Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9134 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9134

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act 
to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out 
      a mentorship demonstration program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2024

Ms. McClellan (for herself, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Crockett, Ms. Clarke of New 
   York, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Carson, Mr. Mullin, Ms. Lee of 
California, Ms. Salinas, Ms. Strickland, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Ross, and Mrs. 
   Foushee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act 
to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out 
      a mentorship demonstration program, 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 ``Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher 
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. MENTORSHIP DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
              REPORTING.

    (a) Demonstration Program.--Section 10313(a) of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18993) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Demonstration program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Director may make awards, 
                including through existing programs, on a competitive 
                basis to eligible entities to carry out projects 
                designed to improve mentorship practices and provide 
                resources for faculty, graduate researchers, and 
                postdoctoral researchers at the eligible entity, 
                including with respect to--
                            ``(i) building and developing mentoring 
                        skills in such researchers and faculty;
                            ``(ii) promoting evidence-based and 
                        institutionalized mentorship at the eligible 
                        entity;
                            ``(iii) researching methodologies for 
                        improving mentorship;
                            ``(iv) training such researchers and 
                        faculty in cultural competencies; and
                            ``(v) funding outreach related to such 
                        projects.
                    ``(B) Application.--An eligible entity desiring an 
                award under this subsection shall submit to the 
                Director an application at such time, in such form, and 
                containing such information as the Director may 
                require.
                    ``(C) Special consideration.--In making awards 
                under this subsection, the Director shall give special 
                consideration to eligible entities that are--
                            ``(i) minority-serving institutions;
                            ``(ii) historically Black colleges and 
                        universities;
                            ``(iii) Tribal Colleges or Universities;
                            ``(iv) rural-serving institutions of higher 
                        education (as such term is defined in section 
                        861(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                        U.S.C. 1161q(b)));
                            ``(v) emerging research institutions; and
                            ``(vi) consortia that include institutions 
                        described in clauses (i) through (v).
                    ``(D) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the 
                date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Director 
                shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
                Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the Senate a report that includes--
                            ``(i) an assessment, using qualitative or 
                        quantitative metrics as determined by the 
                        Director, of the effectiveness of the 
                        demonstration program carried out under this 
                        paragraph on increasing the quality of 
                        mentorship in STEM education; and
                            ``(ii) if such assessment determines that 
                        such program is effective, a plan to sustain 
                        and permanently implement such program.
                    ``(E) Eligible entity defined.--For purposes of 
                this paragraph, the term `eligible entity' means--
                            ``(i) an institution of higher education 
                        (as such term is defined in section 101 of the 
                        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
                            ``(ii) a nonprofit organization; and
                            ``(iii) a consortium of entities described 
                        in clauses (i) and (ii).
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this paragraph $5,000,000, for fiscal years 
2025 through 2029.''.
    (b) Misconduct Reporting Requirements.--Section 7009 of the America 
COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o-1) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) institutional and agency reporting processes with 
        respect to harassment, discrimination, and other forms of 
        professional or scientific misconduct;''.
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