MSI STEM Achievement Act
Bill: H.R.2027 | Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (D-TX)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
MSI STEM Achievement Act
(Sec. 4) This bill supports efforts to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at minority-serving institutions of higher education (IHEs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges or Universities. The bill requires the National Science Foundation to award grants for purposes including building the capacity of such IHEs to increase the number and success of their students in the STEM workforce.
(Sec. 5) The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) shall develop a uniform set of policy guidelines for federal science agencies to carry out a program of outreach activities to increase clarity, transparency, and accountability for federal science agency investments in STEM education and research activities at minority-serving IHEs.
The OSTP shall submit to Congress a report containing a strategic plan for each federal science agency to increase the capacity of minority-serving IHEs to compete for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements and to encourage such IHEs to participate in federal programs.

To direct Federal science agencies and the Office of Science and 
  Technology Policy to undertake activities to improve the quality of 
 undergraduate STEM education and enhance the research capacity at the 
        Nation's HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``MSI STEM Achievement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Evidence suggests that the supply of STEM workers is 
        not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving needs of the public 
        and private sector, resulting in a deficit often referred to as 
        a STEM skills shortage.
            (2) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United 
        States will need one million additional STEM professionals than 
        it is on track to produce in the coming decade.
            (3) STEM occupations offer higher wages, more opportunities 
        for advancement, and a higher degree of job security than non-
        STEM occupations.
            (4) The composition of the STEM workforce does not reflect 
        the current or projected diversity of the Nation, with 
        Hispanics, African Americans, and other racial and ethnic 
        minorities, significantly underrepresented in the STEM 
        workforce compared to their presence in the workforce more 
        generally.
            (5) A stronger national commitment to increasing the 
        diversity of the STEM workforce is needed to help address the 
        STEM skills shortage.
            (6) According to a 2019 National Academies of Sciences, 
        Engineering, and Medicine report entitled ``Minority Serving 
        Institutions: America's Underutilized Resource for 
        Strengthening the STEM Workforce'', 2- and 4-year minority 
        serving institutions enroll nearly 30 percent of all 
        undergraduate students--a percentage that is expected to grow 
        in the coming years--in the United States higher education 
        system and play a critical role in providing important pathways 
        to STEM-related education, training, and careers for students 
        of color.
            (7) HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs are highly successful at 
        educating underrepresented minority students in STEM fields and 
        can serve as best practice models for other colleges and 
        universities to further expand participation of 
        underrepresented minorities in the STEM workforce.
            (8) Increased investment in STEM infrastructure at HBCUs, 
        TCUs, and MSIs has the potential to increase these 
        institutions' ability to educate even more students in the STEM 
        disciplines.
            (9) With the demand for STEM skills exceeding the supply of 
        STEM graduates, success of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in educating 
        and training science and engineering leaders is increasingly 
        important for United States economic growth and 
        competitiveness.

SEC. 3. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REVIEW.

    Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall report to Congress--
            (1) an inventory of competitive funding programs and 
        initiatives carried out by Federal science agencies that are 
        targeted to HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs or partnerships with HBCUs, 
        TCUs, and MSIs;
            (2) an assessment of Federal science agency outreach 
        activities to increase the participation and competitiveness of 
        HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in the funding programs and initiatives 
        identified in paragraph (1); and
            (3) recommendations of the Comptroller General to increase 
        the participation of and the rate of success of HBCUs, TCUs, 
        and MSIs in competitive funding programs offered by Federal 
        science agencies.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND CAPACITY BUILDING.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher 
education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia thereof) to--
            (1) conduct research described in subsection (b) with 
        respect to HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
            (2) conduct activities described in subsection (c) to build 
        the capacity of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to graduate students who 
        are competitive in attaining and advancing in the STEM 
        workforce;
            (3) build the research capacity and competitiveness of 
        HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in STEM disciplines; and
            (4) identify and broadly disseminate effective models for 
        programs and practices at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs that promote 
        the education and workforce preparation of minority students 
        pursuing STEM studies and careers in which such students are 
        underrepresented.
    (b) Research.--Research described in this subsection is research on 
the contribution of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to the education and training 
of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields and to the meeting 
of national STEM workforce needs, including--
            (1) the diversity with respect to local context, cultural 
        differences, and institutional structure among HBCUs, TCUs, and 
        MSIs and any associated impact on education and research 
        endeavors;
            (2) effective practices at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and 
        associated outcomes on student recruitment, retention, and 
        advancement in STEM fields, including the ability for students 
        to compete for fellowships, employment, and advancement in the 
        workforce;
            (3) contributions made by HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to local, 
        regional, and national workforces;
            (4) the unique challenges and opportunities for HBCUs, 
        TCUs, and MSIs in attaining the resources needed for 
        integrating effective practices in STEM education, including 
        providing research experiences for underrepresented minority 
        students;
            (5) the access of students at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to STEM 
        infrastructure and any associated outcomes for STEM competency;
            (6) models of STEM curriculum, learning, and teaching 
        successful at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs for increasing 
        participation, retention, and success of underrepresented 
        minority students; and
            (7) successful or promising partnerships between HBCUs, 
        TCUs, and MSIs and other institutions of higher education, 
        private sector and non-profit organizations, Federal 
        laboratories, and international research institutions.
    (c) Capacity Building.--Activities described in this subsection 
include the design, development, implementation, expansion, and 
assessment of--
            (1) metrics of success to best capture the achievements of 
        HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and students of such institutions to 
        account for institutional context and missions, faculty 
        investment, student populations, student needs, and 
        institutional resource constraints;
            (2) enhancements to undergraduate STEM curriculum at HBCUs, 
        TCUs, and MSIs to increase the participation, retention, degree 
        completion, and success of underrepresented students;
            (3) professional development programs to increase the 
        numbers and the high-quality preparation of STEM faculty at 
        HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, including programs to encourage STEM 
        doctoral students to teach at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and
            (4) mechanisms for institutions of higher education that 
        are not HBCUs, TCUs, or MSIs to partner with HBCUs, TCUs, and 
        MSIs on STEM education, including the facilitation of student 
        transfer, mentoring programs for students and junior faculty, 
        joint research projects, and student access to graduate 
        education.
    (d) Research Experiences.--Grants under this section may fund the 
development or expansion of opportunities for the exchange of students 
and faculty to conduct research, including through partnerships with 
institutions of higher education that are not HBCUs, TCUs, or MSIs, 
private sector and non-profit organizations, Federal laboratories, and 
international research institutions.
    (e) Partnerships.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Director of the National Science Foundation shall--
            (1) encourage HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and consortia thereof 
        and partnerships with one or more HBCU, TCU, or MSI, to submit 
        proposals;
            (2) require proposals submitted in partnership with one or 
        more HBCU, TCU, or MSI include a plan for establishing a 
        sustained partnership that is jointly developed and managed, 
        draws from the capacities of each institution, and is mutually 
        beneficial; and
            (3) encourage proposals submitted in partnership with the 
        private sector, non-profit organizations, Federal laboratories, 
        and international research institutions, as appropriate.
    (f) MSI Centers of Innovation.--Grants under this section may fund 
the establishment of no more than five MSI Centers of Innovation to 
leverage successes of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in STEM education and 
research training of underrepresented minority students as models for 
other institutions, including both HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and 
institutions of higher education that are not HBCUs, TCUs, or MSIs. 
Such centers will be located on campuses of selected institutions of 
higher education and serve as incubators to allow institutions of 
higher education to experiment, pilot, evaluate, and scale up promising 
practices.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Director of the National Science Foundation 
$170,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, $175,000,000 for fiscal year 2023, 
$180,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, $185,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, 
and $190,000,000 fiscal year 2026 to carry out this section.

SEC. 5. AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.

    (a) In General.--In consultation with outside stakeholders and the 
heads of the Federal science agencies, the Director shall develop a 
uniform set of policy guidelines for Federal science agencies to carry 
out a sustained program of outreach activities to increase clarity, 
transparency, and accountability for Federal science agency investments 
in STEM education and research activities at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs.
    (b) Outreach Activities.--In developing policy guidelines under 
subsection (a) the Director shall include guidelines that require each 
Federal science agency--
            (1) to designate a liaison for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs 
        responsible for--
                    (A) enhancing direct communication with HBCUs, 
                TCUs, and MSIs to increase the Federal science agency's 
                understanding of the capacity and needs of such 
                institutions and to raise awareness of available 
                Federal funding opportunities at such institutions;
                    (B) coordinating programs, activities, and 
                initiatives while accounting for the capacity and needs 
                of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (C) tracking Federal science agency investments in 
                and engagement with HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and
                    (D) reporting progress toward increasing 
                participation of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs in grant 
                programs;
            (2) to publish annual forecasts of funding opportunities 
        and proposal deadlines, including for grants, contracts, 
        subcontracts, and cooperative agreements;
            (3) to conduct on-site reviews of research facilities at 
        HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, as practicable, and make recommendations 
        regarding strategies for becoming more competitive in research;
            (4) to hold geographically accessible or virtual workshops 
        on research priorities of the Federal science agency and on how 
        to write competitive grant proposals;
            (5) to ensure opportunities for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to 
        directly communicate with Federal science agency officials 
        responsible for managing competitive grant programs in order to 
        receive feedback on research ideas and proposals, including 
        guidance on the Federal science agency's peer review process;
            (6) to foster mutually beneficial public-private 
        collaboration among Federal science agencies, industry, Federal 
        laboratories, academia, and nonprofit organizations to--
                    (A) identify alternative sources of funding for 
                STEM education and research at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (B) provide access to high-quality, relevant 
                research experiences for students and faculty of HBCUs, 
                TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (C) expand the professional networks of students 
                and faculty of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (D) broaden STEM educational opportunities for 
                students and faculty of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and
                    (E) support the transition of students of HBCUs, 
                TCUs, and MSIs into the STEM workforce; and
            (7) to publish an annual report that provides an account of 
        Federal science agency investments in HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, 
        including data on the level of participation of HBCUs, TCUs, 
        and MSIs as prime recipients/contractors or subrecipients/
        subcontractors.
    (c) Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Director, in collaboration with the 
        head of each Federal science agency, shall submit to Congress a 
        report containing a strategic plan for each Federal science 
        agency to increase the capacity of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to 
        compete effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative 
        agreements and to encourage HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to 
        participate in Federal programs.
            (2) Considerations.--In developing a strategic plan under 
        paragraph (1), the Director and each head of each Federal 
        science agency shall consider--
                    (A) issuing new or expanding existing funding 
                opportunities targeted to HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (B) modifying existing research and development 
                program solicitations to incentivize effective 
                partnerships with HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
                    (C) offering planning grants for HBCUs, TCUs, and 
                MSIs to develop or equip grant offices with the 
                requisite depth of knowledge to submit competitive 
                grant proposals and manage awarded grants;
                    (D) offering additional training programs and 
                individualized and timely guidance to grant officers 
                faculty and postdoctoral researchers at HBCUs, TCUs, 
                and MSIs to ensure they understand the requirements for 
                an effective grant proposal; and
                    (E) other approaches for making current competitive 
                funding models more accessible for under-resourced 
                HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Director shall 
report to Congress on the implementation by Federal science agencies of 
the policy guidelines developed under this section.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
            (2) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-
        Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
            (3) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science 
        agency'' means any Federal agency with an annual extramural 
        research expenditure of over $100,000,000.
            (4) HBCU.--The term ``HBCU'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (6) Minority serving institution.--The term ``minority 
        serving institution'' or ``MSI'' means Hispanic-Serving 
        Institutions as defined in section 502 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a); Alaska Native Serving 
        Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions as 
        defined in section 317 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1059d); and Predominantly Black Institutions, Asian 
        American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving 
        Institutions, and Native American-Serving Nontribal 
        Institutions as defined in section 371 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)).
            (7) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term 
        in the STEM Education Act of 2015 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.).
            (8) TCU.--The term ``TCU'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``Tribal College or University'' in section 316 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c).

            Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.