created under subsection (b); and
(B) is affiliated with an eligible entity
that applies for and is awarded financial
support under subsection (e).
(4) Community college.--The term ``community
college'' means an institution of higher education (as
defined under section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest
degree that is predominately awarded to students is an
associate's degree.
(5) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''
means a United States-based nonprofit institution, or
consortium thereof, an institution of higher education,
or a State, United States territory, local, or tribal
government.
(6) Hollings manufacturing extension partnership or
program.--The term ``Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership'' or ``Program'' means the program
established under subsection (b).
(7) MEP advisory board.--The term ``MEP Advisory
Board'' means the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Advisory Board established under subsection (n).
(b) Establishment and Purpose.--The Secretary, acting through
the Director and, if appropriate, through other Federal
officials, shall establish a program to provide assistance for
the creation and support of manufacturing extension centers for
the transfer of manufacturing technology and best business
practices.
(c) Objective.--The objective of the Program shall be to
enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological
performance in United States manufacturing through--
(1) the transfer of manufacturing technology and
techniques developed at the Institute to Centers and,
through them, to manufacturing companies throughout the
United States;
(2) the participation of individuals from industry,
institutions of higher education, State governments,
other Federal agencies, and, when appropriate, the
Institute in cooperative technology transfer
activities;
(3) efforts to make new manufacturing technology and
processes usable by United States-based small and
medium-sized companies;
(4) the active dissemination of scientific,
engineering, technical, and management information
about manufacturing to industrial firms, including
small and medium-sized manufacturing companies;
(5) the utilization, when appropriate, of the
expertise and capability that exists in Federal
agencies, other than the Institute, and federally-
sponsored laboratories;
(6) the provision to [community colleges and area
career and technical education schools] secondary
schools (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)),
community colleges, and area career and technical
education schools, including those in underserved and
rural communities, of information about the job skills
needed in manufacturing companies, including small and
medium-sized manufacturing businesses in the regions
they serve;
(7) the promotion and expansion of certification
systems offered through industry, associations, [and
local colleges] local high schools and local colleges,
including those in underserved and rural communities,
when appropriate, including efforts such as
facilitating training, supporting new or existing
apprenticeships or other applied learning
opportunities, and providing access to information and
experts, to address workforce needs and skills gaps in
order to assist small- and medium-sized manufacturing
businesses; and
(8) the growth in employment and wages at United
States-based small and medium-sized companies.
(d) Activities.--The activities of a Center shall include--
(1) the establishment of automated manufacturing
systems and other advanced production technologies,
based on Institute-supported research, for the purpose
of demonstrations and technology transfer;
(2) the active transfer and dissemination of research
findings and Center expertise to a wide range of
companies and enterprises, particularly small and
medium-sized manufacturers; and
(3) the facilitation of collaborations and
partnerships between small and medium-sized
manufacturing companies[, community colleges, and area
career and technical education schools,] and local high
schools, community colleges, and area career and
technical education schools, including those in
underserved and rural communities, to help those
entities better understand the specific needs of
manufacturers and to help manufacturers better
understand the skill sets that students learn in the
programs offered by such colleges and schools.
(e) Financial Assistance.--
(1) Authorization.--Except as provided in paragraph
(2), the Secretary may provide financial assistance for
the creation and support of a Center through a
cooperative agreement with an eligible entity.
(2) Cost sharing.--The Secretary may not provide more
than 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and
maintenance funds required to establish and support a
Center.
(3) Rule of construction.--For purposes of paragraph
(2), any amount received by an eligible entity for a
Center under a provision of law other than paragraph
(1) shall not be considered an amount provided under
paragraph (1).
(4) Regulations.--The Secretary may revise or
promulgate such regulations as necessary to carry out
this subsection.
(f) Applications.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
(2) Program description.--The Secretary shall
establish and update, as necessary--
(A) a description of the Program;
(B) the application procedures;
(C) performance metrics;
(D) criteria for determining qualified
applicants; and
(E) criteria for choosing recipients of
financial assistance from among the qualified
applicants.
(F) procedures for determining allowable cost
share contributions; and
(G) such other program policy objectives and
operational procedures as the Secretary
considers necessary.
(3) Cost sharing.--
(A) In general.--To be considered for
financial assistance under this section, an
applicant shall provide adequate assurances
that the applicant and if applicable, the
applicant's partnering organizations, will
obtain funding for not less than 50 percent of
the capital and annual operating and
maintenance funds required to establish and
support the Center from sources other than the
financial assistance provided under subsection
(e).
(B) Agreements with other entities.--In
meeting the cost-sharing requirement under
subparagraph (A), an eligible entity may enter
into an agreement with 1 or more other
entities, such as a private industry,
institutions of higher education, or a State,
United States territory, local, or tribal
government for the contribution by that other
entity of funding if the Secretary determines
the agreement--
(i) is programmatically reasonable;
(ii) will help accomplish
programmatic objectives; and
(iii) is allocable under Program
procedures under subsection (f)(2).
(4) Legal rights.--Each applicant shall include in
the application a proposal for the allocation of the
legal rights associated with any intellectual property
which may result from the activities of the Center.
(5) Merit review of applications.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall subject
each application to merit review.
(B) Considerations.--In making a decision
whether to approve an application and provide
financial assistance under subsection (e), the
Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--
(i) the merits of the application,
particularly those portions of the
application regarding technology
transfer, training and education, and
adaptation of manufacturing
technologies to the needs of particular
industrial sectors;
(ii) the quality of service to be
provided;
(iii) the geographical diversity and
extent of the service area; and
(iv) the type and percentage of
funding and in-kind commitment from
other sources under paragraph (3).
(g) Evaluations.--
(1) Third and eighth year evaluations by panel.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each Center is evaluated during its third
and eighth years of operation by an evaluation
panel appointed by the Secretary.
(B) Composition.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each evaluation panel appointed under
subparagraph (A) is composed of--
(i) private experts, none of whom are
connected with the Center evaluated by
the panel; and
(ii) Federal officials.
(C) Chairperson.--For each evaluation panel
appointed under subparagraph (B), the Secretary
shall appoint a chairperson who is an official
of the Institute.
(2) Fifth year evaluations by secretary.--In the
fifth year of operation of a Center, the Secretary
shall conduct a review of the Center.
(3) Performance measurement.--In evaluating a Center
an evaluation panel or the Secretary, as applicable,
shall measure the performance of the Center against--
(A) the objective specified in subsection
(c);
(B) the performance metrics under subsection
(f)(2)(C); and
(C) such other criterion as considered
appropriate by the Secretary.
(4) Positive evaluations.--If an evaluation of a
Center is positive, the Secretary may continue to
provide financial assistance for the Center--
(A) in the case of an evaluation occurring in
the third year of a Center, through the fifth
year of the Center;
(B) in the case of an evaluation occurring in
the fifth year of a Center, through the eighth
year of the Center; and
(C) in the case of an evaluation occurring in
the eighth year of a Center, through the tenth
year of the Center.
(5) Other than positive evaluations.--
(A) Probation.--If an evaluation of a Center
is other than positive, the Secretary shall put
the Center on probation during the period
beginning on the date that the Center receives
notice under subparagraph (B)(i) and ending on
the date that the reevaluation is complete
under subparagraph (B)(iii).
(B) Notice and reevaluation.--If a Center
receives an evaluation that is other than
positive, the evaluation panel or Secretary, as
applicable, shall--
(i) notify the Center of the reason,
including any deficiencies in the
performance of the Center identified
during the evaluation;
(ii) assist the Center in remedying
the deficiencies by providing the
Center, not less frequently than once
every 3 months, an analysis of the
Center, if considered appropriate by
the panel or Secretary, as applicable;
and
(iii) reevaluate the Center not later
than 1 year after the date of the
notice under clause (i).
(C) Continued support during period of
probation.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary may
continue to provide financial
assistance under subsection (e) for a
Center during the probation period.
(ii) Post probation.--After the
period of probation, the Secretary
shall not provide any financial
assistance unless the Center has
received a positive evaluation under
subparagraph (B)(iii).
(6) Failure to remedy.--
(A) In general.--If a Center fails to remedy
a deficiency or to show significant improvement
in performance before the end of the probation
period under paragraph (5), the Secretary shall
conduct a competition to select an operator for
the Center under subsection (h).
(B) Treatment of centers subject to new
competition.--Upon the selection of an operator
for a Center under subsection (h), the Center
shall be considered a new Center and the
calculation of the years of operation of that
Center for purposes of paragraphs (1) through
(5) of this subsection and subsection (h)(1)
shall start anew.
(h) Reapplication Competition for Financial Assistance After
10 Years.--
(1) In general.--If an eligible entity has operated a
Center under this section for a period of 10
consecutive years, the Secretary shall conduct a
competition to select an eligible entity to operate the
Center in accordance with the process plan under
subsection (i).
(2) Incumbent eligible entities.--An eligible entity
that has received financial assistance under this
section for a period of 10 consecutive years and that
the Secretary determines is in good standing shall be
eligible to compete in the competition under paragraph
(1).
(3) Treatment of centers subject to reapplication
competition.--Upon the selection of an operator for a
Center under paragraph (1), the Center shall be
considered a new Center and the calculation of the
years of operation of that Center for purposes of
paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (g) shall
start anew.
(i) Process Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of the American Innovation and Competitiveness
Act, the Secretary shall implement and submit to Congress a
plan for how the Institute will conduct an evaluation,
competition, and reapplication competition under this section.
(j) Operational Requirements.--
(1) Protection of confidential information of center
clients.--The following information, if obtained by the
Federal Government in connection with an activity of a
Center or the Program, shall be exempt from public
disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States
Code:
(A) Information on the business operation of
any participant in the Program or of a client
of a Center.
(B) Trade secrets of any client of a Center.
(k) Oversight Boards.--
(1) In general.--As a condition on receipt of
financial assistance for a Center under subsection (e),
an eligible entity shall establish a board to oversee
the operations of the Center.
(2) Standards.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall establish
appropriate standards for each board described
under paragraph (1).
(B) Considerations.--In establishing the
standards, the Director shall take into account
the type and organizational structure of an
eligible entity.
(C) Requirements.--The standards shall
address--
(i) membership;
(ii) composition;
(iii) term limits;
(iv) conflicts of interest; and
(v) such other requirements as the
Director considers necessary.
(3) Membership.--
(A) In general.--Each board established under
paragraph (1) shall be composed of members as
follows:
(i) The membership of each board
shall be representative of stakeholders
in the region in which the Center is
located.
(ii) A majority of the members of the
board shall be selected from among
individuals who own or are employed by
small or medium-sized manufacturers.
(B) Limitation.--A member of a board
established under paragraph (1) may not serve
on more than 1 board established under that
paragraph.
(4) Bylaws.--
(A) In general.--Each board established under
paragraph (1) shall adopt and submit to the
Director bylaws to govern the operation of the
board.
(B) Conflicts of interest.--Bylaws adopted
under subparagraph (A) shall include policies
to minimize conflicts of interest, including
such policies relating to disclosure of
relationships and recusal as may be necessary
to minimize conflicts of interest.
(l) Acceptance of Funds.--In addition to such sums as may be
appropriated to the Secretary and Director to operate the
Program, the Secretary and Director may also accept funds from
other Federal departments and agencies and from the private
sector under section 2(c)(7) of this Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)(7)),
to be available to the extent provided by appropriations Acts,
for the purpose of strengthening United States manufacturing.
(m) MEP Advisory Board.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Institute a Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Advisory Board.
(2) Membership.--
(A) Composition.--
(i) In general.--The MEP Advisory
Board shall consist of not fewer than
10 members appointed by the Director
and broadly representative of
stakeholders.
(ii) Requirements.--Of the members
appointed under clause (i)--
(I) at least 2 members shall
be employed by or on an
advisory board for a Center;
(II) at least 5 members shall
be from United States small
businesses in the manufacturing
sector; and
(III) at least 1 member shall
represent a community college.
(iii) Limitation.--No member of the
MEP Advisory Board shall be an employee
of the Federal Government.
(B) Term.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(C), the term of office of each member of the
MEP Advisory Board shall be 3 years.
(C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill
a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of
the term for which his predecessor was
appointed shall be appointed for the remainder
of such term.
(D) Serving consecutive terms.--Any person
who has completed 2 consecutive full terms of
service on the MEP Advisory Board shall
thereafter be ineligible for appointment during
the 1-year period following the expiration of
the second such term.
(3) Meetings.--The MEP Advisory Board shall--
(A) meet not less than biannually; and
(B) provide to the Director--
(i) advice on the activities, plans,
and policies of the Program;
(ii) assessments of the soundness of
the plans and strategies of the
Program; and
(iii) assessments of current
performance against the plans of the
Program.
(4) FACA applicability.--
(A) In general.--In discharging its duties
under this subsection, the MEP Advisory Board
shall function solely in an advisory capacity,
in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
(B) Exception.--Section 14 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the
MEP Advisory Board.
(5) Annual report.--
(A) In general.--At a minimum, the MEP
Advisory Board shall transmit an annual report
to the Secretary for transmittal to Congress
not later than 30 days after the submission to
Congress of the President's annual budget under
section 1105 of title 31, United States Code.
(B) Contents.--The report shall address the
status of the Program and describe the relevant
sections of the programmatic planning document
and updates thereto transmitted to Congress by
the Director under subsections (c) and (d) of
section 23 (15 U.S.C. 278i).
(n) Small Manufacturers.--
(1) Evaluation of obstacles.--As part of the Program,
the Director shall--
(A) identify obstacles that prevent small
manufacturers from effectively competing in the
global market;
(B) implement a comprehensive plan to train
the Centers to address the obstacles identified
in paragraph (2); and
(C) facilitate improved communication between
the Centers to assist such manufacturers in
implementing appropriate, targeted solutions to
the obstacles identified in paragraph (2).
(2) Development of open access resources.--As part of
the Program, the Secretary shall develop open access
resources that address best practices related to
inventory sourcing, supply chain management,
manufacturing techniques, available Federal resources,
and other topics to further the competitiveness and
profitability of small manufacturers.
* * * * * * *
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HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING ACT OF 1991
* * * * * * *
TITLE I--NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
* * * * * * *
SEC. 103. BROADBAND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP.
(a) In General.--The Director shall establish a broadband
research and development working group to address national
research challenges and opportunities for improving broadband
access and adoption across the United States.
(b) Activities.--The working group shall identify and
coordinate key research priorities for addressing broadband
access and adoption, including--
(1) promising research areas;
(2) requirements for data collection and sharing;
(3) opportunities for better alignment and
coordination across Federal agencies and external
stakeholders; and
(4) input on the development of new Federal policies
and programs to enhance data collection and research.
(c) Coordination.--The working group shall coordinate, as
appropriate, with the Rural Broadband Integration Working Group
established under section 6214 of the Agriculture Improvement
Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) and the National Institute of
Food and Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture.
(d) Report.--The working group shall report to Congress on
their activities as part of the annual report submitted under
section 101(a)(2)(D).
(e) Sunset.--The authority to carry out this section shall
terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of
enactment of the Rural STEM Education Act.
* * * * * * *
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