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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 988 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 988

    Recognizing the importance of diversity in science, technology, 
  engineering, and mathematics, acknowledging a necessity to increase 
diversity and representation within physics, and expressing support for 
   the American Physical Society Bridge Program for its work toward 
 increasing the number of underrepresented minorities earning physics 
                           doctoral degrees.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 2018

   Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mrs. Comstock) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
 Space, and Technology, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Recognizing the importance of diversity in science, technology, 
  engineering, and mathematics, acknowledging a necessity to increase 
diversity and representation within physics, and expressing support for 
   the American Physical Society Bridge Program for its work toward 
 increasing the number of underrepresented minorities earning physics 
                           doctoral degrees.

Whereas increased diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
        (STEM) fields brings broader experiences, expertise, ideas, and 
        creativity to problem solving and research;
Whereas the National Science Foundation (NSF) has made increasing diversity in 
        STEM a priority;
Whereas increasing diversity in STEM begins with improving educational 
        opportunities for underrepresented minorities (URMs) to create the next 
        generation of leaders facing future scientific challenges;
Whereas there is a ``representation gap'' problem in physics among URMs, with 
        African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans earning 11 
        percent of United States physics bachelor's degrees, but only 6 percent 
        of physics Ph.D.s;
Whereas this ``representation gap'' could be closed with the addition of 30 more 
        Ph.D.s awarded to URMs each year;
Whereas the American Physical Society (APS) Bridge Program, which was 
        established with support from the NSF Directorate for Education & Human 
        Resources Division of Human Resource Development, Directorate for 
        Mathematical and Physical Sciences Divisions of Physics and Materials 
        Research, and other programs, was created to solve this problem by 
        connecting promising URMs not admitted to graduate school with a system 
        of support;
Whereas the APS Bridge Program is a national effort with a network of more than 
        160 participating universities and research institutions in 38 States 
        that have admitted more than 150 students since its inception in 2013;
Whereas the APS Bridge Program is on track to close the ``representation gap'' 
        in physics by placing over 30 students each year since 2016 in support 
        programs and physics graduate programs, maintaining a retention rate of 
        88 percent, 29 percentage points higher than the national average; and
Whereas the APS Bridge Program advances the NSF goal of broadening participation 
        by increasing representation in physics, and serves as a model for 
        successful graduate education for URMs in other science disciplines: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the value of the American Physical Society 
        Bridge Program;
            (2) supports increasing diversity in the science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and 
        closing the representation gap; and
            (3) encourages continued Federal investments in higher 
        education programming.
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