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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1657 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 1657

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 2007

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
  To establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to award 
    scholarships to recruit and prepare students for careers in the 
   National Weather Service and in National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
  Administration marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite 
                               programs.

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

SECTION 1. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator is authorized to 
        establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to award 
        scholarships to individuals that is designed to recruit and 
        prepare students for careers in the National Weather Service 
        and in Administration marine research, atmospheric research, 
        and satellite programs.
            (2) Competitive process.--Individuals shall be selected to 
        receive scholarships under this section through a competitive 
        process primarily on the basis of academic merit, with 
        consideration given to financial need and the goal of promoting 
        the participation of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 
        of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).
            (3) Service agreements.--To carry out the scholarship 
        program, the Administrator shall enter into contractual 
        agreements with individuals selected under paragraph (2) under 
        which the individuals agree to serve as full-time employees of 
        the Administration, for the period described in subsection 
        (f)(1), in positions needed by the Administration in fields 
        described in paragraph (1) and for which the individuals are 
        qualified, in exchange for receiving a scholarship.
    (b) Scholarship Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to 
participate in the scholarship program, an individual shall--
            (1) be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time 
        student at an institution of higher education in an academic 
        program or field of study described in the list made available 
        under subsection (d);
            (2) be a United States citizen or permanent resident; and
            (3) at the time of the initial scholarship award, not be a 
        Federal employee as defined in section 2105 of title 5 of the 
        United States Code.
    (c) Application Required.--An individual seeking a scholarship 
under this section shall submit an application to the Administrator at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information, agreements, 
or assurances as the Administrator may require to carry out this 
section.
    (d) Eligible Academic Programs.--The Administrator shall make 
publicly available a list of academic programs and fields of study for 
which scholarships may be utilized in fields described in subsection 
(a)(1), and shall update the list as necessary.
    (e) Scholarship Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator may provide a 
        scholarship under the scholarship program for an academic year 
        if the individual applying for the scholarship has submitted to 
        the Administrator, as part of the application required under 
        subsection (c), a proposed academic program leading to a degree 
        in a program or field of study on the list made available under 
        subsection (d).
            (2) Duration of eligibility.--An individual may not receive 
        a scholarship under this section for more than 4 academic 
        years, unless the Administrator grants a waiver.
            (3) Scholarship amount.--The dollar amount of a scholarship 
        under this section for an academic year shall be determined 
        under regulations issued by the Administrator, but shall in no 
        case exceed the cost of attendance.
            (4) Authorized uses.--A scholarship provided under this 
        section may be expended for tuition, fees, and other authorized 
        expenses as established by the Administrator by regulation.
            (5) Contracts regarding direct payments to institutions.--
        The Administrator may enter into a contractual agreement with 
        an institution of higher education under which the amounts 
        provided for a scholarship under this section for tuition, 
        fees, and other authorized expenses are paid directly to the 
        institution with respect to which the scholarship is provided.
    (f) Period of Obligated Service.--
            (1) Duration of service.--Except as provided in subsection 
        (h)(2), the period of service for which an individual shall be 
        obligated to serve as an employee of the Administration shall 
        be 24 months for each academic year for which a scholarship 
        under this section is provided.
            (2) Schedule for service.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), obligated service under paragraph (1) shall begin 
                not later than 60 days after the individual obtains the 
                educational degree for which the scholarship was 
                provided.
                    (B) Deferral.--The Administrator may defer the 
                obligation of an individual to provide a period of 
                service under paragraph (1) if the Administrator 
                determines that such a deferral is appropriate. The 
                Administrator shall prescribe the terms and conditions 
                under which a service obligation may be deferred 
                through regulation.
    (g) Penalties for Breach of Scholarship Agreement.--
            (1) Failure to complete academic training.--Scholarship 
        recipients who fail to maintain a high level of academic 
        standing, as defined by the Administrator by regulation, who 
        are dismissed from their educational institutions for 
        disciplinary reasons, or who voluntarily terminate academic 
        training before graduation from the educational program for 
        which the scholarship was awarded, shall be in breach of their 
        contractual agreement and, in lieu of any service obligation 
        arising under such agreement, shall be liable to the United 
        States for repayment not later than 1 year after the date of 
        default of all scholarship funds paid to them and to the 
        institution of higher education on their behalf under the 
        agreement, except as provided in subsection (h)(2). The 
        repayment period may be extended by the Administrator when 
        determined to be necessary, as established by regulation.
            (2) Failure to begin or complete the service obligation or 
        meet the terms and conditions of deferment.--A scholarship 
        recipient who, for any reason, fails to begin or complete a 
        service obligation under this section after completion of 
        academic training, or fails to comply with the terms and 
        conditions of deferment established by the Administrator 
        pursuant to subsection (f)(2)(B), shall be in breach of the 
        contractual agreement. When a recipient breaches an agreement 
        for the reasons stated in the preceding sentence, the recipient 
        shall be liable to the United States for an amount equal to--
                    (A) the total amount of scholarships received by 
                such individual under this section; plus
                    (B) the interest on the amounts of such awards 
                which would be payable if at the time the awards were 
                received they were loans bearing interest at the 
                maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by the 
                Treasurer of the United States.
    (h) Waiver or Suspension of Obligation.--
            (1) Death of individual.--Any obligation of an individual 
        incurred under the scholarship program (or a contractual 
        agreement thereunder) for service or payment shall be canceled 
        upon the death of the individual.
            (2) Impossibility or extreme hardship.--The Administrator 
        shall by regulation provide for the partial or total waiver or 
        suspension of any obligation of service or payment incurred by 
        an individual under the scholarship program (or a contractual 
        agreement thereunder) whenever compliance by the individual is 
        impossible or would involve extreme hardship to the individual, 
        or if enforcement of such obligation with respect to the 
        individual would be contrary to the best interests of the 
        Government.
    (i) Definitions.--In this Act the following definitions apply:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (3) Cost of attendance.--The term ``cost of attendance'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 472 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (5) Scholarship program.--The term ``scholarship program'' 
        means the Science and Technology Scholarship Program 
        established under this section.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2007.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.
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