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Legislation News & Report (TM) TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Managing America: Education |
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TheWeekInCongress.com (TM) Week Ending April 27, 2006
H.R.363 To authorize appropriations for basic research and research infrastructure in science and engineering, and for support of graduate fellowships, and for other purposes.
This bill addresses America’s potential for decline among countries in the area of science and engineering students and expertise. It provides grants to science and engineering faculty and others to participate in research relevant to the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
Missions of the National Science Foundation would be supported by grants to higher education students in the early stages of their science or engineering curricula. The grants would be awarded through the existing faculty Early Career Development Program and would be for at least $80,000 for up to five years. Grantees would be expected to do research in fields related to the NSF missions, Department of Energy projects in particular.
Awardees will be individuals in a tenure track position as an assistant professor or equal or who hold an equivalent position at a US institute of higher learning or an organization that is non-profit such as a museum, observatory or research laboratory. Awardees will be selected on a competitive. The NSF Director will consider the intellectual merit of the proposed research, its innovative and transformative nature, the extent to which it integrates education in science and engineering disciplines and the “potential of the applicant for the leadership at the frontiers of knowledge.”
NSF is also ordered to direct 1.5% of grant funds to integrate graduate education and research training.
A report describing institutions participating in the program is due to the House. Two years on another report is due evaluating the impact of the grants program.
The Department of Energy will offer similar awards relevant to that department’s mission and to the same groups of young faculty or employees. The grantees would collaborate with the national laboratories.
The bill also provides for the Presidential Innovation Award to be given periodically to individuals who develop one or more unique scientific or engineering ideas in the national interest. The awards intend to stimulate scientific and engineering advances in the national interest, illustrate the linkage between science and engineering and national needs and provide an example to students of the contribution they could make to society by entering the science and engineering professions. Recipient must be a US citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident who has filed for naturalization and is not permanently ineligible to become a US citizen.
A new office for coordinating research would be established to identify and prioritize deficiencies in research facilities at universities and national laboratories, institute and coordinate Federal planning for acquisition and maintaining research facilities. A report to Congress is due in about a year that evaluates research infrastructure and progress with this grant program, barriers to success and necessary funding needed.
NASA too will participate similarly to NSF and DOE.
Sponsor: Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN-6th) Vote: Passed House 397 to 20 April 24, 2007 (RC 257) Cost to the taxpayers: “CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 363 would cost $921 million over the 2008-2012 period.” NSF Grant funds would come from money appropriated for grants in the budget of the NSF. 3.5% of those funds (total funds for research is $4.2 billion in 2007) would be earmarked for these grants. Graduate student grants would come from 1.5% of grant funds (1.5% = $67 million) available and DOE would receive $25 million 2008 through 2012 for grant awards. Earmark Certification: The bill establishes criteria for selecting universities and the grants are competitive and merit based therefore there are no earmarks in this bill. “H.R. 363 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI.” ## All Rights Reserved. © 2007 TheWeekInCongress.com(TM) No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM) AMENDMENTS Amendments For H.R.3631. H.AMDT.107 to H.R.363 An amendment numbered 1 printed in
House Report 110-99 to insert an exception with respect to the number of
meritorious grant applications received for a fiscal year. This amendment would modify the 3.5 percent allocation provision to include the following clause: ``except to the extent that a sufficient number of meritorious grant applications have not been received for a fiscal year.'' 2. H.AMDT.108 to H.R.363 An amendment numbered 2 printed in
House Report 110-99 to require the Director to give special consideration
to eligible early-career researchers who have followed alternative career
paths when awarding grants. 3. H.AMDT.109 to H.R.363 An amendment numbered 3 printed in
House Report 110-99 to insert a new section providing for a new
undergraduate scholarships program for science, technology, engineering
and mathematics and known as US-STEM. (a) Establishment.--The National Science Foundation shall establish a program, to be known as the Undergraduate Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or US-STEM, program, for awarding scholarships to undergraduate scholars in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. (b) Eligibility.--A student is eligible for a scholarship under this section only if the student-- (1) is enrolled at a public, 4-year college or university; (2) will have completed at least one-half of the credit requirements for an undergraduate degree before beginning studies to be funded by the scholarship; (3) has maintained a grade point average in undergraduate studies of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, or an equivalent level as calculated by the National Science Foundation, except that if the student's institution appeals this criterion on the basis of undue hardship on the student, the National Science Foundation may waive this paragraph; (4) has a total family income of less than $75,000 per year, with such amount to be adjusted annually by the National Science Foundation for inflation; (5) has not been convicted of a felony; and (6) is a citizen or permanent resident alien of the United States.
4. H.AMDT.110 to H.R.363 An amendment submitted pursuant to the
instructions contained in the Sullivan (OK) motion to recommit.
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