(1) In its 2007 report, Beyond Bias and Bar-
riers, the National Academies state that, to maintain 
its scientific and engineering leadership amid in-
creasing economic and educational globalization, the 
United States must aggressively pursue the innova-
tive capacity of all of its people—women and men. 
(2) Women make up an increasing proportion 
of science and engineering majors at all institutions, 
including top programs such as those at the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology where women make 
up 51 percent of its science undergraduates and 35 
percent of its engineering undergraduates. 
(3) For women to participate to their full po-
tential across all science and engineering fields, they 
must see a career path that allows them to reach 
their full intellectual potential; much remains to be 
done to achieve that goal. 
(4) Women are a small portion of the science 
and engineering faculty members at research univer-
sities, and they typically receive fewer resources and 
less support than their male colleagues. 
(5) The representation of women in leadership 
positions in our academic institutions, scientific and 
professional societies, and honorary organizations is 
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low relative to the numbers of women qualified to 
hold these positions. 
(6) It is not lack of talent, but unintentional bi-
ases and outmoded institutional structures that are 
hindering the access and advancement of women. 
(7) Neither our academic institutions nor our 
nation can afford such underuse of precious human 
capital in science and engineering. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF 
HEALTH WORKSHOPS TO ELIMINATE GEN-
DER BIAS IN THE SCIENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National In-
stitutes of Health shall carry out a program, in coopera-
tion with scientific and professional societies and organiza-
tions, to host mandatory national meetings that educate 
members of review panels, university department chairs 
and agency program officers about methods that minimize 
the effects of gender bias in evaluation. 
(b) AIMS OF THE WORKSHOPS.— 
(1) The meetings should be held every two 
years for each major discipline. 
(2) Workshops shall include data and research 
presentations on subtle biases and discrimination, 
department climate surveys, and interactive discus-
sions or role-modeling. Research presentations and/ 
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or other workshop programs shall include a discus-
sion of the unique disadvantages of racial minorities. 
(c) ENFORCEMENT OF GENDER BIAS INSTITUTIONAL 
POLICIES.—The agency shall enforce the Federal anti-dis-
crimination laws at universities and other higher education 
institutions through regular compliance reviews and 
prompt and thorough investigation of discrimination com-
plaints. These include titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964, title IX of the Education Amendments of 
1972, Executive Order 11246, the Equal Protection clause 
of the Constitution, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Preg-
nancy Discrimination Act, and the Family and Medical 
Leave Act of 1993. Enforcement efforts shall evaluate 
whether universities have engaged in any of the types of 
discrimination banned under the anti-discrimination laws, 
including: intentional discrimination, sexual harassment, 
retaliation, disparate impact discrimination, and failure to 
maintain required policies and procedures. Compliance re-
view efforts shall encompass a sufficiently broad number 
and range of institutions of higher education to secure a 
substantial change in policies and practices nationwide, in-
cluding 2-year and 4-year institutions, institution of un-
dergraduate education, institutions that grant graduate 
degrees, State universities, private colleges, and edu-
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cational enterprises, including national laboratories and 
independent research institutes. 
(d) GRANT DATA DEMOGRAPHICS.—The agency shall 
collect, store, and publish composite information on demo-
graphics, field, award type and budget request, review 
score, and funding outcome for all funding applications. 
(e) EXTENDED GRANT SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVING.— 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the agency shall establish policies for extending 
grant support for researchers who take a leave of absence 
due to caregiving responsibilities. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to 
the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report de-
scribing the workshop content, attendance, along with 
data on the participation of women in science, technology, 
engineering and mathematics. 
(g) EVALUATION.—Not later than 5 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report evalu-
ating the impact of the program carried out under this 
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section to reduce gender bias towards women engaged in 
research funded by the agency. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director to carry 
out responsibilities under this section $3,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 
WORKSHOPS TO ELIMINATE GENDER BIAS IN 
THE SCIENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
carry out a program, in cooperation with scientific and 
professional societies and organizations, to host manda-
tory national meetings that educate members of review 
panels, university department chairs and agency program 
officers about methods that minimize the effects of gender 
bias in evaluation. 
(b) AIMS OF THE WORKSHOPS.— 
(1) The meetings should be held every two 
years for each major discipline. 
(2) Workshops shall include data and research 
presentations on subtle biases and discrimination, 
department climate surveys, and interactive discus-
sions or role-modeling. Research presentations and/ 
or other workshop programs shall include a discus-
sion of the unique disadvantages of racial minorities. 
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