less than $2,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
through 2021, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, to come from amounts made available for the 
Education and Human Resources Directorate. This 
subsection shall be carried out using funds otherwise 
appropriated by law after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
(e) GRANTS
FOR COMPUTER-BASED
AND ONLINE 
STEM EDUCATION COURSES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National 
Science Foundation shall award competitive grants to 
institutions of higher education or nonprofit organi-
zations to conduct research on student outcomes and 
determine best practices and scalability of computer- 
based and online courses for technical skills training. 
(2) RESEARCH AREAS.—The research areas eligi-
ble for funding under this subsection may include— 
(A) post-secondary courses for technical 
training for STEM occupations; 
(B) improving high-school level vocational 
training in STEM subjects; 
(C) encouraging and sustaining interest 
and achievement levels in STEM subjects among 
women and other populations historically under-
represented in STEM studies and careers; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:51 Sep 25, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H5509.RH
H5509
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
(D) combining computer-based and online 
STEM education and training with traditional 
mentoring and other mentoring arrangements, 
apprenticeships, internships, and other applied 
learning opportunities. 
(3) FUNDING.—The National Science Founda-
tion shall devote not less than $10,000,000 to awards 
described in this subsection, which shall include not 
less than $2,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
through 2021, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions, to come from amounts made available for the 
Education and Human Resources Directorate. This 
subsection shall be carried out using funds otherwise 
appropriated by law after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON EFFICIENCY OF SKILLED TECHNICAL 
LABOR MARKETS. 
(a) EFFICIENCY OF SKILLED TECHNICAL LABOR MAR-
KETS.—The Directorate of Social, Behavioral & Economic 
Sciences of the National Science Foundation, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary of Labor, shall support research that 
improves the efficiency of skilled technical labor markets in 
the United States, including research on labor market anal-
ysis innovations, data and information sciences, electronic 
information tools and methodologies, and metrics. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:51 Sep 25, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H5509.RH
H5509
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
(b) COMPARISON OF UNITED STATES WORKFORCE.— 
(1) RESEARCH.—The National Science Founda-
tion shall commission research that compares and 
contrasts skilled technical workforce development be-
tween the United States and other developed coun-
tries, including the diversity of skilled technical and 
professional workforces, to the extent feasible. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall submit to Congress a 
report on the results of the study under paragraph 
(1). 
(c) SKILLED TECHNICAL WORKFORCE.— 
(1) REVIEW.—The National Center for Science 
and Engineering Statistics of the National Science 
Foundation shall consult and coordinate with other 
relevant Federal statistical agencies to explore the fea-
sibility of expanding its surveys to include the collec-
tion of objective data on the skilled technical work-
force. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall submit to Congress a 
report containing the progress made in expanding the 
National Center for Science and Engineering Statis-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:51 Sep 25, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H5509.RH
H5509
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
tics surveys to include the skilled technical workforce. 
Such report shall include a plan for multi-agency col-
laboration in order to effect data collection and re-
porting of data on the skilled technical workforce. 
SEC. 5. SPENDING LIMITATION. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this 
Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be carried 
out using amounts otherwise available for such purpose. 
SEC. 6. EVALUATION AND REPORT. 
(a) EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
Foundation shall evaluate the grants and programs 
provided under this Act. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the evalua-
tion under paragraph (1), the Director shall use a 
common set of benchmarks and assessment tools to 
identify best practices and materials developed or 
demonstrated by the research conducted pursuant to 
such grants and programs. 
(b) REPORT ON EVALUATIONS.—Not later than 180 
days after the completion of the evaluation under subsection 
(a), the Director of the Foundation shall submit to Congress 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:51 Sep 25, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H5509.RH
H5509
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS
and make widely available to the public a report that in-
cludes— 
(1) the results of the evaluation; and 
(2) any recommendations for administrative and 
legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness 
of the grants and programs under this Act. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the 
Director of the Foundation shall consult the programs and 
policies of other relevant Federal agencies to avoid duplica-
tion with, and enhance the effectiveness of, the grants and 
programs under this Act. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) STEM.—The term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics, including 
computer science. 
(2) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘‘commu-
nity college’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘junior 
and community college’’ in section 312 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058). 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:51 Sep 25, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H5509.RH
H5509
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with BILLS