Title: Ronald V. Dellums Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and National Security Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Ronald V. Dellums Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and National Security Act
This bill requires the Department of Defense to establish a program that provides scholarships and internships to underrepresented students who have high potential talent in science, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematics in exchange for those students working in the federal government upon graduation.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7307 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7307

 To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish the Ronald V. Dellums 
 Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM fields, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 13, 2018

 Ms. Lee (for herself, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Norton, 
and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, 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 direct the Secretary of Defense to establish the Ronald V. Dellums 
 Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM fields, 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 ``Ronald V. Dellums Memorial 
Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and National Security Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) From 1993 to 1995, Ronald V. Dellums served as the 
        Chairman of the Armed Services Committee of the House of 
        Representatives after 20 years of service on such Committee.
            (2) As a stalwart champion of diversity and inclusion, 
        Chairman Dellums was an early supporter of integrating lesbian, 
        gay, transgender, and bisexual individuals into the military.
            (3) Before Chairman Dellums was elected to the House of 
        Representatives in 1970, he was a psychiatric social worker, 
        community organizer, and lecturer.
            (4) Chairman Dellums served in the United States Marine 
        Corps from 1954 to 1956.
            (5) In section 233 of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense 
        Authorization Act, Congress--
                    (A) identified as a priority of the Department of 
                Defense increased engagement with and outreach to 
                historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other 
                minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic-
                serving institutions, Asian American and Native 
                American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, 
                American Indian Tribally controlled colleges and 
                universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 
                institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Native 
                American-serving, and Nontribal institutions; and
                    (B) required the Department to develop a strategy 
                for improving engagement with such institutions 
                including--
                            (i) increasing efforts to include such 
                        institutions in ongoing research programs and 
                        activities for which institutions of higher 
                        learning, in general, are the eligible 
                        entities;
                            (ii) increasing the visibility of the 
                        Department of Defense programs and activities 
                        among such institutions and students of such 
                        institutions;
                            (iii) emphasize the need to include faculty 
                        and students of such institutions in Department 
                        of Defense research activities; and
                            (iv) ensuring such institutions and faculty 
                        and students of such institutions receive 
                        mentors when participating in Department 
                        programs.
            (6) In section 4201 of the Fiscal Year 2018 National 
        Defense Authorization Act, Congress reiterated the importance 
        of prioritizing this relationship by authorizing more than $12 
        million above the President's requests, including $2 million 
        for minority women in the fields of science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.
            (7) While women of color have made significant progress in 
        graduating from college in the areas of study related to STEAM, 
        they continue to be under-represented in the STEAM fields.
            (8) While underrepresented minority students overall face 
        an opportunity gap in STEAM education, women of color face a 
        larger achievement gap in science and engineering education.
            (9) In 2012, of bachelor's degrees awarded in science and 
        engineering majors--
                    (A) women received 48.8 percent;
                    (B) women of color received 15.7 percent;
                    (C) Black individuals received 5.3 percent;
                    (D) Hispanic individuals received 5.5 percent;
                    (E) Native American or Alaska Native individuals 
                received 0.3 percent; and
                    (F) Asian or Pacific Islander individuals received 
                4.6 percent.
            (10) A 2017 report published by the National Science 
        Foundation found that the percentage of all bachelor's degrees 
        in computer sciences, mathematics, and statistics, and 
        engineering received by women of color has declined since 1996.
            (11) Intentional and proactive strategies and programs are 
        necessary to ensure the under-representation of women of color 
        in the disciplines and professions related to STEAM fields is 
        appropriately addressed to ensure broad and inclusive 
        participation in areas of national importance.

SEC. 3. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a 
fellowship program, which shall be known as the ``Ronald V. Dellums 
Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM'', to provide 
scholarships and internships for eligible students with high potential 
talent in STEAM.
    (b) Objectives.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall--
            (1) consult with higher education institutions and relevant 
        professional associations, nonprofits, and relevant defense 
        industry representatives on the design of the program; and
            (2) design the program in a manner such that the program--
                    (A) increases awareness of and interest in 
                employment at a Defense Agency among underrepresented 
                students in the STEAM fields, particularly women of 
                color, who are pursuing a degree in a STEAM field;
                    (B) supports the academic careers of 
                underrepresented students, especially women of color, 
                in STEAM fields; and
                    (C) builds a pipeline of women of color with 
                exemplary academic achievements in a STEAM field who 
                can pursue careers in national security and in areas of 
                national need.
    (c) Components.--The fellowship program shall consist of--
            (1) a scholarship program under subsection (d); and
            (2) an internship program under subsection (e).
    (d) Selection.--
            (1) In general.--Each fiscal year, subject to the 
        availability of funds, the Secretary shall select at least 30 
        eligible students to participate in the fellowship program for 
        a period of 2 years.
            (2) Students from minority-serving institutions and 
        historically black colleges and universities.--The Secretary 
        may not award fewer than 50 percent of the fellowships under 
        this section to eligible students who attend historically Black 
        colleges and universities and other minority-serving 
        institutions, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian 
        American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 
        institutions, American Indian Tribally controlled colleges and 
        universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 
        institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, and Native 
        American-serving, Nontribal institutions.
            (3) Scholarship.--Each fellow shall receive a scholarship 
        of up to $50,000 each academic year of the fellowship program.
            (4) Consideration of underrepresented students in steam 
        fields.--In awarding a scholarship under this section, the 
        Secretary shall consider--
                    (A) the number and distribution of minority and 
                female students nationally in science and engineering 
                majors;
                    (B) the projected need for highly trained 
                individuals in all fields of science and engineering;
                    (C) the present and projected need for highly 
                trained individuals in science and engineering career 
                fields in which minorities and women are 
                underrepresented; and
                    (D) the lack of minorities and women in national 
                security, especially in science and engineering fields 
                in which such individuals are traditionally 
                underrepresented.
            (5) Student agreement.--As a condition of receipt of funds 
        under this section, a fellow shall agree--
                    (A) to use such funds solely to pay the cost of 
                attendance at the higher education institution at which 
                the student is enrolled;
                    (B) to return any such funds in excess of the cost 
                of attendance at such higher education institution;
                    (C) to maintain satisfactory academic standing, as 
                determined by the Secretary;
                    (D) to return such funds for an academic year if--
                            (i) in such year, the fellow earns less 
                        than 60 percent of the credits required at the 
                        institution of higher education at which the 
                        fellow is enrolled; and
                            (ii) the fellow is no longer enrolled at 
                        such institution or another institution of 
                        higher education at the start of the next 
                        academic year;
                    (E) to complete an internship under this section in 
                a manner that is satisfactory, as determined by the 
                Secretary;
                    (F) upon completion of the degree that the student 
                pursues while in the fellowship program, to work for 
                the Federal Government or in the field of education in 
                the area of study for which the scholarship or 
                fellowship was awarded, for a period specified by the 
                Secretary, which shall not be longer than the period 
                for which scholarship assistance was provided to such 
                student; and
                    (G) to return the amount of the assistance provided 
                the recipient under the program with interest at a rate 
                determined by the Secretary if the student fails to 
                comply with subsections (A) through (F).
            (6) Enforcement of agreement.--The Secretary may enforce 
        the agreement under paragraph (5) as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    (e) Internship.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        internship program that provides each student an internship at 
        a Defense Agency.
            (2) Requirements.--Each internship shall--
                    (A) to the extent practicable, last a period of at 
                least 10 weeks;
                    (B) to the extent practicable, be at a Defense 
                Agency;
                    (C) include a stipend for transportation and living 
                expenses incurred by the fellow during the fellowship; 
                and
                    (D) be completed during the initial 2-year period 
                of the fellowship.
            (3) Mentorship.--To the extent practicable, each fellow 
        shall be paired with a mid-level or a senior-level official of 
        the Defense Agency who shall serve as a mentor during the 
        internship.
    (f) Extensions.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to this section, a fellow may 
        apply for, and the Secretary may grant, a 1-year extension of 
        the fellowship.
            (2) Number of extensions.--There shall be no limit on the 
        number of extensions under paragraph (1) that the Secretary may 
        grant an eligible student.
            (3) Limitation on degrees.--Students shall be limited to 
        obtaining a maximum of the following graduate degrees with 
        fellowship funds--
                    (A) 2 master's degrees; and
                    (B) 1 doctorate of philosophy.
            (4) Treatment of extensions.--An extension granted under 
        this subsection does not count for the purposes of--
                    (A) the number of fellowships granted under 
                subsection (d)(1); or
                    (B) the percentage of fellowships granted to 
                eligible students.
            (5) Extension requirements.--A fellow may receive an 
        extension under this subsection only if--
                    (A) the fellow is in good academic standing;
                    (B) the fellow has satisfactorily completed an 
                internship under subsection (e); and
                    (C) the fellow is currently enrolled full-time at 
                an institution of higher education and pursuing, in a 
                STEAM field--
                            (i) a bachelor's degree;
                            (ii) a master's degree; or
                            (iii) a doctorate of philosophy.
    (g) Limitation on Administrative Costs.--For each academic year, 
the Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the funds made 
available to carry out this section for administrative purposes, 
including for purposes of--
            (1) outreach to institutions of higher education to 
        encourage participation in the program; and
            (2) promotion of the program to eligible students.
    (h) Administration of Program.--The Secretary may appoint a lead 
program officer to administer the program and to market the program 
among students and higher education institutions.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of the next 
25 fiscal years.
    (j) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
first fellowship is awarded under this section, and each academic year 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Congress a 
report containing--
            (1) a description and analysis of the demographic 
        information of students who receive fellowships under this 
        section, including information with respect to such students 
        regarding--
                    (A) race;
                    (B) ethnicity;
                    (C) gender identity;
                    (D) eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant 
                under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a 
                et seq.); and
                    (E) eligibility of the household in which the 
                student resides to receive benefits under the 
                Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under section 
                5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
                2014), in the case of graduate students;
            (2) an analysis of the effects of the program;
            (3) a description of--
                    (A) the total number of students who obtain a 
                degree with fellowship funds each year; and
                    (B) the type and total number of degrees obtained 
                by fellows; and
            (4) recommendations for changes to the program and to this 
        Act to ensure that women of color are being effectively served 
        by such program.
    (k) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Cost of attendance.--The term ``cost of attendance'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 132 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a).
            (2) Defense agency.--The term ``Defense Agency'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101(a) of title 10, United 
        States Code.
            (3) Eligible student.--The term ``eligible student'' means 
        an individual who--
                    (A) submits an application for a fellowship under 
                this section; and
                    (B) is either--
                            (i) an enrolled second-year student at a 
                        higher education institution; or
                            (ii) a community college student who 
                        intends to use scholarship funds for tuition 
                        for the third year of study at a higher 
                        education institution.
            (4) Fellow.--The term ``fellow'' means a student that was 
        selected for the fellowship program under subsection (d).
            (5) Historically black college and university.--The term 
        ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (7) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution listed in section 
        371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1067q(a)).
            (8) STEAM.--The term ``STEAM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, arts, and mathematics.
            (9) Underrepresented student in a steam field.--The term 
        ``underrepresented student in a STEAM field'' means a student 
        who is a member of a minority group for which the number of 
        individuals in such group who receive bachelor's degrees in 
        STEAM fields per 10,000 individuals in such group is 
        substantially fewer than the number of white, non-Hispanic 
        individuals of bachelor's degrees in STEAM fields per 10,000 
        such individuals.
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