I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1441 
To emphasize manufacturing in engineering programs by directing the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordination with other 
appropriate Federal agencies including the Department of Defense, De-
partment of Energy, and National Science Foundation, to designate 
United States manufacturing universities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 18, 2015 
Ms. ESTY (for herself, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Mr. TONKO, Mr. MEEHAN, 
Mr. THOMPSON of California, and Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To emphasize manufacturing in engineering programs by 
directing the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology, in coordination with other appropriate Federal 
agencies including the Department of Defense, Depart-
ment of Energy, and National Science Foundation, to 
designate United States manufacturing universities. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Manufacturing Univer-
sities Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING UNIVERSITIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology. 
(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(3) MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRY.—The term 
‘‘manufacturing industry’’ means an industry de-
fined in North American Industry Classification Sys-
tem codes 31, 32, and 33. 
(4) UNITED STATES MANUFACTURING UNIVER-
SITY.—The term ‘‘United States manufacturing uni-
versity’’ means an institution of higher education 
that receives a designation from the Director under 
subsection (b)(1). 
(b) MANUFACTURING UNIVERSITY PROGRAM.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—The Director is author-
ized to establish a program to designate an institu-
tion of higher education as a United States manu-
facturing university. The Director, in coordination 
with the heads of other Federal agencies (including 
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, 
and the Director of the National Science Founda-
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tion), shall designate not more than 25 institutions 
of higher education as United States manufacturing 
universities. The Director shall award designations 
not earlier than January 1, 2016, and not later than 
March 31, 2016. 
(2) FUNDS PROVIDED.—An institution of high-
er education that receives a designation under para-
graph (1) shall be awarded $5,000,000 for each fis-
cal year for a 4-year period beginning in the fiscal 
year in which the institution of higher education re-
ceives the designation under paragraph (1). 
(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds provided to an in-
stitution of higher education under this subsection 
shall be used to carry out the goals and meet the 
targets described in subsection (c)(2)(B). 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher edu-
cation desiring a designation under subsection (b)(1) 
shall submit an application to the Director at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such in-
formation as the Director may reasonably require. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) submit data describing, as of the date 
of submission of the application— 
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(i) the engineering programs offered 
by the institution of higher education, in-
cluding any focus on manufacturing engi-
neering and curricula related to manufac-
turing industries; 
(ii) current joint projects relating to 
engineering between firms in the manufac-
turing industry and the institution of high-
er education; 
(iii) the percentage of students in the 
engineering program of the institution of 
higher education who participated in for- 
credit internship, cooperative education, or 
other similar programs with manufacturing 
firms in the most recent academic year for 
which information is available; 
(iv) the percentage of students en-
rolled at the institution of higher education 
who received a bachelor’s degree, a mas-
ter’s degree, or a doctoral degree in engi-
neering in the most recent academic year 
for which information is available, and a 
description of which engineering discipline 
each recipient of such degree studied; 
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years after the date of designation under sub-
section (b)(1), describing— 
(i) how the engineering programs of-
fered by the institution of higher education 
will be improved to emphasize manufac-
turing engineering and curricula related to 
manufacturing industries; 
(ii) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will increase the number of joint 
projects relating to engineering between 
manufacturing firms and the institution of 
higher education; 
(iii) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will increase the number of students 
in the engineering program of the institu-
tion who participate in for-credit intern-
ship, cooperative education, or other simi-
lar programs in manufacturing firms; 
(iv) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will increase the number of students 
who are United States citizens or perma-
nent residents enrolled at the institution 
who receive a bachelor’s degree, a master’s 
degree, or a doctoral degree in engineering 
or applied science, in particular disciplines 
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related to manufacturing, including chem-
ical, 
electrical, 
mechanical, 
industrial, 
mechatronics, computer, biomedical, and 
nano engineering, as well as materials 
science, computer science, and applied 
mathematics; 
(v) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will cover the costs of equipment 
and facilities related to its proposal and 
how it will increase funding from industry 
for research and development related to 
manufacturing; 
(vi) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will increase the number of students 
who receive a degree from the institution 
of higher education who launch a new 
manufacturing business, as defined by the 
Bureau of Economic Analysis as the North 
American Industry Classification System 
code 3111 to 3399; 
(vii) how the institution of higher edu-
cation will oversee interdisciplinary pro-
grams relating to advancing manufacturing 
productivity and innovation across various 
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university colleges, departments, and pro-
grams; 
(viii) how the institution of higher 
education will designate an appropriate in-
dividual to oversee and coordinate the ac-
tivities committed to as a part of the uni-
versities outlined ‘‘manufacturing univer-
sity’’ plan who may be designated as a 
‘‘Chief Manufacturing Officer’’; 
(ix) how the manufacturing engineer-
ing program can positively impact local 
and regional economic development; and 
(x) how the participating institutions 
and departments, particularly within engi-
neering and business, will recognize and 
reward faculty, including through decisions 
of tenure, for developing innovative new 
means to increase interactions with manu-
facturing companies. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) GENERAL POLICIES.—The Director shall es-
tablish and publish general policies regarding— 
(A) review of applications; 
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(B) criteria for selection of institutions of 
higher education to receive a designation under 
subsection (b)(1); 
(C) procedures and criteria for the review 
required in paragraph (2); and 
(D) such other matters as the Director 
may prescribe. 
(2) REVIEW.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date an institution of higher education 
receives a designation under subsection (b)(1), 
the Director shall conduct a review of the 
progress the institution of higher education has 
made toward the targets and goals described in 
subsection (c)(2)(B). If the Director determines 
that the institution of higher education is mak-
ing adequate progress toward such targets and 
goals, funds provided under subsection (b)(1) 
shall continue for the remainder of the designa-
tion period. 
(B) PROGRESS REPORT.—Each institution 
of higher education receiving a designation 
under subsection (b)(1) shall submit a report 
each year that includes information on the 
progress the institution is making toward the 
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targets and goals described in subsection 
(c)(2)(B). 
(C) RENEWAL.—An institution of higher 
education receiving a designation under sub-
section (b)(1) shall not be eligible to receive 
funds under subsection (b)(2) after the expira-
tion of the 4-year period. 
(3) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than Sep-
tember 30 of each year, the Director shall submit to 
Congress a report that includes— 
(A) a list of the institutions of higher edu-
cation that have received a designation under 
subsection (b)(1); and 
(B) a description of the progress such in-
stitutions of higher education have made toward 
the targets and goals described in subsection 
(c)(2)(B). 
(e) ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.—Not later 
than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Director, in cooperation with the Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration, shall make recommenda-
tions on how the programs established under Phase III 
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638), can be adapt-
ed to provide assistance to small businesses that collabo-
rate with United States manufacturing universities. 
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(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $125,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 to carry out 
the provisions of this section. 
Æ 
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