### §1885c. Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering

#### (a) Establishment; purposes

There is established within the Foundation a Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee"). The Committee shall provide advice to the Foundation concerning (1) the implementation of the provisions of sections 1885 to 1885d of this title and (2) other policies and activities of the Foundation to encourage full participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in scientific, engineering, and professional fields.

#### (b) Membership; Chairperson; term of members

Each member of the Committee shall be appointed by the Director. In addition, the Chairman of the National Science Board may designate a member of the Board as a member of the Committee. Members of the Committee shall be appointed to serve for a three-year term, and may be reappointed to serve one additional term of three years.

#### (c) Responsibilities of Committee

The Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and evaluating all Foundation matters relating to opportunities for the participation in, and the advancement of, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in education, training, and science and engineering research programs.

#### (d) Standing or ad hoc subcommittees

The Committee may organize such standing or ad hoc subcommittees as the Committee finds appropriate.

#### (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.

(Pub. L. 96–516, §36, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 3012; Pub. L. 99–159, title I, §111(b)(8), Nov. 22, 1985, 99 Stat. 893; Pub. L. 100–570, title I, §105(c), Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 2868; Pub. L. 105–207, title II, §202(d)(2), July 29, 1998, 112 Stat. 874; Pub. L. 114–329, title III, §313, Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 3014.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

Sections 1885 to 1885d of this title, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this Act", meaning sections 31 et seq. of Pub. L. 96–516, known as the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act, which enacted sections 1885 to 1885d of this title and provisions set out as notes under sections 1861 and 1885 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1980 Amendment note set out under section 1861 of this title and Tables.

#### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

#### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–329, which directed the general amendment of section 204(e) of Pub. L. 100–570, was executed by making the amendment to subsec. (e) of this section, meaning section 36(e) of Pub. L. 96–516, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Every two years, the Committee shall prepare and transmit to the Director a report on its activities during the previous two years and proposed activities for the next two years. The Director shall transmit to Congress the report, unaltered, together with such comments as the Director deems appropriate."

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(A), substituted "minorities, and persons with disabilities in scientific" for "minorities, and other groups currently underrepresented in scientific".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(B), struck out "with the concurrence of the National Science Board" after "the Director" and substituted "In addition, the Chairman of the National Science Board may designate a member of the Board as a member of the Committee." for "The Chairperson of the National Science Board Committee on Minorities and Women shall be an ex officio member of the Committee."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(C), (D), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: "There shall be a subcommittee of the Committee which shall be known as the Subcommittee on Women in Science and Engineering. The Subcommittee on Women in Science and Engineering shall have responsibility for all Committee matters relating to (1) the participation in and opportunities for the education, training, and research of women in science and engineering and (2) the impact of science and engineering on women. The Subcommittee shall be composed of all the women members of the Committee and such other members of the Committee as the Committee may designate."

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(F), struck out "additional" after "organize such".

Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(C), (E), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which read as follows: "There shall be a subcommittee of the Committee which shall be known as the Subcommittee on Minorities in Science and Engineering. The Subcommittee on Minorities in Science and Engineering shall have responsibility for all Committee matters relating to (1) the participation in and opportunities for education, training, and research for minorities in science and engineering and (2) the impact of science and engineering on minorities. The Subcommittee shall be composed of all minority members of the Committee and such other members of the Committee as the Committee may designate."

Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 105–207, §202(d)(2)(E), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (d).

1988—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–570 amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows: "Each year the Committee shall prepare and transmit to the Director a report concerning its activities during the previous year and its proposed activities for the next year. The Director shall transmit to Congress the report, unaltered, along with comments."

1985—Pub. L. 99–159, §111(b)(8)(A), substituted "Engineering" for "Technology" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–159 substituted "Engineering" for "Technology" and "scientific, engineering, and professional" for "scientific engineering, professional, and technical".

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 99–159, §111(b)(8)(A), substituted "Engineering" for "Technology" and "engineering" for "technology" wherever appearing.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Termination of Advisory Committees

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973 to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

#### Report by Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering

Pub. L. 107–368, §20, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3063, provided that: "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 [Dec. 19, 2002], the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering shall include—

"(1) a summary of its findings over the previous 10 years;

"(2) a description of past and present policies and activities of the Foundation to encourage full participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science, mathematics, and engineering fields, including activities in support of minority-serving institutions; and

"(3) an assessment of the trends in participation in Foundation activities, and an assessment of the success of Foundation policies and activities, along with proposals for new strategies or the broadening of existing successful strategies toward facilitating the goals of that Act [42 U.S.C. 1885 et seq.]."

[For definitions of terms used in section 20 of Pub. L. 107–368, set out above, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–368, set out as a note under section 1862n of this title.]