I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2587 
To provide for Federal agencies and employees to support science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities in classrooms. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 28, 2013 
Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. KILMER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Re-
form, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for Federal agencies and employees to support 
science, 
technology, 
engineering, 
and 
mathematics 
(STEM) activities in classrooms. 
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 ‘‘Planting STEM in 
the Classroom Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The United States has traditionally pro-
duced the world’s leading innovators in the science, 
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. 
(2) Numerous studies show that STEM-related 
innovations fueled more than half of the Nation’s 
economic growth over the past half century. 
(3) The number of STEM-related jobs grew 3 
times as fast as non-STEM-related jobs during the 
past 10 years and is forecast to grow twice as fast 
over the next decade. 
(4) Recent reports on standardized testing show 
United States students performing below average or 
average in mathematics and science when compared 
with their international peers. 
(5) President Obama has established the goal 
for the United States to have the highest proportion 
of college graduates in the world by 2020, which will 
require the Federal Government to work with edu-
cation partners to improve the quality of STEM 
education at all levels to help increase the number 
of well-prepared graduates with STEM degrees by 
one-third over the next 10 years, resulting in an ad-
ditional 1 million graduates with STEM degrees. 
(6) President Obama has called for recruiting 
more teachers and mentors in the STEM fields to 
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better engage students, particularly young women 
and minorities, and encourage them to pursue de-
grees and careers in the STEM fields so the United 
States can maintain its competitiveness in the global 
economy. 
(7) The Federal Government employs and sup-
ports through research grants many of the world’s 
leading scientists, mathematicians, and engineers in 
every State. 
SEC. 3. PROVIDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FED-
ERAL EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN STEM ACTIVI-
TIES. 
The Office of Personnel Management, in consultation 
with the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the 
Department of Education, shall develop a policy to— 
(1) increase volunteerism in STEM education 
activities by encouraging Federal employees engaged 
in STEM activities, including scientists, engineers, 
and cybersecurity specialists engaged in nonmilitary 
activities, from Federal agencies and the federally 
funded research and development centers supported 
by those agencies, to volunteer in STEM education 
activities by providing administrative leave and sup-
port for such employees to engage in such vol-
unteerism; and 
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(2) support increased communication and part-
nerships between scientists and engineers from Fed-
eral science agencies conducting nonmilitary sci-
entific research and development, including scientists 
and engineers of the federally funded research and 
development centers supported by those agencies, 
and elementary and secondary schools and teachers 
through volunteerism in STEM education activities. 
SEC. 4. CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED 
COMMUNITIES. 
Each Federal science agency shall report to Congress 
the approaches that it will take to conduct outreach de-
signed to promote widespread public understanding of ca-
reer opportunities in the STEM fields specific to the work-
force needs of that agency, including outreach to women, 
Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, and other 
students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. 
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT. 
Not later than June 1, 2014, and annually thereafter, 
the Secretary of Education shall transmit a report to Con-
gress detailing— 
(1) the number of volunteers and volunteer 
hours resulting from this Act; 
(2) the number of schools, teachers, and stu-
dents engaged thereby; and 
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(3) the methods of outreach used under this 
Act to serve underrepresented communities. 
Æ 
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