S.744 Immigration bill - Sec. 4104: STEM EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Posted Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 4:58 pm
- (a) Fee- Section 212(a)(5)(A) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
- `(v) FEE- An employer shall submit, along with
an application for a certification under this subparagraph, a fee of
$500 which shall be deposited in the STEM Education and Training Account
established by section 286(s).'.
- (b) Use of Fee- Section 286(s) (8 U.S.C. 1356(s)) is amended to read as follows:
- `(s) STEM Education and Training Account-
- `(1) IN GENERAL- There is established in the general
fund of the Treasury a separate account, which shall be known as the
`STEM Education and Training Account'. Notwithstanding any other section
of this title, there shall be deposited as offsetting receipts into the
account all fees collected under section 212(a)(5)(A)(v).
- `(2) LOW-INCOME STEM SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM- Sixty percent
of the amounts deposited into the STEM Education and Training Account
shall remain available to the Director of the National Science
Foundation until expended for scholarships described in section 414(d)
of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998
(42 U.S.C. 1869c) for low-income students enrolled in a program of study
leading to a degree in science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics.
- `(3) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION COMPETITIVE GRANT
PROGRAM FOR K-12 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS
EDUCATION-
- `(A) IN GENERAL- Fifteen percent of the amounts
deposited into the STEM Education and Training Account shall remain
available to the Director of the National Science Foundation until
expended to carry out a direct or matching grant program to support
improvement in K-12 education, including through private-public
partnerships.
- `(B) TYPES OF PROGRAMS COVERED- The Director shall
award grants to such programs, including those which support the
development and implementation of standards-based instructional
materials models and related student assessments that enable K-12
students to acquire an understanding of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics, as well as to develop critical thinking
skills; provide systemic improvement in training K-12 teachers and
education for students in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, including by supporting efforts to promote gender-equality
among students receiving such instruction; support the professional
development of K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics
teachers in the use of technology in the classroom; stimulate
system-wide K-12 reform of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics in rural, economically disadvantaged regions of the United
States; provide externships and other opportunities for students to
increase their appreciation and understanding of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (including summer institutes sponsored by
an institution of higher education for students in grades 7-12 that
provide instruction in such fields); involve partnerships of industry,
educational institutions, and community organizations to address the
educational needs of disadvantaged communities; provide college
preparatory support to expose and prepare students for careers in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and provide for
carrying out systemic reform activities under section 3(a)(1) of the
National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1862(a)(1)).
- `(4) STEM CAPACITY BUILDING AT MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS-
- `(A) IN GENERAL- Twelve percent of the amounts
deposited into the STEM Education and Training Account shall remain
available to the Director of the National Science Foundation until
expended to establish or expand programs to award grants on a
competitive, merit-reviewed basis to enhance the quality of
undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education at minority-serving institutions of higher education and to
increase the retention and graduation rates of students pursuing degrees
in such fields at such institutions.
- `(B) TYPES OF PROGRAMS COVERED- Grants awarded under this paragraph shall be awarded to--
- `(i) minority-serving institutions of higher education for--
- `(I) activities to improve courses and curriculum in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
- `(II) efforts to promote gender equality among students enrolled in such courses;
- `(III) faculty development;
- `(IV) stipends for undergraduate students participating in research; and
- `(V) other activities consistent with subparagraph (A), as determined by the Director; and
- `(ii) to other institutions of higher education to partner with the institutions described in clause (i) for--
- `(I) faculty and student development and exchange;
- `(II) research infrastructure development;
- `(III) joint research projects; and
- `(IV) identification and development of
minority and low-income candidates for graduate studies in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics degree programs.
- `(C) INSTITUTIONS INCLUDED- In this paragraph, the term `minority-serving institutions of higher education' shall include--
- `(i) colleges eligible to receive funds under
the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321-326a and 328), including
Tuskegee University;
- `(ii) 1994 Institutions, as defined in section
532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C.
301 note); and
- `(iii) Hispanic-serving institutions, as
defined in section 502(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)).
- `(5) STEM JOB TRAINING- Ten percent of amounts
deposited into the STEM Education and Training Account shall remain
available to the Secretary of Labor until expended for--
- `(A) demonstration programs and projects described
in section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce
Improvement Act of 1998; and
- `(B) training programs in the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics for persons who have served
honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States and have retired or
are retiring from such service.
- `(6) USE OF FEES FOR DUTIES RELATING TO PETITIONS- One
and one-half percent of the amounts deposited into the STEM Education
and Training Account shall remain available to the Secretary of Homeland
Security until expended to carry out duties under paragraphs (1) (E) or
(F) of section 204(a) (related to petitions for immigrants described in
section 203(b)) and under paragraphs (1) and (9) of section 214(c)
(related to petitions made for nonimmigrants described in section
101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)).
- `(7) USE OF FEES FOR APPLICATION PROCESSING AND
ENFORCEMENT- One and one-half percent of the amounts deposited into the
STEM Education and Training Account shall remain available to the
Secretary of Labor until expended for decreasing the processing time for
applications under section 212(a)(5)(A) and section 212(n)(1).'.
Subtitle B--H-1B Visa Fraud and Abuse Protections
CHAPTER 1--H-1B EMPLOYER APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
4104
STEM EDUCATION AND TRAINING