I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7307 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish the Ronald V. Dellums 
Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM fields, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 13, 2018 
Ms. LEE (for herself, Mr. BEYER, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. NORTON, 
and Mr. GRIJALVA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish the Ronald 
V. Dellums Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color 
in STEAM fields, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Ronald V. Dellums 
Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and 
National Security Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) From 1993 to 1995, Ronald V. Dellums 
served as the Chairman of the Armed Services Com-
mittee of the House of Representatives after 20 
years of service on such Committee. 
(2) As a stalwart champion of diversity and in-
clusion, Chairman Dellums was an early supporter 
of integrating lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisex-
ual individuals into the military. 
(3) Before Chairman Dellums was elected to 
the House of Representatives in 1970, he was a psy-
chiatric social worker, community organizer, and lec-
turer. 
(4) Chairman Dellums served in the United 
States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1956. 
(5) In section 233 of the Fiscal Year 2016 Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act, Congress— 
(A) identified as a priority of the Depart-
ment of Defense increased engagement with 
and outreach to historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, and other minority-serving institu-
tions, including Hispanic-serving institutions, 
Asian American and Native American Pacific 
Islander-serving institutions, American Indian 
Tribally controlled colleges and universities, 
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Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving in-
stitutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, 
Native American-serving, and Nontribal institu-
tions; and 
(B) required the Department to develop a 
strategy for improving engagement with such 
institutions including— 
(i) increasing efforts to include such 
institutions in ongoing research programs 
and activities for which institutions of 
higher learning, in general, are the eligible 
entities; 
(ii) increasing the visibility of the De-
partment of Defense programs and activi-
ties among such institutions and students 
of such institutions; 
(iii) emphasize the need to include 
faculty and students of such institutions in 
Department of Defense research activities; 
and 
(iv) ensuring such institutions and 
faculty and students of such institutions 
receive mentors when participating in De-
partment programs. 
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(6) In section 4201 of the Fiscal Year 2018 
National Defense Authorization Act, Congress reit-
erated the importance of prioritizing this relation-
ship by authorizing more than $12 million above the 
President’s requests, including $2 million for minor-
ity women in the fields of science, technology, engi-
neering, and mathematics. 
(7) While women of color have made significant 
progress in graduating from college in the areas of 
study related to STEAM, they continue to be under- 
represented in the STEAM fields. 
(8) While underrepresented minority students 
overall face an opportunity gap in STEAM edu-
cation, women of color face a larger achievement gap 
in science and engineering education. 
(9) In 2012, of bachelor’s degrees awarded in 
science and engineering majors— 
(A) women received 48.8 percent; 
(B) women of color received 15.7 percent; 
(C) Black individuals received 5.3 percent; 
(D) Hispanic individuals received 5.5 per-
cent; 
(E) Native American or Alaska Native in-
dividuals received 0.3 percent; and 
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(F) Asian or Pacific Islander individuals 
received 4.6 percent. 
(10) A 2017 report published by the National 
Science Foundation found that the percentage of all 
bachelor’s degrees in computer sciences, mathe-
matics, and statistics, and engineering received by 
women of color has declined since 1996. 
(11) Intentional and proactive strategies and 
programs are necessary to ensure the under-rep-
resentation of women of color in the disciplines and 
professions related to STEAM fields is appropriately 
addressed to ensure broad and inclusive participa-
tion in areas of national importance. 
SEC. 3. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a fellowship program, which shall be known 
as the ‘‘Ronald V. Dellums Memorial Fellowship for 
Women of Color in STEAM’’, to provide scholarships and 
internships for eligible students with high potential talent 
in STEAM. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out the program, the 
Secretary shall— 
(1) consult with higher education institutions 
and relevant professional associations, nonprofits, 
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and relevant defense industry representatives on the 
design of the program; and 
(2) design the program in a manner such that 
the program— 
(A) increases awareness of and interest in 
employment at a Defense Agency among under-
represented students in the STEAM fields, par-
ticularly women of color, who are pursuing a 
degree in a STEAM field; 
(B) supports the academic careers of 
underrepresented students, especially women of 
color, in STEAM fields; and 
(C) builds a pipeline of women of color 
with exemplary academic achievements in a 
STEAM field who can pursue careers in na-
tional security and in areas of national need. 
(c) COMPONENTS.—The fellowship program shall 
consist of— 
(1) a scholarship program under subsection (d); 
and 
(2) an internship program under subsection (e). 
(d) SELECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each fiscal year, subject to 
the availability of funds, the Secretary shall select at 
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least 30 eligible students to participate in the fellow-
ship program for a period of 2 years. 
(2) STUDENTS FROM MINORITY-SERVING INSTI-
TUTIONS AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND 
UNIVERSITIES.—The Secretary may not award fewer 
than 50 percent of the fellowships under this section 
to eligible students who attend historically Black col-
leges and universities and other minority-serving in-
stitutions, including Hispanic-serving institutions, 
Asian American and Native American Pacific Is-
lander-serving institutions, American Indian Tribally 
controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native 
and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Predomi-
nantly Black Institutions, and Native American-serv-
ing, Nontribal institutions. 
(3) SCHOLARSHIP.—Each fellow shall receive a 
scholarship of up to $50,000 each academic year of 
the fellowship program. 
(4) CONSIDERATION
OF
UNDERREPRESENTED 
STUDENTS IN STEAM FIELDS.—In awarding a schol-
arship under this section, the Secretary shall con-
sider— 
(A) the number and distribution of minor-
ity and female students nationally in science 
and engineering majors; 
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(B) the projected need for highly trained 
individuals in all fields of science and engineer-
ing; 
(C) the present and projected need for 
highly trained individuals in science and engi-
neering career fields in which minorities and 
women are underrepresented; and 
(D) the lack of minorities and women in 
national security, especially in science and engi-
neering fields in which such individuals are tra-
ditionally underrepresented. 
(5) STUDENT AGREEMENT.—As a condition of 
receipt of funds under this section, a fellow shall 
agree— 
(A) to use such funds solely to pay the cost 
of attendance at the higher education institu-
tion at which the student is enrolled; 
(B) to return any such funds in excess of 
the cost of attendance at such higher education 
institution; 
(C) to maintain satisfactory academic 
standing, as determined by the Secretary; 
(D) to return such funds for an academic 
year if— 
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(i) in such year, the fellow earns less 
than 60 percent of the credits required at 
the institution of higher education at which 
the fellow is enrolled; and 
(ii) the fellow is no longer enrolled at 
such institution or another institution of 
higher education at the start of the next 
academic year; 
(E) to complete an internship under this 
section in a manner that is satisfactory, as de-
termined by the Secretary; 
(F) upon completion of the degree that the 
student pursues while in the fellowship pro-
gram, to work for the Federal Government or 
in the field of education in the area of study for 
which the scholarship or fellowship was award-
ed, for a period specified by the Secretary, 
which shall not be longer than the period for 
which scholarship assistance was provided to 
such student; and 
(G) to return the amount of the assistance 
provided the recipient under the program with 
interest at a rate determined by the Secretary 
if the student fails to comply with subsections 
(A) through (F). 
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(6) ENFORCEMENT OF AGREEMENT.—The Sec-
retary may enforce the agreement under paragraph 
(5) as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(e) INTERNSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
an internship program that provides each student an 
internship at a Defense Agency. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Each internship shall— 
(A) to the extent practicable, last a period 
of at least 10 weeks; 
(B) to the extent practicable, be at a De-
fense Agency; 
(C) include a stipend for transportation 
and living expenses incurred by the fellow dur-
ing the fellowship; and 
(D) be completed during the initial 2-year 
period of the fellowship. 
(3) MENTORSHIP.—To the extent practicable, 
each fellow shall be paired with a mid-level or a sen-
ior-level official of the Defense Agency who shall 
serve as a mentor during the internship. 
(f) EXTENSIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to this section, a fel-
low may apply for, and the Secretary may grant, a 
1-year extension of the fellowship. 
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(2) NUMBER OF EXTENSIONS.—There shall be 
no limit on the number of extensions under para-
graph (1) that the Secretary may grant an eligible 
student. 
(3) LIMITATION ON DEGREES.—Students shall 
be limited to obtaining a maximum of the following 
graduate degrees with fellowship funds— 
(A) 2 master’s degrees; and 
(B) 1 doctorate of philosophy. 
(4) TREATMENT OF EXTENSIONS.—An exten-
sion granted under this subsection does not count 
for the purposes of— 
(A) the number of fellowships granted 
under subsection (d)(1); or 
(B) the percentage of fellowships granted 
to eligible students. 
(5) EXTENSION REQUIREMENTS.—A fellow may 
receive an extension under this subsection only if— 
(A) the fellow is in good academic stand-
ing; 
(B) the fellow has satisfactorily completed 
an internship under subsection (e); and 
(C) the fellow is currently enrolled full- 
time at an institution of higher education and 
pursuing, in a STEAM field— 
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(i) a bachelor’s degree; 
(ii) a master’s degree; or 
(iii) a doctorate of philosophy. 
(g) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—For 
each academic year, the Secretary may use not more than 
5 percent of the funds made available to carry out this 
section for administrative purposes, including for purposes 
of— 
(1) outreach to institutions of higher education 
to encourage participation in the program; and 
(2) promotion of the program to eligible stu-
dents. 
(h) ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
may appoint a lead program officer to administer the pro-
gram and to market the program among students and 
higher education institutions. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of the next 25 fiscal years. 
(j) REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
on which the first fellowship is awarded under this section, 
and each academic year thereafter, the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the Congress a report containing— 
(1) a description and analysis of the demo-
graphic information of students who receive fellow-
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ships under this section, including information with 
respect to such students regarding— 
(A) race; 
(B) ethnicity; 
(C) gender identity; 
(D) eligibility to receive a Federal Pell 
Grant under the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.); and 
(E) eligibility of the household in which the 
student resides to receive benefits under the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
under section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014), in the case of grad-
uate students; 
(2) an analysis of the effects of the program; 
(3) a description of— 
(A) the total number of students who ob-
tain a degree with fellowship funds each year; 
and 
(B) the type and total number of degrees 
obtained by fellows; and 
(4) recommendations for changes to the pro-
gram and to this Act to ensure that women of color 
are being effectively served by such program. 
(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
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(1) COST OF ATTENDANCE.—The term ‘‘cost of 
attendance’’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1015a). 
(2) DEFENSE
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Defense 
Agency’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
101(a) of title 10, United States Code. 
(3) ELIGIBLE
STUDENT.—The term ‘‘eligible 
student’’ means an individual who— 
(A) submits an application for a fellowship 
under this section; and 
(B) is either— 
(i) an enrolled second-year student at 
a higher education institution; or 
(ii) a community college student who 
intends to use scholarship funds for tuition 
for the third year of study at a higher edu-
cation institution. 
(4) FELLOW.—The term ‘‘fellow’’ means a stu-
dent that was selected for the fellowship program 
under subsection (d). 
(5) HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNI-
VERSITY.—The term ‘‘historically Black college or 
university’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘part B 
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institution’’ in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
(6) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(7) 
MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an insti-
tution listed in section 371(a) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
(8) STEAM.—The term ‘‘STEAM’’ means 
science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathe-
matics. 
(9) 
UNDERREPRESENTED
STUDENT
IN
A 
STEAM
FIELD.—The term ‘‘underrepresented stu-
dent in a STEAM field’’ means a student who is a 
member of a minority group for which the number 
of individuals in such group who receive bachelor’s 
degrees in STEAM fields per 10,000 individuals in 
such group is substantially fewer than the number 
of white, non-Hispanic individuals of bachelor’s de-
grees in STEAM fields per 10,000 such individuals. 
Æ 
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