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104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3709
To promote the growth of science and technology in the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 25, 1996
Mr. BROWN of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Science
A BILL
To promote the growth of science and technology in the
United States.
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 ‘‘Opportunities in
Science and Technology Act of 1996’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) a citizenry knowledgeable in science and
technology is a necessity as the United States enters
the twenty-first century;
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(2) the Nation’s nonprofit science-technology
centers provide an important resource in enhancing
scientific literacy;
(3) the Nation’s junior or community colleges
can be an effective means of fostering knowledge of
science and technology both for full-time students
and for the wider community; and
(4) the provision of resources for the acquisition
and upgrading of facilities and equipment for foster-
ing knowledge of science and technology at nonprofit
institutions is in the national interest.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIP-
MENT AND FACILITIES FOR SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director
of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of
Energy shall establish a joint program of competitive,
merit-reviewed awards in support of instructional equip-
ment and facilities for science and technology.
(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The program estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall make awards annually
for the purpose of providing and upgrading facilities and
equipment at nonprofit institutions engaged in fostering
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knowledge of science and technology. Awards made under
this section shall be subject to the following limitations:
(1) No funds shall be used for salaries, or for
expenses not directly related to fostering knowledge
of science and technology.
(2) At least 25 percent of the funds provided
annually shall be for grants to junior or community
colleges.
(3) At least 25 percent of the funds provided
annually shall be for science-technology centers.
(4) At least 25 percent of the funds provided
annually shall be provided for—
(A) the purchase of audiovisual equipment,
interactive displays, and other equipment; and
(B) the development or acquisition of ma-
terials, to be used in fostering knowledge of
science and technology.
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The joint program estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall annually issue announce-
ments of opportunity for awards. The National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the National Science
Foundation, and the Department of Energy shall jointly
establish and publish the criteria for selection of awards
under the program. Responses to the announcements shall
be evaluated and ranked by a review committee whose
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members shall be selected by the Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director
of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of
Energy.
(d) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—
(1) the term ‘‘informal science education’’
means those aspects of science education that occur
outside the school classroom, usually voluntary, rec-
reational, and interdisciplinary in nature, that are
not directed by a specific curriculum;
(2) the term ‘‘junior or community college’’ has
the meaning given such term in section 312(e) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(e));
(3) the term ‘‘science’’ means all physical, bio-
logical, and social sciences, mathematics, and engi-
neering; and
(4) the term ‘‘science-technology center’’, which
may include museums, planetariums, libraries, and
zoos, means a nonprofit institution open to the gen-
eral public providing interactive exhibits, demonstra-
tions, and informal science education designed to—
(A) further public understanding of science
and technology; and
(B) illustrate how such science and tech-
nology interacts with society,
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and such institutions may also be involved in formal
educational activities.
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this Act, there are authorized to
be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1997,
$24,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and $30,000,000 for fis-
cal year 1999, with such amounts, to the extent prac-
ticable, to be equally divided among the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the National Science
Foundation, and the Department of Energy.
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