I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6160 
To establish a scholarship program to encourage outstanding graduate stu-
dents in mission-critical fields to pursue a career in the Federal Govern-
ment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2008 
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. MORAN of Vir-
ginia, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. 
MCDERMOTT, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. COHEN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. VAN 
HOLLEN, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, and Ms. NOR-
TON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a scholarship program to encourage outstanding 
graduate students in mission-critical fields to pursue a 
career in the Federal Government. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Roosevelt Scholars Act of 2008’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents is 
as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
Sec. 4. Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation. 
Sec. 5. Roosevelt Scholars. 
Sec. 6. Requirements for Roosevelt Scholars. 
Sec. 7. Special hiring authority. 
Sec. 8. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund. 
Sec. 9. Expenditures and audit of Trust Fund. 
Sec. 10. Executive Secretary of the Foundation. 
Sec. 11. Administrative provisions. 
Sec. 12. Additional duties and authorities of the Foundation. 
Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) the Office of Personnel Management esti-
mates that about 550,000 Federal employees will 
leave the Government in the next 5 years, the major-
ity through retirement, and a recent survey indicates 
that Federal agencies will need to hire nearly 
193,000 new employees to fill mission-critical posi-
tions (including highly specialized professionals, such 
as scientists, engineers, physicians, mathematicians, 
and economists) within the next 2 years; 
(2) the ability of the Federal Government to 
perform mission-critical functions depends on a 
strong, well-trained, and highly engaged Federal 
workforce; 
(3) heavy educational debt and lack of knowl-
edge about Federal job opportunities drive many 
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students to seek employment in the private sector, 
making it difficult for the Federal Government to re-
place needed talent in mission-critical positions; and 
(4) a new scholarship program to help finance 
graduate-level education and to connect students di-
rectly with mission-critical Federal positions would 
help build a much needed pipeline of talent for the 
Government. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Foundation’’ means the Theodore 
Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation, as described in 
section 4(a); 
(2) the term ‘‘Board’’ means the Board of 
Trustees of the Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship 
Foundation, as described in section 4(b); 
(3) the term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Theodore Roo-
sevelt Memorial Scholarship Fund, as described in 
section 8; 
(4) the term ‘‘Federal agency’’ means an Exec-
utive agency, as defined by section 105 of title 5, 
United States Code; 
(5) the term ‘‘State’’ includes the District of 
Columbia; 
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(6) the term ‘‘graduate student’’ means a stu-
dent in a master’s, law, or doctoral degree program 
at a university accredited by a nationally recognized 
accrediting agency or association; and 
(7) the term ‘‘mission-critical occupational 
area’’ refers to those positions that a Federal agency 
identifies as essential to achieving its strategic goals, 
as determined through the workforce analysis proc-
ess of the Federal agency’s workforce planning sys-
tem. 
SEC. 4. THEODORE ROOSEVELT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDA-
TION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, as an 
independent establishment in the executive branch of the 
Government, a foundation to be known as the ‘‘Theodore 
Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation’’. 
(b) BOARD OF TRUSTEES.—The Foundation shall be 
subject to the supervision and direction of a Board of 
Trustees. The Board shall be composed of 9 members, 
plus 1 non-voting ex officio member, as follows: 
(1) 2 members shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, with the advice and consent of the Senate, 
after considering the recommendations made by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives in consulta-
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tion with the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(2) 2 members shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, with the advice and consent of the Senate, 
after considering the recommendations made by the 
President pro tempore of the Senate in consultation 
with the minority leader of the Senate. 
(3) 5 members, not more than 3 of whom shall 
be of the same political party, shall be appointed by 
the President, with the advice and consent of the 
Senate, from among individuals who— 
(A) have demonstrated leadership or exper-
tise in public service; or 
(B) represent a Federal agency or a pro-
fessional association related to mission-critical 
occupational areas. 
(4) The Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management (or a designee), who shall serve as a 
non-voting, ex officio member of the Board. 
(c) TERM OF OFFICE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2) or (3), the term of each member (other 
than the ex officio member) shall be 6 years. 
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(2) INITIAL
APPOINTEES.—As designated by 
the President at the time of appointment, of the 
members first appointed— 
(A) 1 member appointed under subsection 
(b)(2) and 2 members appointed under sub-
section (b)(3) shall be appointed for a term of 
2 years; 
(B) 1 member appointed under subsection 
(b)(1) and 2 members appointed under sub-
section (b)(3) shall be appointed for a term of 
4 years; and 
(C) 1 member appointed under subsection 
(b)(1), 1 member appointed under subsection 
(b)(2), and 1 member appointed under sub-
section (b)(3) shall be appointed for a term of 
6 years. 
(3) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed to fill 
a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the 
term for which the member’s predecessor was ap-
pointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of 
that term. A vacancy on the Board shall be filled in 
the manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(d) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Board shall 
serve without pay, but shall be entitled to reimbursement 
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for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses in-
curred in the performance of their duties as members of 
the Board. 
SEC. 5. ROOSEVELT SCHOLARS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Foundation shall award 
scholarships to graduate students who demonstrate out-
standing potential for a career in a mission-critical occu-
pational area within the Federal Government. The recipi-
ent of a scholarship under this Act shall be known as a 
‘‘Roosevelt Scholar’’. 
(b) SELECTION PROCESS.— 
(1) NATIONWIDE COMPETITION.—The Founda-
tion shall, directly or by contract, provide for the 
conduct of an annual Nationwide competition, in-
cluding an application and interview process, for the 
purpose of selecting Roosevelt Scholars. 
(2) CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES.—The Foun-
dation shall adopt selection criteria and procedures 
to ensure a diverse cohort of scholarship recipients 
each year who— 
(A) at the time of applying for a scholar-
ship under this Act, are enrolled in or seeking 
admission to an accredited full-time graduate 
degree program in a discipline that is deter-
mined by the Foundation to be directly related 
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to 1 or more mission-critical occupational areas 
within the Federal Government; 
(B) have been nominated by an appro-
priate faculty member or other representative of 
the institution in which they are enrolled, of 
which they are a graduate, or to which they are 
seeking admission, or by another individual, ap-
proved by the Foundation, who has direct 
knowledge of the candidate’s academic or work 
experience; and 
(C) must be a citizen or legal permanent 
resident of the United States. 
(c) SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNTS.—Each student awarded 
a scholarship under this Act shall receive, for each aca-
demic year in which such student is enrolled full time in 
the graduate degree program described in subsection 
(b)(2)(A), the cost of tuition plus a stipend, except that— 
(1) the stipend awarded under this Act to a 
student for an academic year may not exceed the 
lesser of— 
(A) the cost to the student of room and 
board, books, and fees for such academic year; 
or 
(B) $12,000 (adjusted annually to reflect 
any increase in the consumer price index for all 
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urban consumers, as published by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics); 
(2) the total scholarship awarded under this 
Act to a student for an academic year, for tuition 
and stipend combined, may not exceed— 
(A) $60,000 (adjusted at the same time 
and in the same manner as the dollar amount 
under paragraph (1)(B)), minus 
(B) the sum of all scholarships, grants, or 
other similar cash awards received by the stu-
dent for such academic year from any source 
apart from this Act; and 
(3) scholarships under this Act may be awarded 
to a student for such periods as the Foundation may 
prescribe, but not to exceed 5 academic years. 
(d) SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS.— 
(1) SATISFACTORY
PROFICIENCY.—A student 
awarded a scholarship under this Act shall continue 
to receive the payments provided for under this Act 
only during such periods as the Foundation finds 
that such student is maintaining satisfactory pro-
ficiency and devoting full time to study or research 
designed to prepare such student for a career in the 
Federal Government, unless otherwise approved by 
the Foundation. 
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(2) REPORTS.—The Foundation may require 
reports containing such information, in such form, 
and to be filed at such times as the Foundation de-
termines to be necessary from any student awarded 
a scholarship under this Act. Such reports shall be 
accompanied by a certificate from an appropriate of-
ficial at the institution of higher education, approved 
by the Foundation, stating that such individual is 
making satisfactory progress in, and is devoting es-
sentially full time to study or research, except as 
otherwise provided in this subsection. 
SEC. 6. REQUIREMENTS FOR ROOSEVELT SCHOLARS. 
(a) SERVICE REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each student awarded a 
scholarship under this Act shall be required to enter 
into a service agreement with the Foundation which 
provides for such student to complete, in return for 
the scholarship, a specified period of service with the 
Federal Government. Under the agreement, the pe-
riod of service shall be for the number of years equal 
to the total number of academic years for which the 
student received a scholarship under this Act, except 
that the total period of service shall not be less than 
3 years nor more than 5 years. 
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(2) FAILURE
TO
FULFILL.—An agreement 
under this section shall provide that an individual 
shall, in the event that such individual fails to meet 
the service requirement under paragraph (1), be re-
quired to repay to the Foundation the amount equal 
to— 
(A) the total amount of scholarship monies 
(tuition and stipends combined) received by the 
individual under such agreement, multiplied by 
(B) a fraction, the numerator of which is 
the amount of service not completed and the de-
nominator of which is the total period of service 
agreed to. 
An amount under this paragraph shall be treated as 
a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under 
part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a and following), and shall be 
subject to repayment, together with interest thereon 
accruing from the date of the scholarship award, in 
accordance with terms and conditions specified by 
the Secretary of Education in regulations under this 
subpart. 
(3) REGULATIONS.—The Foundation, in con-
sultation with the Office of Personnel Management, 
shall prescribe any regulations necessary to carry 
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out this subsection, including provisions under which 
the service requirement specified by paragraph (1) 
or a repayment otherwise required under paragraph 
(2) may be waived, in whole or in part, in appro-
priate circumstances. 
(b) INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Roosevelt Scholars shall be 
required to complete at least 1 internship related to 
their field of study in a Federal agency while earn-
ing their graduate or other advanced degree. 
(2) REGULATIONS.—The Foundation, in con-
sultation with the Office of Personnel Management, 
shall prescribe any regulations necessary to carry 
out this subsection, including provisions under which 
the internship requirement specified by subsection 
(b) may be waived in appropriate circumstances. 
(c) PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVI-
TIES.—While earning their graduate or other advanced 
degree and during their period of obligated service (as de-
scribed in subsection (a)), Roosevelt Scholars shall be re-
quired, in accordance with such terms as the Foundation 
shall establish, to participate in extracurricular activities 
as described in section 12(a)(5). 
(d) AVAILABILITY AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—While earning their graduate 
or other advanced degree and during their period of 
obligated service (as described in subsection (a)), 
Roosevelt Scholars shall be required, in accordance 
with such terms as the Foundation shall establish, 
to serve as a resource for— 
(A) individuals interested in becoming a 
Roosevelt Scholar or seeking employment with 
the Federal Government; 
(B) faculty, career services professionals, 
and other personnel at universities who advise 
students on career opportunities with the Fed-
eral Government; and 
(C) Federal agencies which might be inter-
ested in promoting, at the institution of higher 
education at which the student is enrolled, ca-
reer opportunities with the Federal Govern-
ment. 
(2) MEMORANDA
OF
UNDERSTANDING.—The 
Foundation may enter into memoranda of under-
standing with any institution of higher education re-
garding any facilities or resources that will be made 
available to Roosevelt Scholars for purposes of this 
subsection. 
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(3) TRAINING.—The Foundation, in coopera-
tion with the Office of Personnel Management, may 
provide for Roosevelt Scholars to receive any train-
ing which they might need in order to carry out 
their responsibilities under this subsection. 
SEC. 7. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY. 
Under such regulations as the Office of Personnel 
Management shall prescribe, a Federal agency may make 
a noncompetitive appointment (in the excepted service, as 
defined by section 2103 of title 5, United States Code, 
leading to conversion to career or career-conditional em-
ployment) of any Roosevelt Scholar who has successfully 
completed the program of study for which the scholarship 
was granted. A noncompetitive appointment under this 
section shall be for a period not to exceed 2 years, and 
shall be to a mission-critical position, with the possibility 
of an extension for one additional year by the employing 
agency. At the end of the period of the noncompetitive 
appointment, conversion to career or career-conditional 
employment in a mission-critical position shall be granted 
to those Roosevelt Scholars who meet all qualification, 
suitability, and performance requirements. 
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SEC. 8. THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 
TRUST FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known 
as the ‘‘Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Scholarship Trust 
Fund’’ to be administered by the Foundation. The Fund 
shall consist of amounts appropriated to it pursuant to 
section 13 and amounts paid into the Fund pursuant to 
section 11(a)(4). 
(b) INVESTMENT
IN INTEREST-BEARING OBLIGA-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury shall invest such currently available portions of 
the Fund as are not, in the judgment of the Sec-
retary, immediately required for payments from the 
Fund. Such investments may be made only in inter-
est-bearing obligations of the United States or in ob-
ligations guaranteed as to both principal and inter-
est by the United States. 
(2) ACQUISITION OF OBLIGATIONS.—For such 
purpose, such obligations may be acquired— 
(A) at original issue at the issue price; or 
(B) by purchase of outstanding obligations 
at the market price. 
The purposes for which obligations of the United 
States may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31, 
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