I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2587 

To provide for Federal agencies and employees to support science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities in classrooms. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 28, 2013 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. KILMER) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To provide for Federal agencies and employees to support 

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

(STEM) activities in classrooms. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Planting STEM in 

5 the Classroom Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The United States has traditionally pro2 duced the world’s leading innovators in the science, 

3 technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. 

4 (2) Numerous studies show that STEM-related 

5 innovations fueled more than half of the Nation’s 

6 economic growth over the past half century. 

7 (3) The number of STEM-related jobs grew 3 

8 times as fast as non-STEM-related jobs during the 

9 past 10 years and is forecast to grow twice as fast 

10 over the next decade. 

11 (4) Recent reports on standardized testing show 

12 United States students performing below average or 

13 average in mathematics and science when compared 

14 with their international peers. 

15 (5) President Obama has established the goal 

16 for the United States to have the highest proportion 

17 of college graduates in the world by 2020, which will 

18 require the Federal Government to work with edu19 cation partners to improve the quality of STEM 

20 education at all levels to help increase the number 

21 of well-prepared graduates with STEM degrees by 

22 one-third over the next 10 years, resulting in an ad23 ditional 1 million graduates with STEM degrees. 

24 (6) President Obama has called for recruiting 

25 more teachers and mentors in the STEM fields to 


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1 better engage students, particularly young women 

2 and minorities, and encourage them to pursue de3 grees and careers in the STEM fields so the United 

4 States can maintain its competitiveness in the global 

5 economy. 

6 (7) The Federal Government employs and sup7 ports through research grants many of the world’s 

8 leading scientists, mathematicians, and engineers in 

9 every State. 

10 SEC. 3. PROVIDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FED11 ERAL EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN STEM ACTIVI12 TIES. 

13 The Office of Personnel Management, in consultation 

14 with the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the 

15 Department of Education, shall develop a policy to— 

16 (1) increase volunteerism in STEM education 

17 activities by encouraging Federal employees engaged 

18 in STEM activities, including scientists, engineers, 

19 and cybersecurity specialists engaged in nonmilitary 

20 activities, from Federal agencies and the federally 

21 funded research and development centers supported 

22 by those agencies, to volunteer in STEM education 

23 activities by providing administrative leave and sup24 port for such employees to engage in such vol25 unteerism; and 


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1 (2) support increased communication and part2 nerships between scientists and engineers from Fed3 eral science agencies conducting nonmilitary sci4 entific research and development, including scientists 

5 and engineers of the federally funded research and 

6 development centers supported by those agencies, 

7 and elementary and secondary schools and teachers 

8 through volunteerism in STEM education activities. 

9 SEC. 4. CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED 

10 COMMUNITIES. 

11 Each Federal science agency shall report to Congress 

12 the approaches that it will take to conduct outreach de13 signed to promote widespread public understanding of ca14 reer opportunities in the STEM fields specific to the work15 force needs of that agency, including outreach to women, 

16 Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, and other 

17 students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. 

18 SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT. 

19 Not later than June 1, 2014, and annually thereafter, 

20 the Secretary of Education shall transmit a report to Con21 gress detailing— 

22 (1) the number of volunteers and volunteer 

23 hours resulting from this Act; 

24 (2) the number of schools, teachers, and stu25 dents engaged thereby; and 


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1 (3) the methods of outreach used under this 

2 Act to serve underrepresented communities. 

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