I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4375 
To provide for a study on broadening participation in certain National Science 
Foundation research and education programs, to collect data on Federal 
research grants to science agencies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 13, 2017 
Mrs. COMSTOCK (for herself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
SMITH of Texas, and Mr. KNIGHT) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To provide for a study on broadening participation in certain 
National Science Foundation research and education pro-
grams, to collect data on Federal research grants to 
science agencies, 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 ‘‘STEM Research and 
Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:22 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4375.IH
H4375
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN STEM PROGRAM 
EFFECTIVENESS STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall submit a report to Con-
gress on the effectiveness of all National Science Founda-
tion research and education programs for broadening the 
participation of women and other historically underrep-
resented individuals in STEM studies and careers, includ-
ing— 
(1) development or identification of perform-
ance metrics to evaluate such programs; 
(2) information on student outcomes using all 
available data, including dropout rates, enrollment in 
graduate programs, internships or apprenticeships, 
and employment; 
(3) identification of any data gaps for evalu-
ating the effectiveness and outcomes of National 
Science Foundation programs to broaden participa-
tion; and 
(4) recommendations for maintaining, trans-
lating, and disseminating outcomes data for STEM 
programs funded by the National Science Founda-
tion. 
(b) DEFINITION
OF STEM.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘STEM’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:22 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4375.IH
H4375
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note). 
SEC. 3. COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF DATA ON FED-
ERAL RESEARCH GRANTS. 
(a) COLLECTION OF DATA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Federal science agency 
shall collect standardized record-level annual infor-
mation on demographics, primary field, award type, 
review rating, budget request, funding outcome, and 
awarded budget for all applications for merit-re-
viewed research and development grants to institu-
tions of higher education and Federal laboratories 
supported by that agency. 
(2) UNIFORMITY AND STANDARDIZATION.—The 
Director shall establish a policy to ensure uniformity 
and standardization of the data collection required 
under paragraph (1). 
(3) RECORD-LEVEL DATA.— 
(A) REQUIREMENT.—On an annual basis, 
beginning with the deadline under subpara-
graph (C), each Federal science agency shall 
submit to the Director of the National Science 
Foundation record-level data collected under 
paragraph (1) in the form required by such Di-
rector. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:22 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4375.IH
H4375
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
(B) PREVIOUS DATA.—As part of the first 
submission under subparagraph (A), each Fed-
eral science agency, to the extent practicable, 
shall submit comparable record-level data for 
the 5 years preceding the deadline under sub-
paragraph (C). 
(C) DEADLINE.—The deadline under this 
paragraph is not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) REPORTING OF DATA.—The Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall publish statistical sum-
mary data collected under this section, disaggregated and 
cross-tabulated demographically and by years since com-
pletion of doctoral degree, including in conjunction with 
the National Science Foundation’s report required by sec-
tion 37 of the Science and Technology Equal Opportuni-
ties Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d; Public Law 96–516). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy. 
(2) FEDERAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Fed-
eral laboratory’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno-
vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:22 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4375.IH
H4375
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
(3) FEDERAL
SCIENCE
AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘Federal science agency’’ means any Federal agency 
with at least $100,000,000 in research and develop-
ment expenditures in fiscal year 2017. 
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:22 Nov 17, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4375.IH
H4375
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS