[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6160 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6160
To establish a scholarship program to encourage outstanding graduate
students in mission-critical fields to pursue a career in the Federal
Government.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2008
Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Shays, Mr. Moran of
Virginia, Mr. Platts, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr.
McDermott, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Markey, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr.
Etheridge, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, and Ms. Norton) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a scholarship program to encourage outstanding graduate
students in mission-critical fields to pursue a career in the Federal
Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Roosevelt Scholars
Act of 2008''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation.
Sec. 5. Roosevelt Scholars.
Sec. 6. Requirements for Roosevelt Scholars.
Sec. 7. Special hiring authority.
Sec. 8. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund.
Sec. 9. Expenditures and audit of Trust Fund.
Sec. 10. Executive Secretary of the Foundation.
Sec. 11. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 12. Additional duties and authorities of the Foundation.
Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) the Office of Personnel Management estimates that about
550,000 Federal employees will leave the Government in the next
5 years, the majority through retirement, and a recent survey
indicates that Federal agencies will need to hire nearly
193,000 new employees to fill mission-critical positions
(including highly specialized professionals, such as
scientists, engineers, physicians, mathematicians, and
economists) within the next 2 years;
(2) the ability of the Federal Government to perform
mission-critical functions depends on a strong, well-trained,
and highly engaged Federal workforce;
(3) heavy educational debt and lack of knowledge about
Federal job opportunities drive many students to seek
employment in the private sector, making it difficult for the
Federal Government to replace needed talent in mission-critical
positions; and
(4) a new scholarship program to help finance graduate-
level education and to connect students directly with mission-
critical Federal positions would help build a much needed
pipeline of talent for the Government.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``Foundation'' means the Theodore Roosevelt
Scholarship Foundation, as described in section 4(a);
(2) the term ``Board'' means the Board of Trustees of the
Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation, as described in
section 4(b);
(3) the term ``Fund'' means the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial
Scholarship Fund, as described in section 8;
(4) the term ``Federal agency'' means an Executive agency,
as defined by section 105 of title 5, United States Code;
(5) the term ``State'' includes the District of Columbia;
(6) the term ``graduate student'' means a student in a
master's, law, or doctoral degree program at a university
accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association; and
(7) the term ``mission-critical occupational area'' refers
to those positions that a Federal agency identifies as
essential to achieving its strategic goals, as determined
through the workforce analysis process of the Federal agency's
workforce planning system.
SEC. 4. THEODORE ROOSEVELT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION.
(a) Establishment.--There is established, as an independent
establishment in the executive branch of the Government, a foundation
to be known as the ``Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship Foundation''.
(b) Board of Trustees.--The Foundation shall be subject to the
supervision and direction of a Board of Trustees. The Board shall be
composed of 9 members, plus 1 non-voting ex officio member, as follows:
(1) 2 members shall be appointed by the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, after considering the
recommendations made by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives in consultation with the minority leader of the
House of Representatives.
(2) 2 members shall be appointed by the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, after considering the
recommendations made by the President pro tempore of the Senate
in consultation with the minority leader of the Senate.
(3) 5 members, not more than 3 of whom shall be of the same
political party, shall be appointed by the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, from among individuals who--
(A) have demonstrated leadership or expertise in
public service; or
(B) represent a Federal agency or a professional
association related to mission-critical occupational
areas.
(4) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (or
a designee), who shall serve as a non-voting, ex officio member
of the Board.
(c) Term of Office.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) or
(3), the term of each member (other than the ex officio member)
shall be 6 years.
(2) Initial appointees.--As designated by the President at
the time of appointment, of the members first appointed--
(A) 1 member appointed under subsection (b)(2) and
2 members appointed under subsection (b)(3) shall be
appointed for a term of 2 years;
(B) 1 member appointed under subsection (b)(1) and
2 members appointed under subsection (b)(3) shall be
appointed for a term of 4 years; and
(C) 1 member appointed under subsection (b)(1), 1
member appointed under subsection (b)(2), and 1 member
appointed under subsection (b)(3) shall be appointed
for a term of 6 years.
(3) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy
occurring before the expiration of the term for which the
member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for
the remainder of that term. A vacancy on the Board shall be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment was
made.
(d) Compensation.--Members of the Board shall serve without pay,
but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and
other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as
members of the Board.
SEC. 5. ROOSEVELT SCHOLARS.
(a) In General.--The Foundation shall award scholarships to
graduate students who demonstrate outstanding potential for a career in
a mission-critical occupational area within the Federal Government. The
recipient of a scholarship under this Act shall be known as a
``Roosevelt Scholar''.
(b) Selection Process.--
(1) Nationwide competition.--The Foundation shall, directly
or by contract, provide for the conduct of an annual Nationwide
competition, including an application and interview process,
for the purpose of selecting Roosevelt Scholars.
(2) Criteria and procedures.--The Foundation shall adopt
selection criteria and procedures to ensure a diverse cohort of
scholarship recipients each year who--
(A) at the time of applying for a scholarship under
this Act, are enrolled in or seeking admission to an
accredited full-time graduate degree program in a
discipline that is determined by the Foundation to be
directly related to 1 or more mission-critical
occupational areas within the Federal Government;
(B) have been nominated by an appropriate faculty
member or other representative of the institution in
which they are enrolled, of which they are a graduate,
or to which they are seeking admission, or by another
individual, approved by the Foundation, who has direct
knowledge of the candidate's academic or work
experience; and
(C) must be a citizen or legal permanent resident
of the United States.
(c) Scholarship Amounts.--Each student awarded a scholarship under
this Act shall receive, for each academic year in which such student is
enrolled full time in the graduate degree program described in
subsection (b)(2)(A), the cost of tuition plus a stipend, except that--
(1) the stipend awarded under this Act to a student for an
academic year may not exceed the lesser of--
(A) the cost to the student of room and board,
books, and fees for such academic year; or
(B) $12,000 (adjusted annually to reflect any
increase in the consumer price index for all urban
consumers, as published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics);
(2) the total scholarship awarded under this Act to a
student for an academic year, for tuition and stipend combined,
may not exceed--
(A) $60,000 (adjusted at the same time and in the
same manner as the dollar amount under paragraph
(1)(B)), minus
(B) the sum of all scholarships, grants, or other
similar cash awards received by the student for such
academic year from any source apart from this Act; and
(3) scholarships under this Act may be awarded to a student
for such periods as the Foundation may prescribe, but not to
exceed 5 academic years.
(d) Scholarship Conditions.--
(1) Satisfactory proficiency.--A student awarded a
scholarship under this Act shall continue to receive the
payments provided for under this Act only during such periods
as the Foundation finds that such student is maintaining
satisfactory proficiency and devoting full time to study or
research designed to prepare such student for a career in the
Federal Government, unless otherwise approved by the
Foundation.
(2) Reports.--The Foundation may require reports containing
such information, in such form, and to be filed at such times
as the Foundation determines to be necessary from any student
awarded a scholarship under this Act. Such reports shall be
accompanied by a certificate from an appropriate official at
the institution of higher education, approved by the
Foundation, stating that such individual is making satisfactory
progress in, and is devoting essentially full time to study or
research, except as otherwise provided in this subsection.
SEC. 6. REQUIREMENTS FOR ROOSEVELT SCHOLARS.
(a) Service Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Each student awarded a scholarship under
this Act shall be required to enter into a service agreement
with the Foundation which provides for such student to
complete, in return for the scholarship, a specified period of
service with the Federal Government. Under the agreement, the
period of service shall be for the number of years equal to the
total number of academic years for which the student received a
scholarship under this Act, except that the total period of
service shall not be less than 3 years nor more than 5 years.
(2) Failure to fulfill.--An agreement under this section
shall provide that an individual shall, in the event that such
individual fails to meet the service requirement under
paragraph (1), be required to repay to the Foundation the
amount equal to--
(A) the total amount of scholarship monies (tuition
and stipends combined) received by the individual under
such agreement, multiplied by
(B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the
amount of service not completed and the denominator of
which is the total period of service agreed to.
An amount under this paragraph shall be treated as a Federal
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a and
following), and shall be subject to repayment, together with
interest thereon accruing from the date of the scholarship
award, in accordance with terms and conditions specified by the
Secretary of Education in regulations under this subpart.
(3) Regulations.--The Foundation, in consultation with the
Office of Personnel Management, shall prescribe any regulations
necessary to carry out this subsection, including provisions
under which the service requirement specified by paragraph (1)
or a repayment otherwise required under paragraph (2) may be
waived, in whole or in part, in appropriate circumstances.
(b) Internship Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Roosevelt Scholars shall be required to
complete at least 1 internship related to their field of study
in a Federal agency while earning their graduate or other
advanced degree.
(2) Regulations.--The Foundation, in consultation with the
Office of Personnel Management, shall prescribe any regulations
necessary to carry out this subsection, including provisions
under which the internship requirement specified by subsection
(b) may be waived in appropriate circumstances.
(c) Participation in Extracurricular Activities.--While earning
their graduate or other advanced degree and during their period of
obligated service (as described in subsection (a)), Roosevelt Scholars
shall be required, in accordance with such terms as the Foundation
shall establish, to participate in extracurricular activities as
described in section 12(a)(5).
(d) Availability as a Source of Information.--
(1) In general.--While earning their graduate or other
advanced degree and during their period of obligated service
(as described in subsection (a)), Roosevelt Scholars shall be
required, in accordance with such terms as the Foundation shall
establish, to serve as a resource for--
(A) individuals interested in becoming a Roosevelt
Scholar or seeking employment with the Federal
Government;
(B) faculty, career services professionals, and
other personnel at universities who advise students on
career opportunities with the Federal Government; and
(C) Federal agencies which might be interested in
promoting, at the institution of higher education at
which the student is enrolled, career opportunities
with the Federal Government.
(2) Memoranda of understanding.--The Foundation may enter
into memoranda of understanding with any institution of higher
education regarding any facilities or resources that will be
made available to Roosevelt Scholars for purposes of this
subsection.
(3) Training.--The Foundation, in cooperation with the
Office of Personnel Management, may provide for Roosevelt
Scholars to receive any training which they might need in order
to carry out their responsibilities under this subsection.
SEC. 7. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY.
Under such regulations as the Office of Personnel Management shall
prescribe, a Federal agency may make a noncompetitive appointment (in
the excepted service, as defined by section 2103 of title 5, United
States Code, leading to conversion to career or career-conditional
employment) of any Roosevelt Scholar who has successfully completed the
program of study for which the scholarship was granted. A
noncompetitive appointment under this section shall be for a period not
to exceed 2 years, and shall be to a mission-critical position, with
the possibility of an extension for one additional year by the
employing agency. At the end of the period of the noncompetitive
appointment, conversion to career or career-conditional employment in a
mission-critical position shall be granted to those Roosevelt Scholars
who meet all qualification, suitability, and performance requirements.
SEC. 8. THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the
United States a trust fund to be known as the ``Theodore Roosevelt
Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund'' to be administered by the Foundation.
The Fund shall consist of amounts appropriated to it pursuant to
section 13 and amounts paid into the Fund pursuant to section 11(a)(4).
(b) Investment in Interest-Bearing Obligations.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest
such currently available portions of the Fund as are not, in
the judgment of the Secretary, immediately required for
payments from the Fund. Such investments may be made only in
interest-bearing obligations of the United States or in
obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the
United States.
(2) Acquisition of obligations.--For such purpose, such
obligations may be acquired--
(A) at original issue at the issue price; or
(B) by purchase of outstanding obligations at the
market price.
The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be
issued under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, are
hereby extended to authorize the issuance at par of special
obligations exclusively to the Fund. Such special obligations
shall bear interest at a rate equal to the average rate of
interest, computed as to the end of the calendar month next
preceding the date of such issue, borne by all marketable
interest-bearing obligations of the United States then forming
a part of the public debt; except that where such average rate
is not a multiple of one-eighth of 1 percent, the rate of
interest of such special obligations shall be the multiple of
one-eighth of 1 percent next lower than such average rate. Such
special obligations shall be issued only if the Secretary of
the Treasury determines that the purchase of other interest-
bearing obligations of the United States, or of obligations
guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United
States or original issue at the market price, is not in the
public interest.
(3) Sale and redemption of obligations.--Any obligations
acquired by the Fund, except for those special obligations
issued exclusively to the Fund, may be sold by the Secretary of
the Treasury at the market price, and such special obligations
may be redeemed at par plus accrued interest.
(4) Credits to fund.--The interest on, and the proceeds
from the sale or redemption of any obligations held in the Fund
shall be credited to, and form a part of, the Fund.
SEC. 9. EXPENDITURES AND AUDIT OF TRUST FUND.
(a) Authorization of Funding.--The Secretary of the Treasury may
pay to the Foundation from the interest and earnings of the Fund such
sums as the Board determines are necessary and appropriate to enable
the Foundation to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(b) Audits by Government Accountability Office.--The activities of
the Foundation under this Act may be audited by the Government
Accountability Office under such rules and regulations as may be
prescribed by the Comptroller General. Representatives of the
Government Accountability Office shall have access to all books,
accounts, records, reports, and files and all other papers, things, or
property belonging to or in use by the Foundation, pertaining to such
activities and necessary to facilitate the audit.
SEC. 10. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE FOUNDATION.
(a) In General.--There shall be an Executive Secretary of the
Foundation, who shall be the chief executive officer of the Foundation
and shall carry out the functions of the Foundation, subject to the
supervision and direction of the Board. The Executive Secretary shall
carry out such other functions consistent with the provisions of this
Act as the Board may delegate.
(b) Appointment.--The Executive Secretary shall be appointed by the
Board and shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service. The
Executive Secretary shall have demonstrated significant management
experience and shall possess a high level of expertise in the
recruitment and retention of personnel.
(c) Term of Office.--The Executive Secretary shall serve for a term
of 5 years, and may be reappointed. The Executive Secretary may be
removed by a vote of \2/3\ of the Board membership.
(d) Compensation.--The Board shall appoint and fix the compensation
of the Executive Secretary at a rate not to exceed the maximum rate for
a member of the Senior Executive Service.
SEC. 11. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) Powers of the Foundation.--In order to carry out this Act, the
Foundation may--
(1) appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as
may be necessary, at rates not to exceed level IV of the
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code;
(2) procure temporary and intermittent services of experts
and consultants as are necessary to the extent authorized by
section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates not
to exceed the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule under
section 5315 of title 5, United States Code;
(3) prescribe such regulations as it considers necessary to
carry out its functions under this Act;
(4) receive money and other property donated, bequeathed,
or devised, without condition or restriction other than that it
be used for the purposes of the Foundation; and to use, sell,
or otherwise dispose of such property for the purpose of
carrying out its functions;
(5) accept and utilize the services of voluntary and non-
compensated personnel and reimburse them for travel expenses,
including per diem, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5,
United States Code;
(6) enter into contracts, grants, or other arrangements, or
modifications thereof, to carry out such provisions of this
Act, and such contracts or modifications may, with the
concurrence of \2/3\ of the members of the Board, be entered
into without performance or other bonds, and without regard to
section 5 of title 41, United States Code;
(7) rent office space in the District of Columbia; and
(8) make other necessary expenditures.
(b) Annual Reports.--The Foundation shall submit to the President
and to the Congress an annual report on its operations under this Act.
(c) Contract Authority.--The Foundation may enter into contracts
under this Act only to such extent or in such amounts as may be
provided for in advance in appropriations Acts.
SEC. 12. ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF THE FOUNDATION.
(a) In General.--In addition to its other functions, the Foundation
shall--
(1) create, maintain, and promote an on-line directory of
all Federal scholarship opportunities available to individuals
pursuing temporary or permanent employment with the Federal
Government;
(2) create and maintain an online directory of current
mission-critical occupational areas;
(3) partner with Federal agencies to place Roosevelt
Scholars in positions in the Federal Government;
(4) to the extent practical, assist Federal agencies and
other Federal scholarship foundations in placing Federal
scholarship recipients in positions in the Federal Government;
(5) design mandatory extracurricular programs and
activities that--
(A) promote team-building and create a network and
community for past, present, and future Roosevelt
Scholars;
(B) motivate Roosevelt Scholars to become career
Federal employees;
(C) are offered regularly during each year in which
an individual is receiving a Roosevelt Scholarship,
including during intervals between periods of
enrollment;
(D) expose Roosevelt Scholars to the business,
political, demographic, cultural, and economic climate
of the Federal Government; and
(E) help Roosevelt Scholars to develop leadership
qualities; and
(6) within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act, submit to Congress (and make available to the public) a
report regarding--
(A) any barriers to appointing Roosevelt Scholars
and other Federal scholarship recipients to positions
in the Federal Government; and
(B) recommendations to--
(i) remove barriers to appointing Roosevelt
Scholars and other Federal scholarship
recipients to positions in the Federal
Government; and
(ii) educate Federal agencies on the best
use of personnel flexibilities in the
appointment of Federal scholarship recipients,
including Roosevelt Scholars.
(b) Security Clearances.--The Foundation may, consistent with
regulations of the Office of Personnel Management, request and fund
security clearances for Roosevelt Scholars, as necessary.
SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for
succeeding fiscal years.
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