[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2020)] [House] [Pages H550-H553] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SUPPORTING VETERANS IN STEM CAREERS ACT Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 153) to promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and scientific research, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 153 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, [[Page H551]] SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Science Foundation. (2) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National Science Foundation. (3) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note). (4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. SEC. 3. SUPPORTING VETERANS IN STEM EDUCATION AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. (a) Supporting Veteran Involvement in Scientific Research and STEM Education.--The Director shall, through the research and education activities of the Foundation, encourage veterans to study and pursue careers in STEM and computer science, in coordination with other Federal agencies that serve veterans. (b) Veteran Outreach Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan for how the Foundation can enhance its outreach efforts to veterans. Such plan shall-- (1) report on the Foundation's existing outreach activities; (2) identify the best method for the Foundation to leverage existing authorities and programs to facilitate and support veterans in STEM careers and studies, including teaching programs; and (3) include options for how the Foundation could track veteran participation in research and education programs of the Foundation, and describe any barriers to collecting such information. (c) National Science Board Indicators Report.--The National Science Board shall provide in its annual report on indicators of the state of science and engineering in the United States any available and relevant data on veterans in science and engineering careers or education programs. (d) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Update.-- Section 10 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(5)-- (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end; (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) higher education programs that serve or support veterans.''; (2) in subsection (b)(2)(F)-- (A) by striking ``and students'' and inserting ``, students''; and (B) by inserting ``, and veterans'' before the period at the end; (3) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting ``and veterans'' before the period at the end; and (4) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ``and veterans'' before the period at the end. (e) National Science Foundation Teaching Fellowships and Master Teaching Fellowships Update.--Section 10A(d) of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1a(d)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (3)(F)-- (A) by striking ``and individuals'' and inserting ``, individuals''; and (B) by inserting ``, and veterans'' before the period at the end; and (2) in paragraph (4)(B), by inserting ``and veterans'' before the period at the end. (f) National Science Foundation Computer and Network Security Capacity Building Grants Update.--Section 5(a) of the Cyber Security Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7404(a)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and students who are veterans'' after ``these fields''; and (2) in paragraph (3)-- (A) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' at the end; (B) by redesignating subparagraph (J) as subparagraph (K); and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following: ``(J) creating opportunities for veterans to transition to careers in computer and network security; and''. (g) Graduate Traineeships in Computer and Network Security Research Update.--Section 5(c)(6)(C) of the Cyber Security Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7404(c)(6)(C)) is amended by inserting ``or veterans'' after ``disciplines''. (h) Veterans and Military Families STEM Education Interagency Working Group.-- (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall establish, or designate, an interagency working group to improve veteran and military spouse equity and representation in STEM fields. (2) Duties of interagency working group.--An interagency working group established under paragraph (1) shall develop and facilitate the implementation by participating agencies of a strategic plan, which shall-- (A) specify and prioritize short- and long-term objectives; (B) specify the common metrics that will be used by Federal agencies to assess progress toward achieving such objectives; (C) identify barriers veterans face in reentering the workforce, including a lack of formal STEM education, career guidance, and the process of transferring military credits and skills to college credits; (D) identify barriers military spouses face in establishing careers in STEM fields; (E) describe the approaches that each participating agency will take to address administratively the barriers described in subparagraphs (C) and (D); and (F) identify any barriers that require Federal or State legislative or regulatory changes in order to be addressed. (3) Report.--The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall-- (A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, submit to Congress the strategic plan required under paragraph (2); and (B) include in the annual report required by section 101(d) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621(d)) a description of any progress made in carrying out the activities described in paragraph (2) of this subsection. (4) Sunset.--An interagency working group established under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 3 years after the date that it is established. SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY AND REPORT ON BARRIERS FACED BY STUDENT VETERANS PURSUING DEGREES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, OR MATH. (a) Study.--Not later than August 1, 2022, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete a study on academic success rates of student veterans pursuing covered degrees and barriers faced by such students in pursuing such degrees. (b) Elements.--The study required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) Assessment of available information on the percentage or number of student veterans pursuing a covered degree with educational assistance furnished under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code. (2) Assessment of available information on the percentage or number of such students who pursue a covered degree and do not obtain such degree in four or fewer academic years. (3) Identification of the reasons that such students do not obtain such degree in four or fewer academic years and whether such reasons are barriers to obtaining such degrees. (4) Development of recommendations for legislative or administrative action to better align the educational assistance furnished under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, with the needs of such students and address the reasons identified under paragraph (3). (c) Report.--Not later than August 1, 2022, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study completed under subsection (a), along with recommendations for such legislative or administrative action as the Comptroller General considers appropriate. (d) Definition of Covered Degree.--In this section, the term ``covered degree'' means a standard, undergraduate college degree in a field listed under section 3320(b)(4)(A)(i) of title 38, United States Code. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. McAdams) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah. General Leave Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 153, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah? There was no objection. Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. I thank Representatives Dunn and Lamb and our colleagues in the Senate, Senators Rubio and Klobuchar, for their leadership on this important bipartisan bill. The Nation's economic growth and global competitiveness are increasingly reliant on a workforce that is equipped with STEM knowledge and skills. Nearly every aspect of modern life, from transportation, agriculture, and healthcare, to energy and national defense, is built on a foundation of science and technology. To maintain our standing as the global leader in innovation, we must continue to invest in and expand our STEM workforce. While these challenges have been well defined for some time, we continue to struggle as a Nation to produce enough workers with the STEM skills and knowledge that their employers need. [[Page H552]] Business leaders have expressed concern that the STEM skills shortage will impact their ability to develop new technologies and to grow their companies. The veteran population represents an underutilized pool of talent for our Nation's STEM workforce. Often, the skills these individuals obtained during their military service are transferable directly to STEM occupations. We must do more to tap into this diverse, highly skilled, and experienced population to not only strengthen our STEM workforce but also empower veterans to pursue high-paying and rewarding STEM careers. S. 153 directs the National Science Foundation to report data on veterans in STEM studies and careers and to develop a plan to increase outreach to those veterans. The bill also creates an interagency committee that will examine how Federal programs and policies can be best leveraged to equip veterans with the skills they need to transition into STEM careers. S. 153 is a good step toward addressing our STEM skills shortage and creating opportunities for those who have served our country. Once again, I thank my colleagues in the House and the Senate for their leadership on this very important issue. I also thank Chair Takano from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for helping us to expedite consideration of this bill today on the floor. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to send this bill to the President's desk for signature, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. I thank Dr. Neal Dunn and Congressman Conor Lamb, who led the House version of this bill, for their work to support our Nation's veterans. S. 153 will help veterans put their training and experience in military service to new and important uses and help America stay competitive in research and innovation on a global scale. In the last decade alone, jobs requiring some level of STEM expertise have grown by more than 30 percent, including jobs that do not require a bachelor's degree. Nearly 7 million jobs are unfilled in the United States due to a shortage of skilled workers, many in STEM and related fields. In my home State of Ohio, we have been focusing on boosting and expanding our cyber defense capabilities to the Ohio Cyber Range. In order for the program to be more efficient and ready for any cyberattack, we need a cybersecurity workforce properly trained in the STEM field. {time} 1800 S. 153 gives our veterans the opportunity to acquire new skills and better prepare them for jobs of the 21st century. At the same time, veterans and transitioning servicemembers represent a valuable, skilled talent pool from which to help meet this critical need. S. 153 will improve outreach to veterans through the National Science Foundation's programs to support and train STEM workers. We can serve our veterans and help them translate their experience into meaningful STEM work. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson). Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. The future of this Nation will be driven by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM careers are among the fastest growing and highest-paying occupations. Despite these trends, we are failing to produce enough STEM workers to support the current pace of growth and innovation and ensure we continue to lead the world in science and technology development. As a Nation, we are forever indebted to the men and women who choose to serve in the military and put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms that we hold dear. At a minimum, we must ensure veterans interested in pursuing STEM careers here at home have the support that they need. Veterans are uniquely positioned to contribute to our STEM workforce, often having training in cybersecurity, avionics, nuclear physics, and medicine. However, significant obstacles often stand in their way when transitioning to a civilian STEM career. S. 153 establishes an interagency working group to identify these obstacles and develop a plan for addressing them. The bill also directs the National Science Foundation to improve its outreach to veterans and report on veterans in the STEM workforce. These are important steps for honoring our commitment to our veterans and for ensuring we have a competitive STEM workforce. I want to thank Representatives Dunn and Lamb, and our colleagues in the Senate, Senators Rubio and Klobuchar, for their leadership on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn). Mr. DUNN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act, which is about helping to expand veterans' job and education opportunities in the sciences. I was the proud sponsor of the House version of this bill. The bill directs the National Science Foundation to develop a veterans' outreach plan and publish data on veterans' participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields in its annual ``Indicators'' report. The bill also updates the NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship program, fellowship programs, and cyber grant programs to include outreach to veterans. I thank Senator Rubio and Senator Klobuchar, for their bipartisan, bicameral support, and Congressman Lamb, a member of the Science Committee, and a Marine Corps veteran himself, for his work on this legislation. And I salute my fellow veterans in the Congress who have joined me in introducing this bill. This is an excellent opportunity for us all to come together and support a meritorious piece of legislation. The very nearly identical piece of legislation passed this body by voice vote 1 year ago. I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill and send it to the President's desk. Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I have no other requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I again want to thank Dr. Neal Dunn and Congressman Conor Lamb for their work to support our Nation's veterans. This bill will improve outreach to veterans through the National Science Foundation's programs to support and train STEM workers. We can serve our veterans and help them translate their experience into meaningful STEM work. I again urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation and send it to the President's desk. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I urge adoption of this measure, S. 153. I commend my colleague for this important legislation and the impact that it will have on our veterans who have served our country and want to continue to serve and provide for themselves and serve in STEM fields. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following exchange of correspondence between myself and Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Takano. I appreciate his willingness to work with us to pass this bill today and send it to the President for signature. House of Representatives, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington DC, January 24, 2020. Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman, Science, Space, and Technology Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairwoman Johnson: I am writing with respect to S. 153, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. Thank you for [[Page H553]] consulting with the Committee on Veterans' Affairs regarding the matters in S. 153 that fall within the Committee's jurisdiction. As a result of your consultation with us on this measure and in order to expeditiously move the bill to the floor, I forego further consideration of S. 153. The Committee on Veterans' Affairs takes this action with our mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues that fall within our jurisdiction. Further, I request your support for the appointment of an appropriate number of conferees from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs during any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation. Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding regarding S. 153 and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Committee Report and the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the measure. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, Mark Takano, Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, January 24, 2020. Chairman Mark Takano, Committee on Veterans' Affair, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Takano: I am writing to you concerning S. 1S3, the ``Supporting Veterans in STEM Career Act,'' which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs on December 19, 2019. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this bill. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. I acknowledge that your Committee will waive further consideration of S. 153 and that this action is not a waiver of future jurisdictional claims by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs over this subject matter. I will make sure to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record. Thank you for your cooperation on this legislation. Sincerely, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. McAdams) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 153. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________