Grace Hopper Code for Us Act
Bill: H.R.4745 | Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt (D-PA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Grace Hopper Code for Us Act
This bill establishes a program through which the Department of Education must award grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to develop and implement courses of instruction related to critical legacy computer languages (e.g., COBOL, Assembly, and PL/I).
In addition, the Government Accountability Office must report on the critical legacy computer languages that (1) are used by the federal government, and (2) are not commonly taught in a course at an IHE.

To establish a program to make grants to institutions of higher 
   education to provide courses relating to critical legacy computer 
                   languages, 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 ``Grace Hopper Code for Us Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Authorizing committees.--The term ``authorizing 
        committees'' has the meaning given such term in section 103 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003).
            (2) Information system.--The term ``information system'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 3502(8) of title 44, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 311 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 3. REPORT CONCERNING CRITICAL LEGACY COMPUTER LANGUAGES USED BY 
              FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to the authorizing committees a report identifying not fewer than 3 
computer languages, in addition to COBOL, Assembly, and PL/I, and to be 
known as ``critical legacy computer languages'', that are--
            (1) used by, and necessary to support the needs and 
        national security of, the Federal Government; and
            (2) computer languages not commonly taught in a course at 
        an institution of higher education.
    (b) Publication.--The Comptroller General shall make the report 
publicly available, including by publishing the report on the internet 
website of the Government Accountability Office.

SEC. 4. GRACE HOPPER SUSTAINMENT AND MODERNIZATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a program to award grants 
to institutions of higher education, to be known as the ``Grace Hopper 
Sustainment and Modernization Grant Program (in this section referred 
to as the `Program')'', to support the development and implementation 
of courses of instruction regarding maintaining, developing, and 
modernizing information systems utilizing critical legacy computer 
languages identified in the report required under section 3.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--During fiscal year 2022 and each of the 3 
        succeeding fiscal years, the Secretary annually shall award 
        grants to 5 institutions of higher education to carry out the 
        activities described in subsection (a).
            (2) 2-year institution of higher education.--For each 
        fiscal year, at least 2 of the grants awarded under paragraph 
        (1) shall be awarded to 2-year institutions of higher education 
        that--
                    (A) award an associate's degree; or
                    (B) offer university-based continuing education 
                programs for information technology professionals.
    (c) Priorities.--When awarding grants under the Program, the 
Secretary will give priority to applications that--
            (1) demonstrate a plan to continue their efforts to carry 
        out the activities described in subsection (a) after the end of 
        the grant period;
            (2) demonstrate plans to recruit and include the 
        participation of women and other under-represented minority 
        groups;
            (3) demonstrate plans to engage with local students in 
        grades 6 through 12 regarding career opportunities relating to 
        critical legacy languages;
            (4) offer scholarship or other support, which may include 
        books and supplies (including hardware, software, and 
        connectivity), to students enrolled in projects supported by 
        the Program;
            (5) incorporate perspectives into the challenges of 
        modernizing legacy information technology systems from 
        disciplines such as history, public policy, public 
        administration, political science, business administration, 
        management, economics, sociology, or other humanistic or social 
        science disciplines;
            (6) address the extent to which the grant recipient intends 
        to utilize and support open source technology and best 
        practices in connection with the Program; and
            (7) demonstrate the ability to make agreements to place 
        students in the projects funded by the grant in paid 
        internships or similar arrangements with Federal, State, local, 
        or private sector organizations where they can ensure that each 
        such student works with computer programmers in maintaining, 
        developing, or modernizing information systems utilizing 
        critical legacy computer languages, with a preference for such 
        placements lasting longer than 60 days.
    (d) Special Rule Related to Geography.--Recipients of a grant under 
the Program may not be located in the same State.
    (e) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the 
Program, an institution of higher education shall submit to the 
Secretary an application in such form, and containing such information, 
as the Secretary may require.
    (f) Grant Amount.--The amount of a grant under this section may not 
exceed $5,000,000.
    (g) Period of a Grant.--The period of a grant under this section 
may not exceed 3 years.
    (h) Reports.--
            (1) Annual reports by institutions of higher education.--
        Each institution of higher education that receives a grant 
        under the Program shall annually submit to the Secretary a 
        report on the activities pursued under the Program, including 
        to the extent practical, the employment outcomes of students 
        who complete the program (including earnings, job placement 
        type, and employment rate).
            (2) Annual reports to congress.--The Secretary shall 
        annually submit to the authorizing committees a report relating 
        to the use of grants awarded under the Program. The Secretary 
        shall make each such report publicly available, including by 
        publishing each such report on the internet website of the 
        Department of Education.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $100,000,000 to carry out this section.
                                 <all>