IV 
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 fol-
lowing 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, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics, acknowledging a 
necessity to increase diversity and representation within 
physics, and expressing support for the American Phys-
ical Society Bridge Program for its work toward increas-
ing the number of underrepresented minorities earning 
physics doctoral degrees. 
Whereas increased diversity in science, technology, engineer-
ing, and mathematics (STEM) fields brings broader ex-
periences, expertise, ideas, and creativity to problem solv-
ing and research; 
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•HRES 988 IH 
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 Ameri-
cans, 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 Pro-
gram, which was established with support from the NSF 
Directorate for Education & Human Resources Division 
of Human Resource Development, Directorate for Mathe-
matical 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 stu-
dents each year since 2016 in support programs and 
physics graduate programs, maintaining a retention rate 
of 88 percent, 29 percentage points higher than the na-
tional average; and 
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•HRES 988 IH 
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 Phys-
ical 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. 
Æ 
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