STEM Opportunities Act - H.R. 2528 / S. 2579

Overview
Purpose
"To direct the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to carry out programs and activities to ensure that Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool, and for other purposes."
Primary Sponsors
Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Frank Lucas (R-OK) / Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Final outcome

House passed H.R.2528 by voice vote on 09/26/2019

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2528/text
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2579/text
Committee Reports
H.Rept.184
Summary of Selected Provisions
  • Requires federal science agencies to collect demographic data on all grant applicants. The National Science Foundation would aggregate this data and report summary statistics biennially
  • Instructs agencies to implement policies for minimizing the impact of implicit bias in reviews of grant applications
  • Directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to issue guidance to agencies on policies for supporting principal investigators with caregiving responsibilities
  • Directs OSTP to issue guidance to universities and federal labs on best practices for addressing cultural and institutional barriers to recruiting and retaining STEM workers from underrepresented groups
  • Directs NSF to administer research grants to evaluate the data collected and policies implemented as a result of the act
Actions
Actions on the House bill
House passed bill by voice vote
09/26/2019
House Science Committee approved amended bill
06/20/2019
Bill introduced
05/07/2019
Actions on the Senate bill
Bill introduced
09/26/2019
Other versions
117th Congress
115th Congress
Relevant FYI Bulletins

Science Committee Adds Rural STEM Education to Broadening Participation Push

The House Science Committee approved legislation this month dedicated to supporting rural students and educators, the latest in a series of bills it has advanced that aim to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

Johnson Revives Marquee STEM Diversity Bill

Now at the helm of the House Science Committee, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) is working with the committee’s Republican minority to advance her marquee bill to increase diversity in STEM fields.

NSF Scaling Up STEM Diversity Efforts with INCLUDES Network

To address the persistent underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields, the National Science Foundation has issued a set of major awards through its INCLUDES initiative to scale up promising strategies with a national network of projects.