Early STEAM Achievement Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3374 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3374

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
          grant program for early childhood STEAM activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2023

    Ms. Kuster (for herself, Mr. Bowman, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Ross, Mr. 
   Grijalva, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Tonko, Ms. 
  DelBene, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Soto, Mrs. Watson 
  Coleman, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Trone, Ms. Clarke of New 
 York, Ms. Titus, Ms. Brown, Ms. Caraveo, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. 
   Nadler, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Mullin, and Mrs. Hayes) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
          grant program for early childhood STEAM activities.

    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 ``Early STEAM Achievement Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Authorized.--From the amounts appropriated to carry out 
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to assist such 
entities in carrying out early childhood STEAM programs and activities.
    (b) Requirements for Awarding Grants.--In awarding grants under 
this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (1) give priority to eligible entities that seek to use 
        such grant to carry out the activities described in subsection 
        (d)(3);
            (2) award not less than one-third of the funds appropriated 
        for a fiscal year under subsection (e) to eligible entities in 
        rural communities; and
            (3) award not less than one-quarter of the funds 
        appropriated for a fiscal year under subsection (e) to eligible 
        entities that are nonprofit organizations.
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may request.
    (d) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use the grant to carry out at least one of the 
following:
            (1) Professional development relating to early childhood 
        STEAM activities for teachers of early childhood education 
        programs.
            (2) Materials and equipment necessary to carry out such 
        early childhood STEAM activities.
            (3) Establishing partnerships between the eligible entity 
        and an institution of higher education to provide training in 
        early childhood STEAM activities for teachers of early 
        childhood education programs.
            (4) Establishing partnerships between the eligible entity 
        and an arts agency, a community arts partner, or a museum to 
        provide training in early childhood STEAM activities for 
        teachers of early childhood education programs.
            (5) The provision of professional development programs for 
        teachers of early childhood education program by institutions 
        of higher education.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may necessary to carry out this Act for each 
of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
    (f) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means an organization described in section 
        501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 
        taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
            (2) Early childhood education program.--The term ``early 
        childhood education program'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 103(8) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1003), except that such term includes programs described in 
        paragraph (8)(C) of such section 103 that serve children from 
        birth through age eight.
            (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        early childhood education program.
            (4) 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).
            (5) STEAM.--The term ``STEAM'' means science (including 
        computer science), technology, engineering, art, and 
        mathematics.
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