Title: STEM Corps Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
STEM Corps Act of 2020
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a STEM Corps program to enhance the STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and computer science workforce of DOD and the defense industry. Under the program, DOD must provide financial assistance to qualified students who pursue a bachelor's or graduate degree in a STEM or computer science discipline in exchange for their commitment to work within DOD in a STEM-related position for a period of not less than four years.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6526 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6526

  To establish a STEM corps to enhance the STEM and computer science 
 workforce of the Department of Defense and the defense industry, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 17, 2020

  Mr. Banks (for himself and Mr. Kim) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a STEM corps to enhance the STEM and computer science 
 workforce of the Department of Defense and the defense industry, 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 ``STEM Corps Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. STEM CORPS PROGRAM.

    Part III of subtitle A of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new chapter:

 ``CHAPTER 113--SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS CORPS

``2200n. STEM Corps program.
``2200o. Administration of program.
``2200p. Service obligation for STEM Corps participants.
``2200q. Security clearance required.
``2200r. Refund for failure to complete program.
``2200s. Industry and institutional participation.
``2200t. Definitions.
``Sec. 2200n. STEM Corps program
    ``(a) Program Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a 
program to be known as the `STEM Corps' to enhance the STEM and 
computer science workforce of the Department of Defense and the defense 
industry. Under the program, the Secretary shall provide financial 
assistance to qualified students who pursue a bachelor's or graduate 
degree in a STEM or computer-science discipline in exchange for a 
commitment from such students to work in the Department of Defense for 
a defined period.
    ``(b) Application and Entrance Examination.--To be considered for 
participation in the STEM Corps, a qualified student shall--
            ``(1) submit to the Administrative Agency an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require; and
            ``(2) achieve a passing score on the written exam developed 
        and administered by the Administrative Agency in accordance 
        with section 2200o(a)(2)(B).
    ``(c) Financial Assistance.--
            ``(1) Amount.--The amount of financial assistance provided 
        to a qualified student under this section shall not exceed 
        $40,000 for each academic year during which the student is 
        enrolled in a STEM or computer science degree program at a 
        qualified institution of higher education.
            ``(2) Duration.--A qualified student may receive financial 
        assistance under this section for a maximum of two academic 
        years.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--Financial assistance provided to a 
        qualified student under this section may be used only to pay 
        the student's cost of attendance at a qualified institution of 
        higher education.
    ``(d) Academic Requirements.--As a condition of receiving financial 
assistance under this, a STEM Corps participant shall--
            ``(1) complete not less than 15 credit hours (or the 
        equivalent) of postsecondary coursework in computer science;
            ``(2) maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of a 
        bachelor's or graduate degree in a STEM or computer-science 
        discipline;
            ``(3) maintain a grade point average of not less than 3.0 
        on a scale of 4.0 (or the equivalent) while enrolled in such a 
        degree program; and
            ``(4) meet such other academic requirements as the 
        Administrative Agency determines to be appropriate.
    ``(e) Relationship to Other Programs.--The Secretary of Defense 
shall coordinate the provision of financial assistance under the 
authorities provided in this chapter with the provision of financial 
assistance under the authorities provided in chapter 111 of this title 
(pertaining to support of science, mathematics, and engineering 
education), to maximize the benefits derived by the Department of 
Defense from the exercise of all such authorities.
``Sec. 2200o. Administration of program
    ``(a) Administrative Agency.--
            ``(1) Designation.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        establish or designate an organization of the Department of 
        Defense to serve as the organization within the Department with 
        primary responsibility for administering the STEM Corps program 
        (referred to in this chapter as the `Administrative Agency').
            ``(2) Duties.--Subject to the direction and control of the 
        Secretary of Defense, the Administrative Agency shall--
                    ``(A) select qualified students for participation 
                in the STEM Corps;
                    ``(B) develop and administer a written examination 
                for applicants to the STEM Corps;
                    ``(C) monitor STEM Corps participants to determine 
                their continued eligibility for participation in the 
                program;
                    ``(D) facilitate the placement of STEM Corps 
                participants in positions within the Department of 
                Defense and with defense industry sponsors, as 
                applicable;
                    ``(E) solicit, receive, and manage contributions 
                from defense-industry sponsors under section 2200s(a);
                    ``(F) enter into memoranda of understanding with 
                institutions of higher education under section 
                2200s(b); and
                    ``(G) carry out such other activities relating to 
                the STEM Corps as the Secretary of Defense determines 
                to be appropriate.
    ``(b) Advisory Panel.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        establish an advisory panel to provide advice and 
        recommendations to the Administrative Agency on the matters 
        described in subsection (a)(2).
            ``(2) Members.--The advisory panel shall be composed of the 
        following members:
                    ``(A) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
                Manpower and Reserve Affairs, who shall serve as the 
                chairperson of the panel.
                    ``(B) One representative of the Department of 
                Defense appointed by the Secretary of Defense.
                    ``(C) One Member of the House of Representatives 
                appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
                Representatives.
                    ``(D) One Member of the House of Representatives 
                appointed by the minority leader of the House of 
                Representatives.
                    ``(E) One Senator appointed by the majority leader 
                of the Senate.
                    ``(F) One Senator appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate.
            ``(3) Terms.--Each member specified in subparagraphs (B) 
        through (F) of paragraph (2) shall be appointed for a term of 
        two years.
            ``(4) Meetings.--The advisory panel shall meet at the call 
        of the chairperson or a majority of its members not less 
        frequently than once annually.
    ``(c) Limitation on Availability of Funds.--Of the funds authorized 
to be appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out this 
chapter for a fiscal year, not more than $500,000 may be used to pay 
the costs of administering the STEM Corps, including any costs relating 
to the advisory panel established under subsection (b).
``Sec. 2200p. Service obligation for STEM Corps participants
    ``(a) Service Agreement for Recipients of Financial Assistance.--To 
be eligible to receive financial assistance under section 2200n, a 
qualified student shall enter into a written agreement with the 
Secretary of Defense under which the student agrees--
            ``(1) to accept placement in an internship with a defense 
        industry sponsor as described in subsection (b);
            ``(2) to accept and continue employment in the Department 
        of Defense in a Department of Defense Laboratory as described 
        in subsection (c); and
            ``(3) to accept any additional terms and conditions that 
        the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
    ``(b) Internship With Defense Industry Sponsor.--
            ``(1) In general.--Pursuant to the agreement under 
        subsection (a)(1), each STEM Corps participant shall complete 
        an internship with a defense industry sponsor before the 
        student completes the second academic year of participation in 
        the program.
            ``(2) Type of position.--As part of an internship under 
        paragraph (1), a STEM Corps participant shall perform duties 
        that require a security clearance and that directly support the 
        Department of Defense.
            ``(3) Placement.--The Administrative Agency, in 
        consultation with STEM Corps participants and defense industry 
        sponsors, shall place each STEM Corps participant in an 
        appropriate internship as required under paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Employment in Department of Defense.--
            ``(1) Service obligation.--Pursuant to the agreement under 
        subsection (a)(2), each STEM Corps participant shall accept and 
        continue employment in a STEM or computer-science related 
        position within the Department of Defense, which may include 
        employment in a defense laboratory, for a period of not less 
        than four years.
            ``(2) Placement.--The Administrative Agency shall consult 
        with STEM Corps participants who are in the final year of a 
        bachelor's or graduate degree program to identify appropriate 
        employment opportunities for such participants within the 
        Department of Defense. To the extent practicable, the 
        Administrative Agency shall consider the skills, training, 
        experience, and preferences of a STEM Corps participant when 
        assigning the participant to a position under paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Treatment of service in the armed forces.--A STEM 
        Corps participant may fulfill the service obligation under 
        paragraph (1) through service in the armed forces.
            ``(4) Change of assignment.--
                    ``(A) Request for change of assignment.--After the 
                conclusion of the first year of an assignment under 
                paragraph (1), a STEM Corps participant may submit to 
                the Administrative Agency a request to be reassigned to 
                a different STEM or computer-science related position 
                within the Department.
                    ``(B) Consideration by administrative agency.--
                After receiving a request for a reassignment under 
                subparagraph (A), the Administrative Agency, in 
                consultation with the hiring authorities of the offices 
                concerned, shall--
                            ``(i) determine whether such a reassignment 
                        would be appropriate; and
                            ``(ii) based on such determination, approve 
                        or deny the request.
            ``(5) Rates of pay.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), during the period of obligated 
                service described in paragraph (1), each STEM Corps 
                participant shall be paid as follows:
                            ``(i) First three years of service.--For 
                        the first through third years of obligated 
                        service, each participant shall be paid at a 
                        rate of not less than the rate of basic pay for 
                        GS-6 of the General Schedule.
                            ``(ii) Fourth year of service.--For the 
                        fourth year of obligated service, each 
                        participant shall be paid at a rate equal to 
                        the rate of basic pay for GS-10 of the General 
                        Schedule.
                    ``(B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply 
                to a STEM Corps participant who fulfills the period of 
                obligated service described in paragraph (1) through 
                service as a member of the armed forces.
            ``(6) Inclusion of defense laboratories.--Employment in a 
        defense laboratory shall be treated as employment within the 
        Department of Defense for purposes of this chapter without 
        regard to whether the laboratory is operated by a contractor.
            ``(7) Waiver of veterans' preference.--The hiring authority 
        of the Department of Defense organization concerned, may 
        appoint, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of 
        chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, other than sections 
        3303 and 3328 of such title, qualified participants to 
        positions in the competitive service at the Department of 
        Defense.
    ``(d) Employment With Defense Industry Sponsor.--
            ``(1) In general.--At the discretion of the Administrative 
        Agency, a STEM Corps participant may fulfill the fourth year of 
        the service obligation under subsection (c)(1) through 
        employment with a defense industry sponsor.
            ``(2) Rate of pay.--The Administrative Agency shall ensure 
        that a STEM Corps participant employed by a defense industry 
        sponsor under paragraph (1) receives pay at a rate that is not 
        less than the equivalent of the rate of basic pay for GS-10 of 
        the General Schedule.
    ``(e) Transition Assistance.--The Administrative Agency shall 
provide advice and technical assistance to STEM Corps participants to 
assist the transition of such participants to long-term employment in 
the Department of Defense, other departments or agencies of the Federal 
Government, or the private-sector defense industry after the 
participant fulfills the service obligation under subsection (c)(1).
``Sec. 2200q. Security clearance required
    ``As a condition of participation in the STEM Corps each STEM Corps 
participant shall be required to--
            ``(1) apply for and obtain a security clearance before the 
        conclusion of the first academic year for which the participant 
        receives assistance under the program; and
            ``(2) maintain such security clearance until the conclusion 
        of the participant's period of obligated service under section 
        2200p(c)(1).
``Sec. 2200r. Refund for failure to complete program
    ``(a) In General.--A STEM Corps participant shall refund to the 
United States an appropriate amount, as determined by the Secretary, in 
the event that the participant does not--
            ``(1) complete the educational program for which financial 
        assistance has been provided under section 2200n;
            ``(2) meet the academic requirements described in section 
        2200n(d);
            ``(3) complete the service obligation described in section 
        2200p(c); or
            ``(4) obtain and maintain a security clearance as required 
        under section 2200q.
    ``(b) Treatment as Debt.--An obligation to reimburse the United 
States imposed under subsection (a) is for all purposes a debt owed to 
the United States.
    ``(c) Waiver.--The Secretary of Defense may waive, in whole or in 
part, a refund required under subsection (a) if the Secretary 
determines that recovery would be against equity and good conscience or 
would be contrary to the best interests of the United States.
``Sec. 2200s. Industry and institutional participation
    ``(a) Sponsorship Agreements With Defense Contractors.--
            ``(1) Contribution agreements.--The Secretary of Defense, 
        acting through the Administrative Agency, shall seek to enter 
        into agreements with qualified defense contractors under 
        which--
                    ``(A) the contractor will contribute not less than 
                $40,000 to the Administrative Agency, to be used to 
                provide financial assistance to STEM Corps participants 
                in accordance with section 2200n; and
                    ``(B) in exchange for each contribution of $40,000 
                under paragraph (1) for a year--
                            ``(i) the Administrative Agency will, to 
                        the extent practicable, place one STEM Corps 
                        participant in an internship with the 
                        contractor in accordance with section 2200p(b); 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the contractor may be eligible to 
                        employ a STEM Corps participant in the final 
                        year of the participant's service obligation in 
                        accordance with section 2200p(d).
            ``(2) Treatment of contributions.--Any contribution of 
        funds under subsection (a) shall be credited to the 
        appropriation or account providing the funds to carry out this 
        chapter. Any amount so credited shall be merged with amounts in 
        the appropriation or account to which credited, and shall be 
        available for the same purposes, and subject to the same 
        conditions and limitations, as amounts in such appropriation or 
        account.
    ``(b) Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education.--The 
Secretary of Defense, acting through the Administrative Agency, shall 
seek to enter into agreements with institutions of higher education 
under which the institutions shall agree to such terms and conditions 
as are necessary to facilitate the participation of students of the 
institution in the STEM Corps.
``Sec. 2200t. Definitions
    ``In this chapter:
            ``(1) Cost of attendance.--The term `cost of attendance' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 472 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
            ``(2) Defense industry partner.--The term `defense industry 
        partner' means a qualified defense contractor that has an 
        agreement in effect with the Secretary under section 2200s(a).
            ``(3) Defense laboratory.--The term `defense laboratory' 
        means a laboratory operated by the Department of Defense or 
        owned by the Department of Defense and operated by a contractor 
        or a facility of a Defense Agency at which research and 
        development activities are conducted.
            ``(4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            ``(5) STEM corps participant.--The term `STEM Corps 
        participant' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) has received, or is receiving, financial 
                assistance under section 2200n; and
                    ``(B) has not yet completed the service obligation 
                described in section 2200p(c)(1).
            ``(6) Qualified defense contractor.--The term `qualified 
        defense contractor', for any year, means an entity awarded a 
        contract with the Department of Defense for that year for an 
        amount in excess of $500,000.
            ``(7) Qualified institution of higher education.--The term 
        `qualified institution of higher education' means an 
        institution of higher education that--
                    ``(A) provides an educational program in a STEM or 
                computer-science field for which the institution awards 
                a bachelor's or graduate degree; and
                    ``(B) has an agreement in effect with the Secretary 
                under section 2200s(b).
            ``(8) Qualified student.--The term `qualified student' 
        means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a citizen of the United States;
                    ``(B) is between the ages of 19 and 31 years old 
                (inclusive), except that the Secretary may waive such 
                age requirement on a case-by-case basis;
                    ``(C) demonstrates an aptitude for technical 
                subjects and a propensity for public service;
                    ``(D) before the beginning of the first year of 
                participation in the program, will have completed not 
                less than 30 credit hours (or the equivalent) of 
                coursework at an institution of higher education, which 
                may include coursework completed at a junior or 
                community college (as that term is defined in section 
                312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1058(f))); and
                    ``(E) for the first year of participation in the 
                program--
                            ``(i) in the case of an undergraduate 
                        student, will be enrolled in the third year of 
                        a bachelor's degree program in a STEM or 
                        computer-science discipline at a qualified 
                        institution of higher education; or
                            ``(ii) in the case of a graduate student--
                                    ``(I) will be enrolled in graduate 
                                degree program in a STEM or computer-
                                science discipline at a qualified 
                                institution of higher education; and
                                    ``(II) is expected to complete such 
                                graduate degree by the conclusion of 
                                the academic year following the first 
                                year of participation in the program.
            ``(9) STEM.--The term `STEM' means science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out chapter 113 of 
title 10, United States Code, as added by section 2 of this Act, 
$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter.
                                 <all>