[Pages H3806-H3823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

10,000 TEACHERS, 10 MILLION MINDS SCIENCE AND MATH SCHOLARSHIP ACT

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 327 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 362.

{time} 1510

In the Committee of the Whole

Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 362) to authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics
and science teachers, and for other purposes, with Mr. Salazar in the
chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hall) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 362,
and yield myself such time as I may consume for an opening statement.
In 2005, the National Academies assembled a blue-ribbon committee of
national leaders in academia, business and government to address
concerns about the national prosperity and the global economy in the
21st century. The Academies' report was entitled, ``Rising Above the
Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter
Economic Future.'' That report catalogs a number of worrisome
indicators and presents recommendations that the Nation must follow to
maintain its competitiveness.
What did this distinguished committee tell us is most important to
the future of the economic health of our Nation? Here is the first
recommendation from the report: Increase America's talent pool by
vastly improving K-12 science and mathematics education.
The Gathering Storm report goes on to tell us where the focus should
be in efforts to improve K-12 science and mathematics education. In
brief, it says, ``Focus on the teachers.'' H.R. 362 follows that
blueprint.
In January, I partnered with Mr. Hall, ranking minority member on the
Committee on Science and Technology, to introduce H.R. 362, whose
purpose is to implement all of the action items from the Gathering
Storm report and address the report's first recommendation.
I want to thank Mr. Hall for his assistance in developing this bill.
With his support, it was favorably reported by the Science and
Technology Committee by a unanimous vote.

{time} 1515

This bill is endorsed by a wide variety of educational organizations
and business coalitions, including the Association of American
Universities, the Business Roundtable, the Council of Competitiveness,
the National Education Association, the National

[[Page H3807]]

Science Teachers Association, and the STEM Education Coalition. These
organizations are enthusiastic about H.R. 362 because it will
dramatically improve the national corps of math and science teachers.
We call the first title of the bill ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million
Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.'' The bill will create
thousands of new teachers with content and teaching skill expertise in
their area of teaching.
The vehicle for accomplishing this goal is the Robert Noyce
Scholarship Program at the National Science Foundation. Noyce awards go
to universities that build model programs for recruiting math and
science students into teaching. These programs provide mentoring, early
field experiences, and a streamlined path toward teaching
certification. Students who enroll in this program will receive
$10,000-per-year scholarships. In return, they will make commitments of
several years to the teaching profession.
H.R. 362 will also create summer institutes and graduate programs
that provide sustained, content-oriented professional development to
in-service teachers through the Math and Science Partnership Program at
the National Science Foundation. We have a critical shortage of math
and science teachers in the U.S., and many of our math and science
teachers have no degree or certification in the field they teach. In
fact, 87 percent of middle school and 58 percent of high school
physical science teachers lack these qualifications.
This bill tackles this problem from both ends. On the one end, we
bring in a new cadre of math and science teachers who are well-educated
and well-prepared. That is what the Noyce program does. On the other
end, we improve the teachers that we have through innovative, effective
programs led by disciplinary faculty from higher education. That is
what the Math and Science Partnerships program does.
Other provisions of H.R. 362 include an expansion of the STEM Talent
Expansion Program at the National Science Foundation, a program to
enhance the undergraduate education of the future science and
engineering workforce, and a pilot program at the NSF to improve
laboratory science in high-need secondary schools.
To maintain our high national standard of living, we need a workforce
that is prepared in a world-class math and science education system.
But there is a dark cloud looming. American students have performed
poorly in recent years on an assortment of international tests of math
and science achievement. That does not bode well for the future. Our
next generation of innovators, where will they come from? That is what
the gathering storm on the horizon is all about. To rise above it, we
need to reform the math and science teaching profession. That is what
this legislation now before us will do.
The stakes are high and the concern is urgent. I urge my colleagues
to support the passage of H.R. 362.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362. In the last
Congress, we will remember that the National Academy of Sciences
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report, as well as other reports,
emphasized the importance of strengthening science, of strengthening
technology, of strengthening engineering and mathematics, those fields
of education in the U.S., to ensure that the Nation's workforce can
compete globally in high-tech, high-value industries such as
information technology, biotechnology, semiconductor manufacturing and
nanotechnology.
President Bush followed up on these reports with his American
Competitiveness Initiative, and Republicans have led this effort
through the 109th Congress, the last Congress, because we understood
the importance of promoting innovation to keep our Nation competitive
globally.
I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, most of
which was included in a majority effort in the last Congress to
implement many of the report's suggestions by expanding current
programs versus creating duplicative new programs.
The bill authorizes programs to improve U.S. math, science and
engineering education at all levels, K-12, undergraduate and graduate.
These programs will develop and provide teacher training, attract math
and science majors to teaching to improve undergraduate math, science
and engineering courses and expand interdisciplinary graduate work,
primarily by strengthening existing programs at the National Science
Foundation.
I am particularly pleased with the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds
title which is modeled on a program at the University of Texas called
UTeach.
As reported, this is a good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may
consume to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes).
Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
rise for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with Chairman Gordon.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in order to request the attention of the
distinguished chairman in addressing an important concern relating to
the section in H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science
and Math Scholarship Act of 2007, that amends the National Science
Foundation Noyce Scholarship Program.
As you know, the core purpose of H.R. 362 is to increase the number
of STEM teachers with strong content knowledge and teaching expertise
serving in America's schools. In particular, the bill authorizes a
large expansion of the Noyce program, which gives scholarships to
students to become highly qualified teachers in exchange for their
service in a public school.
I want to commend the chairman for crafting this very important
legislation. It is an essential step in achieving our national goals of
promoting innovative behavior and ensuring continued American strength
and competitiveness.
If we are to expand the STEM pipeline, however, and if our
investments in innovation and competitiveness are to pay large
dividends, we must work to correct the large gaps in math and science
test performance that exist today between underrepresented minority
groups, which are concentrated in high need areas and the rest of the
population. The first step in improving the participation of
underrepresented groups is to prepare them to compete academically in
STEM.
I am sure that the gentleman will agree that one of the most
effective methods for resolving these disparities is by augmenting the
number of quality, highly trained teachers serving in high-need areas.
This is a job practically tailored for the Noyce Scholarship Program.
I would like to thank the distinguished chairman for his recognition
of this need and for his willingness to work with me on this important
issue, and I would like to yield to the gentleman at this point.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is absolutely
correct. The NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, as amended by H.R.
362, is specifically designed to help place highly qualified STEM
teachers in every classroom across the Nation. I further agree with the
gentleman that it is particularly important to reduce the number of
out-of-field teachers in the schools that have a high proportion of
minority students, who are currently underrepresented in science and
technology.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman,
and in order to address the points that we have both made, I would like
to suggest to the chairman that we pursue the following: I would
request that in conference the distinguished chairman seek to increase
the scholarship amount for students who agree to teach in high-need
schools from the current $10,000 per year to $12,000 per year over a 3-
year period of scholarship support. The intention of this is to
increase this scholarship amount to address the problem of a
disproportionate number of high-need schools that have high percentages
of out-of-field STEM teachers.
Does the chairman believe this is a modification he would find worthy
of his support?
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield

[[Page H3808]]

further, let me first of all thank the gentleman for his recommendation
and assure you that it is my intention when we go to conference on H.R.
362 to work to increase the size of the Noyce scholarship to $12,000
per year for students who agree to carry out their teaching commitment
in high-need schools.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.
In addition, I would also request that we ensure that the provisions
requiring NSF to track the types of schools in which Noyce recipients
carry out their teaching obligations include an assessment of the
effectiveness of the increased scholarship amount on influencing
individuals to teach in high-need schools. Does the chairman believe
that this is a modification that he would find worthy of supporting?
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield
further, I certainly do; and I once again thank the gentleman for
bringing this up.
As the gentleman points out, H.R. 362 now requires the National
Science Foundation track the proportion of Noyce graduates who elect to
teach in high-need schools. I will seek to expand this provision in
conference to require NSF to assess the effect of increasing the size
of scholarships on attracting graduates of the program to teach in
high-need schools.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.
In addition, seeing as that the problem of out-of-field teachers is
most severe in high-need schools, I would request that in conference
the distinguished chairman pursue modifications to the bill, clarifying
that one of the purposes of Noyce is to close the gap between the
number of highly qualified STEM teachers in high-need schools and the
number of such teachers in non-high-need schools.
I would further request that this policy statement be included in
section 103 of H.R. 362 titled ``Policy Objectives.'' Does the chairman
believe that this is a modification he would find worthy of his
support?
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, once again we are on the same
page. I agree with the gentleman that an important goal of the Noyce
program is to reduce disparities in the distribution of highly
qualified STEM teachers among schools in different regions of the
Nation. I support the gentleman's proposed modification to section 103
of the bill and will pursue this change in conference.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I would like to again thank the
distinguished chairman for agreeing to address these points in
conference and for the great job that he has done in crafting this very
important and vital piece of legislation.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, let me again thank the
gentleman for his constructive efforts in making a good bill even
better.
Mr. Chairman, I include for the Record an exchange of letters between
the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on Education
and Labor.

Committee on Education and Labor,

Washington, DC, April 3, 2007.
Hon. Bart Gordon,
Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Gordon: I am writing to confirm our mutual
understanding regarding consideration of H.R. 362, the
``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math
Scholarship Act,'' which was referred to the Committee on
Science. As you know, the Committee on Education and Labor
has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 362, particularly as we
move forward to reauthorize the Higher Education Act this
term.
Given the importance of moving this bill forward promptly,
I do not intend to request the sequential referral of H.R.
362 to the Committee on Education and Labor. However, I do so
only with the understanding that this procedural route should
not be construed to prejudice this Committee's jurisdictional
interests and prerogatives on this bill or any other similar
legislation and will not be considered as precedent for
consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to the
Committee on Education and Labor in the future. In addition,
should this bill or similar legislation be considered in a
conference with the Senate, I would expect members of the
Committee on Education and Labor to be appointed to the
conference committee on such measures.
Finally, I ask that you include a copy of our exchange of
letters in your committee's report on H.R. 362 and in the
Congressional Record during the consideration of this bill.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
not hesitate to call me. I thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
George Miller,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Science

and Technology,

Washington, DC, April 5, 2007.
Hon. George Miller,
Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the
consideration of H.R. 362, the ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million
Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.'' I appreciate your
waiving your Committee's right to a referral on this bill so
that it may move expeditiously to the Floor.
I recognize your Committee's jurisdiction in this area and
will support any request you may make to have conferees on
H.R. 362 or similar legislation. The exchange of letters
between our two committees will be included in the Committee
report on H.R. 362 and will be inserted in the Congressional
Record during consideration of the bill.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Bart Gordon,
Chairman.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman
from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, all of us go back to our districts regularly and meet
with our constituents, and some of the most sorrowful meetings I have
are with students who have just graduated from high school and say, I
can't get a job. I can't get a job. What a shock to them, after years
of education. And I am not talking about dropouts. I am talking about
students who have studied hard, worked hard, and tried to learn a lot.
When I analyze the problem, much of it circles around the fact that
today, and, indeed, all the jobs of the future, require a good
understanding of the basic principles of mathematics and science, and
many students in today's curriculum are not getting that knowledge.
What can we do to help solve that? There are a number of aspects to
the problem. Obviously, the first thing is to entice students to take
those courses. But, secondly, and more importantly, is to make certain
that all those teachers in our high schools across this Nation are
adequately trained and adequately prepared to teach math and science
courses and do it in a fashion that excites the students and entices
them to take these courses so that they will develop the background in
math and science that they need to get a job, both now and in the
future.
The world has changed. China and India recognized this 20 years ago
and changed their educational system. We did not change. We did not
recognize what was happening, and so we have to play catch-up.
This bill, which I strongly support, is a good bill which will help
us to improve U.S. math, science, and engineering education at all
levels; K-12, undergraduate and graduate.
As most people in Congress know, I am a scientist. What you may not
know is that over 40 years ago, I dedicated myself to trying to improve
the science educational programs in the United States, basically from
preschool through graduate school, because we were simply falling
behind other countries in the areas of mathematics and science.
I am not talking only about producing good engineers and enough
engineers, or good scientists and enough scientists. That is very
important, and we must do it. We are losing out on that as well. But
what we certainly have to do is to prepare everyone for the workplace
of today, and especially the workplace of tomorrow.

{time} 1530

This bill will help do that. This bill builds on the Noyce
Scholarship Program, an excellent program that has been in effect for a
number of years and which was initially proposed by the former chair of
the Science Committee, Sherry Boehlert. It is named after the person
who helped to found Intel and make it grow into what it is today. They
also have funded a number of scholarship programs, and this is our
counterpart.
But this program does more than that. It strengthens and expands the

[[Page H3809]]

Noyce Scholarship Program, but it also strengthens and focuses the Math
and Science Partnership Program at the National Science Foundation, a
program which has fallen on hard times in the last few years, primarily
because the President's budget has sought to eliminate funding for that
program. I think this is based on a misunderstanding in the
administration or in the Office of Management and Budget about what the
program does, and the mistaken belief that this program was a duplicate
of one residing in the Department of Education. As a result the program
in the Department of Education grew, and the one in the Science
Foundation was cut back.
The fact of the matter is they are both good programs and necessary
programs, and they are complementary, not competitive. We need both if
we are going to strengthen our teacher training programs. That is why I
strongly approve of the aspect of the bill that will strengthen and
focus the Math and Science Partnership Program.
The bill also extends the authorization of and expands the NSF
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion
Program, better known as the STEP program, which provides grants to
colleges and universities to improve undergraduate science, math and
engineering education.
This bill enables NSF to fund the creation of centers at colleges and
universities to develop new approaches to undergraduate education
programs, and expands the focus of STEP beyond its initial focus of
increasing the number of graduating STEM majors to also include
increasing the number of nonmajors taking STEM courses.
The bill also establishes a pilot grant program at NSF to create a
partnership to support science lab improvements in secondary schools, a
proposal initiated by Mr. Hinojosa in a separate bill, but that we are
incorporating into this bill.
In short, this bill does a great deal to strengthen several programs
at the NSF and, develop innovative programs which will provide better
math, science education at all levels from the elementary schools
through the undergraduate and the graduate programs.
We have worked together on this in a nonpartisan way. I commend
Ranking Member Hall. Mr. Hall has been a strong person in this area and
has strongly pushed this bill. I also commend the chairman of the
committee, Mr. Gordon, who has also worked very hard on this. It has
been a copacetic experience in the Science Committee to hear this
discussion and see the progress we have made. I strongly support the
bill, and urge the House to adopt it.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to say amen to
most of Dr. Ehlers' eloquent statement. He is a very constructive and
positive force on our committee.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), a
former science teacher.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H.R.
362, the 10 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship
Act, and H.R. 363, the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering
Act.
The National Academies' report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,''
found that the United States ``must prepare with great urgency to
preserve its strategic and economic security.'' To do this, we must
compete by optimizing our knowledge-based resources, particularly in
science and technology, and by sustaining the most fertile environment
for new and revitalized industries and the well-paying jobs they bring.
As a Representative from Silicon Valley, I am keenly aware of how
innovation is a driving force behind our Nation's economy. There is one
thread that runs through both bills that I particularly support,
something I call teaching innovation.
H.R. 363 authorizes the NSF to support research on the process of
innovation and the teaching of inventiveness, while H.R. 362 enables
the development and dissemination curriculum tools for teaching
inventiveness and innovation. These provisions are derived from H.R.
1492, the Innovations for our Nation's Vital Educational Needs for
Technology (INVENT) Act.
From talking to Silicon Valley CEOs, I have learned that, in
especially innovative high-tech companies, the cutting-edge work has
really been driven by a few highly innovative scientists and engineers
who tend to have many patents, while other employees have only a few.
To maximize our Nation's knowledge-based resources, I believe we need
to figure out how these people do it and teach others those skills.
I am grateful to Chairman Gordon and also to the former chairman,
Sherry Boehlert, with whom I worked on this during the 109th Congress.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), a member of the Science Committee.
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 362. Let me
first congratulate Chairman Gordon for the leadership that he is
providing, along with Ranking Member Hall, and let us note that since
the change of the guard here in the House of Representatives a few
months ago, we have had an exemplary approach to bipartisanship and a
positive spirit that we have seen in the Science Committee, and this
legislation reflects that positive atmosphere and working environment
that we have in the Science Committee.
H.R. 362 seeks to address the lack of qualified teachers for math and
science in K-12 throughout our country. I support H.R. 362 because it
is not just a giving of something to someone, a scholarship, but it is
actually providing young people who may not have the means to go to
school and to get their education. It requires 5 years of service as a
science and mathematics teacher in order for them to get this
scholarship. I see that as a two-for, if not a three-for or a four-for,
because the kids are going to benefit, the schools are going to
benefit, the country is going to benefit.
Trading service for education is an American tradition. I guess it
goes back even further than the GI bill, but that is what brought it to
mind. All of us had parents who were probably recipients of the GI
bill. I know my father was.
We should be beefing up education benefits through the GI bill and
other things like that for our Reserves and our National Guard and
Active Duty people, now that we are at war and now that we are thinking
about this. But this particular scholarship program we are talking
about today will fill a need for our country of finding math and
science teachers in order to fill these positions throughout our
country that now can't be filled.
Let us note that 10,000 teachers provided these scholarships is
certainly going to help. But the basic problem is not touched by this
legislation, and that is that we would not need these scholarships if
math and science teachers throughout the country were paid more than
they are today.
What is happening is today, math and science teachers are being
forced to accept wages, and then they don't accept them and just go
someplace else, at the same level as teachers who teach things that are
not quite as necessary. Or, in fact, there are many, many more teachers
available for these other courses, whether it be social sciences or
whatever. So since we do not have a pay differential, it is very
difficult to fill these positions, and at least this legislation today
will help meet the immediate challenge.
Instead, however, we should have worked on the fundamental problem
throughout our country of making sure that people can go into math and
science and be attracted to it. Fundamentally, what we need to do in
America to address these types of shortages is to make sure that people
who go into math and science and engineering make more money, whether
they are teachers or anything else. Quite often, we do things that go
contrary to this. Insisting that all teachers make the same money is
one of those mistakes. H-1B visas that bring in hundreds of thousands
of people from overseas and just depress the wages of people who are in
math and science and engineering in our country is something else that
is wrong, that ends up taking us in the wrong direction.
We need our young people attracted to math, science and engineering,
and to get that education because they know they can earn a good living
for their family and earn a decent living if they get that type of
training.

[[Page H3810]]

So the legislation we pass today will help. It will provide
scholarships. I support that. I salute the chairman and the ranking
member for the leadership they provided in providing this help for our
young people in exchange for what they will do teaching young people in
our country. But again, that doesn't change the fact that there are
some fundamental things we need to do in America to make sure that
people go into math and science and don't have to subsidize our
mistaken policies.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Rohrabacher) for his support for this bill, and I yield 2 minutes to
the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley) who has spent so much time
working on the bill.
Ms. HOOLEY. Thank you, Chairman Gordon, for giving me time to speak
on this important and crucial piece of legislation.
I also want to applaud you for your leadership on this issue, and the
expediency that you moved this through committee, along with Ranking
Member Hall.
This initiative was identified by the Academies as being the most
important step to increase America's talent pool by vastly improving K-
12 science and mathematics education.
Among the findings of the National Academies' ``Gathering Storm''
report, was a statistic that in 2000 more than 85 percent of students
in grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major
or certification in the physical sciences.
As a former teacher, I can appreciate how difficult it is to teach a
subject when you are not comfortable with it, and this discomfort
translates in discomfort for the subject to the students.
The key to the United States maintaining its position at the
forefront of global innovation and technology is to get more students
interested in the science and math fields. Our Nation's economic
vitality is derived in large part from the productivity of well-trained
people and the steady stream of scientific and technical innovations
they produce.
After years of inattention and neglect, this legislation is an
important first step towards a reinvestment in our Nation's science and
math education. It will, in turn, positively benefit the American
Competitive Initiative.
Once again, I applaud Chairman Gordon for his leadership on this
issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10
Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
As you know, it is a sad truth that American students' performance in
science and math is below that of other developed countries. Like many
of my colleagues, I am concerned that without increased attention to
this issue at the elementary, high school and postsecondary levels, our
country's technological leadership could decline and ultimately harm
not only today's students but tomorrow's economy as well as our
national security.
This legislation provides a framework for improving math and science
education by investing heavily in the recruitment and training of
teachers.
In recent years, I have had the pleasure of observing several of the
``For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,'' or FIRST
Program's competitions. This program is designed to inspire young
people to take an interest and participate in science and technology.
Through FIRST, teams of students and their mentors work together to
solve complex, real-world problems or design actual pieces of
technology. They are given the opportunity to compete against their
peers, all the while developing self-confidence, good sportsmanship,
and critical life skills.
The talent and drive of the students I have observed in the FIRST
competitions leaves me encouraged--in fact, awestruck--by the potential
of America's high school students. I have seen first hand that with
quality resources and instruction, our children can do great things in
the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Today,
our support for H.R. 362 is a tremendous step towards bringing these
resources to future generations, and I urge my colleagues to vote in
favor of this bill.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank Mr.
Gordon, Mr. Hall, and our subcommittee chair as well as the ranking
member.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 362. It is an essential measure to
world competitiveness for this country. We are in the storm. We cannot
accomplish rising above until we invest in our teachers, teachers that
are qualified. Many of our teachers love teaching and they are trying
hard, but they simply do not have the background needed. A lot of it
has to do with pay, because the people who are well-qualified in these
areas simply do not come to the classroom because they do not pay
enough.

{time} 1545

I support the Noyce teacher scholarships, and I know that the storm
of need is sure and it is now. It takes efforts and investment to deal
with this issue. There are now more and more high-need schools which
means we have more and more students that need special attention, and
we cannot have a positive future until we include them in this
education.
This is called the investment in America's future. We are depending
on the home people to be prepared because the H-1B visas are causing us
to brain drain other countries. This is a global need, and we must be
ready to prepare our own. We will be left with no possible preparation
in this area, and we will move right into a Third World nation.
We must remedy this. Implementing the provisions of H.R. 362 will go
a long way in remedying this problem, and I firmly believe that with
proper resources we know our young people can do it.
There is a school in my district with some of the poorest kids, but
they are doing it because they have the proper resources.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, could you tell me how much time I
have left.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) has 17\1/2\ minutes
remaining. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) has 11\1/2\
minutes remaining.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I am going to yield to the gentleman from
Tennessee 5 minutes of our time, and we reserve the balance of our
time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I certainly thank the
gentleman for his generosity. There is a lot of interest in this bill.
I would like to yield now 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri
(Mr. Carnahan), another active member of our committee.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I stand today with enthusiastic support
for H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math
Scholarship Act.
I want to add my thanks to Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall
for their leadership on this issue and continued commitment of our
entire Science and Technology Committee and the Research and Science
Education Subcommittee.
Last year, I received a letter from a mother in New Jersey whose 14-
year-old daughter was not satisfied with her education. This young girl
wanted permission from her parents to move to Beijing, China, for high
school because she felt like her counterparts were getting ahead of her
education here in the United States.
To me, this story underscores the need for our Nation to strengthen
its investment in education, and it is consistent with the
international statistics that we have seen of U.S. students falling
behind in both the number of graduates and in academic performance with
regard to science and math education.

[[Page H3811]]

In particular, America must make a major renewed commitment to
education in math and science and engineering to promote innovation and
technological advancement.
As public servants, our constituents have entrusted us with the
responsibility of ensuring our educators have the tools they need to
best serve our young people.
I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to
create a brighter future for our children, expanded support for our
teachers, increased innovation in our research and technology, and a
stronger competitive edge for the U.S. in the growing world
marketplace.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the vice chairman of the
Science and Technology Committee.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362, a
bill that is critically important for America's future.
I thank Chairman Gordon for his hard work on this issue of science
education and for making H.R. 362 a priority in this Congress. I also
thank Representative Hall, ranking member of the committee, for his
work on this bill and for his continuing work in a bipartisan manner in
this committee to get things done that we need done for America.
Numerous studies have shown that our students are falling behind the
international curve on math and science. When I was a college
professor, I certainly saw far too many students coming to college
unprepared.
Today, we see that America is at a crossroads. The path that we
choose will dictate our standing in the world for decades to come. If
we continue business as usual, we jeopardize America's competitiveness
and the prosperity that we have all come to enjoy.
Instead, we must do all that we can to make sure that Americans are
prepared by a world-class math and science education. America's high
standard of living depends on this.
That is why H.R. 362 is a vital part of an American innovation agenda
that will help to guarantee a continued prosperity in America's future.
Right now, many school districts throughout the country are finding it
increasingly difficult to find good math and science teachers.
Lyons Township High School Superintendent Dennis Kelly has spoken to
me recently about the difficulties that they are having finding these
teachers, and I hear this all across my district and all across the
country. This bill targets this problem and offers viable solutions to
recruiting new teachers, as well as developing and supporting current
ones.
H.R. 362 will expand the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at the
National Science Foundation allowing more universities to be able to
host programs for recruiting students into teaching. This is a vital
part of our educational system, connecting universities with K-12
education. This will ensure that our children have an abundance of
qualified, well-equipped math and science teachers who will prepare
them for their future.
I have a special understanding of the impact that teachers have on
children's lives, especially when it comes to inspiring students in
math and science. In addition to being a former college professor, I am
only one of the handful of Members of Congress with a degree in
engineering. In addition, my wife has a degree in math, and we often
talk about the teachers who have inspired us.
I will always remember my high school physics teacher, Father Fergus,
who inspired me to pursue a degree in engineering, and I also will
always remember Father Thul who really inspired me in mathematics.
It is vital that we pass this bill and continue to produce these
teachers that continue to inspire our children and make our future more
secure.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords), the former State senator.
Ms. GIFFORDS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking Member
Hall.
I rise today to enthusiastically express my support for H.R. 362, the
10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
The purpose of this legislation is to improve our national corps of
teachers in both math and science, both by recruiting new teachers and
also by supporting the current ones. To build a world-class science and
technology workforce, we need to have a world-class math and science
education system, and H.R. 362 will help accomplish this goal.
According to the Nation's report card in 2005, only 30 percent of
eighth graders performed at or above the proficient levels in math.
Only 32 percent of eighth graders and 18 percent of 12th graders
performed at or above the proficient levels in science.
America must do better. The National Academy's ``Rising Above the
Gathering Storm'' report, presented to us in committee, states that
``without fundamental knowledge and skills, the majority of students
scoring below proficient'' levels will ``lack the foundation for good
jobs and full participation in society.''
America must invest in this national teaching force, especially in
rural and poor areas.
Karen Nicodemus is president of Cochise Community College in my
district in Arizona. She states that although the shortage of high-
quality and high-qualified math and science teachers cuts across all
educational systems, we feel it in the rural areas more than in other
areas. We do a disservice to our brightest students in high school in
those rural and poor areas by not investing and making sure that we
have a qualified workforce.
To remain competitive in the 21st-century global economy, it is
critical that we reform math and science education in America. All
children, especially those in rural and in poor areas, should have the
opportunity to become leaders, should be able to take our country to
the next level.
It is an honor to be on this bill.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, thanks to the generosity of
our ranking member, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to one of his fellow Texans
(Mr. Hinojosa), chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 362, the
10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act.
Today, this body will take up two bills that represent a bipartisan
effort to implement the recommendations in the watershed report,
``Rising above the Gathering Storm.''
I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for
their leadership in bringing these critical measures to us today.
H.R. 362 will address our competitiveness crisis at its foundation,
our acute shortage of teachers in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics, commonly known as the STEM fields.
Low-income, rural and minority communities bear a disproportionate
share of the national shortfall of highly qualified STEM teachers. We
must reverse that inequity. The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act
will help us do exactly that.
H.R. 362 also addresses a quiet crisis in our high-need high schools,
the lack of quality laboratory science opportunities.
The National Research Council's report on America's high school labs
found that experience in high school labs was poor for most students
and practically nonexistent for students in low-income or minority
communities. We will never produce enough STEM professionals if we do
not address this issue and invest the correct amount of money.
I am very pleased that the legislation before us today includes the
provisions of my bill, H.R. 524, Partnerships for Access to Laboratory
Science Act. This legislation will establish a pilot program that will
partner high-need school districts with colleges and universities and
the private sector to improve high school laboratories.
Through these pilot programs, we will be able to develop models and
test effective practices for improving laboratory science in high-need
schools. We will leverage resources from the local community and the
private sector and build on our base of knowledge of what works in
teaching science.
I would especially like to thank my friend and colleague, the
gentlewoman

[[Page H3812]]

from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for working with me to move the
PALS Act forward.
I want to close by saying that through the leadership of all of these
gentlemen on this committee, we are going to be able to pass this
legislation with your help.

{time} 1600

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).
Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, our Nation's scientific and
technological innovation has been a key source of our global economic
competitiveness, but I fear that our competitiveness is in jeopardy
because America's K-12 students are being underserved in math and
sciences. If we do not provide our students with adequate education
resources, we jeopardize our future economic prosperity.
H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds bill is a key step
towards providing our students with the quality education needed to
maintain our Nation's global competitiveness. We are facing a crisis in
our schools because math and science college graduates are not being
attracted to teaching careers. Too often, math and science teachers are
instructing outside of their fields.
American students are facing a future of job competition on a global
scale. In a global economy, highly educated workers from anywhere in
the world can compete for America's high-skilled and high-paying jobs.
To have a prosperous economy in which all segments of the population
can compete for high-paying jobs, we need schools with well-placed labs
and science programs.
H.R. 362 will promote the educational experience that all our youth
deserve, being taught by competent math and science teachers, and this
bill will provide universities and teacher preparation programs the
incentives to track more math and science college graduates and prepare
them for their successful teaching careers. The bill will also increase
professional development resources for math and science teachers
already instructing in America's neediest schools.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, we have no more speakers. To wrap it
up, may I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill. I also
would like to reiterate to Mr. Reyes that I, too, am sensitive to the
needs of the high-needs schools. I think we have sufficiently addressed
his concern in the underlying measure by providing an added incentive
for Noyce scholars who choose to teach in high-needs schools.
Furthermore, the clearinghouse provided for under Mr. Gordon's
amendment provides yet another layer of commitment to help guarantee
that our high-needs schools are not left out of the selection process
for the new STEM teachers.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, may I ask the amount of time
that we have left here?
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has 4\3/4\ minutes.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, let me take just a moment to
thank the staff, Jim Wilson, and our minority staff for the time they
have put in on this bill. Two years ago, Lamar Alexander, and our
former chairman, Sherry Boehlert, asked the National Academies to do a
recommendation on the competitiveness of America in the 21st century.
The recommendation was good news and bad news. The bad news was that we
are in a very competitive environment and that we are on a losing
track.
The good news was we had some recommendations. That is what we tried
to do. We didn't try to make a Democratic or Republican bill; we took
their recommendations and made a bipartisan bill. I think that today
the bipartisan bill is the result of that. I again thank all the
Members for their constructive efforts in doing this.
I understand that the Speaker is so committed to this bill that she
is on her way to the floor, and she is not only on her way, but she has
arrived, and I yield her the balance of my time.
Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I commend the
distinguished chairman of the Science Committee and the ranking member
for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor with
strong bipartisan support. This is indeed a great day for the Congress
because we are here to talk about the future. I always say to people
when they come, You visit Washington, you see all these monuments to
people who lived a long time ago; but when you come to the floor of the
Congress, what we are here to do is to make the future better for the
next generation.
Central to that is a strong economy for our country. We have had a
bipartisan commitment to an innovation agenda, a commitment to
competitiveness to keep America number one. We know that innovation
begins in the classroom, and that is why the legislation on the floor
today is so important.
For some of us of a generation when I was a student, President
Kennedy talked about putting a man on the Moon. It seemed impossible at
the time.
When he said it, when he made his announcement, he said the vows of
this Nation can only be fulfilled if we are first, and therefore we
intend to be first. Our leadership in science and in industry, our
hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves and others
as well, all require us to make this effort. It was with that our
country made a strong commitment to science and technology, and within
10 years a man was on the Moon and safely returned.
Here we are again in this new century, all these many years later,
recommitting to an innovation agenda. We have to talk about how we grow
our economy to create new jobs here at home for the 21st century. We
certainly have a commitment to trade, and that is important to us.
We can only succeed in the international global economy if we are
competitive and if we innovate. We cannot innovate without the
investment in education, the investment in science and technology.
Our effort for an innovation agenda began nearly 2 years ago outside
of Washington, meeting all over the country with leaders and CEOs in
many fields, whether it was biotech, high-tech, the academic community,
venture capital, entrepreneurs, young people and telecommunications
sector people who are creating jobs for the 21st century. We held
forums in Silicon Valley, in Seattle, and in Boston, in Chicago,
northern New Jersey, North Carolina's Research Triangle, El Paso,
Texas, to name a few.
Using the expertise and advice that we heard from the outside,
emphasizing a focus on public/ private partnerships, emphasizing a
focus on the entrepreneurial spirit that is the hallmark of our
country, we adopted an innovation agenda that will help create a new
generation of innovators, an educated skilled workforce in the vital
areas of science, math, engineering and information technology.
Thank you, Chairman Gordon, for your extraordinary leadership in this
area and bringing this legislation to the floor. I also want to commend
Chairman George Miller for his leadership and focusing on STEM as well.
The agenda will help to make a sustained Federal research and
development commitment that promotes private sector innovation, spur
affordable access to broadband technology, achieve energy independence,
strengthen our national security, protect our planet by developing
emerging technologies for clean and sustainable alternatives, and
provide small businesses with the tools they need to engage and
encourage entrepreneurial innovation and job creation throughout our
economy.
This is what was important to us. Again, pointing out the importance
of education to all of this, I am very pleased to come to the floor to
support the legislation that is on the floor today.
Once again, I want to thank Mr. Hall for his leadership in this area.
I take special pride in the fact that this effort is bipartisan. The
President has spoken on any number of occasions, in his State of the
Union addresses or in other settings, about his commitment to this
investment in the future.
Hopefully we can move these pieces of legislation along to his desk
for his signature and on to better public policy to promote the United
States as

[[Page H3813]]

number one with an innovation agenda for the future.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to support H.R.
362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship
Act.
I am a cosponsor of this important legislation, which will greatly
increase the numbers of science and math teachers across the country,
both through creating more teachers from current college students and
by providing better training for the teachers already in our schools.
America has long been a center for science and engineering discovery.
Just looking back over the 20th century, American ingenuity has been
truly incredible. From Ford's Model T in 1908 and on to the personal
computer in 1981, American innovations have transformed our Nation and
the world, again and again, creating whole new industries and
occupations. Going forward, new innovations will continue to be
critical, both in maintaining a solid industrial base and increasing
our standard of living.
In short--innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain
our industrial base; innovation depends on a solid knowledge base in
math, science and engineering; without this knowledge base, innovation
as well as our industrial base will erode.
Along those lines, all jobs of the future will require a basic
understanding of math and science. The most recent 10 year employment
projections by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest
growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 require significant
mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job.
To succeed, U.S. students will need a strong background in math and
science and our students have proven that they have talent in these
areas. Compared to other countries, U.S. fourth graders score above
average in both math and science on international tests. Yet, by the
time these students graduate from high school, they score near the
bottom of all industrialized countries.
We must do more to keep students involved, interested, and educated
in science and math fields.
This bill will help us increasing the number of well-trained science
and math teachers, which will lead to more scientists and engineers in
future generations.
H.R. 362 will enhance and expand the national corps of math and
science teachers, both by recruiting new teachers with backgrounds in
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and by
supporting current teachers.
Specifically, the bill will improve the Noyce Teacher Scholarship
Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Noyce Scholarships
will award $10,000 scholarships to students enrolled in STEM majors who
commit several years to teaching. Furthermore, this program will ensure
that these new teachers have mentors and other support as they begin
teaching.
For current teachers, the bill will enhance NSF's Math Science
Partnership (MSP) program, which provides sustained, content-oriented
professional development for current teachers with summer institutes
and master's degree programs. Furthermore, teachers participating in
these MSPs are encouraged to become teacher leaders by sharing their
knowledge with other teachers in their schools.
I would like to thank Science and Technology Chairman Gordon for
introducing this critical legislation and working to bring it to the
floor today.
In conclusion, I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 362.
To ensure that we continue to have a strong and healthy economy in the
new interconnected global market, we need to have a prosperous science
and technology enterprise. This legislation will set us in the right
direction.
Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000
Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act.
I would like to thank Chairman Gordon, as well as Ranking Member
Hall, on their hard work on this legislation, and the bipartisan manner
in which the Science and Technology Committee operates to produce such
substantial legislation.
Mr. Chairman, this legislation will come to the aid of America's need
for more school teachers in our nation's classrooms. In their much
referenced report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the National
Academies found that 68 percent of U.S. 8th grade students received
instruction from a mathematics teacher who did not hold a degree or
certification in mathematics; in 2000, more than 85 percent of students
in grades 5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major
or certification in the physical sciences.
Also, U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 40 countries that
participated in a 2003 administration of the Program for International
Student Assessment (PISA) examination, which assessed students' ability
to apply mathematical concepts to real-world problems. These figures
could spell disaster for America's competitiveness in the fields of
science, technology and innovation.
By amending and expanding the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at
the National Science Foundation (NSF) which will go to universities
that build model programs for recruiting students into teaching, H.R.
362 will move us down the road to improving the strength of our math
and science teachers, while actively recruiting new teachers.
Our future lies in our students, and their ability to think
critically, and ask thoughtful, insightful questions lie in the
strength of their schooling. The un-bias nature of scientific inquiry
and the natural beauty of math help students build their questioning
and logic skills.
It is imperative that our students are taught by teachers whose
strengths lie in conveying these concepts and inspiring young minds not
only to go into the science and technology fields, but also to open
their minds to be inquisitive in the world.
Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Chairman, today we are considering several bills to
implement the Innovation Agenda including H.R. 362, the ``10,000
Teachers, 10 Million Minds'' Science and Math Scholarship Act.
Last month, I was pleased to support this legislation in Committee.
H.R. 362 invests in thousands of new and highly qualified teachers
through professional development, summer training institutes,
scholarships, and investment in undergraduate science, technology,
engineering and math (``STEM'') education.
I taught high school in Arizona for 28 years, and I know that my
fellow teachers work hard and do a good job with the resources they
have.
But I was also a State Senator for 8 years, and I know our schools
need help. Arizona's students are below the national averages in every
subject area. Arizona's teachers teach six children more per class than
the national average.
That's a problem.
Arizona must increase the number of highly qualified teachers and
lower the student to teacher ratio.
As a former educator, I understand first-hand the impact that
education has on our children and their future. I appreciate Chairman
Gordon's leadership on this issue, and I am pleased to see the
chairman's legislation works to increase the number of qualified
science and math teachers.
Ensuring that our students receive a first-rate education is vital
not only to Arizona's future but our nation's as well. I believe that
if we want to successfully compete and prosper in the 21st century, we
must make education a national priority.
The National Academy of Science was asked how the United States can
accomplish this goal. Their report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm,
recommends action to recruit highly qualified science and math teachers
and implement programs to strengthen the skills of our current
teachers.
I wholeheartedly agree.
To continue to compete in the global economy we need to increase the
number of science and technology graduates and our schools need the
resources to successfully educate our children.
H.R. 362 supports this important goal and I look forward to
supporting its passage today.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, innovation in math, science, and
technology is the way America will stay strong and competitive in this
century. Unfortunately, we are seeing our children's test scores slip
behind the rest of the industrialized world. In a recent exam to test
the real-world application ability of mathematical concepts, U.S. high-
school students ranked 24th out of 40 countries that were tested.
As a mother and grandmother, I want all of our Nation's children to
have the best possible education to empower them to be whatever they
choose to be when they grow up. I can't help but be concerned with the
idea that the America they will inherit will not be able to compete on
the highest levels of the global marketplace. We must stem the tide of
dropping test scores and fewer and fewer qualified teachers of science
and math.
That's why I rise in support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 minds, 10
million Science and Math Scholarship Act. It's not enough that we have
the scientists to drive the innovation to keep us competitive. We also
need to be producing the educators to mentor and impart wisdom to our
youth so that they can expand their fields of knowledge, innovate new
technologies, discover new medicines, and answer questions we once
thought unanswerable.
In a global economy, competition is going to keep increasing, and
unless we take definitive action to increase our science and math
capabilities, we are going to be left behind. H.R. 362, under the
leadership of Chairman Gordon, is part of the definitive action we must
take to get more qualified teachers in place to ensure that our kids
have the knowledge and skills at hand to continue to lead the world.

[[Page H3814]]

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 362 and to help
put America on track to remain strong, competitive, and well-educated
in math and science.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Ms. Chairman, I am pleased to rise in
support of H.R. 362, the ``10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science
and Math Scholarship Act,'' of which I am proud to be a co-sponsor.
This bill is the first component of the new Democratic majority's
Innovation Agenda, which is designed to make our nation more able to
compete successfully in the global economy.
Mr. Chairman, it is essential that we invest in a workforce ready for
global competition by creating a new generation of innovators and make
a sustained commitment to federal research and development. We need to
spur and expand affordable access to broadband, achieve energy
independence, and provide small business with tools to encourage
entrepreneurial innovation
H.R. 362 is a critical first step. It will place highly qualified
teachers in math, science, and technology K-12 classrooms, based on the
recommendations of the National Academies. It will invest in 10,000 new
science and math teachers, totaling some 25,000 over five years, by
increasing the number of scholarships for students majoring in science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and who are committed to
pursuing teaching.
Mr. Chairman, H.R. 362, will also strengthen the skills of math,
science and technology of up to 250,000 teachers by improving education
and training opportunities for math and science teachers and expanding
professional development, summer training institutes, and graduate
education assistance.
This important, bipartisan legislation seeks to advance science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education by
providing for improved recruitment, training, mentoring, and
professional development of teachers.
The establishment and maintenance of a capable scientific and
technological workforce remains an important facet of U.S. efforts to
maintain economic competitiveness. Pre-college instruction in
mathematics and scientific fields is crucial to the development of U.S.
scientific and technological personnel, as well as our overall
scientific literacy as a nation. The value of education in scientific
and mathematics is not limited to those students pursuing a degree in
one of these fields, and even students pursuing nonscientific and
nonmathematical fields are likely to require basic knowledge in these
subjects.
In particular, there is a need to extend access to mathematics and
scientific education to a number of specific groups. Even as certain
minorities, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native
Americans, comprise an increasingly large proportion of the U.S.
population, they continue to be underrepresented in science and
engineering disciplines. Together, these three groups comprise over 25
percent of the population, but earn only 16.2 percent of the bachelor
degrees, 10.7 percent of the masters degrees, and 5.4 percent of the
doctorate degrees in these fields.
This legislation amends the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authorization Act of 2002 by revising the requirements for the Robert
Noyce Scholarship program. This important program provides
scholarships, stipends, and teacher training to science, mathematics,
and engineering students and professionals, in exchange for a
commitment to service as elementary or secondary school teachers
following graduation.
H.R. 362 also provides for summer institutes and graduate programs
through the Mathematics and Science Education Partnership program. It
authorizes $195 million from FY 2008 to FY 2012 for the operation of an
already existing NSF program to provide summer workshops for teachers.
It authorizes additional funds to establish a new grant program aimed
at encouraging the development of graduate degree programs for math and
science teachers. This bill provides increasing funding for fiscal
years 2010 through 2012 for the NSF STEM Talent Expansion program, and
authorizes the NSF to create pilot programs to award grants to improve
laboratories in secondary schools.
Mr. Chairman, according to the National Academies, the most important
thing we can do for our future economic health is invest in our science
and math teachers. A number of highly publicized studies have shown
that the mathematics and science achievement of American students is
poor by international standards. In 2005, 39 percent of 12th graders
lacked even basic high school math skills.
H.R. 362 has been endorsed by a broad range of businesses and
universities as well as industry and education groups, including the
Business Roundtable, Association of American Universities, Council on
Competitiveness, the College Board, Semiconductor Industry Association
and the Business Software Alliance.
I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the 10,000
Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act. Taking its
name from the fifth chapter of the National Academies Report ``Rising
Above the Gathering Storm,'' H.R. 362 is part of an ambitious
legislative portfolio that will fulfill the Innovation Agenda. I was
proud to help craft the Innovation Agenda, on which our nation is
dependent for its future prosperity.
In middle school, 68 percent of math students have a teacher who did
not major in and has not certification in mathematics. Across all
sciences, 57 percent of middle school students have teachers without a
major or certification in the subject. In physical sciences, 93 percent
have teachers without a major or certification. In high school,
approximately 31 percent of math students, 45 percent of life science
students, 61 percent of chemistry students, and 67 percent of physics
students have teachers with no major or certification in the field.
The National Science Foundation's successful Noyce program recruits
and trains math and science teachers, drawing from high-performing
college students and from existing math and science professionals. The
Noyce program also encourages those it trains and supports to serve in
high-needs school districts. H.R. 362 expands the Noyce program and
modifies it to include freshmen and sophomores.
Another successful math and science education program at the National
Science Foundation is its Mathematics and Science Education
Partnerships program, which provides grants to universities and
nonprofits for the improvement of K-12 education. H.R. 362 improves the
program by focusing grantees on teacher training, requiring grantees to
offer masters programs for in-service teachers, and preparing teachers
to instruct Advanced Placement courses.
H.R. 362 does not stop with the improvement of these existing
programs. It recognizes the special need for quality hands-on science
teaching by authorizing funds for the Laboratory Science Teacher
Professional Development program. The Act also requires the Director of
NSF to convene a panel of experts to develop nationally available K-12
math and science teaching materials, and it creates centers that will
work on curriculum, pedagogy, and the training of professors and
teaching assistants to increase undergraduate participation and
performance in science, technology, engineering, and math courses.
I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of
this bill.
America is still the number one economy in the world, and we can keep
that leadership. But we can only do so with a level of determination
and commitment that we have not shown in almost half a century. Other
countries are making aggressive investments in a competitive workforce.
We must exceed those efforts.
That is why--nearly 2 years ago--then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
laid down a challenge to Congress and the President to invest in
innovation in order to create vibrant industries, a strong economy, and
good jobs here at home. Now, with Speaker Pelosi at the helm and
Democrats determining the agenda before Congress, we are acting on that
challenge.
Working with leaders from the hi-tech and bio-tech industries,
venture capitalists, and academics, Democrats laid out a plan to boost
America's competitiveness. We made it clear to the American people that
we take this challenge seriously.
Today, we are taking the next steps on our commitment. The bill
before the House today is an important step for America's future
economic strength and the strength of America's middle class.
Mr. Gordon's legislation is a strong step in reaching a key goal of
our innovation agenda. This bill will educate 25,000 highly qualified
math and science teachers by creating high quality programs that
integrate the strong teaching of both education programs as well as
strong research and content area instruction.
In the Education and Labor Committee, we are also working to create a
new generation of innovators by ensuring that today's students are
taught to high academic standards and receive the workplace skills that
are necessary to prepare them as scientists, engineers, and
mathematicians in a global high-tech economy.
The Committee will work toward the goals of innovation agenda by
educating 100,000 new innovators in the next five years. We propose a
new public-private partnership with the business community and higher
education institutions to produce well-qualified, highly-skilled
workers by establishing Congressional Science fellowships and
interdisciplinary Master's programs in science, engineering, and math
that include specialized training and internships with business
partners, and loan forgiveness options.

[[Page H3815]]

Additionally, we will build on the work of Mr. Gordon by placing a
highly qualified teacher in math, science, and technology K-12
classrooms by offering up-front tuition assistance to talented
undergraduates majoring in math, science or engineering who agree to
teach in a high-needs school and by partnering community colleges with
4-year institutions to improve the teacher pipeline.
Lastly, we need to enhance the ability of states to coordinate
education and workforce goals, identify the challenges of recruiting
students and retaining them in innovative fields, and develop
collaborative solutions through statewide coalitions of education,
business, and community leaders, such as P-16+ Councils.
America's entrepreneurial, innovative spirit is one of the key
reasons for our strength in the world today. If we match that spirit to
these substantial investments, our economy will stay strong for
generations to come. I look forward to continuing to press forward with
other elements of the Innovation Agenda and to make sure that America
stays No. 1 in the world.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support these important
bills--the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math
Scholarship Act and the Sowing the Seeds Through Science and
Engineering Research Act--and to keep our Nation competitive in an era
of global economic and scientific competition.
Now, more than ever, we must ensure that America remains at the
forefront of discovery and innovation. To do that, we must engage our
young people and encourage more of them to pursue careers in science,
math, and engineering. These two bills accomplish that by fostering
student potential in K-12 classrooms and by investing in long-term
scientific research to keep more young scientists in our Nation's
laboratories.
The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science Math Scholarship Act
would increase the number of scholarships for students majoring in the
field of science, technology, engineering, and math who want to teach
and would strengthen the skills of current STEM teachers by expanding
professional development. These teachers would be better equipped to
excite and engage students in math and science.
The Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act
would increase our investment in long-term scientific research and
provide grants to young researchers. It would encourage our brightest
young minds to think innovatively and push the boundaries of current
research. Also, it will encourage young scientists to continue their
study in U.S. institutions.
Mr. Chairman, these bills will help stimulate exciting research and
increase the number of students entering the fields of math and
science. They are an essential part of our competitiveness agenda, and
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for them today.
The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the
purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be considered
read.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:

H.R. 362

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.

TITLE I--SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Findings.
Sec. 103. Policy objective.
Sec. 104. Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

TITLE II--MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 201. Mathematics and science education partnerships amendments.
Sec. 202. Teacher institutes.
Sec. 203. Graduate degree program.
Sec. 204. Curricular materials.
Sec. 205. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent
Expansion Program.
Sec. 206. High-need local educational agency definition.
Sec. 207. Teacher leaders.
Sec. 208. Laboratory science pilot program.
Sec. 209. Study on laboratory equipment donations for schools.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) The National Science Foundation has made significant
and valuable contributions to the improvement of K-12 and
undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics education throughout its 56 year history.
(2) Under section 3 of the National Science Foundation Act
of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1862), the National Science Foundation is
explicitly required to strengthen science, mathematics, and
engineering research potential and education programs at all
levels.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) The term ``cost of attendance'' has the meaning given
that term in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
(2) The term ``Director'' means the Director of the
National Science Foundation.
(3) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the
meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(4) The term ``mathematics and science teacher'' means a
mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary
school or secondary school level.

TITLE I--SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ``10,000 Teachers, 10
Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act''.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) The prosperity the United States enjoys today is due in
no small part to investments the Nation has made in research
and development over the past 50 years.
(2) Corporate, government, and national scientific and
technical leaders have raised concerns that current trends
affecting the science and technology enterprise of the Nation
could result in erosion of this past success and jeopardize
future prosperity.
(3) The National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy
of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine were tasked in
a congressional request to recommend actions that the Federal
Government could take to enhance the science and technology
enterprise so that the United States can successfully
compete, prosper, and be secure in the global community of
the 21st century.
(4) The Academies' highest priority recommendation in its
report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and
Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future'', is to
improve K-12 mathematics and science education, and the
Academies' first recommended action item is to institute a
major scholarship program to recruit and educate annually
10,000 mathematics and science teachers.

SEC. 103. POLICY OBJECTIVE.

In carrying out the program under section 104, the National
Science Foundation shall seek to increase by up to 10,000 per
year the number of elementary and secondary mathematics and
science teachers in the Nation's schools having both
exemplary subject knowledge and pedagogical skills.

SEC. 104. ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

(a) Program Amendments.--Section 10 of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n-1) is
amended--
(1) by inserting ``TEACHER'' after ``NOYCE'' in the section
heading;
(2) in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) by striking ``to provide scholarships, stipends, and
programming designed'';
(B) by inserting ``and to provide scholarships and stipends
to students participating in the program'' after ``science
teachers''; and
(C) by inserting ``Teacher'' after ``Noyce'';
(3) in subsection (a)(3)(A)--
(A) by striking ``encourage top college juniors and
seniors'' and inserting ``recruit and prepare undergraduate
students''; and
(B) by inserting ``qualified as'' after ``to become'';
(4) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii)--
(A) by striking ``programs to help scholarship recipients''
and inserting ``academic courses and early field teaching
experiences designed to prepare students participating in the
program'';
(B) by striking ``programs that will result in'' and
inserting ``such preparation as is necessary to meet
requirements for''; and
(C) by striking ``licensing; and'' and inserting
``licensing;'';
(5) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(iii)--
(A) by striking ``scholarship recipients'' and inserting
``students participating in the program'';
(B) by striking ``enable the recipients'' and inserting
``enable the students''; and
(C) by striking ``; or'' and inserting ``; and'';
(6) in subsection (a)(3)(A) by inserting at the end the
following new clause:
``(iv) providing summer internships for freshman students
participating in the program; or'';
(7) in subsection (a)(3)(B)--
(A) by striking ``encourage'' and inserting ``recruit and
prepare''; and
(B) by inserting ``qualified as'' after ``to become'';
(8) by amending clause (ii) of subsection (a)(3)(B) to read
as follows:
``(ii) offering academic courses and field teaching
experiences designed to prepare stipend recipients to teach
in elementary schools and secondary schools, including such
preparation as is necessary to meet requirements for teacher
certification or licensing; and'';
(9) in subsection (a) by inserting at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(4) Eligibility requirement.--To be eligible for an award
under this section, an institution of higher education (or
consortia of such institutions) shall ensure that specific
faculty members and staff from the institution's mathematics,
science, or engineering departments and specific education
faculty are designated to carry out the development and
implementation of the program. An institution of higher
education may also include teacher leaders to participate in
developing the pedagogical content of the program and to
supervise students participating in the program in their
field teaching experiences. No institution of higher
education

[[Page H3816]]

shall be eligible for an award unless faculty from the
institution's mathematics, science, or engineering
departments are active participants in the program.'';
(10) in subsection (b)(1)(A)--
(A) by striking ``scholarship or stipend'';
(B) by inserting ``and summer internships'' after ``number
of scholarships''; and
(C) by inserting ``the type of activities proposed for the
recruitment of students to the program,'' after ``intends to
award,'';
(11) in subsection (b)(1)(B)--
(A) by striking ``scholarship or stipend''; and
(B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, which may
include a description of any existing programs at the
applicant's institution that are targeted to the education of
mathematics and science teachers and the number of teachers
graduated annually from such programs;'';
(12) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraph (C) and
inserting the following:
``(C) a description of the academic courses and field
teaching experiences required under subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii)
and (B)(ii), including--
``(i) a description of the undergraduate program that will
enable a student to graduate within 5 years with a major in
mathematics, science, or engineering and to obtain teacher
certification or licensing;
``(ii) a description of the field teaching experiences
proposed; and
``(iii) evidence of agreements between the applicant and
the schools or school districts that are identified as the
locations at which field teaching experiences will occur;
``(D) a description of the programs required under
subsection (a)(3)(A)(iii) and (B)(iii), including activities
to assist new teachers in fulfilling their service
requirements under this section; and
``(E) an identification of the applicant's mathematics,
science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty who
will carry out the development and implementation of the
program as required under subsection (a)(4).'';
(13) in subsection (b)(2)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E)
as subparagraphs (C), (D), (E) and (F), respectively;
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) a new subparagraph
as follows:
``(B) the extent to which the applicant's mathematics,
science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty
have worked or will work collaboratively to design new or
revised curricula that recognizes the specialized pedagogy
required to teach mathematics, science, and technology
effectively in elementary and secondary schools;''; and
(C) by amending subparagraph (F), as so redesignated by
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, to read as follows:
``(F) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who
are individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science
and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or
1885b).'';
(14) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking ``2 years'' and
inserting ``3 years'';
(15) in subsection (c)(3)--
(A) by striking ``$7,500'' and inserting ``$10,000''; and
(B) by striking ``2 years of scholarship support'' and
inserting ``3 years of scholarship support, unless the
Director establishes a policy by which part-time students may
receive additional years of support'';
(16) in subsection (c)(4)--
(A) by striking ``6 years'' and inserting ``8 years'';
(B) by inserting ``, with a maximum service requirement of
6 years'' after ``was received''; and
(C) by striking ``Service required under this paragraph
shall be performed in a high-need local educational
agency.'';
(17) in subsection (c), by adding at the end a new
paragraph as follows:
``(5) Exception.--The period of service obligation under
paragraph (4) is reduced by 1 year for scholarship recipients
whose service is performed in a high-need local educational
agency.'';
(18) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``to receive
certification or licensing to teach'' and inserting
``established under subsection (a)(3)(B)'';
(19) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ``and professional
achievement'' after ``academic merit'';
(20) in subsection (d)(3), by striking ``1 year'' and
inserting ``16 months'';
(21) in subsection (d)(4)--
(A) by striking ``6 years'' and inserting ``4 years''; and
(B) by striking ``for each year a stipend was received'';
(22) in subsection (g)(2)(A)--
(A) by striking ``Treasurer of the United States,'' and
inserting ``Treasurer of the United States.''; and
(B) by striking ``multiplied by 2.'';
(23) in subsection (i)(3), by inserting ``or had a career
in'' after ``is working in'';
(24) in subsection (i)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) the term `teacher leader' means a mathematics or
science teacher who works to improve the instruction of
mathematics or science in kindergarten through grade 12
through--
``(A) participating in the development or revision of
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology curricula;
``(B) serving as a mentor to mathematics or science
teachers;
``(C) coordinating and assisting teachers in the use of
hands-on inquiry materials, equipment, and supplies, and when
appropriate, supervising acquisition and repair of such
materials;
``(D) providing in-classroom teaching assistance to
mathematics or science teachers; and
``(E) providing professional development, for the purposes
of training other teacher leaders, to mathematics and science
teachers.''; and
(25) by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Mathematics and Science Scholarship Gift Fund.--In
accordance with section 11(f) of the National Science
Foundation Act of 1950, the Director is authorized to accept
donations from the private sector to support scholarships,
stipends, or internships associated with programs under this
section.
``(k) Assessment of Teacher Service and Retention.--Not
later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this
subsection, the Director shall transmit to Congress a report
on the effectiveness of the program carried out under this
section. The report shall include the proportion of
individuals receiving scholarships or stipends under the
program who --
``(1) fulfill their service obligation required under this
section in a high-need local educational agency;
``(2) elect to fulfill their service obligation in a high-
need local educational agency but fail to complete it, as
defined in subsection (g);
``(3) remain in the teaching profession beyond their
service obligation; and
``(4) remain in the teaching profession in a high-need
local educational agency beyond their service obligation.
``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Director for the Robert
Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program--
``(1) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
``(2) $101,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
``(3) $133,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(4) $164,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
``(5) $196,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 8(6) of the National
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
(1) in the paragraph heading by inserting ``Teacher'' after
``Noyce''; and
(2) by inserting ``Teacher'' after ``Noyce''.

TITLE II--MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 201. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS
AMENDMENTS.

Section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)--
(A) by striking ``(A)'';
(B) by striking subparagraph (B);
(C) by inserting ``, through 1 or more of its departments
in science, mathematics, or engineering,'' after
``institution of higher education''; and
(D) by striking ``a State educational agency'' and
inserting ``education faculty from the participating
institution or institutions of higher education, a State
educational agency,'';
(2) in subsection (a)(3)(B)--
(A) by inserting ``content-specific'' before ``professional
development programs'';
(B) by inserting ``which are'' before ``designed''; and
(C) by inserting ``and which may include teacher training
activities to prepare mathematics and science teachers to
teach challenging mathematics, science, and technology
college-preparatory courses, including Advanced Placement and
International Baccalaureate courses'' after ``and science
teachers'';
(3) in subsection (a)(3)(C)--
(A) by inserting ``and laboratory experiences'' after
``technology''; and
(B) by inserting ``and laboratory'' after ``provide
technical'';
(4) in subsection (a)(3)(I) by inserting ``including model
induction programs for teachers in their first 2 years of
teaching,'' after ``and science,'';
(5) in subsection (a)(3)(K) by striking ``developing and
offering mathematics or science enrichment programs for
students, including after-school and summer programs;'' and
inserting ``developing educational programs and materials and
conducting mathematics, science, and technology enrichment
programs for students, including after-school programs and
summer camps for students described in subsection
(b)(2)(G);'';
(6) in subsection (a) by inserting at the end the
following:
``(8) Master's degree programs.--Activities carried out in
accordance with paragraph (3)(B) shall include the
development and offering of master's degree programs for in-
service mathematics and science teachers that will strengthen
their subject area knowledge and pedagogical skills, as
described in section 203 of the Act enacting this paragraph.
Grants provided under this section may be used to develop and
implement courses of instruction for the master's degree
programs, which may involve online learning, and develop
related educational materials.
``(9) Mentors for teachers and students of challenging
courses.--Partnerships carrying out activities to prepare
mathematics and science teachers to teach challenging
mathematics, science, and technology college-preparatory
courses, including Advanced Placement and International
Baccalaureate courses, in accordance with paragraph (3)(B)
shall encourage companies employing scientists,
mathematicians, or engineers to provide mentors to teachers
and students and provide for the coordination of such
mentoring activities.
``(10) Inventiveness.--Activities carried out in accordance
with paragraph (3)(H) may include the development and
dissemination of curriculum tools that will help foster
inventiveness and innovation.'';
(7) in subsection (b)(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E)
and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively, and
inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new
subparagraph:
``(E) the extent to which the evaluation described in
paragraph (1)(E) will be independent and based on objective
measures;'';

[[Page H3817]]

(8) in subsection (b) by inserting at the end the
following:
``(4) Minimum and maximum grant size.--A grant awarded
under this section shall be not less than $75,000 or greater
than $2,000,000 for any fiscal year.'';
(9) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking paragraph (2);
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as
paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new
paragraphs:
``(2) Report on model projects.--The Director shall
determine which completed projects funded through the program
under this section should be seen as models to be replicated
on a more expansive basis at the State or national levels.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
paragraph, the Director shall transmit a report describing
the results of this study to the Committee on Science and
Technology and the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
``(3) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 4 years after
the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall
transmit a report summarizing the evaluations required under
subsection (b)(1)(E) of grants received under this program
and describing any changes to the program recommended as a
result of these evaluations to the Committee on Science and
Technology and the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. Such report
shall be made widely available to the public.''; and
(10) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `mathematics and science teacher' means a
mathematics, science, or technology teacher at the elementary
school or secondary school level; and
``(2) the term `science', in the context of elementary and
secondary education, includes technology and pre-
engineering.''.

SEC. 202. TEACHER INSTITUTES.

(a) National Science Foundation Institutes.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a grant
program to provide for summer or academic year teacher
institutes or workshops authorized by section 9(a)(3)(B) of
the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42
U.S.C. 1862n(a)(3)(B)) and shall allow grantees under the
Teacher Institutes for the 21st Century program to operate 1
to 2 week summer teacher institutes with the goal of reaching
the maximum number of in-service mathematics and science
teachers, particularly elementary and middle school teachers,
to improve their content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
(2) Preparation to teach challenging courses.--The Director
shall ensure that activities supported for awards under
paragraph (1) include the development and implementation of
teacher training activities to prepare mathematics and
science teachers to teach challenging mathematics, science,
and technology college-preparatory courses, including
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.
(3) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Director shall give priority to applications that propose
programs that will attract mathematics and science teachers
from local educational agencies that--
(A) are receiving grants under title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq)
as a result of having within their jurisdictions
concentrations of children from low income families; and
(B) are experiencing a shortage of highly qualified
teachers, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), in the
fields of science, mathematics, or technology.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the
purposes of this section, $32,000,000 for fiscal year 2008,
$35,200,000 for fiscal year 2009, $38,700,000 for fiscal year
2010, $42,600,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $46,800,000 for
fiscal year 2012.
(b) Laboratory Science Teacher Professional Development.--
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Energy for the Laboratory Science Teacher Professional
Development program, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008,
$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $10,000,000 for fiscal year
2010, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $10,000,000 for
fiscal year 2012.

SEC. 203. GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Director shall ensure that master's
degree programs for in-service mathematics and science
teachers that will strengthen their subject area knowledge
and pedagogical skills are instituted in accordance with
section 9(a)(8) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n(a)(8)). The degree
programs shall be designed for current teachers, who will
enroll as part-time students, and to allow participants to
obtain master's degrees within a period of 3 years.
(b) Distribution of Awards.--The Director shall, in
awarding grants to carry out subsection (a), consider the
distribution of awards among institutions of higher education
of different sizes and geographic locations.
(c) Program Activities.--Activities supported through
master's degree programs established under subsection (a) may
include--
(1) development of courses of instruction and related
educational materials;
(2) stipends to defray the cost of attendance for students
in the degree program; and
(3) acquisition of computer and networking equipment needed
for online instruction under the degree program.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the
purposes of this section $46,000,000 for fiscal year 2008,
$50,600,000 for fiscal year 2009, $55,700,000 for fiscal year
2010, $61,200,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $67,300,000 for
fiscal year 2012.

SEC. 204. CURRICULAR MATERIALS.

The Director, in consultation with the Secretary of
Education, shall convene a national panel of experts on
mathematics and science education to identify and collect K-
12 mathematics, science, and technology teaching materials
that have been demonstrated to be effective and to recommend
the development of new materials in areas where effective
materials do not exist. The Director and Secretary shall
develop ways to disseminate effective materials and support
efforts to develop new materials, in accordance with the
recommendations of the national panel. Recommendations made
under this section shall not be considered a mandate of
specific K-12 curricula.

SEC. 205. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
TALENT EXPANSION PROGRAM.

(a) Amendments.--Section 8(7) of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``competitive, merit-
based'' and all that follows through ``in recent years.'' and
inserting ``competitive, merit-reviewed multiyear grants for
eligible applicants to improve undergraduate education in
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology through--
``(i) the creation of programs to increase the number of
students studying toward and completing associate's or
bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, particularly in fields that have faced declining
enrollment in recent years; and
``(ii) the creation of centers (in this paragraph referred
to as `Centers') to develop undergraduate curriculum,
teaching methods for undergraduate courses, and methods to
better train professors and teaching assistants who teach
undergraduate courses to increase the number of students
completing undergraduate courses in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, including the number of
nonmajors, and to improve student academic achievement in
those courses.

Grants made under clause (ii) shall be awarded jointly
through the Education and Human Resources Directorate and at
least 1 research directorate of the Foundation.'';
(2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
``(B) In selecting projects under subparagraph (A)(i), the
Director shall strive to increase the number of students
studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees,
concentrations, or certificates in science, mathematics,
engineering, or technology who are--
``(i) individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the
Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C.
1885a or 1885b); or
``(ii) graduates of a secondary school that is administered
by a local educational agency that is receiving grants under
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq) as a result of having within its
jurisdiction concentrations of children from low income
families.'';
(3) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) by inserting ``(i)'' before ``The types of'';
(B) by redesignating clauses (i) through (vi) as subclauses
(I) through (VI), respectively;
(C) by striking ``under this paragraph'' and inserting
``under subparagraph (A)(i)''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(ii) The types of activities the Foundation may support
under subparagraph (A)(ii) include--
``(I) creating model curricula and laboratory programs;
``(II) developing and demonstrating research-based
instructional methods and technologies;
``(III) developing methods to train graduate students and
faculty to be more effective teachers of undergraduates;
``(IV) conducting programs to disseminate curricula,
instructional methods, or training methods to faculty at the
grantee institutions and at other institutions;
``(V) conducting assessments of the effectiveness of the
Center at accomplishing the goals described in subparagraph
(A)(ii); and
``(VI) conducting any other activities the Director
determines will accomplish the goals described in
subparagraph (A)(ii).'';
(4) in subparagraph (D)(i), by striking ``under this
paragraph'' and inserting ``under subparagraph (A)(i)'';
(5) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking ``under this
paragraph'' and inserting ``under subparagraph (A)(i)'';
(6) after subparagraph (D)(iii), by adding at the end the
following new clause:
``(iv) A grant under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be awarded
for 5 years, and the Director may extend such a grant for up
to 2 additional 3 year periods.'';
(7) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``under this
paragraph'' both places it appears and inserting ``under
subparagraph (A)(i)'';
(8) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (J);
and
(9) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new
subparagraphs:
``(F) Grants awarded under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be
carried out by a department or departments of science,
mathematics, or engineering at institutions of higher
education (or a

[[Page H3818]]

consortia thereof), which may partner with education faculty.
Applications for awards under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be
submitted to the Director at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may require. At a
minimum, the application shall include--
``(i) a description of the activities to be carried out by
the Center;
``(ii) a plan for disseminating programs related to the
activities carried out by the Center to faculty at the
grantee institution and at other institutions;
``(iii) an estimate of the number of faculty, graduate
students (if any), and undergraduate students who will be
affected by the activities carried out by the Center; and
``(iv) a plan for assessing the effectiveness of the Center
at accomplishing the goals described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
``(G) In evaluating the applications submitted under
subparagraph (F), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--
``(i) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out
the proposed activities, including the dissemination
activities described in subparagraph (C)(ii)(IV); and
``(ii) the extent to which the faculty, staff, and
administrators of the applicant institution are committed to
improving undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering
education.
``(H) In awarding grants under subparagraph (A)(ii), the
Director shall endeavor to ensure that a wide variety of
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and
types of institutions of higher education, including 2-year
colleges and minority-serving institutions, are covered, and
that--
``(i) at least 1 Center is housed at a Doctoral/Research
University as defined by the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching; and
``(ii) at least 1 Center is focused on improving
undergraduate education in an interdisciplinary area.
``(I) The Director shall convene an annual meeting of the
awardees under this paragraph to foster collaboration and to
disseminate the results of the Centers and the other
activities funded under this paragraph.''.
(b) Report on Data Collection.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall
transmit to Congress a report on how the Director is
determining whether current grant recipients in the Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion
Program are making satisfactory progress as required by
section 8(7)(D)(ii) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 and what funding actions have been
taken as a result of the Director's determinations.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation for the
program described in paragraph (7) of section 8 of the
National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002--
(1) $44,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which $4,000,000
shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of
that paragraph;
(2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which $10,000,000
shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of
that paragraph;
(3) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which $10,000,000
shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of
that paragraph;
(4) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which $10,000,000
shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of
that paragraph; and
(5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which $10,000,000
shall be for the grants described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of
that paragraph.

SEC. 206. HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY DEFINITION.

Section 4(8) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note) is amended
to read as follows:
``(8) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
need local educational agency' means a local educational
agency that--
``(A) is receiving grants under title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq)
as a result of having within its jurisdiction concentrations
of children from low income families; and
``(B) is experiencing a shortage of highly qualified
teachers, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), in the
fields of science, mathematics, or engineering.''.

SEC. 207. TEACHER LEADERS.

The National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002
is amended--
(1) in section 4(11)--
(A) by striking ``master teacher'' and inserting ``teacher
leader'';
(B) by striking ``master teacher'' and inserting ``teacher
leader''; and
(C) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``master teachers''
and inserting ``teacher leaders''; and
(2) in section 9--
(A) in subsection (a)(3)(E), by striking ``master
teachers'' and inserting ``teacher leaders''; and
(B) in subsection (a)(4)--
(i) by striking ``master teachers'' and inserting ``teacher
leaders''; and
(ii) by striking ``master teachers'' each place it appears
and inserting ``teacher leaders''.

SEC. 208. LABORATORY SCIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) To remain competitive in science and technology in the
global economy, the United States must increase the number of
students graduating from high school prepared to pursue
postsecondary education in science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics.
(2) There is broad agreement in the scientific community
that learning science requires direct involvement by students
in scientific inquiry and that laboratory experience is so
integral to the nature of science that it must be included in
every science program for every science student.
(3) In America's Lab Report, the National Research Council
concluded that the current quality of laboratory experiences
is poor for most students and that educators and researchers
do not agree on how to define high school science
laboratories or on their purpose, hampering the accumulation
of research on how to improve labs.
(4) The National Research Council found that schools with
higher concentrations of non-Asian minorities and schools
with higher concentrations of poor students are less likely
to have adequate laboratory facilities than other schools.
(5) The Government Accountability Office reported that 49.1
percent of schools where the minority student population is
greater than 50.5 percent reported not meeting functional
requirements for laboratory science well or at all.
(6) 40 percent of those college students who left the
science fields reported some problems related to high school
science preparation, including lack of laboratory experience
and no introduction to theoretical or to analytical modes of
thought.
(7) It is in the national interest for the Federal
Government to invest in research and demonstration projects
to improve the teaching of laboratory science in the Nation's
high schools.
(b) Grant Program.--Section 8(8) of the National Science
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (F) as
clauses (i) through (vi), respectively;
(2) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``A program of
competitive''; and
(3) by inserting at the end the following new
subparagraphs:
``(B) In accordance with subparagraph (A)(v), the Director
shall establish a research pilot program designated as
`Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science' to award
grants to partnerships to improve laboratories and provide
instrumentation as part of a comprehensive program to enhance
the quality of mathematics, science, engineering, and
technology instruction at the secondary school level. Grants
under this subparagraph may be used for--
``(i) purchase, rental, or leasing of equipment,
instrumentation, and other scientific educational materials;
``(ii) maintenance, renovation, and improvement of
laboratory facilities;
``(iii) development of instructional programs designed to
integrate the laboratory experience with classroom
instruction and to be consistent with State mathematics and
science academic achievement standards;
``(iv) training in laboratory safety for school personnel;
``(v) design and implementation of hands-on laboratory
experiences to encourage the interest of individuals
identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering
Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b) in
mathematics, science, engineering, and technology and help
prepare such individuals to pursue postsecondary studies in
these fields; and
``(vi) assessment of the activities funded under this
subparagraph.
``(C) Grants may be made under subparagraph (B) only to a
partnership--
``(i) for a project that includes significant teacher
training and professional development components; or
``(ii) that establishes that appropriate teacher training
and professional development is being addressed, or has been
addressed, through other means.
``(D) Grants awarded under subparagraph (B) shall be to a
partnership that--
``(i) includes an institution of higher education or a
community college;
``(ii) includes a high-need local educational agency;
``(iii) includes a business or eligible nonprofit
organization; and
``(iv) may include a State educational agency, other public
agency, National Laboratory, or community-based organization.
``(E) The Federal share of the cost of activities carried
out using amounts from a grant under subparagraph (B) shall
not exceed 50 percent.
``(F) The Director shall require grant recipients to submit
a report to the Director on the results of the project
supported by the grant.''.
(c) Report.--The Director shall evaluate the effectiveness
of activities carried out under the research pilot projects
funded by the grant program established pursuant to the
amendment made by subsection (b) in improving student
performance in mathematics, science, engineering, and
technology. A report documenting the results of that
evaluation shall be submitted to the Committee on Science and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committees
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate not later than 5
years after the date of enactment of this Act. The report
shall identify best practices and materials developed and
demonstrated by grant awardees.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to
carry out this section and the amendments made by this
section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may
be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.

SEC. 209. STUDY ON LABORATORY EQUIPMENT DONATIONS FOR
SCHOOLS.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Director shall transmit a report to the Congress
examining the extent to which institutions of higher
education are donating used laboratory equipment to
elementary

[[Page H3819]]

and secondary schools. The Director, in consultation with the
Secretary of Education, shall survey institutions of higher
education to determine--
(1) how often, how much, and what type of equipment is
donated;
(2) what criteria or guidelines the institutions are using
to determine what types of equipment can be donated, what
condition the equipment should be in, and which schools
receive the equipment;
(3) whether the institutions provide any support to, or
follow-up with the schools; and
(4) how appropriate donations can be encouraged.

The CHAIRMAN. No amendment to the committee amendment is in order
except those printed in House Report 110-105. Each amendment may be
offered only in the order printed in the report, by a Member designated
in the report, shall be considered read, shall be debatable for the
time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent of the amendment, shall not be subject to
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the
question.

Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee

The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed
in House Report 110-105.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee:
Page 12, line 22, page 13, line 2, and page 13, line 4,
redesignate paragraphs (22), (23), and (24) as paragraphs
(24), (26), and (27), respectively.
Page 12, after line 21, insert the following new
paragraphs:
(22) in subsection (e)--
(A) by inserting ``or section 10A'' after ``under this
section''; and
(B) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``or section 10A'' after
``subsection (d)'';
(23) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ``or section 10A''
after ``under this section'';
Page 13, after line 1, insert the following new paragraph:
(25) in subsection (h), by inserting ``or section 10A''
after ``under this section'';
Page 13, line 3, insert ``and'' after the semicolon.
Page 13, lines 7 and 9, redesignate subparagraphs (B) and
(C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively.
Page 13, after line 6, insert the following new
subparagraph:
(B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``or section 10A'' after
``subsection (d)'';
Page 15, line 12, redesignate subsection (b) as subsection
(c).
Page 15, after line 11, insert the following new
subsection:
(b) Special Partnership Program for Stipends.--The National
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after section 10 the following new section:

``SEC. 10A. SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FOR STIPENDS.

``(a) In General.--As part of the Robert Noyce Teacher
Scholarship Program established under section 10, the
Director shall establish a separate type of award for
eligible entities described in subsection (b). Stipends under
this section shall be available only to mathematics, science,
and engineering professionals who, while receiving the
stipend, are enrolled in a program to receive certification
or licensing to teach.
``(b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to receive a
grant under this section, an institution of higher education
(or consortia of such institutions) shall enter into a
partnership with one or more private sector nonprofit
organizations, local or State government organizations, and
businesses. The members of the partnership shall provide the
teaching supplements described in subsection (f).
``(c) Use of Grants.--Grants provided under this section
shall be used by institutions of higher education or
consortia to develop and implement a program to encourage
science, mathematics, or engineering professionals to become
qualified as mathematics and science teachers, through--
``(1) administering stipends in accordance with this
section;
``(2) offering academic courses and field teaching
experiences designed to prepare stipend recipients to teach
in elementary and secondary schools, including such
preparation as is necessary to meet the requirements for
certification or licensing; and
``(3) offering programs to stipend recipients, both during
and after matriculation in the program for which the stipend
is received, to enable recipients to become better
mathematics and science teachers, to fulfill the service
requirements of this section, and to exchange ideas with
others in their fields.
``(d) Selection Process.--
``(1) Merit review.--Grants shall be provided under this
section on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
``(2) Applications.--An eligible institution of higher
education or consortium seeking funding under this section
shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Director
may require. The application shall include, at a minimum--
``(A) a description of the program that the applicant
intends to operate, including the number of stipends the
applicant intends to award, the type of activities proposed
for the recruitment of students to the program, and the
amount of the teaching supplements to be provided in
accordance with subsection (f);
``(B) a description of the selection process that will be
used in awarding stipends, including a description of the
rigorous, nationally recognized test that will be
administered during the selection process in order to
determine whether individuals applying for stipends have
advanced content knowledge of science or mathematics;
``(C) evidence that the applicant has the capability to
administer the program in accordance with the provisions of
this section, which may include a description of any existing
programs at the applicant's institution that are targeted to
the education of mathematics and science teachers and the
number of teachers graduated annually from such programs;
``(D) a description of the academic courses and field
teaching experiences described in subsection (c)(2),
including--
``(i) a description of an educational program that will
enable a student to obtain teacher certification or licensing
within 16 months; and
``(ii) evidence of agreements between the applicant and the
schools or school districts that are identified as the
locations at which field teaching experiences will occur;
``(E) a description of the programs described in subsection
(c)(3), including activities to assist new teachers in
fulfilling their service requirements under this section; and
``(F) evidence that the partnership will provide the
teaching supplements required under subsection (f).
``(3) Criteria.--In evaluating the applications submitted
under paragraph (2), the Director shall consider, at a
minimum--
``(A) the ability of the applicant to effectively carry out
the program and to meet the requirement of subsection (f);
``(B) the extent to which the applicant's mathematics,
science, or engineering faculty and its education faculty
have worked or will work collaboratively to design new or
revised curricula that recognizes the specialized pedagogy
required to teach mathematics and science effectively in
elementary and secondary schools;
``(C) the extent to which the applicant is committed to
making the program a central organizational focus;
``(D) the degree to which the proposed programming will
enable stipend recipients to become successful mathematics
and science teachers;
``(E) the number and quality of the students that will be
served by the program; and
``(F) the ability of the applicant to recruit students who
would otherwise not pursue a career in teaching.
``(e) Stipends.--Individuals shall be selected to receive
stipends under this section primarily on the basis of their
content knowledge of science or mathematics as demonstrated
by their performance on a test designated in accordance with
subsection (d)(2)(B). Among individuals demonstrating
equivalent content knowledge, consideration may be given to
financial need and to the goal of promoting the participation
of individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science
and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or
1885b).
``(f) Teaching Supplements.--The members of a partnership
shall identify a source of non-Federal funding to provide
salary supplements to individuals who participate in the
program under this section during the period of their service
obligation under subsection (h).
``(g) Amount and Duration.--Stipends under this section
shall be not less than $10,000 per year, except that no
individual shall receive for any year more than the cost of
attendance at that individual's institution. Individuals may
receive a maximum of 16 months of stipend support.
``(h) Service Obligation.--If an individual receives a
stipend under this section, that individual shall be required
to complete, within 6 years after completion of the
educational program for which the stipend was awarded, 4
years of service as a mathematics or science teacher in a
public secondary school.''.

The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 327, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each
will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at the National Science
Foundation aims to increase the number of first-rate math and science
teachers in the U.S.
The program targets two resources from which to recruit these
teachers: one, undergraduates who are majoring in the math and science
field; and, two,

[[Page H3820]]

science and math engineering professionals who want to switch to a
teaching degree.
The reported version of H.R. 362 considerably expands the Noyce
program. It also amends a part of the program that targets
undergraduates. But the part of the program that targets professionals
was left for the most part unchanged. This amendment establishes within
the Noyce program a new model for recruiting professionals to a
teaching career.
This new model is based on a program called Math for America, which
has shown astonishing success in making first-rate teachers out of
former scientists and engineers. Math for America was launched in 2004
by James Simons, a mathematician who founded an enormously successful
private investment firm in New York City.
Mr. Simon's philanthropic foundation has provided much of the funding
for Math for America. This is just the third year of Math for America,
but already they have recruited 90 teachers for New York City public
schools. The math for America model has so much in common with the
Noyce program at the National Science Foundation.
Consistent with the Math for America model, my amendment has the
following features: An institution of higher education wishing to
establish this new program must create a partnership with at least one
non-Federal entity to be eligible for the NSF support; a scientist or
engineer participating in the program must demonstrate advance content
knowledge through a nationally recognized standardized test;
participants take specialized education courses in a 16-month teacher
certification program during which they receive a stipend; graduates
from the program must teach in a secondary school for a period of 4
years, during which they receive a teaching supplement to their
ordinary salary.
The teaching supplements are provided by the partnerships from non-
Federal sources. This amendment, therefore, adds a component to the
Noyce program to develop the kind of public/private partnership that we
see working so well in Math for America.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the chairman's
amendment. I know on this bill, H.R. 362, this is a perfect example of
everything being said but not every one of us having an opportunity to
say it. I rise in support of the amendment of Chairman Gordon and also
the bill.
I can't improve on the words of the distinguished Speaker that we
heard from just a few minutes ago, but I do want to applaud and support
this H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10,000 Minds Science and Math
Scholarship Act, and certainly applaud Chairman Gordon and Ranking
Member Hall and the work that they have done. I am proud to be a member
of the Science and Technology Committee and to see this come to the
floor today.

{time} 1615

The National Academy released a report, Mr. Chairman, entitled
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' that looked at the ways in which
the Federal Government could enhance our country's science and
technology enterprise so that we can continue to compete and prosper in
the global marketplace. The commission arrived at one outstanding and
alarming conclusion: American students are falling behind in the areas
of science, technology, engineering, and math, sometimes referred to as
STEM.
In response to this sobering reality, the report recommends vastly
improving the K-12 science and math programs in classrooms across the
country in order to increase America's talent pool. We talk about
raising the level of H-1B visas, doubling them. That might be part of
the solution, Mr. Chairman, but we need to develop our homegrown
talent. Early education is crucial in getting children not only excited
about math and science, but adequately prepared to pursue these fields
later in life. And I strongly believe by recruiting, retaining, and
training better educators in these fields more students will want to
attend college in the areas of science, technology, and math. And that
is the key to keeping America competitive in the ever-increasing
technological global marketplace.
The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship
program begins to remedy this situation by implementing a variety of
action items recommended by this report. First, H.R. 362 seeks to raise
both the quantity and quality of math and science teachers in America
by increasing the number and amount of grants available to teachers and
students who pursue continuing education in these fields. It also
increases grants within a program at the National Science Foundation
that provides financial aid to students who make a commitment to teach
after college.
Mr. Chairman, I firmly believe this legislation is a good first step
to address this impending crisis of America's workforce. I am again
proud to support the bill, to support Chairman Gordon's amendment. I
respectfully ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the
same.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I certainly from a policy standpoint
don't have an issue with the amendment; in fact, I think it might go a
long way in enticing retired STEM professionals to get their teacher's
certification and to put their many years of expertise to work in the
K-12 classroom, educating and inspiring our next generation of
scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. I support the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I want to thank
Dr. Gingrey for his support for this bill and, more importantly, his
constructive role that he plays on the Science and Technology
Committee. Again, I want to thank Mr. Hall for his constructive role,
and also for his generosity in having additional time for us.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
The amendment was agreed to.

Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee

The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 printed
in House Report 110-105.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Gordon of Tennessee:
Page 8, line 16, after paragraph (4), insert the following
new paragraph:
``(5) Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Director shall endeavor to ensure that the recipients are
from a variety of types of institutions of higher education.
In support of this goal, the Director shall broadly
disseminate information about when and how to apply for
grants under this section, including by conducting outreach
to Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are part
B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority
institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20
U.S.C. 1067k(3))).''.
Page 12, line 9, insert the following sentence at the end
of paragraph (5): ``The Director shall establish and maintain
a central clearinghouse of information on teaching
opportunities available in high-need local educational
agencies throughout the United States, which shall be made
available to individuals having a service obligation under
this section.''.

The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 327, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each
will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
The Noyce program at the National Science Foundation has up to now
required scholarship recipients to teach in high-need schools. H.R. 362
substantially expands the program, scaling it up from fewer than 1,000
pre-service STEM teachers per year to 10,000 per year.
The Noyce program is being scaled up by H.R. 362 to address the needs
of schools in all parts of the Nation which have large numbers of out-
of-field STEM teachers. For example, the percentage of physical science
teachers in

[[Page H3821]]

middle schools with neither a major in the field nor certification is
nearly 90 percent.
As part of enlarging the program's scale, the bill also removes the
requirement that all graduates teach in a high-need school. But the
bill also adds in its place an incentive for teachers to serve in high-
need schools. The amendment I am proposing makes clear that we are not
backing away from our firm commitment to address the requirements of
high-need schools.
The amendment has two provisions. The first provision requires the
NSF to broadly disseminate information about the program, including to
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This is to ensure that
students in minority schools have improved chances of seeing a minority
teacher prepared through a Noyce program.
The second provision requires the foundation to maintain a
clearinghouse on teaching opportunities in high-need schools. This will
assist Noyce scholars in finding their ideal placement.
Without this amendment, Noyce scholars seeking placement might not
know which schools meet the definition of high-need in any given year
or which such schools have openings.
This amendment will both help increase the number of individuals from
minority-serving institutions who participate in the Noyce program and
will help recruit Noyce scholars to teaching positions in high-need
schools. I recommend adoption of this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting this amendment, which the chairman has already described.
Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to Dr. Ehlers, the
gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I do support this amendment and I think we should
approve it, but I would like to spend the majority of my time
discussing the previous amendment which we already accepted. I would
like to make a point in connection with that. A very good part of that
amendment is that it provides an additional stipend for teachers during
their 4-year service requirement.
We have a major problem in America with math and science teachers; in
fact, we have a major problem with a lot of teachers who do not stick
with their field. We just don't have the retention rate we should. But
that is especially true of good math and science teachers because the
market out there for them is tremendous. Frequently, they can double
their salary by going into industry, and at the very least they can
increase their salary by 40 or 50 percent. It is very difficult for the
schools to compete with that, although I have argued for years we
should have a salary differential for those teachers who have very
strong economic incentives to leave the teaching profession and to go
into another job.
We simply have to meet the market, and unfortunately that has not
been the tradition in the schools. I think we should establish that. If
you don't meet the market, you are going to lose your best teachers,
and we certainly don't want to lose them after all the work we have
done through these various scholarships to develop good teachers.
So I strongly support the part of the Noyce amendment No. 2 which
Chairman Gordon offered, and I hope that we can work, not just within
this Congress but within this Nation, with the teachers, the school
boards, and the teachers unions to develop a system that recognizes
that a mechanism is needed to meet the market for those teachers who
are offered large inducements to leave the teaching profession and go
to another field.
I simply wanted to make that point in connection with the first
amendment simply because that amendment is a start in the right
direction, and I hope we can carry that principle onward.
I appreciate Chairman Gordon offering the amendment, and I hope that
we can continue along that path in future bills relating to the
subject.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to once again
thank Dr. Ehlers for his support for this bill, but more importantly
for making a good bill a better bill.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms.
Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank Mr.
Ehlers as well as Mr. Gordon for accepting this amendment, and I fully
support it and I fully support the bill.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).
The amendment was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the committee amendment in the
nature of a substitute, as amended.
The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended,
was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mrs.
Tauscher) having assumed the chair, Mr. Salazar, Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 362) to
authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics and science
teachers, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 327, he
reported the bill back to the House with an amendment adopted by the
Committee of the Whole.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is
ordered.
Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment
reported from the Committee of the Whole? If not, the question is on
the amendment.
The amendment was agreed to.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.

Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Hoekstra

Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
Mr. HOEKSTRA. In its present form, yes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:

Mr. Hoekstra moves to recommit the bill, H.R. 362, to the
Committee on Science and Technology with instructions to
report back the same forthwith with an amendment. The
amendment is as follows:
Amend section 204 to read as follows:

SEC. 204. CURRICULA.

Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act,
shall be construed to limit the authority of State
governments or local school boards to determine the curricula
of their students.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order on
the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Tennessee reserves a
point of order.
The gentleman from Michigan is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I offer this motion to recommit with
instructions. My motion to recommit addresses a glaring inconsistency
in this bill with all other Federal education laws by removing a
provision that moves us in the direction of national standards and
curriculum and puts those decisions back in the hands where they
belong, in the hands of our State and local education leaders and, most
importantly, parents.
Education in this country has always been predominantly a State and
local issue, and within that context parents had a protected right to
direct their children's education.
Even in the years after the passage of No Child Left Behind, the
Federal contribution towards educating our children continues to be
less than 10 percent, with States, counties, cities, and towns,
actually parents and their local communities, providing over 90 percent
of their funding to educate the next generation.
It is not only appropriate but imperative that the Federal law
prevents the Federal Government from telling States and districts and
schools what and how they should teach.
For example, the No Child Left Behind Act prohibits the Federal
Government from mandating, directing, reviewing, or controlling a
State, district, or school's choice of instructional content or
curriculum.

[[Page H3822]]

In addition, No Child Left Behind strictly prohibits the Department
of Education from endorsing, approving, or sanctioning any curriculum
for an elementary or secondary school.
The rationale behind these provisions is important. As a Nation, we
believe that the people closest to our children should make the
decision as to what works best.

{time} 1630

Children learn differently. Some are visual learners. Some learn best
from listening. Others need hands-on opportunities. While there are
some things that work well for some groups of children, determining
definitively what works at the national level for all children is
absurd. Therefore, when the Federal Government says that these five, 10
or 15 specific science curricula are most effective, it is implicitly
telling States, districts and schools that they should use these
identified options, irrespective of whether that is what is best for
their students or their area.
Case in point is the current debate regarding the implementation of
Reading First. There are allegations that some States and districts
took information from technical assistance center employees and, to be
fair, some department employees, to be implied endorsements of specific
programs, believing that those were the only programs that would be
funded under Reading First.
No one seems happy about the outcome, yet this underlying bill would
create another panel to provide ``recommendations'' that it then
requires the Director of NSF and the Secretary of Education to
disseminate.
Take a look at this motion to recommit. Very simple. Nothing in this
act or the amendments made by this act shall be construed to limit the
authority of State governments or local school boards to determine the
curricula of their students. It very clearly states and adds the
clarifying language that it is the State and local school districts'
responsibility and accountability for developing and approving the most
appropriate, the most effective teaching methods and the most effective
content.
This Congress has long taken the position that we do not want to
develop national curriculum and national standards. This Congress has
consistently taken the position that we need and want local control of
our schools.
I urge my colleagues to vote for this motion to recommit, to once
again say that parents and local school districts, the ones who know
the needs and the names of our children in their schools, are the ones
in the best position to make the decisions as to what will happen in
the classrooms in their local schools.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Tennessee insist on
his point of order?
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, this motion simply states the
status quo, and we are glad to accept it.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman withdraw his point of
order?
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Yes, he does.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the motion to recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that
a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is
not present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes
the minimum time for any electronic passage on the question of passage
of the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 408,
nays 4, not voting 20, as follows:

[Roll No. 253]

YEAS--408

Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Altmire
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson
Carter
Castle
Castor
Chabot
Chandler
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cohen
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crenshaw
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Fallin
Farr
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Gillmor
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hall (TX)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hobson
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Jordan
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
King (IA)
Kingston
Klein (FL)
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Nunes
Oberstar
Obey
Ortiz
Pallone
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sali
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sestak
Shadegg
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Skelton
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Space
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stupak
Sullivan
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Yarmuth
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

NAYS--4

Abercrombie
Crowley
Pascrell
Slaughter

NOT VOTING--20

Bilirakis
Boucher
Brady (PA)
Buyer
Cubin
Davis, Jo Ann
Fattah
Fossella
Hastert
Hastings (FL)
Kennedy
King (NY)
Kirk
Lampson
Myrick
Olver
Poe
Rangel
Sutton
Westmoreland

[[Page H3823]]

{time} 1658

Ms. SLAUGHTER and Mr. ABERCROMBIE changed their vote from ``yea'' to
``nay.''
Messrs. JOHNSON of Georgia, ELLISON, SHADEGG, NUNES, and ROTHMAN
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion to recommit was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.

____________________