[Senate Report 117-108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 198
117th Congress} { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 117-108
======================================================================
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL
MANUFACTURING ACT
__________
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND
TRANSPORTATION
ON
S. 735
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
May 17, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2022
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred seventeenth congress
second session
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota ROGER WICKER, Mississippi
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii ROY BLUNT, Missouri
EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts TED CRUZ, Texas
GARY PETERS, Michigan DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin JERRY MORAN, Kansas
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JON TESTER, Montana MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona TODD YOUNG, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada MIKE LEE, Utah
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia RICK SCOTT, Florida
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
Lila Helms, Staff Director
John Keast, Minority Staff Director
Calendar No. 198
117th Congress} { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 117-108
======================================================================
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL
MANUFACTURING ACT
_______
May 17, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Ms. Cantwell, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 735]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 735) to amend the Scientific
and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 to further support advanced
technological manufacturing, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment (in the nature of a substitute) and recommends that
the bill (as amended) do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
S. 735 would modernize the Scientific and Advanced-
Technology Act of 1992 to further support advanced
technological manufacturing through improved technician
education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) fields. This bill would also direct the Director of the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a program to
expand the number of institutions of higher education that are
successfully able to compete for NSF grants.
Background and Needs
SCIENTIFIC COMPETITIVENESS
Science and technology (S&T) impacts a wide range of issues
confronting the Nation. Public and private research and
development spur scientific and technological advancement. Such
advances can drive economic growth, help address national
priorities, improve health, and bolster quality of life. Prior
U.S. investment in research and innovation has enabled the
United States to become the strongest economy in the world. The
Federal Government supports scientific and technological
advancement directly by funding and performing research and
development and indirectly by creating and maintaining policies
that encourage private sector efforts.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES
As U.S. advanced technology industries continue to grow,
there will be an increasing demand for a qualified STEM
technical workforce. While development of the future STEM-
literate American workforce will require many educational
pathways, community colleges are a key contributor to meeting
technical workforce needs.\1\ Annually, U.S. community colleges
support roughly 11.8 million students, or 41 percent of
undergraduates as of 2019.\2\ These institutions provide not
only a traditional education curriculum, but also hands-on
training to develop the technical skills that students will
need in the workplace. As highlighted by the National Academy
of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, community colleges are
well positioned within local communities; have relationships
with organizations, governments, and businesses; and serve as a
model for educating a highly prepared technical workforce.\3\
These partnerships allow community colleges to respond quickly
to community needs through curriculum development and
retraining of displaced workers for skills needed by local
businesses. Community colleges also serve as an affordable and
flexible option, enabling them to support the most diverse
student body within the U.S. higher education system.\4\
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\1\National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,
Community Colleges in the Evolving STEM Education Landscape: Summary of
a Summit, 2012 (https://www.nap.edu/
catalog/13399/community-colleges-in-the-evolving-stem-education-
landscape-summary-of).
\2\American Association of Community Colleges, ``Fast Facts 2021,''
March 2021 (https://www.aacc.nche.edu/research-trends/fast-facts/).
\3\National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,
Community Colleges in the Evolving STEM Education Landscape: Summary of
a Summit, 2012 (https://www.nap.edu/
catalog/13399/community-colleges-in-the-evolving-stem-education-
landscape-summary-of).
\4\Ibid.
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PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY
Building a strong STEM technical workforce requires
cooperation and coordination between Federal and non-Federal
entities, to develop the curriculum and programs that provide
the technical skills needed to enter the workforce.\5\
Strategic partnerships between educational institutions and
employers will help ensure that educational preparation is
aligned with workforce needs. The promotion of these community-
connected STEM ecosystems can help respond more quickly and
efficiently to rapidly changing career readiness standards and
expectations, while ensuring students that their degree or
certification will have considerable economic value.\6\
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\5\Executive Office of the President [Donald Trump], National
Science & Technology Council, Committee on STEM Education, Charting a
Course for Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education, December
2018, pp. 13-14 (https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2019/05/
f62/STEM-Education-Strategic-Plan-2018.pdf).
\6\Ibid.
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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program
funds projects that improve technician education, including
through partnerships between accredited associate-degree-
granting colleges, government, other institutions of higher
education, and industry. These programs aim to improve the
education of science and engineering technicians through
curriculum development, professional development of academic
faculty, and other activities.\7\ To receive funding, ATE
principal investigators (typically academic institution
faculty) submit proposals that advance technical education and
culminate in new curricula or programs educators can use to
respond to evolving employer needs. For example, the Kenai
Peninsula College (Alaska) and Washington State University
teamed up to create low-cost miniature industrial equipment and
an associated curriculum for 2-year colleges to improve
instruction of bio and chemical technology process
technicians.\8\ Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
received an ATE grant to develop a certificate program for
highly skilled technicians needed for smart homes and connected
cities.\9\ Through this program, investigators will not only
modify and design new curricula for connected technology
solutions, but also provide professional development
opportunities for faculty and help recruit and retain
underrepresented groups in STEM, such as women and minorities.
Following the completion of each project, ATE grantees share
their results and make them available for others to use,
expanding and extending the benefit of their work as well as
preventing duplicative efforts.\10\
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\7\National Science Foundation, ``Advanced Technological Education
(ATE)'' (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464).
\8\National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education
IMPACTS 2018-2019: Twenty-Five Years of Advancing Technician Education
(https://atecentral.net/downloads/12339/ATE-Impacts-2018-2019.pdf).
\9\National Science Foundation, ``Training Technicians for
Connected Technologies in Businesses and Smart Homes'' (https://
www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2000073&
HistoricalAwards=false).
\10\National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education
IMPACTS 2018-2019: Twenty-Five Years of Advancing Technician Education
(https://atecentral.net/downloads/12339/ATE-Impacts-2018-2019.pdf).
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Over the last 25 years, the ATE program has funded a wide
array of centers and projects in areas including advanced
manufacturing technologies and biotechnology to meet the
evolving needs of the industries of the future.\11\ The ATE
program has also helped provide a career pathway for
populations that have been historically underrepresented in
STEM fields and added diversity to the technical workforce.\12\
With existing shortages in scientifically and technically
educated workers and continued expansion of advanced technology
industries, the ATE program helps to ensure a better prepared
U.S. workforce.
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\11\Ibid.
\12\Ibid.
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HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION GRANT COMPETITIVENESS
Just under one-third (approximately 27 percent) of Federal
research funding per capita in 2017 went to two States--
Maryland and California.\13\ More than half of Federal research
funding is received by just nine States, while the bottom 10
States combined had only 4.4 percent of public research
spending per capita.\14\ This funding disparity is also
prevalent amongst institutions of higher education.
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\13\Laurie A. Harris, Established Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (EPSCoR): Background and Selected Issues, CRS Report No.
R44689, Congressional Research Service, January 12, 2017 (https://
fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44689.pdf).
\14\Ibid.
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This funding disparity between institutions of higher
education is, in part, driven by the disadvantages that smaller
universities face when competing for grants with major
institutions. Large universities have staff members who both
help researchers navigate the grant application process and
assist with technical grant writing.\15\ Additionally, because
smaller universities generally prioritize teaching, lack of
grant writing administrative support causes even greater
challenges, with professors struggling to maintain both
excellence in the classroom and the production of competitive
grant applications.\16\
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\15\Karen M. Markin, ``Big Research Small College,'' The Chronicle
of Higher Education, February 19, 2008 (https://www.chronicle.com/
article/Big-Research-Small-College/45957).
\16\Jacqueline Ruttimann Oberst, ``Big Thinking at Small
Universities,'' Science, September 10, 2010 (https://
www.sciencemag.org/features/2010/09/big-thinking-small-universities).
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Summary of Provisions
If enacted, S. 735, the Advanced Technological
Manufacturing Act, would do the following:
Reauthorize and modernize the Scientific and
Advanced-Technology Act of 1992, showing continued
support of the ATE program's role in supplying the
United States with a scientifically and technically
educated workforce.
Direct the NSF Director to establish a series of
pilot programs to expand the number of institutions of
higher education that can successfully compete for NSF
grants.
Legislative History
S. 735, the Advanced Technological Manufacturing Act, was
introduced on March 11, 2021, by Senator Wicker (for himself
and Senator Cantwell) and was referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Senators
Rosen, Collins, Peters, and Blackburn are additional
cosponsors. On April 28, 2021, the Committee met in open
Executive Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 735 reported
favorably with amendments.
H.R. 3828, the Advanced Technological Manufacturing Act,
was introduced on June 11, 2021, by Representative Kildee (for
himself and Representative Meijer) and was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in the House of
Representatives.
In the 115th Congress, S. 3074, the Advanced Technological
Manufacturing Act, was introduced on May 13, 2020, by Senator
Wicker and favorably reported May 20, 2020, by the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. A related
bill, H.R. 5685, the Securing American Leadership in Science
and Technology Act of 2020, was introduced on January 28, 2020,
by Representative Frank Lucas (for himself and Representatives
Weber, Babin, Marshall, Baird, Gonzalez, Waltz, Olson, Murphy,
Balderson, Posey, and Rooney) and was referred to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology (in addition to the
Committees on the Judiciary, Small Business, Natural Resources,
and Foreign Affairs) in the House of Representatives. Section
602 of H.R. 5685 would have reauthorized the ATE Program.
Representatives Riggleman and Jackson Lee were additional
cosponsors.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 18, 2021.
Hon. Maria Cantwell,
Chair, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Chair: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 735, a bill to amend
the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 to further
support advanced technological manufacturing, and for other
purposes.
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]
S. 735 would authorize the annual appropriation of $150
million over the 2022-2027 period for the National Science
Foundation's (NSF's) Advanced Technological Education (ATE)
program, which provides grants to educators and students for
technical science and engineering education. The bill also
would direct the agency to conduct pilot programs to increase
the number of institutions of higher education that can compete
for NSF grants.
For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be
enacted in fiscal year 2021.
Based on historical spending patterns for the ATE program,
CBO estimates that providing those grants would cost $478
million over the 2021-2026 period and roughly $400 million
after 2026, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts.
In 2021, the NSF allocated $75 million for the ATE program.
Using information from the NSF, and based on the costs of
similar activities, CBO estimates that conducting the pilot
programs would require two additional employees at an average
annual cost of $175,000 each over the 2021-2026 period. In
total, implementing that provision would cost $2 million. Such
spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated
funds.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall
within budget function 250 (general science, space, and
technology).
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 735
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
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2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-2026
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Advanced Technological Education:
Authorization.................................... 0 150 150 150 150 150 750
Estimated Outlays................................ 0 18 71 110 132 147 478
Pilot Programs:
Estimated Authorization.......................... * * * * * * 2
Estimated Outlays................................ * * * * * * 2
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Total Changes:
Estimated Authorization...................... * 150 150 150 150 150 752
Estimated Outlays............................ * 18 71 110 132 147 480
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CBO estimates that outlays for the Advanced Technological Education program after 2026 would total about $400
million, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts.
Components may not sum to totals because of rounding; * = between zero and $500,000.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani
Shankaran. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED
S. 735, as reported, would not impose any new significant
regulatory requirements, and, therefore, would not subject any
individuals or businesses to new significant regulations.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
S. 735, as reported, is not expected to have any
significant adverse impacts on the Nation's economy. This
legislation would likely assist post-pandemic economic recovery
by bringing research and development, workforce education, and
industry into new partnerships that foster economic development
and help the workforce adapt to and contribute to the growth of
advanced technological sectors.
PRIVACY
S. 735, as reported, would not have any adverse impact on
the privacy of individuals.
PAPERWORK
S. 735, as reported, would not impose a substantial
paperwork burden on individuals or businesses.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Harnessing our Nation's research potential.
This section would require the NSF Director to conduct
multiple pilot programs within NSF to expand the number of
higher education institutions able to successfully compete for
NSF grants. Pilot programs could provide mentorship, grant
writing technical assistance, targeted outreach (including to
minority-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and
universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal
colleges), support for institutions without an experienced
grant management office, and increases in the number of grant
reviewers from institutions that have not traditionally
received NSF funds. The pilots could also include increasing
the grant term and funding, for a period of 3 years or less, to
a principal investigator that is a first-time grant awardee,
when paired with regular mentoring on the administrative
aspects of grant management. Pilot programs should aim to
reduce administrative burdens. Five years after enactment, the
NSF would be required to review the results of each pilot
program and develop agency-wide best practices for
implementation across the NSF.
Section 2. Advanced scientific and technical manufacturing.
This section would modernize the Scientific and Advanced-
Technology Act of 1992. It would utilize the term ``STEM''
throughout the Act to better reflect current education
terminology and standards. It would redefine the term
``advanced-technology'' to better reflect 21st century advanced
technological fields, such as advanced manufacturing and
engineering, information, cybersecurity, geospatial, and other
emerging technologies and define the term ``skilled technical
workforce''. It would also remove references to sections of the
Higher Education Act that have been eliminated since 1992.
Further modifications would require the NSF Director to
place emphasis on the needs of veterans when awarding grants
and remove the limitation on the number of Centers of
Scientific and Technical Education.
Additionally, this section would make grants available to
partnerships that encourage the development of career and
educational pathways to meet skilled technical workforce
demands. To encourage the interest and aptitude of students in
STEM and advanced-technology fields, it would instruct the NSF
Director to award grants that promote articulation agreements
between associate-degree-granting and bachelor-degree-granting
institutions or dual credit courses between community colleges
with outstanding STEM programs and secondary schools or
elementary schools, as appropriate. Partnerships that receive
funding would be required to counsel students, including
veterans, on requirements and course offerings at bachelor-
degree-granting institutions and to provide research
experiences through summer programs and industry internships.
In awarding grants to develop associate degree programs,
this section would further require the Director to prioritize
applications that leverage best practices for distance learning
or utilize simulated work environments. Finally, it would
authorize appropriations of $150 million for each of fiscal
years 2022 through 2027 and expand the list of activities that
can be federally funded.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, 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
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
SCIENTIFIC AND ADVANCED-TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 1992
* * * * * * *
[42 U.S.C. 1862h-j]
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) the position of the United States in the world
economy faces great challenges from highly trained
foreign competition;
(2) the workforce of the United States must be better
prepared for the technologically advanced, competitive,
global economy;
(3) the improvement of our work force's productivity
and our international economic position depend upon the
strengthening of our educational efforts in [science,
mathematics, and technology] science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics or STEM, especially at the
associate-degree level;
(4) shortages of scientifically and technically
educated and trained workers in a wide variety of
fields will best be addressed by collaboration among
the Nation's associate-degree-granting colleges and
private industry to produce skilled, advanced
technicians; and
(5) the National Science Foundation's traditional
role in developing model curricula, disseminating
instructional materials, enhancing faculty development,
and stimulating partnerships between educational
institutions and industry, makes an enlarged role for
the Foundation in [scientific and technical education
and training] STEM education and training particularly
appropriate.
(b) Purposes.--It is the purpose of this Act to--
(1) improve science and technical education at
associate-degree-granting colleges;
(2) improve secondary school and postsecondary
curricula in [mathematics and science] STEM fields;
(3) improve the educational opportunities of
postsecondary students by creating comprehensive
articulation agreements and planning between 2-year and
4-year institutions; and
(4) promote outreach to secondary schools to improve
[mathematics and science instruction] STEM instruction.
SEC. 3. [SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION] STEM EDUCATION.
(a) National Advanced [Scientific and Technical Education]
Stem Education Program.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
``Director'') shall award grants to associate-degree-granting
colleges, and consortia thereof, to assist them in providing
education in advanced-technology fields and education to
prepare the skilled technical workforce to meet workforce
demands, and to improve the quality of their [core education
courses in science and mathematics] core education courses in
STEM fields. The grant program shall place emphasis on the
needs of students who have been in the workforce (including
veterans and individuals engaged in work in the home) and on
building a pathway from secondary schools, to associate-degree-
granting institutions, to careers that require technical
training, and shall be designed to strengthen and expand the
scientific and technical education and training capabilities of
associate-degree-granting colleges through such methods as--
(1) the development and study of model instructional
programs in advanced-technology fields and in [core
science and mathematics courses] core STEM courses;
(2) the professional development of faculty and
instructors, both full- and part-time, who provide
instruction in [science, mathematics, and advanced-
technology fields] STEM and advanced-technology fields;
(3) the establishment of innovative partnership
arrangements that--
(A) involve associate-degree-granting
colleges and other appropriate public and
private sector entities to support the
advanced-technology industries that drive the
competitiveness of the United States in the
global economy;
(B) provide for private sector donations,
faculty opportunities to have short-term
assignments with industry, sharing of program
costs, equipment loans, and the cooperative use
of laboratories, plants, and other facilities,
and provision for state-of-the-art work
experience opportunities for students enrolled
in such programs; and
(C) encourage participation of individuals
identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science
and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42
U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b);
(4) the acquisition of state-of-the-art
instrumentation essential to programs designed to
prepare and upgrade students in [scientific and
advanced-technology fields] STEM and advanced-
technology fields; and
(5) the development and dissemination of
instructional materials in support of improving the
[advanced scientific and technical education] advanced
STEM and advanced-technology and training capabilities
of associate-degree-granting colleges, including
programs for students who are not pursuing a science
degree.
(b) [National Centers of Scientific and Technical Education]
Centers of Scientific and Technical Education.--The Director
shall award grants for the establishment of centers of
excellence, [not to exceed 12 in number] in advanced-technology
fields, among associate-degree-granting colleges. Centers shall
meet one or both of the following criteria:
(1) Exceptional instructional programs in advanced-
technology fields.
(2) Excellence in undergraduate [education in
mathematics and science] STEM education.
The centers shall serve as national and regional clearinghouses
and models for the benefit of both colleges and secondary
schools, and shall provide seminars and programs to disseminate
model curricula and model teaching methods and instructional
materials to other associate-degree-granting colleges [in the
geographic region served by the center].
(c) Articulation Partnerships.--
(1) Partnership grants.--(A) The Director shall make
grants to eligible partnerships [to encourage students
to pursue bachelor degrees in mathematics, science,
engineering, or technology, and to assist students
pursuing bachelor degrees in mathematics, science,
engineering, or technology to make the transition from
associate-degree-granting colleges to bachelor-degree-
granting institutions, through such means as--] to
encourage the development of career and educational
pathways with multiple entry and exit points leading to
credentials and degrees, and to assist students
pursuing pathways in STEM fields to transition from
associate-degree-granting colleges to bachelor-degree-
granting institutions, through such means as--
(i) examining curricula [to ensure] to
develop articulation agreements that ensure
that academic credit earned at the associate-
degree-granting college is transferable to
bachelor-degree-granting institutions;
(ii) informing teachers from the associate-
degree-granting college on the specific
requirements of [courses at the bachelor-
degree-granting institution] the career and
educational pathways supported by the
articulation agreements; and
(iii) providing summer educational programs
for students from the associate-degree-granting
college to encourage such students' subsequent
matriculation at bachelor-degree-granting
institutions.
(B) Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under
this paragraph shall, at a minimum--
(i) counsel students, including students who
have been in the workforce (including veterans
and individuals engaged in work in the home),
about the requirements and course offerings of
the bachelor-degree-granting institution;
(ii) conduct workshops and orientation
sessions to ensure that students are familiar
with programs, including laboratories and
financial aid programs, at the bachelor-degree-
granting institution;
(iii) provide students with research
experiences at [bachelor's-degree-granting
institutions] institutions or work sites
participating in the partnership, including
stipend support for students participating in
summer programs or industry internships; and
(iv) provide faculty mentors for students
participating in activities under clause (iii),
including summer salary support for faculty
mentors.
[Funds used by eligible partnerships to carry out clauses (i)
and (ii) shall be from non-Federal sources. In-cash and in-kind
resources used by eligible partnerships to carry out clauses
(i) and (ii) shall not be considered to be contributions for
purposes of applying subsection (f)(3).]
[(C) Any institution participating in a partnership
that receives a grant under this paragraph shall be
ineligible to receive assistance under part B of title
I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 for the duration
of the grant received under this paragraph.]
(2) Outreach grants.--The Director shall make grants
to associate-degree-granting colleges with outstanding
[mathematics and science programs] STEM programs to
strengthen relationships with secondary schools and, as
appropriate, elementary schools, in the community
served by the college by improving [mathematics and
science education] STEM education and encouraging the
interest and aptitude of [secondary school students]
students at these schools for careers in [science and
advanced-technology fields] STEM and advanced-
technology fields through such means as developing
[agreements with local educational agencies]
articulation agreements or dual credit courses with
local secondary schools, or other means as the Director
determines appropriate, to enable students to satisfy
entrance and course requirements at the associate-
degree-granting college.
(3) Mentor training grants.--The Director [shall--]
[(A) establish a] shall establish a program
to encourage and make grants available to
institutions of higher education that award
associate degrees to recruit and train
individuals from [the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics] STEM
fields to mentor students who are described in
section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering
Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or
1885b) in order to assist those students in
identifying, qualifying for, and entering
higher paying technical jobs in those fields[;
and], including jobs at Federal and academic
laboratories.
[(B) make grants available to associate-
degree-granting colleges to carry out the
program identified in subsection (A).]
(d) Grants for Associate Degree Programs in Stem Fields.--
(1) In-demand workforce grants.--The Director shall
award grants to junior or community colleges to develop
or improve associate degree or certificate programs in
STEM fields, with respect to the region in which the
respective college is located, and an in-demand
industry sector or occupation.
(2) Applications.--In considering applications for
grants under paragraph (1), the Director shall
prioritize--
(A) applications that consist of a
partnership between the applying junior or
community college and individual employers or
an employer consortia, or industry or sector
partnerships, and may include a university or
other organization with demonstrated expertise
in academic program development;
(B) applications that demonstrate current and
future workforce demand in occupations directly
related to the proposed associate degree or
certificate program;
(C) applications that include commitments by
the partnering employers or employer consortia,
or industry or sector partnerships, to offer
apprenticeships, internships, or other applied
learning opportunities to students enrolled in
the proposed associate degree or certificate
program;
(D) applications that include outreach plans
and goals for recruiting and enrolling women
and other underrepresented populations in STEM
fields in the proposed associate degree or
certificate program; [and]
(E) applications that describe how the
applying junior or community college will
support the collection of information and data
for purposes of evaluation of the proposed
associate degree or certificate program[.]; and
(F) as appropriate, applications that apply
the best practices for STEM education and
technical skills education through distance
learning or in a simulated work environment, as
determined by research described in subsection
(f).
(e) Grants for Stem Degree Applied Learning Opportunities.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall award grants to
institutions of higher education partnering with
private sector employers or private sector employer
consortia, or industry or sector partnerships, that
commit to offering apprenticeships, internships,
research opportunities, or applied learning experiences
to enrolled students in identified STEM baccalaureate
degree programs.
(2) Purposes.--Awards under this subsection may be
used--
(A) to develop curricula and programs for
apprenticeship, internships, research
opportunities, or applied learning experiences;
or
(B) to provide matching funds to incentivize
partnership and participation by private sector
employers and industry.
(3) Applications.--In considering applications for
grants under paragraph (1), the Director shall
prioritize--
(A) applicants that consist of a partnership
between--
(i) the applying institution of
higher education; and
(ii) individual employers or an
employer consortia, or industry or
sector partnerships;
(B) applications that demonstrate current and
future workforce demand in occupations directly
related to the identified STEM fields;
(C) applications that include outreach plans
and goals for recruiting and enrolling women
and other underrepresented populations in STEM
fields; and
(D) applications that describe how the
institution of higher education will support
the collection and information of data for
purposes of the evaluation of identified STEM
degree programs.
(f) Grants for Computer-based and Online Stem Education
Courses.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall award competitive grants to
institutions of higher education or nonprofit
organizations to conduct research on student outcomes
and determine best practices for STEM education and
technical skills education through distance learning or
in a simulated work environment.
(2) Research areas.--The research areas eligible for
funding under this subsection may include--
(A) post-secondary courses for technical
skills development for STEM occupations;
(B) improving high-school level career and
technical education in STEM subjects;
(C) encouraging and sustaining interest and
achievement levels in STEM subjects among women
and other populations historically
underrepresented in STEM studies and careers;
and
(D) combining computer-based and online STEM
education and skills development with
traditional mentoring and other mentoring
arrangements, apprenticeships, internships, and
other applied learning opportunities.
(g) Coordination With Other Federal Departments.--In carrying
out this section, the Director shall consult, cooperate, and
coordinate, to enhance program effectiveness and to avoid
duplication, with the programs and policies of other relevant
Federal agencies. [In carrying out subsection (c), the Director
shall coordinate activities with programs receiving assistance
under part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965.]
(h) Funding.--
(1) Funding.--The Director shall allocate out of
amounts made available for the Education and Human
Resources Directorate--
(A) up to $5,000,000 to carry out the
activities under subsection (d) for each of
fiscal years 2019 through [2022] 2026, subject
to the availability of appropriations;
(B) up to $2,500,000 to carry out the
activities under subsection (e) for each of
fiscal years 2019 through [2022] 2026, subject
to the availability of appropriations; and
(C) [up to $2,500,000] not less than
$3,000,000 to carry out the activities under
subsection (f) for each of fiscal years 2019
through [2022] 2026, subject to the
availability of appropriations.
(2) Limitation on funding.--Amounts made available to
carry out subsections (d), (e), and (f) shall be
derived from amounts appropriated or otherwise made
available to the National Science Foundation.
(3) Limitation on funding.--To qualify for a grant
under this section, an associate-degree-granting
college, or consortium thereof, shall provide
assurances adequate to the Director that it will not
decrease its level of spending of funds from non-
Federal sources on advanced scientific and technical
education and training programs.
(i) Functions of the Director.--In carrying out this Act, the
Director shall--
(1) award grants on a competitive, merit basis;
(2) ensure an equitable geographic distribution of
grant awards;
(3) ensure that an applicant for a grant awarded
under subsection (a), (b), or (c)(1) will make an in-
cash or in-kind contribution in an amount equal to at
least 25 percent of the cost of the program, and for a
grant awarded under subsection (c)(2) will make an in-
cash or in-kind contribution in an amount at least
equal to the amount of the grant award;
(4) establish and maintain a readily accessible
inventory of the programs assisted under this Act; and
(5) designate an officer of the National Science
Foundation to serve as a liaison with associate-degree-
granting institutions for the purpose of enhancing the
role of such institutions in the activities of the
Foundation.
(j) Definitions.--As used in this section--
[(1) the term ``advanced-technology'' includes
advanced technical activities such as the
modernization, miniaturization, integration, and
computerization of electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic,
laser, nuclear, chemical, telecommunication, fiber
optic, robotic, and other technological applications to
enhance productivity improvements in manufacturing,
communication, transportation, commercial, and similar
economic and national security activities;]
(1) the term ``advanced-technology'' includes
technological fields such as advanced manufacturing,
agricultural-, biological- and chemical-technologies,
energy and environmental technologies, engineering
technologies, information technologies, micro- and
nano-technologies, cybersecurity technologies,
geospatial technologies, and new, emerging technology
areas;
[(2) the term ``associate-degree-granting college''
means an institution of higher education (as determined
under section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965)
that--
[(A) is a nonprofit institution that offers a
2-year associate-degree program or a 2-year
certificate program; or
[(B) is a proprietary institution that offers
a 2-year associate-degree program;]
(2) the term ``associate-degree-granting college''
means an institution of higher education (as defined in
section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002)) that offers a 2-year associate-degree
program or 2-year certificate program;
(3) the term ``bachelor-degree-granting institution''
means an institution of higher education ([as
determined under section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965] as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) that offers a
baccalaureate degree program;
(4) the term ``eligible partnership'' means one or
more associate-degree-granting colleges in partnership
with one or more [separate bachelor-degree-granting
institutions] other entities;
(5) the term ``in-demand industry sector or
occupation'' has the meaning given the term in section
3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3102);
(6) the term ``junior or community college'' has the
meaning given the term in section 312 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058);
[(7) the term ``local educational agency'' has the
meaning given such term in section 1471(12) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 2891(12)).]
[(8)] (7) the term ``region'' means a labor market
area, as that term is defined in section 3 of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3102); [and]
[(9)] (8) the terms ``[mathematics, science,
engineering, or technology] science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics'' or ``STEM'' mean science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, including
[computer science and cybersecurity.] computer science
and cybersecurity; and
(9) the term ``skilled technical workforce'' means
workers--
(A) in occupations that use significant
levels of science and engineering expertise and
technical knowledge; and
(B) whose level of educational attainment is
less than a bachelor degree.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
[There are authorized to be appropriated, from sums otherwise
authorized to be appropriated, to the Director for carrying out
this Act--
[(1) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1992; and
[(2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1993.]
There are authorized to be appropriated, from sums otherwise
authorized to be appropriated, to the Director for carrying out
this Act, $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through
2027.
[all]