S.Amdt. 2059

SA 2059. Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Cortez Masto, and
Mr. Cornyn) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment
SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill S. 1260, to establish a new
Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science
Foundation, to establish a regional technology hub program, to require
a strategy and report on economic security, science, research,
innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to establish a critical
supply chain resiliency program, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of division F, add the following:

TITLE IV--DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR HBCU/MSI/
TCU-DESIGNATED INSTITUTIONS

SEC. 6401. FINDINGS.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Strengthening the United States research enterprise is
critical to our Nation's leadership in science and
technology.
(2) Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the
federally funded research pipeline is essential to ensuring
the development of scientific breakthroughs that benefit
every person of the United States.
(3) Partnerships between institutions of higher education
with the highest levels of research activity and historically
Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or
Universities, or other minority-serving institutions that are
committed to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of
historically underrepresented populations benefit the United
States at large.
(4) The STEM workforce drives forward the United States
economy and our global competitiveness.
(5) Federal funding for initiatives that support the
development of a diverse research workforce pipeline across
institutions of higher education are in the best interest of
the United States research enterprise.
(6) Congress believes that Federal science agencies should
provide funding to foster collaboration between institutions
of higher education to promote a more diverse, equitable, and
inclusive research workforce and enterprise.

SEC. 6402. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this title is to provide funding to Federal
science agencies for distribution to eligible partnerships
that commit resources to collaboration and cooperation with
historically Black colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges
or Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, or other
minority-serving institutions, including--
(1) programs that help enroll alumni from historically
Black colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or
Universities, or other minority-serving institutions in
postgraduate programs leading to master or doctoral degrees
in STEM disciplines at partner institutions of higher
education with the highest levels of research activity;
(2) summer research internship support grants at partner
institutions of higher education with the highest levels of
research activity;
(3) research projects that include students at historically
Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and
Universities, or other minority-serving institutions, and at
institutions of higher education with the highest levels of
research activity; and
(4) competitive grant awards to enhance and expand pathways
to the professoriate for underrepresented students.

SEC. 6403. DEFINITIONS.

In this title:
(1) Asian american and native american pacific islander-
serving institution.--The term ``Asian American and Native
American Pacific Islander-serving institution'' has the
meaning given the term in section 320(b) or 371(c)(2) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059g(b) and
1067q(c)(2)).
(2) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible
partnership'' means a partnership that includes--
(A)(i) an institution with the highest levels of research
activity; or
(ii) a National Laboratory; and
(B) not less than 1 historically Black college or
university, Tribal College or University, or other minority-
serving institution.
(3) Federal science agency.--The term ``Federal science
agency'' means any Federal agency with at least $100,000,000
in basic and applied research obligations in fiscal year
2021.
(4) Grantee.--The term ``grantee'' means the legal entity
to which a grant is awarded and that is accountable to the
Federal Government for the use of the funds provided.
(5) Institution with the highest levels of research
activity.--The term ``institution with the highest levels of
research activity'', means an institution of higher education
that is classified as an R1 University, or successor
designation, by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions
of Higher Education.
(6) Hispanic-serving institution.--The term ``Hispanic-
serving institution'' means an institution of higher
education as defined in section 502 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).
(7) Historically black college or university.--The term
``historically Black college and 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).
(8) 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)).
(9) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means a historically Black college or
university, predominantly Black institution, Hispanic-serving
institution, Asian American and Native American Pacific
Islander-Serving Institution, or Tribal College or
University.
(10) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(11) Predominantly black institution.--The term
``predominantly Black institution'' means--
(A) a Predominantly Black Institution, as defined in
section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059e(b)); or
(B) a Predominantly Black institution, as defined in
section 371(c)(9) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)(9)).
(12) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including computer science and
biological and agricultural sciences.
(13) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal
College or University'' has the meaning given the term in
section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059c(b)).

SEC. 6404. DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES,
TRIBAL COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES, OR OTHER
MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.

(a) Grant Program Authorized.--From amounts made available
under section 6406, the head of each Federal science agency
shall make awards to eligible partnerships in order to
support the recruitment, retention, and advancement of
underrepresented students in STEM fields, including students
who are the first in their families to graduate

[[Page S3526]]

from institutions of higher education, veterans, individuals
from low-income backgrounds, individuals with disabilities,
and women, through activities described in subsection (c).
(b) Collaboration Requirements.--
(1) Joint proposal.--An eligible partnership desiring a
grant under a program described in subsection (a) shall
submit a joint proposal representing all members of the
eligible partnership to the applicable Federal science
agency. The joint proposal shall include a description of the
proposed activities to be carried out under the grant.
(2) Collaboration.--Each eligible partnership shall
collaborate across institutions of higher education,
including historically Black colleges or universities, Tribal
Colleges or Universities, or other minority-serving
institutions, in order to develop and carry out the proposed
grant activities.
(c) Use of Funds.--
(1) Required uses.--Each eligible partnership supported by
a grant under subsection (a) shall--
(A) enhance and expand pathways for underrepresented
students at historically Black colleges or universities,
Tribal Colleges or Universities, or other minority-serving
institutions, to enter graduate studies and academia in STEM
fields;
(B) remove barriers to entry to the professoriate for such
students; and
(C) provide funding to faculty at historically Black
colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, or
other minority-serving institutions to work on the research
projects along with their students.
(2) Distribution requirement.--The head of each Federal
science agency shall require each grantee to allocate not
less than 50 percent of the total grant award received by the
eligible partnership to the partner historically Black
colleges or universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, or
other minority-serving institutions, in order to carry out
the activities supported under the grant.
(d) Nonduplication.--An eligible partnership desiring a
grant under a program described in subsection (a) shall not
submit the same proposal to multiple Federal science
agencies.

SEC. 6405. REPORTING.

The head of each Federal science agency shall conduct or
support studies, which shall include longitudinal studies,
that follow the progress of undergraduate students
participating in activities supported under this title and
report--
(1) the number of such students, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by categories of underrepresented students in
STEM field, who pursue STEM graduate studies and professions
as a result of such activities; and
(2) information regarding the benefits provided to such
students as a result of the activities.

SEC. 6406. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this title $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and
each succeeding fiscal year.
(b) GAO Report.--Beginning in fiscal year 2022, the
Comptroller General of the United States, after consultation
with the Secretary of Education on any relevant issue of
concern, including at a minimum on the total numbers of
qualifying eligible minority serving institutions within each
category discussed herein annually, shall prepare and submit
to Congress a suggested distribution of funding under this
title among all qualifying Federal science agencies that in
the first year of the program reflects equitable share as a
basis for distribution and that reflects the input of the
affected Federal science agencies regarding any allocation
methodology to be used in subsequent years.
______